We've datamined part of a new armor set on the Dragonflight Patch 10.1 PTR! The Ceremonial Pantera armor may seem to have a strange name, but it might mean more than you think... The ceremonial armor comes in two color schemes, what would appear to be Alliance blue and Night Elf purple. You wouldn't be remiss for assuming the set was actually supposed to be Ceremonial Panther armor, especially after seeing the feline-inspired helm and shoulders (fun fact, pantera is the Spanish word for panther), but we like speculating, so let's go nuts! For those not aware, Pantera is an American heavy metal band, one of many favored by Senior Art Director Samwise Didier and cited as one of the «killer bands» on his now defunct Sons of the Storm artist profile page.
The armor sets name comes from its associated icons, currently made up of belt, helmet, and shoulders. That may be coincidence, but the band's influence shows through much of Dider's work. The eighth and final chapter of the Orc campaign in Warcraft III, By Demons Be Driven, is a direct reference to the Pantera song of the same name, and the Elite Tauren Chieftain character from Heroes of the Storm is widely considered to be based off of the late Darrell Lance Abbott, aka Dimebag Darrell, who was a founding member of Pantera in 1981.
Initially known for an image-conscious glam metal style, the heavy metal guitarist shares several similarities with E.T.C., from the dyed goatee to the Dean ML, Washburn, and Razorback guitars Darrell was famous for playing. Even the Black Tooth Grin clan from Warcraft II was named after a phrase coined by Darrell, used for an alcoholic drink and tattooed on his leg. Pink goatee? Check.
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