EverQuest Legends Opens Rulers of Kunark Preorders, But Not Everyone Is Celebrating.

11 November 2026.

Today was a big news day for EverQuest Legends. Besides an gigantic patch that was applied today, which saw a nerf of the recent beloved DDD meta among a host of quality improvements, there was also the announcement for Rulers of Kunark, the eagerly awaited expansion for the game. 

The legendary continent of Kunark is returning to Norrath, bringing with it, new lore, revamped zones, new progression systems, but also plenty of familiar areas and adventures. The first major expansion for EverQuest Legends, opened its pre-orders today with a scheduled launch for December 8, 2026.

Cabilis

For longtime EverQuest players, Kunark is a name that carries some serious nostalgia. Whether you spent countless hours wandering through the Field of Bone, getting lost in Warsliks Woods, fighting your way through Karnor's Castle, or making questionable life decisions in The Overthere, this continent holds some pretty special memories.

However, this expansion is not  simply a case of bringing the original Ruins of Kunark back with a fresh coat of paint. The developers are taking a different approach, rebuilding the continent, changing its political landscape, introducing new storylines, and adding several progression systems designed specifically for EverQuest Legends. 

And while there is certainly plenty here to get excited about, the announcement has also generated some mixed and intense reactions, particularly when it comes to the expansion's pricing and edition structure.

Kunark Returns, But Things Have Changed

One of the biggest attractions of Rulers of Kunark is the opportunity to revisit a continent that many EverQuest players consider one of the defining experiences of the original game. 

The team at Game Jawn are promising 27 new zones to explore, with every zone on Kunark receiving a revamp. Some familiar locations will return in recognizable form, while others have undergone substantial changes.

Cabilis, the capital of the Iksar, has been rebuilt, with East and West Cabilis now united beneath the new Vekin Palace. The Overthere has been substantially reshaped, and those expecting to find the familiar stronghold of Firiona Vie will instead discover Tomar's Terrorfields.

Chardok

There are also some interesting changes to the story behind the continent.

The Sebilisian Empire is rising again under Empress Sathir, who is rebuilding the empire from Cabilis. Meanwhile, Venril Sathir remains a threat, the dragons of Veeshan's Peak are under siege, the Shissar are stirring beneath the surface, and the Di'Zok Sarnak have their own ambitions for control of Kunark.
In other words, Kunark might look familiar, but the people fighting over it have their own plans.

For players who enjoy the original lore, this could be an interesting opportunity to revisit familiar locations while discovering a different version of their history.
And yes, Karnor's Castle and Veeshan's Peak are getting new raid content as well. 

Chardok is also being rebuilt as a raid altogether, while Karnor's Castle will feature a confrontation with Drusella Sathir, Venril Sathir's undead wife, who now rules as Lady-Regent.

Karnor's Castle

Besides more content the level cap will also increase to 55, and every class Epic quest is being reworked to remove the bottlenecks that prevented many players from completing them the first time around. If you never managed to finish your Epic weapon back in the day, perhaps this is your second chance!

New Systems Bring More Ways to Progress
Of course, an expansion needs more than familiar places to explore, and Rulers of Kunark is bringing several new systems to EverQuest Legends.

The biggest addition is arguably Reincarnation, which gives max-level characters another progression path. Once every class and race in your loadout reaches the level cap, you can reincarnate, returning your loadout to level 1 in exchange for permanent bonuses.

Field of Bone

Each class and race has its own three-rank progression line. The first two ranks provide passive bonuses, while the third unlocks an activated ability. Your first reincarnation also turns your attribute hard caps into soft caps, with subsequent reincarnations raising those limits further.

Essentially, you get to start over, but with something permanent to show for it. Each cycle takes a little longer than the previous one, giving players another long-term goal to work toward.

There is also the new Artes system, which takes the game's multiclassing concept even further. One particularly interesting example is the Summoner Arte, allowing players to command up to three pets simultaneously, one for each eligible pet class in their loadout: Mage, Necromancer, Enchanter, and Beastlord. ( As a Beastlord main at heart, let's hope Beastlord finally gets a nice buff with that)

The Overthere

Another addition is the ability to push equipment and spells beyond their previous +10 limit. The new +11 Item and Spell Merging system requires a special item found exclusively in Kunark raids. Reaching +11 also unlocks a new exaltation slot, providing an additional effect. The question is, can these raids be done solo, or will this slowly start to lock content away for solo/duo players, counter to the "play it your way" mission the team pushed so far. Time will tell. 

Finally, the old Bazaar is being replaced by an Auction House. Rather than having to remain logged in as a merchant while selling your goods, players can list items with an Auction House vendor, set their prices, and log out. Other players can search listings across the server and purchase items, with their purchases delivered by parcel. How much you can put up for sale is limited and more slots can be purchased via the market place or by ordering a higher tier expansion pack.

Overall this sure seems like a good quality-of-life change for anyone who has spent 

more time sitting behind a merchant character than actually adventuring!

Features such as "Collections" allow players to gather themed sets of items from different zones and expansions. Completing sets, chapters, and entire expansions rewards players with titles, cosmetics, and conveniences. The Collections window will also provide additional storage for collected items. 

There is certainly a lot to unpack here, and these systems could give players plenty of reasons to keep exploring Kunark long after completing the main content.

The Price of Adventure: Three Editions, Three Different Experiences?

Now, let's talk about the part of the announcement that has generated some less enthusiastic reactions.

Rulers of Kunark is available in three pre-order editions: Standard, Premium, and Deluxe. All three include the full expansion, but the additional features and rewards are distributed across the different price points. Here is how they compare:

At first glance, having three editions isn't particularly unusual. Many games offer additional rewards for players willing to spend more. However, the way some of these features have been distributed has raised questions. 

The biggest sticking point appears to be the Standard edition. While it does provide access to the full Kunark expansion, several key features and conveniences are reserved for the more expensive editions. Notably the Collections System and the anticipated Alias systems are locked behind higher price points. 

Standard purchasers do not receive access to the Kunark Collections, while Premium purchasers receive Kunark Collections and Deluxe purchasers receive both Kunark and Classic Collections. There are also differences in Auction House listing capacity, race and class unlock tokens, XP potions, and other extras.

Reincarnation is another interesting consideration. Touted by David Youssefi as a "cornerstone feature of the Kunark Expansion"  is not only NOT available in the Standard edition from the get go, There is a cost to the feature which seems to be going to cost IR500 ( of $5 ) per Reincarnation Token.  It is hard to swallow being hit with that cost if this is considered a big part of the game and it seems this decision was made haphazardly. Afterall EQL is using the subscription model which is not optional and players gladly paid the $9.99 in the assumption that any marketplace items would be optional. This does not sound optional, and that is a problem.

Edit: It seems you can also trade 3 Void Touch Potentials for a Reincarnation Token  ( which again has a value of $5 in the market place) 

Additionally if you want to try out the Reincarnation feature before the expansion then you have to purchase the Premium and Deluxe purchasers in order get immediate access as a pre-order bonus.

As I am writing this, it seems DayBreak is hearing the outcry and the following was posted on their Discord 

Angeliana [EQ],  — 5:52 PM

Hi all, we are updating the Premium and Deluxe preorders so that Premium includes two (2) reincarnation tokens and Deluxe includes three (3) Reincarnation Tokens. These will be granted to all accounts with Deluxe and Premium preorders tomorrow. In terms of the VTP cost for Reincarnation, we hear your feedback, and we’re discussing internally and will provide an update soon.

And indeed the webpage has already been updated to reflect this change. However this does not address the root of the issue, cost for a main feature of the game. 

All this has left some players questioning whether the Standard edition offers enough value compared to the higher-priced alternatives. For those who feel that important features are being held back to encourage spending another $15 or $30, the entry-level edition is proving difficult to get excited about.

To be fair, the Standard edition does include the complete expansion itself. It isn't a case of purchasing the cheapest version and being locked out of Kunark's main zones or story content. However, when additional gameplay systems and conveniences are distributed between editions, it is understandable that players might question the value of the different packages or the path DayBreak is taking with the game, counter to promised made when EQL was announced.

As I alluded to earlier, it is an important detail that prospective buyers should remember: Rulers of Kunark requires the base EverQuest Legends game and an active subscription. The expansion purchase is therefore an additional cost on top of the existing game and subscription. That is a factor worth considering when calculating the overall cost of continuing your adventures in Norrath.

Tomar's Terrorfields

The good news is that players who purchase Standard or Premium can upgrade to a higher edition later by paying only the difference. So there is no immediate need to make the most expensive purchase if you are still undecided if all the extras worth it. 

Will Kunark  Be Worth the Return?

There is no denying that Rulers of Kunark looks like a substantial and much needed addition to EverQuest Legends. Twenty-seven zones, new raids, a higher level cap, revamped Epic quests, new character progression, and several quality-of-life improvements give players plenty to look forward to.

Personally, I think the opportunity to revisit familiar locations while discovering how the developers have reimagined them is one of the most interesting aspects of this expansion. Kunark is one of those places that has a special place in EverQuest history, and I suspect many players will have their own favorite locations they cannot wait to revisit.

At the same time, excitement for new content doesn't mean players should simply overlook the pricing concerns or the lock down of features behind a paywall. An expansion announcement is a great opportunity to celebrate what is coming, but it is also the right time for players to speak up about what they think works and what doesn't.

Hopefully, the developers will continue listening to the community as we get closer to launch. There is still more information to come, including additional details about the factions fighting over Kunark, the Epic quest changes, Artes, and a developer preview livestream.

Your Turn, Legends!

Are you excited about returning to Kunark, or has the pricing structure put a damper on your enthusiasm? Which familiar zone are you most looking forward to revisiting? Is it the Field of Bone, The Overthere, Karnor's Castle, Cabilis, or somewhere else entirely?  

We know that EverQuest players have plenty of memories, opinions, and occasionally very strong feelings about Kunark. Let's hear them!

Share your thoughts in the comments below. We would love to know what the community thinks, both the good and the not-so-good. But we have to ask, please be constructive.

Rulers of Kunark launches December 8, 2026. Pre-orders are available now.

See you in Norrath, Legends!

DadGeek (Rob) is the co-founder of GeeksVsGeeks. He is a product of the eighties and never let go of his geek interest and hobbies no matter how often someone told him to stop. His love for gaming and all things geek has been part of his parenting style and permeates throughout the whole family. A family of Geeks vs Geeks.