Legion Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Trassk]

Okay, now i've seen both sides played through both, I'm gonna give a small review of the patch itself overall, the gameplay, the lore, the characters, the presentation.

Pre Legion patch:
Gameplay:

Overall, with that they did with the class overhauls and making specs feel different but the same, it made the effort or playing our different characters kinda satisfying, meaning we weren't just jumping into a new patch with the same boring playstyle as always.
The way the patch was set up made for probably the best pre expansion patch yet, and mechanics making it that you felt like 'This is effecting the entire world', flying around with not just your own faction but the other, and going to towns that ordinarily would attack you, now side with you in fighting the legion, it made it feel like the world grew some common sense.

Lore:
Characters:

-Varian:
What can I say really, this was Varians twilight, the end of his story, and he went out with a bang. Since his inception I didn't like Varian that well, but in recent years he got better and I started to enjoy him a little more, which made his death feel much more impacting as a result. He kept in character and lead the alliance good in this, and in the end sacrificed himself to let the alliance fleet escape. I would have preferred he spat in gul'dans face, but he knew going into this he could die, and set about giving his final word to Anduin. Well played, a dramatic ending, just a shame it took so many years to make him into a likable character to feel that way.

-Vol'jin:
Its sad really when you think about it, Vol'jin's been a character thats been there since WC3, and stood alongside Thrall and Cairne in the creation of the horde. But wow did nothing good for Vol'jin, and in the end his death didn't have the kind of impact Varian's did, even Tirions. The undevelopment of his character, the fact he was given the role of warchief, only to do nothing with it though the only expansion he was so, and then even with his death, he felt like a secondary character, outshined by Sylvanas. If blizzard had done something with him other then a model update, give him development other then 'I follow dah loa', then it would have felt like his death meant something.

-Thrall:
Lets get this out of the way, Thralls place in this was awful and while I was glad to know at least he didn't break down to depression on the battlefront, he was still a background character, the guy who faught the legion the first time they came, the guy who stood against deathwing, and yet here the writers felt the need to underplay him so much just so the 'fans' wouldn't cry marysue all over again. He held no place here and they couldn't even have him around when Vol'jin died, someone who he counted as a brother. Bad form.

-Jaina:
Sigh.. And here I thought after the garrosh trial she was getting better, getting her head screwed back on. Turns out no, all it took was a misunderstanding and boom she's right back to crazy old Jaina again. The way she talked down to Auduin after he's just become leader of the human alliance (and all the alliance? dunno yet), right after the death of his father, and she talks down to him, I really just want to slap her f**king face. Disappointing to see she hasn't matured, so glad to know whats gonna happen to her in legion.

-Genn:
While his character model update was cool, his attitude is the same thing like it was back in cata, still pining for Sylvanas' blood after a misunderstanding of events, and while it could be argued Genn, unlike Jaina, has more reason to hate Sylvanas directly given she killed his son, after all these years, he was just looking for any single moment he could to fight her, even when faced with the possible end of the world. Bitter old man needs to get some perspective.

-Anduin:
Finally the alliance has a ruler with proper wisdom behind him, and one who focuses on the more important things. I can imagine the tears of certain fans who wanted a ragemonger still for a leader because that = pvp and points. However, when you have people like Jaina and Genn who are focused on war at a time when the world could end, you realize why the alliance needs Anduin more then ever. I loved when Anduin made it clear he took Velens wisdom before anything Jaina said, and shot her down, that was the icing on the burnt cake for me.

-Sylvanas:
One of the biggest surprised was the kind of depth this patch gave her, and how she seems to uphold not just the hordes interests, but also the focus needed to be a proper leader. I never felt they gave Vol'jin this kind of character focus, and am surprised, for the moment, to see how she addressed the horde, not aiming to lead a war against a common foe like Jaina would, but on seeking revenge against the real enemy, the legion, for Vol'jin. While I think she will always have an agenda, this could well change her as a character, make her realize its not just the forsaken she's defending, but the rest of the horde too. I've never really been a fan, but I sure as hell would follow the dark lady into battle before I ever would have Garrosh.

-Tirion:
Maybe we're know more in the paladin quest, but at it stands, his end was kind of bad, this being the guy we followed against the lich king and faught alongside in the final battle, ended up being killed by a twisted warlock, it just seems weak compared to what he did. I was hoping to see something from Eitrigg when we get back to orgirmmar of his old friend being killed like this, but it feels like a missed opportunity. Maybe we're know more, but I kinda doubt it.

-Mekkatorque:
This is like the first time he's been in a cinematic and he didn't disappoint, good show.

-Baine:
Didn't really make any impact on the story, just carrying Thrall to safety. Just like Vol'jin, it feels like if they bothered to give Baine some character development, his presence would be felt a lot more.

-Gul'dan:
Well, evil as always, cartoonishly evil infact, but come to expect this. After what he did to durotan in the movie, and what he did to Varian here (I know two different gul'dans but still the same character), I can say it at least builds up for a real want to kick his fel touched ass to the nether, gonna enjoy cleaving my weapon over his face when we finally get to kill him.

Presentation:

While the cinematics were really good quality, the voice acting was good overall, and impact the story elements had on the lore will be felt for years, there were things missing, like a cinematic of Anduin accepting his fathers letter from you, it felt like it just needed that extra, but there wasn't even voice acting from all the alliance leaders at Varians funeral.
The rest though was enjoyable, we got to see the huge sweeping landscapes effected by the legion, we got to feel the impact of characters deaths here, not just minor characters anymore. And while there are issues with how certain characters were presented, some of the major ones were played out well.


Overall, it was a good patch, one of the best pre-expansion patches blizzard has made, and one that felt impactful, I did have that sensation once it was over of 'oh crap, this is really bad isn't it?', really giving the feeling of we're just not good enough yet to beat this thing. Character send offs could have been better, but I've said who so won't go into that. I felt like the fights we have with mods were strong and you mostly paid for your own mistakes (except some of those demons aoe effects that nuke you), but otherwise it didn't make it feel a let down.

Overall, I'd give this patch a 9/10

[Gnarilex]

Greymane got new model, both human and worgen version.

...I know? I said he did? But my point was that it isn't a completely new model giving you a sneak peek at what's to come, like Garrosh's SoO model was. If you take off the tufts of fur added on the shoulders and around his head it's still the worgen model everyone else has access to.

- - - Updated - - -

Really loved it as well.
Just want to delete my Demon Hunter again so I can play the starting zone again, and again. I kid, I kid.
Might do more of the Invasions now if I can't do the Broken Shore with my Demon Hunter.



Goblins don't need too much, but it would be nice if they got tweaked and updated a bit.
Worgen need it more and can base it off Genn's model and tweak a bit too so that it will have the other fur colours.

You misunderstood me. It isn't a new model. It's literally the current worgen model with a few extra bits added around the shoulders and head. There's nothing to base new worgen models off of, because it isn't any different. They couldn't even add those tufts of fur to the current models because the players wear armor. It would either be a clipping nightmare or stretch the chest piece's texture over all of them, which would look even worse.

[Valysar]

I thought Nat pagle was the worst thing of all time... But I was wrong, i'ts the doomsayer toy !

[Drekmar]

I thought Nat pagle was the worst thing of all time... But I was wrong, i'ts the doomsayer toy !

ye, 2hrs and only one spawned

[Shadochi]

Anyone knows if Destro Warlocks can get 2H or only 1H out of the chests?

[Imnick]

ye, 2hrs and only one spawned

Honestly it probably increases in frequency as the event goes on, like invasions do.
People are just mad now because they're trying to get it the second it is earliest available.

[rcshaggy]

Been doing a lot of Demon Invasions on my Demon Hunter and got a lot of the same gear; Like I got four pieces of the same stuff.
I also got a loot drop on the Glaive of the Fallen so I quickly refunded the one I bought...Which I sort of didn't like.

And also with Demon Hunters does the Dalaran Quest appear for us? (The one that takes to the Isles)
I did every known Legion quest I could've gotten after the starting experience. (Wish I could do it again, again...again...)

[Drekmar]

Honestly it probably increases in frequency as the event goes on, like invasions do.
People are just mad now because they're trying to get it the second it is earliest available.

It doesnt. But they are hotfixing it to spawn more frequently and increase drop of the toy.

[Padwarle]

Did BT on my Demon Hunter... and nothing different happened. Blizz pls. :c

[Justin-Sane]

Did BT on my Demon Hunter... and nothing different happened. Blizz pls. :c

I did well of eternity and there was nothing there either. Oh well.

[Gnarilex]

Did BT on my Demon Hunter... and nothing different happened. Blizz pls. :c

You monster.

I could be imagining things, but I swear during the alpha there was a wall blocking the staircase up to Illidan if you were a demon hunter.

[Hexxidecimal]

You monster.

I could be imagining things, but I swear during the alpha there was a wall blocking the staircase up to Illidan if you were a demon hunter.

The wall is there, always was. You have to speak to Akama to get past it though.

[Collected]

Question to those who have done the DH start experience repeatedly... how does the epic gear upgrades system work?

The reason I ask is I rolled DH and got 2 or 3 epic upgrades. Nice nice.

Then I realise I forgot to loot Inquisitors Menacing Eye, the bag... and I fancied re-doing the experience because it doesn't take long and it's so good.

Second DH.. not a single epic upgrade in the entire experience. Typical. Practically every other player I inspect has 2 or 3.

Have I maxed out my upgrade luck for today or is it purely RNG? It's bugging me a little. I mean I know I'll upgrade the items as soon as the 100+ zones open up but part of me is like "wheres my epics".

[Raetary]

Question to those who have done the DH start experience repeatedly... how does the epic gear upgrades system work?

The reason I ask is I rolled DH and got 2 or 3 epic upgrades. Nice nice.

Then I realise I forgot to loot Inquisitors Menacing Eye, the bag... and I fancied re-doing the experience because it doesn't take long and it's epic.

Second DH.. not a single epic upgrade in the entire experience.

Have I maxed out my upgrade luck for today or is it purely RNG? It's bugging me a little. I mean I know I'll upgrade the items as soon as the 100+ zones open up but part of me is like "wheres my epics".

its purely rng

[Collected]

its purely rng

Yeah I thought so. Damn the RNG gods.

[Hexxidecimal]

Question to those who have done the DH start experience repeatedly... how does the epic gear upgrades system work?

The reason I ask is I rolled DH and got 2 or 3 epic upgrades. Nice nice.

Then I realise I forgot to loot Inquisitors Menacing Eye, the bag... and I fancied re-doing the experience because it doesn't take long and it's so good.

Second DH.. not a single epic upgrade in the entire experience. Typical. Practically every other player I inspect has 2 or 3.

Have I maxed out my upgrade luck for today or is it purely RNG? It's bugging me a little. I mean I know I'll upgrade the items as soon as the 100+ zones open up but part of me is like "wheres my epics".

Yeah it's purely RNG but as you said, those epics will be replaced by quest greens soon enough. No worries.

[Rogalicus]

I don't really get it. When Khadgar arrives at the Vault of Wardens (quests 'Between Us and Freedom' and 'Illidari, We Are Leaving'), he names himself head of Kirin Tor. How the hell is this possible before Dalaran questline?

[Fawkess]

People don't seem to be talking about the Biggest reveal of the Broken Shore Cinematic

We finally got a Gnome in a cut-scene for once guys!!!!!!!

- - - Updated - - -

Anyone knows if Destro Warlocks can get 2H or only 1H out of the chests?

They should be able to get any item a Warlock can use

Staffs, Daggers, Wands, Swords, Off-Hands, ect

- - - Updated - - -

Demon Hunters finally released today. Played about an hour before work today, made it to level 100 in 45 minutes. Class feels very awesome so far. Can't wait to get home from work.

Leveled mine to 100 and I will just say that it was a fantastic experience

Its too bad they didn't make this week another Time-walking event, Would have been a great time to try out Vengeance tanking in a easy environment


- - - Updated - - -

Yeah I thought so. Damn the RNG gods.

Its not really a big issue

You can get better loot from Invasions or buying it with nether shards and as you already said most of your gear will just be replaced while leveling

[Padwarle]

I really hope there's a quest to bring something of Gul'dan's to Anduin/Thrall (I guess? Not sure who would be better.) after you (hopefully) kill him.

[Fawkess]

I really hope there's a quest to bring something of Gul'dan's to Anduin/Thrall (I guess? Not sure who would be better.) after you (hopefully) kill him.

The horde equivalent would probably be Saurfang or Sylvanas for the horde