End of legion, we hand back all our artifact weapons (theory)

[Soeroah]

I kinda want the expansion to end the way it started; with a blink spell. Except this time we expend the power we've been gathering in all the artifacts to blink Azeroth itself across the cosmos, causing the Legion to lose our position, pissing them off and buying ourselves a few years where we can realistically explore local threats/the Void without having to ask why the infinite Legion has stopped attacking if they know where we are. Plus it would make the next time we see a wild demon a lot more of an oh shit moment, as it's a threat to our safety again, and this time we have less heroes and artifacts on our side.

[Eazy]

Next expansion will likely be N'zoth rising from the sea + Azshara.

The Legion weakens us and his prison's chains. He will break free.


There was a theory that the last raid ends with N'zoth being freed and just as Azeroth sighs of relief after the Legion is once again repelled the big bad Old God makes his move.

Two things:
-N'Zoth is free right now,
-he's also weakest Old God out there,

[Cyrops]

A few good ideas in this thread, personally I would be happy with either of these:

a) We hang our Artifact in Class halls to inspire future generations.

b) We deplete the Artifact and it becomes a grey item with flavor text ('This was once a might weapon etc.').

c) We hand our Artifact over to the next 'Champion' to protect Azeroth in our stead, while we go somewhere else (Argus or w/e).


As for things we know:

Blizz said we will be able to keep skin for future (feat of strength most likely too) and that any traits from artifact that are deemed 'must have' will be baked into class.

[Kitanii]

I like the Idea of sacrificing our weapon in one big, final battle. Like Son Goku's Genkidama. In the end, all that remains are some destroyed fragments.

[thilicen]

Can't see us dropping the artifacts unless it's a real lore-heavy moment like having to channel their power at some extreme threat, rendering them useless when the fight ends.

[Maoli]

They hinted that all the artifacts will be destroyed in the final fight of legion. But that wasn't something set in stone at the time. We are keeping the skins for tranmogs so I imagine they'll have one of those moments were we need funnel the power from our artifacts to make the final attack that destroys whoever is that the end of legion.

[Lupinemancer]

I still think that that we end up giving them to someone else, such as giving the Doomhammer back to Thrall, while those who died, we might give it to someone else. In fact, I think that Lore-wise, it's not actually us who wields the weapons but canon lore characters like Maxwell Tyrosus, who might be the one wielding Ashbringer.

[Trassk]

After doing the marksman weapon chain involving Vereesa, at the end when you get Thas'dorah, she concludes that you can use the bow against the legion, until Alleria returns. This indicates the idea really that we are just borrowing these weapons temporarily to fight the legion and inspire the troops.

[bufferunderrun]

After doing the marksman weapon chain involving Vereesa, at the end when you get Thas'dorah, she concludes that you can use the bow against the legion, until Alleria returns. This indicates the idea really that we are just borrowing these weapons temporarily to fight the legion and inspire the troops.

this, i still remember mimiron say something along the line that for now hati is bound to titanstrike until he find a way to free her again; i think thrall specifically say that doomhammer for now chose you and i think ashbringer had something along those lines.

[DeltrusDisc]

Well they already said odds are we won't use the artifact in the next expansion. Dunno about giving them back as some may want it for sentimental purposes or possibly mogs (assuming they'd let you in the future).

This. While it may seem silly to some to keep it in the banks or whatever, people would have a fit if they couldn't keep it - as would I.

[Deleted]

If I hand it back, which we will. I want it to be meaningful. Ie hand the Eagle spear back to Highmountain Tribes. Throw the sunstrider sword into the sunwell to reignite (legion screw with well say). I don't want they to be pointlessly destroyed or forgotten

By give back I mean in 'lore' we may keep them on our banks etc .

[Zenny]

I really, really, really doubt we would be handing anything back. Most players would have a fit if that would to happen, especially if they spent 2 year upgrading them and unlocking every single skin and trait.

[Plutarch78]

My take is we sacrifice our artifact power at the last boss of Legion in order to defeat him/her/it and it becomes a junk item for transmog.

[Al Gorefiend]

I think the Artifacts will be destroyed in the finale. To defeat a great evil or maybe close a portal.

I think some serve too good a purpose to be scratched from lore. A lot are really really powerful.

- - - Updated - - -

I think we'll give many of them back or place them on a pedestal in our order hall so Blizz can reuse them in lore later down the road.

[Self Inflicted Wounds]

I don't see why a Paladin would just randomly give up the Ashbringer, for instance.

[Dracullus]

If Legion ends on Argus we could use weapons to finish Kil'jaden/blow up Argus. If it ends in Tomb, artifacts could be used for sealing the portal. I think that we return to traditional weapons next expansion (that can be transmogged into artifact), but artifact points system with new/updated tress will stay, maybe with class accesories or simply nothing at all.

[Deleted]

My theory is simple, five pillars, six open slots in the Chamber of the Guardian. The artifact is the sixth.

[pateuvasiliu]

Two things:
-N'Zoth is free right now,
-he's also weakest Old God out there,

Weakest? Where'd you get that?

[Eazy]

Weakest? Where'd you get that?

It is ironic that the weakest of us may be the ultimate victor. C'Thun, Yogg-Saron, Y'Shaarj, and... well. Only one would remain to consume the world, that was always meant to be.

04:31

Also - it's kinda confirmed in the chronicles, he wasn't that strong compared to others.

[pateuvasiliu]

Well, that's a huge bummer. I always imagined N'zoth to be the big bad Old God, considering his krakken manhandled Neptulon and he's likely responsible for the Emerald Nightmare, which is way bigger than what C'thun and Yogg Saron achieved.