How should Blizzard handle Ariok?

[kumarshah]

For those who don't remember, Ariok is the song of Eitrigg. He travels with us to Draenor and helps everybody escape the eye of Kilrogg. But we still get spotted so Ariok transforms himself and attacks Kilrogg giving us time to escape.

We don't know what his fate is.

But we have seen Kilrogg since then:
Before we escape Tanaan
Then at Mok'gol Watchpost
Then in the cinematic where he drinks the blood

We can presume Ariok was either killed by Kilrogg and his men or taken captive.

Now, knowing Blizzard Ariok will probably be a raid boss in his transformed form that we kill. In the process killing another son of a famous Horde character.

I rather think that the Horde is missing now a proper Orc leader. In fact, there is NO ORC present in the Horde leadership today.
I would want to see Ariok helping us in 6.2 and being developed as a future warchief. He has shown his selflessness, he has strength, he believes in honor, he is the son of a fierce warrior and Horde legend.

What do you guys think will happen with Ariok?

[Hey There Guys its Metro]

Ariok is not even in Alpha yet. Its very likely it will come out around the same time the next expansion does.
Like every other game, it will kill itself with poor decisions.
Blizzard doesn't need to do a thing, other than carry on its projected course.

[Hallowseve17]

Hopefully they keep him around and we save him in Tanaan or something.

[Falrinn]

I think we'll have an Arinok raid encounter, but that doesn't mean we'll kill him or even fight him. We've had defensive fights before.

I would envision something along the lines of the Jin'do encounter in ZG (the 4.1 version). Arinok is chained up with some incredibly strong chains and the Bleeding Hollow are trying to force demon blood on him.

During the encounter itself we fight adds and the occasional miniboss while trying to break the chains. Perhaps it's a matter of balancing DPS between the chains and the adds, or perhaps it's a matter of using items dropped by the adds and minibosses to damage the chains (or a combination of both). Either way, once the chains are broken he tears his way through any of the Bleeding Hollow mobs still around. The enrage timer could be connected to the Bleeding Hollow succeeding in corrupting Arinok.

Going forward I don't think he should become the Orcs racial leader because he hasn't been shown to of had any leadership experience. Long term that could change, but for the foreseeable future I think he would be best suited as a Horde champion. Only because he's been transformed into a Dire Orc (but retains his pre-transformation personality and intellect), he is even more suited to the task.

[Deleted]

Ariok is not even in Alpha yet. Its very likely it will come out around the same time the next expansion does.
Like every other game, it will kill itself with poor decisions.
Blizzard doesn't need to do a thing, other than carry on its projected course.

Might try reading a post before replying. It helps a lot.

OT: I'd like to see more of him. Even though he was only with us for a short time, he might make an interesting character.

[Draenox]

Wasn't he killed in his heads-on attack during Tanaan? I vaguely remember him having a death-yell before we escape across the bridge.

[Splub]

I hope we save him and turn him back to normal, I liked him back in Cataclysm when he helped you in the Burning Steppes.

[Gadzooks]

If they handle it like the rest of this expansion, he'll be a new follower in your Garrison in 6.2.

[Golden Yak]

It'd be a missed opportunity for us to not see him again.

[Mormolyce]

I just assumed he died to buy us time.

[Falrinn]

I just assumed he died to buy us time.

The standard rule of fantasy is "If we don't see a body, then they almost certainly aren't dead. If we do see a body, then they might be dead. And if their death is 100% absolutely confirmed by both in credible characters within the story and the writers of the story, then they could still be resurrected later on."

We did not see a body of Ariok, henceforth, he almost certainly isn't dead. In the unlikely event he does indeed turn out to be dead, it will be treated as a shock and not something the player is supposed to have known.

[Octavius]

I had great expectations for ariok, viewing him in the new young orcish leadership. Of course blizzard prefered to create another timelime so We can have the father of our green "one man army" heroes, who is 10 younger than is son. Weird. Anyway, ariok could be still alive maybe

[bombayshow]

Give the Orc leader title to Varok ... please

[Aucald]

I'm thinking Ariok is going to show up as a Garrison campaign quest-related mob in the Tanaan chain - either we'll work up a way to revert him back to his normal self or it's going to be a mercy kill operation (perhaps he has been enthralled by the newly fel-empowered Kilrogg).

[Khuzog]

It's an orc, who's a famous orc's son, who is given an ambiguous "demise."

Basically Saurfang the Younger 2.0. He'll be a midway boss in whatever raid we deal with the Bleeding Hollow, it's too "GASP! HIS WILL HAS BEEN BROKEN!" to be disposed of too early in the raid.

[Stormdash]

"The power of the Pissed-Off Blood Magic Fueled Orc knows no bounds, champion. His soul is under great strain, but he lives... for now"

He's not Saurfang the Younger. He's Bolvar. There must always be an... AU Draenor Warchief...?

[Zuben]

I hope he's dead. Really hated him in Burning Steppes.

[Arrashi]

I want him to have "Me evil nau ! Me kill because me filled with bad evil thing ! RAAAAWR!!!" apperance as first boss in 6.2 raid.

Such emotions, such tragedy !

[Deleted]

Maybe he'll appear in 6.2, I predict as a dungeon boss.

[Funkyjunky]

Wasn't he killed in his heads-on attack during Tanaan? I vaguely remember him having a death-yell before we escape across the bridge.

VO_60_ARIOK_Death

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