Metamorphosis Lore

[Forgottenone]

It is common knowledge that we are losing meta come legion. So in your guys opinion what would be the lore reason for us suddenly being unable to transform into a demon? Did we lose the power while fighting Archimonde? Did it fade when we returned to our own world? Did the legions appearance somehow affect us and prevent us from using it? Did we collectively agree to stop using it in fear of demon hunters (this one is joke)?

Just want to see some thoughts from anyone here.

[srathgar]

Green fire quest, we dont want to turn out like the boss guy there going full demon. Warlocks walk a fine balance between using demons and becoming demons.

[timesmash]

Does it need a lore reason?

If it does we need a reason for every class balancing tweak or change ever made.
-10% on you agony? A mystical rupture of an ancient beast diminished the sense of pain every living being in the universe felt. After a certain point this is just too much.

[Netherspark]

Word of Kanrethad's madness has convinced Warlocks that the demon form has an inherent flaw - prolonged use negatively impacts the mind and leaves one susceptable to corruption.

Metamorphosis is a symptom of Warlocks overstepping their bounds and reaching too far. They have learned to show restraint, or risk losing themselves forever.

[Deleted]

it was only a dream , now time to wake up ..... *boom you lost meta*

bliz will probably saying something like that. After Xelnath departure we got nothing new/cool only nerfs and some times some buff tweeks. Peeps forget that they now have a new (good) evil class. Don't get mad if our tier gear will be crap and DH supar dupar.

[Jessicka]

There can be no lore. Warlocks don't follow rules, so there's no point trying to explain it away with some half assed edict from anyone saying "you're not allowed anymore" because it simply wouldn't make any sense. You don't unlearn things. So what if it drives others made? You find a work around to control it better. Or just live by that all too human virtue of denial "well it won't happen to me".

It was purely a business decision to protect Demon Hunters as a major marketing point for the expansion. It will be retconned out as something that never happened, and that'll be the end of it. Doing anything else will just rub salt in wounds.

[Soeroah]

Either Warlocks decide it's too dangerous after the Green Fire questline, or player Warlocks are just assumed to have special snowflake syndrome and with the arrival of Demon Hunters choose instead to focus on summoning huge numbers of Demons to piss off the Demon Hunters, while maintaining a uniqueness.

[Jessicka]

Either Warlocks decide it's too dangerous after the Green Fire questline, or player Warlocks are just assumed to have special snowflake syndrome and with the arrival of Demon Hunters choose instead to focus on summoning huge numbers of Demons to piss off the Demon Hunters, while maintaining a uniqueness.

And what of all the NPC Warlocks who will still use it?

[Gaidax]

Does it need a lore reason?

If it does we need a reason for every class balancing tweak or change ever made.
-10% on you agony? A mystical rupture of an ancient beast diminished the sense of pain every living being in the universe felt. After a certain point this is just too much.

This basically.

People trying to invoke lore to justify/refute gameplay mechanics changes? Pretty silly, really.

[Jessicka]

This basically.

People trying to invoke lore to justify/refute gameplay mechanics changes? Pretty silly, really.

It's a bit facetious to be comparing a 10% Agony nerf with the removal of such a central pillar of the spec. We're talking about a complete rebuild, not a minor change; and we did get some decent explanations last time around in MoP through the green fire quest.

[Netherspark]

And what of all the NPC Warlocks who will still use it?

And which ones are those?

In-keeping with my explanation, warlocks who continue using it are fools, and doomed to lose their will. Transforming oneself into a demon does not come without a price; their selfish grasp for power opens the floodgates, and they soon lose themselves to the thirst for more. The more you take on the form of a demon, the more of a demon you become. It is easy to see how the demons became corrupt in the fist place.

Only Demon Hunters, their motives entirely selfless, can avoid this fate.

[Gaidax]

It's a bit facetious to be comparing a 10% Agony nerf with the removal of such a central pillar of the spec. We're talking about a complete rebuild, not a minor change; and we did get some decent explanations last time around in MoP through the green fire quest.

It does not change the fact that actual lore has nothing to do with it.

Heck, what was the lore behind getting Metamorphosis for the first place in WoTLK? We got just as much explanation as we got now pretty much.

Belaying all that, I am not sure what ground you guys are even standing on, even if Blizzard would be arsed to actually give lore explanation for this, you need to remember that they OWN the lore (quite literally so), they could replace Meta with Frenzied Feral Butterfly form and not bat eyelash really, because they could as well make another lore piece showing off how Frenzied Feral Butterfly form is a natural warlock thing.

[Netherspark]

Heck, what was the lore behind getting Metamorphosis for the first place in WoTLK? We got just as much explanation as we got now pretty much.

Kanrethad was part of the group that defeated Illidan, and was able to copy the spell. He then shared it with the Council of the Black Harvest, who diseminated it to their allies and followers.

[Jessicka]

And which ones are those?

There are many out in the world, Pandaria especially, but also in some low level questing zones like Blasted Lands.

[Gaidax]

Kanrethad was part of the group that defeated Illidan, and was able to copy the spell. He then shared it with the Council of the Black Harvest, who diseminated it to their allies and followers.

Except that lore was slapped on long after WoTLK was done with...

And again, Blizzard giveth and blizz taketh away. You want lore explanation? Guys who do Meta get possessed and corrupted.

That much you can get from Green Fire quest.

[Duckz0rs]

And which ones are those?

In-keeping with my explanation, warlocks who continue using it are fools, and doomed to lose their will. Transforming oneself into a demon does not come without a price; their selfish grasp for power opens the floodgates, and they soon lose themselves to the thirst for more. The more you take on the form of a demon, the more of a demon you become. It is easy to see how the demons became corrupt in the fist place.

Only Demon Hunters, their motives entirely selfless, can avoid this fate.

Whereas Warlocks are weak-willed buffoons?

The sheer use of Fel Magic corrupts the soul, not just the "infusion of a demon soul". Warlocks are casters of unending resolve (which is why we have a spell called "Unending Resolve", get it?), with willpower beyond reckoning. If we were too weak-willed to control metamorphosis, the use of Fel magics would have corrupted us as well. Both classes hold this corruption at bay through sheer discipline, not selflessness.

Even the whole "Demon Hunters infuse themselves with a demon soul" is a retcon. Illidan didn't fuse with a Demon Soul. He drained the Skull of Gul'dan.

Trying to reason why we should lose it through lore is just as silly as trying to reason why we should not lose it through lore. The reason is because Blizzard said so, and this entire discussion is going to be much easier once both sides accept that.

[Netherspark]

There are many out in the world, Pandaria especially, but also in some low level questing zones like Blasted Lands.

Demon worshippers, mostly. People who are already lost.

I have insinuated that warlocks have made a choice to not use Metamorphosis, because they've seen what it can lead to. There would of course be others who recklessly continue to use it, most of those being already corrupted, but we players/heroes are smarter than that.

This I feel is the only realistic 'lore' explanation, which the OP asked for. And in my opinion it fits very well.

Whereas Warlocks are weak-willed buffoons?

The sheer use of Fel Magic corrupts the soul, not just the "infusion of a demon soul". Warlocks are casters of unending resolve (which is why we have a spell called "Unending Resolve", get it?), with willpower beyond reckoning. If we were too weak-willed to control metamorphosis, the use of Fel magics would have corrupted us as well. Both classes hold this corruption at bay through sheer discipline, not selflessness.

Even the whole "Demon Hunters infuse themselves with a demon soul" is a retcon. Illidan didn't fuse with a Demon Soul. He drained the Skull of Gul'dan.

Trying to reason why we should lose it through lore is just as silly as trying to reason why we should not lose it through lore. The reason is because Blizzard said so, and this entire discussion is going to be much easier once both sides accept that.

Warlocks' use of Fel magic is completely selfish and out of shear lust for power, this leads to an ever-growing hunger for more and increasing mental instability. Demon Hunters are utterly selfless, they are not so lured by power and the corruption it leads to.


It's not a perfect explantion, but it is an explanation.

[Jessicka]

Demon worshippers, mostly. People who are already lost.

I have insinuated that warlocks have made a choice to not use Metamorphosis, because they've seen what it can lead to. There would of course be others who recklessly continue to use it, most of those being already corrupted, but we players/heroes are smarter than that.

This I feel is the only realistic 'lore' explanation, which the OP asked for. And in my opinion it fits very well.

Being converted and transformed by Fel Magic is something that happens just by being in the vicinity of it, it's why Orcs are Green and Blood Elves have green eyes. Wielding it goes further, turning Elves into Satyr for example; Meta is really a side effect of that controlled use of power.

Warlocks' use of Fel magic is completely selfish and out of shear lust for power, this leads to an ever-growing hunger for more and increasing mental instability. Demon Hunters are utterly selfless, they are not so lured by power and the corruption it leads to.


It's not a perfect explantion, but it is an explanation.

Your suggestion that the likes of Illidan are selfless, when he's been shown to be nothing but selfish; tricked and fooled and played by everyone with offers of more power is absurd. The root of everything he's done was to prove himself more worthy of Tyrande than Malfurion. It doesn't get more selfish than that.

[derpkitteh]

And what of all the NPC Warlocks who will still use it?

they're not as smart as our character, i guess. we saw what it can cause firsthand, they didn't.

or, they just don't care. our character is a pretty selfless hero of the alliance, they're not going to continue doing something that will eventually hurt innocent people of the alliance.

[Duckz0rs]

Warlocks' use of Fel magic is completely selfish and out of shear lust for power, this leads to an ever-growing hunger for more and increasing mental instability. Demon Hunters are utterly selfless, they are not so lured by power and the corruption it leads to.


It's not a perfect explantion, but it is an explanation.

You seem to confuse Player Warlocks and enemy Warlocks such as Gul'dan. Player Warlocks have a lust for power, but not for the sake of more power. Else we'd be evil and aligned with the Legion. Player Warlocks are not selfish, that's just how the rest of the world sees us from a lore perspective as shown by this excerpt from the Class Preview:

Warlocks are the most volatile and insatiable of spellcasters. Though they often pledge themselves to the service of noble causes and are not innately evil, their desire to understand darker magics and exercise unwavering command over demonic forces breeds mistrust among even their closest allies.

As for Demon Hunters being selfless; we don't know their motivations yet outside of that they really hate the Legion. The only Demon Hunter we know the motivations of are Illidan and "I want Tyrande really, really badly so I'll do anything to impress her and tap that" is not a motive I'd personally consider altruistic in any way. I'm sure they'll retcon that as being his driving force with the coming book into something actually altruistic though.