How will Darkspear "survive" inclusion of the Zandalari in the Horde?

[Maljinwo]

I really hope Blizzard manages to go in depth on the lore of all the races, Trolls included, BFA is a perfect chance to. Though I highly doubt they'll answer those questions as it seems like, lately, they're more focused on the big picture of the story as opposed to the smaller parts.

They'll probably focus on the allied races for a patch
And then we'll get a Sylvanasfest for the whole expansion with a token appearance of Thrall for reasons.

[Dagoth Ur]

The real question is, if vol'jin is back then whats next ? We can assume that even IF he is ressurected it will happen on the very end of horde questing. And after that i can't see how they will fit him into anything in BfA.

Unless 8.2 is attack of garroshes from another dimension.

Maybe they'll pair him up with Rastakhan's daughter so they can "make" more relevant trolls for Darkspear!

Joking aside, he could still be part of later patches if he's back in .0

[Maljinwo]

Maybe they'll pair him up with Rastakhan's daughter so they can "make" more relevant trolls for Darkspear!

Joking aside, he could still be part of later patches if he's back in .0

I'm assuming they could simply make it so that the Darkspear send someone to talk to Bwonsamdi about Vol'jin
But that would requiere actual effort from Blizzard

[Dagoth Ur]

I'm assuming they could simply make it so that the Darkspear send someone to talk to Bwonsamdi about Vol'jin
But that would requiere actual effort from Blizzard

I suspect something like that will probably happen. And even though I would prefer for that someone to be Rokhan or Vaniira, it'll probably be Thrall. I mean Vol'jin x Bwonsamdi interaction will happen for sure, just what will follow is what's uncertain.

[Maljinwo]

I suspect something like that will probably happen. And even though I would prefer for that someone to be Rokhan or Vaniira, it'll probably be Thrall. I mean Vol'jin x Bwonsamdi interaction will happen for sure, just what will follow is what's uncertain.

I was just talking something similar with a friend. Thrall's token apperance is probably that.
And the Zandalari's alliance with the Horde is somehow going to be taken care of by Sylvanas (who doesn't like trolls) instead of you know... TROLLS

[Arrashi]

Maybe they'll pair him up with Rastakhan's daughter so they can "make" more relevant trolls for Darkspear!

Joking aside, he could still be part of later patches if he's back in .0

Hmm, here the problem. Vol'jin was cut off basically to make room for sylvanas. Its obvious with her presence in legion, upcoming book and her being marketing face of BfA. Which crosses any "warchiefy" role from him. The only way i could see vol'jin being used, is as opponent to zul (whom i assume will be big bad of horde side of questing, and one of the bosses in titan facility raid) leading our forces against him them. The problem is that with alliance and horde being at war, it doesn't make sense to put faction NPCs as allies in raids, even if we can assume that blood god raid will be "horde" raid lorewise.

As for future patches...i dunno. I have no idea how buildup for azshara will look like, if they will put some neutral questing in 8.1 that leads to her, or will perhaps sea priest zone in kul tiras serve as build up for azshara raid. From what i heard she is supposed to be nighthold of BFA, which means we don't have that much space here.

[Villager720]

I actually don't think, barring the Void Elves and Nightborne, we'll see that many people maining the allied races after the hype wears off.
I don't want to pay 25$ to make my main a new race, especially if I don't even get the heritage armor. Nor do I want to bother leveling the race to then pay 25$ to race change my main. And I feel like a lot of players will feel the same.
I'm not saying we won't see them that often, I just don't think there will suddenly be more max level Highmountain than normal Tauren. Lotta money and effort involved for a pretty minor change (horns->antlers)

[Arrashi]

I actually don't think, barring the Void Elves and Nightborne, we'll see that many people maining the allied races after the hype wears off.
I don't want to pay 25$ to make my main a new race, especially if I don't even get the heritage armor. Nor do I want to bother leveling the race to then pay 25$ to race change my main. And I feel like a lot of players will feel the same.
I'm not saying we won't see them that often, I just don't think there will suddenly be more max level Highmountain than normal Tauren. Lotta money and effort involved for a pretty minor change (horns->antlers)

Well to be fair, Highmountain feels a bit like "uncool" filler for the horde, since they already got 2 pretty cool races. On the other hand zandalari will prolly see quite alot of people (druids in particular) changing into them.

[ello]

I actually don't think, barring the Void Elves and Nightborne, we'll see that many people maining the allied races after the hype wears off.
I don't want to pay 25$ to make my main a new race, especially if I don't even get the heritage armor. Nor do I want to bother leveling the race to then pay 25$ to race change my main. And I feel like a lot of players will feel the same.
I'm not saying we won't see them that often, I just don't think there will suddenly be more max level Highmountain than normal Tauren. Lotta money and effort involved for a pretty minor change (horns->antlers)

For Highmountain/Lightforged I would agree with you, but imo Zandalari are such a step above that's it makes relevelling classes worth it, or at least that's how I'm approaching it.

People can also use the free character boost if they don't care about the heritage set.

[gaymer77]

Being a major troll fan (nothing hotter in game than a naked male troll) I probably won't be doing the whole Zandalari thing. My hope for BfA is that the Darkspear trolls get some love and not the chaos that they have received in previous expansions when they were "in the spotlight".

[Leodok]

I imagine we'll have a bunch of Darkspear trolls serving as representatives of the Horde in Zandalar, and others just appearing from time to time in the quests. It's an entire continent filled with trolls, our current ones have to appear at some point.

After BfA, both the Zandalari and the Darkspear will likely have much smaller roles, but I imagine them appearing together a lot.

[Dagoth Ur]

Hmm, here the problem. Vol'jin was cut off basically to make room for sylvanas. Its obvious with her presence in legion, upcoming book and her being marketing face of BfA. Which crosses any "warchiefy" role from him. The only way i could see vol'jin being used, is as opponent to zul (whom i assume will be big bad of horde side of questing, and one of the bosses in titan facility raid) leading our forces against him them. The problem is that with alliance and horde being at war, it doesn't make sense to put faction NPCs as allies in raids, even if we can assume that blood god raid will be "horde" raid lorewise.

As for future patches...i dunno. I have no idea how buildup for azshara will look like, if they will put some neutral questing in 8.1 that leads to her, or will perhaps sea priest zone in kul tiras serve as build up for azshara raid. From what i heard she is supposed to be nighthold of BFA, which means we don't have that much space here.

If they use Darkspear and Vol'jin as foil to Zul that would actually be great. At least they would get some story even if they're there just to help the Zandalari.

But yeah, next patch is probably Azshara and Horde side will probably be represented by belves there. Still, I kinda hope they have something planed for Vol'jin so that it doesn't just end up being "we're fixing mistake but again don't know what do do with him" type of deal. If they don't know what to do with Darkspear in expansion where Horde side is heavily focused on particular troll empire, than they probably never will.

[sillag]

they wont. theres like a billion zandalari trolls and they are all much cooler and have more awesome powers and clothes than the darkspears. there are about 20 darkspears in the horde and until vol'jin led the rebellion their main contribution to the horde was fishing

now heres the thing you have to understand about battle for azeroth: this is someone soft rebooting wow. they are pulling things back to basics, which for some reason they percieve to be warcraft 2 instead of warcraft 3, the one everyone actually remembers. they are getting rid of the races that they dont understand how to develop, i.e. the night elves and forsaken by blowing up their cities, ensuring they will never have to design sets for anyone but humans and orcs ever again. they are replacing the races they dont like with their own, new, cooler version of them that they can develop how they want. the nightborne are their cooler take on night elves. the zandalari are the new and even more awesomer version of the darkspear trolls. also they are charging you to race change to these but thats just a little money they can make on the side.

we are about to enter the dark age of wow my friends everyone hold on tight.

[Zulkhan]

Well, it depends. Which role Darkspear and Vol'jin will have during the whole Zandalari affair? When and how Zandalari even began to consider joining the Horde and, most importantly, when and how such idea came up within the Horde ranks? We can all agree that, so far, not even the Darkspear trolls themselves would think about such a possibility.

What I'm trying to say is, it depends from which kind of role Darkspear will play when it comes to make the Zandalari join the Horde. I'm quite certain Vol'jin will play a pivotal role, that's beyond doubts, I just only fear a Shadows of the Horde 2.0 situation where Vol'jin is basically an one-man tribe and the only character getting any attention.

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But yeah, next patch is probably Azshara and Horde side will probably be represented by belves there.

Blood Elves do not really have much to do with Azshara and the Naga. Sure, they could be shoerned there but so could be the Darkspear, given their bitter (and recent) history with Naga. I mean, that infamous Sea Witch, Zar'jira, who she was? There's any connection between her and Azshara?

[AwkwardSquirtle]

Honestly, tensions which may arise there are a chance for more darkspear development. Remember that time that all the trolls were getting back together and the Darkspear rejected them? There's interesting history to explore.

Whether we'll actually get it is another question. Blizzard don't seem to like trolls much.

[MrSaggins]

I don't mourn the death of the Darkspear identity because Darkspear aren't the reason why I like trolls. I honestly enjoy the fluff behind the enemy npc trolls a lot more, and can't wait for them to hoist the ol' black horse shoe on a red field

Then have him go an Aegon-style conquest of Stranglethorn.

Yeah but instead of elephants and Dornish princesses he'll have Talanji and dinosaurs!

[Dagoth Ur]

Blood Elves do not really have much to do with Azshara and the Naga. Sure, they could be shoerned there but so could be the Darkspear, given their bitter (and recent) history with Naga. I mean, that infamous Sea Witch, Zar'jira, who she was? There's any connection between her and Azshara?

Yeah, Horde races don't have that much personal stake in Azshara conflict so I was thinking Blood elves because they were Highborne once.

I would definitely be up for Blizz expanding upon Darkspear vs Sea witch story from War3 though. That could actually be a pretty cool way to give Darkspear some relevance again and I would definitely love to see Darkspear islands. They could easily connect sea witch with Azshara somehow to connect those stories.

[Arrashi]

Yeah, Horde races don't have that much personal stake in Azshara conflict so I was thinking Blood elves because they were Highborne once.

I would definitely be up for Blizz expanding upon Darkspear vs Sea witch story from War3 though. That could actually be a pretty cool way to give Darkspear some relevance again and I would definitely love to see Darkspear islands. They could easily connect sea witch with Azshara somehow to connect those stories.

You know, this is what makes me wonder the most about BfA raids. How will they handle buildup for opposite factions ? So far, i can't see any story or quests that will lead alliance against blood trolls in that titan raid.

[MrSaggins]

You know, this is what makes me wonder the most about BfA raids. How will they handle buildup for opposite factions ? So far, i can't see any story or quests that will lead alliance against blood trolls in that titan raid.

Greed would do.

[Dagoth Ur]

You know, this is what makes me wonder the most about BfA raids. How will they handle buildup for opposite factions ? So far, i can't see any story or quests that will lead alliance against blood trolls in that titan raid.

They said that once they reach max lvl, players will be able to go on other faction's island. There's probably gonna be some short quest chain to get the other side invested in raid too. Could be that they're gonna go that canonially Horde deals with Blood god while Alliance with Azshara maybe?