Dragonflight 10.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[Teriz]

Tinkers would fit if there was actually some arbitrary rule for a neutral race to require a class.

Possibly, but the class would have to be changed from Tinker to Mechanic or something more broad. Additionally, classes tend to be uniform in terms of abilities. It would be rather odd for an Ethereal Tinker/mechanic to be shooting missiles or deploying robotic bombs like a Goblin or Gnome.

Another possibility would be an "Explorer" class based on Rafaam who is an Ethereal from Hearthstone and now a canon character in WoW;



But I don't feel that such a class would fit an expansion were Ethereals would be introduced.

[Woobels]

Do you all think we'll still be fighting Primalists in season 2? We've basically like routed most of their commanders during questing/Vault right? On top of Raszageth being dead. I suppose we need some kind of filler enemy to fight still though.

[Nathanyel]

My feelings as well. However, I actually feel like the Ethereals could do particularly well with at least the option to wear armor integrated into their design through customization options if the options were sufficiently numerous. Ethereals have a frame and design that I think would look fairly hideous if the 2d "body paint"-type armor were placed over it, so they (and retrospectively the Nightborne) are among the races I could see benefiting from it.

Well, the most likely = easiest way is that their body models are considered solid, with the gaps between the wraps transparent/translucent, but covered by the 2D textures of armor.
Don't want that? Simply mog the item to be hidden.
There's a lot of possibilities to have customizations that would visible with e.g. a hidden Chest armor.

Going in a more general direction, I wish we could separate the 3D parts of armor from the 2D textures, to have plates, straps etc. independent from the base armor.
I once bugged out the Wowhead Modelviewer switching from one Bastion Plate set to another:

Even this simple contrast looked quite fascinating.

To bring it back to Ethereals, hiding the armor texture but keeping 3D bits would make for some very interesting looks.

Did you ignore the part where I brought up their connection to Void elves?

Currently there are two Void ethereals in Telogrus Rift; the aforementioned Locus-Walker, who is Alleria's mentor and is teaching to groups of elves, and a mysterious wanderer known as Shadreen, who is overlooking the Rift.

Magister Umbric and his followers were actually supposed to be transformed into Void ethereals by Nether-Prince Durzaan, but the transformation process was interrupted midway, leaving Umbric and his followers in a sort of hybrid state between an elf and a Void ethereal.

Shadreen, a stalker in Telogrus, is already confirmed to be an antagonist per the Brawler's Guild storyline.

And in general, I fail to see your point. The Void Elves were about to be corrupted by the mostly evil faction of Void Ethereals, and are now being assisted in the use of their new powers by the one Void Ethereal we assume is "good". One that is hated by both the Void-aligned Ethereals and the ones that are fighting the Void.

That's no argument that either type would prefer to join the Alliance.

Ethereals being a neutral race makes the most sense.
Excluding the Allied Races, "all" new races since MoP have been neutral. That these two races also came with a class is no precedent, and would be offset if another race or three would be introduced as well.

[Lahis]

By "doing a cataclysm" you mean revamping the world, they absolutely will. The last time was "because flying" and this time will be "because dragon riding".

Dragonriding is just flying with style. They don't need to make any changes on existing maps to allow dragon riding.

But they won't allow it, because dragon riding is an expansion feature that will be buried with Dragonflight.

[Raetary]

But they won't allow it, because dragon riding is an expansion feature that will be buried with Dragonflight.

Dragonriding is probably the most well received feature since transmog, and it fixes the very issues Blizzard has had with flying since its inception.

They are not gonna get rid of it.

[Kiivar86]

He guessed three expansions past DF? Mmmmmkayyyyyy...

The person they're talking about "predicted" what each expansion's theme is based on ones that came before it.

Here's a link to a tweet that covers it.

[Khaza-R]

But they won't allow it, because dragon riding is an expansion feature that will be buried with Dragonflight.

I think the idea behind DF systems are they intended be semi-permanent and continue forward.

So DF might get rebranded next expansion to netherflight or w/e the new theme is, but I think its pretty clear its the replacement for pathfinder at this point and its here to stay.

[Cheezits]

I think that Dragonriding will be a perma feature, HOWEVER, if there is a revamp of the old world, it will need to accommodate the feature. There isn't as much verticality in current Kalimdor/EK aside from some mountains.

Though I can see them redoing the layouts in general, especially where zones connect, as it looks silly to fly over now (see: Karazhan -> Stranglethorn)

- - - Updated - - -

Dragonriding is just flying with style. They don't need to make any changes on existing maps to allow dragon riding.

But they won't allow it, because dragon riding is an expansion feature that will be buried with Dragonflight.

Yes they do need to change the world. How will you Dragonride if most of the world is flat?

[Gurahk]

But they won't allow it, because dragon riding is an expansion feature that will be buried with Dragonflight.

You're insane if you think that.

[Hitei]

Yes they do need to change the world. How will you Dragonride if most of the world is flat?

The same way you dragonride in Ohn'ahran plains? Do people really struggle with dragonriding this much? You really don't need to be going downwards for it.

[Kiivar86]

The same way you dragonride in Ohn'ahran plains? Do people really struggle with dragonriding this much? You really don't need to be going downwards for it.

I admit I have a bit of trouble in the western portion of the plains and down by the southern shore in the span but only because going inland is uphill and have to expend some more vigor to get there but not overly much.

[ExiHext]

I admit I have a bit of trouble in the western portion of the plains and down by the southern shore in the span but only because going inland is uphill and have to expend some more vigor to get there but not overly much.

Not sure if I'm doing this right but if I start let's say at Iskaraa I just fly 7 to 8 vigor (as they already regenerate on your way up) vertical. At this point I am so high above that I can reach any destination in the plains by just gliding.

Regarding Dragonriding: I don't mind if they expand it to the rest of the world as long as they don't take away normal flying in the process.

[Makabreska]

Dragonriding is just flying with style. They don't need to make any changes on existing maps to allow dragon riding.

But they won't allow it, because dragon riding is an expansion feature that will be buried with Dragonflight.

You still living in denial that DR wont be a perma thing?

[Kiivar86]

Not sure if I'm doing this right but if I start let's say at Iskaraa I just fly 7 to 8 vigor (as they already regenerate on your way up) vertical. At this point I am so high above that I can reach any destination in the plains by just gliding.

Regarding Dragonriding: I don't mind if they expand it to the rest of the world as long as they don't take away normal flying in the process.

So you fly straight up?

That...never occurred to me. I feel dumb.

[Berkilak]

By "doing a cataclysm" you mean revamping the world, they absolutely will. The last time was "because flying" and this time will be "because dragon riding". They can't just scrap the main system of this whole expansion. They have a massive focus on reusing older raids and dungeons instead of rotting all the prior expansion content, and world zones will need to be reused as well.

Soar already works. Best case scenario, that's still a pithy reason and a completely out-of-scale return on the investment of resources. There's no reason for them to hearken back to the old world when they're infinitely more interested in putting out new content.

[Cheezits]

Soar already works. Best case scenario, that's still a pithy reason and a completely out-of-scale return on the investment of resources. There's no reason for them to hearken back to the old world when they're infinitely more interested in putting out new content.

A newly modeled Kalimdor with new quests/dungeons/raids is no different than any other new expansion.

[Makabreska]

A newly modeled Kalimdor with new quests/dungeons/raids is no different than any other new expansion.

Ummm, it kinda is. Compare the sizes. You think it is doable for them to re-model entire Kalimdor up to a new continent standard with quests/dungeons/raids, when we recently learned they barely managed to make DF in time?

[Berkilak]

A newly modeled Kalimdor with new quests/dungeons/raids is no different than any other new expansion.

It absolutely is. The only analogous expansion would be WoD, which was a retread itself. I would love for a revamp to happen, but I'm not going to confuse my desire with the plausibility of it ever happening. Which is virtually 0%. This team abhors retreading. The remodel would only serve to impose limitations on what they want to do creatively with no design benefit - only costs, in that they'll tick off everyone again just like Cata did.

[Fiercelord]

I like dragonriding a lot, but there are moments I don't. Example: I'm on the ground without any vigor. I see a rare nearby on the mini map, but it's on the high hill. The rare died before I could start flying up. I wish they add some kind of ability with long cd to fly high up for these situations.

[Raetary]

Yes they do need to change the world. How will you Dragonride if most of the world is flat?

The same way you fly around the Ohn'aran plains, one of the most flat zones in the game?
Flat zones are a non-issue.

And even with a revamp, Mid-to-South Kalimdor is not going to be any less flat than it already is.
No amount of revamping is gonna change those super flat and sunken landscapes, unless Blizzards randomly decides to chuck a mountain into the Barrens for some reason.