Blizzard wants to forget the 'green fire quest' and story of Warlock Meta origins?

[Kudos]

There is a lot of speculation that Warlocks will lose Metamorphosis at the end of this expansion. People cite interviews that back up this claim, saying the Warlocks will be focusing on summons and demons, and not 'being' demons. If this is indeed the case, it will be saddening, not just because we have now has this iconic ability, but also due to the fact that Blizzard even went to the trouble of including a story and creating lore surrounding HOW Warlocks gained the ability to use Metamorphosis in the first place.

I'm referring to the Warlock Green (Fel) Fire quest and the tragic story that unfolded surrounding Kanrethad Ebonlocke. I remember my surprise at learning through the questline, that he was the one that taught the Council of the Black Harvest the secrets about Illidan's metamorphosis. He unlocked the secrets of Metamorphosis and then taught the members of the Council of the Black Harvest.

Will Blizzard now retcon what they have added? If Warlock Meta is completely removed, this is insulting to the story they created to justify this in the first place. Will they just ignore this quest line, the story and the flavour text they added?

Below is taken from Wowpedia. http://wow.gamepedia.com/Kanrethad_Ebonlocke

I have bolded and italicised the relevant part in the first paragraph.

Kanrethad was present, ostensibly as a member of the Alliance, when Illidan Stormrage was killed during the siege of the Black Temple. Following the battle he shared the secrets of [Metamorphosis] with the council, who then spread it to other warlocks. After Deathwing's downfall, he called the council together to share the secrets he had discovered behind Illidan's transformation, and sent them out gather the powers of Ragnaros and Cho'gall, and return in a year's time. He partnered himself with the undead warlock Jubeka Shadowbreaker and travelled through the Dark Portal, to the fel-saturated realm of Outland.[1]

Travels Through Outland
Kanrethad and Jubeka travelled throughout Outland, studying the various demons of the fel-infested land - the fel imps, voidlords, observers, and doomguards - seeking to learn the sources of their power, as well as the secret to how Illidan was able to control them while not being a servant of the Burning Legion. From a captured doomguard in the Blade's Edge Mountains, Kanrethad learned that the doomguards had been servants of the Titans who punished those who worked in sacrificial magics. Near the Hand of Gul'dan, the great fel volcano in the center of Shadowmoon Valley, Kanrethad revealed his ultimate intention - to possibly become a demonic entity himself, recognizing that it came with incredible risk. He recognized that Jubeka feared that he would do to Azeroth what Gul'dan had done to Draenor, the world Outland had once been; he revealed that he had chosen Jubeka as his companion because if he failed, she would have to banish him forever.

Apotheosis and Banishment
Kanrethad and Jubeka returned to the Black Temple, evading the Ashtongue Deathsworn under Akama who had reclaimed the temple after Illidan's death. Entering the Shrine of Lost Souls, Kanrethad recognized it as the power source that allowed Illidan to control demons without their being corrupted by the fel energies endemic to the Legion, and theorized that it had been originally intended as the power source to replace the Sunwell when Kael'thas Sunstrider and his blood elves aligned with him. Since Illidan's death, it grew in strength and power, waiting to be harnessed. The two warlocks prepared a crystal to absorb the arcane magics within the Shrine, leaving it to do its work when they heard Ashtongue patrols hunting them.

An adventurer who studied warlock magics soon came on their trail, locating a strange book known as [The Codex of Xerrath] from a creature on the Isle of Thunder in Pandaria. Upon speaking to their warlock trainer, they learned of the Council and its mission after Deathwing's demise, and followed the trail left by Jubeka into the Black Temple. Reclaiming the now-empowered crystal and taking it to the summit, the warlock witnessed the opening of a massive gateway, and from it stepped Kanrethad in a monstrous demonic form, utterly corrupted by absorbing too much fel energy. He declared that the Black Harvest would enslave hordes of demons and destroy anyone who stood against them, on Outland or on Azeroth. The warlock who stood against him used all of the powers at their disposal, taking control of Kanrethad's pit lord minion and using its powers to augment their own. Though Kanrethad's powers were formidable, the warlock perservered long enough for Jubeka to arrive and fulfill Kanrethad's earlier request to banish him. The warlock then absorbed some of the fel magic, corrupting their fire spells into a sickly fel-green.

With Kanrethad defeated, Jubeka brought him to the Altar of Damnation, in the shadow of the Hand of Gul'dan, where she keeps him banished forever.

There is a lootable object, as part of the Warlock Green Fire quest, which has some of the following text:
Read the whole flavour text here: http://www.wowhead.com/object=212212...art-1#comments

Kanrethad stood up from the table and took a deep breath. "This is exactly why we are here. I have no love for any of you, but we each bore witness to pieces of even greater power. Imagine - if we fused the molten fury of the Firelands with the unstoppable chaos of Deathwing, even the powers of the burning legion could not hold a candle to our flames!"

Ritssyn kicked his boots upon the table and snickered. "And just who would do this? You?" he spat. "I think not. You haven't been seen in battle since the siege of the Black Temple. If it weren't for having shared the secrets of Illidan's transformation with this council, I would kill you just for having the audacity of summoning me."

I know that Demon Hunters, including Leotheras and Illidan had metamorphosis. It just doesn't sit right with me that we have people on one hand saying 'LORE' reasons justify it being taken away from Warlocks, when Blizzard created a story surrounding Karenthad, who taught the skills to the Council of the Ebon Harvest, which then was passed onto other warlocks. This story should also be considered 'lore'.

[Pull My Finger]

"Insulting to the story" - it's getting more and more ridiculous with you people.

[Graeham]

It wouldn't be the first time that Blizzard added something intriguing to the game only to take it away later. Consistency hasn't been one of their strong points. Honestly? I was wondering why our class had been gutted and handled so terribly during WoD but now it all makes sense. Like rogues we're going to see a lot of cool stuff that we could have gotten dished out for demon hunters instead.

Rogues are no doubt screwed over more given that they went through that exact same scenario once before when monks were added to the game.

[Inshabel]

If they are truly removing Warlock meta because they're adding DH then I am never resubbing (not that they care, but whatever)

[Kudos]

"Insulting to the story" - it's getting more and more ridiculous with you people.

And why wouldn't it be insulting to just pretend this didn't happen? I guess I should be happy your only criticism of my post is my bias and use of modality.

[Pull My Finger]

Demon Hunters - dey took our jobs!

[Deleted]

Just let it go. It's a game, it's ONLY a game.

[Realsykes]

"Insulting to the story" - it's getting more and more ridiculous with you people.

Infracted

[Totemslap]

I've never seen a class complain as much as Warlocks. I'd say it's sad, but it energizes me like a battery-powered rabbit with a drum.

[Orloth]

1. We have no confirmation that Warlock Metamorphosis is going away.

2. Nobody is pretending existing lore didn't happen.

3. IF Warlocks loose the spell, a reason can be cooked up as to why they stopped using it. Like the fact that Kanrethad needs a Banish-sitter to make sure he doesn't burn the world down, convincing the council that maybe it isn't such a good idea to be messing with this.

Please quit panicing. The sky isn't falling. Yet.

[rawrbearform]

"Demonology Warlocks will be refocused on summoning and controlling demons rather than having Metamorphosis dominate"

Is there something else where they imply its being removed or is this all just panic over speculation?

[Xerra]

I remember when my warrior could sunder armor... have they retconned my sunder powers? This colossal smash is no sunder stacking!

[Kudos]

I remember when my warrior could sunder armor... have they retconned my sunder powers? This colossal smash is no sunder stacking!

If you want to make that comparison, please remember to link the backstory Blizzard added to justify the use of sunder armor in the first place. I'm genuinely curious.

[Deleted]

Warlocks are inherently beta.

[Skulltaker]

First od all, I'm not saying that I want Warlocks to lose it. I don't. Even though my lock isn't my main I enjoy him as Demo.

But this would not be the first time Blizzard changed the background. It's not set in stone, and lore is whatever Blizzard makes it.

As an example: What if they now introduced a Gnome Demon Hunter, Doomward Felfizzle, who initially taught Illidan the secrets of Demon hunting via timetraval with his Bronze Drake buddy? Of course this is an exaggerated scenario, but the riot would be huge. Don't dare to take the original Demon Hunter story away from us.

The story around Kanrethad is a very recent addition to the background, iirc. 3 years since the availability of the Green Fire Quest? And while I agree that it was great fun and a good quest, the story could easily be changed or taken out completly.

Or they could just add to the fluff that now, that the Illidari are active in the world again, they use their superior knowledge of how the Metamorphosis works to sever the link of warlocks so they can no longer transform.

The easiest and most acceptable solution would, in my humble opinion, be this.

Remove Metamorphosis from the Warlock. Add a new spell with the exact same function and a new visual that is called 'The Demon's Shroud' or something, that drastically changes the look of the Character in question, for example engulfed in Fel flames with firey wings and horns.

I see how Demolock players would be pissed of by the loss of Meta. I felt similar when they started handing out Paladins to the Horde, allthough I fully understood the reasons behind it, or Blessing of Kings to other classes.

[Xerra]

If you want to make that comparison, please remember to link the backstory Blizzard added to justify the use of sunder armor in the first place. I'm genuinely curious.

Actually if you owned the original books to WoW they gave a reason and power source for every single spell each class had.

[Donald Hellscream]

What if, just what if they make Metamorphosis into a cooldown for warlocks instead of a form? I mean that would take the focus more away from being in the lol I am a demon form and focus more on controlling demons while occasionally being in the lol i am a demon form.

[Mellrod]

What if, just what if they make Metamorphosis into a cooldown for warlocks instead of a form? I mean that would take the focus more away from being in the lol I am a demon form and focus more on controlling demons while occasionally being in the lol i am a demon form.

Pretty much. Metamorphosis was originally a CD for locks if I recall correctly. It would make even more sense to the story if it was a CD as well, considering that Warlocks haven't gone through the sacrifices to gain the power Illidan and his Demon Hunters have.

[Darkhallows]

They haven't stated one way or another that Meta is being completely removed from Locks. It could easily be given another name and made into a DPS cooldown (y'know, like it was pre-MoP).

It doesn't have to be Meta to fit the story. Just a variation of Illidan's form that will undoubtedly look different from the much-more-detailed (and rightly so) DH Metas.

[bison91]

I wouldent take some quest serious at all. it was a small campaign and small lore, yeah maybe a little sad that they scrup it but, i dunno.