Azshara, I hardly knew ye...

[Chemical Ellis]

The 'drop the mic' moment that ended this year's Blizzcon WoW presentation was the reveal that Queen Azshara will be the focus of the new expansion's 2nd raid.



Azshara. Light of Lights. Queen of the Naga. Ruler of the greatest unified empire the world has ever known. The most magically adept mortal to ever walk the face of the planet. Today, immortal god-queen, ruler of the seas, and indisputably one of the most devastatingly powerful entities on Azeroth.

And we'll stomp her in an entry-tier raid.

She was nearly on par with Archimonde when she was just a Night Elf. Since then, she's been massively empowered by the Old Gods, tapped into the elemental planes, spent millenia honing her magics and building her army. Her actions sundered the world. She's raised and sunk kingdoms just to prove a point. Looking back on our rogues' gallery, only Argus, Aggramar, and Deathwing have posed a greater potential threat.

With Kezan a dungeon, Azshara a raid, and Zandalar a mini-continent, it seems our long-fermenting dreams of South Seas and Naga have finally shriveled up.

Or have they? Azshara is the last of the major villains established in the RTS games. Her machinations (and those of the Naga) have been woven into the background of nearly every major Warcraft release since The Frozen Throne. Would they really discard such a worthy villain so inauspiciously? Or could the raid end in anything other than splattered fish and elf guts? Could we see her being impressed enough to aid us? Or escaping to set the scene for an even larger threat (than the faction war) further down the line?

Or are these the idle hopes of a nerd salty that Azshara expac will never be a thing?

[Bomaya]

And we'll stomp her in an entry-tier raid.

Except they clearly said it won't be in the entry tier raid.

[daem]

The 'drop the mic' moment that ended this year's Blizzcon WoW presentation was the reveal that Queen Azshara will be the focus of the new expansion's 2nd raid.



Azshara. Light of Lights. Queen of the Naga. Ruler of the greatest unified empire the world has ever known. The most magically adept mortal to ever walk the face of the planet. Today, immortal god-queen, ruler of the seas, and indisputably one of the most devastatingly powerful entities on Azeroth.

And we'll stomp her in an entry-tier raid.

She was nearly on par with Archimonde when she was just a Night Elf. Since then, she's been massively empowered by the Old Gods, tapped into the elemental planes, spent millenia honing her magics and building her army. Her actions sundered the world. She's raised and sunk kingdoms just to prove a point. Looking back on our rogues' gallery, only Argus, Aggramar, and Deathwing have posed a greater potential threat.

With Kezan a dungeon, Azshara a raid, and Zandalar a mini-continent, it seems our long-fermenting dreams of South Seas and Naga have finally shriveled up.

Or have they? Azshara is the last of the major villains established in the RTS games. Her machinations (and those of the Naga) have been woven into the background of nearly every major Warcraft release since The Frozen Throne. Would they really discard such a worthy villain so inauspiciously? Or could the raid end in anything other than splattered fish and elf guts? Could we see her being impressed enough to aid us? Or escaping to set the scene for an even larger threat (than the faction war) further down the line?

Or are these the idle hopes of a nerd salty that Azshara expac will never be a thing?

We've had bosses we've "fought" in the past that were merely delays or simply delaying the immediate threat. Without knowing what will happen in the raid, it's possible she can always be brought back (and most likely will be). We'll just have to wait and see.

[Snorkles]

One of the strongest Old Gods alive during WoW was a mid-tier raid in one of the most highly rated expansions to date. I'm sure it'll be fine.

[therealbowser]

Not sure where they said she'd be entry tier. If she was playing a role that early in the expansion we'd see her in the starting zones. No, she's probably going to be the final boss that leads into an N'zoth expansion.

[daem]

One of the strongest Old Gods alive during WoW was a mid-tier raid in one of the most highly rated expansions to date. I'm sure it'll be fine.

This, too. We've had "massive" bosses mid-tier before, along with repeat bosses from one expac to another, no reason to assume it'd be the end of the world.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

Not sure where they said she'd be entry tier. If she was playing a role that early in the expansion we'd see her in the starting zones. No, she's probably going to be the final boss that leads into an N'zoth expansion.

It's weird. They confirmed that that Titan Jail was the Highmaul/Emerald Nightmare of the expansion. Then they said that for the "next raid" they can say even less, then said that "before the end of the War, you'll have to fight Azshara."

Implying she's in the second raid, but also not confirming it.

[Saybel]

My assumption is that she was going to be the final boss of the first tier, similar to how Gul'dan was the last boss of Nighthold even though we fought Xavius in Emerald Nightmare.

Or more simply put, the first 2 raids are the same tier so Azshara will be fought in the first tier, not the second.

[Lushious]

It really depends on the questing building up to the raid. From what we have seen so far, I’m of the same opinion as the OP

[AbalDarkwind]

Considering they're keeping the story for her under wraps, I imagine this is the expansion where she and N'Zoth are the main threats. We'll have Uldir as the Emerald Nightmare of this expansion, Naz'jatar will be the Nighthold, an Alliance/Horde final battle will likely be the mid tier raid, and then N'Zoth will show up as the endgame raid.

This is the South Seas expansion. The only things it's missing are Tel'abim and Plunder Isle.

[therealbowser]

It's weird. They confirmed that that Titan Jail was the Highmaul/Emerald Nightmare of the expansion. Then they said that for the "next raid" they can say even less, then said that "before the end of the War, you'll have to fight Azshara."

Implying she's in the second raid, but also not confirming it.

They implied we'd fight her before the expansion was over; it was implied she'd be apart of a raid, not any specific one.

[iamthedevil]

They implied we'd fight her before the expansion was over; it was implied she'd be apart of a raid, not any specific one.

They said the 2nd raid...

[therealbowser]

Considering they're keeping the story for her under wraps, I imagine this is the expansion where she and N'Zoth are the main threats. We'll have Uldir as the Emerald Nightmare of this expansion, Naz'jatar will be the Nighthold, an Alliance/Horde final battle will likely be the mid tier raid, and then N'Zoth will show up as the endgame raid.

This is the South Seas expansion. The only things it's missing are Tel'abim and Plunder Isle.

N'zoth is a goldmine of content. If they burned it out on a quickie raid it would be kind of foolish.

Then again, they burned out the Emerald Dream on an entry level raid and used Argus for a single patch, so who can say for sure?

[Deleted]

it basically confirms nzoth will be final boss

[Sanguinerd]

I wish I could travel through time like OP.

[therealbowser]

They said the 2nd raid...

Didn't watch the stream so I can't confirm, I am going by what the poster quoted. It sounded like two separate statements to me.

[iamthedevil]

it basically confirms nzoth will be final boss

Yeah could be. The war causes the old gods to take their chance, leads to Azshara, leads to Nzoth.

[Kanogan]

I wouldn't be surprised if Azshara will be the person/fish/queen/naga who will eventually lead us into the expansion after Battle for Azeroth.

[Ragnarocket]

They implied we'd fight her before the expansion was over; it was implied she'd be apart of a raid, not any specific one.

They specifically said the one after Uldir. Which is the second raid. We know nothing about the raid tier structures so this could be the equivalent of either the Nighthold or Tomb of Sargeras.

[iamthedevil]

Didn't watch the stream so I can't confirm, I am going by what the poster quoted. It sounded like two separate statements to me.

I watched it. After they talked about the first raid they said they weren't going to say much about the 2nd raid yet, but she would be the boss. It has to do with the sea monsters that are attacking kul tiras.