BfA Patch Speculation thread (8.3 and later).

[Dracullus]

to my understanding this was just going to be tuning patch to fix everything that needs to be with no actual content with a content patch announcement at blizzcon? I think some of you are going to be very upset come the 18th.

It they want to follow Legion footsteps - releasing 8.X big patch with outdoor content/dungeon (and raid assets, so whole raid can be tuned during 8.X.5 PTR) and later smaller 8.X.5 patch with 'evergreen' content and raid - next patch has to have some content. It's too soon for new zone in my opinion, but they need to make storyline leading to Azshara and create/revamp dungeon.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

Some things already mentioned by Ion:

1. Better Azerite traits (more interesting, less traits that are just a 1% increase)
2. New warfronts
3. Better island content
4. Elemental and Shadow changes

Sadly I think they're gonna miss on #1 there. Unless they want to basically recreate artifacts where all traits are spec-specific.

[Mafic]

Sadly I think they're gonna miss on #1 there. Unless they want to basically recreate artifacts where all traits are spec-specific.

That is what watcher said that they are going to focus more on spec specific traits. Buffing existing spec specific traits and bringing in new ones.

[Chickat]

Some things already mentioned by Ion:

1. Better Azerite traits (more interesting, less traits that are just a 1% increase)
2. New warfronts
3. Better island content
4. Elemental and Shadow changes

Hopefully:"

1. Better burst for Demo warlocks
2. More ways for disc priests to heal directly
3. Slightly shorter Warfront rotations (maybe by 1 day per phase or 2 days off the whole process)
4. Island expeditions that are less of a rushed race and more of an eploration
5. Removing some cooldowns/abilities from the GCD, especially ignore pain (losing 2 seconds on a personal cooldown just feels bad, even if they increase the timer to give us the original duration)
6. Allow warlocks to do burst dps without making every spec rely on a 1 to 3 minute demon cooldown

Personal stuff that won't ever happen:

1. Shaman tanks (with a shield ofcourse)
2. Frost DK tanks
3. Delete monks

I think 5 days per phase makes sense. So as horde you have 5 days of contributions, 5 days of warftont, and 5 days of owning the zone. 5 days of nothing.

- - - Updated - - -

Assuming it continues in the same vein as 7.1 and not 6.1:
- Assault on Dazar'Alor mini raid
- Thros the Blighted Lands dungeon
- Zandalari + Kul Tiran races unlocked
- War Campaign continues with the first half building up to Dazar'Alor, while the second leads to Azshara's raid
- Warfront: Southern Barrens (Dwarf vs Tauren themed)
- Shadow Priest, Elemental & Enhancement Shaman reworks
- Azerite Trait tuning
- Possibly an island expedition or two

If it's the same as 6.1:
- Facebook Integration
- Heirlooms scale to 120
- Summon-able bosses on your mission table ship.
- Azerite-coloured reskin of the Voidtalon of the Dark Star found in Azerite world quest areas

Omg I want that.

[Siglius]

I'm expecting 8.1 to mainly contain some world content since we're not quite ready for a new raid yet (Assuming 8.1 goes live around the time of Blizzcon) imo atleast. It will most likely contain the actual data for the aszhara raid, a new zone perhaps (since there isn't really a physical location where the raid would be, Suramar was already in the game at launch in Legion and hopefully 1 or more new dungeons.

[Aydinx2]

That could be a thing, but Blizzard doesn't have the balls or passion to pull it off anymore. My vote goes for revamp Elemental into a tank. They already do no damage and are bad, might as well just give them back the taunts, stoneclaw totem, etc and work them into a tank, it wouldn't even be difficult. Just bring back Shamanistic rage but make it an Ele thing.

I'd say they would sooner rework Enhancement into a tank, and move some of the current enhancement mechanics to elemental (like crash lightning).

- - - Updated - - -

Sadly I think they're gonna miss on #1 there. Unless they want to basically recreate artifacts where all traits are spec-specific.

I think Ion said they're looking into making traits more interesting, and less of a boring numbers proc.
I hope they make some trinkets add procs to the rotation.

[EbaumsTipster]

Assuming it continues in the same vein as 7.1 and not 6.1:
- Assault on Dazar'Alor mini raid
- Thros the Blighted Lands dungeon
- Zandalari + Kul Tiran races unlocked
- War Campaign continues with the first half building up to Dazar'Alor, while the second leads to Azshara's raid
- Warfront: Southern Barrens (Dwarf vs Tauren themed)
- Shadow Priest, Elemental & Enhancement Shaman reworks
- Azerite Trait tuning
- Possibly an island expedition or two

I think this is exactly what we're getting, with a caveat.

I also think the dungeon will be gnome themed to introduce the Alliance's Vulpera equivalent. Thros will not be relevant again until we do more Shadowlands stuff after Azshara.

[Caeth]

Most importantly, will it release this year? Holidays are coming up...

[Nohara]

8.1 Return to Ahn'Qiraj

Revamped Temple, parts dungeon(s) and a small raid. Perhaps Ruins also gets a revamp, as a dungeon.

[Deleted]

Priorities.

[oathy]

Classes that lost the artifact traits need at least the option to get them back in Talent tree.
Level 90 destruct lock spec is crying out for Rifts back. why the heck soul fire was included
when we have Chaos bolt is baffling. Hellfire coming back would have made more sense

Bellular made the point in his latest video. Maybe the best option was just a necklace that opened up new talent specs
and not all the addition Armour. the passive traits are woeful lets be blunt

Many Legion dailies offer more gold rewards than BFA (even mission table quests)
they just seem intent on stripping back on everything.

[Chickat]

Well in only 14 hours we will know what our future holds. Im going to ask a mod to rename this to 8.0 general patch speculation.

This can be our thread for the next year until we get leaks for 9.0. Im hoping at least.

[DeicideUH]

Allied races: Kul Tirans + Zandalari
New areas: Zul Dare and Crestfall. Staging areas for the naval conflict
War Campaign continues

[Goldielocks]

I'm hoping Azshara is Legion's Gul'dan, meaning we can have two raids come out for 8.1

The following are unlocked right as 8.1 is released:
-Najatar, or some kind of quest zone as spamming WQs is getting old. We need something like Suramar.
-New Allied Races
-Continued War Campaign (could include a new warfront)
-A new dungeon. Some are speculating an AQ revamp which would be pretty cool, but who knows.
-Obligatory tuning to game systems and classes

The filler raid will release a few weeks afterward. I personally am hoping it's in Kul Tiras, since we really don't need another Troll raid. Something relating to Gorak Tul.

Then Azshara raid releases early 2019.

[Goldielocks]

Alliance have already fought him like 3-4 times. I don't think he'll be a raid boss.

He wouldn't be the first time the game used a persistent villain.

[ChronoSul]

I'm hoping Azshara is Legion's Gul'dan, meaning we can have two raids come out for 8.1

The following are unlocked right as 8.1 is released:
-Najatar, or some kind of quest zone as spamming WQs is getting old. We need something like Suramar.
-New Allied Races
-Continued War Campaign (could include a new warfront)
-A new dungeon. Some are speculating an AQ revamp which would be pretty cool, but who knows.
-Obligatory tuning to game systems and classes

The filler raid will release a few weeks afterward. I personally am hoping it's in Kul Tiras, since we really don't need another Troll raid. Something relating to Gorak Tul.

Then Azshara raid releases early 2019.

The issue with it being based off Gorak Tul is there was a zandalar raid map that was datamined during beta so most likely we are going a filler raid on zandalar.

[infinitemeridian]

Gorak'tul raid for Alliance

Bwomsandi raid for Horde

[Goldielocks]

The issue with it being based off Gorak Tul is there was a zandalar raid map that was datamined during beta so most likely we are going a filler raid on zandalar.

Yeah I heard about that, but I've also seen other really questionable datamined stuff, so I'm remaining skeptical. I'm not sure why Blizzard would make two continents and put the first two raids on only one of them. Seems odd to me.

He's just not really threatening anymore. We've already beaten him on his own terms. He's a chump.

It's odd though. I've seen tons of others suggest some kind of raid related to him. If he was thoroughly defeated, then people shouldn't want to kill him again.

[ChronoSul]

Yeah I heard about that, but I've also seen other really questionable datamined stuff, so I'm remaining skeptical. I'm not sure why Blizzard would make two continents and put the first two raids on only one of them. Seems odd to me.

It's odd though. I've seen tons of others suggest some kind of raid related to him. If he was thoroughly defeated, then people shouldn't want to kill him again.

It is odd that there are two continents but its hard to make something human related interesting. And about Gorak Tul its probably due to the fact that many horde players are the ones that want to kill him again because they never get the conclusion to that story on their side just like how the alliance doesnt understand why we went to Uldir. Which is a major flaw in this expansion's story telling.

[Deleted]

I thought we we're getting some patch notes on 8.1 today? But all we got is the Azerite hotfix bullshit? Heard something about a developer stream etc. Does anyone have any info about this?