N’zoth SHOULDN’T be the final boss!

[vertigo12]

People seem to be debating if Yogg is alive or dead, to clear up the confusion...he dead.

You fight him in his prison, so it's not like you're fighting to push him back into his prison. His last words are "Uulwi ifis halahs gag erh'ongg w'ssh." which of course means "The shadow of my corpse will choke this land for all eternity"

So is he alive? no, I say you he dead.

Same with C'thun, which is kind of mentioned by Xal'Atath when she says that one one of the 4 old God's would remain to consume the world and she's surprised that it's the weakest one of them.

Which N'Zoth haven't done yet because he just got out of prison a.k.a. prison break Expac. For him to consume the two they must be alive, ressurected if you must if you consider them dead.

[bullseyed]

Why can't N'Zoth be both this expansion's final boss AND lead us into the Black Empire in 9.0? The players (well, some) have been clamoring for an expansion where we "lose" at the end of it for years. So what happens if this time we DO lose? We fight N'Zoth. Our greatest heroes, including the players, as well as NPCs like Jaina, Thalyssra, Sylvanas, etc. all fight to the end. N'Zoth is on the cusp of death - or so we think - when he pulls out his ace in the hole and wipes our raid. Everyone, including the NPCs are reduced to 1hp (some, including Sylvanas, may even die outright). N'Zoth has stolen our health and is now back to 100%. He laughs at us and leaves to begin the ritual that will restore the BE. (Make up a reason why we get loot anyway. Maybe we find a cache that N'Zoth leaves behind.)

The pre-patch is all about us trying to find a way to stop the ritual with an understanding that we are not strong enough to kill N'Zoth. The expansion is the BE, with the story being our quest to try and end it and save Azeroth - not from death, but from becoming a Void Titan. One of the major patches includes a return to Northrend to fight Yogg with the aid of Bolvar/LK.

Would be a good excuse for the level squish. N'zoth steals our power, experience, etc.

I think if it goes as you predict, we will be fighting Azshara and N'zoth at the same time. We will spill her blood to seal the ritual. We'll get loot "from her" when N'zoth takes off.

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if the last boss is N'zoth....it's gonna be really stupid to waste him in this expansion. In my opinion, we will finish this expansion with one more raid against Sylvanas as someone said - we fought so far 2 Warbringers, so it would be logical to fight all 3. She will not be killed, cuz she prolly made deals with Death, but she will move from this faction and leader stuff into something bigger.......like some emissary of death or whatever. So imo, this will be the 8.2.5 and 8.3 storyline.

and 8.3.5 will be N'zoth intro to next expansion, like some cataclysmic shit happens and the world is on defense, kinda making it the end of expansion on the losing side...not high fiving each other and cheerz, but pain and suffering.

now ofc, that's how I wish it would end..........but Blizzard being Blizzard prolly have something different in mind

I think if we fight Sylvanas, it will be in a "mini raid" between tiers like the CoS raid.

They could do "assault on thunder bluff" as a mini raid, as the oldschool Hyjal raid was secondary to Black Temple due to the wave style format.

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It's really not as obvious as you pretend it to be. Old Gods are not "mere" creatures. They are capable of corrupting an entire planet if left unchecked.

Azshara is the clear candidate. Her third death will usher in the Void Lords. N'zoth + Azshara fight may be possible, but I'm hoping for more. I could be disappointed, I suppose.

8.2.5 - Assault on Thunder Bluff

Style: waves of attackers
Bosses: elevator, Nathanos, Sylvanas

Outcome: Sylvanas plays some endgame card where we don't kill her. We defeat her and she explains what she's been doing to stop N'zoth. Maybe some old god stuff happens at the end of the raid that makes us go "oh shit" and just stop.


8.3.0 - Old God Rising

Style: standard
Bosses: filler (like 7ish bosses), Azshara + N'zoth

Outcome: Someone stabs Azshara with the dagger. Azshara dies a third time. Blood spills and some ritual runes glow. N'zoth laughs and gives the "you played right into my plan" speech. The ritual begins sapping our power, into the blade. Bells/wakener thing starts up. Mantid swarm. Black Empire. We're left for dead as it keeps sapping our strength. Levels begin dropping 120... 110... 100... 60. CHAMPIONS! We stopped the ritual while it was only half complete to save you! (maybe Sylvanas saves us? maybe dies and resurrects so she's not stuck in the ritual like everyone else.)


8.3.5 - Prepatch

The ritual had an impact on the heart of azeroth and it is corrupted with void and we lose its power (like Legion). Something something we're doomed because Azeroth is going to turn void.


Then next expansion starts with Black Empire, we defeat them. Next raid is N'zoth and after that face void Azeroth who summons the void lords. Then finishes against the void lords.

[prwraith]

How would the answer be any different if the finally boss is Azshara "WTF, her again, two times in a row, but I guess that was bound to happen, because how shit blizzard is at everything else" or Sylvanas "WTF, they said she wouldn't be Garrosh 2.0, but I guess that was bound to happen because how shit blizzard is at everything else"

No matter what they do, they are shit at it and I swear the response would be even more vicious if it was somebody entirely different, because then it wouldn't be a "nice twist" but a lazy ass pull, though not unexpected, because how shit blizzard is at everything else

But hey...maybe I am just not up to date with the lore and all, and one of you guys here has a good idea for a final raid that takes us all by surprise?

Like....we get mindslaved and fight through all capitals against all Horde and Alliance leaders?

How about some effort put into the story? How about not wasting an old god as an afterthought of a boss like the others have been? Honestly, it's like the writing department is given a 100 bucks a week for food, lodging, and writing.

Blizzard suffers from a severe lack of ability to commit to anything. If you're going to start a war, commit to it, don't pull everyone's feet out of the fire a patch or two later. If the old gods are going to be a real threat, make them one. Commit to changing the established lore of the world with your story.

As it is now, as soon as this expansion is over, we'll be exactly back to neutral position. Like a joystick's dead space, it always returns to the center. Completely uninspired.

[Garymorilix]

Hmm... in Uldir we had Saronite coming from Yogg. What if Azerite isn't from Azeroth but is actually C'thun's blood? We already know Magni is a dope and was tricked and used.

Is this a real question or are you just trying to troll very badly? I think you're trolling at this point.

[Rhaide]

You forgot emerald dreams
Shadow lands
And Maelstrom.

Emerald dream was already discovered and dealt with. N'zoth is running the show there anyway, so it's gone when he's done.
Shadow lands may be explored, but it seems more like a patch than an expansion.
Maelstrom is already explored and done in Cata. Nothing else to do there.

[Soon-TM]

I definitely don't want to see something as majestic and promising as N'yalotha turned into Argus 3.0 (2.0 being Nazjatar). They were places with incredible potential for new expansions, and seeing them become [generic quest hub] is a real shame. I liked the idea of having a huge, HUGE ass N'yalotha as a setting for 9.0 or 10.0 - an Old God-themed Suramar the size of the entire Broken Isles /drool

[Mauthe]

I don't think we're going to fight Sylvanas this expansion, they've set us up to deal with N'Zoth somehow so... everyone saying SoO 2.0, you're just wrong. Sylvanas's story will wrap up with her running off in someway solidifying that shes now a baddie we'll fight another day.

Next raids gonna go down like this, you heard it here.
Magni: Ahh shite champion, sorry bout being duped and letting you guys get used by Aszhara, Sylvanas and N'Zoth. Super serious this time though, there's a bunch of crazy void shit going on down inside the core. The void is trying to corrupt Azeroth herself.
Mother: Yes.
Magni: Go down and save the planet, again.
Mother: Isn't it convenient there's an elevator in this heart chamber you've been visiting all expansion? It leads to a super sekret titan facility. *Pushes Button*

And off we go, fight some void themed bosses... maybe we visit parts of Ny'alotha through some dumb Azerite-powered portal and push N'Zoth out of Azeroth, but don't kill him.

Fin.

[UnluckyAmateur]

Well we didn't fight Sargeras so it seems entirely possible that we won't fight N'zoth

[ElDoorO]

After seeing the final cinematic for the new raid, I have to say I’m a bit worried. I know there’s been talk going around about how we should know who the final boss of the expansion is by now, and if that’s the case then N’zoth seems like the obvious choice they’re pointing to. HOWEVER I hope and pray that blizzard does not choose to do this as it would be a huge waste of a HUGE (both physically and developed) character.

1. HIS PAST: As a massive N’zoth fan myself, I have done my research time and time again to try and piece together everything this game has to offer about his character. If you weren’t already aware, he has been manipulating and been present through multiple huge WoW moments. He was completely responsible for the emerald nightmare, which has been a thing since early Warcraft. He was completely responsible for the corruption and mission given to Deathwing, AKA ALL OF CATA. He was responsible for the creation and use of the Naga as well as Azshara (if you didn’t already know that.) who also has been responsible for countless events making N’zoth responsible by extension. He is even speculated to have been responsible for the Legions return in WoD and Legion!! If you want more information on that I encourage you to check out Bellulars video about it.

2. HE IS A THREAT: Sure we’ve “defeated” Yogg and Cthun.. But those were only extremely small pieces! If those “pieces” can be considered a final boss of a huge raid (like ahn'qiraj and ulduar were) then surely N’zoth in his full form can’t be. EVEN THE TITANS HAD TROUBLE DEALING WITH THEM! If they could only imprison these God’s then we shouldn’t be able to kill them with 40 measly people.

3. YOGG SARON AND CTHUN ARE STILL ALIVE: that’s right people, they are. Still imprisoned in their respective prisons. If you don’t remember, in Legion and early BfA we ran into both of them again! Maybe not C’thun exactly, but definitely Yogg. In Legion we get a quest with Magni to explore Ulduar because of some disturbances again. Turns out YOGG SARON IS STILL ACTIVE IN THERE! Confirmed by Magni himself. Also if you’ve been living under a rock, you might’ve missed the giant sword going into silithus exposing the powerful azerite just waiting for SOMEONE to soak it up. Coincidence? I THINK NOT!

3 part 2. ALL EYES SHALL BE OPENED: If N’zoth is as smart as I know he is then he will immodestly restore the big 3, AKA Yogg Cthun and Himself back to power. Before they were imprisoned, and after Y’shaarj was killed, they teamed up against the Titans. Now that the titans are gone and there are not more threats it’s time for N’zoth to do what he does best and FREE THEM each of them taking over their respective territories. This could lead to a world revamp, a level squish, and more if blizzard just played their cards right. It could also lead to the awakening of Azeroth herself at the end as well.

4. NY’ALOTHA: It’s not a little patch city that we do world quests through, it’s a piece of the black empire kept alive by burying it under the ocean! Ny’alotha should be raised and it should be an expansion zone not a patch one, as should the dragons isles but that’s a separate topic. SUCH WASTED HISTORY AND POTENTIAL if they make it another Argus.

5. ANOTHER FINAL BOSS: A simple solution to a more complex then it needs to be problem. Just make another final boss! Whether it’s Nathanos, Azshara round 2, Sylvanas, Anduin, I don’t care anything but N’zoth. Honestly just finish the Horde vs Alliance thing this expansion and go full Old Gods next expansion, opening with Azshara round 2 as the first raid. That would make much more sense.

TL;DR: Don’t make N’zoth the final boss. Bring back the other 2 old gods and save them for an Old God expansion in 9.0.

Let me know what other final boss you think would fit the bill, or other ideas you have. Thanks for reading! (Praise the god of the Deep

The titans only had trouble with them only because ripping them out casually would have killed or seriously hurt Azeroth. Dealing with them as an infection, while not hurting Azeroth, was tough because trying to be gentle AND rough is not trivial.

[Caerule]

There is one main problem that I see. I do very much consider N'Zoth to be the final boss. But I also feel it is likely that a Black Empire expansion is the likeliest to be next.

That's a dilemma. After "Orc Fatigue" and "Demon Fatigue", I doubt Blizzard wants to throw Old God stuff at us for too many raid tiers. Hell, the first raid tier was also already an Old God. That makes it very hard for me to predict what is next. It feels unlikely for the 8.3 tier to be all Old God stuff, and then us getting an Old God expansion. Especially because Blizz felt they had to sell us this expansion as a Horde vs Alliance expansion, clearly not thinking N'Zoth could be the poster boy to carry an expansion.

A more likely scenario, at least to me, is that the final raid will be Horde/Alliance themed, but ends with N'Zoth unleashing the Black Empire expansion. Or it'll be Old God themed and about killing N'Zoth, and it'll end with Sylvanas leading in to an Undead expansion.

I'll be the first to admit Blizzard's direction has me baffled this time. But it just feels like they won't theme the final raid and next expansion with Old Gods. Not after so much of it this expansion already.