9.0 General Discussion

[Lahis]

But then it has a timer. The timer taking the shape of a slow moving Mob rather then a number on the screen doesn't matter. It would still be a timer.

It will only spawn once you have died enough times. If you don't die you can take all the time planning your pulls. Only when you start failing will the janitor come in to throw the trash out.

It actually incentives careful planning, because if you are careless, you'll soon be in a hurry too.

[Sondrelk]

After seeing some of the datamined stuff my new and improved prediction for the raids will be:

9.0: Castle Nathria, defeating Denathrius and ending the immediate threat of lack of Anima.
9.1: Maw Raid, fight against either The Jailer or Sylvanas, whoever is left will move on to be hte final boss of the expansion, or at important to the narrative of the final raid.
9.2: Forsworn raid. Dealing with themes of tyrannical light, Uther being an important character.
9.3: Final Raid, somewhere in Azeroth. Whoever is left form the 9.1 raid will instigate an attack on Azeroth with the intent of killing the Nascent world soul, possibly through the sword in Silithus. Ends with the sword being removed and balance being restored.

Will keep updating this if things changes in the datamining. The 9.2 raid especially possibly being swapped for a Scourge raid with Kel'thuzad.

[huth]

But then it has a timer. The timer taking the shape of a slow moving Mob rather then a number on the screen doesn't matter. It would still be a timer.

You're missing the rather important part where the timer doesn't start unless you already died. It's a last chance mechanic, not a timer on how long you have for the tower. You can putz around on an empty floor for however long you wish as long as you don't die.

[Hugnomo]

Alice in Wonderland references in Revendreth too, for what's it worth.

This actually makes me happy for some reason. Might have to do with having played American Mcgee's Alice and Madness returns (and also having read the originals by Lewis Carroll)

[EbaumsTipster]

9.0 Castle Nathria- Denathrius, end of the Anima Drought.

9.1- Kel'thuzad, who isn't properly dealt with by the end of Maldraxxus. Alternatively no filler raid because Nathria is big... maybe that troll post with Naxx as a megadungeon was something we're getting?

9.1.5 or 9.2- Maw raid. Finale for Sylvanas and Nathanos, Jailer escapes at the end with lore reveals. Arthas appears.

9.3- New Zone(s) in Shadowlands, LIKELY Frost and/or Void (Edge of Reality) themed based on Arthas/Jailer. Raid that deals with the Jailer as the final boss but the aesthetic is changed significantly based on his identity (Void if Voidlord, Titanic if he's a Titan, etc)

I think Sylvanas and the Maw are the strict midpoint of the expansion. 9.1 is a tossup on what it could be but Kel'thuzad and Naxx are easy nostalgia bait.

Edit: Alternatively, it's similar to BFA in some ways, with 9.2 being the multi-zone post-Maw patch and 9.3 being something smaller, maybe playable races/class changes leading into the next Azeroth expansion.

[Makorus]

After seeing some of the datamined stuff my new and improved prediction for the raids will be:

9.0: Castle Nathria, defeating Denathrius and ending the immediate threat of lack of Anima.
9.1: Maw Raid, fight against either The Jailer or Sylvanas, whoever is left will move on to be hte final boss of the expansion, or at important to the narrative of the final raid.
9.2: Forsworn raid. Dealing with themes of tyrannical light, Uther being an important character.
9.3: Final Raid, somewhere in Azeroth. Whoever is left form the 9.1 raid will instigate an attack on Azeroth with the intent of killing the Nascent world soul, possibly through the sword in Silithus. Ends with the sword being removed and balance being restored.

Will keep updating this if things changes in the datamining. The 9.2 raid especially possibly being swapped for a Scourge raid with Kel'thuzad.

Dont think the Forsworn are interesting enough to be a raid, and theres no way the Sword will be removed in any way that is not "Titan Azeroth will pull it out of the planet".

[Gorsameth]

You're missing the rather important part where the timer doesn't start unless you already died. It's a last chance mechanic, not a timer on how long you have for the tower. You can putz around on an empty floor for however long you wish as long as you don't die.

It's a timer that only starts ticking after you've failed a few times, though. Instead of a timer that starts the moment you zone in.

You really should read what I was replying to.

[TheFirstOnes]

Look at this high quality environment and those high quality creature models.... and literally 17 years old Vanilla weapon models.

Placeholder weapons. Again, first Alpha build.

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It's still funny to see tho.

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9.0 Castle Nathria- Denathrius, end of the Anima Drought.

9.1- Kel'thuzad, who isn't properly dealt with by the end of Maldraxxus. Alternatively no filler raid because Nathria is big... maybe that troll post with Naxx as a megadungeon was something we're getting?

9.1.5 or 9.2- Maw raid. Finale for Sylvanas and Nathanos, Jailer escapes at the end with lore reveals. Arthas appears.

9.3- New Zone(s) in Shadowlands, LIKELY Frost and/or Void (Edge of Reality) themed based on Arthas/Jailer. Raid that deals with the Jailer as the final boss but the aesthetic is changed significantly based on his identity (Void if Voidlord, Titanic if he's a Titan, etc)

I think Sylvanas and the Maw are the strict midpoint of the expansion. 9.1 is a tossup on what it could be but Kel'thuzad and Naxx are easy nostalgia bait.

Basically this. And then, 10.0 can be Void related, like the Void Lords, Sargeras' return, and shit like that.

[GhostPanini]

I really hope we don't kill the jailer in the middle raid. It would be nice to have a big bad at the start be the last thing we kill.

[Sondrelk]

9.0 Castle Nathria- Denathrius, end of the Anima Drought.

9.1- Kel'thuzad, who isn't properly dealt with by the end of Maldraxxus. Alternatively no filler raid because Nathria is big... maybe that troll post with Naxx as a megadungeon was something we're getting?

9.1.5 or 9.2- Maw raid. Finale for Sylvanas and Nathanos, Jailer escapes at the end with lore reveals. Arthas appears.

9.3- New Zone(s) in Shadowlands, LIKELY Frost and/or Void (Edge of Reality) themed based on Arthas/Jailer. Raid that deals with the Jailer as the final boss but the aesthetic is changed significantly based on his identity (Void if Voidlord, Titanic if he's a Titan, etc)

I think Sylvanas and the Maw are the strict midpoint of the expansion. 9.1 is a tossup on what it could be but Kel'thuzad and Naxx are easy nostalgia bait.

Edit: Alternatively, it's similar to BFA in some ways, with 9.2 being the multi-zone post-Maw patch and 9.3 being something smaller, maybe playable races/class changes leading into the next Azeroth expansion.

For one you would need to swap the 9.1 and 9.2 raids. If not then it messes with the usual flow of the expansion where the X.2 raid is more of a "filler" between the meaty X.1 and X.3 raids that actually further the main story directly. Think Firelands, Throne of Thunder or Eternal Palace. Tangentially related to the final boss, but more of a breather with entirely different enemies.

[EbaumsTipster]

I really hope we don't kill the jailer in the middle raid. It would be nice to have a big bad at the start be the last thing we kill.

Depends on if them saying Jailer is the real boss is a tweest with Sylvanas being the final boss or not. I don't think it is: they know people want her dead ASAP and he's likely something really big in the cosmology.

They know people are on their ass for lying in BFA so I don't think it's a lie this time. They have been insanely careful about what they say and "Jailer is the villain" is one of the few concrete things they've said about the story.

[Voidwielder]

Mechagnomes could have worked if they got proper attention. They need way more customisation, like a tenfold.

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Depends on if them saying Jailer is the real boss is a tweest with Sylvanas being the final boss or not. I don't think it is: they know people want her dead ASAP and he's likely something really big in the cosmology.

They know people are on their ass for lying in BFA so I don't think it's a lie this time.

New, are you?

[EbaumsTipster]

For one you would need to swap the 9.1 and 9.2 raids. If not then it messes with the usual flow of the expansion where the X.2 raid is more of a "filler" between the meaty X.1 and X.3 raids that actually further the main story directly. Think Firelands, Throne of Thunder or Eternal Palace. Tangentially related to the final boss, but more of a breather with entirely different enemies.

Eternal Palace is absolutely not filler. It might have felt like it because they screwed the pooch with the Nzoth story and marketed the war as the important thing, but Battle for Dazaralor is comparatively filler in regards to the "main" Nzoth story.

[Sondrelk]

I really hope we don't kill the jailer in the middle raid. It would be nice to have a big bad at the start be the last thing we kill.

I still think Sylvanas will be the final boss. Sure, players will be annoyed that she keeps avoiding us, but that will just make it all the sweeter when we defeat her at the end, creating the perfect recipe for a satisfying final boss.
Not to mention that i don't think the Jailer can carry an entire expansion unaided. Maybe if he ressurects Arthas or more specifically the Lich King alongside other baddies, but even then it wouldnt make him that interesting.

[EbaumsTipster]

New, are you?

When they say as little as possible for Shadowlands to make sure they don't get caught, this likely isn't a lie. They practically won't say anything else about the story.

[gunner_recall]

I really hope we don't kill the jailer in the middle raid. It would be nice to have a big bad at the start be the last thing we kill.

I get why they wouldn't do it because subverting expectations and it's really Saturday Morning Cartoon if the villain is just always there and constantly like CURSES FOILED AGAIN like the Lich King was

But yeah, it would be really awesome for everything to build up to a final conflict with the Jailer.

Like

9.0: Revendreth raid- finishes up Revendreth conflict to unite the Covenants
9.0.5: gearing up to attack the Maw
9.1: Maw raid- kill Sylvanas but her death frees the Jailer
9.2: Jailer raid(could even be in Torghast) and zone invasions- constantly struggling against the Jailer's forces that are running wild throughout the different zones, manage to push back enough that we can finally assault him but he retreats into
9.3: Icecrown Citadel- final confrontation against the Jailer

[Sondrelk]

Eternal Palace is absolutely not filler. It might have felt like it because they screwed the pooch with the Nzoth story and marketed the war as the important thing, but Battle for Dazaralor is comparatively filler in regards to the "main" Nzoth story.

More in the sense that you exclusively fight Naga and Azshara. Sure, they are related to N'zoth and there is a boss there who is the Herald of N'zoth. But the raid is very clearly Naga themed, not Old God themed. A subtle but important difference.
Same with Firelands and Ragnaros being allies of Deathwing, but still having that raid be entirely themed around the Firelands, not Deathwing.

[EbaumsTipster]

More in the sense that you exclusively fight Naga and Azshara. Sure, they are related to N'zoth and there is a boss there who is the Herald of N'zoth. But the raid is very clearly Naga themed, not Old God themed. A subtle but important difference.
Same with Firelands and Ragnaros being allies of Deathwing, but still having that raid be entirely themed around the Firelands, not Deathwing.

The Maw is Torghast themed (and subsequently Sylvanas-themed, who now has more smokey black monsters that conveniently look like her banshee form), and the Jailer apparently has an origin beyond Torghast. The zone/raid theme will swap to whatever his true origins are after Torghast.

When Sylvanas is dressing in a Torghast Cheerleader Uniform.... it's very, very unlikely she's leaving it. Meanwhile we have seen (likely) that Jailer has multiple forms, and the concept art one barely has "Torghast" elements visible besides broken chains.

[Raetary]

With Maw raid items already being in game, the 9.1 is most probably gonna be maw related.

[Sondrelk]

The Maw is Torghast themed (and subsequently Sylvanas-themed, who now has more smokey black monsters that conveniently look like her banshee form), and the Jailer apparently has an origin beyond Torghast. The zone/raid theme will swap to whatever his true origins are after Torghast.

When Sylvanas is dressing in a Torghast Cheerleader Uniform.... it's very, very unlikely she's leaving it.

The problem is that i still don't see the Jailer being that interesting. Certainly not enough to carry the entire expansion as you eagerly await ending him for good. If he isthe one that survives the Maw raid then he will definitely ressurect a new liutenant that will carry the playerbase forwards, like Arthas, Ner'zhul or some other well known WoW baddie.

Also, Sylvanas is wearing the Maw cheerleader outfit, as opposed to the Jailer, who is as far as we know bound there. Clearly one of them has to leave eventually, unless Blizzard pulls a fast one and makes all of the first 3 raids set outside the Maw. It would be pretty bold, but also quite unlike how they have made raids since at least TBC.

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With Maw raid items already being in game, the 9.1 is most probably gonna be maw related.

Unless of course the Maw Raid is Torghast, or they are shared between the first 2 raids, and are called Maw Raid pieces because that is the theme behind them, and the set deisgners named them that for ease of filing.

Sure, Maw is most likely the 9.1 raid, but you never know until it actually shows up, which could be a long time coming considering BfA not revealing the second raid until quite a while after the expansion had released.