With the popularity of the N'zoth and Sylvanas 'faction' options in BFA, do we think there's a possibility that they will add a covenant of some sort in Shadowlands that allows you to serve Sylvanas and the Jailer?
With the popularity of the N'zoth and Sylvanas 'faction' options in BFA, do we think there's a possibility that they will add a covenant of some sort in Shadowlands that allows you to serve Sylvanas and the Jailer?
I don't think they can do that, at least not the way they usually tell stories. All of the villain factions want to destroy the universe in one way or another and they can't actually let them do that, if they want the game to continue. So the villains have to stay the villains.
Maybe if they one day invent an evil faction that is not hell bent on destroying the universe they could give that to players. Like the Forsaken used to be, before destroying the cosmos became a thing. Make that faction not be part of one of the other factions and I do think people would play it.
No. They already said they are not continuing the Sylvanas loyalist questline. Sylvanas is now not only a villain (she has been one since Classic), but an antagonist as well. Thus, she will be hostile to the players. Just like there was no choice to side with Garrosh in WoD.
Expansion Storylines ranking:
Legion > Cataclysm > MoP > BfA up to 8.2.5 > Wrath > TBC > WoD > Dragonflight > BfA 8.3 > Shadowlands
N'zoth had some optional quests and still died. Sylvanas had quest choices in BFA and "lost" in regards to the BFA story. You can work for villains as long as they end up losing, which is what will happen for Sylvanas in Shadowlands (and likely Jailer though he has a better chance of being in 10.0).
The better argument is that they did indeed say there is no "Sylvanas loyalist questline" but:
A) A Jailer covenant would not exactly be Sylvanas loyalist
B) They may change their mind if they do consider it Sylvanas loyalist
But you wont work for her, as Blizzard already said. And the Covenant system cannot be compared to the few quests you got with the Gift of Nzoth or the Sylvanas questline. There are actual abilities, transmog sets, mounts, etc. which go with it.
I already highlighted the difference between antagonist and villain. Siding with a villain is different from siding with an antagonist.
Expansion Storylines ranking:
Legion > Cataclysm > MoP > BfA up to 8.2.5 > Wrath > TBC > WoD > Dragonflight > BfA 8.3 > Shadowlands
The complications of switching all but guarantees if one isn't there at launch it isn't getting added. Sylvanas also isn't really a N'zoth ally, she was using him. Now that she got as much as she could from him and he is dead/weakened he brings nothing to the table.
"Privilege is invisible to those who have it."
I mean, there isnt really much room for discussion when Blizzard already told you "No, you cant be a Sylvanas loyalist in Shadowlands" (this also means you cant be a Jailer loyalist)… sure, it could happen that they decide to change their mind for some reason, anything can potentially happen. But lets be real, they are not changing their mind.
Expansion Storylines ranking:
Legion > Cataclysm > MoP > BfA up to 8.2.5 > Wrath > TBC > WoD > Dragonflight > BfA 8.3 > Shadowlands
No. The antagonist is anyone who opposes the protagonist. It is not the villain. Cenarius was an antagonist in WC3 but he was not a villain. You are the protagonist, as Ion already said (in case that wasnt clear enough). Sylvanas did not become an enemy of the Horde player until 8.2.5.
Last edited by Varodoc; 2020-02-28 at 11:50 PM.
Expansion Storylines ranking:
Legion > Cataclysm > MoP > BfA up to 8.2.5 > Wrath > TBC > WoD > Dragonflight > BfA 8.3 > Shadowlands
It does because you're talking about implementing an expansion wide system that will most likely have canon story in regards to your character and their covenant by using something that was a little easter egg and no more.
Characters who worked with Sylvanas/N'zoth at the end still go against them, the end matters. Therefore it does matter that those systems were nothing more than 'hey wouldn't this be a teeny tiny fun thing for an extremely short time (time being how short the quests were)'.