Rewriting BFA's Story 3: Electric Boogaloo

[Powerogue]

With this becoming something of a trend, I thought I'd start a thread on small changes to the BFA story that I think would have improved it. Rather than any retconning of major events, this would mainly be taking advantage of missed opportunities.

New war campaign chapter: Fate of the Frostwolves

Predating the warfront, the frostwolf clan, still lead by Drek'thar in his wheelchair, is assaulted by the Alliance trying to clear routes into Arathi and take the Eastern Kingdoms. Standing by his stubbornness in Cataclysm, he refuses aid (and/or Sylvanas, recalling those words, refuses to aid him), and is cut down by Alliance forces. Some veterans are outraged at Sylvanas for letting this happen, while loyalists defend her actions. This gives us more conflict on all fronts, particularly towards the Alliance on the Horde side.



Xal'atath Questline Changes

In general it could have been more clear why us non-shadow priests picked up the dagger in the first place, so just making it more clear she was promising us power and assistance would have been good. The main thing I'd change is Horde players picking up the dagger in the raid who are not loyalists should instead attempt to destroy it, only to be sapped by a forsaken loyalist and the dagger looted from their person. Simple change, far less insane than my pandaren, of all players, willingly handing over an evil artifact to corrupt yet another warchief.



Darkshore Context

The prequel novels describe an entire chapter of the War of Thorns in Ashenvale, maybe 1% of which we see in game. Simply reference this in quest dialogue that we arrived late. The wisp wall was actively aggressive in-novel and could have been an exciting quest of fleeing from it as wisps bomb your allies and traps on the ground threaten to entangle you. Sira, the main dark warden, could also use a quest showing Tyrande actively leaving her (either to pursue another objective or when she teleports off with Malfurion) to lend more sympathy to her perspective seen upon raising, perhaps on the Horde side of the chain.

That's all I've got. Feel free to critique or add things you can think of, but remember the distinction here is small changes, to distinguish from the threads overwriting the entire story, cover to cover.

[Powerogue]

Wow, almost 500 views and not a single post.

One thing I can think of but am not sure how to resolve would be introducing Calia Menethil more clearly. If you skipped her book and never played a priest, before BFA you've never seen her before. So far she's gradually come out of the shadows after Sylvanas abandoned the forsaken, a stranger bearing Arthas's last name with an apparent desire to aid the forsaken in recovering hope. It's hard for me to say, since it's understandable she wouldn't openly rally the forsaken while Sylvanas lead an entire faction (didn't turn out so well the last time) and I have no idea where her character arc is going.

[ravenmoon]

Wow, almost 500 views and not a single post.

One thing I can think of but am not sure how to resolve would be introducing Calia Menethil more clearly. If you skipped her book and never played a priest, before BFA you've never seen her before. So far she's gradually come out of the shadows after Sylvanas abandoned the forsaken, a stranger bearing Arthas's last name with an apparent desire to aid the forsaken in recovering hope. It's hard for me to say, since it's understandable she wouldn't openly rally the forsaken while Sylvanas lead an entire faction (didn't turn out so well the last time) and I have no idea where her character arc is going.

Just re-write the topic to emphasize an unconventional thing about elves, or someting sympathetic about Sylvanas, or affirming Anduin and you'll get loads of repllies.

You're welcome.

OT Sometimes more choices, more conflict etc are good, but it's also okay not to have everything be controversial or a really tough choice.

[Powerogue]

Just re-write the topic to emphasize an unconventional thing about elves, or someting sympathetic about Sylvanas, or affirming Anduin and you'll get loads of repllies.

You're welcome.

OT Sometimes more choices, more conflict etc are good, but it's also okay not to have everything be controversial or a really tough choice.

Alright, let's give that a shot:

1) Now that we have four playable elf races we should really address in-canon why elves don't have body hair. It's always been weird.
2) She helped us fight the Lich King in WotLK, so that's nice. And she tried to kill Baine. According to most of this forum, that's a good thing.
3) Anduin's had character growth this expansion but we certainly could've had more of the schism between his leadership and the night elves/worgen; share a slice of that faction in-fighting pie, Horde! I was super disappointed when they downplayed Genn's dialogue from the PTR and then did very little else with it.

Alright, now let the replies roll in!

[ravenmoon]

Alright, let's give that a shot:

1) Now that we have four playable elf races we should really address in-canon why elves don't have body hair. It's always been weird.
2) She helped us fight the Lich King in WotLK, so that's nice.

And she tried to kill Baine

. According to most of this forum, that's a good thing.
3) Anduin's had character growth this expansion but we certainly could've had more of the schism between his leadership and the night elves/worgen; share a slice of that faction in-fighting pie, Horde! I was super disappointed when they downplayed Genn's dialogue from the PTR and then did very little else with it.

Alright, now let the replies roll in!

Blizzard writers claimed a few years ago it was easier and more interesting to write for the horde than the alliance --- i call them on that total B/S

They were just more interested in writing for the horde because THEY made the horde more dynamic and diverse and focsued ALL their attention on boosting them for 14 years..


Go back to WC2 & 3... that shows you bet the alliance can be interesting, 2. You don't need to have faction infighting to have an interesting story, and you don't need all your playable races to be in the damn horde and alliance

TAke WC3, Night elves and undead are in neither faction, but their own entitties, this allowed for a far more dynamic story, that iddn't necessarily have the sort of continuous forced infighting, the story was organic, when it made sense, peopel banded together, .

Nighte lves for edxample are their own world, theya re an ancient and huge race - they have diverse elements - druids/nature, arcane/mages, priests/warriors - etc - they could easily be a faction.. dynamic and interesting in the lroe, with small group of younger night elves choosing to remain in teh alliance..

So your story focus switcheds of being totally centred on the horde and the allainace, and have other powerful groups be powerful factors.

A playable race doesn't necesarily have to have all i'ts members in the faction nor for the non-faction members to be relevant... srsly


If i as a player night elf was in the alliance, but most of hte night elves were not, and they had a powerful role in the story just like in WC3, guess waht.. that satsifies me, even though i'm in teh alliance, and I look after their interests.


THis idea that playable races are only relevant if in the faction and only the faction can ahve a story relevance is just plain un-necessary. This siww hy the "alliance" is boring.

THey need to think outside the BOX THEY put themselves in. Break the box open.

THe blood elves DO NOT HAVE TO BE IN THE HORDE OR ALLIANCE

for blood elf players to be playable on the horde.

There are so many things they can do:

But , to view direct faction conflict as the only thing that is "interesting" is a failing
To feel that the alliance is boring..because they're all the same..? Wtf? They are less the same now by a much larger margin than they were in WC2, and it wasn't boring.

It's as if they are saying hey, no interesting stories can be told if people are all the same race.. then let's forget about the vast majority of every form of entertainment which is largely 100% human
1. Players all continue to be in their factions
2. Take the night elves out, take the blood elves out, take the Forsaken out, tak

[omeomorfismo]

Blizzard writers claimed a few years ago it was easier and more interesting to write for the horde than the alliance --- i call them on that total B/S

They were just more interested in writing for the horde because THEY made the horde more dynamic and diverse and focsued ALL their attention on boosting them for 14 years..


Go back to WC2 & 3... that shows you bet the alliance can be interesting, 2. You don't need to have faction infighting to have an interesting story, and you don't need all your playable races to be in the damn horde and alliance

litteraly all w2 is an infighting story. humans than hate other humans, orcs that betray other orcs

even w3, the basis is basically nerzhul wanting betray the BL
arthas that sells his kingdom
gromm and the illidan's imprisonment

[ravenmoon]

litteraly all w2 is an infighting story. humans than hate other humans, orcs that betray other orcs

even w3, the basis is basically nerzhul wanting betray the BL
arthas that sells his kingdom
gromm and the illidan's imprisonment

Exactly.

WC2 showd that with races exactly teh same their could still be lots of infighting

WC3 showed that:
1. you didn't have to have 2 factions only for an intersting interaction:
2. Not every one necessarily had to be involved in infighting and betrayal, there could still be engaging and realistic story telling with some elemnts doing htat.


For WoW:
I understand that players for the game system need to be in 2 factions - that's WoW - a new game can be basedo n 4 player factions. However, players in 2 factions doesn't mean that the horde and alliance need to be the most interesting thing or all hteir playable races involved.

1. Trolls only have a small group in one of the factions, most are not.
2. If most horde players are blood elves, - teh blood elves as a race OUTSIDE the horde can be very interesting and play a major role: blood elf players while horde, would still feel very connected to their race if blizzard write it so, despite the race not being in the faction.

You see, they have created the very problems they claim are too difficult. Their emplyeess I know can be very creative. They just don't want to write interesting stuff for anyone that isn't hteir favourites. Taht's why they're struggling. They fell in love with certain horde races (looking at Sylvanas, and the forsaken - pointing at Danuser and Afrisiabi) and now only caref or them. You can't have that sort of bias, and expect to write a story everyone enjoys , when you've built a world and desgigned races that people are attracted too. You have to be impartial, or love all of htem

if you odn't love the alliance, get into them. Go read all the various races lore, the night elves have so much depth, richness and diversrsity, even without basing htem on internal conflict for starters, all in their set up, Draenei have a lot of potential.. so far for them only the preist side has come out, and they're more than just priests/palas too - then question why the focus of thealliance has to be humans only, and stormwind only and why they have to be so lacklsture.

Make the playr races interesting, and a vibrant part of the world that players engage in, whether they're part of the faction or not. Trolls could have a lot more interesting sotrylines, with all their various sub-species, and they don't have to all be in the horde.


Too Many Races in the Faction
To be honest, there are too many races involved with the horde and alliance. And by this I mean, too many big races are all in to the factions the factions lose their feel. It's one thing if a band of blood elf adventurers or night elf youngsters choose to support the horde or alliance, it's another thing if ALL the blood elves, ALL the nighte lves are involved - because night elves are such a unique and complete culture bsed on the ngiht, stars and moon - heavy magic - arcane and nature, high society, deep nature druidic magic.. with unique enemies.. there magical nature, bbenevolence, forest love, arcane apttitude, history, .makes them so different from humans, you'd have to standardise them and just ignore most of their lore to make them play relevant parts.

So why notleave the night elves out, have only a bunch of young adventurers or integrationists be part of the alliance, write stories that sometimes have the whole nighte lf race involved in a big way, and as the focus - the horde/alliance don't have to be hthe focus all the time, this way you have far more diversity..

Whether they're in the faction or not, as long as race is playable it should have huge story focuses from time tot ime, but it doesn't need to be a member of the faction for that to happen, even if the player is.

[omeomorfismo]

where is the interesting stuff for forsakens? all the bullshit like calia and voss? rotfl, favourite my ass...

blizz is fundamentally writing heroic stuff. thats something inherently stereotyped and the ally are basically a collection of standard fantasy. the only thing remotely fresh are the draeneis.
in the contrary horde have all that unusual material like orcs goblins and forsakens, basically the standard fantasy enemies but playable/protagonists, or the trolls (probably the only original thing out of warcraft) that let to warp the usual boring heroic path with a new point of view.
they cant really "think out of the box" for something not out of the box. living in a tree doesnt change the fact the nelves are the same sofisticated elves of every other single setting. thats why they said that horde is more interesting to write, they at least let them to change pow.

[Powerogue]

Blizzard writers claimed a few years ago it was easier and more interesting to write for the horde than the alliance --- i call them on that total B/S

It's hard to break this down into clear suggestions that would branch off our current story progression. Do you think it'd be better if, say, the night elves had a schism and a neutral group lead by Tyrande left the Alliance? Maybe even the same thing for the blood elves when they bump into Kael'thas again in Shadowlands? I assume you'd want them as neutral rather than mutual enemy groups like Kael'thas's forces were in Burning Crusade.

[NED funded]

Dunno if this is a small change or not but I would've loved to see more conflict on the Alliance side. Tyrande telling Anduin off was a good concept but it seems it just ends with the warfront and is never mentioned again. Do the other leaders have literally no personality or ideologies of their own???

[Powerogue]

where is the interesting stuff for forsakens? all the bullshit like calia and voss? rotfl, favourite my ass...

The Forsaken have definitely been one of the focal points of this expansion. Individuals like Voss and Zelling demonstrated that the forsaken are still capable of compassion and honor even amidst the tragedy that defines them, Sylvanas abandoned them so they've been forsaken by their own leader, the singular, cult leader-esque pillar of their entire society. I'm really interested to see where it goes. I focused this thread on missed opportunities, which is why Calia only gets brief mention. I mostly think they'll build on this in Shadowlands.

[ravenmoon]

It's hard to break this down into clear suggestions that would branch off our current story progression. Do you think it'd be better if, say, the night elves had a schism and a neutral group lead by Tyrande left the Alliance? Maybe even the same thing for the blood elves when they bump into Kael'thas again in Shadowlands? I assume you'd want them as neutral rather than mutual enemy groups like Kael'thas's forces were in Burning Crusade.

Could be, they have so many options, whichever they choose, they can make it really interesting.


Shadowlands does offer them the opportunity to give everything a sort of soft reset... remember that topic that posed the question what if everyone (epsecially those tied to the main races) from WC2 onwards came back, not sure how we would restore draenei who died on Draenor during the orcs conquest thing.. butif that's too much, then Wc3 onwards or at least a measure of selective restoration, which allows a sleuth of characters and peoples to be in play with resources, situations etc that could lead to said schisms

e.g. if the night elf dead of WC3, Wot and say the Farondis returned - they'd have no need for any alliance would they - they'd have a powerful society of nature, arcane and divine wielders - only night elves in the alliance would be those who believe in helping the humans or preventing the younger races from repeating the likes of Arthas WC3, Garrosh MoP/Cataclysm and Sylvanas BFA,

With Kalel'thas back, it coudl really do interesting things to the blood elves,, high elves, void elves - spicy

What if Varian, King Llane, Anduin Lothar, Tirion Fordring all came back?

What if Sylvanas came back .. alive now? and half the forsaken who died , back as living, all memories intact, what sort of place would Lordaron be?

Now If Durotan, Drek'thar, Orgrim Doomhammer, Gul'dan were all back in play.. obviously things would change for many of htese post death, like Gul'dan who realises the legion were false idols to look up to... and now, how woudl you write him? Without making him big again.. because he is one character, that could return,, but we'd hate to have to "deal with gul'dan " again in some major plot... stillhis returna nd others pose itneresting thigs


I'm not saying tha'ts what should be done, just presenting it as an interesting idea.

As long as they do it well, I think it would be good.

[omeomorfismo]

Individuals like Voss and Zelling demonstrated that the forsaken are still capable of compassion and honor even amidst the tragedy that defines them,

thats the main problem.
making the forsaken sad smelly humans its a insult even considering that this is made retconning shittons of stuffs

[ChairmanKaga]

Should it have just been more straight forward the coveting of Azeroth’s blood, Azerite, and the fears surrounding it was N’zoth’s influence on both factions?

[Powerogue]

thats the main problem.
making the forsaken sad smelly humans its a insult even considering that this is made retconning shittons of stuffs

I still agree with the sentiment. The last thing the forsaken need is a complete redemption that sands off their distinctive edge to a point where they're as bland as green-eyed high elves.

I'm hoping such characters are more emphasizing that the forsaken are not soley defined by the sort of pure supervillainy we saw Sylvanas indulge in this expansion. Even under Sylvanas's leadership the forsaken have always had some members who plague bunnies for fun but also some who are just lonely and want a murloc pet.

[Powerogue]

https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...5#post52169125

This thread had some really great ideas that I hadn't thought of. I loved bringing in Ulduar and Uldaman and the other titan keepers to make 8.3 larger in scope. Definitely great examples of "missed opportunities."

[Ani1077]

Wall of text incoming!

*English is not my mother tongue
*sry for that

"Recreating" Battle for Azeroth:

- revamp of Kalimdor, Eastern Kingdoms including Draenei/BF areas
-new allied races!
-no island expedition (saved for later)
- Azerite necklace
- Azerite gear...but better? (At least for me)
-more like artefact weapons
- fight Horde vs. Alliance in the focus (like really)
-new dungeons & raids
-new scenarios
-mission table more important
***place for more fun***

-The revamp would happen with patches, including raids, dungeons, rewards etc.
-different story, not leading to Shadowlands but to another addon
-allied races but other ones than right now

Azerite Gear:
- 1 set for each gear class (cloth/plate/leather/mail)
- you'll get this amour during the lvl experience
- consisting of head, shoulder, chest, trousers, hands // for belts, wrists and backs you'll gain gear/appearances fitting the rest
-bosses in raids/dungeons/PVP gear / will drop better/other stats/ new appearances for your character
-there is a basis look you'll get during levelling
-new looks via: dungeons, raids, achievements, faction/race campaigns, reputations, PVP ranks - much like artefact weapons

That's like... working in my head but dunno how it would be doable by blizz.




Preevent:

Phase 1:
Legion ends as it did: Sargeras sword is stuck in Silithus.
Leaders of H/A are sending us to Silithus.
The 2 camps are there with a flightpoint and a questchain. You are there to find out more about Azerite, killing elementals, cultists, Qirai, other faction members.

Phase 2:
Azerite wound open up in a few zones around Kalimdor- these zones would be revamped like Arathi.
Zones- revamped: dungeons Ungoro, Tanaris, Uldum, Feralas, Thousand needles, Southern barrens - Azerite spreads with the (old) Silithids burrows.
Collecting azerite/Silithids component for gear/rewards; fighting the other faction in skirmishes

Rewards: gear like legion pre-event, pets and even a mount!
Pets would be some sort of Azerite elementals and Silithids
Mount: a new Silithid drone maybe?

Launch 9.0:

Focus on Kalimdor, exploring Azerite, fighting the Qiraij swarming over kalimdor, skirmishes with the other faction
-revamped/lvling zones:
H starting zone: Durotar
A starting zone: Duskwallow
Leading to: Northern Barrens, Desolace, stonetalone and the zones of the pre event.

Raid: The dark blade
- 10 bosses
-starting in Silithus fighting your way down till reaching the heath chamber to the endboss

New dungeons:
-Ruins of Ahn'Qirqij (Silithus)
-War over Silithus (Silithus)
-Writhing Deeps (Feralas)
-Ruins of Feathermoon (Feralas)
-Caverns of the black flight (Dustwallow)
-Bael Modan (Southern Barrens)
-Naval battle (shores of silithus)
-Alcaz Island (dustwallow)
-Descent of Maraudon (Desolace)
-The Trench (barrens)
-Stonetalone depths (stonetalon)

New factions:
-Champions of Azeroth (same as now)
-7th. Legion (A)
-Honorbound (H)

-Theramores Revenge (A)
-Heirs of Taurajo (H)
-Stonemaul Clan (H)
-trying to unite all ogres for the horde!
-Stillpine Tribe (A)
-trying to unite the tribes for the alliance!

New allied races:
Stonemaul ogres join the horde!
Stillpine furbolgs join the alliance!

***more to come***
(If you liked this)

[Syegfryed]

i didn't want comment here because everyone know the eletric boogaloo is 2 not 3

but i would say the bfa lore would be a lot better if they just pullout a orgrin/blackhand situation after teldrasil, sylvanas and her loyalists run, and keep plot in hiding for shadowlands, this way the story would not be fucked by all the nonsense, and it would go the same

Make alliance infighting be stronger, to a point of even conflict, so the horde had to help then, they finally get the horde focus they always dream off, meantime, n'zoth plot is happening more visually with the naga, so it don't look like he falls from nowhere just in the last patch.

[Powerogue]

[literally replaces the entire BFA story with a completely different expansion]
***more to come***
(If you liked this)

but remember the distinction here is small changes, to distinguish from the threads overwriting the entire story, cover to cover.

/10characters

- - - Updated - - -

i didn't want comment here because everyone know the eletric boogaloo is 2 not 3

but i would say the bfa lore would be a lot better if they just pullout a orgrin/blackhand situation after teldrasil, sylvanas and her loyalists run, and keep plot in hiding for shadowlands, this way the story would not be fucked by all the nonsense, and it would go the same

Make alliance infighting be stronger, to a point of even conflict, so the horde had to help then, they finally get the horde focus they always dream off, meantime, n'zoth plot is happening more visually with the naga, so it don't look like he falls from nowhere just in the last patch.

Flipping it on its head by having the Horde help the Alliance through their splintering sounds good on paper but I can't think of any way it could've happened realistically, especially keeping Teldrassil in there.

[Syegfryed]

Flipping it on its head by having the Horde help the Alliance through their splintering sounds good on paper but I can't think of any way it could've happened realistically, especially keeping Teldrassil in there.

if they could pull off mop and bfa end they could do this as well.

a n'zoth fuckery could be controlling stormind by example, alliance needed horde help, we siege the city and defeat corrupted alliance leaders,