Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[EbaumsTipster]

Pretty sure Denathrius escaping is just to set him up as the male equivalent to Azshara: Someone who's omnipresent to antagonize the players but we'll never really beat, long after the Jailer is dead.

Which is a good call. We already know Lothraxion may be a villain, and there is a dreadlord in the Lifelands, so the Dreadlords can continue to be a threat into the future that go beyond the Legion and Zovaal.

[Ersula]

Anduin, Mal'ganis (they outright said he would be where Zovaal is), Nathanos (maybe as a defense shield Zovaal made in case Sylvanas betrayed him). That's 3, 4 is Zovaal, which leaves at least 4 OC bosses.

When Denathrius says "The Master" he means the Jailer, but when Dreadlords say "The Master" they mean Denathrius. Just like Nadjia & the Accuser used "the Master" to refer to Prince Renethal.

I don't think any raid ever had the majority of established lore characters: Not even Sanctum. Typically most bosses are established in lore outside the raid, but only in that same content patch. Expect 5 OCs at least in the last raid: Devourers & First-Ones Constructs. I'd bet we won't see Helya & Muezala again, but we'll get some obscure dead character as a boss fight... like Dar'khan or Timmy

[HateTrain]

Which is a good call. We already know Lothraxion may be a villain, and there is a dreadlord in the Lifelands, so the Dreadlords can continue to be a threat into the future that go beyond the Legion and Zovaal.

Can anyone explain this "lifelands" shit? Is this a term someone made up for an actual place or did I miss Lifelands getting mentioned?

[Nyel]

Possibly Helya and Muezala as well.
So if 9.2 is the last patch + raid:
- Insert 4-5 first ones themed bosses or possibly another Dreadlord encounter
- Malganis
- Helya
- Muehzala (?)
- Nathanos
- Anduin
- Zovaal

In my opinion this is way too much prominence for a single raid. They’re all too big to get handled in one raid. I think Helya is done for good and Muezhala will be kept for another Bwonsamdi storyline. Nathanos sounds like a good bet. Malganis? I don’t know, why would he be a boss?

[Ersula]

Can anyone explain this "lifelands" shit? Is this a term someone made up for an actual place or did I miss Lifelands getting mentioned?

Besides "The Emerald Dream" & "The Material Plane (planets)" & The Shadowlands in the center of the WoW Chronicles Cosmology Chart had six cosmic powers orbiting around them: Void, Life/Spirit, Death, Order, Chaos & Light. This made people suspect we can go to each of those "Lands." "Deathlands" "Lifelands" "Voidlands" Etc, but I really don't think the big circles on the Cosmology charts are supposed to be physical locations: They're more conceptual than that. And if they all had their own lands why would they be fighting for territory in the terrestrial planes?

It's more like a planet they've taken over would be "their land." Like, we've already been to the "Orderlands" that's just the Seat of the Pantheon. We've seen a "Lifeland" That's anywhere with lush natural life, like Azeroth, Draenor or Elarian. A planet the Naaru have taken over would be the "Lightlands" and that will likely be the premise of a Tyranny of the Light Storyline: The Naaru trying to turn Azeroth into a "Lightland".

That's what it sounds like happened to AU Draenor: (In the Maghar Orc allied race quest) The Orcs allegedly destroyed the planet without the Fel? Even though they worship nature? That's sus: More likely the Xeraite Naaru Yrel serve wrecked the natural environment to turn it to a "lightland" then blamed the orcs because nature worship is outside their sphere of influence.

[Nyel]

We're only getting another Denny boss this soon if they have him full Dreadlord with wings and hooves (which he seems to have, just hidden).But I think Mal'ganis is more likely because he is connected to Arthas so heavily AND they can save Denny for later.

I‘m 100% certain that we won’t fight Denathrius again.

And I see Denathrius more in line with Loki from the Avengers. So I don’t think he’ll be an enemy in the future, just more of an antagonist.

[hipolnalrt]

Can anyone explain this "lifelands" shit? Is this a term someone made up for an actual place or did I miss Lifelands getting mentioned?

There was also this 'leak' a while back in the thread:

Gardens of Life:
- Level 70 cap
- Profession revamp
- Cross-faction PvE and PvP
- Eternal Maze
- New class: Lifewarden
- Flying at launch
- New realm: Gardens of Life

The Jailer has disrupted the eternal cycle and the Gardens of Life are in chaos. Elune calls the night elf souls sent to Ardenweald and Tyrande to her side. An'she calls the newly awakened Vol'jin to him. A new class introduced themed after these two major characters new paths: The Lifewarden. Mail user with ranged/healer/tank specs. Ranged/healer uses bow and tank uses warglaives. Flying is at launch and zones are designed with it in mind. The Eternal Maze is a new rogue-like experience that has no loading screens that generates content as you move through the mist seamlessly in this living world.All faction restrictions lifted from Raiding, Mythic+ and PvP and can now be done with the opposing faction and guilds can now have members from both factions.

[EbaumsTipster]

Can anyone explain this "lifelands" shit? Is this a term someone made up for an actual place or did I miss Lifelands getting mentioned?

Ignore the guy talking about the leak, it's fake.

Lifelands is shorthand for The Gardens of Life which is believed to be the name of the cosmic plane of Life, similar to how Shadowlands are the cosmic plane of death. Primus mentions Elune lives there (the realms of life) and the name is an offhand remark from a single NPC hidden away, so it may be a tease at the real name of the place.

[HateTrain]

Besides "The Emerald Dream" & "The Material Plane (planets)" & The Shadowlands in the center of the WoW Chronicles Cosmology Chart had six cosmic powers orbiting around them: Void, Life/Spirit, Death, Order, Chaos & Light. This made people suspect we can go to each of those "Lands." "Deathlands" "Lifelands" "Voidlands" Etc, but I really don't think the big circles on the Cosmology charts are supposed to be physical locations: They're more conceptual than that. And if they all had their own lands why would they be fighting for territory in the terrestrial planes?

Ok, that makes some sense, and I have to agree as well.

Ignore the guy talking about the leak, it's fake.

Lifelands is shorthand for The Gardens of Life which is believed to be the name of the cosmic plane of Life, similar to how Shadowlands are the cosmic plane of death. Primus mentions Elune lives there (the realms of life) and the name is an offhand remark from a single NPC hidden away, so it may be a tease at the real name of the place.

Ahh thanks!

[Raetary]

Can anyone explain this "lifelands" shit? Is this a term someone made up for an actual place or did I miss Lifelands getting mentioned?

The place is called 'Gardens of Life' which was name dropped in Maldraxxus.
It's the plane of Life in the same manner as the Shadowlands are the plane of Death and the TN the plane of chaos.

"Lifelands" is just what the community calls it.

[EbaumsTipster]

Also, the Ion interview outright says we aren't doing more cosmic shit for right now, so Lifelands will either be a patch this expansion or won't be for a while.

[hipolnalrt]

Also, the Ion interview outright says we aren't doing more cosmic shit for right now, so Lifelands will either be a patch this expansion or won't be for a while.

There's the catch. The Gardens of Life will really be just the Emerald Dream which will take place on Azeroth. Would be a way for them to update Azeroth without changing it.

[Varodoc]

Yeah it’s really weird. I mean the next raid can’t have Maw-stuff etc, it would feel incredibly weird. As you said, 9.1 already had that type of raid. That’s why I think it’s hard to imagine what exactly the next raid will be and what bosses it will contain. The entire Death-theme feels overused at this point. But what else?

We have Anduin and Zovaal. That leaves about 8-10 other bosses which are unknown as of now. Maybe, maybe one boss from the Maw, but I just find it weird if that’s the case because Zovaal basically abandoned them. Maybe something related to his domination magic? Maybe a domination construct. Maybe Arthas (although that would feel weird as well after we had Kaelthas just two raids before).

Most of the bosses are usually nobodies, just look at the bosses of Antorus and Ny'alotha. The only iconic villains from those raids were Varimathras, Aggramar, Wrathion (it wasn't even technically him but I'll count this for pity towards 8.3), Ra-den, Il'gynoth, and N'Zoth.

Then there's also the technicality that the Janitor is also a nobody, regardless that shouldn't be too much of a problem

[Gaidax]

They can always make up some lore to seed raid with whatever they need.

I mean heck Tha... Zovaal snapped his fingers and portal popped, who to say he can't spawn 10 more of those randomly. Besides it only makes sense he'd take some of his grunts to the new place to do the heavy lifting.

[Kiivar86]

Also, the Ion interview outright says we aren't doing more cosmic shit for right now, so Lifelands will either be a patch this expansion or won't be for a while.

Reading the interview again I don't really see his answer as outright saying we aren't doing more cosmic stuff. Just being vague as usual.

[Ersula]

Reading the interview again I don't really see his answer as outright saying we aren't doing more cosmic stuff. Just being vague as usual.

Especially when Mists was supposedly the high-concept one & Draenor was the more down-to-earth one. It seems like he means they alternate between more etherial, supernatural themed expansions, to more analog, tactile expansions. So still, I think all our "Void or Naaru invading Azeroth" "Classic RPG Dungeons & Dragons" "Azeroth Revamp" theories fulfil Ion's criteria of "moving away from this Cosmic content"

[username993720]

I don't imagine they'd do Kyrian when Kul Tiran are already a human-alternate and Kyrian are literally just blue humans with wings. The Necrolords are all over the place in design and body form, and even the most general look (the tall skeletal one) is sort of dependent on that specific necromancer-armor to actually look like a necrolord and not just a random skeleton. You could maybe make do with Venthyr and Night Fae (sylvar), but I also feel like Night Fae add almost nothing to the factions, Alliance especially since they already have Draenei, and the druidic race, and a furred/animal race.

Sorry to disappoint you, but Kyrian, Maldraxxus Gladiator, Sylvar and Venthyr are most likely happening.

I doubt we will get any allied races if they’re not the covenant ones. But since none of the covenant races are player quality I doubt we will get any.

They're very close to player quality.

I think it’s safe to assume that if we did get covenant races as allied, they’d be neutral like the Pandaren.

I don't think so. Necrolord and Venthyr seem Hordish while Sylvar and Kyrian seem Alliancish.

Meanwhile that Calia War Campaign cutscene makes the undead elves ready to go at any time.

You can expect an undead human allied race, like Calia and Derek, but not undead elves. That would be part of a Dark Ranger.

Can anyone explain this "lifelands" shit? Is this a term someone made up for an actual place or did I miss Lifelands getting mentioned?

Lifelands would be the Emerald Dream.

[Sondrelk]

Reading the interview again I don't really see his answer as outright saying we aren't doing more cosmic stuff. Just being vague as usual.

If taken literally it could mean that it's fine so long as the expansion takes place on Azeroth, no matter where.
So things liel the backside of Azeroth would technically be less "out there" than more grounded expansions like Kalimdor in the past.

I would however assume that it just means that we are not going to random realms we have no idea about like Shadowlands again. And that if we are, it will be more like Argus, where it's a patch zone at the end of a "grounded" expansion.

[Ersula]

Sorry to disappoint you, but Kyrian, Maldraxxus Gladiator, Sylvar and Venthyr are most likely happening.

You can expect an undead human allied race, like Calia and Derek, but not undead elves. That would be part of a Dark Ranger.

They would have to come up with a pretty good story contrivance to get them onto Azeroth, and also the main reason people jumped on them because when they added the covenant system, they used the Allied Race preview UI, which made everyone jump to conclusions. And they add tons of "player races" with fully functional rigging that don't actually become player race options.

I mean, especially since Hero Classes effectively no longer exist, there's no reason there couldn't be a Dark Ranger class AND Undead elf allied race. Especially when it would include both Dark Rangers and San'lyn: The Blood Princes had special physiology, but the regular San'lyn were physically identical to dark rangers.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

If taken literally it could mean that it's fine so long as the expansion takes place on Azeroth, no matter where.
So things liel the backside of Azeroth would technically be less "out there" than more grounded expansions like Kalimdor in the past.

I would however assume that it just means that we are not going to random realms we have no idea about like Shadowlands again. And that if we are, it will be more like Argus, where it's a patch zone at the end of a "grounded" expansion.

I'm assuming cosmos stuff is gonna slow down at some point in the future. I do find it funny, that the moment we start touching big cosmos stuff, people get iffy about it and then Blizz is like "well we may slow down a bit."

Just weird.