Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Teriz]

/snip

I agree with much of this. I would argue that Dwarves are also warriors. The Mountain King was a warrior hero, and the Warrior abilities Avatar, Thunderclap, and Avatar come directly from him. The same applies to Tauren. Warrior class ability Shockwave comes from the Tauren Chieftain.

Goblins have nothing like that. The Goblin hero was the Alchemist and the Tinker, full of tech abilities not suitable for any existing class. It also doesn't help that you have multiple Gnome and Goblin NPCs and leaders running around in mech suits and using cool high-tech stuff.

Now can you say mechagnomes, gnomes, and gobs have the same? Nearly every single significant lore gnome, gob, and MG is a tinker. This is partly why their pop numbers are low.

It's hilarious how some folks can't acknowledge that simple fact.

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"Fun and lighthearted", just like the storylines of the Mogu previously enslaving the Pandaren, ruling with an iron fist, and those Slavers have recently started to come back. The sha, void corruptions of negative emotions, infecting people and forcing them to attack their own people against their own will. A brutal tyrant from across the seas coming to pillage their land (dramatically defacing one of the most sacred areas in the entire island). The Divine Bell incident, causing a literal race war against the Blood Elves in Dalaran, etc. etc. Very lighthearted. Just pure adventure. No political tension, no sir.

Yes, all of that was buried in a veneer of bright, beautiful vistas inhabited by tubby pandas drinking beer and telling you to chill and relax. Your post simply shows that we can have expansions with some light heartedness with some very dark undertones.

[Nightshade711]

You know, every single race has at least 1 or more classes that heavily align with that race's values, culture and lore that let's players emerse in such fantasies or be like certain lore figures

Human: mages, warriors, paladins, DKs

Dwarves: hunters, shamans

Nelves: druids, hunters, hell even mages(highborn), DH

Draenie: priests, paladins

Worgen: druids, warriors

KT humans: shaman, druids, priests, mages

Velvet: mages, warlocks, priests, hunters

LFD: paladins, priests

DID: sam as regular dwarves

Orcs: warriors, shamans, warlocks

Troll: hunter, shaman

Taurean: druids, shaman, hunters

Forsaken: death knights, rogues, hunters

Blood elves: hunter, mage, warlock

Pandaren: Monk

Maghar: warrior, shaman

Zanda: shaman, priest

NB: mages, warlocks

HMT: see taurean

Vulpera: rogues, hunters

Now obviously combos not included here are viable as well but there's just something about those that resonate well given the lore.of.each race and significant lore figures.

Now can you say mechagnomes, gnomes, and gobs have the same? Nearly every single significant lore gnome, gob, and MG is a tinker. This is partly why their pop numbers are low.

Not a single player for those races can truly play as what those races embody, mechanical inginuity.

Tinkers are the last archetype wow needs to feel complete when it comes to playable classes. No other class can fill in that void.

Agreed.
They have the main ideas of the specs already built up via the island teams too.

Still hoping we eventually do get an xpac where they’d fit into the theme.

[Valysar]

And what WoW expansion didn't have borrowed power? Tier sets and legendaries are also borrowed power. Everything that increases power but is irrelevant by the max level of next expansion is borrowed power.

Then why the favorite xpac of all time is Wotlk ? (iirc) It has almost no borrowed powers ? (Btw Tier sets are not borrowed powers for me, since they've been present since years), only 2 TRUE legendaries not available to everyone, there was no artifact powers, azerite powers, covenants, tons of anima, essences, conduits, plethora of "legendaries" that became common gears, etc etc.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

On that we agree, I was just arguing the terminology for that mount. For me the strongest point against that leak is the whole heritage weapons linked to a vendor: we know that's wrong, and I don't believe someone leaking the next expansion would have missed the development of specific questlines around those heritage weapons. So yeah, EoA is very likely to be false.

Most leaks have one absolute poison pill that shows it as fake at this point. I'm pretty sure we're for once gonna go into a reveal with no leaks, either from leakers or from Blizz themselves.

[Fahrad Wagner]

Most leaks have one absolute poison pill that shows it as fake at this point. I'm pretty sure we're for once gonna go into a reveal with no leaks, either from leakers or from Blizz themselves.

I think we'll have a leak a few days before the reveal, as we do usually Remember Wrath of the Bolvar and that promo art that leaked? The posts on the previous threads were glorious haha

[Sondrelk]

I think we'll have a leak a few days before the reveal, as we do usually Remember Wrath of the Bolvar and that promo art that leaked? The posts on the previous threads were glorious haha

We might get some press kit or website leaks, but I very much doubt we are getting an actual "proper" leak.

[Fahrad Wagner]

We might get some press kit or website leaks, but I very much doubt we are getting an actual "proper" leak.

Who knows! Every leak season brings its surprises!

[Sondrelk]

Who knows! Every leak season brings its surprises!

That is true. Maybe the announcement is prerecorded and gets accidentally released on YouTube or something. That would certainly add some spice to the hype train, everyone sitting here waiting for an announcement that they basically already know.

[KainneAbsolute]

Isn't set abilities borrowed power?

[Sondrelk]

Isn't set abilities borrowed power?

It is, but it's part old expansions that are considered good, so they get a pass.

Borrowed power is just another buzzword that gets thrown around without much thought out into what exactly it means.
What players are more specifically angry about from Legion onward is external power gains unique to a specific expansion, usually with a progression system separate from the strictly gear based progression that is the standard for most RPGs.

[Catastrophy349]

That is true. Maybe the announcement is prerecorded and gets accidentally released on YouTube or something. That would certainly add some spice to the hype train, everyone sitting here waiting for an announcement that they basically already know.

This brings up a GREAT topic for speculation: How do we think the 10.0 expansion reveal will happen? YouTube pre-recorded video like 9.2 announcement? A LIVE reveal? Twitter/Blue Post? Etc.

[Sondrelk]

This brings up a GREAT topic for speculation: How do we think the 10.0 expansion reveal will happen? YouTube pre-recorded video like 9.2 announcement? A LIVE reveal? Twitter/Blue Post? Etc.

From the sound of the pre-announcement it very much seemed like it would pretty much just be a larger format version of the patch reveal livestream we usually get.
Essentially all the Blizzcon stuff (or Blizzconline rather) about WoW specifically, then trimming down all the useless fluff stuff like developer Q&As and design deep dives, focusing just on the actual announcement and feature presentations.

Then later if Blizzard wants more hype and engagement they can give us whatever design deep dives, Q&As and whatever else sprinkled throughout the post expansion drought.

[Catastrophy349]

I would LOVE to see a LIVE reveal (think Blizzconline style) or similarly to how Ion would announce a brand new patch on video for 8.2 or 8.3 in BFA. Then, I would like to read several interviews from game developers on said expansion for more details. All in all, I want a beefy cinematic and features trailer, minimum, then if time/possible, I would love to see a deep-dive of the features/art for whatever is coming.

[Revamp Man]

Yeah and they started 9.1.5, so that's not a hard thing to guess at.

which ones were added?

[Grimbold21]

I was thinking about the whole "underground" expansion, and I reckon that, thematically, it would make sense to finally had the shaman tank spec.

[rainhard]

I am hopeful they will "accidentally" give a hint to the new xpac through a 9.2.5 build, like the kultiran robes or something.

[Teriz]

I was thinking about the whole "underground" expansion, and I reckon that, thematically, it would make sense to finally had the shaman tank spec.

An Earth-based tanking spec, perhaps “discovered” by Dwarven Shaman deep within Azeroth?

I can see that happening.

[Catastrophy349]

I am hopeful they will "accidentally" give a hint to the new xpac through a 9.2.5 build, like the kultiran robes or something.

We have some really good data-miners on the job!

[Sondrelk]

I am hopeful they will "accidentally" give a hint to the new xpac through a 9.2.5 build, like the kultiran robes or something.

We might have already gotten it. It's difficult to say for sure with these things, but we have a EmeraldDrake buff a d associated effects, we have the LivingWorld string, we have unused Alliance buildings.

Any of these could be the KulTiranCloth leak. We just have to wait and see which one if any ends up being the one.

[Grimbold21]

An Earth-based tanking spec, perhaps “discovered” by Dwarven Shaman deep within Azeroth?

I can see that happening.

Theme wise, I'm on the fence. I believe it makes sense, since the consensus is that if there were to be such a spec, it's identity ought to be grounded on the Earth element.

While that's true, I think at the same time to ground the Shaman's specs around specific elements ultimately restricts them mechanically. With 4 elements available there's a lot of room for creativity. For instance, Resto shaman is traditionally based around Water, but Water could as easily be used in a damaging fashion.

Much in the same way that the Vortex ability Enhancement had back in BFA could be used for a Shaman tank, like D2's Hurricane ability, but mechanically adapted to work more like a warrior's Thunderclap.

Or the grip Thrall uses on Garrosh - a mix of lava/earth - can be a stun/sheep ala Hex.