Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Wangming]

They wouldn't be able to be full classes. Devs have said it will never be possible to switch a character's class because of prior coding issues (including but not limited to exclusive quests and class halls).

Well, maybe they don't have to be.

[Nymrohd]

One of the main reasons I don't believe in the written Dragonflight leak is the mention of a "Dragonsworn" skin for SHAMANS (???). You can literally go on Wowpedia and do a quick Ctrl + F for "dragon" on the article for Shamans, or vice versa for the article for Dragonsworn or Dragon, and you'll find there's no link between the two. Shamans have had nothing to do with dragons, ever.

Not a single Shaman has ever become Dragonsworn as far as we know. The Dragonsworn we do know of have mostly been night elves (which can't even play shamans, kek).

And sure, you could say "well, that part of the leak is just fake information to muddy the waters!" but when you do this you're basically willfully ignoring the parts that make no sense so you can cherry-pick the parts that you like and make the leak seem more valid than it really is.

If people want to believe this leak, you do you, I have no problem with that. But I will deny this leak's validity to the bitter end.

I could see replicating a Black Dragonflight Dragonsworn using Elemental tbh; Lava and Earthquakes. Let Ascendance turn you into a Draconid.

Though really from what we've seen, Dragonsworn is a title. People keep their original abilities. Maybe they get a blessing from their chosen flight which would mostly be a passive; Bronze Dragonsworn for instance seem to all be immortals.

[Wangming]

So really the whole idea of micro-classes only really works if the entire system surrounding classes as a whole gets changed to allow it?
That doesn't really strike me as a great idea if you have to bank on swapping around much of the game to just about make an idea viable.

There needs to be a shake up if WoW doesn't want to descend into obscurity. Are micro classes the way to save it? I doubt it. Can I picture scenarios where they work? Absolutely.

[deviantcultist]

Thought of a theory that's a mix of my worst-case scenario and a likely one as well. We are probably looking at an expansion where a new cosmic threat arises and we fight it by forming the "Azerothian Dragonflight". Essentially a Cata 2.0 with a focus on a threat without faction war involved.

That Dragonflight consists of both Dragons and ascendants (new lore element), some of which will become this new class portrayed by Alexstrasza on the leaked art. That class would be a spear-wielding Dragon Knight (totally not FF Dragoon) and it will have a tank, DPS, and healer spec revolving around the Red Dragonflight flames aka flames that either scorch or mend.

There will be covenants in the form of departments (houses) and those will cover different Dragonflights that are now part of the greater whole. All of them will be involved despite the class itself being exclusively Red. Even though the cosmic threat exists, every line of defense will be carried out in Azeroth to keep things "grounded" as the threat will present itself through visible means such as Galakrond and/or Chromatus.

Vibes will most likely be positive and heroic, unlike Legion where things are foreboding and pushed forward by necessity and anti-heroic means. Now, add that to the current writing talent and observe the results. I know many might find this "awesome" but I'm personally dreading it.

[ercarp]

Because there is no precedent does not mean they can’t come up with it. After all, Thrall was a shaman who has worked closely with dragons, and dragons are descended from proto-dragons which themselves come from Elementals.

I did consider the elemental connection when I made that reply, but I feel like it's possible to create a connection between almost anything in Warcraft lore if you go through enough hoops to make it fit.

That being said, Dragonsworn would definitely not my first class skin idea for Shamans… nor the one I’d want most!

I'd be very confused if Shamans were the only class to get a skin themed around dragons in a dragon-themed expansion. It makes no sense to me and seems like a complete waste of the entire concept. Even if it wasn't meant to be a class, I'd much rather have Dragonsworn be the end-game progression system for 10.0 than a class skin for a class that has no relation to dragons.

[Soulwind]

Thought of a theory that's a mix of my worst-case scenario and a likely one as well. We are probably looking at an expansion where a new cosmic threat arises and we fight it by forming the "Azerothian Dragonflight". Essentially a Cata 2.0 with a focus on a threat without faction war involved.

That Dragonflight consists of both Dragons and ascendants (new lore element), some of which will become this new class portrayed by Alexstrasza on the leaked art. That class would be a spear-wielding Dragon Knight (totally not FF Dragoon) and it will have a tank, DPS, and healer spec revolving around the Red Dragonflight flames aka flames that either scorch or mend.

There will be covenants in the form of departments (houses) and those will cover different Dragonflights that are now part of the greater whole. All of them will be involved despite the class itself being exclusively Red. Even though the cosmic threat exists, every line of defense will be carried out in Azeroth to keep things "grounded" as the threat will present itself through visible means such as Galakrond and/or Chromatus.

Vibes will most likely be positive and heroic, unlike Legion where things are foreboding and pushed forward by necessity and anti-heroic means. Now, add that to the current writing talent and observe the results. I know many might find this "awesome" but I'm personally dreading it.

That... does sound likely. It also ties with the "a cosmos divided" crap: uniting the flights and all mortal factions against the Void or whatever.

[Recovery]

That's literally the opposite of what players want right now.

Oh, you must be new here to think that blizzard cares even a fraction of an ounce about what players want... lol

[ro9ue]

How is that idea any better?

What similarities does a Shaman have with a Tinker?

A Demon Hunter with a Bard?

Thematically your idea makes no sense whatsoever.

I hate to keep reposting this but here it is:

I found the way the leak broke down certain things interesting. Maybe we need to look at it holistically and put 2+2 together. I think it's possible this isn't 4 NEW classes, but instead SHARED 4th specs for certain classes. The classes where it maybe doesn't make much sense just happen to be the ones getting the cosmetic class skins.... coincidence?

Dragon Knight - 4th spec for Warrior, Paladin, Death Knight (unlocked by a Bolvar quest or something)
Tinker - 4th spec for Hunter. Doesn't make sense for Shaman so they get the Dragon cosmetic thing instead.
Minstrel - 4th spec for Monks and Rogues. Doesn't make sense for DH or Druid so they get the Warden skin and Nightmare skin.
Chronomancer - 4th spec for Priest or Mage. Seems weird for Warlock so they get the Necromancer cosmetic.

Hunters do get the bonus Dark Ranger skin, so it might be race locked:

Alliance
Ranger - Night Elf, Void Elf
Tinker - Dwarf, Draenei, Gnome, Dark Iron, Mechagnome, LFD
?? - Human, Worgen, Kul'Tiran

Horde
Ranger - Blood Elf, Forsaken
Tinker - Goblin, Orc, Mag'har, Vulpera, Nightborne
?? - Darkspear, Zandalari, Highmountain or Tauren

[Fahrad Wagner]

That... does sound likely. It also ties with the "a cosmos divided" crap: uniting the flights and all mortal factions against the Void or whatever.

And it would explain the weird use of singular for the expansion’s name. Hmmm…

[Houle]

It's this season's Wrath of The Bolvar.

Wrath of The Bolvar remains the second best of all time tbh
only topped by the one and only
https://imgur.com/XCHUYUi

[Fahrad Wagner]

Oh, you must be new here to think that blizzard cares even a fraction of an ounce about what players want... lol

I genuinely think they’re changing their mentality about that

[ro9ue]

Wait, you really think ESO's Champion Point system is better than what WoW has?

Considering WoW has no account wide progression at all I think it wins by default.

[Wangming]

I genuinely think they’re changing their mentality about that

I don't, but I'm curious enough to find out. They need to because the past year was as kind to their sub count as they were to their women. Wether the change happens now, after the buyout is complete, or never? That is the question.

[The Stormbringer]

My guess: It's named "Dragonflight" because you get to 'join' a Dragonflight, similar to Covenants.

[Nyel]

So many people believing the Dragflight leak, yikes…. For months it was so obvious that 10.0 would be a dragon xpac. And “Dragonflight” is such an easy to guess title. Anyway the Dragonflight leak person was just lucky with the title guessing.

Dragonflight is not easy to guess. That title makes no sense whatsoever in the singular form.

[ro9ue]

One of the main reasons I don't believe in the written Dragonflight leak is the mention of a "Dragonsworn" skin for SHAMANS (???). You can literally go on Wowpedia and do a quick Ctrl + F for "dragon" on the article for Shamans, or vice versa for the article for Dragonsworn or Dragon, and you'll find there's no link between the two. Shamans have had nothing to do with dragons, ever.

Not a single Shaman has ever become Dragonsworn as far as we know. The Dragonsworn we do know of have mostly been night elves (which can't even play shamans, kek).

And sure, you could say "well, that part of the leak is just fake information to muddy the waters!" but when you do this you're basically willfully ignoring the parts that make no sense so you can cherry-pick the parts that you like and make the leak seem more valid than it really is.

If people want to believe this leak, you do you, I have no problem with that. But I will deny this leak's validity to the bitter end.

The thing is, we have so little concrete info on Dragonsworn that it's ripe with possibility. Not saying the leak is true (though I am biased towards hoping it is), there has been a long-time fan request for Earthwarden Shaman. Dealing with the elements and earthen, and shamany troggs and stuff used to be a part of Deathwing's whole shtick, the Earth Warder by the way. If you remember Thrall was being sought to replace him as "Earth-Warder".

IMO I can see it being a very Black Dragonflight + Earthen Ring + Thrall related story.

[Nyel]

Wrath of The Bolvar remains the second best of all time tbh
only topped by the one and only
https://imgur.com/XCHUYUi

I don't know, Explosion of Dragons was kinda epic, too.

[Zankai27]

Oh, so I’m not the only one who saw the Alexstrazsa art with a spear and thought “That’s weird, Alexstrasza hasn’t been depicted with a weapon before afaik. And there’s no corresponding class for her. WoW Dragoons with a tank and healing spec? With dragon mommy as our class icon? God please.

Or just the MMO-C DF leak; that one’s fine too. Honestly would vibe with a Minstrel pretty hard.

[Wangming]

I don't know, Explosion of Dragons was kinda epic, too.

Let's combine it into the ultimate fake expansion name:

Explosion of The Azshara.

- - - Updated - - -

And it would explain the weird use of singular for the expansion’s name. Hmmm…

They will all fuse together into white dragons, mark my words. Ivory Dragonflight.

[Soulwind]

Explosion of The Azshara

I'm missing a Corgi or two in there.

They will all fuse together into white dragons, mark my words. Ivory Dragonflight.

Even the evil black ones shall eventually join the good whites against the threat of the true darkness. Nobody can read anything political in that!