Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Nyel]

Even if I am a bit late: Earthliving Weapon for Restoration Shaman is back, I'm so happy they finally realized that this ability added flavor and was nice to have.

The talent tree itself looks massive and some talents exists twice (Healing Stream Totem for class and spec for Restoration), do we know if this is a bug or is the calculator just not updated correctly? And some of the talent placements are a mess, but they did a good job for Shaman. Surprisingly one most say when we think of the Shaman design philosophy during the last years.

[Lady Atia]

I wonder how inspired Steve will be by the multiverse phase that Marvel has been doing with the infinite dragonflight

I hope he will be! WoD actually works quite well if you think about it as an alternative universe rather than "time travel". Could also be a good way to let us fight some prominent npc's aswell as give us their weapons (it's still a shame we never got our hands on Grommash's axe and Nerzhul's staff ...). Imagine an alternate Universe Guardian Khadgar that drops an HD Atiesh <3

[Nymrohd]

Maybe he'll still end up corrupted and Anachronos will become the new Timeless One instead, but I wonder if he might find a way to avoid his fate.

Why not Soridormi?

[Therougetitan]

Why not Soridormi?

Being dead is kind of a limiter. Though that hasn't stopped warcraft characters before I guess.

[Xilurm]

I hope he will be! WoD actually works quite well if you think about it as an alternative universe rather than "time travel". Could also be a good way to let us fight some prominent npc's aswell as give us their weapons (it's still a shame we never got our hands on Grommash's axe and Nerzhul's staff ...). Imagine an alternate Universe Guardian Khadgar that drops an HD Atiesh <3

But it is an alternate universe. The past wasn't changed.

The worst part about it was that they said "the legion is the same across all universes".

[Fahrad Wagner]

But it is an alternate universe. The past wasn't changed.

The worst part about it was that they said "the legion is the same across all universes".

Yeah, that last bit made absolutely no sense at all. I really wish there was a way to scrap that.

Also, new Uldaman looks n-e-a-t!

[Lady Atia]

But it is an alternate universe. The past wasn't changed.

The worst part about it was that they said "the legion is the same across all universes".

Yeah but most people didn't got the memo and thought it was a weird version of time travel instead.

And I never got the complains about the legion, imo it makes sense to have the "cosmic" aspects to be outside of the physical universes. Just define our timeline as the "sacred timeline" that's the only stable and suddenly it's not a problem anymore (which is something they did I think with chronicles?).

But having multiple timelines that all try to become the sacred timeline and start incursions is an awesome idea! But than again, I also do love the MCU.

[Eldryth]

Why not Soridormi?

Anachronos was already named as Nozdormu's heir. The bronze flight actually has a clear line of succession, it's probably because Nozdormu knows his expected fate but I don't think that's been explicitly explained.

I've seen plenty of speculation about Chromie becoming Nozdormu's successor instead but I can't really see Nozdormu overlooking that when naming his official heir.

[Makorus]

I mean, WoD would have made sense as an alternate universe kind of thing, but it's an alternate universe AND time travel.

The Legion being the same across all universes doesn't really make much sense the way it is written as well. There has to be an AU Archimonde/Kil'jaeden or else Velen fleeing to Draenor wouldn't really make much sense. I get what they were trying to do, but it falls flat.

[Nyel]

Tbh, I think without covid, team restructuring and new work from home we can and should expect a Broken shore/9.1 sized patch every 6 months at the minimum. No large delays. Preferably patches as big or bigger than Legion with a similar content cadence.

I agree with this. In the last years patches got smaller, which is a shame. 5.2 (Isle of Thunder), 6.2 (Hellfire Peninsula), 7.3 (Argus) and even 8.2 (Nazjatar) were such massive patches with a lot of new systems added, I hope they go back to this and do it more often. I at least expect two massive content patches per expansion, not just one like it was the case in BfA and Shadowlands.

[Lady Atia]

Anachronos was already named as Nozdormu's heir. The bronze flight actually has a clear line of succession, it's probably because Nozdormu knows his expected fate but I don't think that's been explicitly explained.

I've seen plenty of speculation about Chromie becoming Nozdormu's successor instead but I can't really see Nozdormu overlooking that when naming his official heir.

They can easily kill him off. Either that or Chromie becomes the surprise villain.

[Xilurm]

Yeah but most people didn't got the memo and thought it was a weird version of time travel instead.

And I never got the complains about the legion, imo it makes sense to have the "cosmic" aspects to be outside of the physical universes. Just define our timeline as the "sacred timeline" that's the only stable and suddenly it's not a problem anymore (which is something they did I think with chronicles?).

But having multiple timelines that all try to become the sacred timeline and start incursions is an awesome idea! But than again, I also do love the MCU.

It diminishes the Legion for me.

For example, the Manoroth we saw dying in the WoD cinematic, that's supposed to be the same Manoroth that died in WC3. If so, which happened first? Does he do that in all the timelines? Why did he die so easily?

And the other thing that bothers me is the fact that the legion isn't that vast. They just keep respawning. Which makes them more of an annoyance than anything.

[Chickat]

I agree with this. In the last years patches got smaller, which is a shame. 5.2 (Isle of Thunder), 6.2 (Hellfire Peninsula), 7.3 (Argus) and even 8.2 (Nazjatar) were such massive patches with a lot of new systems added, I hope they go back to this and do it more often. I at least expect two massive content patches per expansion, not just one like it was the case in BfA and Shadowlands.

A smaller .1 patch like the 7.1 or 8.1 patches is fine, followed by a large 5.2 sized patch, and then followed by a massive ending patch like Argus that can last about 10 months.

So

10.0 lanch
10.0.5 2 months into launch. Quality of life fixes and small content updates.
10.1- 5 months into launch. New raid and small zone or expansion of content on existing zones.
10.1.5- 8 months into launch. Small gameplay updates. Timewalking expansion, brwalers guild etc.
10.2- 11 months into launch. New raid and large zone with new gameplay system and a dungeon.
10.2.5- 14 months into launch. Same as 10.1.5.
10.3- 17 months into launch. Massive huge zone/zones. new dungeon/s gameplay systems, new raid etc.
10.3.5- 21 months into launch. Story finale.
11.0-24-25 months after 10.0.


That would be my ideal patch cycle. Longer waits intbetween patches than legion but much less waiting at the end of the expansion.

Thats also 4 raid tiers. You could cancel the 10.0.5 patch and release 10.1 sooner without a new raid, and maybe just a megadungeon and small zone. 10.2 would then launch around 6-7 months after launch instead shifting the patch timeframe forward 3-5 months.

[Nyel]

They can easily kill him off. Either that or Chromie becomes the surprise villain.

Who doesn't want a crazy mad Gnome Dragon to be a villain? I do.

[Chickat]

Its also possible they want to get expansion launches back to a summer timeframe and will cut a raid tier to launch 11.0 in August or September instead. It would still leave only 7-10 months of the final tier which is fine IMO. I kind of prefer 8 or 9 months to relax before a new expansion anyways.

[Nyel]

A smaller .1 patch like the 7.1 or 8.1 patches is fine, followed by a large 5.2 sized patch, and then followed by a massive ending patch like Argus that can last about 10 months.

So

10.0 lanch
10.0.5 2 months into launch. Quality of life fixes and small content updates.
10.1- 5 months into launch. New raid and small zone or expansion of content on existing zones.
10.1.5- 8 months into launch. Small gameplay updates. Timewalking expansion, brwalers guild etc.
10.2- 11 months into launch. New raid and large zone with new gameplay system and a dungeon.
10.2.5- 14 months into launch. Same as 10.1.5.
10.3- 17 months into launch. Massive huge zone/zones. new dungeon/s gameplay systems, new raid etc.
10.3.5- 21 months into launch. Story finale.
11.0-24-25 months after 10.0.


That would be my ideal patch cycle. Longer waits intbetween patches than legion but much less waiting at the end of the expansion.

Thats also 4 raid tiers. You could cancel the 10.0.5 patch and release 10.1 sooner without a new raid, and maybe just a megadungeon and small zone. 10.2 would then launch around 6-7 months after launch instead shifting the patch timeframe forward 3-5 months.

I really just think they should replicate Legion's patch cycle and everything will be fine.

7.0 - expansion launch with a raid
7.1 - new mega dungeon
7.1.5 - new raid (that's already been known of but got a delayed release like Nighthold or BoD)
7.2 - new zone and dungeon
7.2.5 - new raid
7.3 - new zone and ~ 2 weeks later the new raid (and possibly a new dungeon as well)
7.3.5 - wrapping things off, maybe a closing chapter to the expansion and new stuff (allied races, cross faction etc.)

- - - Updated - - -

Its also possible they want to get expansion launches back to a summer timeframe and will cut a raid tier to launch 11.0 in August or September instead. It would still leave only 7-10 months of the final tier which is fine IMO. I kind of prefer 8 or 9 months to relax before a new expansion anyways.

I personally hate Summer launches for expansions, I think November always works best. MoP in September wasn't bad either, but Legion and BfA in August just felt wrong imho.

[Eldryth]

They can easily kill him off. Either that or Chromie becomes the surprise villain.

It's possible in theory, but not really plausible. Nozdormu knew his fate and was able to see into the future, I find it hard to believe that he'd fail to choose an heir who actually survives to replace him. Anachronos should be safe unless we manage to radically alter the timeline in a way he can't possibly forsee, like preventing his turn to Murozond.

As for the villain, I'd be very surprised if it isn't a revived Galakrond at this point.

[Lady Atia]

Its also possible they want to get expansion launches back to a summer timeframe and will cut a raid tier to launch 11.0 in August or September instead. It would still leave only 7-10 months of the final tier which is fine IMO. I kind of prefer 8 or 9 months to relax before a new expansion anyways.

7-10 month long final tiers are a thing if the past if season 4 gets enough positive feedback. It's also the best way to finish off an expansion - giving people the chance to play all the raids of an expansion week after week (because right now, both CN and Sanctum are dead in the water without titanforging/legendary drops).

[Nymrohd]

Being dead is kind of a limiter. Though that hasn't stopped warcraft characters before I guess.

SHe wasn't actually killed.

- - - Updated - - -

I agree with this. In the last years patches got smaller, which is a shame. 5.2 (Isle of Thunder), 6.2 (Hellfire Peninsula), 7.3 (Argus) and even 8.2 (Nazjatar) were such massive patches with a lot of new systems added, I hope they go back to this and do it more often. I at least expect two massive content patches per expansion, not just one like it was the case in BfA and Shadowlands.

Tbh I think 8.2 was TOO large. They should have split off Mechagon into 8.1 imo. We would have had the dungeons available earlier as well for M+.

[Nyel]

Tbh I think 8.2 was TOO large. They should have split off Mechagon into 8.1 imo. We would have had the dungeons available earlier as well for M+.

Yeah, I think it would have made more sense to have Mechagon earlier, but then it would have conflicted with Darkshore I guess - maybe they should have given us that in 8.0.5 instead. But big patches are always good so I won't complain about a patch being "too big".