Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Fixxit the Gnome]

I think a villainous faction of light-infused space nazis led by Yrel and Turalyon would be kinda neat as the threat in 10.0.

[Cosmic Janitor]

Void? Yes, absolutely. Light? Uhm... one step at a time please. What I would find a lot more interesting would be the continuation of the Infinite Dragonswarm storyline, if we're getting another dragon expansion.

The further we stay away from time travel the better.

[Nyel]

The further we stay away from time travel the better.

I think time travel could work very well if it's really centered around Murozond and the Infinite Dragonflight. Time travel in WoD was just done poorly and the reason that started it all was as bad as it can get.

[Polybius]

Light and Void shouldn’t be shoehorned into a dragon storyline. They’ll run into the same problem as BFA, they blew their load too early with N’Zoth.

There are hints to a Light and Void expansion, yes. It means it’s going to happen in the future, not that it’ll happen soon. Let the stories happen naturally, without an overcrowding of characters and themes.

[Hellspawn]

I would enjoy pre-sundering time traveling. Maybe the expansion would end with the Sundering.... with Trolls/Nelfs have the opportunity to safe some of their people that would have been otherwise killed by it and take them into current Azeroth.

That expansion could have it all...
Trolls, Night Elfs, Pandas, fighting Azshara and fight the Legion, maybe even some old god stuff.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Light and Void shouldn’t be shoehorned into a dragon storyline. They’ll run into the same problem as BFA, they blew their load too early with N’Zoth.

There are hints to a Light and Void expansion, yes. It means it’s going to happen in the future, not that it’ll happen soon. Let the stories happen naturally, without an overcrowding of characters and themes.

So basically in the background and not front in center.

[Veya30]

I would enjoy pre-sundering time traveling. Maybe the expansion would end with the Sundering.... with Trolls/Nelfs have the opportunity to safe some of their people that would have been otherwise killed by it and take them into current Azeroth.

That expansion could have it all...
Trolls, Night Elfs, Pandas, fighting Azshara and fight the Legion, maybe even some old god stuff.

I think Azshara is going to make a move against Elune; try to become a deity by usurping her. Its clear Azshara doesn't worship Elune, the changing of the Night Elf capital from Elun'dris to Zin-Azshara and changing the night elf worship to her instead of Elune. She entered into the deal with N'zoth to save her people and to become a queen to rule all. More about power for her than her people; actually, saving her people was most likely just a consequence of her bargain.

After the events of Ny'alotha she states that she is done with "intermediaries and heralds", its clear that during her time serving N'Zoth she realized he isn't a god at all, but just a herald of the Void Lords, or at least how she views him now.

In 9.1, we get our first view of Elune, she's not an all powerful goddess, but she is powerful. Tyrande using Elune's power is stronger than Sylvanas using the Jailer's power. Elune actually giving Tyrande a choice for renewal or vengeance is something she never gave to the other Night Warriors; it just feels she is wanting Tyrande to be ready for something else. Sure, the Jailer redoing all of reality, is big, so killing Sylvanas in Ardenweald would stop that, so it makes it seem Elune could be or maybe is worried about another threat and needs Tyrande.

What was Azshara doing under the sea for 10,000 years? As far I can tell, the Naga resurfaced during the events of Warcraft III, then really resurfaced at the start of WoW. Azshara finally throws off her bonds to N'zoth at the end of BfA, freeing her to do what she wants now. Blizzard has introduced more Elune story bits lately; and even revealing she's the counterpart of the Winter Queen in the realms of Life.

Could just be nothing, but I felt Azshara's presence in BfA was really lackluster for who she is in the lore. Azshara taking Elune's place and being worshipped by all the worlds in the Great Dark seems like something she would revel in and love. For 10,000 years she would have been planning this; but needed to rid herself of N'Zoth first.

[Zexaniro]

idk a time travel xpac centred around one of the old wars or basically anything in the eastern kingdoms/kalimdor would sell me in a heartbeat. time travel is still a viable path for blizzard to go down as an xpac idea, and it seems like the stench of WoD has almost been lifted.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

I think Azshara is going to make a move against Elune; try to become a deity by usurping her. Its clear Azshara doesn't worship Elune, the changing of the Night Elf capital from Elun'dris to Zin-Azshara and changing the night elf worship to her instead of Elune. She entered into the deal with N'zoth to save her people and to become a queen to rule all. More about power for her than her people; actually, saving her people was most likely just a consequence of her bargain.

After the events of Ny'alotha she states that she is done with "intermediaries and heralds", its clear that during her time serving N'Zoth she realized he isn't a god at all, but just a herald of the Void Lords, or at least how she views him now.

In 9.1, we get our first view of Elune, she's not an all powerful goddess, but she is powerful. Tyrande using Elune's power is stronger than Sylvanas using the Jailer's power. Elune actually giving Tyrande a choice for renewal or vengeance is something she never gave to the other Night Warriors; it just feels she is wanting Tyrande to be ready for something else. Sure, the Jailer redoing all of reality, is big, so killing Sylvanas in Ardenweald would stop that, so it makes it seem Elune could be or maybe is worried about another threat and needs Tyrande.

What was Azshara doing under the sea for 10,000 years? As far I can tell, the Naga resurfaced during the events of Warcraft III, then really resurfaced at the start of WoW. Azshara finally throws off her bonds to N'zoth at the end of BfA, freeing her to do what she wants now. Blizzard has introduced more Elune story bits lately; and even revealing she's the counterpart of the Winter Queen in the realms of Life.

Could just be nothing, but I felt Azshara's presence in BfA was really lackluster for who she is in the lore. Azshara taking Elune's place and being worshipped by all the worlds in the Great Dark seems like something she would revel in and love. For 10,000 years she would have been planning this; but needed to rid herself of N'Zoth first.

Well they did purposely leave her alive. Your theory is not that far off from mine(I'm not the sole owner of it). The idea was she would usurp the world soul's power essentially becoming a titan herself(Instead of Azeroth).

[Dacia Ultan]

Could just be nothing, but I felt Azshara's presence in BfA was really lackluster for who she is in the lore. Azshara taking Elune's place and being worshipped by all the worlds in the Great Dark seems like something she would revel in and love. For 10,000 years she would have been planning this; but needed to rid herself of N'Zoth first.

Not the first time they've half-assed something that could have been an entire xpack to itself.

[Sentynel]

Not the first time they've half-assed something that could have been an entire xpack to itself.

True. I still wish for a Emerald Dream expansion.

[ChairmanKaga]

I think Azshara is going to make a move against Elune; try to become a deity by usurping her. (snip)

This is really great. I thought from her Nyalotha dialog she was going to do this to Azeroth's titan in a freaky firday mind switch way but usurping Elune is far better.

[Hellspawn]

Regarding our Azshara.... she was aware of what Sylvanas was trying to do.
We know that she seeks true power and that's probably not Elune.... but the first ones or maybe Azeroth.
I can see Azshara wanting to turn into a goddess but I don't think that will be connected to Elune. She is already effectively the god of the Naga.

[Cosmic Janitor]

I think time travel could work very well if it's really centered around Murozond and the Infinite Dragonflight. Time travel in WoD was just done poorly and the reason that started it all was as bad as it can get.

Doing time travel stories right is already a big undertaking at the best of times, irrespective of medium or franchise. Expecting Blizzard of all people to make a good time travel expansion seems... unrealistic; to put it nice.

[Dacia Ultan]

True. I still wish for a Emerald Dream expansion.

That and Argus were the big ones for me.

[Polybius]

So basically in the background and not front in center.

In the background then having a proper focus for a following expansion. This should've been the way to go for BFA, but I guess they were afraid of an expansion being the continuation to a story, with overlapping themes. They did this with Legion too, for Argus sadly.

[Raetary]

True. I still wish for a Emerald Dream expansion.

With the way they are setting up the cosmology, this is still a possible expansion theme.

[Paperfox]

I'm merely curious about the setting of 10.0, quests will still have us go and collect 8 bundles of wood, or kill 3 bandits.

What is foundational to me is what systems will be in it. Will it be SystemLands 2.0? Will people look at it and say that they actually made it better, or that they doubled down on systems and currencies.

[Veya30]

Well they did purposely leave her alive. Your theory is not that far off from mine(I'm not the sole owner of it). The idea was she would usurp the world soul's power essentially becoming a titan herself(Instead of Azeroth).

In the Shadow's Rising novel its implied that deities gain a lot of power from their worshippers. Bwonsamdi is greatly weakened when many of his worshippers and shrines in Zandalar are killed/destroyed. He's very weak at the start of Shadowlands due to this and is captured very easily by Mueh'zala and further implied in their dialogue as you go thru the dungeon. Mueh'zala states he doesn't need worshippers, that the jailer will give him all the power he needs; then with some mojo we're able to easily defeat Mueh'zala. Since the Jailier hadn't given him the power yet and most of his worshippers were now followers of Bwonsamdi.

Elune seems to be more powerful than any of the Eternal One's so far. She has worshippers all over reality, evidenced by the plethora of Night Warriors. I'd say Azshara would get more power by replacing Elune than Azeroth.

Switching gears a bit; while the night elf souls in Ardenweald along with Tyrande/Shandris have accepted renewal; there will be those still living in Azeroth who will not accept this at all. A good portion are very ripe to be lead away from Elune to worship some new cult type deity or place their faith in some other goddess. It would be odd if you didn't have a split in Night Elf society of those who still hold faith in Elune and those who feel abandoned and completely move on to another goddess. Some kind of side story in a Azeroth revamp could expand on this split, setting up for some thing else.

[Sondrelk]

I'm merely curious about the setting of 10.0, quests will still have us go and collect 8 bundles of wood, or kill 3 bandits.

What is foundational to me is what systems will be in it. Will it be SystemLands 2.0? Will people look at it and say that they actually made it better, or that they doubled down on systems and currencies.

Realistically, what could be changed in the next expansion that would make players feel as strongly baout this bold new direction as they did with Legion?
I guess a talent revamp, but as for extraneous systems there are not really much of any to consider in Shadowlands, especially not in 9.1.5. Soulbinds is really the only thing left that impacts gameplay in a way that things like talents do not.