Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Marlamin]

[Lady Atia]

Nice, 4 bosses tested this week, including Anduin. It is starting to feel more like February than March release.

Especially if they aren't testing the last 3 bosses on PTR - that would mean Mythic raid testing is next!

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Oh yesss it's Pelagosboooooy. I actually prefer the original Arbiter model though. Also could this imply that the Jailer originally did look a bit like that instead of a wannabe Lichking oO?

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Not bad and not the character I expected to asend that way but better then some alternatives *Shudder*

[TheFirstOnes]

my mans said “lets goooooo”

[Pebrocks The Warlock]

Ahahahahahahaha this just awful.

[Makorus]

The model looks kinda crap ngl

[Alanar]

haha, i don't know about this model.. the face looks weird as well.

[Revamp Man]

I’m hoping we get the explanation of why it’s pelagos. I haven’t kept an eye on the new chapters

[TheFirstOnes]

I’m hoping we get the explanation of why it’s pelagos. I haven’t kept an eye on the new chapters

Cause he’s not really Kyrian whatsoever and we need literally anyone BUT Sylvanas

[Hugnomo]

So happy for Pelagos. Hope we get to see him in a pre rendered cinematic
I feel there's something that feels a bit too simple about the ensemble. I liked the robot arbiter's design better. More contrast, more intricate, more colors (with the black detailing and the blue magic), seemingly higher rez textures. Just think it all went together better. Pelagos' model feels very same-y, with just white and gold blending too much into a bit of an amorphous figure. Plus, the green gem on the crown seems a bit out of place? The color of it i mean.

I know this is very nitpicky. I love Pelagos as the new Arbiter, and I like the vision they were going for.

PS: Plus, in the robot arbiter, and maybe this is just my interpretation, but I liked that there were sort of "serpent" elements about it. The face, the interlacing designs on the belt, the wings (in the concept art from the art book, there's concepts of a huge arbiter with its wings coiling around the buildings in Oribos), etc. That element seems lost in Pelagos' model.

[huth]

I’m hoping we get the explanation of why it’s pelagos. I haven’t kept an eye on the new chapters

I haven't really seen any specific details, but it sounded like he simply volunteered for the position.

[TyrianFC]

The (previously datamined) Azeroth globe, and probably also the siphoning azerite essence from the globe animation (looks like the Jailer starts the channel/animation/spell in this cinematic), are indeed at the middle of the Jailers boss room.

Azeroth really is the centre of everything important in the universe, it seems.

[Gurahk]

That's just horrible

[therumblings]

This ending is just so boring, it's literally the "Quick find someone else to replace Sylvanas as being the Arbiter" ending.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Azeroth really is the centre of everything important in the universe, it seems.

What a revalation <.< <.<

[Hitei]

I’m hoping we get the explanation of why it’s pelagos. I haven’t kept an eye on the new chapters

A lot of people seem to have the misconception that the person who becomes the Arbiter needs to be someone big and powerful.

The role doesn't require anything special, no one (except I guess Zovaal, by design, and the construct using his sigil) is capable of doing the Arbiter's job. It's not something that anyone can do just by being smart or a good leader or anything, it requires a specific supernatural power (being able to glimpse a dead person's entire life in one moment and instantly know where they will fit the best in the Shadowlands). So anyone works in the role, they just need a host for the Arbiter's power (in the form of the helm) much like the Lich King role just required anyone putting on that crown.

Pelagos is a person who has a good nature and really wants to help people, but simply hasn't found his calling in the Shadowlands. The Venthyr characters all have their zone to run and souls to guide, the Maldraxus ones all have their jobs to do and houses to run, the Night Fae have their jobs and spirits to watch over, and the Kyrian, Kleia included, have their roles in the new order. The mortals who we brought with us (this includes the undead DKs/Bolvar and Sylvanas), do not belong in the Shadowlands, and even if they were to stay (Sylvanas or Bolvar for instance) they'd need to actually pass into the Shadowlands fully, that is, "die" and then go to the proper realm.

Pelagos is uniquely the Shadowlands character who wants to help but has no place in his covenant or realm, or in the greater Shadowlands. So he is an ideal candidate to be effectively sacrificed to become the new host for the Arbiter's power. A pure soul willing to be locked eternally in service to the Shadowlands as basically a sorting machine.

[Valysar]

So, Zovaal is targeting Azeroth, especially Northrend or it's just a random map ?

[bagina]

To be the Arbiter means to be a literal mindless NPC, doing a menial job for all eternity. Dunno where this idea that it's some great "honor" and "privilege" came from. Sounds unironically like hell. The character doesn't really faze me as much as the choice to introduce a new arbiter instead of doing away with that position entirely. Shadowlands are still a nightmarish realm and I hate that all living beings in Warcraft will end up there.

[Hugnomo]

A lot of people seem to have the misconception that the person who becomes the Arbiter needs to be someone big and powerful.

The role doesn't require anything special, no one (except I guess Zovaal, by design, and the construct using his sigil) is capable of doing the Arbiter's job. It's not something that anyone can do just by being smart or a good leader or anything, it requires a specific supernatural power (being able to glimpse a dead person's entire life in one moment and instantly know where they will fit the best in the Shadowlands). So anyone works in the role, they just need a host for the Arbiter's power (in the form of the helm) much like the Lich King role just required anyone putting on that crown.

Pelagos is a person who has a good nature and really wants to help people, but simply hasn't found his calling in the Shadowlands. The Venthyr characters all have their zone to run and souls to guide, the Maldraxus ones all have their jobs to do and houses to run, the Night Fae have their jobs and spirits to watch over, and the Kyrian, Kleia included, have their roles in the new order. The mortals who we brought with us (this includes the undead DKs/Bolvar and Sylvanas), do not belong in the Shadowlands, and even if they were to stay (Sylvanas or Bolvar for instance) they'd need to actually pass into the Shadowlands fully, that is, "die" and then go to the proper realm.

Pelagos is uniquely the Shadowlands character who wants to help but has no place in his covenant or realm, or in the greater Shadowlands. So he is an ideal candidate to be effectively sacrificed to become the new host for the Arbiter's power. A pure soul willing to be locked eternally in service to the Shadowlands as basically a sorting machine.

Another great post! I was already happy about it, but your post really effectively laid out the case for it.

[Hitei]

To be the Arbiter means to be a literal mindless NPC, doing a menial job for all eternity. Dunno where this idea that it's some great "honor" and "privilege" came from. Sounds unironically like hell. The character doesn't really faze me as much as the choice to introduce a new arbiter instead of doing away with that position entirely. Shadowlands are still a nightmarish realm and I hate that all living beings in Warcraft will end up there.

The Arbiter's decisions were all pretty solid. The issues that each zone faces are, ironically, mostly the fault of the other four covenant leaders. The Kyrian's stoicism issue isn't the result of people being poorly sorted, but the fault of the Kyrestia and the Kyrian order refusing to alter their approach. In the end Uther and the other Forsworn that got sent there also provide a valuable perspective to the zone. Maldraxus' issue wasn't the Arbiter sending ambitious and nefarious souls to the zone, it's that the Primus' vanishing and the power vacuum that he left turned the houses against each other and destabilized the whole system. Held in check by the balance, KT would have made a powerful force against the Shadowlands' enemies. Ardenweald's issue is entirely about the drought and invading forces, not the Arbiter's actions, and Revendreth fell apart because its leader was working for the enemy.

So there's really no reason to change the system. It works very well. Even if it wasn't what they wanted (Kael, Draka), everyone gets something that ends up working out for them. Removing the system just causes a whole bunch of issues. How do you even begin to decide where people go? How are you even remotely judging it? It's not like some council would be able to see the soul's life and guess where will be the best. Just letting souls show up in Oribos and decide where to go absolutely does not work, because you have all the people who should be repenting in Revendreth instead stirring shit up in the other three zones, and because you have people like Alexandros who think they belong in one place when really they're a perfect fit for someplace else.

I don't disagree that the Shadowlands as a whole is kind of a shitty place to end up for the rest of eternity, but that's really on the First Ones, not the arbiter position's failing.