Dragonflight 10.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[Hitei]

Them checking things into the wrong branch is usually how these kind of things leak, fwiw.

That's fair, but I didn't really mean the name association so much as the timeframe. I feel like we've historically gotten those kind of slip-ups around the X.2 section of the current expansion rather than getting something for the next expansion right at the very start of the just released one.

[Cheezits]

That's fair, but I didn't really mean the name association so much as the timeframe though. I feel like we've historically gotten those kind of slip-ups around the X.2 section of the current expansion rather than getting something for the next expansion right at the very start of the just released one.

I would agree, though in BFA we got Nazjatar and Mechagon (under a different name) leaked day one. Two patches away instead of four, but still.

[micwini]

Jinyu v2 popping up in the Character Race database this expansion, plus the new fish mount, also point to it. I hope that's not the entirety of the new expansion but it would make a lot of sense if the new areas were all the remaining islands on Azeroth.

I'm still hoping for Cata 2, but instead of the new zones being hidden Azeroth zones and elemental planes its islands.

Maybe this could then finally become a reality after so many years.

[huth]

Which is technically a hint from the "first few weeks" but I don't think that's what the interview was saying. I think it was just saying the story expands over time and the final boss isn't super obvious like Cata, BFA or Shadowlands. But the main villains (Primalists) ARE obvious.

If Tyr is responsible for the Primalist story (and that is likely, who else would have infused Vyranoth's eggs?) then he fits as a final boss as he started the whole conflict.

Is he? What would defeating him achieve in this context? The Primalists already exist and are antagonistic. Defeating the initial cause now does nothing.

[Cheezits]

Is he? What would defeating him achieve in this context? The Primalists already exist and are antagonistic. Defeating the initial cause now does nothing.

We don't know yet why he needs to be defeated, yet somehow Alex will "betray him". If that is accurate (heavily implied to be) then he will eventually be doing something that needs to be stopped.

Or Alex turns evil which I think is insanely unlikely.

[Hitei]

I have to say, independent of the likelihood, Jinyu are one of the single most boring prospective race additions in existence. If they are adding them, I really hope they're some new group and have really expanded and reworked their whole deal and significantly changed their appearance.

[Cheezits]

I have to say, independent of the likelihood, Jinyu are one of the single most boring prospective race additions in existence. If they are adding them, I really hope they're some new group and have really expanded and reworked their whole deal and significantly changed their appearance.

I think a new group/organization is likely (I would bet on continued Japanese influence vs China), but between the land Jinyu and the Ankoan where else could they really go with designs?

I can also see Blizzard sticking to a single body like the Dracthyr. No fish tits.

[huth]

We don't know yet why he needs to be defeated, yet somehow Alex will "betray him". If that is accurate (heavily implied to be) then he will eventually be doing something that needs to be stopped.

Or Alex turns evil which I think is insanely unlikely.

But if you don't know why, then what reason do you have to assume he will be? You're just killing your own argument here. The "betrayal" is 1) just a claim from an unreliable source that is known for presenting things without proper context and 2) not guaranteed to happen within the timespan of DF. For all we know, it might not even happen within WoW's story, if it is even major enough to actually matter.

You're presuming Tyr will be the final boss and working backwards from there without proper arguments. So far, nothing indicates he will even be fought at all outside the corrupted version in Dawn.

[Raetary]

I'd totally be down for an expansion themed after oceanic and east asian islands.

Would be interesting to have a continent that's mostly an Archipelago, and have vash'jir-esque underwater areas between the various islands.

[Foolicious]

Since i just remembered this thing exists when flying to transmog; These vines that look like an archway with green dragon banners on top of the great vault will totally have a portal inside for 10.2 won't they?

We don't know yet why he needs to be defeated, yet somehow Alex will "betray him". If that is accurate (heavily implied to be) then he will eventually be doing something that needs to be stopped.

Or Alex turns evil which I think is insanely unlikely.

I still don't think Tyr is a bad guy. Even his dungeon entry speaks of his legendary loyalty to the dragons so much so that he becomes a part of the infinites when they are the only dragons that exist in that timeline.
I'm also unsure if he created the incarnates. If there was one or two maybe. But why would he create four dragons for every available element that all want to end his own creation? The incarnates where also created in response to the creation of the aspects so they aren't "proto aspects" either.

[Skildar]

They did say we "would have a clear idea who the final boss is by the end of the first raid", but I can't find the interview. They did so many.

oh yeah I do recall that! Now it could very well mean one of the incarnates or just all of them... It is a clear idea not cristal clear answer ^^

[Hitei]

I think a new group/organization is likely (I would bet on continued Japanese influence vs China), but between the land Jinyu and the Ankoan where else could they really go with designs?

I can also see Blizzard sticking to a single body like the Dracthyr. No fish tits.

They really need to be remade to not just be fish-headed people (night elves).

The initial concept art for Ankoan had them looking much more like large, evolved murlocs.



I'd just prefer something that looks a bit more bestial and less "standard humanoid with altered head"

[Well Done Steak]

Of course they do. Alongside Iridikron they have been presented as the chief villains of the Dragonflight story. As Iridikron is very clearly being set up to be an overarching villain over multiple expansions, Fyrakk and Vyranoth could easily be end of expansion bosses, or Fyrakk by himself. Fyrakk has been the most present threat in the expansion and he’s been built up in a way that the Aspects are struggling to deal with him because of how powerful he is due to the shadow flame power up. Him by himself could easily be end of expansion boss material. Add Vyranoth to the mix for a duo fight(and our very first duo end of expansion boss fight), complete with the contrasting themes of ice & fire, along with all the Aspect drama, as well as the backdrop of the new world tree and you have a pretty epic final battle.

I formerly believed that we would get 10.3 and that it would be a heavy Titan Keeper themed patch with the Aspects rebelling against the Titan Keepers who are revealed to have not been as benevolent as we thought. Heavy focus on Alex and the Reds with Odyn and Tyr as main villains with the Stormforged Valarjar invading the Dragon Isles, sacking Valdrakken. Now however I’m of the opinion that antagonistic Titan Keepers is also being reserved for a future expansion, possibly along with an Iridikron story, instead.

The Titan Keepers storyline has taken a very noticeable backseat to the Aspect/Primalist storyline which is the meat of DF. If they were going with Odyn and the Keepers this expansion, I feel they’d have been a larger part of the story with Odyn having a presence physically on the Dragon Isles, alongside the Stormforged Valarjar. If anything, I feel Odyn’s story will be heavily tied to Avaloren.

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For once I finally find myself agreeing with you.

They're no more endboss material than the warlords who weren't Grom, if Grom ended up being the FB of WoD

They're the main antagonists for 10.2 and we definitely will be getting a 10.3

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Murozond is not an option. Infinites are done for DF.

For now, not for DF.

Chromie messed up big time and it's gonna come back to bite her and Nozzy in the ass before the end of the expansion after the aspects regain their powers

[Marlamin]

That's fair, but I didn't really mean the name association so much as the timeframe. I feel like we've historically gotten those kind of slip-ups around the X.2 section of the current expansion rather than getting something for the next expansion right at the very start of the just released one.

I wish I had more time to write up an essay like I'd like to as this speculating on the development timeline is my favorite thing as it's such a complex/multifaceted thing, but tl;dr I wouldn't stick to old traditions/development pipelines of the past too much, there's been a noticable shift in the development pipeline starting around late BfA/early-SL of which we're seeing the results during 10.x.

If, theoretically, they were able to keep up that new pipeline throughout Dragonflight's development for 11.x as well, the development of a new player race (and as such spells like that showing up) as early as during 10.0 beta would only be slightly earlier than Dracthyr which started development around 9.0.2/9.0.5 PTR.

[huth]

I still don't think Tyr is a bad guy. Even his dungeon entry speaks of his legendary loyalty to the dragons so much so that he becomes a part of the infinites when they are the only dragons that exist in that timeline.
I'm also unsure if he created the incarnates. If there was one or two maybe. But why would he create four dragons for every available element that all want to end his own creation? The incarnates where also created in response to the creation of the aspects so they aren't "proto aspects" either.

Frankly, it sounds more like people didn't pay attention to what that lab was even about. Tyr didn't create the elemental infused protodragons. He was investigating them. Protodragons attuning and absorbing magic is a natural part of them.

[micwini]

Sarkareth was fleshed out and build up for 10.1 in 10.0.7. We could see the same happen for 10.2. Since the only mainline lore they seem to be adding is about Tyr, he could even be the endboss of 10.2. I hope he doesnt turn evil but yeah.

It would be cool to still have the first ever Council final boss with the 3 remaining incarnates, but that would then require a 10.3

[Catastrophy349]

If you look at the Patch 10.1.7 plaque, it says "New story quests: Reforging Tyr & More". Additionally, the patch is literally called "Fury Incarnate" AND both Fyrakk AND Vyranoth are shown in the background of the plaque. It's very possible that 10.1.7 story quests are "chapter 1" of the 10.2 campaign in the same way that 10.0.7 story quests were "chapter 1" of the 10.1 campaign. Also, high emphasis on the "&more" part.

Furthermore, there is A LOT of encrypted story in this patch: Tyr, both heritage armor questlines (we got a wowhead post talking about the "steps"), Velen questline, and most likely a story with the Incarnates leading into 10.2.

[Worldshaper]

God dammit, now I really want South Seas expansion heavily based on Japanese and South East Asia island culture, and there's nothing you can do or say to change my mind.

Krasarang Wilds was one of my favourite areas in Pandaria.

It all makes so much sense.

The pirate transmogs.
The new ships.
The (perhaps) playable Jinyu or Ankoan.
The Koi fish mount.
The Nightsquall.
The mermaid references.
Azshara.

TENTACLES.

It's a Void expansion, but we're not really fighting a bunch of Old God stuff, because that's boring and Shadowlands taught us that a theme can be oversaturated.

So the hook to the Void is that Azshara is doing shady Void-stuff to the World-soul. She pretty much rules Azeroth right now, or is getting ready to. We fight her in her fishy domain, on the far side of the world this time (or is it kinda south of Pandaria?).

As the expansion goes on, the story becomes more about the Void. But the first half or so is mainly set on these islands.

[micwini]

If you look at the Patch 10.1.7 plaque, it says "New story quests: Reforging Tyr & More". Additionally, the patch is literally called "Fury Incarnate" AND both Fyrakk AND Vyranoth are shown in the background of the plaque. It's very possible that 10.1.7 story quests are "chapter 1" of the 10.2 campaign in the same way that 10.0.7 story quests were "chapter 1" of the 10.1 campaign. Also, high emphasis on the "&more" part.

Furthermore, there is A LOT of encrypted story in this patch: Tyr, both heritage armor questlines (we got a wowhead post talking about the "steps"), Velen questline, and most likely a story with the Incarnates leading into 10.2.

Found it. Its an interesting piece of art. Vyranoth and Fyrakks faces on the side in white. But if you look at the grey area, it looks like a tree. Like one of those "What do you see here" images.

[Catastrophy349]

Could be. What image are you referring to?

Look at the white background for 10.1.7. https://twitter.com/Warcraft/status/1688612137654943744