Midnight 12.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[Enrif]

I'm not against the idea of them injecting stuff from SoD and Plunderstorm into retail, but I'm more wondering what could they add into retail from SoD.
SoD has only a few things that set it apart from regular Classic:
Runes slotted into your equipment, which can change the way you play a certain class, like making a rogue a tank spec, making warlock a tank spec, turning mages into healer.. (and also Gladiator Stance for Warriors).. but this would be an issue in the current state of classes/specs right now, especially with Hero Talents coming in.

Leveling Raids like Blackfathom Deeps or Gnomergan... but the concept of leveling raids would be tricky to pull off in a retail setting. It's like adding in a mega-dungeon at the start of the expansion.

And the World PvP Events... (We've seen plenty of these in Retail, but they usually backfire due to the faction imbalance in the main servers.)

The runes are at earliest for midnight, if they want to add them to retail. We heard talks about them wanting to add more support specs, but not revamp old specs for that. So a rune system like in SoD could be for the future, where, perhaps, any spec can be any role, depending on what runes you use? Mage tanks, warrior healers, dps holy priests, dps blood dk, tank boomkin, support enhancement shaman, support warlock and so on.


I see the 10man raids as a proof of concept for dungeon sized raids. Like megadungones are raid sized dungeons.

One of many complains is "only 2-3 raids", also that people want smaller raids. So, how about making actually small raids? Like, what if dungeons in the future will have in addition to normal,heroic,mythic,m+ also a LFR/raid versions? This would cut dev time as they can make 1 dungeon, that has all the different types of content covered. Casuals can experience the story with followers, then people go to heroic and mythic and can then decide if they want to raid the dungeons or M+ the dungeon. Then in patches they can bring in more of these, while keeping the real big raids at 2-3. I mean, most raids these days lost its purpose with tier gear being available outside of raids too.

[Sondrelk]

So while we wait another week for alpha, what are people's hopes/expectations for 10.2.7?

T&E did a video on what they thought Pandamonium would be (vampire survivors PvE) looking at datamined gear with special gem slots which gave power-ups.

Not my cup of tea either lol XD, but I'm more willing to give this a try than plunderstorm.

I'm also wondering what the 'harbinger' quests will be. Will we be hunting down Xalatath? I hope we get a cool cinematic to lead us into TWW

My guess is that Pandamonium is an extension on Timewalking in that you go through a highly condensed questline for Pandaria with some endgame stuff at the end for more currency and probably specific achievements and rewards. I would also expect SoO to appear as a Timewalking raid, possibly even with separate difficulties.

For Harbinger quests I would expect going to Silithus to talk to Anduin, Thrall, and Magni to learn about Xal'atath and where she might have gone. Magni will mention the Isle of Dorn, and mention we need to figure out where it is by going to Ulduar or somesuch.

[Lady Atia]

The runes are at earliest for midnight, if they want to add them to retail. We heard talks about them wanting to add more support specs, but not revamp old specs for that. So a rune system like in SoD could be for the future, where, perhaps, any spec can be any role, depending on what runes you use? Mage tanks, warrior healers, dps holy priests, dps blood dk, tank boomkin, support enhancement shaman, support warlock and so on.


I see the 10man raids as a proof of concept for dungeon sized raids. Like megadungones are raid sized dungeons.

One of many complains is "only 2-3 raids", also that people want smaller raids. So, how about making actually small raids? Like, what if dungeons in the future will have in addition to normal,heroic,mythic,m+ also a LFR/raid versions? This would cut dev time as they can make 1 dungeon, that has all the different types of content covered. Casuals can experience the story with followers, then people go to heroic and mythic and can then decide if they want to raid the dungeons or M+ the dungeon. Then in patches they can bring in more of these, while keeping the real big raids at 2-3. I mean, most raids these days lost its purpose with tier gear being available outside of raids too.

Tbf, lots of classic dungeons fit the criteria of a modern sized raids, they aren't really small?

[SkyTides]

I just hope that the content that we get is IN the game, NOT as a separate version like Plunderstorm (which I loved, but I want content in Retail):

- The quests are that, quests that probably will not last more than an hour. Hopefully they are cool and as you said with a cinematic that hype us for TWW.

- Heritage questlines for Draenei and Trolls could be interesting from a lore perspective, but I will not play them as I do not play those races.

- The new Holiday Event will be fun. I always enjoy doing them and getting some nice rewards. I wonder what this will be about.

- Finally, Timerunning. The dream is that it would be all MoP content for any character but with a twist. A kind of New Game + that plays differently. I know that even if its not part of the game I will enjoy it, but the idea is that they build evergreen systems for Retail. I love re-visiting old content. Without question is my main activity in the game. Is Blizzard giving me a chance to re-visit that content but in a new way? And they would be able to apply it to any expansion with new rewards? It would be a huge win for them and for us as players. WoW has 20 years of content. It is a crime that they do practically nothing with it.

See that seems like the most logical explanation for what timerunning could be, but I just don't see how it would appeal to most people.

I adore pandaria, but we can already level alts there. Apart from reminding people that Y'shaarj/sha are a thing what is the significance of choosing pandaria for a kind of speed-levelling thing? Won't it render all other leveling options obsolete if its much faster.

In which case, it must not be for levelling, but its too 'open world' to be some kind of gauntlet or challenge. I have no idea

[Darkarath]

See that seems like the most logical explanation for what timerunning could be, but I just don't see how it would appeal to most people.

I adore pandaria, but we can already level alts there. Apart from reminding people that Y'shaarj/sha are a thing what is the significance of choosing pandaria for a kind of speed-levelling thing? Won't it render all other leveling options obsolete if its much faster.

In which case, it must not be for levelling, but its too 'open world' to be some kind of gauntlet or challenge. I have no idea

There comes the twist. It is not for leveling. It just for any character of any level. In the video of Taliesin and Evitel they show some interesting data besides the speed bonuses, like some skills and that the maximum level for this particular event might be 10 (spoiler just in case someone does not want to know). So it will play differently, and way faster. But this would be (I guess) just for the outdoor experience, I wonder what they will do with dungeons and raids.

Story-wise, I think that they will add some kind of twist to MoP story. IMO it is not a coincidence that they chose MoP for Timerunning. Pandaria is right next to Khaz Algar and Y'Shaarj will likely have some relevance in TWW (could even be Xal'athat herself). Plus The Infinites are allies (of a kind) with Iridikron and by extension to Xal'athat. They could use them to justify any change that they might do to this particular way of experiencing MoP's story. I certainly expect to see more of the Mantid, which I have always loved.

[Lady Atia]

There comes the twist. It is not for leveling. It just for any character of any level. In the video of Taliesin and Evitel they show some interesting data besides the speed bonuses, like some skills and that the maximum level for this particular event might be 10 (spoiler just in case someone does not want to know). So it will play differently, and way faster. But this would be (I guess) just for the outdoor experience, I wonder what they will do with dungeons and raids.

Story-wise, I think that they will add some kind of twist to MoP story. IMO it is not a coincidence that they chose MoP for Timerunning. Pandaria is right next to Khaz Algar and Y'Shaarj will likely have some relevance in TWW (could even be Xal'athat herself). Plus The Infinites are allies (of a kind) with Iridikron and by extension to Xal'athat. They could use them to justify any change that they might do to this particular way of experiencing MoP's story. I certainly expect to see more of the Mantid, which I have always loved.

I defo expect us to take a side tour back to Pandaria in TWW and recruit the Vale Mogu to our cause in defending the coreway - giving us the allied race that was teased with shitty BfA lol.

[Darkarath]

I defo expect us to take a side tour back to Pandaria in TWW and recruit the Vale Mogu to our cause in defending the coreway - giving us the allied race that was teased with shitty BfA lol.

I do not know. If we have not get Drakonid (which by a certain questline were heavily teased IMO) and Tuskarr in DF, I just do not see us getting Mogu. And that is good by me, honestly. Impopular opinion but I do not want more playable races. Focus on what we have and develop them properly.

[Lady Atia]

I do not know. If we have not get Drakonid (which by a certain questline were heavily teased IMO) and Tuskarr in DF, I just do not see us getting Mogu. And that is good by me, honestly. Impopular opinion but I do not want more playable races. Focus on what we have and develop them properly.

Tuskarr will prolly be playable with TLT and our return to Northrend, while Drakonid never were on the table thanks to superior Dracthyr imo.

And there is literally no harm with more playable races, they are usually the main feature besides a new class, and allied races are relatively cheap to churn out as we saw with BfA.

[allegrian]

The thing wis sod is that it's already deviating from what most people wanted out of classic +. New content makes the world liveless, like power levelling through incursions, and the raids are being designed closer to retail than era-TBC-early wotlk. It's all reused content as well and they didn't add new races or race-class combos.

The only really exciting stuff was p1 with game changing runes like warlock tanks and healer mages, there's not really that much to discover in p2 or p3, as most runes don't change the gameplay too much and are only small improvements of P1 builds.

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Tuskarr will prolly be playable with TLT and our return to Northrend, while Drakonid never were on the table thanks to superior Dracthyr imo.

And there is literally no harm with more playable races, they are usually the main feature besides a new class, and allied races are relatively cheap to churn out as we saw with BfA.

TLT is a good place to add Vrykul

[Darkarath]

Tuskarr will prolly be playable with TLT and our return to Northrend, while Drakonid never were on the table thanks to superior Dracthyr imo.

And there is literally no harm with more playable races, they are usually the main feature besides a new class, and allied races are relatively cheap to churn out as we saw with BfA.

I highly doubt that we will get playable Tuskarr if we have not get them in DF. But who knows?

IMO we will get Ethereals in Midnight or TLT. Also pretty sure that the fact that we are getting Earthen in TWW implies that we will get more Allied Races in TWW. People are speculating about humanoid Nerubians which will be wild. Arathi humans could be an option I guess, especially if we see that they have an unique model in alpha. Otherwise I do not think that we will get them, because I think that at least all TWW's Allied Races will be neutral.

TLT is a good place to add Vrykul

I believe that they are too big and I feel that they are more valuable as their own thing. Not every race has to become part of the Alliance or the Horde. IMO it is good that some races and parties persist outside our main factions. If in TWW we start to see doors taller than usual, though, they are becoming playable for sure

[Lady Atia]

The thing wis sod is that it's already deviating from what most people wanted out of classic +. New content makes the world liveless, like power levelling through incursions, and the raids are being designed closer to retail than era-TBC-early wotlk. It's all reused content as well and they didn't add new races or race-class combos.

The only really exciting stuff was p1 with game changing runes like warlock tanks and healer mages, there's not really that much to discover in p2 or p3, as most runes don't change the gameplay too much and are only small improvements of P1 builds.

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TLT is a good place to add Vrykul

TLT could add Vrykul, Tuskarr, Taunka aswell as Frost Dwarfes. Keep in mind that they released a bunch of allied races for BfA, so there isn't a hard cap on them, and they can also be used to easily pad out patch content.

[allegrian]

TLT could add Vrykul, Tuskarr, Taunka aswell as Frost Dwarfes. Keep in mind that they released a bunch of allied races for BfA, so there isn't a hard cap on them, and they can also be used to easily pad out patch content.

I'd prefer if they just added one AR per expansion (or 2 if they are not neutral). This lets the AR have actual story and world building instead of being random creations from nowhere like vulpera, mechagnomes, void elves... Fun thing is Earthen will actually have 2 zones + a capital city and lots of quests, characters and lore. Unlike Dracthyr, who are a main race and have nothing.

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I highly doubt that we will get playable Tuskarr if we have not get them in DF. But who knows?

IMO we will get Ethereals in Midnight or TLT. Also pretty sure that the fact that we are getting Earthen in TWW implies that we will get more Allied Races in TWW. People are speculating about humanoid Nerubians which will be wild. Arathi humans could be an option I guess, especially if we see that they have an unique model in alpha. Otherwise I do not think that we will get them, because I think that at least all TWW's Allied Races will be neutral.



I believe that they are too big and I feel that they are more valuable as their own thing. Not every race has to become part of the Alliance or the Horde. IMO it is good that some races and parties persist outside our main factions. If in TWW we start to see doors taller than usual, though, they are becoming playable for sure

Just make them crouch when going near small doors.

[Darkarath]

Just make them crouch when going near small doors.

Oh god that would be perfect !!

I would feel so identified with that movement as a 200 cm guy that I would reroll immediately.

[Enrif]

Tbf, lots of classic dungeons fit the criteria of a modern sized raids, they aren't really small?

true. but if i look at the dungeons of DF, they aren't that claustrophobic either. They could easily allow a 10man raid.

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See that seems like the most logical explanation for what timerunning could be, but I just don't see how it would appeal to most people.

I adore pandaria, but we can already level alts there. Apart from reminding people that Y'shaarj/sha are a thing what is the significance of choosing pandaria for a kind of speed-levelling thing? Won't it render all other leveling options obsolete if its much faster.

In which case, it must not be for levelling, but its too 'open world' to be some kind of gauntlet or challenge. I have no idea

Just a idea about pandamonium and story, stuff: MoP was the first expansion that the wow story put a spotlight on anduin from start to finish. Pandamomium could be a "play as young anduin through pandaria"-mode. Where we see his dealings with Garrosh and Wrathion, the audience with the august celestials, how he went missing, and what he did on the timeless isle.

This would tie into TWW with giving people a new look at anduin, as some people don't really like him or don't know why they should care about him. Tie in a fun "survival" game mode and we got perhaps what this timerunning is about. witnessing the story of an expansion through the eyes of a certain character.

[Jaggler]

Nokhud Offensive (obviously), Halls of Infusion, Neltharus, Brackenhide Hollow and Azure Vault could be turned into mid-sized raids with very few adjustments i feel

[allegrian]

The point of leveling raids is to just pad the content with no need of creating new assets. Retail already does what sod does: Few levels every expansion and then 3-4 sesons with new raids. A retail expansion with 10 levels has no room to pad it even more like sod does with its 100+hour 1-60 leveling content.

The only expansion they could do anothern sod with, is cataclysm.

[Nathanyel]

The runes are at earliest for midnight, if they want to add them to retail. We heard talks about them wanting to add more support specs, but not revamp old specs for that. So a rune system like in SoD could be for the future, where, perhaps, any spec can be any role, depending on what runes you use? Mage tanks, warrior healers, dps holy priests, dps blood dk, tank boomkin, support enhancement shaman, support warlock and so on.

Don't think too much about the runes themselves, they're just a workaround to teach a Classic character a new ability and passive effects. In modern WoW they can just straight up add 4th specs, with multiple themed abilities and talents.

My guess is that Pandamonium is an extension on Timewalking in that you go through a highly condensed questline for Pandaria with some endgame stuff at the end for more currency and probably specific achievements and rewards. I would also expect SoO to appear as a Timewalking raid, possibly even with separate difficulties.

That's my bet as well, makes the most sense, would be the best choice. Basically a test bed for an MSQ-style mode or Path of the Curator, using the first expansion that had that modern path through its zones.
Completing that focused storyline would take you to a level appropriate for the current expansion, basically setting you to a specific level if not already higher than that, and granting a starter set to deal with the issue of skipping 20-30 levels.
Dungeon spam and other grinds would still be way faster, but it offers a chill way to level for alts and new players alike, offering a consistent story that doesn't yank you from zone to zone as you outlevel stuff.

Not sure I'd prefer Timewalking SoO or using SoO as a capstone dungeon/story finale akin to Exile's Reach's Darkmaul Citadel.

[Enrif]

Don't think too much about the runes themselves, they're just a workaround to teach a Classic character a new ability and passive effects. In modern WoW they can just straight up add 4th specs, with multiple themed abilities and talents.

Assuming Hero Talents are going to stay after TWW, it is highely unlikely that we will actually see 4th specs, and given the precedent with rogue/warlock tanks and mage healer in SoD with a simple rune (revamp for the glyph system perhaps?), seems more plausible then betting on 4th specs, that are a bit at odds with hero talents later on.

[Auxis]

So... chances of getting the news post today are slimming down, eh?
Likely we will get it tomorrow if at all?

[ImTheMizAwesome]

Btw, TWW alpha will already include items and such from 10.2.7 right?