Midnight 12.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[Joshuaj]

"Original plot"

lol y'all say this with every expac...

[Dracullus]

So is Anduin going to come along in 11.2, or is he just completely sidelined again? Was it part of the original TWW plot to have his return mean more, or was it always for him to regain his light and then go back offscreen?

In 11.1 even main plot itself is sidelined.

[milkmustache]

"Original plot"

lol y'all say this with every expac...

Sure-- but it was confirmed recently that the plot shifted when Metzen returned and pitched the idea as a trilogy. So there was an "original plot".

[Black Rider]

We should have 11.2 PTR by now right?

[Limayria]

We should have 11.2 PTR by now right?

Soon yeah, probably in a week or two I could see us getting it June 4th or 5th after dastardly duos

[Khaza-R]

"Original plot"

lol y'all say this with every expac...

Tbf, its bound to happen on some level when you're working on two expansions simultaneously. Expansion 2 starts out as a nebulous idea and as it materializes it can change the course of expansion 1 to some degree.

This is why you don't see these deviations as much in the pre-WoD expansions.

[Joshuaj]

Sure-- but it was confirmed recently that the plot shifted when Metzen returned and pitched the idea as a trilogy. So there was an "original plot".

You mean the very early plot of when TWW wasn't even TWW yet?

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Sure, Metzen and co turned it into a trilogy, but plot changes happen a ton early on in expansion development. The same occurred with WoD, Legion, BFA, Shadowlands, and Dragonflight.

[Sondrelk]

So is Anduin going to come along in 11.2, or is he just completely sidelined again? Was it part of the original TWW plot to have his return mean more, or was it always for him to regain his light and then go back offscreen?

I imagine his story was designed more for when TWW seemingly led directly into Avaloren.

Probably won't have him do much for the rest of the expansion. But I could see him being important in Midnight given its literally closer to home. And him returning to Stormwind would free up Turalyon to spend Midnight in Quel'thalas.

Could also be in TLT for when we get to the actual ending with the World Soul itself.

[Dracullus]

We should have 11.2 PTR by now right?

No, we have 11.1.7 PTR active now. 11.2 is next patch.

There was once situation when 10.1 PTR started 2 weeks before 10.0.7 launch, but 10.1 release was 2 weeks earlier than usual 8 weeks, probably to make room for Diablo 4 launch.

You mean the very early plot of when TWW wasn't even TWW yet?

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Sure, Metzen and co turned it into a trilogy, but plot changes happen a ton early on in expansion development. The same occurred with WoD, Legion, BFA, Shadowlands, and Dragonflight.

Yeah, people overestimate how far was TWW in production when he returned. Metzen had established setting, art & zones, not whole damn expansion.

Undermine being completely side plot could be just his style. Remember Throne of Thunder - how it moved war plot? Or Firelands Deathwing plot? Or Ulduar Lich King plot?

[Black Rider]

Soon yeah, probably in a week or two I could see us getting it June 4th or 5th after dastardly duos

Come on Blizz, do something
https://x.com/algalon_ghost/status/1925676080712548762

[Nize]

I think we'll have another livestream reveal of 11.2 before the PTR drops.

[milkmustache]

You mean the very early plot of when TWW wasn't even TWW yet?

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Sure, Metzen and co turned it into a trilogy, but plot changes happen a ton early on in expansion development. The same occurred with WoD, Legion, BFA, Shadowlands, and Dragonflight.

Yes. That is clearly what I was referring to.

[Lahis]

So is Anduin going to come along in 11.2, or is he just completely sidelined again? Was it part of the original TWW plot to have his return mean more, or was it always for him to regain his light and then go back offscreen?

Well his story is concluded for now. He has dealt with his Shadowlands PTSD enough to gain his Light back, and even has gained new understanding of Varian.

Next step for his story is to deal with his Kingship; either to accept it with renewed determination, or abjucate the crown to someone else. Neither of which he can really do on Ka'resh so I don't think he will be much of a part of 11.2 main story. 11.2.5 or 11.2.7 extra storylines culd see him returning to Stormwidn to prepare for Midnight.

[Joshuaj]

Yes. That is clearly what I was referring to.

Dunno why that matters tbh. Didn't matter for the other expansions

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Why? Y'all looking for some Progenitor retcon or summ?

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Well his story is concluded for now. He has dealt with his Shadowlands PTSD enough to gain his Light back, and even has gained new understanding of Varian.

Next step for his story is to deal with his Kingship; either to accept it with renewed determination, or abjucate the crown to someone else. Neither of which he can really do on Ka'resh so I don't think he will be much of a part of 11.2 main story. 11.2.5 or 11.2.7 extra storylines culd see him returning to Stormwidn to prepare for Midnight.

I had a theory and I talked to a couple folks about it recently...

What if Arator ends up not only being the actual child of Light and Shadow in Midnight, but also the future emperor of the Arathi Empire? And what if, during the Arathi Empire expansion (cause there's no way it won't be an expac in the future), he and Anduin go on a journey to become better leaders for their people?

I can imagine it now: Emperor Arator and King Anduin! Arathor and Stormwind!

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I mean, he kinda already has the King Arthur and Arathi-esc look with the upcoming Midnight prequel book

[Timester]

I'm already suffering from Elf fatigue. I'm hoping everyone's just blowing Metzen's statement out of proportion, that there will be more to Midnight than just fucking Elves.

Better not read the forums then, it's not Blizzard's fault. Because TWW hardly has elfs, and I'm saying hardly because of Alleria and the stolen body of Xal.

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"Original plot"

lol y'all say this with every expac...

To be fair, they did came out and said it, the story went from 3 patches to ~9 patches and with Metzen changing things, so most certainly there was an original pre-Metzen TWW plot.

[huth]

No, it's actually great for pvp. People shouldn't be "better" because they have an addon.

And for PVE, I imagine it will take away some toxicity aswell. Does it help that someone with omni CD can play backseat gamer and tell you to press ability XY cause they see you have it ready? Yes maybe but it shouldn't be something people can do without consens, atleast.

The only thing that may be annoying is not seeing who has an interrupt ready but they already said they plan to scale back the game so you don't have to anyways, which again is a good direction aswell. Also, there is still the classic way of assigning marks to each player for interrupts.

I'm reminded that the end boss of most stories in the southernmost Azj-Kahet delve is impossible as solo moonkin because he'll just kill you with his second cast while you have no means to stop him. And Brann seems to not consider it worth his time to use his interrupt in that fight.

I'm fine with there being fights where interrupts are important even without all the addons. We've managed that in the past too. But Blizz should at least make sure they are actually going to be available for it.

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Tanks and healers are gonna suffer greatly when they can't know what tools they have available to save your asses.

DPS players never cared about defensive CDs to begin with, so nothing changes for them.

Talk to the rest of the group. That's a thing you can do.

[milkmustache]

Dunno why that matters tbh. Didn't matter for the other expansions

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Why? Y'all looking for some Progenitor retcon or summ?

A lot of us are capable discussing lore without it always returning to 10 pages on the Progenitors. All I was asking is if people expect Anduin to have more involvement in 11.2 as he was prominently displayed in the main campaign.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

38 total Lorewalking is.. at least a bit confidence inspiring, can't deny that. Might need a correction cause that seems excessive if they've planned that many with curent speculation having been 3 + 1 (Elf).

Source: https://butwhytho.net/2025/05/warcra...bit-interview/

Quotation: "but that’s only one of thirty-eight questlines a player can choose from".

I may chalk it up to just the interviewer or Maria Hamilton/Paul Kubit misunderstandings and it might get corrected later. But we'll see if they really have that far plans for Lorewalking that's a good thing for the future prospects of their narrative ambitions.

[Sondrelk]

38 total Lorewalking is.. at least a bit confidence inspiring, can't deny that. Might need a correction cause that seems excessive if they've planned that many with curent speculation having been 3 + 1 (Elf).

Source: https://butwhytho.net/2025/05/warcra...bit-interview/

I thought some of those were just old questlines repackaged in a more convenient format. Stuff like the Xal'atath questline from BfA made more apparent so people who have only heard Knaifu won't be confused on why a knife is suddenly an elf with attractive feet.
Could easily be loads of similar questlines. Anduin questline to explain why he has PTSD. Mac'aree questline to explain why Alleria is Void infused. Etc.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

I thought some of those were just old questlines repackaged in a more convenient format. Stuff like the Xal'atath questline from BfA made more apparent so people who have only heard Knaifu won't be confused on why a knife is suddenly an elf with attractive feet.
Could easily be loads of similar questlines. Anduin questline to explain why he has PTSD. Mac'aree questline to explain why Alleria is Void infused. Etc.

Honestly, to be fair maybe its referring to Artifact Weapon questchains and its just a misquote. Its' funny, at least. I mean if nothing else I like Lorewalking even if again its just a small step to get out of the chasm they're in.

(Also honestly, I preferred them bundling each Expansion into one massive rich campaign that could be used as marketing and levelling experience but this is more the bite-sized chunk version of what I envisioned they could do.)