The War Within 11.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[Worldshaper]

So I guess the details are one thing. But when it comes to the broader strokes of the expansion's theme, it seems likely that we've got:

• The Harbinger (likely Xal'atath), Queen Azshara, and Iridikron will cause a threat to Azeroth, comprised of the Void and possibly elemental forces. Other Old Gods may or may not be involved. It is unclear how closely their goals align, but Azshara wants to rule while the Harbinger wants to carry out an awakening.
• Khaz Algar will be the location, or one of them. It might have something to with Avaloren, which might be on the other side of Azeroth. But it could be something closer to home. There's a chance it is below ground, but not guaranteed.
• Given that they will have just been empowered at this point, the Dragon Aspects are likely to be part of the story. So is Thrall, the World Shaman.
• Gryphons, flying, storms, the elements, etc. seems like they'll be part of the expansion, but it remains to be seen to what degree.

[xin16]

I'm worried that if we get 11.0 being about Elements and Shamans that would kind of be the same themes of Dragonflight. We've spent the whole expansion fighting elementals or fire things apart from Dragons, would kind of be weird to do the same thing the expansion after that.

[Fahrad Wagner]

Or it's Magni, representing earth since he was diamond the last time we saw him.

Let me introduce you to our diamond of the season...

[ImTheMizAwesome]

So with magni probably returning i wonder what will become a new WOONS

[Raetary]

So with magni probably returning i wonder what will become a new WOONS

If he makes us snort Azerite again, i will shove him into the nearest lava pit.

[Woggmer]

Well I think updating assets to be HD would rock still - including outlands. I think there is still so much we can do to make that content useful to spice things up. I believe blizzard has also talked about how they could use timewalking to bring us back into those areas.

Oh, that's not possible... even if Blizz wants to, that is actually impossible. TBC's code is old, so Blizz has to be careful not to change too much to TBC like Azuremyst, Bloodmyst, Eversong, Ghostlands and Outland.. if the changes get too drastic in Silvermoon (like a fully rebuilt city) then those changes will effect places like Outland or other areas because they all share the same zone server. This is why Silvermoon is still looks the same.

If they do a revamp, they could connect Ghostlands and Eversong Forest to the mainland... but the Azuremyst and Bloodmyst isles are tricky since they're too far away from the actual mainland.. that they would need to construct a whole boat route for them.

[ImTheMizAwesome]

If he makes us snort Azerite again, i will shove him into the nearest lava pit.

Magni and toddy whiskers make a team and will yell into your ears about azerite in next expansion.

[Sondrelk]

Oh, that's not possible... even if Blizz wants to, that is actually impossible. TBC's code is old, so Blizz has to be careful not to change too much to TBC like Azuremyst, Bloodmyst, Eversong, Ghostlands and Outland.. if the changes get too drastic in Silvermoon (like a fully rebuilt city) then those changes will effect places like Outland or other areas because they all share the same zone server. This is why Silvermoon is still looks the same.

If they do a revamp, they could connect Ghostlands and Eversong Forest to the mainland... but the Azuremyst and Bloodmyst isles are tricky since they're too far away from the actual mainland.. that they would need to construct a whole boat route for them.

I think you are overstating the difficulties. The old versions of the zones are still likely to be available, so they wouldn't have to touch the ones in the TBC instances. They wouldn't have to move anything.
All they would have to do is add new zones to EK and Kalimdor, which they did just fine in Cataclysm.

- - - Updated - - -

Magni and toddy whiskers make a team and will yell into your ears about azerite in next expansion.

"There are WOONZ atop these peaks!"

[Auxis]

Absolutely. There could be a massive cave beneath Alterac (we never saw the Titan ruins the entire fight happens for). We know Uldaman extends further below, it could open into a vast cavern system. The land around the sword could collapse, opening tunnels underground. And yes, it could just be that we just get a new continent/island like Avaloren and one of the zones there is underground.

I might be blanking on this: what fight?

[Nymrohd]

I might be blanking on this: what fight?

Alterac Valley battleground? The dwarves went there to examine Titan Ruins and intruded on the land the Frostwolves claimed. We never actually see the Titan Ruins though.

[Santandame]

It would make sense, with all the elemental references in the encrypted data.

WHAT elemental references?

[Woggmer]

I'm worried that if we get 11.0 being about Elements and Shamans that would kind of be the same themes of Dragonflight. We've spent the whole expansion fighting elementals or fire things apart from Dragons, would kind of be weird to do the same thing the expansion after that.

Doesn't feel like it, we only really focused on the Primalist at the start of the expansion... After that once we got to the Forbidden Reach, most of the expansion was focused on the Sundered Flame and Sarkareth.. and the other half was focused on the Djaradin.. then we spent time fighting the Infinite Dragonflight... and now the full attention is on Fyrakk and the Druids of the Flame. Sure, Smolderon is there, but we know next to nothing about why he's actually there aside from Fyrakk trying to steal his molten energy to give him a power boost.

If Kurog didn't die in the first raid and became a recurring villain and gave more depth about the primalists through the whole expansion then I would agree that it was an elemental expansion. However, the fact that they were treated like a footnote compared to the other baddies we faced in the Dragon Isles gives the impression we're gonna see them again down the line.

I'm not tired of the elementals but I am getting sick and tired of the dragons, especially the Sundered Flame and Sarkareth who's whole character is 'a whiney-ass entitled chump.'

[Lady Atia]

Doesn't feel like it, we only really focused on the Primalist at the start of the expansion... After that once we got to the Forbidden Reach, most of the expansion was focused on the Sundered Flame and Sarkareth.. and the other half was focused on the Djaradin.. then we spent time fighting the Infinite Dragonflight... and now the full attention is on Fyrakk and the Druids of the Flame. Sure, Smolderon is there, but we know next to nothing about why he's actually there aside from Fyrakk trying to steal his molten energy to give him a power boost.

If Kurog didn't die in the first raid and became a recurring villain and gave more depth about the primalists through the whole expansion then I would agree that it was an elemental expansion. However, the fact that they were treated like a footnote compared to the other baddies we faced in the Dragon Isles gives the impression we're gonna see them again down the line.

I'm not tired of the elementals but I am getting sick and tired of the dragons, especially the Sundered Flame and Sarkareth who's whole character is 'a whiney-ass entitled chump.'

Smolderon wants to use the Emerald Dream as fuel to expand the Firelands, he literally says so in the new raid.

[Woggmer]

I think you are overstating the difficulties. The old versions of the zones are still likely to be available, so they wouldn't have to touch the ones in the TBC instances. They wouldn't have to move anything.
All they would have to do is add new zones to EK and Kalimdor, which they did just fine in Cataclysm.

The only reason they didn't was because at the time, you still had to pay for TBC, Wrath, and Cata separately. Which meant that they had to keep the TBC zones out of the Cata revamp. (In their defense, TBC was the 'first' expansion they've ever done so they didn't figure out which stuff was or wasn't accessible in an expansion.)

Nowadays they can do it anyway because all the old expansions including zones, races, and classes like Death Knights and Monks are bundled with the baseline game.

[quellious]

WHAT elemental references?

The elemental mount from Blizzcon as well as the "Stormrider" stuff.

[Woggmer]

Smolderon wants to use the Emerald Dream as fuel to expand the Firelands, he literally says so in the new raid.

Then I hope they better give a good explanation about the Cult of Ragnaros plotline and why he went missing... I'll be really mad if the only brought Smolderon in just to prop up Fyrakk and abandoned the whole Cult of Ragnaros plotline (especially since it was main reason for the Dark Irons to be a playable race.)

[Alanar]

the report states that their behaviour, appearance and language are similar but physiologically different

basically, they look like dwarves but who have probably partly resisted to the curse of flesh, since the report speaks of "creatures".

So this sounds more like these dwarves have arms or legs still iron and some bits have been effected with the curse.

[Auxis]

Alterac Valley battleground? The dwarves went there to examine Titan Ruins and intruded on the land the Frostwolves claimed. We never actually see the Titan Ruins though.

Hmm, didn't realize it was an archaeological expedition, thought it was just a territory/resource dispute.

Although they could just be relics left over from Archaedas' parties flight down to the Badlands? There doesn't really seem to be a purpose for a facility to be there unless it's something we're unaware of (titanforged facilities are either 1) prisons, 2) testing grounds (Un'goro, Vale of Eternal Blossoms, Sholazar, one could also say Tyrhold as it seems similar in effect given the magic water) or 3) storage facilities (Uldaman, Archavon's Vault, etc.))
I suppose it could be another vault left by Archaedas/Tyr/Ironaya?

[Raetary]

It reads like they are (visually) the dwarven equivalent of Mechagon gnomes.

[Sondrelk]

The elemental mount from Blizzcon as well as the "Stormrider" stuff.

The elemental mount is almost certainly just going to be a Blizzard mount to celebrate Blizzard specifically.
Last mount from Blizzcon was the big Blizzard bear, and the logic behind that one was the same.

Even beyond that, we have had Blizzcon rewards like the Wendigo Pyjamas.