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

[Cheezits]

The fact that the "Stormriders are known across Azeroth" keeps bugging me if Khaz Algar is hidden/disconnected from Azeroth.

[Scyth]

Priest - Bow based dps spec, something like tyrande in hots.

Would love it if they did that. That or Glaive-based dps spec for priests

We really need another bow spec though.

[Cheezits]

Anyone see this art before?



https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...eak?p=54236824

Could be AI, but...

[Shadowferal]

Death Knights were spellbreakers from the abilities they used to have.

[Santandame]

So far I expect more or less this (of course many of this are hunches):

Continent, Avaloren (duh), 4 zones:

1. Khaz Algar - dwarf and titan theme, Magni with his brother, it will expand lore about Azeroth as titan and also origin of curse of flesh (prepare for another round of soft retcons). Snowy zone with a lot undergrounds structures.

2. 'Arturian' zone - human or vrykul theme (them and dwarfs were descendants of expeditions mentioned in Uldaman affected by curse of flesh), full light theme,Also Tyr's Guard will operate here. Seeds of 'Light is bad too' theme. Zone similar to Toussaint in Witcher 3. Main city and hub of this expac - castle in this zone.

3. 'Elemental' zone with more Avaloren natives, something like Ohn'Ahran - Thrall will fully regain his shaman powers after Legion. Uldum/Voldum style desert. Seeds for Shaman for every race in 11.0.5.

4. 'Heretics' zone with Old God temple. On our side Vyranoth, Alleria and N'zoth (similar as Guldan in WoD intro or Mephisto in D4). 'Dark forest' zone similar to Duskwood. Separated from 1/2 zone by desert in 3rd one.

Story: Avaloren was former domain of 5th Old God - Xalatath, who betrayed Void and try to rule Azeroth on her own. Remaining 4 Old Gods defeated her and trapped in dagger. Before that she and Iridikron were allies. Now he try to return her to full power.

First tier would be Iridikron (he will succeed, but die). 2nd Uldaz where Xalatath look for some McGuffin, 3rd final confrontation with Xalatath, but also freeing N'zoth and 'hell breaks loose scenario' - total war between Void and Light where both want to dominate Azeroth.

Not sure I see a desert zone happening if Avaloren is an Arthurian themed land. It wouldn’t feel very cohesive and we’d be going back to the more “theme park” feel of zones, which Blizz have been trying to move away from.

I think if Avaloren is indeed based on Camelot and Arthurian legend then we can expect it to hit pretty much the stereotypical western fantasy/fairy tale thematics. I see it as:

- Zone based on Camelot with a castle/city similar in size to Suramar taking up part of the zone. Enchanted woods, fairy glades, mushroom forests, prominent rivers, meadows etc.
- Khaz Algar as a heavily mountainous, craggy region full of ravines and unnatural thunderstorms. Dwarven cities and towns littered within fissures. It’s possible Uldaz is here too.
- A zone with a Scottish Highlands feel. Basically if Loch Modan was made today. This could be the “elemental” zone if we were to get one.
- A dark, evil swamp zone. Not like Nazmir’s tropical swamp but moreso Velen and Crookback Bog from The Witcher. Make it very witchy and necromantic. Lots is evil going ins here as well as some pagan cult like settlements. You could even bring the Drust bask and I could also see the gryphon texture we have finding it’s home here.
- As you said, an Old God inspired zone dedicated to Xal’atath but I don’t expect it to be themed around the usual Black Empire stuff we tend to get. Instead I’d make it more like a dark lane more typical you’d see in say an old Disney film or more along the lines of again, typical western fantasy. Possibly similar to Duskwood in the sense of a dark forest with villages littered throughout, some open to outsiders, others where they worship Xal. I’d also introduce an offshoot of Worgen like the Taunka with Tauren. Have them a lot more monstrous and demonic, think Balverines from the Fable games. They could be minions of Xal. An evil dark Maleficient style castle where Xal reigns. A vast thorn/bramble forest surrounding the castle.

If we do get a desert zone I see it more in line with the Australian outback, as suggested a few pages back.

[Sydrache]

Anyone see this art before?



https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...eak?p=54236824

Could be AI, but...

Couldn't someone smarter than me disect the irl picture to see if it's photo shop?

[Ferlion]

Anyone see this art before?



https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...eak?p=54236824

Could be AI, but...

I mean, the table or whatever it is behind the expansion box is a yogg saron face. I'm going to say that's AI.

[Ersula]

The fact that the "Stormriders are known across Azeroth" keeps bugging me if Khaz Algar is hidden/disconnected from Azeroth.

Yes, but the weapons don't say "Algarian" like the mount. Gryphon Riding Dwarves are an iconic Warcraft thing, so that matches up.

The same way that Alliance Kul Tirans help Kul Tiras join the Alliance when leveling in BFA. The time stuff is fucked up, BUT, Bolvar stuck in the ice and rezzing a Dracthyr is too fucked up timewise even for Blizzard.

DH is obvious why they couldn't be one, but until they add a new reason for DKs to be rezzed (Shadowlands stuff?) then I can see no new races getting it until then.

Then we go back to the reason they weren't given a melee spec in the first place: They're so big it would create visibility problems for melee specs.

I remember everyone kept saying the Dracthyr dragon form isn't bigger than a Tauren when Dragonflight was announced, and were eventually proven wrong. I love reminiscing.

I think if Avaloren is indeed based on Camelot and Arthurian legend then we can expect it to hit pretty much the stereotypical western fantasy/fairy tale thematics. I see it as:

I don't think Avaloren will geographically based on mythological england, since so much of Azeroth already is through its Tolkien references. The Titan naming conventions come directly from Arthurian, Celtic & Norse mythology: So Avaloren/Avalon isn't any different. It's just a Titan-related place.

[milkmustache]

Anyone see this art before?



https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...eak?p=54236824

Could be AI, but...

This just seems too convenient. Dwarven gryphon rider art right when the only piece of evidence we have for the expansion is "Algarian Stormrider".

Looking at the logo, it feels like it's the Classic logo with "Stormbreak" added on. I'm not totally convinced by the computer screen photo either lol. That being said, not sure where this art came from.

But hey, if it's just a title oveer the Classic logo, maybe that can be fuel to the revamp team

[Cheezits]

Yes, but the weapons don't say "Algarian" like the mount. Gryphon Riding Dwarves are an iconic Warcraft thing, so that matches up.
Then we go back to the reason they weren't given a melee spec in the first place: They're so big it would create visibility problems for melee specs.

I remember everyone kept saying the Dracthyr dragon form isn't bigger than a Tauren when Dragonflight was announced, and were eventually proven wrong. I love reminiscing.

Is that confirmed by Blizzard? Because Blizzard HAS said they should be getting more classes in the future, and they have spears and large weapons in lore cutscenes.

[Sydrache]

I would say Stormbreak is easily the best leaked* expected name at the very least.

[Sondrelk]

Couldn't someone smarter than me disect the irl picture to see if it's photo shop?

If it's fake I think the creator was smart enough to actually make the picture properly.

[Teriz]

.
They're never been worried about that before. It's never made in-universe sense for anything other than a Night elf to ride a nightsaber. Or an Orc to ride a Horse.

I’m talking as an expansion thematic. A storm rider gryphon might be a bit too race specific for an expansion theme.

That's true for the Dreamweaver but who wants to bet they designed it with the green flight in mind then afterwards decided it didn't match the canon for the Emerald Dream content. And even then it’s still a Dragon: That matches the theme of Dragonflight. And there are tons of Enscrolled Everqyrms in the Shadowlands; they're what take you to and from Oribos. How did you forget that?
They're literally the same thing. Exact same model. It's just a different name. Just like how a Stormrider is also a Gryphon. You even linked the wowpedia article that lists The Enscrolled Everwyrm as an example of an Anima Wyrm.

Yes, a type of anima Wyrm. The point is that there are no other anima wryms in shadowlands called Enscrolled Everwryms, just like there are no tangled dreamweavers on the dragon isles.

You wouldn’t think it would be weird to have NO Algarian Stormriders in Khaz Algar if this mount is based on Dwarven stormriders with Storm hammers and the like?

[Cheezits]

This just seems too convenient. Dwarven gryphon rider art right when the only piece of evidence we have for the expansion is "Algarian Stormrider".

Devils advocate: a gryphon and dwarf is going to be at the forefront of any "classic" themed expansion.

[Darkarath]

Anyone see this art before?



https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...eak?p=54236824

Could be AI, but...

If this is real it screams world revamp IMO.

That would make me happy

[milkmustache]

If it's fake I think the creator was smart enough to actually make the picture properly.

The logo looks good, but the edges of the image on the computer screen don't line up with the viewport window as well as being pretty harsh lines on an image that doesn't have harsh edges anywhere else. I won't call the logo fake yet, but the mockup on the computer screen I don't believe is real.

source: graphic designer by trade, just my opinion

[Dracullus]

Not sure I see a desert zone happening if Avaloren is an Arthurian themed land. It wouldn’t feel very cohesive and we’d be going back to the more “theme park” feel of zones, which Blizz have been trying to move away from.

Oh it's just filling the gaps, I see you have more or less same idea. But I think Blizzard always try to made zones varied, even at cost of cohesive theme. Pandaria was exception and I think it was most boring continent they made (beside Jade Forest).

[vintage79]

This just seems too convenient. Dwarven gryphon rider art right when the only piece of evidence we have for the expansion is "Algarian Stormrider".

Looking at the logo, it feels like it's the Classic logo with "Stormbreak" added on. I'm not totally convinced by the computer screen photo either lol. That being said, not sure where this art came from.

But hey, if it's just a title oveer the Classic logo, maybe that can be fuel to the revamp team

Anyone see this art before?



https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...eak?p=54236824

Could be AI, but...

Let's see:
the quality of potatoes from the times of saber-toothed tigers - check
Gryphon raider lineup with leaks - check
convenient time for another 'real leak' - check

[Ferlion]

The logo looks good, but the edges of the image on the computer screen don't line up with the viewport window as well as being pretty harsh lines on an image that doesn't have harsh edges anywhere else. I won't call the logo fake yet, but the mockup on the computer screen I don't believe is real.

source: graphic designer by trade, just my opinion

I mean, yes to a point, but also it seems rather odd that someone is good enough in a program to make the box art, but be poor enough at photoshop to make the screen look like a copy paste.

[Cheezits]

I like how there's a big carrot under the C in Warcraft. I think that looks good.