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

[Alanar]

It's more customization because you can decide whether you wanna play Shadow Priest in your Shadow Form, or with your normal form.

Transmogging as a Shadow Priest is a pain in the ass.

I am still confused why making it passive would suddenly give it more options, that could simply be achieved with glyphs or an alternative barber shop option. What you actually achieve, is less freedom. I don't find that, but with the recent change to shadowform glyph makes you see your character a lot more. This will help in the meantime.

I am all for more options, but this isn't really it. I like my shadowform and having the option to turn it off/on when I please.

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I too have no idea how it supposedly randomly falls off.

First time hearing it as well.

I play shadow myself and I don't have this issue.

[Santandame]

No?

Diremaul was mostly demons, Satyr (but still heavily legion) and it never really touches on Fae. Even withthe Ancient and Treants. Even without those, if you go with feel, it's a much more Mage/Scholarly feel. You have the hidden library of knowledge, you have the feel of an ancient city that has crumbled into disrepair.

But ultimately, it's not really close to anything I put down?

He more often than not grossly misunderstands what people post so don’t worry about it too much.

I would like your idea for Avaloren. I’m personally championing for classic fantasy, Arthurian inspired with some Toussaint from Witcher 3 but I’d also like your idea.

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I mean, Torghast was pretty spooky.

Torghast was in the Maw, not Revendreth.

[Nibelheimy]

I think if world revamp someday happen, then adding racial campaigns would be a really good fit to go with it - each race dealing with new stuff in their respected zones and eventually just like order halls, joining each other to defeat the baddies.

It would be really cool to have a lot of new race specific cosmetics that you would unlock after doing some objectives, some hidden armor set like legion had a hidden artifact apperance etc.


The cinematic for that expansion could be very similar to the cinematic of vanilla, showing each races in different shot and such.

I've discussed this before and 'race order halls' would be fantastic.

[TeamWorldRevamp]

I think it will be pretty wild to see comments if it won't happen in 11.0.

I'm going to be very toxic i fear.

[Catastrophy349]

I love reading through these comments!

[Nerdslime]

Artifacts exactly as they were in Legion.

Torghast and Warfronts both with their core philosophy and design attached but with changes to make them more diverse in terms of aesthetics and appealing rewards wise(torghast) and designed around smaller groups with mini games included instead of just swarming mobs(warfronts).

Return of the mage tower with new challenges.

Islands based around exploration, riddles, adventure, mini games, puzzles.

Yes! This is a list I feel very strongly about. What a huge swath of missed opportunities. So many interesting gameplay features that could be fun and central to many expansions when reskinned with each new threat/area/etc. It has always disappointed me that Blizzard chose to abandon each and every one of these ideas instead of iterating on them until we had really awesome, polished, beloved game features that could be part of tons of future expansions. Maybe not every xpac needs (improved) Warfronts, but surely some do. Maybe not every xpac needs its own Torghast, but surely a lot could use it.

Had these been pursued, Blizzard wouldn't have to struggle so hard to find enjoyable, thematically-appropriate options for gameplay features every xpac. If they had iterated and polished these interesting, existing features they could just pick them out of the lineup each expansion/patch and watch players get excited for a new variant or whatever.

I feel like Blizzard have gotten the gear treadmills pretty close to correct as far as gameplay pillars go with M+ and Raiding and they finally seem to be embracing player customization. It'd be really nice to get a sort of casual, slower-burn, scalable content figured out and I feel like the "abandoned" features like Torghast and Islands and Warfronts provide the building blocks for that if they can just stick with it. Imagine if we were on Islands 3.0 or Warfronts 3.0 by now, with randomized modifiers and bonuses and variable party size/scaling difficulty? Really hard not to be frustrated or disappointed by the (so far) missed opportunity here.

[ZyntosAran]

Yes! This is a list I feel very strongly about. What a huge swath of missed opportunities. So many interesting gameplay features that could be fun and central to many expansions when reskinned with each new threat/area/etc. It has always disappointed me that Blizzard chose to abandon each and every one of these ideas instead of iterating on them until we had really awesome, polished, beloved game features that could be part of tons of future expansions. Maybe not every xpac needs (improved) Warfronts, but surely some do. Maybe not every xpac needs its own Torghast, but surely a lot could use it.

Had these been pursued, Blizzard wouldn't have to struggle so hard to find enjoyable, thematically-appropriate options for gameplay features every xpac. If they had iterated and polished these interesting, existing features they could just pick them out of the lineup each expansion/patch and watch players get excited for a new variant or whatever.

I feel like Blizzard have gotten the gear treadmills pretty close to correct as far as gameplay pillars go with M+ and Raiding and they finally seem to be embracing player customization. It'd be really nice to get a sort of casual, slower-burn, scalable content figured out and I feel like the "abandoned" features like Torghast and Islands and Warfronts provide the building blocks for that if they can just stick with it. Imagine if we were on Islands 3.0 or Warfronts 3.0 by now, with randomized modifiers and bonuses and variable party size/scaling difficulty? Really hard not to be frustrated or disappointed by the (so far) missed opportunity here.

Artifacts now with Talent trees could work like a really good evergreen system.

Just put the traits of the artifact into the next expansions talent tree expansion and get a new artifact.

[Shadochi]

I mean, that's reading a lot into that, just saying the zones are way more polished when they go into public testing compared to before Shadowlands.

So what you are saying is beta starts right after blizzcon we are getting beta, and expac zones with revamps are releasing in January /s

[Raetary]

The problem with racial campaigns is that that's essentially the niche that heritage quests are filling.

And wow has 24 seperate playable races.
While you can group up corresponding core races/ARs together, quite a few of them would lose their spotlight in favor of the other.

E.g, Zandalari and Trolls would be grouped, but lets not pretend that the Darkspear would get the most focus in that scenario.
Or how the Dranei and Velen would overshadow anything to do with the LFd, etc.

I've discussed this before and 'race order halls' would be fantastic.

You mean... capital cities?

[Shadochi]

One thing I would like to see with a revamp of EK and Kali is to add all the islands from island expeditions, and perhaps Exiles reach imported into the maps of current Azeroth zones just somewhere off shore (kinda like the distance between thaldraszus mainland), about a minute of dynamic flight away from the shore

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The problem with racial campaigns is that that's essentially the niche that heritage quests are filling.

While yes, still for some races they were quite underwhelming compared to other when regarding racial questlines. And for pretty much all races there is more that can be built in into a full campaign of at least 3-4 chapters

[ZyntosAran]

One thing I would like to see with a revamp of EK and Kali is to add all the islands from island expeditions, and perhaps Exiles reach imported into the maps of current Azeroth zones just somewhere off shore (kinda like the distance between thaldraszus mainland), about a minute of dynamic flight away from the shore

I kinda want all continents to be reachable without a loading screen, though they will obviously not do that with a EK and Kali revamp. Imagine you can fly from the Dragon Isles to EK without loading.

[Shadochi]

And for some stuff like Allied races there has been barely any story since they joined in (and pandas as well)

[pacotaco]

So, other than new continent/old world revamp, what features want and what do you expect?

Do you think we would get a new class so soon? I think it would be possible:
- The time spent on borrowed power is no free to use on classes (we've seen it in this expansion, with them revamping specs without having to wait to the next one)
- The addition of the evoker support spec makes me think they have more in mind. It's a bit weird to add just one new role and leave it there.

New races are also a possibility. I think we only got 1 because they didn't want to move the focus from the Evoker, and also they needed a specific rig for it. So they made that, and the visage form as a bonus.

[Sondrelk]

The problem with racial campaigns is that that's essentially the niche that heritage quests are filling.

And wow has 24 seperate playable races.
While you can group up corresponding core races/ARs together, quite a few of them would lose their spotlight in favor of the other.

E.g, Zandalari and Trolls would be grouped, but lets not pretend that the Darkspear would get the most focus in that scenario.
Or how the Dranei and Velen would overshadow anything to do with the LFd, etc.



You mean... capital cities?

Heritage questlines are more about celebrating old lore. Whereas what future racial storylines in revamped zones might do, and indeed should do, is introduce the races to new players.
It's not easy for a new player to know the first thing about the Forsaken for instance. You have the opening blurb, and the basic stuff that you can glean from the starting levelling. But for one that isn't even an option for new players. And secondly it's massively outdated.

All races should get some quests that explain what they are. What motivations guide them generally. And what you should expect from them in the future.
In the case of Forsaken. What makes them undead, and why they get raised. What Forsaken society looks like. And showing stuff like Forsaken trying to make new settlements.

[Shadochi]

So, other than new continent/old world revamp, what features want and what do you expect?

Do you think we would get a new class so soon? I think it would be possible:
- The time spent on borrowed power is no free to use on classes (we've seen it in this expansion, with them revamping specs without having to wait to the next one)
- The addition of the evoker support spec makes me think they have more in mind. It's a bit weird to add just one new role and leave it there.

New races are also a possibility. I think we only got 1 because they didn't want to move the focus from the Evoker, and also they needed a specific rig for it. So they made that, and the visage form as a bonus.

tbh I would be down for a borrowed power system BUT only for outdoors content and make the progression account wide (and I guess weekly caps that are account wide if its a grindy type).
BP in a similar sense would work in instanced PVE or PVP too but it just wouldn't feel that good losing it

[Nerdslime]

So, other than new continent/old world revamp, what features want and what do you expect?

Do you think we would get a new class so soon? I think it would be possible:
- The time spent on borrowed power is no free to use on classes (we've seen it in this expansion, with them revamping specs without having to wait to the next one)
- The addition of the evoker support spec makes me think they have more in mind. It's a bit weird to add just one new role and leave it there.

New races are also a possibility. I think we only got 1 because they didn't want to move the focus from the Evoker, and also they needed a specific rig for it. So they made that, and the visage form as a bonus.

- I don't think we're going to get a new class.
- I think we will get a couple new support specs, probably some of them dropping as patch content. I hope Blizzard reverses course and reconsiders their "not changing old specs to support" policy, which I know is a controversial opinion because people hold their specs very near and dear.
- I don't think we'll get an 11.0 race but I wouldn't be surprised to see an Allied Race batch in 11.2 or something.
- I hope for a casual gameplay pillar like Torghast or Islands with better implementation and incorporating the lessons they painfully learned last go-around.
- I hope for the return of Class Order Halls, or something very similar. I really liked the Class Order structure but I could see them switching it up into something more like Covenants or something like that again. I think Class Order Halls were a huge hit and I think Blizzard will want to recapture something like that.
- I'd like more server-wide, collaborative things. Like contributing to X or Y, or unlocking A or B. We need to build villages and gain bonuses in zones and stuff again, things that made the world feel reactive. I don't exactly expect this, per se, but I'd like it.
- I think we're gonna see more low-effort "invasion" mechanics littering zones. It's become kind of ridiculous in Dragonflight so I'd like them to learn a new trick but I won't hold my breath.
- In a long-shot sort of way, one of my eternal desires is housing with a system where professions and old content collide to provide furnishings and decor.

[NikolaiShade]

So, other than new continent/old world revamp, what features want and what do you expect?

Do you think we would get a new class so soon? I think it would be possible:
- The time spent on borrowed power is no free to use on classes (we've seen it in this expansion, with them revamping specs without having to wait to the next one)
- The addition of the evoker support spec makes me think they have more in mind. It's a bit weird to add just one new role and leave it there.

New races are also a possibility. I think we only got 1 because they didn't want to move the focus from the Evoker, and also they needed a specific rig for it. So they made that, and the visage form as a bonus.

Reasonable expectations: more customizations options, more class/race combos (maybe?) and maybe some specs reworked into support (mostly for pure dps classes).

For unreasonable and crazy hopes: a borrowed power for outdoor content like @Shadochi said, a new race (or two, Broken and Ogres) and class skins (yeah)

[Shadochi]

s and gain bonuses in zones and stuff again, things that made the world feel reactive. I don't exactly expect this, per se, but I'd like it.
- I think we're gonna see more low-effort "invasion" mechanics littering zones. It's become kind of ridiculous in Dragonflight so I'd like them to learn a new trick but I won't hold my breath.

Regarding this, I suspect they will tone it down in the next expansion, they have a good track record recently with toning down stuff people complain about. And DF has just been 1-3 invasion mechanics per patch

[pacotaco]

- I don't think we're going to get a new class.
- I think we will get a couple new support specs, probably some of them dropping as patch content. I hope Blizzard reverses course and reconsiders their "not changing old specs to support" policy, which I know is a controversial opinion because people hold their specs very near and dear.

Disc Priest would probable end changed into support (it's already half way).
They could easily add a couple of classes with 1 of the specs being support (tinker and night warrior) that also uses the underutilized types of gear (mail, bows/crossbows/rifles, glaives). I think it would be better: new class sells better than changing roles of existing specs.

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Reasonable expectations: more customizations options, more class/race combos (maybe?) and maybe some specs reworked into support (mostly for pure dps classes).

For unreasonable and crazy hopes: a borrowed power for outdoor content like @Shadochi said, a new race (or two, Broken and Ogres) and class skins (yeah)

Class skins would be cool too.

[Nerdslime]

Regarding this, I suspect they will tone it down in the next expansion, they have a good track record recently with toning down stuff people complain about. And DF has just been 1-3 invasion mechanics per patch

I hope you're right. I genuinely have a ton of faith in Blizzard and I think I am much more positive than negative about WoW and Blizzard than a lot of people but even I had a bit of a slack-jawed moment when I saw yet another invasion/storm/whatever.

Disc Priest would probable end changed into support (it's already half way).
They could easily add a couple of classes with 1 of the specs being support (tinker and night warrior) that also uses the underutilized types of gear (mail, bows/crossbows/rifles, glaives). I think it would be better: new class sells better than changing roles of existing specs.

Yeah, this isn't the best thread for the Support spec conversation but Disc is a perfect example of an existing spec I wish they'd turn into Support despite Blizz saying they don't plan to do so. Others include Arms Warrior planting banners to buff the party, Balance druid buffing healing and damage for the party based on moon phases, etc.