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

[Grimbold21]

Make us knights of the circular desk

The last thing this game needs is the player as a key figure in the lore.

[Raetary]

All i want is Shadowform to receive the same love as Moonkins are getting rn.

Multiple new voidy visual effect options, with toggable overlays as well as an option for intensity.

[Leowyld]

If you notice, 10.2 is lacking in minor features compared to major patches. Besides new druid form options its just a raid & zone. But that's by design & I think it's a good design: To move all the non-season additions to the game in minor patches to keep the content release schedule rapid.

WoD was actually a shorter expansion, but it had radically less content patches. While BFA also had a rapid release schedule, but it was considered a long expansion: The average of all expansions is 2 years. Some last longer & some last shorter.

So Dragonflight could go short (August 2024 release) or it could go long (January 2025) but I'd bet on the Average. (November 2024 release) In which case we should expect a 10.3 and I think the "roadmap" of Dragonflight is them finding a cadence of patch releases that keeps everyone happy. It's not actually more than Legion, it's just chopped up in a very manageable way.

That makes sense. It is interesting, though. The timing for 10.2 lines up more with 8.3, which was on PTR during BlizzCon and released after. Although, 10.2 is about a month further along, I acknowledge. 8.3 didn't release until the following January and 10.2 will likely release in November. I think we will at least have 10.2 minor patches. But I'm still not sold on 10.3 being a thing yet. I do think any remaining story content we see will be self-contained Dragon Isles stuff, otherwise the next expansion announcement would somewhat spoil it.

[Teriz]

Torghast 2.0, underground, delving ever deeper, fighting your way to riches/power would/could be super cool.

Torghast was nearly awesome, given the right mixture it could be a big thing. Just gotta nail that balance and reward. Easy right ;D

Perhaps similar to the "Dungeon Run" mini game in Hearthstone that was introduced in Kobolds and Catacombs where you grind through underground dungeons for loot and prizes? Quite possible if we're getting an underground expansion. Toweliee's statements are still valid because nothing yet has disproved the possibility that we're heading underground next expansion. Even Khaz Algar is possibly underground.

[pacotaco]

The fuck else do you think they go to?

Well, they were supposed to be elementals that became fleshy. But after finding Tyr's experiments, that's in the air now.
If you take into account the Oracle talking in Draconic, I wouldn't be shocked if dragons are actually from the Life Realms and Tyr simply infused them with the elements and then made up a cover up saying "hey, it wasn't me, they were already like that".
That would also explain why Elunaria has dragons apparently unrelated with the ones in Azeroth.

[Nightshade711]

All i want is Shadowform to receive the same love as Moonkins are getting rn.

Multiple new voidy visual effect options, with toggable overlays as well as an option for intensity.

This would be cool. If they really went down the rabbit hole I’d like a holyform option. It feels really weird playing a shadow priest LFD sometimes.

But I also would like the old shadowform to come back, maybe with increased resolution on the effects. I miss the whole “featureless shadow” thing it used to have going on.

[Lady Atia]

While I think 10.2 is gonna have the last proper "raid tier", I do expect a small Trial of Valor/Ruby Sanctum-esque raid to set up the next expansion (as well as Fated, obviously). Maybe the Fated (obviously wouldn't really fit thematically) mechanic is gonna be related to the raid.

You know what's weird - they seemingly removed some weapons from the raid that were originally part of the transmog ui already - f.e. the elemental outdoor bow (which I think was supposed to be from honour) or the cool axestaff which now only has 2 tints that come from pvp, while the pve tints are missing. Of course they could come back either via season 4 pvp, or maybe new outdoor content down the line ... or they save them for something else. Or it's just a bug and they will all be back with the next builds haha.

Edit: Actually managed to find the bow which was weirdly not listed at the start of the list haha.

[Ersula]

That makes sense. It is interesting, though. The timing for 10.2 lines up more with 8.3, which was on PTR during BlizzCon and released after. Although, 10.2 is about a month further along, I acknowledge. 8.3 didn't release until the following January and 10.2 will likely release in November. I think we will at least have 10.2 minor patches. But I'm still not sold on 10.3 being a thing yet. I do think any remaining story content we see will be self-contained Dragon Isles stuff, otherwise the next expansion announcement would somewhat spoil it.

Yes, but the big difference here is BFA started mid August, but Dragonflight started late November. So in that sense, BFA would be exactly one raid tier ahead. And 8.3 testing didn't start till October, while 10.2 was up for testing a month earlier & Dragonflight patch testing windows have been smaller.

[Wangming]

The last thing this game needs is the player as a key figure in the lore.

Would you rather just tag along while others do the important stuff for you?

[Ersula]

Would you rather just tag along while others do the important stuff for you?

I think we can all agree we like it when we're present in major events, but pretending your personal character is this major mythical hero given a non-descript title like "The Mawwalker" or "Hero of Light" is cringe. Let the game acknowledge that there are many heroes in this world.

[Leowyld]

Would you rather just tag along while others do the important stuff for you?

It's one thing I like about FFXIV - don't worry I like WoW more, overall - you feel like a character in a story. And not just a convenient tool/soldier for the real characters of a story to use. But that is a matter of personal preference. Some people don't like that sort of thing, I guess. I'll even go further and say I like how Guild Wars 2 gives your character an actual voice and personality. I understand the merits of the silent protagonist philosophy, but it's sometimes refreshing to see an alternative.

[Dracullus]

Yeah, it being under the same key as the pre-order stuff only means it will decrypt at the same time (but it could show up in-game later on or at the same time), it doesn't mean you necessarily need to pre-order it to be actually available.

I think it will be achievement for some new content unlocked by pre-order - like AR for BfA or small quest for transmog from SL pre-order mount. Either special races for Algarian Stormrider mount (or all gryphon mounts) or just reward for completing any existing race with gryphon.

[Makorus]

I think we can all agree we like it when we're present in major events, but pretending your personal character is this major mythical hero given a non-descript title like "The Mawwalker" or "Hero of Light" is cringe. Let the game acknowledge that there are many heroes in this world.

Nothing is worse than playing second fiddle to characters that do absolutely nothing but get all the praise. It makes no sense whatsoever to be "just a nameless soldier!" at this point, and is probably the most immersion breaking thing in the game.

GW2 was like that: we were the sidekick to a character for most of the base game and it was ass. It has become better when the game acknowleged that yeah, you are a big deal.

[Grimbold21]

Would you rather just tag along while others do the important stuff for you?

I prefer the player to be a passing mention.

[Wangming]

Nothing is worse than playing second fiddle to characters that do absolutely nothing but get all the praise. It makes no sense whatsoever to be "just a nameless soldier!" at this point, and is probably the most immersion breaking thing in the game.

GW2 was like that: we were the sidekick to a character for most of the base game and it was ass. It has become better when the game acknowleged that yeah, you are a big deal.

This is what I like about SWTOR. Especially the class specific leveling experience. You really do actually feel like the main character. Plus it is something your class would do? Imagine being a Rogue and being forced to lead the Army of the Light or something retarded like that.

[ImTheMizAwesome]

I like being the hero and being mentioned in the game, it would be even better to tell off to some characters that you have to follow like a puppy for some questlines, so they atleast aknowledge that.

[Makorus]

This is what I like about SWTOR. Especially the class specific leveling experience. You really do actually feel like the main character. Plus it is something your class would do? Imagine being a Rogue and being forced to lead the Army of the Light or something retarded like that.

Yeah, that's the issue with WoW, I think. A lot of storylines are very, very faction or class-specific to a point where as a specific race/class/faction I would have to wonder why I even help?

GW2 always has a big ulterior motive even in terms of small stories. I don't necessarily participate in the Charr civil war, I do it because they allied themselves to an Elder Dragon. Is it an amazing plot device? Of course not. But at least it gives a reason for every single class or race to participate.

Not everything in WoW is an offender in that regard, but every single Tyrande questline as a Horde makes you go: Why am I even helping?

[Wangming]

Yeah, that's the issue with WoW, I think. A lot of storylines are very, very faction or class-specific to a point where as a specific race/class/faction I would have to wonder why I even help?

GW2 always has a big ulterior motive even in terms of small stories. I don't necessarily participate in the Charr civil war, I do it because they allied themselves to an Elder Dragon. Is it an amazing plot device? Of course not. But at least it gives a reason for every single class or race to participate.

Not everything in WoW is an offender in that regard, but every single Tyrande questline as a Horde makes you go: Why am I even helping?

Also nowadays WoW tries to do more cutscenes and make things more cinematic. But the engine was not made with that in mind, and neither were character animations and facials. It just feels off.
Which is why I'm glad BfA had actual CGI cinematics for the real important parts.

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I like being the hero and being mentioned in the game, it would be even better to tell off to some characters that you have to follow like a puppy for some questlines, so they atleast aknowledge that.

In SWTOR you can even kill off a few characters if you don't like them. Now THAT is good.
On the flip side SWTOR absolutely fails as an MMO. But it is a really good RPG.

[Nightshade711]

Would you rather just tag along while others do the important stuff for you?

There are points where that’s okay.
Cinematics/moments like Varian’s last stand on the Broken Shore feel much more impactful than the cinematic/moments like us killing N’zoth for example.

Wow in recent history is just missing those badass/hero moments for characters other than our own.

[Hitei]

In SWTOR you can even kill off a few characters if you don't like them. Now THAT is good.
On the flip side SWTOR absolutely fails as an MMO. But it is a really good RPG.

But that's why it's not "good" at all.