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

[flan1337]

you know chromie in the new dungeon supposedly stops Nozdormu from going infinite in our new timeline - however what if because this causes Iridikron to gain the essence of galakrond. What if now because of these events it causes Nozdormu from going infinite even more to prevent us from messing with the timeline. Thus bringing us more infinite content.

[Reive]

Fed up with elementals. They are in Onaharan, grinded to death for WQ and quest. They are in Wakin Shores, they are in Azure whatever. They are in every raid.

And they were BORING.

Amen

/10chars

[ercarp]

ofc. i wonder to what degree tho since dragonflight had already a lot of elemental stuff in it

There would be some overlap, no doubt, but Legion had overlap with WoD's themes too. It happens. I remember my initial reaction to Legion's announcement basically being, "Are you kidding me? More demons!? More fel!? I just spent a billion days in Tanaan Jungle looking at both and you think we want even more?"

But even with demons being the main theme of Legion, we ended up getting a lot of variety in zone aesthetics and stories. So I imagine the same will be true for 11.0 even if the main theme/overarching story is focused on elementals. Even with DF, the theme is dragons but we're still going around dealing with Tuskarr, Centaurs, Niffen, etc.

[Dismayxz]

Imagine if we go to Avaloren, but we only see a "small section of it (3-5 zones)." Then, in future patches/expansions, we expand (see more of it). Thoughts from the community?

Brought that idea up probably a 100 pages ago by now, but that just goes to say, I'm all with you on this.

[Baraden]

Id take everything over Avaloren tbh.
'Visiting every old continet in a wilde ride' Expansion
K'aresh expansion
'All events take place on Revamped Azeroth' expansion
But not visit another island with close to zero weight in comparison to all other isles.

Everything but not Avaloren and Elemental Expansion. Fed up with elementals. They are in Onaharan, grinded to death for WQ and quest. They are in Wakin Shores, they are in Azure whatever. They are in every raid.

And they were BORING.

Agree completely

Another landmass that we had no inclination of until recently; and it will be forgotten as soon as 12.0 drops

Do they forget they already have a huge map to use? Update and repurpose existing zones

[Darkarath]

Is Iridikron going to use something with the decay magic to bring Razsageth back...?

Hell yes. I certainly hope so. In fact I hope that Iridikron goes to Northrend and turns the Plague into the NEW Plague of Decay, and while he is there, he can also reanimate Galakrond.

We should be asking ourselves where is Iridikron right now. He got an artefact and imbued it with Decay. I am guessing that with that power he would reanimate someone or something. But the possibilities are too many.

I would discard the Old Gods as even reanimated it is almost certain that he would not be able to control them. Galakrond he might control. What else? Raszageth of course, and the corpses of any big dragons. Onyxia and Nefarian again? Doubt that they go that way.

In any case, he will need a new army. What better army than the Plague infused with Decay?

[Eeram]

Here's an interesting conversation: Who are/should be the "villains" of 11.0? You may answer this question for the initial start of 11.0, or the entire expansion.

We already know its Teriz. The Elemental Dragonflying Tinker
But more seriously its going to be Nightsquall at the start but well see more of Iridikron at the end im sure

[ro9ue]

Here's an interesting conversation: Who are/should be the "villains" of 11.0? You may answer this question for the initial start of 11.0, or the entire expansion.

11.0 Iridikron - Inciting incident, earth magic splits open Azeroth, uncovers ruins and disturbs hidden places for zone content --> Find out lost secrets

11.1 Odyn - Titan lies --> Elune was betrayed / Moon stuff

11.2 Azshara - The Moon, The Tides, The Void --> 12.0 Xalatath

[Nymrohd]

It's possible, though I imagine the devs were smart enough to realize a full expansion on Argus wouldnt work.
Looking back that might even be why we have three subareas of Argus, rather than one big zone. They might have started work on the zones and realized that Antoran Wasted and Krokuun were far too similar, and that Eredath wasnt enough to offset the inevitable Fel fatigue given you would have to focus on Demons all the time anyways.

Have Argus besieged by both Light and Void (which is the only way I could see as defeating the Legion on their homeworld, we'd have had strong allies)
One zone is Krokuun which is where the Light has a strong presence. The Xenedar will be much larger and be a dungeon there where we recover's X'era's body.

Eredath is a second zone clearly with a strong Void presence. The Void plot will stay similar culminating in old Seat of the Triumvirate and Alleria claiming L'ura

Then there will be a zone-sized city (bigger than Suramar) which will be the capital of the Eredar. It will be beneath something akin the ecodomes of the Ethereals who will have a limited presence there. Think it as a pleasure city of the Legion were demons go to be rewarded for their work in the Crusade by torturing captured mortals while also the logistics hub of the Legion. In the middle of the city lies the Palace of the Triumvirate with Nuuri ruling over the Legion as the sole remaining Triumvir, having replaced her husband when he abandoned his people. This would be a max level zone.
On a corner of the zone will be an area we explore earlier on, the Halls of the Boundless Reach, the portal network of the Legion. Through this place we travel to the other two major release zones of the expac, Rancora and Kerxan. Both will be large zones near the command centers of their respective planets where we sabotage the Legion so as to weaken their defenses. Kerxan is the place where the giant hands we collect in the Maw came from and I'd have it be the homeworld of the Antaen and the factory of the Legion. Meanwhile Rancora is the Aranasi homeworld and a verdant jungle.
Xoroth and Antoran Wastes would be added as patch zones.
First tier would have two raids, one in Kerxan where we destroy the Legion's space shipyard and one in Rancora where we find out how the Aranasi's webs were used to ensnare the Pantheon and we fail to prevent them from being transported to Antorus.
In Xoroth we explore the Citadel of the Nathrezim where the Nathrezim leadership has moved after the destruction of Nathreza. We go there looking for information on how to stop the demons' regeneration only to be led to the second raid in the Ruins of Nathreza were we explore what remains of the Archives to find out about Argus.
In the third tier we go on all out war, attacking the Palace and trying to stop Nuuri from rezzing KJ and Archimonde and then in the finale tier we finally enter the Antoran Wastes which protect Antorus and the world soul of Argus.

There, an Argus expac with tons of variety in environments.

- - - Updated - - -

Here's an interesting conversation: Who are/should be the "villains" of 11.0? You may answer this question for the initial start of 11.0, or the entire expansion.

If it's Avaloren, finish the story we have set up here. So Iridikron, Odyn, Azshara, Xal'atath. I'd have Azshara be an ally who betrays us at the very end of the expac and leads into the following xpac.

[ercarp]

Here's an interesting conversation: Who are/should be the "villains" of 11.0? You may answer this question for the initial start of 11.0, or the entire expansion.

Who they should be? Well, I'm guessing Odyn makes the most sense if we're going to be dealing with the heretics in Avaloren. I don't think he would be painted as the "good guy" in that scenario.

Who they're most likely to be? Honestly, based on Dragonflight, I think they'll just write new villains on the spot and try to make them interesting. None of the villains in DF worked for me, but others seemed to like them (seen a lot of positivity towards Iridikron, Fyrakk, and Raszageth) so I guess I'm in the minority there.

[Chickat]

Am I the only one who thinks the idea of Race Order Halls feels a bit weird? Race fantasy in WoW is just as important as class fantasy, sure, but something about separating the heroes of Azeroth into order halls by race just seems... off.

What reason would there be to even do that? Class Order Halls made sense from a lore perspective. I can't think of a single reason why Thrall would suddenly feel compelled to build a cool hangout spot with "ONLY ORCS ALLOWED" signs plastered all over the entrance.

Not sure but it could be cool.

[Nymrohd]

And what does that mean when DF is then tacitly understood to not be one? Will we go the full Cataclysm and have zones set in the actual elemental planes?

Iridikron shatters the World Pillar and the Elemental Plane is dispersed. We find out that the Elemental Plane was made by Ra and Helya by effectively stealing away areas from Azeroth. Therazane's Throne becomes an underground area beneath Lordaeron, the Firelands return where the Molten Core is, Skywall floats above Uldum and the Abyssal Maw stretches of the coast of Stonetalon (these are the locations were the Lords were based during Black Empire maps if we go by the map). So yes, full reprise of Cataclysm with the returned realms as zones plus a visual update of the old world.
I think it could work as a concept.

[Chickat]

It’s not real. I made this one up.

Well good job. It was cool.

[Nymrohd]

Am I the only one who thinks the idea of Race Order Halls feels a bit weird? Race fantasy in WoW is just as important as class fantasy, sure, but something about separating the heroes of Azeroth into order halls by race just seems... off.

What reason would there be to even do that? Class Order Halls made sense from a lore perspective. I can't think of a single reason why Thrall would suddenly feel compelled to build a cool hangout spot with "ONLY ORCS ALLOWED" signs plastered all over the entrance.

I mean we have race areas. They are called Capitals Cities. Absolutely revamp those. As for a reason to separate people by race, a full revamp of racials and possibly race-based class skins!

[Darkarath]

If it's Avaloren, finish the story we have set up here. So Iridikron, Odyn, Azshara, Xal'atath. I'd have Azshara be an ally who betrays us at the very end of the expac and leads into the following xpac.

It is curious because now that I think about It a little more, there are quite a few candidates for next expansion villains. Iridikron seems obvious but I think that he might be a shadowy figure for another expansion.

In 10.2 we are going to piss off Odyn in a big way. I think that the Titans / Keepers might be the villains. It seems clear that we are going to start a war against them sooner rather than later. It will all depend in how Tyr turns out to be. I can see Iridikron and Xal'athat leaving us alone while we kill their enemies for another expansion.

Azshara deserves her own expansion. He is not going to ally with anyone after N'zoth. Pretty sure that she is doing her own thing.

[Mecheon]

Agree completely

Another landmass that we had no inclination of until recently; and it will be forgotten as soon as 12.0 drops

Do they forget they already have a huge map to use? Update and repurpose existing zones

An expansion has to expand the game, though. That's ultimately the reason why we get new islands and the like. Cata already filled in all of the blank spots on the map previously, and Cata's big draws at the time did include being able to go to those blank spots, not just 'this is a world revamp'

You can't convince people to slap down $60 dollaridoos on "All the old stuff you already have, but vaguely different" when two of your competition, in GW2 and ESO, have made absolute bank in expansions of 'Going to new places we've known about but were arbiterily barred from accessing', and even FF14 does that with both "Let's go to the moon" and "Hey you know that South America that's just been a flavour text thing? We're going there". An expansion requires the game to expand, and 'just a world revamp' doesn't expand the game. It just pretties up what's already there

Now, frankly, I think the elemental theories are completely wrong because Dragonflight is blatently elemental themed as it is, and following up "Hey we just had Elementally Themed Dragons" with "Let's fight Elementally Themed Dudes" is a bad storyline beat

[ChairmanKaga]

Azshara deserves her own expansion.

Now that she is essentially uncoupled from the Naga I don't think she can carry a whole expansion anymore, unless she went and took over the Legion or something.

[NikolaiShade]

It is curious because now that I think about It a little more, there are quite a few candidates for next expansion villains. Iridikron seems obvious but I think that he might be a shadowy figure for another expansion.

In 10.2 we are going to piss off Odyn in a big way. I think that the Titans / Keepers might be the villains. It seems clear that we are going to start a war against them sooner rather than later. It will all depend in how Tyr turns out to be. I can see Iridikron and Xal'athat leaving us alone while we kill their enemies for another expansion.

Azshara deserves her own expansion. He is not going to ally with anyone after N'zoth. Pretty sure that she is doing her own thing.

Crazy theory: tyr has been "compromised" and we have to stop him. Unknowing (or ignoring) the circumstances odyn retaliates against mortals. He does something and the algarians help the mortals. And so the mortal races seek the aid of the "heretics" of avaloren

[Catastrophy349]

"IF" a "leak" does happen prior to BlizzCon, I hope that it is something so "minor" that we can speculate a ton about, yet isn't enough to spoil the announcements of BlizzCon either.

[Sondrelk]

An expansion has to expand the game, though. That's ultimately the reason why we get new islands and the like. Cata already filled in all of the blank spots on the map previously, and Cata's big draws at the time did include being able to go to those blank spots, not just 'this is a world revamp'

You can't convince people to slap down $60 dollaridoos on "All the old stuff you already have, but vaguely different" when two of your competition, in GW2 and ESO, have made absolute bank in expansions of 'Going to new places we've known about but were arbiterily barred from accessing', and even FF14 does that with both "Let's go to the moon" and "Hey you know that South America that's just been a flavour text thing? We're going there". An expansion requires the game to expand, and 'just a world revamp' doesn't expand the game. It just pretties up what's already there

Now, frankly, I think the elemental theories are completely wrong because Dragonflight is blatently elemental themed as it is, and following up "Hey we just had Elementally Themed Dragons" with "Let's fight Elementally Themed Dudes" is a bad storyline beat

There is more to expand on than just new zones though. Expand on lore is also a core part of an expansion, and there is plenty of lore available in older areas that could, and should be continued.

The actual new area is a surprisingly small part of the greater whole offered by a new expansion. And the bit you lose in having a new name is ideally regained in getting a more in-depth look at Dwarves when Dagran is old enough to become king for instance.

And of course a world revamp could expand on areas we have not necessarily seen fully anyways. Making Shadowforge city explorable for instance. Or making Gilneas a functioning capital city.