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

[Sondrelk]

Except the Algarian Stormrider would be a really random heroic edition reward if we don't go there and that has basically only started being seeded with the DF prepatch too.

Could still be that it's not connected to Avaloren and they save that for later, but not based on "it's too soon". Either way we will definitely stay on Azeroth.

Unles Khaz Algar is on the Moon.

The other option I have considered is that Khaz Algar is a patch zone to be revealed later, and whatever Dwarves are there travel to us instead.

[Darkarath]

Mark my words: Avaloren is 12.0

Remember all the hints we were getting for Dragon Isles? In BfA? The same is happening now, it's seeding in things for two expansions from now.
What's happening next is something more akin to Shadowlands, probably some crap like Zereth Ordo, or something else to do with the Titans and Order. Or maybe even the realms of life. It will be something more cosmic, and we will return to Avaloren after that.

Going cosmic or just to another plane like the Lifelands so soon after SL would be... Very polemic, let us leave it at that.

But I agree that The Other Side of Azeroth and Avaloren are things that they are seeding for the future. At least, that is my hope.

11.0 hopefully would be a partial revamp, as it is highly unlikely that they would do it all at once. If we do not get the revamp now I guess that they will leave It for the 25th anniversary, in which case I would be sad

There are plenty of options for 11.0 and the little joy that I am getting from this leak season is that probably every single leak has been bullshit. Could you imagine getting to the reveal without a proper leak? Would be awesome.

[Harbour]

I lowkey want Algarian Rider leak to be fake. Was it even checked out by other people?

[Sondrelk]

I lowkey want Algarian Rider leak to be fake. Was it even checked out by other people?

Hard to imagine it's fake given it was taken from the game itself, not to mention the entire list was filled with other acheivements that have also similarly come out, like all the Warcraft Rumble toy achievements.

It's not impossible for Blizzard to make a fake name for the mount to throw off players, but that would be an exceptionally involved ruse given how the devs usually treat leaks.

[PotHockets]

The other option I have considered is that Khaz Algar is a patch zone to be revealed later, and whatever Dwarves are there travel to us instead.

I doubt this will happen but I wouldn't be shocked if the expansion is the revamp and then yeah we get Khaz Algar as a patch zone that works as a bridge to Avaloren and 12.0. Alternatively Khaz Algar could just be hidden somewhere on EK/Kalimdor. I know in game we can see everything but in game doesnt represent canon and there's still a lot of unexplored parts of Kalim/EK iirc.

[Samin]

I lowkey want Algarian Rider leak to be fake. Was it even checked out by other people?

Yes. Your best bet is that it's an intentional misdirect or maybe because it was kind of found in an unexpected way (would be weird to put a misdirect there) a placeholder text that is going to be changed.

edit: Although if I remember, they even datamined translations (which confirmed that Algarian means "of Algar") which really kills much chance that it's anything but the real deal.

[Leowyld]

Even if we don't go to Avaloren, we will almost definitely go the Khaz Algar, a place that was only mentioned first in Dragonflight. So, going to a place first mentioned in Dragonflight is looking like it will happen, despite objections.

And no, the Algarian Stormrider thing isn't a planted fake. They wouldn't put fake leaks in place because the risk is too high. What if they fake leaked something people really like and then they revealed it's not coming? No, it's genuine. I remember some people thought the Dragonflight title was a red herring, too. These things don't happen that way.

Edit P.S.: And I, for one, don't think that namedrops accrue automatic interest or lore because of time passed. Yes, we just found out about Avaloren and Khaz Algar, but they already have more lore than "established" places like Tel'Abim.

[Cheezits]

Khaz Algar makes a lot of sense as a zone in a revamp because we have seen little to no revamped Dwarf assets besides the new ram (which hasn't been ported to the dwarf mounts) and a few tanks. They may use a new Dwarf city as an "excuse" in development to make new dwarf assets that would be used for both HD Ironforge and Khaz Algar. And probably HD Alterac Valley as well!

[Kiivar86]

I lowkey want Algarian Rider leak to be fake. Was it even checked out by other people?

Unlikely to be fake given that the list included a bunch of other things (the mini figures for example) that weren't even known yet on it.

[Wangming]

Khaz Algar makes a lot of sense as a zone in a revamp because we have seen little to no revamped Dwarf assets besides the new ram (which hasn't been ported to the dwarf mounts) and a few tanks. They may use a new Dwarf city as an "excuse" in development to make new dwarf assets that would be used for both HD Ironforge and Khaz Algar. And probably HD Alterac Valley as well!

Well one theory is that we will find Khaz Algar once Silithus caves in.

[Magistrate]

Khaz Algar makes a lot of sense as a zone in a revamp because we have seen little to no revamped Dwarf assets besides the new ram (which hasn't been ported to the dwarf mounts) and a few tanks. They may use a new Dwarf city as an "excuse" in development to make new dwarf assets that would be used for both HD Ironforge and Khaz Algar.

Arguably there's plenty of assets they made for many other races that have not been used and don't appear to be for any specific content. But I'm saying that more as a devils advocate counter argument than anything. I largely agree this would be sensible. Probably not for architecture as when they do major new content for same races it's visually distinct, but probably for clutter.

[Woggmer]

Khaz Algar makes a lot of sense as a zone in a revamp because we have seen little to no revamped Dwarf assets besides the new ram (which hasn't been ported to the dwarf mounts) and a few tanks. They may use a new Dwarf city as an "excuse" in development to make new dwarf assets that would be used for both HD Ironforge and Khaz Algar. And probably HD Alterac Valley as well!

I mean, there are a lot of empty filler mountains in certain zones in the Old World.. usually some places have something hidden away, but a lot of the stuff that was datamined all seem to point towards the Wildhammer Clan.

So if it was in the old world via revamp.. then it would have be near places like the Twilight Highlands, the Hinterlands, or some hidden mountain area that's mostly just filler.

(It should be mentioned that there was quite a few Dwarf related items that were datamined for 10.2 including an axe specifically used by the Dwarven King and a head-dress worn by the Wildhammer clan)

[Cheezits]

Arguably there's plenty of assets they made for many other races that have not been used and don't appear to be for any specific content. But I'm saying that more as a devils advocate counter argument than anything. I largely agree this would be sensible. Probably not for architecture as when they do major new content for same races it's visually distinct, but probably for clutter.

I'm pretty sure they have been making "packages" of racial assets each expansion since (and maybe including) WoD. For example, there are many new Nelf buildings added in Legion and BFA that are only used for small areas, but would make perfect sense to port over to an updated Kalimdor and Amirdrassil/Darnassus 2 when they appear. There's a completely new detailed Nelf Inn model for example that is easy to miss because it is only used in one tiny place in Darkshore.

We have seen the human buildings being redone in the files each expansion for several expansions now, and that would be a similar idea.

[NikolaiShade]

I mean, there are a lot of empty filler mountains in certain zones in the Old World.. usually some places have something hidden away, but a lot of the stuff that was datamined all seem to point towards the Wildhammer Clan.

The items dataminesd could indicate the algarian earthens could have a culture similar to that of the Wildhammer Clan. Any geographical proximity is out of the picture, according to the text about the fissure, the earthens of khaz algar were separated by other dwarves by "vast swaths of time and distance".

[Leowyld]

I wouldn't be opposed to a world revamp, at all. I am one of those who generally enjoyed Cataclysm. But, even if Khaz Algar is part of a revamp expansion, it will still be a new place we are going to one expansion after it is first mentioned. That does set a precedent. I don't mind that, myself.

[huth]

I lowkey want Algarian Rider leak to be fake. Was it even checked out by other people?

It's pretty much the only thing with any real weight, coming directly from Blizzard's own servers.

[Magistrate]

I've never played a dwarf and don't particularly care for them but for some reason the idea of having content centered around them feels very balancing and course correctiony for wow to me. It doesn't feel exciting to me but healthy for the IP. But I really, really want a revamp and stacking this games aging content against other modern MMO juggernauts leaves a lot to be desired. I want to see new generations drawn to and excited about this franchise.

[Wangming]

I wouldn't be opposed to a world revamp, at all. I am one of those who generally enjoyed Cataclysm. But, even if Khaz Algar is part of a revamp expansion, it will still be a new place we are going to one expansion after it is first mentioned. That does set a precedent. I don't mind that, myself.

I mean for one zone out of an entire expansion that is okay. It is unrealistic to ask every new zone to have a many year long lore and/or plot setup.
But something like that wouldn't work as an expansion hook.
Case in point: the hook for Shadowlands was visiting the Shadowlands, not visiting for example Maldraxxus.

[Well Done Steak]

So what are the odds of Ragnaros returning now that the throne of fire is vacant once more.

Will it be light lord rag from HS?

He is the OG final boss after all so I feel like the 10th exp and 20th anni might honor him

I always saw light lord.rag as an AU boss fight in an infinite raid. But given recent circumstances I doubt that'll happen

[Magistrate]

I mean for one zone out of an entire expansion that is okay. It is unrealistic to ask every new zone to have a many year long lore and/or plot setup.
But something like that wouldn't work as an expansion hook.
Case in point: the hook for Shadowlands was visiting the Shadowlands, not visiting for example Maldraxxus.

This can work as a hook I think if we look at a series of zones as a cohesive region. Lordaeron, for example, including tirisfal, epl and wpl. Depending on how the politics go, also silverpine and possibly hillsbrad.