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

[allegrian]

No one wants to play another hunched over ugly race?

Fair, but earthen/dwarves are not particularly attractive either. Does people prefer bearded small women to hunched races?

[Nightshade711]

to fit new armor or all armor? that's the key difference. dracthyrs can wear custom made armor, but they can't wear old sets because they just don't work on them

they said that starting from tww dracthyrs are going to be able to stay in visage form permanently, so i don't think they have managed to fix the armor issue for the dragon form lol

It isn’t that armor “doesn’t work on them”. It is that it would’ve been too much work to manually map the armor to the Dracthyr. Which was stated outright by the devs.

But they’re working on the tech to do most of that legwork for them.
I just don’t see them adding other classes to Dracthyr without mapping transmog to them. Unless they add cloth, leather, and plate pieces to the barber shop.

[Hitei]

I just don’t see them adding other classes to Dracthyr without mapping transmog to them. Unless they add cloth, leather, and plate pieces to the barber shop.

Why? There's not any functional difference between evokers being locked out of all of those mail transmog slots and any other class being locked out of its slots. Even when you consider tier armor, the most iconic pieces are the shoulders and helms. Any other class playing Dracthyr will have the same barbershop armor and 3D assets on their newer sets.

Besides, armor type isn't really 1 to 1, there's plenty of sets that look like they are another type, and some of the barbershop options already look cloth/leather/plate.

[Khaza-R]

No one wants to play another hunched over ugly race?

False dichotomy

[Hitei]

Harronirs are fine, it's a decently unique on dark trolls/bugbears, but it does point to "we aren't ever getting a monster ever again" and is once again OC race. Hope to be proven wrong with Naga (even if it means visage form) but I definitely have checked out a bit and assume Drac will probably be our last monster, given the most likely races after are Helf and Amani/Drakkari.

High Elf new race is never going to happen. If it were anywhere in the pipeline, they wouldn't have bothered with the multiple updates to Void Elves making them indistinguishable, because now there's no real unique space for the addition of High Elves, and the entire reason they went with Void Elves in the first place instead of just Queldorei is that they obviously felt like there wasn't enough to distinguish them from the Blood Elves the way that Dark Irons, Lightforged, Nightborne, etc. are distinguished. Void Elves already have the High Elf skin tones, and eye colors and hair colors. What would the race add? Solely tattoos? The only way that they get "added" is if instead they just collapse all the Thalassian elves into a single neutral 'High Elf' race, that somehow allows you to choose your racial (ability) subtype.

The most likely new race for Midnight is probably Ethereals. They're interesting, on-topic re: midnight, neutral, very distinct, offer cool cosmetic and racial ability options, and lack any complications that typical more non-human races have.

[allegrian]

Dwarves are short. They descended from the Earthen, that were essentially Titanforged peons.

Vrykul descended from titanforged peons as well, they just were taller.

[Kiivar86]

I'm intrigued about the titan construct, too. I'm assuming it was something installed on ancient Kalimdor pre sundering, but it's interesting that the titans have creations in place to police other creations. Seems like they don't entirely trust their subjects to remain loyal...

Eh its not that much different to the whole Algalon system truly. They're prepped for things to go awry.

[Nightshade711]

High Elf new race is never going to happen. If it were anywhere in the pipeline, they wouldn't have bothered with the multiple updates to Void Elves making them indistinguishable, because now there's no real unique space for the addition of High Elves, and the entire reason they went with Void Elves in the first place instead of just Queldorei is that they obviously felt like there wasn't enough to distinguish them from the Blood Elves the way that Dark Irons, Lightforged, Nightborne, etc. are distinguished. Void Elves already have the High Elf skin tones, and eye colors and hair colors. What would the race add? Solely tattoos? The only way that they get "added" is if instead they just collapse all the Thalassian elves into a single neutral 'High Elf' race, that somehow allows you to choose your racial (ability) subtype.

The most likely new race for Midnight is probably Ethereals. They're interesting, on-topic re: midnight, neutral, very distinct, offer cool cosmetic and racial ability options, and lack any complications that typical more non-human races have.

Agreed. The most we’ll ever get out of high elves would be an Allied Race, but even that is unlikely.

Ethereals I do agree are most likely the race that would be added in Midnight IF we get a new race. It would be cool if we got a class to go alongside them, but I doubt it.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

I'm intrigued about the titan construct, too. I'm assuming it was something installed on ancient Kalimdor pre sundering, but it's interesting that the titans have creations in place to police other creations. Seems like they don't entirely trust their subjects to remain loyal...

We’re the titans even still at Azeroth when the earthen were made?

I’d have to check chronicles but I think they peaced out before the forge of wills was up and running so it would likely be the keepers/watchers setting this stuff up which seems inline with Tyr.

[Eldryth]

Am I the only one who thinks all the Undermine speculation seems like a massive stretch?

I mean sure, a Goblin raid seems likely based on datamining, but why is everyone assuming that it'd be Undermine itself rather than a local Goblin threat in Khaz Algar? For example, a Cartel that's working for Xal'atath or just came here to exploit the Worldsoul or Elun'ahir. It feels far more likely that we'll have threats relevant to the actual expansion continent rather than randomly going halfway across the world for a patch.

I'm pretty sure I already saw stuff about friendly Goblins showing up in the Ringing Deeps, so it's not like a more hostile Cartel can't get there.

I guess a situation like Siege of Orgrimmar is plausible- where we travel to another continent mid-raid after dealing with some Goblins in a local zone- but I certainly wouldn't expect to get a full zone there, or think what we've seen so far is enough to think going there at all is particularly likely.

[Hitei]

Am I the only one who thinks all the Undermine speculation seems like a massive stretch?

I mean sure, a Goblin raid seems likely based on datamining, but why is everyone assuming that it'd be Undermine itself rather than a local Goblin threat in Khaz Algar? For example, a Cartel that's working for Xal'atath or just came here to exploit the Worldsoul or Elun'ahir. It feels far more likely that we'll have threats relevant to the actual expansion continent rather than randomly going halfway across the world for a patch.

I'm pretty sure I already saw stuff about friendly Goblins showing up in the Ringing Deeps, so it's not like a more hostile Cartel can't get there.

I guess a situation like Siege of Orgrimmar is plausible- where we travel to another continent mid-raid after dealing with some Goblins in a local zone- but I certainly wouldn't expect to get a full zone there, or think what we've seen so far is enough to think going there at all is particularly likely.

Mid patches are often disconnected "islands". Undermine makes for a reasonable island when we're underground already.

[Polybius]

Am I the only one who thinks all the Undermine speculation seems like a massive stretch?

I mean sure, a Goblin raid seems likely based on datamining, but why is everyone assuming that it'd be Undermine itself rather than a local Goblin threat in Khaz Algar? For example, a Cartel that's working for Xal'atath or just came here to exploit the Worldsoul or Elun'ahir. It feels far more likely that we'll have threats relevant to the actual expansion continent rather than randomly going halfway across the world for a patch.

I'm pretty sure I already saw stuff about friendly Goblins showing up in the Ringing Deeps, so it's not like a more hostile Cartel can't get there.

I guess a situation like Siege of Orgrimmar is plausible- where we travel to another continent mid-raid after dealing with some Goblins in a local zone- but I certainly wouldn't expect to get a full zone there, or think what we've seen so far is enough to think going there at all is particularly likely.

If I'm not mistaken Undermine is fairly close to the main areas of TWW, so it's not a far fetch. There are some lorebits they haven't explained like: the Kajamite (in Before The Storm, we learn it's related to Azerite), Gallywix's deals with Cartel Xy (we know Cartel Xy gathered artifacts pertaining to the advancements of the Black empire), and The War taking place underground (unknown if eternium is also found on Azeroth but it's implied by teleports and Blingtron existing in MoP).

[Kiivar86]

Am I the only one who thinks all the Undermine speculation seems like a massive stretch?

I mean sure, a Goblin raid seems likely based on datamining, but why is everyone assuming that it'd be Undermine itself rather than a local Goblin threat in Khaz Algar? For example, a Cartel that's working for Xal'atath or just came here to exploit the Worldsoul or Elun'ahir. It feels far more likely that we'll have threats relevant to the actual expansion continent rather than randomly going halfway across the world for a patch.

I'm pretty sure I already saw stuff about friendly Goblins showing up in the Ringing Deeps, so it's not like a more hostile Cartel can't get there.

I guess a situation like Siege of Orgrimmar is plausible- where we travel to another continent mid-raid after dealing with some Goblins in a local zone- but I certainly wouldn't expect to get a full zone there, or think what we've seen so far is enough to think going there at all is particularly likely.

Undermine seems a bit too far to me too though I can be wrong. I'm picturing more a Life-aligned cavern zone with Goblins invading it, honestly.

[ImTheMizAwesome]

We need these 2 as allied races, broken rogue and mok'nathal hunter goes brrrrrrrrr.(not made by me)

[Eldryth]

If I'm not mistaken Undermine is fairly close to the main areas of TWW, so it's not a far fetch.

Apparently you're right and I misremembered the location- I thought it was much further to the east, near BFA's areas, but I tracked down a world map image that included it, and apparently it's just a little bit north of Khaz Algar. I guess it actually is a lot more plausible than I thought, I believed there was a full continent between them.

[Hitei]

Isn't Muffinus in charge of the live service team? Isn't he obsessed with goblins and gnomes and stuff? IIRC he made sure we got Mechagon in 8.X so Undermine in 11.X seems like something he'd want to do.

His team is not the "decide what happens in each patch" team, it's the "come up with fun events and gimmicks to add" team.

[CrossNgen]

TBH, considering that expansions are now going to only go up to the x.2.x patch series, having one of the big seasonal patches be dedicated to Goblins might spoil the expansion's narrative pacing unless we're given a really, and I mean REALLY good reason to fight Goblins instead of Xalatath.

I can see it working as a mini raid for 11.0.5

[Hitei]

TBH, considering that expansions are now going to only go up to the x.2.x patch series, having one of the big seasonal patches be dedicated to Goblins might spoil the expansion's narrative pacing unless we're given a really, and I mean REALLY good reason to fight Goblins instead of Xalatath.

I can see it working as a mini raid for 11.0.5

I think that the most likely use of it is as a megadungeon. While patches like to go to islands, and I could see it being a mechagon styled addition in 11.1, actual raid tiers haven't really departed from the main storyline since, well... Trial of the Crusader? is really the only actual raid tier that departs from the main plot in the way Undermine would. So we're talking 15 years ago.

Even "side" raids in the past decade have been relegated to mini-raids like Trial of Valor.

But since Legion, megadungeons have taken up the role of offering a big set piece dungeon that is a bit more wacky and detached from the primary narrative. Karazhan, Mechagon, Veiled Market, and Dawn of the Infinite. Undermine slots well there. A large dungeon with all sorts of silly goblin and tinker and explosion bosses as a side adventure from the main plot but that might involve some minor tie in like the Dark Heart.

[Dracullus]

Earthen = weird dwarves for everyone
Harronir = weird trolls for everyone

Yeah, considering all datamined stuff you can bet it's Allied Race for 11.1. And from that nature/roots area for 11.1 and core of Azeroth for 11.2 sounds most likely.

Btw, in Midnight Metzen told we will "unite scattered elven tribes". You know what would be cool? If it wasn't just lore thing, but also rework of all races and joining some of them (Orc+Mag'har etc., Blood Elves+Void Elves+High Elves etc.). Racials would be merged or just it would be connected to barber shop - if you pick void elf look, you would have void elf racials.

[Hitei]

Earthen = weird dwarves for everyone
Harronir = weird trolls for everyone

Yeah, considering all datamined stuff you can bet it's Allied Race for 11.1. And from that nature/roots area for 11.1 and core of Azeroth for 11.2 sounds most likely.

Btw, in Midnight Metzen told we will "unite scattered elven tribes". You know what would be cool? If it wasn't just lore thing, but also rework of all races and joining some of them (Orc+Mag'har etc., Blood Elves+Void Elves+High Elves etc.). Racials would be merged or just it would be connected to barber shop - if you pick void elf look, you would have void elf racials.

I can't imagine they'd forcibly lock power behind which customization options you'd pick in a barbershop, also where would you even divide those lines? Is pink skin + tentacle hair + blue eyes a void elf or high elf?

Also the Harronir are closer to Night Elves than trolls, which makes the idea of their addition all the more frustrating. Blizzard following up the third Dwarf race for Alliance with a second Night Elf race would be a pretty dick move.