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

[Teriz]

So what? We're talking about the Venture Company which is not under his leadership, which means what Gazlowe wants to do is irrelevant.

So you're clearly ignoring the direction that Blizzard is pushing onto the Goblins in this expansion and replacing it with your head-canon. That being the case, there's really no point in continuing this conversation.

[Marlamin]

Mmm so if I'm reading into this correctly, there's equal possibility that "Rootlands" could potentially be a patch zone or it could've been a zone changed/scrapped early in development?

Yes. There is no recent enough mention of anything Rootlands related to point it in either direction of scrapped vs. being a patch zone.

[Ielenia]

So you're clearly ignoring the direction that Blizzard is pushing onto the Goblins in this expansion and replacing it with your head-canon. That being the case, there's really no point in continuing this conversation.

How does Gazlowe fighting the Venture Company to stop them from recklessly strip-mining whatever resource they found in the Rootlands without a care about the damage they're causing somehow translate to "ignoring the the direction Blizzard is pushing goblins" in your mind?

That makes no sense. That's like saying fighting forest fires is bad to the conservation of forests.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

Kinda sad the World Soul locale didn't get used for the Underground expansion if this is true, I feel like if the structure really is:

Nerubian Raid -> Undermine Raid -> Remnant of K'aresh Raid, it certainly was a choice.

I find the Rootlands stuff hilarious if people thought Zeralek Caverns was pointless then Rootlands is even worse for a general audience to consume of reiterating a point that has been clear since Classic about Old God corruption and the Life angle is so stupid when Blizzard is making fun of people who take lore to a hyper theorist angle.

I mean I guess if there is 2 Megadungeons, there's placements for both Rootlands/Surrounding World Soul locale. I still think its a good marketing prospect here but from a story perspective I am imagining it will be a mess.

I feel like there's a 3rd Post Launch Raid Tier to make this work and put a ribbon on it with current speculation but based on Ion's statements it seems 2 Post Launch Raids is the plan, so I have no idea how they glue this together.

(Disclaimer: Drust Raid leak didn't happen, so its possible this is just internal WIP and ideas that have been scrapped and I am fully aware of that.)

Don't get me wrong though, its a W for me if this is real even if I am puzzled by the structure of this. Makes it a more exciting expansion than what I thought from "Underground Expansion" even without the crown jewel for such a concept.

[Teriz]

I find the Rootlands stuff hilarious if people thought Zeralek Caverns was pointless then Rootlands is even worse for a general audience to consume of reiterating a point that has been clear since Classic about Old God corruption and the Life angle is so stupid when Blizzard is making fun of people who take lore to a hyper theorist angle.

It's even more goofy when you consider that such a patch and raid would be essentially 10.2 all over again where we're protecting a world tree from a destructive, fire-based opponent. This time Goblins instead of a proto-drake and some fire druids. This time instead of purple druidic night elves, it'll be furry purple druidic troll elves.

People thinking Blizzard would waste an entire patch going that tired route instead of finally giving us Undermine truly baffle me.

[huth]

So you're clearly ignoring the direction that Blizzard is pushing onto the Goblins in this expansion and replacing it with your head-canon. That being the case, there's really no point in continuing this conversation.

Not as much as you are ignoring that the Goblins are not a singular monolithic entity.

[Nightshade711]

It is a bit funny how much in denial certain posters are about the rootlands just because it doesn’t fit their wishes.
We’ve got the map file & textures hinting to it along with the harronir presence in the trailer & beta. (With likely more story to come in the launch campaign when/if we visit their camp)

[Kiivar86]

It is a bit funny how much in denial certain posters are about the rootlands just because it doesn’t fit their wishes.
We’ve got the map file & textures hinting to it along with the harronir presence in the trailer & beta. (With likely more story to come in the launch campaign when/if we visit their camp)

I do think some skepticism is healthy, nothing is ever certain, but at the same time it does seem highly likely to me. Orwenya in the cinematic especially indicates to me its importance.

[Teriz]

Not as much as you are ignoring that the Goblins are not a singular monolithic entity.

Wouldn’t Goblins attempting to clear cut a forest like they’ve done multiple times over the course of WoW’s history be an indication that they are?

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It is a bit funny how much in denial certain posters are about the rootlands just because it doesn’t fit their wishes.
We’ve got the map file & textures hinting to it along with the harronir presence in the trailer & beta. (With likely more story to come in the launch campaign when/if we visit their camp)

I’m merely pointing out that both of Dragonflight’s patch raids (10.1 and 10.2) matched the thematics of the patch zone. So if we’re getting a goblin-based raid, we’re also likely getting a goblin-based zone.

Also it makes far more sense for Xal and her void forces to attack the rootlands, because unlike the Goblins she’s in their proximity and knows what they are.

Which sounds perfect for a mega dungeon Btw.

[AOL Instant Messenger]

Kinda sad the World Soul locale

I think that would be better-suited to TLT.

[Nightshade711]

I’m merely pointing out that both of Dragonflight’s patch raids (10.1 and 10.2) matched the thematics of the patch zone.

Which isn’t always the case.

Take the Firelands for example. It is in Hyjal, a very nature-themed zone being invaded by fire elementals.
Yet the raid is in the realm of fire, not the emerald dream or some other nature-based zone.

Same principle can apply. Zone that doesn’t directly match the themes of an invading force, we go to the invading force’s realm/primary location to deal with them for good / end the threat to the zone in question.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

I think that would be better-suited to TLT.

To be fair, I cannot conceptualize TLT at this point until we get TLT storyline seeds planted in later parts of Midnight. Obviously, hopefully they do at least use the World Soul as a background type concept at some point in this Saga.

[Teriz]

Which isn’t always the case.

Take the Firelands for example. It is in Hyjal, a very nature-themed zone being invaded by fire elementals.
Yet the raid is in the realm of fire, not the emerald dream or some other nature-based zone.

Same principle can apply. Zone that doesn’t directly match the themes of an invading force, we go to the invading force’s realm/primary location to deal with them for good / end the threat to the zone in question.

You're clearly talking about older development and patch cycle. I'm talking about the development and patch cycle Blizzard implemented in Dragonflight and is clearly using again in The War Within.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

What if the leaks due to the parallelized development being a thing now with 2 Teams working on Expansions/1 Team Working on Live Content mean that these could be for any of the Saga expansions?

I mean there's a chance or maybe this is all trolling by the Team because of them knowing the DrustRaid leak and wanted to be extra cheeky.

Again, I am skeptical about this blatant leak of two WIP Raids for this upcoming expansion actually leaking like this but I wouldn't be surprised if it was more complicated than we perceive. Then again, I guess they will "leak" this themselves within The War Within Roadmap releasing later this year so I guess it doesn't really matter as much.

Obviously, there is the whole "Why would it even leak onto the TWW Branch if it is unrelated to this current expansion" problem. Then again it could also always just be WIP ideas that didn't get greenlit too.

Again, I don't know what to believe but I have no idea on how this expansion concludes right now beyond Dimensius speculation but it doesn't really add up it feels like something is missing as connective tissue.

[Ielenia]

You're clearly talking about older development and patch cycle. I'm talking about the development and patch cycle Blizzard implemented in Dragonflight and is clearly using again in The War Within.

That has nothing to do with "development cycle". That's not even a "development cycle", or part of one.

[Chickat]

We won't get a 11.3 outside of season 4 and Tel'Abin for sure will be expansion content, not patch stuff. For real, please stop wanting expansion content for shitty patches ...

Id say Argus and Nazjatar both had more potential as expansion content compared to Tel abim yet we got both as patch content so /shrug.

[Teriz]

What if the leaks due to the parallelized development being a thing now with 2 Teams working on Expansions/1 Team Working on Live Content mean that these could be for any of the Saga expansions?

I mean there's a chance or maybe this is all trolling by the Team because of them knowing the DrustRaid leak and wanted to be extra cheeky.

Again, I am skeptical about this blatant leak of two WIP Raids for this upcoming expansion actually leaking like this but I wouldn't be surprised if it was more complicated than we perceive. Then again, I guess they will "leak" this themselves within The War Within Roadmap releasing later this year so I guess it doesn't really matter as much.

Obviously, there is the whole "Why would it even leak onto the TWW Branch if it is unrelated to this current expansion" problem. Then again it could also always just be WIP ideas that didn't get greenlit too.

Again, I don't know what to believe but I have no idea on how this expansion concludes right now beyond Dimensius speculation but it doesn't really add up it feels like something is missing as connective tissue.

It's totally possible that the final raid of TWW is a void patch/raid, possibly signifying an invasion, which at the end we "lose" and thus begins the Midnight expansion. That would completely support the leaks we're seeing.

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That has nothing to do with "development cycle". That's not even a "development cycle", or part of one.

The raid and patch set up in 11.0 is pretty much exactly the same as the raid and patch set up of 10.0. Which indicates that Blizzard is very likely going to follow what they did in Dragonflight, with 11.1 raid/patch being a side story of sorts, a mega dungeon for some added lore content, and 11.2 raid/patch completing the main storyline of the expansion.

[Chickat]

So? Ask blizzard why they’re including the roots & their protectors in both Freysworn and Harronir which were featured in the CG announcement trailer.


I didn’t say we’d go to the Undermine for a raid.
But maybe we go there for a boss fight or two near the end to deal with venture company leadership.

It fits perfectly with goblins exploitative nature. The roots are likely a great source of power, so of course the goblins would want to harvest it all for a profit.


None of that fits in with the story being told in the expansion so far.

Maybe we’d go to Kezan/Undermine in a .5 mechagon-esque zone leading up to the rootlands like how the Forbidden Reach led up to Zaralek.

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That isn’t the same at all.

Now it would however make sense if Fyraak/Smolderon retreated to the Firelands and we had to travel there to kill them for good.

You have changed my mind. I think its about 50/50 on whether we even get Undermine at this point. But I almost hope we dont. Id rather Undermine be a Suramar type launch zone for an expansion with a capital city in it.

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No on both counts. In both those cases the objective is stopping N'Zoth and Garrosh. Two big bads btw that had been set up over multiple patches.

Your scenario is "saving the Rootlands from Goblins". We don't need to travel to Undermine to stop Goblins from attacking the Rootlands.

Did it say Undermine raid or just Goblin raid? I think it said Goblin right? If thats the case would it not be better to save Undermine for something more grand?

[Nightshade711]

You're clearly talking about older development and patch cycle. I'm talking about the development and patch cycle Blizzard implemented in Dragonflight and is clearly using again in The War Within.

Uh-huh…
How are they “clearly using” it again in the War Within?

But hey if they are I guess we’re getting a raid around the roots, since that is all but confirmed to be one of the next zones.

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You have changed my mind. I think its about 50/50 on whether we even get Undermine at this point. But I almost hope we dont. Id rather Undermine be a Suramar type launch zone for an expansion with a capital city in it.

I personally don’t think we will get it for a major patch zone. I could see us revisiting Kezan at some point, since we did the same with Gilneas.

Did it say Undermine raid or just Goblin raid? I think it said Goblin right? If thats the case would it not be better to save Undermine for something more grand?

It was just a single icon that said “goblinraid” there’s nothing else (that I’m aware of) in the datamining that suggests Undermine at this time.

It is why most of the theories here are suggesting goblins are invading the rootlands.

[Chickat]

Just FYI, those Goblins came from Undermine.

Also if Undermine is patch 11.1, I wouldn't expect to see many map or texture files until we get closer to 11.1, which is about a year away.

Eh, about 8-9 months. I suspect we will have a better idea as to wear we are going when we se what 11.0.5 is.