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

[Santandame]

The amount of people doomsaying about the Amani in Midnight are crazy to me. An Amani zone and renown feel like the most obvious thing in the world to me as the expansion is going to need diverse zones that keep it from being four zones of Silvermoon. They wouldn't just do a "Zandalar/Darkspear" renown in an area that doesn't belong to them and the Amani have the old lore of hating Aqir.

Helf/Belf, Amani, Scourge/Forsaken, Void/Naga feel like the four zone focuses we're going to get at launch. But they may split Helf and Belf into two zones. My personal opinion though is that they are going go reveal neutral Thalassian race/merge Belf into it so they may accentuate it with one renown that features both of them (Thalassian Accord?).

I can also see them skipping a Naga area for a "generic Lordaeron area for humans too" but I hope not.

The popular consensus does seem to be Belf/Amani/Scourge as pretty much assured zones, with the fourth one being up for debate.

It depends entirely on if Midnight is going to be a Quel’Thalas expansion or a Northern EK one. If it’s purely Quel’Thalas, then I think it’s reasonable to assume we get a Naga zone. If it’s Northern EK, then we’re very likely getting a Lordaeron zone across the Plaguelands, Tirisfal and possibly Silverpine.

One thing I wouldn’t be totally shocked to see would be some of those themes condensed into one zone. For example, instead of one zone belf, one zone Naga; Eversong Woods is instead a zone that’s comprised of what we expect as well as the Naga storyline + locations. Same again with merging Ghostlands and Amani into one zone. That potentially frees up the possibility of getting the likes of Gilneas, Hinterlands, Hillsbrad, Alterac and Arathi included too.

[Cheezits]

The popular consensus does seem to be Belf/Amani/Scourge as pretty much assured zones, with the fourth one being up for debate.

It depends entirely on if Midnight is going to be a Quel’Thalas expansion or a Northern EK one. If it’s purely Quel’Thalas, then I think it’s reasonable to assume we get a Naga zone. If it’s Northern EK, then we’re very likely getting a Lordaeron zone across the Plaguelands, Tirisfal and possibly Silverpine.

One thing I wouldn’t be totally shocked to see would be some of those themes condensed into one zone. For example, instead of one zone belf, one zone Naga; Eversong Woods is instead a zone that’s comprised of what we expect as well as the Naga storyline + locations. Same again with merging Ghostlands and Amani into one zone. That potentially frees up the possibility of getting the likes of Gilneas, Hinterlands, Hillsbrad, Alterac and Arathi included too.

I think we'll get storyline and theme merges, but per Legion-DF zones they really like the aesthetics to be contained to individual zones for the most part, so I think they will mostly be centered around one thing. TWW zones are very "one theme" besides Ringing Deeps that has Kobolds and some Goblins thrown in.

I think the way Lordaeron is handled will really determine how Ghostlands and the Plaguelands (if they are still around) are done, and everything from SL-on implies that it is firmly Forsaken territory. But they may go for it having a more generic human vibe for Elwynn nostalgia.

Curious how Stratholme will be used if at all.

[Dracullus]

I just hope they don't make us kill Amani again

Amani really fits as Nerubian from TWW or Nightborne from Legion equivalent of Midnight - first tier (especially since troll raids was meme/tradition of early expacs), some working with villain, some working with us. Don't get why it's potential problem for you, it's not like we have troll fatigue, MD launch will be like 8 years after BfA's troll raids.

The popular consensus does seem to be Belf/Amani/Scourge as pretty much assured zones, with the fourth one being up for debate

It could be like TWW where first 2 zones have dwarf theme. Although idea of underwater zone with Azshara seems to be popular. Or some northern part of Lordaeron, but I think they wouldn't make Arathi in TWW if MD had 'human' zone.

[Cheezits]

Or some northern part of Lordaeron, but I think they wouldn't make Arathi in TWW if MD had 'human' zone.

While I get what you are saying, I don't think they can do a North EK expansion (I don't think it will be solely QT, there's not enough variety) without dealing with humans. Unless they saw off/void bubble everything north of Arathi.

WP is also pretty solidly a human themed zone. I can't see them turning Tirisfal, WP AND EP all into Brill.

[Civciv]

Amani really fits as Nerubian from TWW or Nightborne from Legion equivalent of Midnight - first tier (especially since troll raids was meme/tradition of early expacs), some working with villain, some working with us. Don't get why it's potential problem for you, it's not like we have troll fatigue, MD launch will be like 8 years after BfA's troll raids.

It's become boring to see trolls villain after all these years. That's probably just me tho idk.

[Cheezits]

It's become boring to see trolls villain after all these years. That's probably just me tho idk.

People say this, but what was the last villainbatted Troll?

It wasn't Zul, because he was a villain since Cata.

[Dracullus]

While I get what you are saying, I don't think they can do a North EK expansion (I don't think it will be solely QT, there's not enough variety) without dealing with humans. Unless they saw off/void bubble everything north of Arathi.

WP is also pretty solidly a human themed zone. I can't see them turning Tirisfal, WP AND EP all into Brill.

Metzen hasn't announced Northern EK expansion though. He clearly said Quel'Thalas. Of course there is always chance he made small mistake and Midnight will have larger scope, but so far just QT is more likely.

And of course it can have enough variety, it's easy to distinguish 3 themes: Blood Elf Eversong/Silvermoon, Undead/Scourge Ghostlands, Amani Trolls. TWW has 3 themes: Earthen, Arathi, Nerubian.

[Khaza-R]

Metzen hasn't announced Northern EK expansion though. He clearly said Quel'Thalas. Of course there is always chance he made small mistake and Midnight will have larger scope, but so far just QT is more likely.

And of course it can have enough variety, it's easy to distinguish 3 themes: Blood Elf Eversong/Silvermoon, Undead/Scourge Ghostlands, Amani Trolls. TWW has 3 themes: Earthen, Arathi, Nerubian.

While that's true, unless they intend to have Midnight zones on a seperate server were you just smash into an invisible wall, there has to be some level of stitching with EPL going on. While the entire zone might not get touched, I think its very likely we will the northern buffer parts of it revamped and Strathholme included.

[Cheezits]

Metzen hasn't announced Northern EK expansion though. He clearly said Quel'Thalas. Of course there is always chance he made small mistake and Midnight will have larger scope, but so far just QT is more likely.

And of course it can have enough variety, it's easy to distinguish 3 themes: Blood Elf Eversong/Silvermoon, Undead/Scourge Ghostlands, Amani Trolls. TWW has 3 themes: Earthen, Arathi, Nerubian.

If we take into account datamining, TWW has five themes: Earthen, Arathi, Nerubian, Goblin (also part of Ringing Deeps) and Harronir. Ringing Deeps also has the goblins and kobolds to balance it out from just being Underground Dornogal, even if it is a continued Earthen zone. Goblins likely will not be a zone within the continent even if they get a zone.

Quel'thalas will, similarly, PROBABLY get a void portal zone (K'aresh) but even then they'll need something else to differentiate it, be it Naga in the waters around QT or the humans/scarlets below it. There just aren't enough factions and creatures in TBC-era QT to justify an expansion solely inside it.

[Joshuaj]

I'm just saying...

It would be really cool if the Western and Eastern Plaguelands were transformed into "The Holylands", while the Ghostlands gets transformed into the "Voidlands" or "Darklands".

[Dracullus]

While that's true, unless they intend to have Midnight zones on a seperate server were you just smash into an invisible wall, there has to be some level of stitching with EPL going on. While the entire zone might not get touched, I think its very likely we will the northern buffer parts of it revamped and Strathholme included.

That is easy part. Remember that current QT is somewhere in Outlands map in game files and there is single portal between Eastern Plaguelands and Ghostlands.

Spliting EK in two parts would require more work. Maybe they even never do that and we will have expac with whole Kalimdor or main EK.

EDIT: Oh, I misread first time. But yeah, I think it will be just invisible wall and portal. It would be even hard to match two zones, Cata EK are too small compared to modern zones crafted with skyriding in mind.

[Jastall]

While that's true, unless they intend to have Midnight zones on a seperate server were you just smash into an invisible wall, there has to be some level of stitching with EPL going on. While the entire zone might not get touched, I think its very likely we will the northern buffer parts of it revamped and Strathholme included.

Yeah, I just don't see them keeping with the TBC-era hard segregation of zones. They'll already have to redo the entire region from scratch, might as well do a pass on the northern parts of EPL and the surrounding seas. It would be quite disappointing to not be able to fly across all of the EKs at last.

[Enrif]

While that's true, unless they intend to have Midnight zones on a seperate server were you just smash into an invisible wall, there has to be some level of stitching with EPL going on. While the entire zone might not get touched, I think its very likely we will the northern buffer parts of it revamped and Strathholme included.

Unlikely. This would imply that Quel'thalas would be on the same map as the rest of the Eastern Kingdoms. But that wouldn't scale. Quel'thalas will likely have a similar size to what we see with Dragonflight and TWW. Quel'thaals would be the size of the rest of the EK combined. They will probably have a "void wall" or something that hinders travel towards the plaguelands.

[Cheezits]

Unlikely. This would imply that Quel'thalas would be on the same map as the rest of the Eastern Kingdoms. But that wouldn't scale. Quel'thalas will likely have a similar size to what we see with Dragonflight and TWW. Quel'thaals would be the size of the rest of the EK combined. They will probably have a "void wall" or something that hinders travel towards the plaguelands.

Either the expansion is bigger than we think, or there will be a part where inevitably, ugly Cata turns into Midnight.

Even though it sounds like a lot of work, I think the smartest way to do it would just be everything Arathi and above. As Arathi is finished and they have the models for Arathi area remodels, as seen in Arathi Basin.

[Khaza-R]

Unlikely. This would imply that Quel'thalas would be on the same map as the rest of the Eastern Kingdoms. But that wouldn't scale. Quel'thalas will likely have a similar size to what we see with Dragonflight and TWW. Quel'thaals would be the size of the rest of the EK combined. They will probably have a "void wall" or something that hinders travel towards the plaguelands.

This is a fair point. But I don't think we should automatically assume every expansion is going to follow DF's footsteps. The Dragon Isles are mostly empty of major landmarks. The whole point of them is to be widely untouched and expansive. Quel'thalas and ZA are inherently more developed and urban. So its possible they might be smaller in terms of total area but a lot emphasis might be put on exploring urban sections.

[Makabreska]

Khadgar vs Xal

https://x.com/Warcraft/status/1823766668700508492

[Cheezits]

Quel'thalas being the size of Dragon Isles/Khaz Algar would be silly IMO. They already said KA is smaller than the Dragon Isles.

Maybe as big as the Hallowfall/Ringing Deeps/Azj'Kahet combo, but even then you need patch zones like the Rootlands.

[Sondrelk]

This is a fair point. But I don't think we should automatically assume every expansion is going to follow DF's footsteps. The Dragon Isles are mostly empty of major landmarks. The whole point of them is to be widely untouched and expansive. Quel'thalas and ZA are inherently more developed and urban. So its possible they might be smaller in terms of total area but a lot emphasis might be put on exploring urban sections.

I very much doubt we will ever see urban areas bigger than Suramar though, which I would say took up about a third of the zone at most.
Silvermoon and Zul'aman might be getting upgrades to make them larger than they are currently, but I doubt they will be made into entire zones.

Everything north of the Thandol Span still seems the most likely to me.
You have the natural border between what would be Cata and Midnight zones. You have a large amount of variety, as well as easy ways to further tease the Arathi Empire. And there are plenty of areas to leave mostly empty for flavor, and space for c-list enemies like the Gnolls or Centaur in DF.

[Valysar]

Khadgar vs Xal

https://x.com/Warcraft/status/1823766668700508492

Arcane mage buff incoming

[Super Dickmann]

Khadgar vs Xal

https://x.com/Warcraft/status/1823766668700508492

Holy shit, someone swore.