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

[Cheezits]

Really hope we get PTR this week, I'm getting antsy for it. One of the few patches where I really wish we could get the music in the first build.

[Joshuaj]

Nearly done with all the Anniversary rewards and achievements at long last, as well as December's TP.

Then it's time for a long-ass break from WoW.

11.0.7 seems OK, but it's clearly just content for the sake of content, and not something that interests me. "Come grind on this random island for a month, ilvls guaranteed!" Yeah, nah.

11.1 will have its bright spots, I'm sure. I'm happy for all Goblin enthusiasts out there! I've never been a massive fan, and right now it's giving me Zarelek vibes.

Probably come back by the end of it to catch up on whatever transmog it might hold, ready for 11.1.5 and the Xal'atath story continuation.

Not to mention PLUNDERSTORM!

But yeah, 11.2 (hopefully) and the 12.0 prepatch is where it's at for me.

Anybody super excited for 11.1 in this thread, despite the Tinker no-show (thus far)? Would be interesting to hear a different POV.

11.1 giving ZARALEK CAVERN VIBES??? Seriously???

[KOUNTERPARTS]

11.1 giving ZARALEK CAVERN VIBES??? Seriously???

Because Undermine is in an underground cavern... I guess.

Luckily, the majority of Khaz Algar is not in an undergr-- WAIT WHAT

[Joshuaj]

Interesting... per Portergauge's review of the new Isles book on Bluesky, they (Lor and Thal) note that something is going on in Neltharion's Lair, but don't comment.

Related to the Dark Heart/Goblin/Dragon Soul lore, maybe? Or Iridikron?

Also it ends on a tease of Tel'Abim! "The Island of Islands"

"The island of islands"

Tel'abim better be a fucking Midsummer Fire-Festival event area in-game, or else!!!

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Because Undermine is in an underground cavern... I guess.

Luckily, the majority of Khaz Algar is not in an undergr-- WAIT WHAT

Loooooool.

Yeah I don't get the complaint either. War Within's made it clear that WoW can do an underground expansion in a varied, cool way (Thank fuck Blizzards art team is creative and carries the franchise alongside the music department).

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The tease in question:



Seems like Tel'abim ended up being a tropical resort island. So much for the speculation that it would eventually be introduced as an Arabian-themed setting, though personally I've always hoped that they'd focus on Ethereals with that kind of theme anyway.

If they're taking this route with Tel'Abim, maybe it'll be added as a just-for-fun area in a minor patch- something like a permanent Darkmoon Faire or FFXIV's Gold Saucer?

Midsummer. Fire. Festival. Resort. Event!

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Like, I can't be the only one who sees the vision, no?

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I'll admit that Zereth Mortis was cosmic, but not the rest of SL. There was nothing cosmic about The Maw, Torghast, Bastion, Ardenweald, Revendreth, or Maldraxxus. People are only going to appreciate endless Halloween for so long, and certainly not for 2 years straight. Unless they are some sort of super-goth or something like that.

All of the Shadowlands are, by definition, cosmic.

Zereth Mortis is kinda unique to talk about, as it's not only top tier cosmology, but it, alongside the other Zereths, aren't really part of the other realms in a traditional sense. They're "behind the scenes workshops" for said realms, and their inner sanctums connect to the original fractal from which all things began (We entered this fractal in the final part of the Sepulcher raid).

So, as a result of all this, I don't prefer to talk about them in the traditional Warcraft cosmic sense. They kinda deserve their own category, really. Like, yes, they're cosmic, but they're cosmic in the same way The One Above All and it's stuff is cosmic, or how Yog-Sothoth is cosmic, or how the Overvoid, Final Heaven, etc from DC is cosmic, ya know?

It's a different TYPE of "cosmic" altogether. One that I think needs a name, so we can properly separate it from the normal cosmic and cosmology wordage (Especially since the Zereths aren't even properly shown in the cosmic charts displayed so far, nor do I think they'll be shown in any cosmic chart in the future, due to their mythical nature).

[Enrif]

https://www.wowhead.com/news/updates...d-isles-350862

In the wake of Azshara's disappearance, the naga in Nazjatar have split into factions and continuously fight amongst each other.

This might be just me, but i think this part may be important for Midnight. In my speculations, the Naga will be a BIG part of Midnight, with Queen Azhara being a big part of that expansion overall. She might be a villain once again, or a new untrustworthy ally (like Sylvanas and Gallywix before). And i think Naga can make a great allied race and a great source for a new class.

[Cheezits]

This might be just me, but i think this part may be important for Midnight. In my speculations, the Naga will be a BIG part of Midnight, with Queen Azhara being a big part of that expansion overall. She might be a villain once again, or a new untrustworthy ally (like Sylvanas and Gallywix before). And i think Naga can make a great allied race and a great source for a new class.

I like the idea of the Naga becoming independent and Azshara ditching them, but it also doesn't gel with the lore book in DF that states they know she is hiding in the Void Veil and will be coming back to conquer. So IDK what their future plans for the Naga truly are.

To be honest this passage in the Isles points towards them getting more agency at the very least, and the Undersea stuff in TWW may be building up to them (as well as a return of the Jinyu)

[KOUNTERPARTS]

I like the idea of the Naga becoming independent and Azshara ditching them, but it also doesn't gel with the lore book in DF that states they know she is hiding in the Void Veil and will be coming back to conquer. So IDK what their future plans for the Naga truly are.

Knowning Blizzard's narrative history, it will probably end up being 2 factions of naga: Azshara loyalists and a splinter group looking to "find their own path" in the world.

[Joshuaj]

Definitely! Large, uninteresting cave system with random shit thrown in to slow down the main story and give Blizzard a breather.

I'm half-kidding but really, both places seem equally depressing to me. Not quite Korthia levels though.

Hey, I don't mean to alarm you bro...

BUT 3/4THS OF KHAZ'ALGAR IS A LARGE, UNDERGROUND AREA WITH CAVE SYSTEMS!!!

Also, Undermine is a steampunk goblin version of New York. Ik you think it depressing, but I got the opposite vibe from it tbh.

[Cheezits]

"Large, uninteresting cave system with random shit thrown in to slow down the main story and give Blizzard a breather" is basically TWW as a whole expansion, though I would say it's more interesting than not. And the plot, even if it's a prequel to Midnight, has stakes and good writing not as present in SL/DF.

[Khaza-R]

"Large, uninteresting cave system with random shit thrown in to slow down the main story and give Blizzard a breather" is basically TWW as a whole expansion, though I would say it's more interesting than not. And the plot, even if it's a prequel to Midnight, has stakes and good writing not as present in SL/DF.

Not to mention if we are going to be that reductive than you can just replace "cave system" with "random island" and you have pretty much have every mid-expansion zone ever.

[Enrif]

I like the idea of the Naga becoming independent and Azshara ditching them, but it also doesn't gel with the lore book in DF that states they know she is hiding in the Void Veil and will be coming back to conquer. So IDK what their future plans for the Naga truly are.

To be honest this passage in the Isles points towards them getting more agency at the very least, and the Undersea stuff in TWW may be building up to them (as well as a return of the Jinyu)

well, both parts can be true. There might be the loyalists, that do whatever Azhara says, and the other splinter factions that are fed up with her since her blunder in Nazjatar and subsequent capture by N'Zoth.

[Joshuaj]

"Large, uninteresting cave system with random shit thrown in to slow down the main story and give Blizzard a breather" is basically TWW as a whole expansion, though I would say it's more interesting than not. And the plot, even if it's a prequel to Midnight, has stakes and good writing not as present in SL/DF.

Me, who liked DFs writing:

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Y'all ain't gonna let the Dragons have a feel good moment huh? Especially after years of suffering?

[milkmustache]

Something of interest from Exploring Azeroth's summary on Wowhead:

The mechagnomes are now offering optional mechanization to their fellow gnomes from Gnomeregan.

This is probably a throwaway, buuuuut it could be a hint at the possibility of expanding (or maybe shrinking?) character customization to allow subraces have all the features of their main race?

[Nymrohd]

I like the idea of the Naga becoming independent and Azshara ditching them, but it also doesn't gel with the lore book in DF that states they know she is hiding in the Void Veil and will be coming back to conquer. So IDK what their future plans for the Naga truly are.

To be honest this passage in the Isles points towards them getting more agency at the very least, and the Undersea stuff in TWW may be building up to them (as well as a return of the Jinyu)

That could be a faction of loyalists. I am sure Azshara would keep some Naga with her. You can still have other factions that are against her (which opens the possibility of playable Naga!)

[Cheezits]

Something of interest from Exploring Azeroth's summary on Wowhead:

This is probably a throwaway, buuuuut it could be a hint at the possibility of expanding (or maybe shrinking?) character customization to allow subraces have all the features of their main race?

That WOULD fit with a racial overhaul. I think that is very likely for Midnight if they are going with High Elves in the marketing (the person in the housing trailre): why else would they market a barbershop skin option of an AR?

[Enrif]

That WOULD fit with a racial overhaul. I think that is very likely for Midnight if they are going with High Elves in the marketing (the person in the housing trailre): why else would they market a barbershop skin option of an AR?

the character in the trailer could also be a void elf, they can have pale pinkish skin too for a while now

[milkmustache]

the character in the trailer could also be a void elf, they can have pale pinkish skin too for a while now

I think that Midnight's uniting the tribes theme will ultimately end with Void Elves taking a massive back seat to High Elves. Not that the housing trailer's race really matters, but I don't think we'll be seeing Void Elves having a dominating presence in Elven Society.

[Enrif]

I think that Midnight's uniting the tribes theme will ultimately end with Void Elves taking a massive back seat to High Elves. Not that the housing trailer's race really matters, but I don't think we'll be seeing Void Elves having a dominating presence in Elven Society.

it's more likely they just picked any race for the trailer with no direct connection to midnight.

[Joshuaj]

"High Elves in WoW"

You can be a High Elf tho...

It's in the Belf and Velf customizations.

[Nymrohd]

Not to mention if we are going to be that reductive than you can just replace "cave system" with "random island" and you have pretty much have every mid-expansion zone ever.

Isle of Thunder and Nazjatar were quite impressive mid-expansion zones imo