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

[Khaza-R]

Is there any chance necromancy could be a 4th mage spec instead of an entire new class? Sounds bizarre but nercomancy was a school of arcane magic originally and KT was arguably the most successful mage in that field.

The Schools of Arcane Magic - Necromancy
<Penned by the skilled hand of Archmage Ansirem Runeweaver>

Necromancy is the study of magic involving the dead. It is highly illegal and should be avoided at all costs. I discuss necromancy here only because it is our obligation to have a basic understanding of the magic employed by our enemies - and make no mistake, any practitioner of necromancy is your enemy. Necromancers and their followers are the enemies of all living things. Their influence must be avoided at all costs.

Necromantic magic has many functions beyond simply raising the dead. Masters of this tainted field of magic can conjure festering diseases, harness the shadows into bolts of incendiary energy, and chill the living with the power of death. Necromancy can also be used to reconstruct the flesh of undead creatures, allowing them to function again even after the foul monsters have been destroyed.

The former archmage Kel'Thuzad is perhaps the most notable example of a modern necromancer. He greatly contributed to the initial spread of the Scourge and the fall of Lordaeron. Now, Kel'Thuzad reigns as a lich from the floating citadel of Naxxramas. His ongoing existence poses an imminent threat to us all.

[Joshuaj]

Huge spoiler but in the Kirin Tor questline it's revealed there is a mirror image of Pre-Lich Kel'Thuzad lingering in an enchanted amulet, and after we talk with him for a bit he escapes in a portal. So this may be an indication of how he can come back after the disappointment of him in SL, and possibly with a character reset as well.

Also the Council of Six is mostly missing and doesn't appear, so this is very likely a multi expansion story

I mean, okay? That's not the actual Kel'Thuzad, so this doesn't really affect much.

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No idea why people assume this cheapens his death. This is no different to the Sindragosa stuff.

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A mirror image in an enchanted amulet? My god, this has to be the worst way to bring back a character ever. If that is possible, every WoW mage should do that.

Time to search for amulets, Kirin Tor, Rhonin might be in one of them !!

Make a new interesting character. Link him in some way to Kel'thuzadif you want, but stop making this shitty stuff that only damages the game. If a fantasy universe does not have rules it cannot be taken seriously, there have to be limits.

Kel'Thuzad isn't every mage, dude.

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I was previously convinced a necromancer class would never happen after Shadowlands, but now I think it seems like it could be justified given the thematic relevance of the Scourge to Quel'Thalas.

Why wouldn't it happen after Shadowlands? Also, "thematic relevance of the Scourge in Quel'Thalas" is funny considering the Blood Elves are rebuilding rn, the Scourge aren't much of a threat post-SL, and Midnight is primarily Light and Shadow based.

[Doffen]

Is there any chance necromancy could be a 4th mage spec instead of an entire new class? Sounds bizarre but nercomancy was a school of arcane magic originally and KT was arguably the most successful mage in that field.

I believe for one that all classes get one more spec in Midnight as lorewise we need to power up to have a chance against the big villains of the cosmos.

Deathfrost is a thing. Kel'Thuzad using both frost and death magic. So having it tied to mage is a good idea imo. Its very powerful as well!

Or blizz just slaps in on as Hero Talents for Frost and the new spec Spellblade...

[milkmustache]

Huh. I've always been a bit wary on Midnight including the Plaguelands and Lordaeron, but this makes it more plausible. I suppose dealing with the Scourge remnants would be a massive plotline in Midnight, especially to avoid any comingling between them and the Void.

[Joshuaj]

Huh. I've always been a bit wary on Midnight including the Plaguelands and Lordaeron, but this makes it more plausible. I suppose dealing with the Scourge remnants would be a massive plotline in Midnight, especially to avoid any comingling between them and the Void.

IF they do touch on Lordaeron and the Plaguelands in Midnight, I'd rather those zones be entirely revamped, primarily the Eastern and Western Plaguelands.

Wanna know what I'd do? I'd remove most of the Scourge stuff from those zones, and replace them with Light based stuff. And instead of calling it the Eastern and Western Plaguelands, I'd combine the two zones and call it "The Holylands"

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As for the Ghostlands? I'd rename it, replace all the scourge shit with Void stuff, and call it "The Darklands" or something like that.

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Eversong Forest (Maybe renamed into the Midnight Forests), the Darklands, the Holylands, and Tirisfal (Which would be a combination of Tirisfal Glades, Silverpine, and Gilneas). 4 Zones at launch (As was stated by Blizzard), and it being focused on not just Quel'Thalas, but the Northern Eastern Kingdoms in general (They need an update badly). The first raid could also be a return of Zul'aman as well, with the Void reawakening the C'Thrax beneath the former Amani fortress.

Quel'Danas would be the pre-launch event, and then it'd be the 11.1 zone. And 11.2 could be the Ruins of K'aresh!

[milkmustache]

IF they do touch on Lordaeron and the Plaguelands in Midnight, I'd rather those zones be entirely revamped, primarily the Eastern and Western Plaguelands.

Wanna know what I'd do? I'd remove most of the Scourge stuff from those zones, and replace them with Light based stuff. And instead of calling it the Eastern and Western Plaguelands, I'd combine the two zones and call it "The Holylands"

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As for the Ghostlands? I'd rename it, replace all the scourge shit with Void stuff, and call it "The Darklands" or something like that.

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Eversong Forest (Maybe renamed into the Midnight Forests), the Darklands, the Holylands, and Tirisfal (Which would be a combination of Tirisfal Glades, Silverpine, and Gilneas). 4 Zones at launch (As was stated by Blizzard), and it being focused on not just Quel'Thalas, but the Northern Eastern Kingdoms in general (They need an update badly). The first raid could also be a return of Zul'aman as well, with the Void reawakening the C'Thrax beneath the former Amani fortress.

Quel'Danas would be the pre-launch event, and then it'd be the 11.1 zone. And 11.2 could be the Ruins of K'aresh!

Lol there is chance they rename those zones that drastically or quite literally. I do agree that in the hypothetical of them including the Plaguelands/Lordaeron, a portion of it will be given to the Scarlets, the Arathi or both. The Arathi's version of the Light seems to view the Shadow (I guess Void) as their main opponent, where the Scarlet (along with most of our known Eastern Kingdoms Light worshippers) view the Scourge as their main opponent, so it could be an interesting opportunity to have these things either mingle or clash. I think that if we view the expansion to have Eversong Woods and the Ghostlands brought in amongst maybe an Amani zone and one other, the Ghostlands will probably be the best zone to include what is left of the Scourge and whatever their role is. I think it's possible to include more EK zones, but I don't see where it fits in. I agree that it feels like Quel'danas and maybe K'aresh would be patch zones.

Idk, a lot of opportunity with Midnight and we don't even know our main bridge there aside from probably Alleria. Will be interesting to see.

[Golden Yak]

I was previously convinced a necromancer class would never happen after Shadowlands, but now I think it seems like it could be justified given the thematic relevance of the Scourge to Quel'Thalas.

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Still a lot of Scourge-related trauma in that area. Mortals turning to necromancy in an effort to clear up the corruption, stuff like that. There was a hero class in the RPG, 'Plagueshifter', that was all about benevolent uses of death and plague magic. (Even used it for my Necromancer class concept that nobody noticed or cared about!)

Shadowlands might have been the time, but actually you could also maybe see them in Northrend/Last Titan and justify it as a resurgence of death magic in the wake of all the crap the Jailer pulled. Him tapping into the Worldsoul there, the Rift opening and then collapsing, death magic saturating the area. Northrend is the undeath continent, you could make it work.

[Joshuaj]

Lol there is chance they rename those zones that drastically or quite literally. I do agree that in the hypothetical of them including the Plaguelands/Lordaeron, a portion of it will be given to the Scarlets, the Arathi or both. The Arathi's version of the Light seems to view the Shadow (I guess Void) as their main opponent, where the Scarlet (along with most of our known Eastern Kingdoms Light worshippers) view the Scourge as their main opponent, so it could be an interesting opportunity to have these things either mingle or clash. I think that if we view the expansion to have Eversong Woods and the Ghostlands brought in amongst maybe an Amani zone and one other, the Ghostlands will probably be the best zone to include what is left of the Scourge and whatever their role is. I think it's possible to include more EK zones, but I don't see where it fits in. I agree that it feels like Quel'danas and maybe K'aresh would be patch zones.

Idk, a lot of opportunity with Midnight and we don't even know our main bridge there aside from probably Alleria. Will be interesting to see.

Fair, but I primarily like the idea that Quel'Thalas is full of Shadow themed areas (With Eversong going through a Normal Day/Night and Midnight cycle (Think of it akin to Hallowfall's Crystal, but instead of a Light and Shadow cycle, it's a cycle between a normal day/night ordeal and the event of Midnight AKA Void going rampant across the zone), and Silvermoon being the capital for fanservice reasons), while the Plaguelands and Tirisfal are the Light themed areas. Some of the remaining Scourge stuff could exist tho.

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Wait I might be cooking here...

[Khaza-R]

I believe for one that all classes get one more spec in Midnight as lorewise we need to power up to have a chance against the big villains of the cosmos.

Deathfrost is a thing. Kel'Thuzad using both frost and death magic. So having it tied to mage is a good idea imo. Its very powerful as well!

Or blizz just slaps in on as Hero Talents for Frost and the new spec Spellblade...

I don't know about all classes, as that's a tall order. But it definitely seems plausible some might get it.

TWW - Shaman - Earthwarden spec

MN - Mage - Necromancy spec

TLT - Maybe finally a 3rd DH spec...?

[milkmustache]

Fair, but I primarily like the idea that Quel'Thalas is full of Shadow themed areas (With Eversong going through a Normal Day/Night and Midnight cycle (Think of it akin to Hallowfall's Crystal, but instead of a Light and Shadow cycle, it's a cycle between a normal day/night ordeal and the event of Midnight AKA Void going rampant across the zone), and Silvermoon being the capital for fanservice reasons), while the Plaguelands and Tirisfal are the Light themed areas. Some of the remaining Scourge stuff could exist tho.

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Wait I might be cooking here...

You just turned the stove on king, let's not get ahead of ourselves.

I think the dominant void/shadow areas will be contained to Quel'danas. Other zones will certainly have flashpoints or incursions, but a big appeal of returning to old world zones is to see them as they were, be revamped and revitalized. A big issue people had with Cataclysm zones were that they changed the world far too much. Taking the beautiful idyllic forests of Eversong and turning them to darkness littered with purple void themes similar to the treatment of Legion zones I think would maybe not be the best usage of these zones. From Midnight forward, Eversong would always be void invaded Eversong, and I don't think that's the lasting image that's intended in the larger game design.

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I don't know about all classes, as that's a tall order. But it definitely seems plausible some might get it.

TWW - Shaman - Earthwarden spec

MN - Mage - Necromancy spec

TLT - Maybe finally a 3rd DH spec...?

If they give me Necromancy before they give me Battlemage/Spellblade, I'm gonna lose my mind.

Give Necromancy to Warlock or even Death Knight.

[Golden Yak]

Classic necromancer has that 'wizard' aesthetic... I wonder if it would be better as a warlock 'skin', turning all your demons into undead.

[Eldryth]

Is there any chance necromancy could be a 4th mage spec instead of an entire new class? Sounds bizarre but nercomancy was a school of arcane magic originally and KT was arguably the most successful mage in that field.

If that were to happen, I feel like Warlock would be a better fit for it than Mage.
While they're mostly seen as Fel users- and that aspect does get the most focus- they already use whatever kind of dark magics would make them stronger. Ever since MoP they've been using a mix of Fel magic, the Twilight Hammer's shadow magic, and Ragnaros's fire magic. Necromancy would fit right in.

[Merryck]

A mirror image in an enchanted amulet? My god, this has to be the worst way to bring back a character ever. If that is possible, every WoW mage should do that.

Time to search for amulets, Kirin Tor, Rhonin might be in one of them !!

Make a new interesting character. Link him in some way to Kel'thuzadif you want, but stop making this shitty stuff that only damages the game. If a fantasy universe does not have rules it cannot be taken seriously, there have to be limits.

That goes kind of hard, actually. I love it when they stretch the rules of magic.

[Kiivar86]

A mirror image in an enchanted amulet? My god, this has to be the worst way to bring back a character ever. If that is possible, every WoW mage should do that.

Time to search for amulets, Kirin Tor, Rhonin might be in one of them !!

Make a new interesting character. Link him in some way to Kel'thuzadif you want, but stop making this shitty stuff that only damages the game. If a fantasy universe does not have rules it cannot be taken seriously, there have to be limits.

I mean, its like a step below a phylactery. Something that people can already do in-universe. I don't see the issue with it, especially given its Kel'thuzad.

[Ersula]

I mean, its like a step below a phylactery. Something that people can already do in-universe. I don't see the issue with it, especially given its Kel'thuzad.

I would love if Kel'thuzad is the major villain of an expansion again. His mirror image can do it like Acerak. (Acerak in Forgotten realms was killed ages ago but he made so many simulacrum to defend his dungeon stashes that he's constantly showing up as a villain)

[milkmustache]

I would love if Kel'thuzad is the major villain of an expansion again. His mirror image can do it like Acerak. (Acerak in Forgotten realms was killed ages ago but he made so many simulacrum to defend his dungeon stashes that he's constantly showing up as a villain)

Great point. I think reoccuring villains could be a really good thing for the game, especially iconic ones.

[Eldryth]

As silly as the pulled from an alternate universe justification was, bringing back Gul'dan worked out well for Legion. I wouldn't mind them doing something similar for Kel'thuzad, if they have a good story in mind for it.

[Joshuaj]

Hey guys, has it been confirmed that Midnight will JUST take place at Quel'Thalas? Or was it only stated that we will be going back there?

[Sondrelk]

Hey guys, has it been confirmed that Midnight will JUST take place at Quel'Thalas? Or was it only stated that we will be going back there?

Not much was stated beyond us going back to Quel'thalas and the Sun well, and that Elven reunification would be an important storyline.

Logically Quel'thalas and Quel'danas would be explorable as open world content. And given that is true, the only realistic options for Midnight is to either make the zones much bigger, add extra zones outside Quel'thalas, or update more of EK than just the Blood Elf zones.

[JDBlou]

Not much was stated beyond us going back to Quel'thalas and the Sun well, and that Elven reunification would be an important storyline.

Logically Quel'thalas and Quel'danas would be explorable as open world content. And given that is true, the only realistic options for Midnight is to either make the zones much bigger, add extra zones outside Quel'thalas, or update more of EK than just the Blood Elf zones.

The expac does seem to be addressing some lore snippets from TBC, wouldn't surprise me if we got a unified Azuremyst/Bloodmyst with the new draenei city some point in the expac or if we went to Ka'aresh sometime then.