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

[Hitei]

Your examples are 4 pink/purple ethereals so.... you're going to need more than "pink and purple are different" because they're really not

No, my examples are one purple Ethereal, one red one, one white one and one light blue one. Do you have color blindness? Genuine question.

[Khaza-R]

Ethereals are a genuinely cool option as far as potential playable races are concerned. I so rarely see people playing Earthen and whilst I liked them more than I expected during the campaign I can't say I'd ever consider making one.

At the end of the day conventionally attractive and/or cool looking playable races are what sell the most.

Thankfully this has never been part of their design decisions. Lest we would be up to our ears in 83979 elf variations and catgirls/boys

[KyleEverett]

I'm probably in the minority, but after Kyrians and Fae were considered to disconnected from Azeroth, I don't want Ethereals. They don't have the stakes I feel are necessary to want to save and protect Azeroth alone.

They're literally too alien.

Give me Haranir, Ogres, Naga, etc, first.

[Cheezits]

Thankfully this has never been part of their design decisions. Lest we would be up to our ears in 83979 elf variations and catgirls/boys

I do think we will get an OCshit cat race eventually, but not for a while.

[Khaza-R]

I do think we will get an OCshit cat race eventually, but not for a while.

Oh for sure. Its in their backpockket at some point.

Tolvir? Saberon? Tigon? No, no, enjoy this latest asspull sexy humaniod race with cat ears

[Limayria]

The Gallagio opening up into... something. Though this could happen at any patch in any expansion. It likely will have a new interior as the raid layout doesn't really work as an actual casino.

Some kind of Arathi airship mount. Maybe the meta achievement mount?

I think the Arathi airship will be our season 3 delve mount probably having an etheral nemesis and Arathi themed curios if I had to guess, I'd expect that great kyron was the planned delve companion for season 3 before the switching of companions was scrapped

Which I still hope long term means we're going to replace the companions with a talent tree upgrade system like visions with a few choice nodes taking the place of curios and an active button like the pact abilities instead of choosing companion roles, probably just a recharging damage increase or healing potion if I'd guess maybe a target dummy you can throw down to taunt

[Khaza-R]

As opposed to the three different dwarf variants? That aside, elves are a huge part of the game's overall story so they have that going for them as well.

The last new additional playable race didn't exactly meet much enthusiasm, so it'd be better to try and push something that'll be more successful.

Elves and humans are overwhelmingly what people gravitate towards across many different fantasy settings. I believe Tieflings were also fairly popular when it came to Baldur's Gate 3 as well.

Ethereals fit the 'rule of cool' trope, so they'd likely be decently successful. More so than something like Ogres which are inevitably going to be designed to be fat and ugly - though if we're being generous we can instead frame it as a 'strongman physique'. Which we already have in the form of Kul Tirans which are also not played in any notable numbers.

Again, boring way to design the game. At this point any new additon really just cannbalizes from something else. It very, very unlikely WoW could add a new race at this point which attracts people who've never touched the game.

So what are we adding undead elves to segement the 43% of Blood Elves or Earthen to segement the 2.4% of Dwarf players? Ultimately it doesn't change anyting other than enriching the lore. So may as well go with the more interesting story option rather than player appeal.

[Hitei]

It's fine to prefer alternative options but I do not agree that the majority should lose out in favour of the minority. .

There are five fucking elf races, no one is losing out.

[Limayria]

The orcs as a faction have been on azeroth for like one generation at this point and still manage to consider it their home

I also really think we're gonna get something connecting the haniar the trolls and the elves and linking them as the lineage of true natives of azeroth evolved by the world soul and the Etherals will find ship with those races and the relationship they have with azeorths based off the group of etherals we meet and the relationship they had with k'aresh

Azeorth is basically the local woman who adopts and cares for all the stray cats lol

[Cheezits]

If the Tazavesh thing wasn't just a funny tease, there may actually be some kind of segue from Undermine to K'aresh if the Brokers are indeed going to be tied to the Ethereals.

[Mecheon]

It's fine to prefer alternative options but I do not agree that the majority should lose out in favour of the minority. Those who want unconventional options already got one recently, so ideally the next addition will be something that'll actually have broad appeal.

I wouldn't even consider it to be 'boring' as a new addition can readily be conventionally attractive and/or cool whilst also having an interesting background.

We're pretty sure the next option is Haranir. Y'know, the troll elves. Orweyna's folks.

Mind this is mostly because they have a functional player race in the files that isn't used at the moment and Rootlands is still on the table for next patch

[Scyth]

Hm, I wonder what the pre-purchase bonus could be for Midnight. It's easy to forget but this stuff will probably be available in August, or some of it anyway.

I reckon it will be something void related tbh, given the theme of the xpac. Similar to what we got for TWW but everything is void themed instead.

Although your last point about many elf enthusiasts is a good one. As a fellow Elf enthusiast, now I'm hoping it's something Elf related though

[Limayria]

I reckon it will be something void related tbh, given the theme of the xpac. Similar to what we got for TWW but everything is void themed instead.

Although your last point about many elf enthusiasts is a good one. As a fellow Elf enthusiast, now I'm hoping it's something Elf related though

I'm thinking a Alleria transmog set maybe probably a fancy dragonhawk mount too

[Nymrohd]

I'm thinking a Alleria transmog set maybe probably a fancy dragonhawk mount too

Alleria transmog? So her eyeshadow?

[Limayria]

Alleria transmog? So her eyeshadow?

Id love that, but I was thinking probably her bow, and maybe a chest piece to show off the new ranger tattoos for the elves along side the rest of her TWW outfit

Id love to see blood/void elves get even more customization on par with the dracthyr visage forms and kinda think they are trying to bring that level of customization to more races and blood elves void elves and humans are next in line

I could also see a cloak/heal combo thats like the ranger heros cloak from WC3 with the hood allowing hair to show under and cover the face like the medhiv trading post hood with out the feathers out the back + enabling hair meshes under

Also I'm almost 100% sure the pre order armor will be dyeable like the new furniture assets

[Joshuaj]

Keep in mind though that BfA was faction war themed (and a bit of Death and Old Gods as well), but the rewards were mostly about Kul Tiras and Zandalar. The shiny selling-points and leveling experiences of the expansion.

SL, similarly, didn't focus its rewards around Death specifically, but rather on Oribos and the aesthetic you see around there.

Same with DF. Clear focus on the different flights that we met and quested alongside in the campaign. Sure the theme of the expansion was the same but still, the trend continued.

TWW was pitched as a war inside Azeroth with the nerubians as our main initial foes. But rewards focused on the Earthen. Not even the more complex and nuanced image of the Earthen that we've gotten post-launch. The poster boy version with gryphonriders and storms, which was a theme that lasted what... 5 minutes before changing into something else?

So IMO (and depending obviously on how they decide to spin Quel'thalas at Gamescom), the most likely scenario is that the Midnight rewards just aim straight for players' affection towards Quel'dorei.

Some different bundles I could see, depending on where they land:

• Wood Elf / Ranger themed. Sort of what Sylvanas, Alleria etc. were like back in WC2 and WC3. Maybe a neat transmog set, a unicorn or drahonhawk mount, and a couple of weapons. Bow? Swords?
• Light-themed. Basically Guardians of the Sunwell. If Metzen has his way, I could imagine an almost "The Avengers" type of stylistic approach to High Elves in Midnight. Badass and larger-than-life heroes defending the Sunwell against overwhelming odds, and looking awesome doing it. Maybe not all of them, but an elite squad perhaps.
• Basically a mishmash of a theme that represents all iconic versions of High Elves we've seen so far. For example, a bow from Sylvanas, a staff from WC3 priests or some type of dress from WC3 sorceresses, and a face tattoo from Alleria. Something for everyone.

"Wood Elf'

Wood Elves in WoW are Night Elves.

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"But what about Dark Elves?"

There are 2 main types of Dark Elves in WoW: Dark Rangers and Void Elves.

Void Elves are your typical Dark Elf example, however.

[Ersula]

> Lives in a forest, preferably a rather bright and sunny forest.

> Their looks emphasise the daytime (the sun, green foliage, flowers, etc.) and youth (agile, nimble, blonde or brunette, fair, beautiful).

> Usually Ranger-themed like WC2 High Elves. Warpaint/tattoos, bows, etc.

You just described Blood Elves. That's the whole Eversong woods experience.

[Joshuaj]

I disagree.

Night Elves share certain attributes with traditional Wood Elves, most notably the fact that they live in and around forest, and have a close bond with nature.

But there's a world of difference between Legolas and Tyrande. I would argue Night Elves are meant to be a unique spin on Elves in WoW. A mix between Wood Elves, Dark Elves and even High Elves (Highborne).

The type of Wood Elf I'm referring to checks these boxes:

> Lives in a forest, preferably a rather bright and sunny forest.

> Their looks emphasise the daytime (the sun, green foliage, flowers, etc.) and youth (agile, nimble, blonde or brunette, fair, beautiful).

> Usually Ranger-themed like WC2 High Elves. Warpaint/tattoos, bows, etc.

Tbf here, Wardens and Night Elf rangers in WoW are very nimble. But yes, there is a difference between a Wood Elf ranger and a Night Elf ranger, and it's entirely possible Sin'dorei rangers take from that LoTR aspect.

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Also, what you want for traditional "Wood Elves" already exists with the Blood Elves. Though, I do with WoW capitalized on that aspect of the race. Hopefully we'll see more Blood Elf and Void Elf customizations in Midnight.

[Cheezits]

The preorder bonus mount is usually something exclusive that you can't get in regular gamemodes. The stormrook ended up being pretty important to launch TWW and Earthen culture, so it could be something that is crucial to the Blood Elf experience like Dragonhawks.

My personal guess is a new Quel'dorei unicorn that can fly as High Elves will likely be the poster child for the expansion. It makes too much sense IMO for the flying rep mount to be a dragonhawk.

[FossilFree]

So IMO (and depending obviously on how they decide to spin Quel'thalas at Gamescom), the most likely scenario is that the Midnight rewards just aim straight for players' affection towards Quel'dorei.

Early access to new neutral High Elf allied race and early access to the Bard class that comes with them.