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

[allegrian]

High elves are highly marketable. It makes total sense. Another option would be to join void and blood elves into one neutral race + new high elf customization, but that would require adding a new alliance only AR, which could be solved by making Nightborne neutral as well, and a new Horde core race, which could be solved by adding Amani Trolls or Ogres.

[Eldryth]

7 Days early access to High Elf allied race

I'd expect a longer time frame if they do early access to a race. Even new classes have consistently gotten at least 2 weeks since they started doing early access bonuses. And less impactful additions have had much longer early access periods- Nightborne, Lightforged Draenei, Void Elves, and Highmountain Tauren were available for around 9 months before BFA, and Allied Race Death Knights were available for all of 8.3 if you preordered Shadowlands.

So for a new race, I'd guess either several months Early Access, or (like Earthen, and Mag'har and Dark Irons before them) they'll be gated behind the launch story with no Early Access at all.


As for whether it's worth adding them at all... It'd be great to get the war paint/tattoos that the current Thalassian Elves are lacking, but personally, getting that as customization options would be enough. Them being a full race would definitely create a lot of hype though, they've always been highly requested.

I'd also agree with preferring Ethereals like I saw someone else mention, but the way the story is going now, I expect that'll be far more likely as a late-TWW addition or not at all.

There's really no criteria to begin with. The only real distinction is that an AR needs to be unlocked. That's it.

And they get their heritage armor from leveling up without a boost or race change, not a quest chain, but yeah- all other presumed rules for them were already broken back in BFA. Are they a variant of an existing race? Then Vulpera shouldn't be an Allied Race. Are they just simple modifications of an existing model? Then Kul'Tirans and Zandalari are beyond that scope.

Blizzard can make any new race either Allied or normal at this point, it'll probably just depend on how they approach the story for it.

[allegrian]

Like 5 people play dwarves, across all three versions of them. To suggest Blizzard wouldn't add a third Quel'dorei option when 90% of the playerbase love Elves is just plain silly.

No one cares about your objections, like "it's not technically a new race!" or "Dark Iron had fire Blood!".

People just want to play sexy Elves. That's it. That's all there's to it.

Void Elves were always a compromise, because when you play as one you are intrinsically linked to bad stuff like the Void turning you blue, and half your customisation being tentacles.

Blood Elves are almost "pure" High Elves, but come with the baggage of having to play as Horde (which goes completely counter to what Elf players want, e.g. sexy elf stuff) and all their shady history with Fel magic, Death magic, etc.

A new, hot race that literally represents the Sun, and all things good and heroic, with some cool "Marvel: Avengers" heroism angle to them (larger than life type of characters) would be incredibly popular.

Pretty much this.

[Daniri]

Do you think when Midnight comes and goes with no high elves we can finally put this to bed?

[Cheezits]

It's either going to be a new High Elf race that is neutral, has a new starting experience with no baggage, and has different customs/racials, hence the "reunion" Metzen mentioned: Queldorei and Sindorei coming together makes more sense than Sindorei reuniting with Naga and Night Elves/Nightborne. or they somehow make Belf into a neutral race.

I think Spaghetti Code means the former is more likely. And it was already hinted IMO by the character in the housing trailer being a male elf in an alliance house. Yes, could just be Velf, but considering Vereesa is currently "banned" from appearing in the story I assume they have huge plans for the Quel'dorei.

[Cheezits]

I might be alone in this rather specific request, but an Illidari-type starting quest with a group of "elite" and sun-infused "Belore'dorei' type of Elves that return to Quel'thalas in their time of need to smite their enemies in righteous fury would be glorious.

Like, maybe Kael'thas had some secret plan. The Sun-King. Maybe an elite group of Elves were trained to defend Quel'thalas when the time came. Perhaps stuck in the Twisting Nether for a few years or something.

That would be interesting, or if they were a sect of the fel elves from the Sunwell raid. However I think the mass appeal and fan demand for "regular elf on Alliance with no baggage whatsoever" will lead to a very regular elf.

[Makorus]

Adding a differerent skin colour of existing races for the first set of Allied Races was soooooo very well received, why do people think that they are going to add a race that already exists twice as an expansion feature lmao.

[Cheezits]

Adding a differerent skin colour of existing races for the first set of Allied Races was soooooo very well received, why do people think that they are going to add a race that already exists twice as an expansion feature lmao.

It may just have something to do with new customization overhaul, but if it's another race it is because it will sell race changes and a Legolas on the box would sell the expansion to casuals.

[Daniri]

I might be alone in this rather specific request, but an Illidari-type starting quest with a group of "elite" and sun-infused "Belore'dorei' type of Elves that return to Quel'thalas in their time of need to smite their enemies in righteous fury would be glorious.

Like, maybe Kael'thas had some secret plan. The Sun-King. Maybe an elite group of Elves were trained to defend Quel'thalas when the time came. Perhaps stuck in the Twisting Nether for a few years or something.

Have you thought about how mad blood elf players would be at being undermined this much?

[Sondrelk]

That would be interesting, or if they were a sect of the fel elves from the Sunwell raid. However I think the mass appeal and fan demand for "regular elf on Alliance with no baggage whatsoever" will lead to a very regular elf.

Again though. All customization available to Belves are already available to Void Elves. The only thing they currently lack is a unique Heritage armour, and a racial that doesnt turn them into a void variant sometimes during combat. The Heritage Armour aspect can easily be remedied by giving a unique tint of one of the armour sets that come in Midnight just to them. And the void visual could be removed by an NPC that simply disables the visual.
Once those are done the only thing separating a Void Elf from a High Elf would be that you have slightly more purple buff tooltips, and that you are listed as a Void Elf, rather than a High Elf when someone hovers over your character.

You don't need an entirely new AR to remedy that issue. Even more so if the impression players will almost certainly get from it, is that they took the place of something more unique, like Ethereals or something.

[Makorus]

It may just have something to do with new customization overhaul, but if it's another race it is because it will sell race changes and a Legolas on the box would sell the expansion to casuals.

It's going to sell as many racechanges as Earthen did.

[Khaza-R]

It may just have something to do with new customization overhaul, but if it's another race it is because it will sell race changes and a Legolas on the box would sell the expansion to casuals.

That's kind of a giant middle finger to existing VE/BE players though? Also a terrible precedent to set by invalidating old races. At least other ARs added something new to the game. This is just paywalling new customizations.

[Enrif]

There's really no criteria to begin with. The only real distinction is that an AR needs to be unlocked. That's it.

well the criteria is: shares animation rig and basic shape with an already existing race. This is true for all allied races except kul'tirans and male zandalari

[Eldryth]

As sure as I was that we'd be going to the Rootlands and Worldcore in 11.2 before I saw Undermined's ending, I'm getting more and more convinced that it's actually going to be K'aresh.

There's been plenty of talk about TWW's overarching plot threads like going deeper into the world, and the Black Blood... but above all else, it's been about chasing the Dark Heart, and now, the Ethereum has it on K'aresh. And even the Black Blood's effects could still be in play there because it was one of the main resources used to rebuild the Dark Heart. So it really feels like we'll either be racing with Xal'atath to get it back, or just fighting the Ethereum only to find that she pulled off some big Plan B while we were gone.


Also, speaking of Midnight, I've been thinking back to this teaser from Dragonflight, and so far... it's really matched Dragonflight and TWW's story perfectly. And not just in some vague sense where it could have had any number of meanings. So I think the last page of it might be a massive clue as to what comes next.

Rise, rise! Our Queen calls to us from beyond the Umbral Veil. She has transcended the Circle of Stars and basks in her eternal grandeur!

The time we have long awaited is nigh.

Even now, the Harbinger gathers the children of the first flesh to reclaim what was lost. They must remember their vows and serve those to whom they owe fealty.

Starts with their usual praise for Azshara, who has gone through some kind of ascension. Their time has nearly come.

Xal'atath gathers the Nerubians of Azj-Kahet to gather the Black Blood. They return to serve the Void, their old masters.

While they toil in the deep places, we will journey to the shores of dragon lands, to the blessed isle where the Worldbreaker first embraced the whispers.

As one storm recedes, another rises. The torches have been lit. The secrets he buried will strike as a dagger into the hearts of his kin!

While the Nerubians start their work underground, the Naga go to the Dragon Isles, where Neltharion first felt the pull of the Void.

Raszageth falls, the other Incarnates (maybe talking about Fyrakk specifically) return. The Oathstones are restored (their importance is still unclear). Neltharion's secrets- the Shadowflame and Aberrus- are used against the Dragonflights.

The Harbinger speaks of a primal power that seeks the end of Order. Such rage can be bent to serve our ends.

A hunger lost to the ages will be reclaimed.

A dark heart left broken awaits the taking.

Xal'atath spoke of Iridikron. They would use his hatred for the Titans to further their own goals (as Xal'atath did by getting him to bring her the Dark Heart).

Galakrond's hunger is reclaimed using the Dark Heart.

The Dark Heart is broken by Alleria. The Ethereum uses that opportunity to take it for themselves.


And finally, the part that has not yet come to pass:

When these things come to pass, the Harbinger will fulfill the final prophecy and complete the awakening.

Only then shall our Queen return to reign over sea and sky and earth. We must make ready.

Rise, rise! Soon all that was hidden will be revealed.

Xal'atath will fulfill some prophecy and... awaken the Worldsoul?

And then, Azshara will return to rule over the entire world, and all secrets (the Titans' conspiracy?) will be revealed.


All of this makes me wonder, could Azshara be the true villain of Midnight, hijacking the Void's plans to control the world herself? At the very least, this whole manifesto suggests that Xal'atath and the Naga are in contact, and seemingly working together, but who is manipulating who here? Given that the Naga somehow predicted the Dark Heart breaking and being stolen- both things that caught Xal'atath completely off guard and derailed her plans- they seem to have greater knowledge of the future and be in more control. Right now, everything's playing out according to their agenda, not Xal'atath's. Plus if you set aside the Void stuff that was announced, she's really the biggest and most personal villain for the Elves.

I'd be very against wasting her as a mid-tier boss again like in BFA- had been hoping that she'd start getting long-term buildup here- but her being the main antagonist of an Elf-centric expansion would be great too. So long as she's the main antagonist of whatever expansion we fight her in, anything less would be a waste.

[Enrif]

They have High Elf customizations for Void Elves and Blood Elves. Why would they do a High Elf allied race?

because of this (for the alliance at least)




the void elf visuals are too much to ignore them

[Nymrohd]

That's kind of a giant middle finger to existing VE/BE players though? Also a terrible precedent to set by invalidating old races. At least other ARs added something new to the game. This is just paywalling new customizations.

Well Lightforged are better Draenei as well.

[Sondrelk]

The things you list are fine by me, but what you're describing is basically Blizzard creating a new race. Some Void Elf players, believe it or not, actually love having a truly Voidy race.

I am of the firm belief that High Elf entheusiasts want the entire package. The name of the race. The racials. The mount. The heritage armour set. The backstory. The capital city. The Alliance (some of them, anyhow). All of it.

I really don't think a tint of an armour with High Elf colours, and an NPCin Telogrus Rift that removes the appearance modifier for your racial is anywhere near creating a new race. Especially given it would be a much easier sell to players, considering it doesnt take up an AR spot like what a High Elf would.

[Cheezits]

Oh christ... BELedar... yeah I can see it being filled with elves.

Also I don't think people have thought about Midnight being an expansion meant to bring in new players who don't even know what an Allied Race is. It's looking to be Legion levels with a casual hype feature right out the box.

Yes it's a remake... of 15+ year old zones. There will certainly be a nostalgia element but Thalassians have a lot of casual appeal as any person knows what an Elf is. If you want to make white boy elves more casually accessible you make a variant that is untethered from old faction lore (Sindorei) and doesn't need to be unlocked/doesn't have a visible gimmick that has to be hidden (Rendorei)

Sounds like Queldorei!

[Khaza-R]

Well Lightforged are better Draenei as well.

Maybe before SLs customizations and them adding Man'ari skins {which btw had way more of a right to be an AR than HEs). But that's all the more reason to not make the same mistake again.

[Limayria]

Just make all the elves neutral, give them high elf customizations

Give them druids (and shaman but less likely)

Etheral race

Character customization options at least on the level of dracthyr too please


I could see a high elf race however using a different rig or something, the male blood elf model specifically always super missed the mark on what blood elves should have been like how the fuck do you make a race of canonically malnourished vampire elves and not make them sickly little twinks, the entire game industry saw how popular Asatarion was in BG3 so I wouldn't be shocked to see more leaning into the blood elves as vampire elves aesthetic and a semi human slender body type would be extremely welcome in a game where if you want to be a male character you better be ready to be built like the shtties fucking comic book character designs from the 90s or be a furry lol