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

[Hitei]

I would argue Worldcore/Rootlands is impossible to not be derivative of Dragonflight's Titan Ruins and Life aesthetics. I would much prefer it in a few years (TLT) than directly following Dragonflight.

Likelihood of either option completely put aside, this logic perplexes me.

Not singling you out, because I've seen it a bunch of times now from different people, but how are people worried about a hypothetical "Life themed" 11.2 being too much of a repeat too soon to 10.2... and then they turn around and nod along with the idea of 11.2 being probably 4-6 months of Void patch right before an entire expansion about fighting the Void. That was the exact misstep they did with WoD and Legion, that created the "fatigue" idea in the first place.

As resident half-of-Shadowlands hater, I'm all for bringing back any of the characters that had some unceremonious cameos. Both of your ideas are great.

There's also a nonzero chance we don't see some form of Arthas as well, I refuse to believe that they will stick with the Arthas soul fart ending from Shadowlands. Kael'thas is bound to be brought up in Midnight. Give me some form of Garrosh back.

But that being said, Kel'thuzad is most certainly going to be returning directly tied to the Scourge plots. I like this idea that he is this necromatic roach that cannot be killed, but keeps crawling his way back from various abysses to vye for power, constantly making routes to escape permanent death or a permanent form.

God, I really hope that the Scourge isn't much more than a small side-questing part of like one Midnight leveling zone. It just hamstrings forward progress of the storyline and region so hard. This was the largest problem with 95% of Cata's revamp: almost every zone was just "actually literally nothing you did in Vanilla questing did anything at all, and these enemy groups you completely stomped out haven't lost any forces at all and no one bothered to stop them from casually reclaiming all the same holds and positions".

People keep talking about Deatholme in the context of raid or dungeon like it wasn't razed by a few Blood Elf adventurers, and all its notable Scourge commanders killed a decade and a half ago when the Scourge was near the height of its power and the Blood Elves were largely unsupported and struggling with Mana addiction, Kael's duplicity, and a renewed Amani threat.

Scourge presence in Quel'thalas should be on the level of "every now and then rangers on patrol spot a couple lost ghouls/skeletons and take the opportunity to have an archery competition."

[Cheezits]

Likelihood of either option completely put aside, this logic perplexes me.

Not singling you out, because I've seen it a bunch of times now from different people, but how are people worried about a hypothetical "Life themed" 11.2 being too much of a repeat too soon to 10.2... and then they turn around and nod along with the idea of 11.2 being probably 4-6 months of Void patch right before an entire expansion about fighting the Void.

I am personally guessing a chunk of a K'aresh patch would be not very Voidy as we have some sandy Ethereals, pointing towards a possible Biodome. That, and it is very unlikely we are going to get a Void Zone in launch 12.0 anyway (similar to Legion), so a Voidy area in 11.2 wouldn't be too redundant timewise.

Also, if we get K'aresh in 11.2 the Blizz team has to be more creative with their patches in Midnight.

[Hitei]

I am personally guessing a chunk of a K'aresh patch would be not very Voidy as we have some sandy Ethereals, pointing towards a possible Biodome. That, and it is very unlikely we are going to get a Void Zone in launch 12.0 anyway, so a Voidy area in 11.2 wouldn't be too redundant timewise.

Also, if we get K'aresh in 11.2 the Blizz team has to be more creative with their patches in Midnight.

We didn't get a Fel zone in launch Legion and Tanaan is mostly just lush jungle, not felfire, but that didn't stop it feeling like a painful stretch of felfire and demons to a lot of players.

[Cheezits]

We didn't get a Fel zone in launch Legion and Tanaan is mostly just lush jungle, not felfire, but that didn't stop it feeling like a painful stretch of felfire and demons to a lot of players.

I mean, it's possible that K'aresh isn't very Void-y save for potentially some new mobs foreshadowing Midnight (it has to happen, there are like 3 Void models currently). I would argue that the Black Blood/Old God stuff for three patches is more painful than Cosmic Void crossing over for a few patches. We haven't even technically had a Void raid yet.

If the icons from launch truly were from an etherealraid then it wouldn't even be classified as Void or Xal's raid, despite the tabard looking like her. I'm sure she would be the end boss regardless.

[Hitei]

I mean, it's possible that K'aresh isn't very Void-y save for potentially some new mobs foreshadowing Midnight (it has to happen, there are like 3 Void models currently). I would argue that the Black Blood/Old God stuff for three patches is more painful than Cosmic Void crossing over for a few patches. We haven't even technically had a Void raid yet.

I mean, like... It sort of isn't, right?



I agree that, prior to 11.1, K'aresh could have been anything. It could have been a fractured, vibrant, bright red desert planet under a huge yellow sun. But we know now it's a wholly Void thing. Anything else in K'aresh is going to be subbordinate, visually and thematically, to the entire planet being void-consumed and the skybox being a giant void-torn planet like Argus' was the fel-consumed planet.

[Cheezits]

I agree that, prior to 11.1, K'aresh could have been anything. It could have been a fractured, vibrant, bright red desert planet under a huge yellow sun. But we know now it's a wholly Void thing. Anything else in K'aresh is going to be subbordinate, visually and thematically, to the entire planet being void-consumed and the skybox being a giant void-torn planet like Argus' was the fel-consumed planet.

Fully expect the Biodome concept (confirmed to be an Ethereal thing) to be revisited in order to force zone diversity. Could even be a Macaree situation with one lush ruins zone and one goopy zone (cinematic being the skybox of an Antoran Wastes equivalent)

[Merryck]

Holy fuck Blizzard please drop the reveal now I can't handle another week of the same 3 arguments in this thread.

[Jerhomie]

And in the Eastern Kingdoms of all things. I have no idea where this would be besides mmmmmaybe Blackrock Mountain? Alterac? Something that extends both into the ground and up to the sky.

Just a thought that something that goes into the sky and ground would be a tree; branches up, roots down. Although I don’t think we have a world tree in the Eastern Kingdoms. I do remember seeing an old concept map pre-WoW that had one in Quel’thalas, but I don’t know where that could fit now.

[Hitei]

Fully expect the Biodome concept (confirmed to be an Ethereal thing) to be revisited in order to force zone diversity. Could even be a Macaree situation with one lush ruins zone and one goopy zone (cinematic being the skybox of an Antoran Wastes equivalent)

Sure, but did Mac'aree stop Argus from just being a Legion zone? Or stop players from feeling like they were overloaded with the bleak black rock and felfire aesthetic? When you think of Netherstorm, as striking as the Ecodomes are, do you think "Jungle", or do you think Purple arcane-y messed up rock zone?

Ecodomes will (because I fully expect them to be involved with K'aresh) break up the visual monotony of an individual zone, but they're not going to reskin the overarching aesthetic or lingering impression. K'aresh = Void as much as Argus = Fel.

[Khaza-R]

Holy fuck Blizzard please drop the reveal now I can't handle another week of the same 3 arguments in this thread.

Kind of agree. But to be fair the discussion is going to just shift from K'aresh vs Rootlands to if the first raid of MN is Sunwell 2.0 or a troll raid.

[Dvalin]

Holy fuck Blizzard please drop the reveal now I can't handle another week of the same 3 arguments in this thread.

Hopefully not more than +-2 weeks. Hopefully... The 25th would be a good day.

[Cheezits]

Hopefully not more than +-2 weeks. Hopefully... The 25th would be a good day.

There is no timegated content in 11.1.7 AFAIK so reveal should be next Thursday.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

Kind of agree. But to be fair the discussion is going to just shift from K'aresh vs Rootlands to if the first raid of MN is Sunwell 2.0 or a troll raid.

To be fair, the precedent the epilogue sets if it is correct will at least settle the endless nature of the K'aresh vs Rootlands debate.

[Worldshaper]

We didn't get a Fel zone in launch Legion and Tanaan is mostly just lush jungle, not felfire, but that didn't stop it feeling like a painful stretch of felfire and demons to a lot of players.

Oh God, that takes me back. I was on Team Dark Below, arguing a South Seas had to come next since Tanaan was so full of demons already. An expansion focused on the Burning Legion right after just couldn't make sense to me.

I think K'aresh being all voidy probably helps its case because I doubt they will want to start out in Midnight with Quel'thalas as a purple hell hole.

Intensely focusing on the True Void TM for 11.2 would give them a chance to take a step back for 12.0 before escalating things again in 12.1.

That said, as I've mentioned before they tend to theme expansion announcements, names, and pre-purchase offers based on the initial theme of the expansion (War, Kul Tiras and Zandalar in BfA, Oribos in Shadowlands, the flights in Dragonflight, Earthen in TWW, etc.).

So given that the name is Midnight, it's probably safe to assume the launch experience will focus on that theme.

We also know from A Song of the Depth that Xal'atath's next move will be "the awakening," and whether that refers to Azeroth, N'Zoth, Dimensius or somebody else, it kinda sounds like it'll be the inciting event for Midnight doesn't it?

After which Queen Azshara returns.

So we could be looking at a situation where Azeroth is under siege right from the start.

- - - Updated - - -

There is no timegated comment in 11.1.7 AFAIK so reveal should be next Thursday.

Thursdays aren't a thing. Nor is announcing patches the same week as a patch release. Not so far, anyway.

25th is our best bet.

[Merryck]

Faerin gets done dirty by the artists who do the artwork / CGI cinematics. You'd think she was a hard ass, but in-game she's a sweetheart.

[Catastrophy349]

Oh God, that takes me back. I was on Team Dark Below, arguing a South Seas had to come next since Tanaan was so full of demons already. An expansion focused on the Burning Legion right after just couldn't make sense to me.

I think K'aresh being all voidy probably helps its case because I doubt they will want to start out in Midnight with Quel'thalas as a purple hell hole.

Intensely focusing on the True Void TM for 11.2 would give them a chance to take a step back for 12.0 before escalating things again in 12.1.

That said, as I've mentioned before they tend to theme expansion announcements, names, and pre-purchase offers based on the initial theme of the expansion (War, Kul Tiras and Zandalar in BfA, Oribos in Shadowlands, the flights in Dragonflight, Earthen in TWW, etc.).

So given that the name is Midnight, it's probably safe to assume the launch experience will focus on that theme.

We also know from A Song of the Depth that Xal'atath's next move will be "the awakening," and whether that refers to Azeroth, N'Zoth, Dimensius or somebody else, it kinda sounds like it'll be the inciting event for Midnight doesn't it?

After which Queen Azshara returns.

So we could be looking at a situation where Azeroth is under siege right from the start.

- - - Updated - - -



Thursdays aren't a thing. Nor is announcing patches the same week as a patch release. Not so far, anyway.

25th is our best bet.

Patch 10.1.7 launched on a TUESDAY (September 5th) and 10.2 was revealed during a WoWCast on THURSDAY (September 7th)...

https://www.wowhead.com/news/dragonf...wowcast-334867

[Worldshaper]

Patch 10.1.7 launched on a TUESDAY (September 5th) and 10.2 was revealed during a WoWCast on THURSDAY (September 7th)...

https://www.wowhead.com/news/dragonf...wowcast-334867

Yep, 11.0.7 was released on a Tuesday like all patches.

11.1 was announced at Warcraft Direct (which happened to be on a Wednesday but that's beside the point), and later followed up with a Wowcast on Thursday, the 19th of December.

But do you know why? Because the Wednesday on the week after 11.0.7's release was December 25th, Christmas Day.

Edit:

I just realised you were talking about Dragonflight patches. Oh well. That makes your argument even worse, because while Dragonflight did indeed announce its patches on Thursdays, The War Within does it on Wednesdays.

[Catastrophy349]

Yep, 11.0.7 was released on a Tuesday like all patches.

11.1 was announced at Warcraft Direct (which happened to be on a Wednesday but that's beside the point), and later followed up with a Wowcast on Thursday, the 19th of December.

But do you know why? Because the Wednesday on the week after 11.0.7's release was December 25th, Christmas Day.

Edit:

I just realised you were talking about Dragonflight patches. Oh well. That makes your argument even worse, because while Dragonflight did indeed announce its patches on Thursdays, The War Within does it on Wednesdays.

I don't think that it makes my argument "worse." I just can't comprehend why people are obsessed over these dates. Moreover, I can't understand YOUR obsession with telling people that you're right and they can all kick sand. At the end of the day, who cares what day 11.2 gets revealed (this week, next week after patch, or the week after)? It's a video game!

TLDR; We are all anxiously waiting for the 11.2 news because we are excited. It would be nice to focus back on the LORE/Speculation rather than arbitrary dates which are just nitpicking and an extension of stroking one's own ego.

[Sondrelk]

Just a thought that something that goes into the sky and ground would be a tree; branches up, roots down. Although I don’t think we have a world tree in the Eastern Kingdoms. I do remember seeing an old concept map pre-WoW that had one in Quel’thalas, but I don’t know where that could fit now.

The trees next to the druid portals are world trees, aren't they? Small ones, but still world trees. One in the Hinterlands, and one in Duskwood.

[genegerbread]

The trees next to the druid portals are world trees, aren't they? Small ones, but still world trees. One in the Hinterlands, and one in Duskwood.

They are World Tree saplings, not World Trees.