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

[Hitei]

Yeah, I don't remember any classes ever getting hinted at before they were revealed. Leaked, sometimes, but that's not planned (and wouldn't be recognized until we know the answer and look back at it). Most of the added classes weren't even remotely relevant for a long time before being added- DK came after TBC, where the Scourge were barely relevant; Pandaren weren't even in WoW the Mists reveal (aside from one brief mention of Chen), and Ysera was the only dragon presence in Shadowlands. So it doesn't really matter that they haven't been hinting at a class, they never do, and it'd be perfectly normal to get one now.

I could definitely see Spellbreakers coming, they fit Quel'thalas perfectly and are probably the biggest unfilled Elven fantasy (well, Thalassian Elven anyway; Wardens don't really fit the setting as much). Especially if they mix in all of the martial magic that the Nightborne used back in Legion- there's a lot of it, if you take some time to see what all the Nighthold mobs do. If we get a class like that, I might finally have a main that I'd stick with for more than a season or two.

I wouldn't be shocked if the next class is a gish archetypically, but I don't think it'd be a spellbreaker. They are a bit too niche as an identity and vague as a concept. It was fine for Demon Hunters to be very racially specific because they are truly iconic, one of the the most recognizable and core "classes" of the setting, alongside Death Knights. It was fine for brewmaster to be racially specific because they just baked it into the much more generalized classic "monk" archetype.

But Spellbreakers are a fairly minor existence exclusive to basically being Blood Elf city guards. To some extent they're even more narrow and less defined than like, Wardens. The martially gish mobs in Nighthold are usually spellblades, not spellbreakers.

Like what does a spellbreaker actually do? In terms of kit. Are they just arcane-reskinned prot paladins? Do they teleport all around? Are they purely a martial class with reflecting damage mechanics? Are they mobile? Static? Only melee range? More hybrid?

Their identity is pretty weak, they are just sort of guards that use a glaive and a shield.

I could see them being folded into a more general class the class' tank spec, but I don't think they have the substance to be a full class just as "spellbreaker" itself.

[Ersula]

I have no idea what you're talking about regarding the blood of Y'shaarj. Do you have a more specific source for that?

I was actually thinking of Cenarius creating the Highmountain by blessing them with the Horns of Eche'ro, but obviously that's not quite relevant. Tauren in general are specifically the yaungol who followed Cenarius, but yeah I don't think there's actually a specific account of him transforming them into tauren, so maybe their hanging around Cenarius doesn't matter.

In that case, it comes down to whether the yaungol descend from an Ancient or not, and if Ancients really are titan-blessed as we've been told. I'd like for tauren to be untouched by titans, but I'm not holding my breath.

Archaedes presents a hypothesis that before the creation of the Well of Eternity, the free-flowing Blood of Ysaarj transformed the beasts of Azeroth, otherwise why the animals became humanoids have no explanation the Titan-forged can discern.

Then you can say the Tauren are also created by the Titans, only by accident.

[Wyrt]

I think Spellbreaker's more likely as a single spec of a Gish-like class. Kind of like how Brewmaster became 1 spec of monk.

Have Lor'themar take up being a Spellbreaker. Quel'thalas has more than enough rangers.

[Limayria]

Spell blade would be a really sick class and help play in to the relationship between nightborn and belves and also we have that unsourced night born warglaive sword still I think

[Hitei]

Spell blade would be a really sick class and help play in to the relationship between nightborn and belves and also we have that unsourced night born warglaive sword still I think

The one you can buy from timewalking vendors?

[Viridiel]

Archaedes presents a hypothesis that before the creation of the Well of Eternity, the free-flowing Blood of Ysaarj transformed the beasts of Azeroth, otherwise why the animals became humanoids have no explanation the Titan-forged can discern.

Then you can say the Tauren are also created by the Titans, only by accident.

Thanks, I don't remember that at all. I'll have to have a reread and find where that is.

I have a feeling he's wrong, though. There are humanoid creatures everywhere, several coming from planets with no Old Gods to speak of (never mind the fact that Old Gods are famously not humanoid). I'd point to worldsoul energy if not for the fact that Draenor naturally developed humanoid sporemounds. Maybe Draenor actually did have a worldsoul but it was consumed by the roots of the Evergrowth.

[Eldryth]

But Spellbreakers are a fairly minor existence exclusive to basically being Blood Elf city guards. To some extent they're even more narrow and less defined than like, Wardens. The martially gish mobs in Nighthold are usually spellblades, not spellbreakers.

Like what does a spellbreaker actually do? In terms of kit. Are they just arcane-reskinned prot paladins? Do they teleport all around? Are they purely a martial class with reflecting damage mechanics? Are they mobile? Static? Only melee range? More hybrid?

As portrayed so far in WoW? They pretty much do the same things as all those Nightborne martial mages, they're just the most iconic and Midnight-relevant incarnation of that.

Spellbreakers have rarely appeared in WoW so far (for story reasons), so it's pretty understandable to miss this, but they haven't been the classic anti-magic fighters from Warcraft 3 since, well, Warcraft 3. In WoW, they always fought by infusing their weapons with magic, with newer ones (from Legion) also casting supportive spells.


They rarely appeared because they were nearly wiped out in TBC- their headquarters was on Quel'danas, and they fell defending the Sunwell from Kael'thas's attack. They only started rebuilding in MoP, which was also the last time the Blood Elves got much focus, so they haven't really been followed up on since. But that story is also why I think they'd probably be the version we get if it's in Midnight- with Quel'thalas being invaded by an enemy set on destroying the Sunwell again, a rebuilt order of Spellbreakers stepping up to stop the invasion as the Sunwell's guardians fits very well, and would be a very cool story for their introduction imo.


But really, the names are interchangeable so long as it contains that fantasy. Spellbreaker and Spellblade seem like the most likely options (though Nightborne actually have a whole bunch of names for it, not just Spellblade- that's just more recognizable because a boss used it), but if they add something like this, I'll love it regardless of the name (assuming it plays well).

I think Spellbreaker's more likely as a single spec of a Gish-like class. Kind of like how Brewmaster became 1 spec of monk.

Have Lor'themar take up being a Spellbreaker. Quel'thalas has more than enough rangers.

Definitely plausible, I just think that Spellbreakers, as an order, could fit extremely well as the story reason for their introduction. Though I guess that could still be distinct from their class name, and instead be like a Class Order like the Silver Hand, Ebon Blade, Illidari, Tirisgarde, etc.

I don't know about changing Lor'themar, though I guess he was the one to order for the Spellbreakers to be rebuilt.

The one you can buy from timewalking vendors?

I don't know if it's the same one that poster meant, but there is one on the current vendor. Thanks for mentioning that, I had no idea it was there and rushed to check and buy it.

[Limayria]

The one you can buy from timewalking vendors?

oh i never realized it got added i was thinking of the Duskwatch Arcblade and didnt know about the Nightforged Spellblade

[whoisqnx]

Completly off topic but does anyone else hope we will be able to choose what kind of music plays in our house if any? Like I dont want generic orc music blasting in my undead's dark home or sometimes I would like to turn it off completly and only have a fireplace making some noise. Even better if visitors can hear the same one you chose

I feel like music plays a very huge part in setting the vibe and for example Tirisfal Glades music in my dark home would be the cherry on top.

[Wyrt]

I don't know about changing Lor'themar, though I guess he was the one to order for the Spellbreakers to be rebuilt.

I just think Quel'thalas needs some more class diversity. Right now it's like 1 mage, 1 paladin, and a bunch of rangers.

He also married Thalyssra so picking up a little magic isn't out of the question.

[Alanar]

If elf reunification is supposed to be a major plot point of 12.0 then it would be weird if Silvermoon was not a hub. Kind of hard to drive that concept forward if there isn't a tangible place for them to gather around. Or conversely some place that has no real culture significance to them.

Could also be quel danas as a neutral area, just as bc. Silvermoon being available sounds like they could do that as well. There are a few possibilities.

[Darkarath]

It would be an interesting choice if Blizzard hyped up QT only to destroy Silvermoon. I guess that we can always rebuild... But having the Blood Elves going through this again after The Plague? I don't buy it.

Also, if that were to be the case, the Sunwell would be completely lost. We would not be able to reach it. I know that we have boats and magic, but it would be completely unrealistic to siege the Sunwell without recovering Silvermoon first.

What I believe that might happen is that we have a Beledar kind of event in which we have to defend Silvermoon from the Void. Although part of me wish that Silvermoon is destroyed because that would almost guarantee IMO that Gilneas and the Undercity would be the capital cities of Midnight.

[Limayria]

I just think Quel'thalas needs some more class diversity. Right now it's like 1 mage, 1 paladin, and a bunch of rangers.

He also married Thalyssra so picking up a little magic isn't out of the question.

we need a blood elf demon hunter rep imo

also seeing Chief Telemancer Oculeth leading a joint belf/nightborn technomagic group and spellbreakers/spell blades with a leader character for them would give us a nice spread of characters imo

[Alanar]

I just think Quel'thalas needs some more class diversity. Right now it's like 1 mage, 1 paladin, and a bunch of rangers.

He also married Thalyssra so picking up a little magic isn't out of the question.

Not so sure, I mean the blood elves already havr a few iconic militray groups going. Which are very well known.

The magi and blood magi, rangers and blood knight, but also spellbreakers which are pretty much their guards.
Idk if it needs more diversity, what we have is pretty good already and are all led by a leader. Blood elves always were good at magic, but Thalyssra could enhance that aspect.

[Hitei]

Also, if that were to be the case, the Sunwell would be completely lost. We would not be able to reach it. I know that we have boats and magic, but it would be completely unrealistic to siege the Sunwell without recovering Silvermoon first.

Why would we need to siege it? The Void are the ones trying to get to it, so presumably we would be defending the island not assaulting it.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

I do not see Silvermoon city being completely destroyed, at least not during the base expansion. Presumably, the destruction of Silvermoon city means what is left off it would be bathed in purple colors, and that it would be a high level mob area you would venture into. Except we already did this with Suramar in Legion. An elf city with white walls bathed in a purple color palette that you venture into to fight occupying enemy mobs. Suramar also had somewhat of a star aesthetic, and now the Shadow/Void has gotten a visual redesign to look like starry space magick, which would further emphasize it being a rehash.

We have never had an elf city be the main city hub for an expansion before. Teldrassil and TBC Silvermoon were racial starting cities that few but roleplayers revisited after reaching level 10, and those cities were from the very beginning of the game two decades ago. Meanwhile, Alliance players have been sitting in Stormwind for twenty years, and we had another human city of Boralus not too long ago. The Undercity/Lordaeron has also gotten a fair enough amount of exposure over the years and I don't think there is enough enthusiasm to make everyone sit there for two years. Silvermoon has much more cross faction appeal, with it looking like a bastion of civilization aka Alliance themed which is the default aesthetic of non-Horde themed capital cities. Making Alliance players sit in the lair of evil - and an important former Alliance capital that has been perverted - would sting, especially after how badly the recent Lordaeron writing has been received.

Lastly, Silvermoon just looks much more visually appealing, with spires to fly through in the sunlight and the potential for magic stuff and magitek, and the golden woods. Eversong Woods is also going to be one of the more demanded housing locations and there is a high chance it will be amongst the first new neighborhoods to be patched in. Having the nearby capital city that would offer protection to the neighborhood being destroyed would dampen the appeal.

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Completly off topic but does anyone else hope we will be able to choose what kind of music plays in our house if any? Like I dont want generic orc music blasting in my undead's dark home or sometimes I would like to turn it off completly and only have a fireplace making some noise. Even better if visitors can hear the same one you chose

I feel like music plays a very huge part in setting the vibe and for example Tirisfal Glades music in my dark home would be the cherry on top.

It would be neat if you could make a playlist and assign any track in the game including the many variations, not just the one variation that Blizzard decides to make into an orchestrion.

[Enrif]

That could be changed by the addition of an NPC that switches between hostile, and non-hostile Silvermoon.
It would only be an issue of having a proper hub with functional NPCs beyond banks and flight masters is a must.

we need a proper hub in Quel'Thalas and we don't have any other options. Any option outside of quel'thalas is wishful ignorance to what was announced. So, if not Quel'thalas, where is then the hub in Midnight? Stratholme, Lordaeron, Gilenas, all that doesn't count as it is outside of Quel'thalas. So? where IN Quel'thalas will be the hub?

All this "silvermoon is suramar 2.0" is just from people who think Midnight will be a northern EK revamp. It will not, stick to quel'thalas, don't let your bias and wishes conflate the actual announced stuff. Just Quel'Thalas. Any hub other than Silvermoon does not make sense.

[Darkarath]

Why would we need to siege it? The Void are the ones trying to get to it, so presumably we would be defending the island not assaulting it.

If Silvermoon is gone as so many are inclined to believe, the Sunwell would be lost too. It would be very hard to justify how the Void could presumably destroy Silvermoon and not take the Sunwell, especially since we won't be able to send reinforcements without retaking Silvermoon first.

But I doubt that Blizzard would hype QT just to destroy Silvermoon, and if that were to be the case no doubt we would rebuild it eventually, and I'm not sure if rebuilding a city would work well as a feature in a game like WoW.

[Hitei]

Lastly, Silvermoon just looks much more visually appealing, with spires to fly through in the sunlight and the potential for magic stuff and magitek, and the golden woods. Eversong Woods is also going to be one of the more demanded housing locations and there is a high chance it will be amongst the first new neighborhoods to be patched in. Having the nearby capital city that would offer protection to the neighborhood being destroyed would dampen the appeal.

If you think that Midnight is gonna be about you soaring majestically through the pretty sunlight and pristine golden woods, I have bad news for you. Also "I think there should be a neighborhood there" isn't particularly great evidence.

[Limayria]

If Silvermoon is gone as so many are inclined to believe, the Sunwell would be lost too. It would be very hard to justify how the Void could presumably destroy Silvermoon and not take the Sunwell, especially since we won't be able to send reinforcements without retaking Silvermoon first.

But I doubt that Blizzard would hype QT just to destroy Silvermoon, and if that were to be the case no doubt we would rebuild it eventually, and I'm not sure if rebuilding a city would work well as a feature in a game like WoW.

FF14 did something similar in stormblood with the doman enclave i dont see why blizzard couldn't do it in wow, they could even use the "shipping and handling" job system as a way for players to opt in and contribute to over all progress

theres 0 reason that fortnite is better than wow at live events and this could be an 8 week long live event between 12.0.7 and 12.1

we need a proper hub in Quel'Thalas and we don't have any other options. Any option outside of quel'thalas is wishful ignorance to what was announced. So, if not Quel'thalas, where is then the hub in Midnight? Stratholme, Lordaeron, Gilenas, all that doesn't count as it is outside of Quel'thalas. So? where IN Quel'thalas will be the hub?

All this "silvermoon is suramar 2.0" is just from people who think Midnight will be a northern EK revamp. It will not, stick to quel'thalas, don't let your bias and wishes conflate the actual announced stuff. Just Quel'Thalas. Any hub other than Silvermoon does not make sense.

tranquillen could be a player hub with silvermoon being unlocked as a capital in 12.1 alongside the housing neighborhood like how bel'amath was