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

[Cheezits]

They are pretty clearly not interested in using the factions if they aren't on EK/Kalimdor. So until we go there in questing, no factions.

Considering they didn't get rid of the factions I'm assuming it will eventually happen.

[Catastrophy349]

It's not a "reset" of any kind. Blizzard has made it very clear since SL (Primarily when hyping up Eternity's End) that they wanted to go back and explore some more grounded themes on Azeroth. None of this means the Cosmic plotlines don't exist tho, just means we'll be continuing to flip flop between grounded stories and more Cosmic focused plots.

Yeah, that's why I said "soft reset", specifically in "quotes". Obviously anyone who follows the lore can see it's not a true "reset". I simply meant that they are using this expansion to "go back" as you yourself mentioned, to set up future plot points in a way that provides more context.

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I rather have a "slower" expansion of Dragonflight to set up the Void, Titan stuff, etc., then a larger expansion branching off of that compared to just throwing us into a random dimension out of left field. I LOVE the cosmic lore, personally; however, NOT when it's set up poorly.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

They are pretty clearly not interested in using the factions if they aren't on EK/Kalimdor. So until we go there in questing, no factions.

Considering they didn't get rid of the factions I'm assuming it will eventually happen.

I imagine its not because we aren't on EK/Kalimdor. They'd be stupid to not use factions again. Besides I think thats DFs one of the weakest points of DF is the lack of the two factions.

[Catastrophy349]

I actually love when we leave Azeroth and go to new places. I just want it to be done right.

[Cheezits]

I imagine its not because we aren't on EK/Kalimdor. They'd be stupid to not use factions again. Besides I think thats DFs one of the weakest points of DF is the lack of the two factions.

I mean in SL it made sense for them to take a break from factions, but TWO expansions, especially after a timeskip, without factions makes me think that they want to use EK/Kalimdor questing to flesh out what the factions are like now. Four years without factions is a bit much.

It's possible to do Alliance/Horde worldbuilding solely on Avaloren but I'm not sure that's the route.

[Catastrophy349]

I love Azeroth, it's home. However, I also love going into space. If they can sell us going into space, I'm all for it.

[Darkarath]

I think that it is not fair to compare DF's plot and impact to other expansions. Hell, we are not in 10.2 yet. What happened in other expansions until their first patch? Sure some of them had more meat than DF, but we should wait and see.

I am pretty sure that DF will have a WTF moment. Our Buddy Fyrakk is, IMO, at the moment, the most powerful Dragon in history (apart from Galakrond), even more powerful that the Aspects in their prime.

The Incarnates are a type of VERY welcomed villains. We can empathize with a villain from the first time in how long?

Finally, I feel that DF's plot is important, if not amazing, and clearly narratively very poorly put together. But by the end of 10.3 (yes, now I firmly believe that we will have one), we will no longer see the Titans and its Keepers as allies. Which will be interesting because that position would affect our relation with Iridikron.

I just cannot see us being buddies with the Titans after DF.

[Ersula]

Notwithstanding the obvious narrative setup, which let's face it Blizzard don't care about given how they ended the Sylvanas faction war expansion on N'zoth, Blizzard have nothing to gain from not making a .3 patch like most every other expansion, and everything to lose from breaking their content cadence on the first expansion in half a decade that's gotten even some good press.

Ideally, a final raid provides both, the defeat of a formidable antagonist & a narrative dilemma that propels us into the next expansion. They've tried to do this before but never really pulled it off well: The closest they've come is WoD into Legion, but Archimonde wasn't really the antagonist of WoD. Ironically the most successful example of this is Warcraft 3 setting up the BC & Wrath expansion.

Launching a patch before Blizzcon makes 0 sense
Creates technical problems for devs because employees need to be focused on that and not a game

They've done it before. 7.1, 6.0, 4.0 all came out less than two weeks before a Blizzcon. If you're going to say "Blizzard would never do that" at the very least check to see that they didn't actually do that exact thing already. What I suggested, 10.2 coming out right after blizzcon has far less precedence.

Remember the "new class confirmed dark Ranger I have proof

The thesis of that video was "Dark Rangers are coming, either as a class or Allied Race or customization" and they were 100% correct. The quest even calls it "Dark Ranger Customization."

thaldraszus is the biggest zone not the waking shore with 627 quest (even accounting for more recent quest it was likely ahead at launch), to the shores 416, the Azure span is behind the shore but is still ahead of both Maldraxxus and the weld with 406 quest, the Plains is the only zone behind them with 345 quest.

So in short, Your full of shit.

lol literally a third of those thal quests are just "oh you've reached a certain renown level? here's a auto-accepted turn in quest." Sorry if I'm talking about real content.

Well shit. If Taliesin and Evitel said it then it must be true. Consider me convinced.

You accused me of having an out-of-pocket opinion; a "wild take." It wasn't a wild take: It was a take a lot of people expressed & I had receipts.

Be careful to keep the personal attack to a minimum & only post when you have something to contribute to the discussion or you might be reported for spam.

[Catastrophy349]

I think that it is not fair to compare DF's plot and impact to other expansions. Hell, we are not in 10.2 yet. What happened in other expansions until their first patch? Sure some of them had more meat than DF, but we should wait and see.

I am pretty sure that DF will have a WTF moment. Our Buddy Fyrakk is, IMO, at the moment, the most powerful Dragon in history (apart from Galakrond), even more powerful that the Aspects in their prime.

The Incarnates are a type of VERY welcomed villains. We can empathize with a villain from the first time in how long?

Finally, I feel that DF's plot is important, if not amazing, and clearly narratively very poorly put together. But by the end of 10.3 (yes, now I firmly believe that we will have one), we will no longer see the Titans and its Keepers as allies. Which would be interesting because that position would affect our relation with Iridikron.

I just cannot see us being buddies with the Titans after DF.

For sure. I'm not discounting the future of DF outright. Anything can still happen to give us that "WTF moment" or something really interesting happening. However, I'm also not against the entirety of DF being on the "low end" IF it is intentionally being written that way to set up larger stuff in 11.0 and/or beyond.

[Cheezits]

I don't think DF's narrative is poor. However I don't think they've figured out a way to make patch stories be satisfying enough on their own.

[Ersula]

I don't think DF's narrative is poor. However I don't think they've figured out a way to make patch stories be satisfying enough on their own.

It felt a little listless for a long time, but then getting that good Vyranoth cinematic & Iridikron explaining his entire plan at the end of DotI, really propelled the hype forward. It was exactly what Dragonflight needed.

[Catastrophy349]

It felt a little listless for a long time, but then getting that good Vyranoth cinematic & Iridikron explaining his entire plan at the end of DotI, really propelled the hype forward. It was exactly Dragonflight needed.

Yes, I agree. I am both optimistic and excited for 10.1.7 encrypted story and what we will be getting in 10.2.

[Super Dickmann]

Ideally, a final raid provides both, the defeat of a formidable antagonist & a narrative dilemma that propels us into the next expansion. They've tried to do this before but never really pulled it off well: The closest they've come is WoD into Legion, but Archimonde wasn't really the antagonist of WoD. Ironically the most successful example of this is Warcraft 3 setting up the BC & Wrath expansion.

Warlords and Legion did it decently. BFA did it in the most retarded available way by outsourcing its own conclusion to the next expansion while replacing the story with something unrelated. Mists took the second most retarded by putting it in a book and explaining zilch in-game.

In general, the natural progression of the plot means we resolve the last sideplot - the tree and Fyrakk's shadowflame business in the next patch, Vyranoth switches sides as she's telegraphed to do, and then the end patch has Iridikron use the plot device to eat something important and trigger a titan return, which is big enough to serve as a next expansion. Maybe he activates some kind of Algalon style fire alarm after we're done beating him with sticks.

[Cheezits]

Iri as the final boss isn't set in stone, and it may not happen on sheer virtue of 3 dragon/draconic final bosses back to back leading up to 10.3.

[Catastrophy349]

Personally, I'm in the "bring Iridikron into 11.0" camp.

[Super Dickmann]

Iri as the final boss isn't set in stone, and it may not happen on sheer virtue of 3 dragon/draconic final bosses back to back leading up to 10.3.

To be fair, Sark was a dragon man and not just a dragon. Besides, you can put him in human form or have him grow tentacles out of every orifice if you want to vary it up.

[Cheezits]

To be fair, Sark was a dragon man and not just a dragon. Besides, you can put him in human form or have him grow tentacles out of every orifice if you want to vary it up.

Iri's concept art has him with a robeless sumo-style appearance, so I feel that will be used for his boss fight.



However I still think 4 dragons/dragonmen bosses would be overkill for one expansion. I'm still thinking it's Tyr or someone that's basically Titan/Keeper oriented.

[Super Dickmann]

Iri's concept art has him with a robeless sumo-style appearance, so I feel that will be used for his boss fight.

However I still think 4 dragons/dragonmen bosses would be overkill for one expansion. I'm still thinking it's Tyr or someone that's basically Titan/Keeper oriented.

An evil Tyr we already had and he has the same basic gimmick - large idealized man with a two-hander as two of the last three endbosses, namely the Jailer and Argus.

That concept art is the reason I think we've a decent chance at him as an end boss. Basically a reprise of Deathwing as an end boss, but done properly, i.e actually using the humanoid form asset and then pivoting away from his current dragon form, since we already did it in the dungeon and towards however he ends up mutating.

[Syegfryed]

Im not following this expansion lore too close, but there is something about cromatus at all? i think it is the biggest waste to not have a tiamat-like monster to not be end boss of a dragon expansion

[Cheezits]

An evil Tyr we already had and he has the same basic gimmick - large idealized man with a two-hander as two of the last three endbosses, namely the Jailer and Argus.

That concept art is the reason I think we've a decent chance at him as an end boss. Basically a reprise of Deathwing as an end boss, but done properly, i.e actually using the humanoid form asset and then pivoting away from his current dragon form, since we already did it in the dungeon and towards however he ends up mutating.

Here's the thing though: if Fyrakk is the final boss of 10.2, which is likely, that's 3 voidy dragons back to back (and if we're talking purple dragons... that's EVERY endboss).

Also with there being a lot of earth and void bosses already I don't see it. It may not JUST be Tyr but I think something Titanic/robotic is way more likely.

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Im not following this expansion lore too close, but there is something about cromatus at all? i think it is the biggest waste to not have a tiamat-like monster to not be end boss of a dragon expansion

AFAIK he has not been mentioned at all.

Thematically Chromatus would work really well for a last boss but the plot/buildup isn't there yet.