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

[Cheezits]

Everything you said would totally fit the bill, but new races for each element is kinda stretching it.

Jinyu do worship the water, but they never explicitly say they worship Neptulon (It's more accurate to say they worship the waters from Vale of Eternal Blossoms). Only one person has ever worshipped Neptulon, and it was a Naga who was imprisoned in the Slave Pens in TBC because he didn't worship Azshara or N'zoth like the other Naga, only Neptulon. So it could be possible that there are other Naga who aren't bound by Azshara's control that could work along side us. (The Ankoan could work as well, but their numbers are even fewer than Void Elves).

Plus given the customization they did for the Drac'thyr, they could apply that same logic for the Naga as not every piece of armor can be fully displayed.

I was trying to tie Jinyu in as "Jin'yu 2.0 Player Tester" was in the files of 10.0. Naga would make a lot of sense but did not have that hint, and the Wavewhisker reinforces the Jinyu again.

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I had hoped a few times in a few previous posts that when we do get to Avaloren we find out the “heretics” there are a coalition of new races that formerly worshipped the Titans but at some point learned they aren’t all they’re cracked up to be and rejected their teachings, instead revering the elements with a different race of the coalition of “heretics” having a different affinity for each element.

Water, Earth, Fire, Air and then the most powerful and advanced race on the continent being heavily Spirit aligned/themed.

I’d most definitely prefer new races for this but your idea of Ankoan, Mogu, Djinn and something else for fire would be fine but I’d prefer those races to be offshoots from the original; bur to be honest totally new races would be my preference.

An elemental-oriented collection of kingdoms would be fun but I wonder if it would track too similar to parts of Pandaria or the Dragon Isles. Unless they get really creative with the aesthetics.

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IDK what I was thinking with the Mogu: if there's a new earth race, it's going to be the Dwarves from Khaz Algar, who have been said to have mutated.

The DF leakers on MMOC mentioned something about "Magnisworn Dwarves" (maybe had access to 10.3/11.0 concept art) or something similar so I'm going to guess more Diamond Dwarves.

https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...1#post53937418

So Jinyu and Diamond Dwarves, that's two elements right there. Any takers for Fire and Air?

[Woggmer]

I was trying to tie Jinyu in as "Jin'yu 2.0 Player Tester" was in the files of 10.0. Naga would make a lot of sense but did not have that hint, and the Wavewhisker reinforces the Jinyu again.

Then the closest comparison would be the Ankoan who are descendants of the Jinyu that left Pandaria, but as previously mentioned, they've been hunted to extinction and while they don't plan to rebuild.. all that's left of them are dedicated to destroying the Naga. (It's more like.. Jinyu are more suited for Freshwater environments while the Ankoan are more built for Seawater.)

The reason I suggest the Naga as a playable race is because they're not bound by N'zoth anymore. He's been destroyed (and even if he wasn't completely destroyed, he burned bridges with Azshara who left him to go find her own new source of power) so this may free up a lot of Naga and give them free will.. (or crazy enough to revert them into a mix hybrid between a Highborne and a Naga.)

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Any takers for Fire and Air?

No idea about Fire... most creatures related to Fire have been actively hostile to anyone.. the only exception being Dark Irons, but they're already playable.

The closest for Air would be Tol'vir or Centaurs... but that's a nightmare to work that in as playable races especially when flying is involved.

[WowIsDead64]

Could be worse though. For example another Orc/Space Orc/Space Goat xpac. Like... my nightmare "Return to Draenor". Would be my second pause in 20 years, first pause was? you guessed it... WoD.

I highly doubt they would do a pirates only theme. I am almost 80% sure the next xpac is a very "Azeroth"ish theme though. So south seas could be a part of the xpac plus lots of zones being "un-deathwinged" and up-scaled/high-ressed. But with some second or main plot along this. No concrete idea though... just a feeeeling, you know :P

Yeah, it's subjective, but first of all I personally don't like sea/pirate theme. Because it's...boring? And even it Metzen himself will say "We did it wrong back in BFA - let's give it a second try", it still will be some kind of bad comedy. Whole BFA was advertized as sea/pirate xpack. But this theme was simply wasted there along with Old God theme. And now they will just say "Let's forget about BFA and do it again"? No. This chapiteau will never work for me, even if systems/content/gameplay will be super great in this xpack (They won't).

[Cheezits]

The closest for Air would be Tol'vir or Centaurs... but that's a nightmare to work that in as playable races especially when flying is involved.

I didn't consider the Centaur, but it's kind of suspicious that they tied Centaurs to Air in DF when you would never think the two were connected prior.

Their models aren't really up to par for playability but it's something to note if you want to consider the four elements. Djaradin would fit the fire theme but I don't see them being used again.

The Niffen are the Earth race in DF, so it's funny we haven't really gotten any Ice/Water rep yet: NVM it's the Tuskarr.

[Sondrelk]

Yeah, it's subjective, but first of all I personally don't like sea/pirate theme. Because it's...boring? And even it Metzen himself will say "We did it wrong back in BFA - let's give it a second try", it still will be some kind of bad comedy. Whole BFA was advertized as sea/pirate xpack. But this theme was simply wasted there along with Old God theme. And now they will just say "Let's forget about BFA and do it again"? No. This chapiteau will never work for me, even if systems/content/gameplay will be super great in this xpack (They won't).

I feel like BfA was advertised as a Faction War expansion. The navy of Kul Tiras and Zandalar were definitely heavily advertised, but not all that much I think.
There is definitely space for an expansion to focus even more intently on the actual island hopping and ship stuff. It would absolutely feel derivative of BfA in the sense that said expansion already used the two biggest islands that were hotly anticipated in a hypothetical South Seas expansion, but not so much that we couldnt have the remaining ones.

[Teriz]

Could be worse though. For example another Orc/Space Orc/Space Goat xpac. Like... my nightmare "Return to Draenor". Would be my second pause in 20 years, first pause was? you guessed it... WoD.

I highly doubt they would do a pirates only theme. I am almost 80% sure the next xpac is a very "Azeroth"ish theme though. So south seas could be a part of the xpac plus lots of zones being "un-deathwinged" and up-scaled/high-ressed. But with some second or main plot along this. No concrete idea though... just a feeeeling, you know :P

WoD 2.0 wouldn't take place on Draenor, it would be on Azeroth with the Lightbound Army fleeing Draenor because it's a dying world and trying to turn Azeroth into a world completely dominated by the Light and the Naaru. It would be like a light-based version of the Burning Legion. Yrel and Xera would be the main antagonists, Thrall would take a major role as a force opposing Yrel, with Arakkoa and Ogres as new playable races, Grom and Garrosh possibly appearing, and a potential fracturing of the alliance because of Turalyon and the Draenei.

Sounds like a compelling expansion IMO.

[Cheezits]

I feel like BfA was advertised as a Faction War expansion. The navy of Kul Tiras and Zandalar were definitely heavily advertised, but not all that much I think.
There is definitely space for an expansion to focus even more intently on the actual island hopping and ship stuff. It would absolutely feel derivative of BfA in the sense that said expansion already used the two biggest islands that were hotly anticipated in a hypothetical South Seas expansion, but not so much that we couldnt have the remaining ones.

I think the only way to do South Seas and have it not be repetitive of BFA and DF is to have the islands not be the only place we are questing.

[ChairmanKaga]

We just had BFA, which was pirate and nautical theme on Alliance

By the time 11.0 comes that will have been 6 years ago. More than 1/4 of WoW's entire history. It's not really a "we just had that" thing.

[Black Rider]

No teasers from Zorbix about 10.2 so far
https://twitter.com/Zorbrix/with_replies

[Well Done Steak]

There has to be a 10.3 if 10.2 comes.out in November unless 11.0 comes out In August

[huth]

By the time 11.0 comes that will have been 6 years ago. More than 1/4 of WoW's entire history. It's not really a "we just had that" thing.

It's also consistently being overstated. The main focus of the Alliance Kul Tiras campaign was politics and reuniting the country, with pirates only making up part of one zone. The nautical theme was more of a general background of that country, too.

It'd be like saying Horde had a Blood Troll and Wakanda theme.

[Santandame]

Yeah, it's subjective, but first of all I personally don't like sea/pirate theme. Because it's...boring? And even it Metzen himself will say "We did it wrong back in BFA - let's give it a second try", it still will be some kind of bad comedy. Whole BFA was advertized as sea/pirate xpack. But this theme was simply wasted there along with Old God theme. And now they will just say "Let's forget about BFA and do it again"? No. This chapiteau will never work for me, even if systems/content/gameplay will be super great in this xpack (They won't).

BfA was literally advertised as a faction war expansion. It was also advertised as having a major naval theme, but that which lent more into naval warfare as opposed to a high seas sailing adventure.

All these people saying BfA was a pirate expansion are being completely disingenuous. Pirates played a part in the storyline of one zone, and were present in one dungeon. It’s pretty much saying the following:

- Dragonflight is a Gnoll expansion.
- Shadowlands was a Drust expansion.

And so on with threats that appeared in an expansions story for one zone such as Vrykul, Botani and Mogu.

[Cheezits]

It's also consistently being overstated. The main focus of the Alliance Kul Tiras campaign was politics and reuniting the country, with pirates only making up part of one zone. The nautical theme was more of a general background of that country, too.

It'd be like saying Horde had a Blood Troll and Wakanda theme.

I think people would definitely raise a stink if the first Faction expansion in 4 years is another island adventure with ships, regardless of whether or not Pirates were or were not a main theme (they weren't).

This will be the first time (potentially) Factions are used in any serious way since BFA so I think they will be careful to distinguish it from BFA. If there are Pirates/Ships it won't be the focus, it will just be a part of the overall expansion.

Considering the Nightsquall book talks about a whole area undiscovered that ISN'T South Seas/Plunder Island... it's not going to be Pirate World 2.

[huth]

I think people would definitely raise a stink if the first Faction expansion in 4 years is another island adventure with ships, regardless of whether or not Pirates were or were not a main theme (they weren't).

This will be the first time (potentially) Factions are used in any serious way since BFA so I think they will be careful to distinguish it from BFA. If there are Pirates/Ships it won't be the focus, it will just be a part of the overall expansion.

Considering the Nightsquall book talks about a whole area undiscovered that ISN'T South Seas/Plunder Island... it's not going to be Pirate World 2.

I'd rather not have another faction expansion ever again anyway, so that's fine with me.

[Woggmer]

I think people would definitely raise a stink if the first Faction expansion in 4 years is an island adventure with ships, regardless of whether or not Pirates were or were not a main theme (they weren't).

This will be the first time (potentially) Factions are used in any serious way since BFA so I think they will be careful to distinguish it from BFA. If there are Pirates/Ships it won't be the focus, it will just be a part of the overall expansion.

Considering the Nightsquall book talks about a whole area undiscovered that ISN'T South Seas/Plunder Island... it's not going to be Pirate World 2.

The only way if Pirates worked their way into a true Faction War story would be something like Gallywix paying Pirates to start up tensions between the Alliance and Horde just to fuel a war economy that Gallywix can make a large profit from... (And remember, it wouldn't be the first time he employed pirates to do his dirty work. The Goblin starting zone is evidence to that.)

[Cheezits]

The only way if Pirates worked their way into a true Faction War story would be something like Gallywix paying Pirates to start up tensions between the Alliance and Horde just to fuel a war economy that Gallywix can make a large profit from... (And remember, it wouldn't be the first time he employed pirates to do his dirty work. The Goblin starting zone is evidence to that.)

It's not going to be a Faction War, that ship has sailed. But an expansion that ACTUALLY features the factions doing faction stuff is overdue.

Gallywix and the Pirates is a good angle but it couldn't be a whole expansion.

[ChairmanKaga]

*snip
All these people saying BfA was a pirate expansion are being completely disingenuous.

I mean I understand completely if people don't like BfA and/or Pirates but the argument that BfA was a pirate expansion is absurd. That said I don't think any future expansion would be pirate centered/themed. I don't think in this game world that would be the central pillar of any expansion.

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It's not going to be a Faction War, that ship has sailed. But an expansion that ACTUALLY features the factions doing faction stuff is overdue..

I think it could be more akin to Mists with each faction racing each other for resources/colonize/make new allies from a new land type of adventure

[Santandame]

I think the entire argument against Pirates as a decent major theme for an expansion from a lot of people I’ve seen in this thread boils down to the fact they’re lumping Pirates in with the camp, Jack Sparrow theme and are either unaware of the copious amounts of media out there depicting them in a completely different way or are just outright disregarding it. It just shows a complete lack of imagination.

- Euron Greyjoy being a sadistic, Machiavellian, sorcerer pirate king who has a horn that can controls dragons, the seeming ability to control sea creatures and manipulate storms, as well as fleets of warlocks on his ships. That’s not even scratching the surface of what else we may see if the books are ever finished.

- Black Sails which is a television show that works as a prequel to Treasure Island as well as shining a light on the Golden Age of Piracy. Captain Flint being a former Navy Lieutenant who turns his back on England after suffering at the hands of the monarchy, resulting in him attempting to abolish the monarchy.

- Multiple portrayals of pirates in fantasy book settings such as the Liveship Traders, the Tide Child trilogy and the Gentlemen’s Bastards, to name a few.

The above are just a small amount of examples of Pirates that don’t fit the silly, camp interpretation of Pirates that we often see. There’s so much breadth to what Blizzard can do with them, that I just think it’s ignorant to disregard the theme and pigeon hole it.

[TheOtherGuy10235]

They are having secret 10.2 PTR Testing on the 11-25 of September.

[Makabreska]

Man, I member our ideas for BfA patches, and the most popular one was an entire undead fleet under Daelin Proudmoore. That could be sick.

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They are having secret 10.2 PTR Testing on the 11-25 of September.

Very secret, I see.