Hi. Some of you might remember me from other threads I’ve posted on MMO-Champion, each filled with a suggestion for an addition to World of Warcraft. Once again, this thread is no different. This thread contains, as many other of my threads, an idea for a new battleground.
I’ve just visited this thread called ‘create your own battleground’, where someone suggested an Alterac Valley styled battleground without NPC’s. I’m not quite sure how he meant it, but my mind immediately switched to the Juggernaut game type that is featured in most online shooting games.
I don’t think that the true type of Juggernaut would work in a World of Warcraft battleground – there’s no possibility for a team goal in Juggernaut. However, the main idea of Juggernaut is that one person is pumped up, a berserker buff if you will, and as such, is targeted by everyone hoping they’d get the Juggernaut status.
Now, try to imagine it in the Warcraft universe. This is what I came up with:
Sorrows Training Grounds. I know you like battlegrounds in a specific location in Azeroth, but where would that be? As the first part of the name implies, it’s located in the Swamp of Sorrows. Why the Swamp of Sorrows? Let me use the same piece of text that I used in my ‘Taurajo Fields’ thread:
I […] needed a proper area where it could work. I did a little research, made a graph for myself (that I may or may not upload), and figured out how the current battlegrounds are spread throughout the world. Let me list my findings.
Battlegrounds in Eastern Kingdoms: 4 or 5; Alterac Valley, Arathi Basin, Battle for Gilneas, Twin Peaks and Tol Barad.
Battlegrounds in Kalimdor: 1; Warsong Gulch.
Battlegrounds in Northrend: 2 or 3; Isle of Conquest, Strand of the Ancients and Wintergrasp.
Battlegrounds in Outlands: 1; Eye of the Storm.
Battlegrounds in Northern Azeroth: 7 or 9; all except Eye of the Storm, which is located Outlands, obviously.
Battlegrounds in Southern Azeroth: none.
In conclusion, we have a lack of battlegrounds in Southern Azeroth, and on Kalimdor.
As I’ve posted two ideas already, both in Southern Kalimdor, I decided that I should try and focus on the Southern part of Eastern Kingdom. I looked for a zone that had both the lore to support a battleground, while also having a pretty unique tileset.
Merely looking at the tileset, I decided I could cut out Elwynn Forest and Westfall.
Looking at the lore, I could also scrap out Duskwood and perhaps Redridge Mountains – it would take a bit of retconning to make that zone work.
The current quests and general feel of the Swamp of Sorrows are based on the war between the Alliance and the Horde. The quests reflect the first two wars. On top of that, the Swamp of Sorrows is, if my memory serves me right, the place where the first war was duked out.
In World of Warcraft, the questlines revolve around the two factions being at war. Bad thing about a war though – people die. Both the Horde and the Alliance would lose soldiers on the field of battle, and, in order not to lose, would need soldiers and officers.
And that is where the objective comes in.
As it’s an idea for a battleground, we need the obvious PvP. In this battleground, which would be 20 vs. 20 or a 15 vs. 15, the objective is to kill the opposing General.
What, that’s not new, is it?
It’s not. We had to kill Generals in Alterac Valley and Isle of Conquest already. The difference between those two and this one? The existing battlegrounds use a NPC as the General. Sorrows Training Grounds, on the other hand, would use a player General.
But how would that work?
At the start of every game, during the preparation phase, each side gets to choose a General. This General would receive a buff, that would increase his health by X%, damage output by Y%, but decrease the amount of healing taken by Z%. He’d carry a flag around, much like a player appears in Warsong Gulch, but with a permanent flag over his head. The General cannot stealth. Once a General is killed, the game finishes.
How would the battleground look?
Much like the map of Warsong Gulch or Twin Peaks. At two sides there’s a base, one for the Horde, one for the Alliance. These bases have two entrances, one at the side leading to a balcony in the main hall. This balcony is connected to the floor level with a stair. No one can stand below the balcony, it’s solid. As such, the General is always vulnerable to ranged attacks, and needs to keep on moving. No turtles in my battleground!
As Blizzard decided to move graveyards up a level to prevent graveyard camping, I decided to follow their lead and do so as well. The graveyard is placed on an elevation directly touching the base, but you need to jump down to take either entrance in.
The centre area is mainly plain, so battles could be duked out there. In two corners a buff could be found in a themed house. The General is unable to get the buff, and would just ‘eat’ it rather than use it.
Quick mock-up of the map.
Q & A (or statements and replies, for that matter):
Q. This idea sucks.
A. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but please, elaborate why you think it’s a bad idea.
Q. You suck.
A. Thank you.
Q. Are you saying we’re like a raid boss?
A. Yes.
Q. What would happen if no General is assigned?
A. At first, the General state is handed out to the raid leader. During the preparation phase, it is free to pass along to other raid members.
Q. A raid leader in a PUG is assigned to the first person who enters the battleground. Don’t you think that person would take advantage of it, and not assign the General status to the best choice?
A. Yes, I do believe that there’s enough people who’d do so. That’s why I’m toying with the idea to make it a rated battleground only.
Q. What would happen if both teams don’t manage to kill the opposing General?
A. After a set time, the battleground would end, much like Warsong Gulch. I’m not sure yet whether to let the team win who’s General’s health is higher, or call it a true tie.
Q. What factions will winning give reputation to?
A. I’m not quite sure if the Swamp of Sorrows gives enough room to put in factions. I would enjoy having them, though.
Q. This looks too much like …
A. If you mean that this idea is too close to other people’s ideas, let me tell you that most of the ideas in this thread come from my personal head. Also, to quote Gsusnme in the Warden thread:
I have nothing to GAIN from "stealing" an idea, as I am not getting paid for this, it's simply for fun and the whole "What-If" factor.