World Of Warcraft Discussion Thread

[Last Sinner]

@Jazzrat: Fairly true. Did a Gundrak run today. Such a shambles. Firstly I was told not to tank...which I wasn't pleased about, feral dps at lower levels just doesn't work. The 77 Frost DK utterly sucked, so the 80 Fury Warrior took over, did an okayish job but I had to back him up a lot and be ultra-careful on threat because he just didn't generate much at all. We finished the run easily enough, but it was always a bit hairy. Healer was not enjoying it at all.

Bright side though, I managed to hit 77 just before other commitments for the day. I can finally do Epic Crow Form again! ^^ Time to herb farm and cash in on the Ulduar inflated herb prices. Managed to achieve my goal of hitting 77 before I finished Dragonblight. Still got Goblin quests to go but I already did the quest achievements again. Seeing the Bolvar/Saurfang cinematic again was stirring. The Undercity event is fairly tragic. I'm beginning to think the next issue of the WoW comic may be the beginning of bad blood between Varian and Thrall. One really has to feel for Jaina and Garona considering how things went down.

Picked up the 4th and final issue of the issue of the Ashbringer series. And it really left me chilled. It was a damn good read, but so utterly cold...If you haven't read it...

Spoiler for The Ashbringer series:

It does a good job of explaining the origins of Ashbringer, the fall of the Silver Hand organisation which led to the formation of the Argent Dawn and the Scarlet Crusade. It also explains how Balnazzar ended up in Stratholme, what caused General Abbendis to go bad and meet her eventual demise in Dragonblight. But the crux of the story is centred around two things - the tragic tale of the Mograines and the unexpected redemption for Tirion Fordring.

While one feels for Alexandros, I really feel for Darion...I can't recall anyone who got a worse deal in Warcraft lore. His ultimate in the final volume is pretty damn moving. It really sets the scene for what happens with the Tirion-Taelan chain in EPL and his role in the Battle of 10,000 in the DK events. Darion may have had the worst deal, but I think Tirion feels the most guilt out of anyone. Losing Taelan and then Darion on top of his controversial explusion from the Paladin order...that's a lot of burdens and ghosts to deal with. But Tirion manages to rise against it all.

And there is a piece of lore in the 4th volume that makes me think Tirion may have a really major part to play in how things end up with Arthas and Varian-Thrall.

Spoiler for Why Tirion was really expelled:

Tirion had encountered Eitrigg in Stratholme, where they both fought to survive. When Eitrigg was captured and sentenced to death, Tirion's honor and promise to Eitrigg compelled him to free Eitrigg and allow him to escape into Thrall's protection. Thrall had major respect for Tirion for that noble, selfless act, but the Silver Hand never forgave him for it.

I just get the feeling that Tirion may end up being the bridge between Varian and Thrall. He is the only other human other than Jaina that Thrall had respect for. Plus he owned Arthas' face big time in the Battle of 10,000. Tirion seems to be the one person Arthas truly fears. If a truce is to be formed between the Alliance and Horde to overcome Arthas, Tirion is the only person I could see bringing it about.

However, if there is a Horde equivalent, I would be interested in hearing it.

[Mr Hat and Clogs]

Spoiler for :

Tirion and Darion are probably my two favorite characters in WOTLK. Both Thrall and Varian would join Tirion out of respect, but I want to see how they react to Darion. I don't have access to the Ashbringer series and all that.

[Last Sinner]

Why don't you have access to them? They should be available in any decent comic book store. I know Melbourne and Sydney are well supplied, I imagine someone should have them. The only decent one in Adelaide has loads of copies. They go for $7 an issue because the artists used a higher quality paper for the cover and to better emphasise fiery colours. Get hold of them if you can. While the Wrynn series sometimes stalls, but is still a good read overall, Ashbringer did a really good job in fixing up missing lore and explaining what happened to the major people involved.

On a lighter note - some really good news from the PTR. Freya is redeemed! ^^ Looks like Freya, Thorim, Hodir and Rhonin aren't doomed after all.

And here's a major link that should be informative to all of us. Contains:

- Screenies of the different areas in Ulduar. They look really good!
- Algalon the Observer. This guy is only available on Heroic and he is ready to send anything living on Azeroth to oblivion!
- Brann Bronzebeard is back! ^^ You do a major chain with him and Algalon to stop things from getting out of control.
- Also three preview videos inside Ulduar.

[Mr Hat and Clogs]

Don't have access because I don't have a decent book store here, no Borders or anything. I'd have to order them off the Internet.

I'm also happy the Observers are being saved. I'm really hoping they will join in the fight vs Yogg Saron, perhaps the hard mode could be like some kind of reverse Sarth 3D... Either way I hope they don't just port out, some little more closure would be nice. But I'm happy they survived. I'd have been really annoyed if they died.

Also Thorim needs a unique model. Luls, more Brann *gets popcorn*

edit: mmm just read that stuff to do with Algalon, yeah, that does sound awesome... I wonder if he is another construct or a lesser Titan. Because it sounded like he just arrived on Azeroth to check how things are... Azeroth is so boned.

2am, bed tiems!

[Last Sinner]

Had an absolute stroke of luck while moving my Druid to Grizzly Hills today. I was doing the cleansing quests in the Vordrassil area near the logging camp when among all those oozes, I see something called 'Seething Hate'...Didn't take long for me to realise it was a rare spawn. Get my Mage on, hearth to Wintergarde and wing it to Grizzly ASAP. It was still there when I got there. So somehow in a week, I've fluked getting Northern Exposure on my main and ex-main. ^^ Bracers it dropped were so nice - cloth with spell power, stamina and spell hit. Might save that for my Warlock, I remember hit gear being hard to come by while levelling on the blue pieces. On top of having a Gundrak group stay together to do Ampitheatre and score that awesome polearm, was a very nice day. ^^

Edit: Conquest Badge gear has surfaced today. Caster belt looks alright, pants so-so, gloves are kind of insulting, the neck is a joke.

[Ithekro]

I've noticed that things are starting to normalize in Warcraft again. While it is true that one sees a lot of Death Knights in Hellfire these days, I'm starting to notice the return of regular playing classes in Outland and the Northrend starting areas. (Running around Nagrand with my own DK and the Tundra with my Hunter).

[Mr Hat and Clogs]

Well, I suggest if you guys don't mind spoilers, go look at MMO champ and what they have about Yogg Saron there and his encounter.

I don't think the word 'epic' would begin to cover that what that stuff hints at...

FINALLY we get to see the power of an Old God and one who has no qualms or fear about anything and will use ANYONE at any time.

I also like how it shows how Old Gods are spread throughout all Azeroth and throughout all time.



Had a crazy day on my Mage yesterday, 2/5 t7 from VoA. /cheer

Blood spec makes tanking Sarth 3D easier then I expected, pure cheese compared to the CD crazy Unholy.

I've noticed a lot of different classes in the leveling process now too Ithekro... My priest was grouped with 3 Paladins and a Shadow Priest.

[Kyral]

On you tube there are already said Yogg-Saron sound file spoilers MMO-champion is talking about.
I really like his 'entrance', even though it seems to be the weakest voice acting part in the encounter.

And of course the lore!

[Ithekro]

Freaking Old Gods are everywhere aren't they? Of course we know he's got his reach all over Northrend. What we don't know really is how long he's been "free"...or if he even is "free".

And again...Arthus/the Lich King must remain relevent if he is to be the Final encounter of the whole Expansion. Even the Old Gods have to take a backseat to the Lich King I suppose...death being eternal and all that.

The Lore out of this encounter may became priceless.

[Keroko]

I'm praying that they'll give the Aspects a proper model once this dungeon goes live. They already have Malygos and Alextrasza models, but Ysera is still using the generic dragon model.

And then there is Neltharion.

Oh how I am looking forward to that.

[Ithekro]

Assuming they aren't in their humanoid forms for some reason. (Shouldn't be...but weirder things have happened).

Neltharion I suppose does have a human form if they use the old Lord Prestor from Beta. But I supppose that would be rather generic now. (On a side note, my warlock is still using "Lord Prestor's Drape" for back armor. High Spirit and spell power plus talented Fel Armor makes for a happy warlock.)

[Mr Hat and Clogs]

I actually liked his voice, I really liked how it melded with Neltharion too and boy did he sound awesome. That 'intro' is a little confusing too 'Sara' could be Ysera, or Yoggy mascarading as her the voices did sound similar, particularly the part about being 'a lucid dream'. The first line sounds separate to that 'dream' line though it almost seemed as if it was separate to the encounter as if Yogg was mind fkn your raid. I loved the way his voice went from that female one to the male one. The Lich King sounded really sinister in that as well but Yogg's follow up to that was just as chilling, the Lich King is just a tool to be disposed of.

I also hope they give the Dragon Aspects unique models in this encounter (same with Garona and Llane). I'd love to see Neltharion in his full Draconic glory, but I doubt that highly. The chamber of the Aspects in the game is well not large enough to hold Alexstrasza (well it seems that way to me) and Neltharion is larger then her. Try fitting 3 Dragons of similar size in there, and all 5 (well 4 + a rep of Nozdormu) were there for the Sealing of the Dragon Soul. I think they'll be in their human forms, that or shrunken dragon forms. If Neltharion has a unique dragon model though... hello 3.2 'secret' raid.

Wonder who Arthas was torturing too, Bolvar? the voice sounded like Tirion or Bolvar I'm not sure. If it was Tirion thats a future event, Bolvar shouldn't even have a body though. It could be from the past, Darion Mograine would be my choice. But the big theme of that encounter is betrayal the other two visions are steeped in betrayal, and the encounter has players turning on each other if they lose their sanity. So who could it be, Darion fits betrayal, but so does Arthas himself, as the betrayer of Lordaeron.

But I think two of the best lines were:

Spoiler for :o:

First: "I am a lucid dream, the monster in your nightmares, the fiend of a thousand faces. Cower before my true form, BOW DOWN TO THE GOD OF DEATH." (all the while going from a soft female voice through a twisted combination to that harsh male voice at the end)

Second: "mwhahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAHahahahHAHAHAHAHAha...." most evil laugh ever.

[Kyral]

Originally Posted by Keroko

I'm praying that they'll give the Aspects a proper model once this dungeon goes live. They already have Malygos and Alextrasza models, but Ysera is still using the generic dragon model.

And then there is Neltharion.

Oh how I am looking forward to that.

I fear we won't see any updated models for them.

Even though Neltharion and Ysera are aspects they are not as important to the story (atm) as Alextraza and Malygos are.

I think Neltharion will use the Nefarian model. He had no extra adamantium plating back then, so I think they won't make a old Neltharion model, when they have to make a Deathwing model eventually in the future.

[Keroko]

Well, yes, but this is a pretty damn key lore-moment... You'd kinda think they'd make an updated model for that...

Originally Posted by Mr Hat and Clogs

If Neltharion has a unique dragon model though... hello 3.2 'secret' raid.

Oh I hope not. I'd like for Neltharion to be dealt with in a tad more... elaborate fashion.

We've killed his daughter, we've killed his son, we've traced and sabotaged many of his operations in Outlands, to simply kill him in an in-between patch would be... anti-climatic. I mean, this guy has had a bigger impact on our raids and quests then Arthas for crying out loud..

[RWBladewing]

These Ulduar previews are pretty cool and are really all that's keeping my subscription open at the moment. So bored I don't really even log in anymore. Something came up and I ended up missing the raid this week. Yeah, that's raid in the singular since my guild clears everything in the game in about 4 hours in a single day now. And by "something came up" I mean I played Fallout 3 instead because I'm tired of doing this pointless content for the millionth time. I think I may finally be on the verge of quitting for good. (Could be slightly awkward in regards to here though since this is basically the only thread on this entire forum that I post in.)

[Tokkan]

Originally Posted by Keroko

Oh I hope not. I'd like for Neltharion to be dealt with in a tad more... elaborate fashion.

We've killed his daughter, we've killed his son, we've traced and sabotaged many of his operations in Outlands, to simply kill him in an in-between patch would be... anti-climatic. I mean, this guy has had a bigger impact on our raids and quests then Arthas for crying out loud..

Spoiler for Comic spoilers:

Yeah, but if you read the comics you'd know that canonically it was King Varian who killed Onyxia.

[Keroko]

Doesn't change my point though, since as players we've seen and fought her. We've been bombarded with the Black Dragonflight since the earliest days of the game, to go and kill it's aspect in an in-between patch would feel... empty. Like there should be more, but there isn't.

[RWBladewing]

On a similar note it makes me kinda unhappy that Yogg-Saron is an in-between patch boss too. Yeah, he hasn't been nearly as present as the black dragonflight throughout the game but the stuff involving him in the expansion was by far the most interesting content, and he was presented as much more threatening than Arthas who does nothing but get defeated or inexplicably run away every time he shows up. It'd be a pretty uninteresting game if all in-between patches were relegated to minor bosses nobody ever heard of but I'd still have preferred YS to be the real boss of the Xpack and not the Lich King.

[Kyral]

Originally Posted by RWBladewing

and he was presented as much more threatening than Arthas who does nothing but get defeated or inexplicably run away every time he shows up.

I saw Arthas pretty often in Wrath now and most of the time he is not even really there but only as a projection.

The only times I can remember he is defeated is in the Battle for Light's Hope and at the end of the Icecrown quest chain (and I don't really count this as real defeat as it is the player who must flee, if he don't wants to be killed by a very pissed Arthas).

But yes, he showes up too often and that seems pretty forced at times.
Like: "Hey Guys! Let's make Lich King pup up here, that would be so cool!"

They really shoud have done it that if he showes up, everything starts to get toasted.
And not to mock the player and then just go away. >>;


Yogg-Saron is more mysterious in that regard.

All we get from him are a few whispers and his minions uttering his name while attacking.

Guess it's more of a "fear of the unknown" thing.

[krisslanza]

Arthas shows up "in the flesh" a few other times. But he generally lets you go for some reason. Ranging from the fact you weeded out a weakling in his ranks or because he'll say "You're not ready yet".