World of Warcraft: Legion Expansion Revealed

[Fanghawk]

World of Warcraft: Legion Expansion Revealed

Blizzard Entertainment has revealed World of Warcraft: Legion, which adds a Demon Hunter class among several other features.

World of Warcraft might be over a decade old but it's still the gold standard when it comes to MMOs, as we learn <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/141816-World-of-Warcrafts-Next-Expansion-Revealed-at-Gamescon>anytime a new expansion is announced. This year's expansion should be no exception. Today at Gamescom, Blizzard Entertainment revealed World of Warcraft: Legion, introducing the Broken Isles, new artifact weapons, class order, and the all-new Demon Hunter class.

World of Warcraft: Legion takes place on the Broken Isles, a long-forgotten region of Azeroth. This region was once a powerful Night Elf civilization, but is now home to the biggest demonic invasion the world has ever seen. To stop the attack, player characters must gather ancient Titan relics which shaped Azeroth long ago and use them to seal the Legion's portal.

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Outside of new story elements, Legion will include several new features and mechanics. Perhaps the most important of these are Artifacts, unique weapons of great power. But Artifacts aren't interchangable - each class and specialization has its own Artifact that must be found with a unique quest. Once you have an Artifact, it will level up alongside your character, unlocking traits for the weapon and character, including visual customizations.

Legion will also introduce Class Orders, which come together to fight the invasion since the Alliance and Horde won't work together. Order Halls act as new bases of operations for your entire class, where the player character becomes the leader over the course of Legion's story.

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Of course the detail most World of Warcraft fans will be excited about is the Demon Hunter hero class. Demon Hunters will start the game as high-level characters, quickly able to dive into Legion's content. In fact, Demon Hunter characters begin their story with a prologue quest set ten years before Legion, detailing a final battle against enemy armies before their awakening in present day. Demon Hunters will naturally come with their own specializations, specifically Havoc for DPS characters and Vengeance for tanks.

On top of the above-mentioned features, Legion includes a cap increase to Level 110, new dungeons and raids, and a revised honor system. Combined, Legion will likely <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/140717-World-of-Warcraft-Loses-2-9-Million-Subscribers-in-One-Quarter>turn those subscriber numbers around and bring back players for yet another expansion. Blizzard is expecting to run Legion's beta later this year.

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[Mr.Mattress]

Does this mean Illadin Stormrage is still alive? I thought he died in the Burning Crusade?

I always assumed the Burning Legion was going to be mad about the Iron Horde's betrayal, but considering the Iron Horde was hijacked by the Burning Legion anyways, I'm surprised the Burning Legion is just coming back on it's own. I don't remember the timeline anymore, but I know that a Burning Legion invasion was stopped at the end of the Burning Crusade (You defeat Kael'thas again and stop Kil'Jaedan from coming through the portal), so I assume that WoW:Legion would only be 1 or 2 years later from that. I think the Burning Legion would have waited just a little more for a full-on invasion. I mean, they waited hundreds of years between the Defeat at Mount Hyjal to the rise of the Scourge. I thought they'd wait that long as well.

 

[SlumlordThanatos]

*sigh* Damn it.

I never thought I would see the Demon Hunter class, since I figured that was rolled into Warlocks. Guess I was wrong.

I don't want to go back. I really don't. But at the same time...every expansion does something to draw me back.

 

[SlumlordThanatos]

Does this mean Illadin Stormrage is still alive? I thought he died in the Burning Crusade?

I always assumed the Burning Legion was going to be mad about the Iron Horde's betrayal, but considering the Iron Horde was hijacked by the Burning Legion anyways, I'm surprised the Burning Legion is just coming back on it's own. I don't remember the timeline anymore, but I know that a Burning Legion invasion was stopped at the end of the Burning Crusade (You defeat Kael'thas again and stop Kil'Jaedan from coming through the portal), so I assume that WoW:Legion would only be 1 or 2 years later from that. I think the Burning Legion would have waited just a little more for a full-on invasion. I mean, they waited hundreds of years between the Defeat at Mount Hyjal to the rise of the Scourge. I thought they'd wait that long as well.

You should know by now that major villains don't just stay dead. Illidan should be dead...we DID kill him. But we killed Kael'thas too, and he came back.

As for your second point, I imagine that the Burning Legion is getting tired of the pathetic little world of Azeroth constantly killing their leaders and thwarting their plans. They've tried being patient, and failed. So they're tossing subtlety aside and going for brute force.

 

[Morti]

And they'll still pull some feeble excuse out their ass to justify why the Horde and the Alliance are still bickering like school children.

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

Legion eh? Sounds as if we may be getting to fight Sargeras finally. And if so, does that leave anything else for the Warcraft universe to throw at us? I mean Sargie is the big bad of lore, the ultimate evil, the mad titan... Basically the Thanos of Warcraft. If we're going up against the Legion again it only makes sense.
Now my other question is thus: With the events of Warlords, are they going to make that timeline canon, nullifying the Burning Legion's expansion lore and this becoming the post-WoD events or is this going to be another wibbily wobbly timey wimey... thing?
I hate time travel in games more than anything else when they don't set up any rules governing alterations to the timeline beforehand. I say this because it was supposed to be established with the Caverns of Time that altering the past had dire consequences to the future and then Garrosh goes and alters the past in Draenor which should cause a whole lot of shakeups in the present day...
Dammit Blizz, I love you guys but STOP LEAVING PLOT HOLES LYING AROUND WHERE I CAN TRIP AND FALL OVER THEM!!!

Sorry for the caps.

 

[Godzillarich(aka tf2godz)]

Does this mean Illadin Stormrage is still alive? I thought he died in the Burning Crusade?

I always assumed the Burning Legion was going to be mad about the Iron Horde's betrayal, but considering the Iron Horde was hijacked by the Burning Legion anyways, I'm surprised the Burning Legion is just coming back on it's own. I don't remember the timeline anymore, but I know that a Burning Legion invasion was stopped at the end of the Burning Crusade (You defeat Kael'thas again and stop Kil'Jaedan from coming through the portal), so I assume that WoW:Legion would only be 1 or 2 years later from that. I think the Burning Legion would have waited just a little more for a full-on invasion. I mean, they waited hundreds of years between the Defeat at Mount Hyjal to the rise of the Scourge. I thought they'd wait that long as well.

You should know by now that major villains don't just stay dead. Illidan should be dead...we DID kill him. But we killed Kael'thas too, and he came back.

As for your second point, I imagine that the Burning Legion is getting tired of the pathetic little world of Azeroth constantly killing their leaders and thwarting their plans. They've tried being patient, and failed. So they're tossing subtlety aside and going for brute force.

One thing I can give wow lore is when a character dies they usually stay dead. the only reason Kael'thas came back is well his a necromancer, however Illidan coming back is not that surprising since a lot of the blizzard staff really felt they didn't give him is due when they originally kill them off.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

Oh. Zombies and Daemons. How original and refreshing.

 

[Elfgore]

And they'll still pull some feeble excuse out their ass to justify why the Horde and the Alliance are still bickering like school children.

I heard Thrall stealing Varian's milk will be the cause in this expansion. Varian really likes his milk.

Well, the Demon Hunter class will without pull me back in for a bit. Guess I should start saving up.

 

[Mr.Mattress]

One thing I can give wow lore is when a character dies they usually stay dead. the only reason Kael'thas came back is well his a necromancer, however Illidan coming back is not that surprising since a lot of the blizzard staff really felt they didn't give him is due when they originally kill them off.

No, Kael'thas is the Blood Elven Prince/King that serves the Burning Horde and is now partially demonized. You're thinking of Kel'Thuzad.

And they'll still pull some feeble excuse out their ass to justify why the Horde and the Alliance are still bickering like school children.

I heard Thrall stealing Varian's milk will be the cause in this expansion. Varian really likes his milk.

Well, the Demon Hunter class will without pull me back in for a bit. Guess I should start saving up.

I've been hearing that the Demon Hunters are only for the Elves (Night and Blood). It might not be true, but that's what I am hearing.

As for the "Childish" Bickering; Politics is hard and complicated. Several real life nations are still bickering at each other even when confronted with a threat like ISIS. Considering these people are completely different species, some of them alien to the planet, and some of them more aligned to be aggressive, it's no wonder they still hate each other. It's, in fact, surprising how well they got along until Garrosh took over.

 

[SlumlordThanatos]

One thing I can give wow lore is when a character dies they usually stay dead. the only reason Kael'thas came back is well his a necromancer, however Illidan coming back is not that surprising since a lot of the blizzard staff really felt they didn't give him is due when they originally kill them off.

Meh...Blizzard kinda zig-zags on that. After all, there's the case of Anub'arak and the Scourge Princes, and we will almost certainly see the Lich King and Kel'thuzad return at some point in the future.

But..if Illidan is back, that probably means that Maiev Shadowsong will return as well. I'm interested to see how that plays out.

 

[Godzillarich(aka tf2godz)]

One thing I can give wow lore is when a character dies they usually stay dead. the only reason Kael'thas came back is well his a necromancer, however Illidan coming back is not that surprising since a lot of the blizzard staff really felt they didn't give him is due when they originally kill them off.

No, Kael'thas is the Blood Elven Prince/King. You're thinking of Kel'Thuzad.

oh shit sorry.

One thing I can give wow lore is when a character dies they usually stay dead. the only reason Kael'thas came back is well his a necromancer, however Illidan coming back is not that surprising since a lot of the blizzard staff really felt they didn't give him is due when they originally kill them off.

Meh...Blizzard kinda zig-zags on that. After all, there's the case of Anub'arak and the Scourge Princes, and we will almost certainly see the Lich King and Kel'thuzad return at some point in the future.

But..if Illidan is back, that probably means that Maiev Shadowsong will return as well. I'm interested to see how that plays out.

me too but if it's anything like warlords it will start great and just end anti-climatically

 

[Mr.Mattress]

Meh...Blizzard kinda zig-zags on that. After all, there's the case of Anub'arak and the Scourge Princes, and we will almost certainly see the Lich King and Kel'thuzad return at some point in the future.

But..if Illidan is back, that probably means that Maiev Shadowsong will return as well. I'm interested to see how that plays out.

There is currently a Lich King; it's Tirion Fordring (The former Regent of the Humans in Vanilla WOW). He's keeping the Scourge from being hostile and/or aggressive. Now, it's possible that Ner'Zhul, the first Scourge leader who was "absorbed" by Arthas, could come back and corrupt Tirion, but right now there is no evidence of that. Since Kel'Thuzad is too loyal to the Lich King, whoever he is, Kel'Thuzad won't cause problems as long as Tirion won't.

 

[Aeshi]

Well, it looks like the "South Sea/Eye of Azshara" rumor wasn't completely wrong then.

The gamer in me is interested to see how the Demon Hunter'll turn out, the RPer in me is going "hoo-boy, this is going to be the Worgen Death Knight all over again isn't it?"

EDIT: Holy crap, we'll actually be able to get the one and only Ashbringer now? Has that old joke really come full circle?

 

[laggyteabag]

Pfffffffffffffffff, Illidan again? I get that they are running out of lore villains, but why just recycle one that we already beat a couple of expansions ago?

Whats next? The Lich King again? We'd better not just start going around and around in circles.

-SNIP-

There is currently a Lich King; it's Tirion Fordring (The former Regent of the Humans in Vanilla WOW). He's keeping the Scourge from being hostile and/or aggressive. Now, it's possible that Ner'Zhul, the first Scourge leader who was "absorbed" by Arthas, could come back and corrupt Tirion, but right now there is no evidence of that. Since Kel'Thuzad is too loyal to the Lich King, whoever he is, Kel'Thuzad won't cause problems as long as Tirion won't.

Bolvar Fordragon became the Lich King, not Tyrion Fordring. Last names are very close, and even though Tyrion was there when the Lich King died, Bolvar just kinda Deus Ex Machina'd himself there.

[small]Because *reasons*[/small]

 

[shadowstriker86]

Meh...Blizzard kinda zig-zags on that. After all, there's the case of Anub'arak and the Scourge Princes, and we will almost certainly see the Lich King and Kel'thuzad return at some point in the future.

But..if Illidan is back, that probably means that Maiev Shadowsong will return as well. I'm interested to see how that plays out.

There is currently a Lich King; it's Tirion Fordring (The former Regent of the Humans in Vanilla WOW). He's keeping the Scourge from being hostile and/or aggressive. Now, it's possible that Ner'Zhul, the first Scourge leader who was "absorbed" by Arthas, could come back and corrupt Tirion, but right now there is no evidence of that. Since Kel'Thuzad is too loyal to the Lich King, whoever he is, Kel'Thuzad won't cause problems as long as Tirion won't.

Talk about a crossover battle: Tirion's Scourge vs. The Burning Legion: Whoever the Legion kills, Tirion just brings back as an undead and they're ready to re-enter the fray

 

[Zetatrain]

Hmm feels a little bit like reusing the plot from burning crusade since we now have another Burning Legion invasion though this time it looks like they are going all out. Highly doubt this will pull me back in but like all expansions it will be interesting to see what this adds to the lore.

Also is that Illidan or is that just a stand in for the Demon Hunter class?

 

[Godzillarich(aka tf2godz)]

Hmm feels a little bit like reusing the plot from burning crusade since we now have another Burning Legion invasion though this time it looks like they are going all out. Highly doubt this will pull me back in but like all expansions it will be interesting to see want this adds to the lore.

Also is that Illidan or is that just a stand in for the Demon Hunter class?

No it's Illidan, this cinematic confirm that

 

[Vedrenne]

Does this mean Illadin Stormrage is still alive? I thought he died in the Burning Crusade?

I always assumed the Burning Legion was going to be mad about the Iron Horde's betrayal, but considering the Iron Horde was hijacked by the Burning Legion anyways, I'm surprised the Burning Legion is just coming back on it's own. I don't remember the timeline anymore, but I know that a Burning Legion invasion was stopped at the end of the Burning Crusade (You defeat Kael'thas again and stop Kil'Jaedan from coming through the portal), so I assume that WoW:Legion would only be 1 or 2 years later from that. I think the Burning Legion would have waited just a little more for a full-on invasion. I mean, they waited hundreds of years between the Defeat at Mount Hyjal to the rise of the Scourge. I thought they'd wait that long as well.

From what is written on Illidan's (and partially Maiev's) Character Bios on the Legion homepage, Maiev moved Illidan's semi-immortal body (on the part of him being 'more than a demon/night-elf', according to Malfurion) to the Warden HQ, to be tortured/detained for all eternity.

 

[Wuvlycuddles]

Holy crap, we'll actually be able to get the one and only Ashbringer now? Has that old joke really come full circle?

The live stream mentioned Turalyon and Alleria are finally making an appearance.... I had to face palm hard for that.