Hey, I know we’re all excited for what 9.0’s going to bring with blizzcon but I thought I’d get a headstart on the leaks for 10.0 since a vague associate of mine once briefly exchanged words with someone who worked at Blizzard and they spilled all the beans.
Light’s Vengeance
Patch Outline/Story:-
10.0 is the Return of the Lightbound. Yrel and her draenei Lightbound integrate with the Alliance. Exarch Garrosh and orcs are welcomed into the Horde, despite some objections (Geya’rah). Yrel+co. were fleeing their timeline from Infinites. Questing experience is centred around Caverns of Time offering different zones from different timepoints (enemies will be both Infinites and natural denizens).
Raid dungeon is fighting against a number of big AU names recruited by Infinites culminating with Infinite-Soridormi.
10.1 is marked by a period of relative peace. With the Lightbound’s assistance Alliance begins restoration of Darkshore/Felwood and Horde Tirisfal/Plaguelands in earnest. Similar mechanics to Isle of Quel’danas/Isle of Thunder with weekly progression via world quests and material turn ins to unlock zone bonuses and eventually the new raids - one for Alliance, one for Horde (storywise, both get them mechanically). Alliance are fighting demons and blighted creatures, Horde are fighting Scarlets and Cult of the Damned.
10.2 reveals that Yrel and Garrosh have been working to undermine their respective factions. They were never fleeing the Infinite, the Infinites were being chased to our timeline by the Lightbound’s naaru. Those who accepted the new Lightbinding are forcibly controlled into their service. Stormwind+Elwynn become new questing zones (bronze dragon enabled to not break old quest/leveling experiences). Raid is the Lightbound’s naaru vessel, teleporter located in Stormwind Keep. 2 new dungeons.
10.3 - Anduin after seeing his city mind controlled and slaughtered, realises that Yrel’s idea was flawed in not going far enough. Instead of letting people choose to be Bound, he will force it on the planet to remove the world’s suffering and unite them under a single rule. He and Calia fuse with naaru and begins forcibly Lightbinding en masse. Global world quests across Azeroth. Major NPCs on both sides mind controlled/killed. Raid is a crystalline palace Anduin constructs on the remains of Gilneas made out of Light shards.
They’re also discussing a story-focused 10.4 patch with maybe a one-boss raid, but nothing confirmed yet.
Mechanics:-
All races+classes get an optional quest for additional Light-based cosmetics. Change is permanent (retained through race/gender swap). Applies to both character model and spell/attack animations. FFA World PvP opportunity in 10.2+10.3 similar to Timeless Isle.
There’s only one dungeon at release called “Shattered Time” utilising a new semi-procedural dungeon layout, similar to Diablo 3’s Rifts. Every dungeon run will be different with different enemies, layout and mixed appearances.
M+ will use a weekly rotation of BfA, Legion, WoD and MoP dungeons (with more fan favourites planned to be added in future patches). Tweaks to trash layout/boss mechanics planned for WoD+MoP dungeons in M+ to keep in line with Legion+BfA.
No new races or classes. Every spec will get a new talent row. ‘Temporal Dust’ (AP) used to upgrade and enhance artifact crowns (unlockable alternate skins/models similar to Legion artifacts).
No titanforging/warforging. Profession revamp across the board - everyone gets one gathering prof and two crafting profs.
Reforging added back in. Craftable deployable reforgers for use "in the field" will be added. Grand Expedition Yak will have both transmog and reforging on it (along with a vendor).
Because the expansion takes place on Azeroth or in Caverns of Time zones there’s no pathfinder this expac - zones are either perma-landlocked (CoT) or already flying enabled (Azeroth).
