So we know the artifact weapons were drained from the giant sword, but do we know what happened after?
Are the weapons basically useless after being drained or were they just drained of all the azerite power and they reverted back to their original powers? For example is Doomhammer completely worthless now or is it basically how it was when Thrall wielded? Also is the shadow priest weapon super worthless and powerless now that it’s been drained and Xal’atath left it?
Also do we know the fate of the artifact weapons, like where they went or who wields them? The only ones I know of are Sylvanas having had the shadow priest weapon and Hati being reformed.
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We weren’t powering them up with Azerite.
I assume its still a hammer. So not useless, but not exactly more powerful then an average junk level gear.
If I was an in-universe character, I’d take every one of those weapons and bury them in an underground vault with a million magical seals. They did absorb the entirety of Gorribal’s Fel magic. They may be harmless weapons, or they may be hazardous world-enders that threaten all life on Azeroth.
Don’t risk it.
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The blade of the black empire is probably the best example of what became of the artifact weapons we have. For it in particular, after legion it left the possession of the shadow priest and eventually landed in the hands of Azshara. She had it with the intent of using it to kill N’Zoth. Ultimately it was used by Wrathion to open the way to N’Zoth’s core.
If the blade of the black empire is archetypal of the state of the artifacts post legion than we can assume a few things of the others. The blade was a old god crafted weapon and retained that power, though it was weakened, even after legion. Given this it is reasonable to assume that other artifacts would also retain the powers they had before legion. They might however require some power to get things rolling again.
Secondly the blade very quickly left the hands of the player shadow priest post legion. It shows up again in BFA during a quest line in stormsong valley before ending up with Azshara. Given this it is safe to assume that the artifact weapons have likely left the possession of the player characters after legion. There is an extra hint towards this when a illusion of the resto shaman artifact appears in Nazjatar as bait for a trap. This shows it has most likely left the possession of the player shaman as well.
For the most part no indication has been given as to where the artifacts, that we haven’t seen directly show up again, are. It is likely we will never know until such a time as they become plot relevant. For example should there be a story in which Mayla Highmountain needs a new weapon it is probably safe to assume we will then discover where the survival hunter spear ended up.
I would expect that at least some of them will become plot relevant again eventually. They are power magical weapons that are ready made to fill a MacGuffin slot in a story. As such, in time we will probably get the answers to your question.
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Oh Aluneth is still a world ending threat who continues to whisper at me because I have Aluneth t-mogged. I think he’s still a powerful arcane being.
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I hope next time we see Tyr he’s liberated the Silver Hand from paladins’ banks.
Thrall should have gotten Doomhammer back too.
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The way Thrall got into throwing axes into people he def should not get the doomhammer back, he would toss it at the first oportunity.
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Thrall is 0/2 with thrown weapons, but if he keeps trying, he just might get it!!
Maybe this is a hint that Enhancement becomes a ranged class using throwing weapons?
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With a few exceptions, the Blade of the black empire being a major one due to it’s plot involvement; the Artifact weapons were depowered. Now what that means can be up for interpretation.
Honestly I wondered about some of the artifacts, Thrall’s hammer being one as it’s original owner was not a shaman. It only being associated with the class due to Thrall being the “World Shaman” back in Cata. Otherwise it was just a well-made hammer associated with the Warcheif.
Having not played all the classes I couldn’t say for sure how “Powerful” the others were prior to us getting our hands on them. If they were like the Doomhammer it is likely they’ve returned to being a mundane weapon anyone could get their hands on. If they are like the Blade of the Black Empire with an actual entity inside, that could make things a bit more clouded.
Xal’atath isn’t a normal weapon by any means. One doesn’t simply misplace it so much as she just up and vanishes until she desires contact or someone “Finds her”. Being a Sentient weapon she has that privilege. The only other weapon I can think of from what I know is the Warlock Skull that could be similar enough to have an “entity” inside it even after being depowered.
As for the majority of the weapons you have basically two options. Either the Order Hall Leader still wields it even after the events in Silithus, or they were stored within their respective Order Halls for safe keeping as they became too unstable and dangerous for anyone to use. Though I cannot confirm if there is any Lore regarding the 2nd option or if it was simply a community agreed head cannon.
Although Hati is another good example of an artifact being established in lore after Legion. The Rifle becoming unstable and Hati having to be rescued from it or be lost forever. Hati being bound to the Hunter themselves rather than an arbitrary weapon if I am remembering the Quest Chain correctly. I am sure there must be some lore regarding other artifacts.
Well to be fair he did go back to his Gladiatorial routes after giving up on Shamanism. The Warrior class having a couple different “Throw weapon” abilities at their disposal. Maybe once he regains his connection to the elements that particular technique will be beneath him and forgotten.
If he loses a weapon again I swear he’ll become a meme.
Please someone find Thrall an axe he’ll actually keep. 
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Thrall whenever he gets his hands on a axe 
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Thrall 2 seconds later “I need an axe! Champion find me an axe!”
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Maybe thats a sign he should reroll and go full monk.
I would faction change every character I have if Thrall was like: The real element you’ll face are these hands.
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I disagree. Thrall has clearly grown fond of the whole ranged weapon attack thing. He’s giving it a try, seeing how it feels, before he fully commits to his inevitable class change to Hunter. He just needs to figure out a way to make a bow fire axes, and he will be all set.
His pet shall be a tamed Baine or Anduin. When he swaps to Beastmaster, he shall have both.
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I headcanon that the artifacts that are historical or cultural relics like the spear to Highmountain and the Doomhammer to Orgrimmar were returned to their nations. The warlocks probably have their artifacts locked up for later use, since at least from what I remember, they’re power hungry, but not world ending evil. The paladins might’ve put Uther’s old hammer in his tomb and the Ashbringer in Light’s Hope.
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You had a hunter warchief already, time for warchief of the fists.
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Well, sir!!
We don’t have any warchief anymore and we abolished that position entirely!!
So since we shall never get a Fistchief, let me have my Bow-Axe Hunter!!
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Fair enough.
Maybe a goblin can craft him an axe thrower.
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Yes, I agree to your terms.
Had you disagreed, I would have given you Baine as a token monk Horde councilman. But you have seen logic and reason, therefore I shall give you a good candidate for a class-representative. A new character, never before seen in the entire Horde!! He shall be a monk, so monks have representation, and a pandaren so that race also has a representative.
I propose the name Ji Firepaw for this brand new character, who certainly never existed before. We can even say that this pandaren monk named Ji is that photobombing background pandaren who will every so often show up in the background of group shots of the Horde leaders.
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That works, you know what would be cool? A character in the Alliance, who has a love interest but also a different worldview, her name couls be something like Aysa Cloudsinger, shame a character like that doesn’t exist, imagine the potential dynamics such a duo like that existed…
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