TLDR: This is just a thread of suggestions to improve Timewalking enjoyment. Feel free to leave input, and further suggestions. And if it is critique please try to keep it constructive and elaborate on it.
Timewalking is a great feature of the World of Warcraft, and I think with some improvements, it could be even better.
- Timewalking Length -
First and foremost, it is my belief that Timewalking should be consistent in the World of Warcraft; by that I mean extend each period of time to overlap on other events in game.
For example, it starts off on TBC Timewalking, and in this scenario, even when it rolls over into say the Arena weekly. TBC Timewalking will still be available for two more weeks until Wrath Timewalking (as they are normally 3 weeks apart).
This wouldn’t affect the current rotation schedule and spacing, just give more time for the active expansion’s content to be enjoyed.
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Additionally, I believe that every November (the anniversary month of World of Warcraft), ALL Timewalking should be active for that month. As it is a time to celebrate the legacy of World of Warcraft and what better way than to be able to enjoy the content of each expansion to date?
Afterwards, it should continue and/or finish where it left off in it’s rotation.
- Additions to Timewalking Content -
The Southshore VS Tarren Mill event was fun, and I believe still happens in the anniversary month or a Battleground Brawl? But we can push the mold even further!
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I suggest that the final week of the proposed 3 week Timewalking events, there should also be the ability to participate in the prepatch of the next expansion of the rotation.
The Legion invasions in the final week of Warlords Timewalking, or the Scourge Invasion in the final week of Burning Crusade Timewalking for example.
This can happen as instanced events, or simply be placed in the world proper, as they will only show up once a month and shouldn’t be disruptive of normal ongoings anyway.
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Not to mention other Major Events that could be added, for the related expansion, either throughout its Timewalking event or at certain week intervals. Such as the Opening of Ahn’qiraj, or a recreation of the Blood Plague of Hakkar. (Wait those are Vanilla! Vanilla doesn’t have Timewalking!..We’ll get to that further down)
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Blizzard can also add more Timewalking World Bosses (to places such as Outland, and Northrend) while altering ones that already exist such as Azuregos (or alter [For the duration of the Timewalking] ones such as Oondasta in MoP). In a way that the content can be joined in by and helped by those of Any level with any kind of equipment. Let the lowbies in on the fun!
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When Blizzard added Mythic+ of old expansions to Timewalking it was a great step forward to which I was elated. However, I think this is a nexus of untapped potential too.
I noticed Mythic + was only available to the expansions that had them prior, which makes sense but I think lacks imagination.
Hear me out -
Imagine a Faction for Timewalking proper, with a permanent vendor & location inside the Caverns of Time.
On top of the already existing and mentioned above content, I really think that the dungeon devs can use this as an opportunity to break loose.
Let’s say the WHY is the Infinite Dragonflight is messing with the time stream and now those Dungeons we defeated long ago are even more difficult and must be defeated again to set the timeline right.
Blizzard can remove all the NPCs and old encounters from a Dungeon from let’s say Hellfire Ramparts, and then use the empty halls to put in new encounters, mobs, and obstacles that are more fitting to a Mythic+ environment (because I know Mythic+ must be set up in particular ways, to take into account pathing and pacing for a timed & kill count mandated challenge event).
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Affixes, though I believe more should be added or particular ones altered in some way, can still apply as they currently do for Mythic+ current.
BUT, to make things even more interesting, new affixes thematic to that expansions or their more prominent or popular raid tiers can be added as they are for current Mythic+s (just as they did with Legion’s Infernal Seasonal Affix for the introduction of Mythic+ Timewalking last December).
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And on that Note -
For Shadowlands we got three seasonal affixes:
- Prideful
- Tormented
- Encrypted
But in Battle for Azeroth, we got four seasonal affixes:
- Infested
- Reaping
- Beguiling
- Awakened
I believe I have a interesting suggestion to address that discrepancy, with the now 3 week Timewalking durations.
You go through 3 of the affixes, Infested, Reaping, Beguiling, during the normal Timewalking duration, one week at a time.
And as a bonus treat, during Anniversary month, get access to the final and/or special fourth trait which will prevail all month (as again, ALL Timewalking is available in this scenario for the month of November).
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So in this scenario it would be the fourth and final affix of Battle For Azeroth, Awakened, but it also opens up the opportunity; nay the right to get access to a taste of the cut content from previous expansions.
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To elaborate with an example:
There would be for the whole of the month of November an affix related to the cut Drust raid of Shadowlands.
What it would be, feel free to give conceptual ideas below, but I am skipping on direct suggestions because I do not know how to balance such things mechanically. So the concept is all I’m putting forth.
The same of course applies to those expansions that did not have affixes as they did not have Mythic+ before.
So let’s say Warlords of Draenor would have a Highmaul Affix, a Blackrock Foundry affix, a Hellfire Citadel affix, and a cut raid perhaps from the Ogre Island we never received, or from the Fields of Farahlon that vanished for the month of November.
Ray D. Tear will be remembered, while I’ll hold my breathe in excitement for the Abyssal Maw Cataclysm special affix.
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Of course, since the Infinite Dragonflight has changed things from how they are Supposed to be, they could even change the layout of the dungeon to help in structuring a proper Mythic+.
However, I understand that might be too much work, which is why I initially suggested just changing mob routes, locations, numbers, paths and bosses whatever is needed (By that I mean the bosses can remain the same people, just their encounter mechanics is what I mean, if Need be).
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And related to this restructuring of Timewalking, I would also put forth that Timewalking for Vanilla finally be added to the roster as well.
This is where the fun begins~
With Vanilla Timewalking we can have the ability to reexperience the old Versions of dungeons before they were reformatted in Cataclysm or later (I do personally miss the Old Sunken Temple 
) or simply have more dungeons to participate in with our lower level friends and alts during the Timewalking event.
And who wouldn’t also want to simply have more collectible goodies from the new Classic vendor (as all Timewalking has a vendor with a toy, mount, some gear, rep tokens or other goodies related to the expansion in question).
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All this while still having the perks of playing Retail.
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- Fixes to maintain perks of Timewalking in Retail -
Now I’m unsure as to why, or who decided to turn off Legion Legendaries, for Timewalking?
But in my personal opinion, that is one of the major drawing appeals to running Timewalking content. To be able to unleash your entire arsenal you have collected over the years, and it should be reintroduced.
Legion Legendaries, Expansion Legendaries, Set Bonuses, Corruption Bonuses, Azerite gear, whatever it may be. The Infinite Dragonflight would watch in horror as a Hero across the ages came in ready to meet them head on.
Balancing would be tricky, but again, in my personal opinion it shouldn’t be such a priority that removing the capabilities of a creative dungeoneer should be the answer.
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For the most part in regards to balancing, and to make old content goodies relevant again, the way it should be balanced (outside of the effect themselves) is numerically the potions, flasks, enchants, and gear should be superior to the current retail versions for those Timewalking instances.
For instance let’s say the Super Healing Potion from TBC heals 455 health, then in a Timewalking instance, a Cosmic Healing Potion should heal 375 or whatever it is needed to keep the best potion in retail still relevant but not superior to its’ Timewalking appropriate alternative.
This way, Timewalking Dungeoneers have to way the options of is the effect of this enchant, armor, trinket or whatever better than simply the stat input that another Timewalking appropriate counterpart.
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I will say however, for Mythic+ timewalking and for Timewalking Raids such bonuses should be disabled. Only for the reason that the rewards from this content are more power pushing than their “Heroic” Timewalking dungeon counterparts.
Though when it was introduced, Legion Mythic+ Timewalking gear could only reach ilvl 246, which was at the time about Mythic 5 equivalent. We would want to discourage getting powerful legendaries or other pieces as mandatory for progression raiders, or other limit pushing players so they could simply farm Timewalking gear to start their trials at Mythic 5 for current retail. So those pieces should not be of benefit in the challenge content such as Timewalking Mythic+ or Timewalking Raids.
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- How is this different than just playing Classic? -
Aside from the obvious benefit of the group finder tool, this will encourage more interaction with different gear pieces for a true spectacle to witness. Not to mention the abilities and utilities that you never had access to in Vanilla/Classic adding more variety to which way you want to play.
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It can also be argued that this will give older content more relevance (with the inclusion of Vanilla, and Old world stat superiority, pushing a market in the Auction House) in an interesting manner which will in turn encourage more interaction between newer leveling players and veterans.
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By the way, the Murloc icon should be visible to all Players, not just Guides. Even if only Guides can get access to the new player chat, it fosters a more understanding atmosphere if everyone is made aware that perhaps their party member is not too knowledgeable due to being new.
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Blizzard can also expand on this whether it be exclusive titles for the new Mythic+ versions for older dungeons while in timewalking, cosmetics, legacy gear, timewalking specific gear and more. Not to mention the ability to create and expand on a story for it. I mentioned the Infinite Dragonflight earlier as to the Why for older Mythic+s but there could be so much more added to it.
- A Fantastic addition! But not a priority. -
Now even with trying to take the low road in terms of the work load for devs or to avoid having to hire more staff to get this accomplished. This would simply be a nice addition/change.
In no way shape or form, do I advocate that this take priority over work for new content, stories and expansions. I simply put forth that small changes over time be made in this direction, time permitting of course.
If Blizzard catches whiff of this idea, loves it and wants to put in the manhours or hire more devs to make it happen, more power to them. But if not, then again this could be a goal that can be tackled in slow motion, step by step, tweak by tweak, expansion by expansion.
In the end, this is just my humble suggestion, and again I appreciate any insight or suggestions. I just think that it will be a boon to the World of Warcraft to make such changes, and I appreciate the time anyone took to read this.
