Using Vanilla WoW as a starting point, how would you rewrite the story if you could?
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Kel’thuzad should eventually outsmart Arthas on azeroth, maybe less nerzhul from frostmourne?
Everything remains the same until wrath and then cataclysm world revamp never happens and all is right with the world.
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I have this urge to say “the first thing I would do is make sure Kaelthas does not turn evil, and that he remains the leader of the Blood Elves.” I started typing that. But then I stopped.
After Shadowlands, it is sort of baked in. Shadowlands did make it a little better. Kaelthas was quite literally mad. He had alot of relatable issues that were breaking him mentally. A girl he was really into was not into him, and she was more into another guy that he thought was much lesser. I think a lot of guys can relate - maybe girls too. That sort of emotional trauma alone can really break people.
But then that man - who his crush loved - went full evil, and wrecked Kaelthas’s homeland too?!? Tough break. He must have felt impotent, in all aspects of the word.
When we help Kaelthas work through his issues in Shadowlands… that really needed to happen, even prior to BC. It almost seems imposible to try and make him a sane leader who is balanced mentally, right after Vanilla. With all that went down. I guess he could have had a therapy session off screen during Vanilla and came back mentally healthy for BC or what ever the expansion for Vanilla would have been…
Sorry, OP. I did start trying to write a new expac with Kaelthas leading the Blood Elves… but as I went on, I realized that Shadowlands did help explain and remedy alot of his story.
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The Jaina - Kael’Thas story is so …nonsensical to this day, really. I don’t know why Golden forced this artificial trauma…but Golden loves to write Jaina into a magical demigod anyway, where everyone fall in love with her.
What i would change? Uff, almost everything? The most important one, give the races of this franchise a culture and individuality in the first place.
Create more gods and religions?
Create more magical diversity between the races, strength uniqueness around the world for single races to let every race shine in their own strength
That wasnt Golden but Metzen and the others. If you replay the final mission of the undead campaign in the Frozen Throne, Arthas uses the fact that Jaina choose him as a taunt. I dont remember if its just a random segment as Kael attacks or if it requires you destroying the blood elf base to trigger.
I wouldn’t change much until Cata.
Personally I think that’s the point where moral grayness really left the faction conflict. The Alliance outright declared war in Wrath but then they did an offscreen peace treaty so Garrosh could be the aggressor. Edge of Night is similarly where they ruined Sylvanas. SL was basically a sequel to that short story and look where that got us.
Similarly factions like the Defias turn into basically COBRA, Teldrassil’s corruption is removed and dwarf on dwarf violence is revealed to be caused not by ethnic and geopolitical strife but Old God whispers.
That’s where the Alliance became squeaky clean, the Horde became outright villains and the story started to focus more on the adventures of hero characters we’re extras in rather than the world and our personal adventures through it.
And WoW’s narrative has suffered for it ever since.
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Many here have echoed Cataclysm as what they would use as a starting point for changes, and I agree with that, I’d only make a few changes prior to. Most of my issues with WoW are less story (though that’s a big factor) and more the lack of worldbuilding. I think I would do more to flesh out the setting and the various races prior to Cata.
One big change I think I’d make, however, is the Blood Elves not getting the Sunwell restored. They were much more unique and nuanced prior to that.
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Maybe, but it also has to do with the fact that any significant high elf/ blood elf character can only have romantic feelings for people who are not high elves/blood elves.
Alleria, Vereesa, and Sylvanus all had romances with humans. Kael wanted Jaina. Lor’themar likes Thaylssra. And Liadrin has a crush on any and all Naaru.
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I’d have given out different races.
Vanilla
Humans - Alliance
Dwarves - Alliance
Gnomes - Alliance
High Elves - Alliance
Orcs - Horde
Trolls - Horde
Tauren - Horde
Night Elves - Horde
Burning Crusade
Draenei - Alliance
Ogres - Horde
Wrath of the Lich King
Forsaken - Alliance
Frost Dwarves - Alliance AR
Goblins - Horde
Taunka - Horde AR
Cataclysm
Blue Drakonids - Alliance
Black Drakonids - Horde
Mists of Pandaria
Pandarens - Alliance
Hozen - Horde
Warlords of Draenor
Worgen - Alliance
Saberon - Horde
Legion
Darkfallen - Alliance AR
Nightborne(would be actual Void Elves instead of Arcane Elves 2) - Horde AR
Battle For Azeroth
Kul Tirans - Alliance AR
Mechagnomes - Alliance AR
Zandalari Trolls - Horde AR
Mag’Har Orcs - Horde AR
Other than that, the biggest change I would have made would have been to make WoD take place on another shard of the Outlands instead of in an alternate timeline. Same general story, with the Iron Horde, the Legion, the Ogre Empire, the Arrakoa, etc. But with new characters instead of rehasing a bunch of old characters.
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I’d just give everyone double the armies and start drawing proper battle lines.
I went through this process years ago in 2019 because of how frustrated I was getting with their writing direction, and thinking about what could go differently.
Classic’s story was great in the senes that it offered us a really wide lens view of Azeroth, but the stories weren’t that deep due to a very shallow narrative direction over all (not a failure, just something they were still figuring out).
The big fix I added when I went back to write my A Proposed Revision 🖊 was to try and knit together some of those larger stories, and also expand it through the current expansions.
Odyn and Helya play a pretty big role throughout; I thought their influence was hugely underwhelming.
If we were rebooting from Classic, i’d give the Alliance High Elves and the Horde Ogres straight from the start. The Horde Ogres could easily be given some city over on Kalimdor and the High Elves could either get Dalaran or build their own little Enclave in Stormwind’s territory.
Speaking for the Alliance or Humans in particular though, i would try to better tie their story to the fall out of WC3. The Human story in Vanilla was interesting, but overall, it felt very disconnected from the events of WC3. I think more importance should have been placed on Theramore for sure. But if the “Starter” Kingdom was still Stormwind, they could have done a way better job giving some attention to the refugees from the North. One of the best ways could have been to give each Kingdom of Refugees their own Enclave of sorts. Both in the city’s various districts as well as throughout the human zones. This is how i would have done it.
Stormwind City Enclaves:
Cathedral District: An obvious area for the Lordaeron Refugees to form an Enclave. The district could be decked out in Lordaeron heraldry/symbolism and have Knights of the Silver Hands as the Guardsmen.
Old Town: The Stromgarde Enclave would have made a lot of sense here. The Red tint of the district matching their nation’s colors as well as where all of the Warrior trainers were stationed.
Mage Quarter: An obvious spot for the Refugees of Dalaran. Perhaps expanded a bit and really going all in on this being the Dalaran Enclave within the city with Dalaran/Kirin Tor symbolism. Along with some touches of the OLD Stormwind Conjuror order as well.
Dwarven District: I think this district would have also been a fitting home for Gilnean Refugees who came from Southern Silverpine. Gilneans were one of the more industrial kingdoms so i could see them having been at home with the Dwarves there. Maybe even a little expansion of this district to have some little Gilnean Neighborhood.
Trade District: I think this is an obvious mixed area. Perhaps the same as it is on live but reimagined a bit like a modern city such as Kul Tiras and made a little more immersive.
The Park: The park could largely remain the same as well, although i think this would be another great area to be the High Elven Enclave within the city. Maybe even with the Night Elves still there reconnecting with them and trying to help their eastern kin with the addiction they’re facing with the loss of the Sunwell.
Other: Perhaps an additional district that just sort of reflects some degree of “Old” Stormwind culture. Like an additional military ward where we can see Stormwind Knights and other such things.
I would expand this though to the different zones. Having the different Kingdom’s refugees take part in the human starter experience.
Redridge: I think this zone would have served as a good place for the Refugees of Stromgarde to have set up shop. Given their militant nature, them having Orcs to lead a campaign against would have been interesting. Lakeshire being revamped to feel like an actual town and the town guard largely being a Stromgarde Militia force.
Duskwood: I’ve always liked the idea of Duskwood being some mix of a Gilnean/Lordaeron Enclave. Like after the Second War, Darkshire and other settlements there could have been areas in Stormwind that a lot of Gilnean Settlers who went South decided to settle. Along with more funneling in there that managed to escape Silverpine in the 3rd War. The Night Watch could have essentially been a largely Gilnean Militia fighting under the Stormwind banner. Perhaps even with some Lordaeron Paladins who were grizzled vets of the 3rd War helping to defend the region.
But when it comes to the Lordaeron Refugees, i think the best option would have been going all in on Theramore. Theramore should have been bigger and had more to it than we saw in Classic. It should have been hammered home that THIS was the new continuation of Lordaeron.
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I for one would not let Knaak nor White Wolf’s RPG dictate the Story and would take note of the fact that there are 5 Dragon Aspects and 5 Old Gods in the Backstory as well as GW2’s End of Dragons Plot Line and GW being made by former WoW Devs.
I would make the Dragon Aspects be the Old Gods and Aspects of Elune the Moon Goddess!
I would have them steadily be corrupted by the Void starting with Nozdormu and have him be the Final Boss of the 40-Man Temple of Ahn’Qiraj(with various Bosses being part of his collection including the Forgotten One C’Thun) while having the Titan Aman be the Boss of the 20-Man Ruins of Ahn’Qiraj.
A massive Doomguard will be the Final Boss of Molten Core by the way.
I would have Knaak hired for the WoW Novel tying all this together with Elune being the Dragon Goddess of the Moon and her 5 Dragon Aspects being the Old Gods being made blatant in the Novel!
As for Burning Crusade:
Velen would not be fleeing the corruption of Sargeras(which goes against the WC3 Manual) but the corruption of a Void-tainted Elune. Kil’jaeden and Archimonde were called Warlocks in the WC3 Manual so them being a corrupted Race is still expected even if the source obviously isn’t Sargeras
Illidan and Kael’thas would remain good guys alongside Vashj while Magtheridon will be the Final Boss of Black Temple even as the 4 Elemental Lords(the 4 Elemental Aspects of the Spirit of the Wilds corrupted by Chaos just as the Dragon Aspects are being corrupted by Void) appear as Bosses in Outland(Neptulon for Serpentshrine Cavern, Ragnaros for Hellfire Citadel, Therazane for Therazane’s Lair in Blade’s Edge Mountains and Al’Akir for Tempest Keep).
Quel’Danas would be invaded directly by Kil’jaeden who as WC3 shows is more than capable of visiting Azeroth himself normally unlike Archimonde.
The Final Boss would be Alexstrasza infused with Anveena’s Magic(by the second to last Boss of the Raid: Kil’jaeden) causing an entropic imbalance as she succumbs to the Void. Kalecgos’s words would reach Anveena even as she is sucked into Alexstrasza resulting in her actively severing the link between Alexstrasza’s Body and Elune with Alexstrasza’s defeat leaving behind only Anveena who is now a Dragon instead of a Well of Magic.
Krasus would now be the one mourning a lost loved one in the Night of the Dragon Novel not Kalecgos. Krasus not Kalecgos would be the one ranting about how his loved one did not have a life to live as she was merely an Aspect of Azeroth’s personal Goddess trying to filter out Void from her 5 Moon Phases.
On to Wrath of the Lich King:
First we see the Lich King seated upon the Frozen Throne before the scene changes to show the Lich King seated at the head of a table before a Child and Ner’zhul with Ner’zhul showing the Lich King flashes of Arthas’s life with the Lich King eventually walking to the Child calling him the last shred of Arthas’s Soul before shoving him into Frostmourne with Ner’zhul immediately gloating that now Arthas has no Soul he is the Lich King only for the Lich King to transform into a Dragon and stab Ner’zhul causing the scene to change to a flashback with the Lich King narrating:
It will be revealed that Malygos while insanely experimenting with Magic in the Nexus accidentally opened a Rift into the Twisting Nether and got pulled in before casting Ice Block on himself creating the Frozen Throne which the Nathrezim grabbed and delivered to Kil’jaeden who implanted Ner’zhul within it to create the Lich King.
The Lich King did indeed forge Frostmourne or should I say the true Lich King Malygos forged Frostmourne. Ner’zhul will shriek as he is pulled into Frostmourne in the Lich King’s vision as Malygos opens his puppet’s eyes and gets off the Frozen Throne and raises his mate Sindragosa.
Wrathgate will happen and be fully Varimathras’s fault(with Sylvanas made oblivious to the Forsaken Blight that Varimathras was creating) and will infact succeed in killing Arthas not that it matters since Malygos is still immune like all Dragons after vomiting Arthas’s dissolved remains.
The Eye of Eternity Raid would involve the Anti-Magic extremist Ley-Guardian Eregos finding out that Malygos became the Lich King before being killed by him before leaving with Eregos’s corpse.
Ulduar would still have Yogg-Saron but he will be a Forgotten One not an Old God with the implication that he and C’Thun are aspects of a Foreign Deity from outside Azeroth similar to how the Elemental Lords would be aspects of Draenor’s Deity the Spirit of the Wilds.
Fall of the Lich King Trailer will have Terenas assume he is talking to his son before Malygos cuts him off by saying his Son is dead and reduced to slime and cut him off when he tries to claim the Lich King’s armor still has Arthas’s Soul by showing Arthas’s Soul to him.
When Terenas shows confusion Malygos will immediately revert to his true form becoming a massive armored Bipedal Dragon right before him while gloating that he took control over Arthas’s Body immediately after he killed Mal’Ganis.
Terenas now understanding it is not Arthas but a Dragon will go into the same speech of how the Lich King will be held to account for the atrocities he committed with the Lich King as usual being all “Let them come! Frostmourne hungers!”
After being killed in the Raid(which will have Sylvanas, Jaina, Tirion and Krasus all be present) the Lich King Malygos has his chest shatter as Void erupts from it flowing into the sky as it disperses and when it has all left him Krasus will appear in front of him as Malygos grabs onto Krasus desperately asking if it is over with Krasus saying “At long last.” while also going “No king rules forever Lord Malygos” with Malygos saying as he dies “I see only Void for me…” as he passes away.
Cataclysm will have Deathwing track down the Elemental Planes of Draenor consuming the top of the World Pillar as he merges the top of Deepholm with the Maelstrom causing Draenor’s Elemental Planes to merge with Azeroth wrecking havoc.
Therazane having had her Chaos Corruption consumed by Deathwing is now more amicable to the Players though still needs her trust earned since they killed her on Draenor.
Ragnaros still being Chaos Corrupted is now Green with Chaos like Mannoroth & Archimonde who previously leeched Chaos from him are. Half of the Firelands and Molten Front thus are Green. Archimonde and Mannoroth are Raid Bosses of the Firelands alongside Ragnaros and Fandral Staghelm.
Deathwing of course will be the Final Boss as usual even becoming a massive Volcanic Earth Elemental at the end exploding upon death.
Mists of Pandaria will involve Ysera’s corruption by the Void. The Sha will be Ysera’s Dream essence spreading through Pandaria.
Ysera will be eventually dug out of the Vale of Eternal Blossoms by Garrosh who will start leeching her Sha Energies before ultimately consuming the connection between her and Elune transforming into a new Dragon Aspect of the White Moon freeing Ysera from the Void in the process.
The White Dragon Aspect upon death will return to the Emerald Dream’s Rift of Aln and communicate with Nozdormu within the Twisting Nether(where all 5 Dragon Aspects except Alexstrasza who was converted into a body for Anveena returned to upon death) and demand he restore Draenor as it once was free of Demon Corruption. Cue Warlords of Draenor.
The Orcs would for the most part reject the idea of Warmongering except Grom Hellscream(his clan is called Warsong for a reason after all) and Blackhand(who wants wealth).
The Legion Missive in Talador will now feature Nozdormu, Malygos, Deathwing and Kil’jaeden(whom Elune appointed as Alexstrasza’s replacement) sending messages to each other instead of a message from Archimonde. Talgath who has shown nothing but competence in the Legion will be the Final Boss.
Legion will have the Players first facing Garrosh in the Rift of Aln in the Emerald Nightmare Raid while also facing Sargeras in the Tomb of Sargeras Raid and Kil’jaeden in the Argus Raid. And yes Kil’jaeden will give Elune a rant of how he payed for the destiny she promised with his World(which would be blatantly ravaged by Purple Void Corruption) before the Argus Raid.
The Argus Raid would have have us forced to extract all of Elune’s Void Corruption which will burst out as the Void Dragon Final Boss of Legion.
With the Cosmic Force of the Void(with 5 Aspects: Life, Death, Time, Magic and Dream) dealt with we are now left to deal with the other 5 Cosmic Forces: Chaos/Wilds(with 4 Aspects: Water, Earth, Wind and Fire), Twilight(with Light and Shadow as it’s sole Aspects), Order(represented by the Titans), Sanity & Madness(represented by the Forgotten Ones).
Interesting ideas about the refugees, but it seems like a lot of unnecessary effort to me.
The story in the Stormwind Human lands- Elwynn, Westfall, Redridge and Duskwood is actually excellently tied together and coherent. The story of the Defias is interesting, the stretching thin of Stormwind’s military, and all the threats posed to the Kingdom.
I totally agree about the tying-in of WoW’s story to the fallout from WC3 was poorly done. It was years later that I even realised Jaina was the de-facto leader of the Alliance in Vanilla, it only says so in the game manual!
Maybe Dustwallow was an unfinished zone at the time of Vanilla’s launch. They revamped it later in Vanilla but it was more connected to the Stormwind/Varian/Onyxia story than anything else.
@Vanforth
I am going to read your post, just need a bit of time to do so.
I liked Vanilla’s story of letting the world be the main character of the story, even if it was a bit shallow. Especially how the factions were far in the background while being close enough to justify PvP. I would keep that story-telling method, but make the puddle depth a bit deeper. Just keep the faction leaders muzzled instead of writing them like trashy comic book heroes.
All my yes. This layout fits each faction and races theme and identity better than live.
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Would any part of alex which was tethered to elune actually have been unknowingly been attached elsewhere? Maybe the sun in the form of old god attachment, or even other celestial bodies? Or is it known that the dragon aspects would draw all their power from one, the moon alone.
How could such originate, the backstory at somepoint (wc1-3) would then be about the “old gods” as you say detaching from their attachment to others beyond one, in this case their pre aspect of the moon self?
Came here to basically say this. I think a lot of OG NE fan gripes would be obsolete because the grit of the Horde would have allowed NE to keep their original ‘savage’ concept preserving their proverbial fangs. Plus I feel like NE and the other races of the Horde would have some really great interactions.
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Agreed. If feels like they tried to turn the night elves into a ‘high elf lite’ during vanilla as well as the usual female character treatment in WoW-era Blizzard.