Fan-made content below:

Time for a new adventure?

Welcome back, adventurer. I am known as Chronormu, but you may call me Chromie. I am comfortable with such familiarity.
I am one of the bronze dragonflight, forever attuned to the ebb and flow of time. You could say that we have met before. Or is this the first time we've met?

I'm in so many places and times right now, I sometimes have a hard time keeping track of all of it!
I recently came across two oddly shaped discombobulators. They both allow one-way travel through time!
If you like, I can show it to you.

A Curious Discombobulator allows a level 60 character in a World of Warcraft Classic server to transfer to a World of Warcraft Burning Crusade server.
This is a one time, one way transfer. Characters who are transferred to a Burning Crusade server will not be allowed
to go back to the Classic servers under any circumstances. Your character will get to keep all equipped items and gold,
as well what is in their bags. Bank contents will NOT be carried over.

A Curious Discombobulator is available for purchase from Chronormu for 500 gold.
Going forward, you will be able to create characters directly in a Burning Crusade server 2 months after its initial release.
A Tempered Discombobulator allows a level 60 character in a World of Warcraft Classic server to transfer to a World of Warcraft Classic+ server. Classic+ servers will be updated with new content; raids, items, battleground and more! Characters who are transferred to a Classic+ server will not be allowed to go back to the Classic servers under any circumstances. Your character will get to keep all equipped items and gold, as well what is in their bags. You can opt to transfer the bank contents as well, although this will remove all bank items from the original Classic servers.



You can obtain a Tempered Discombobulator via a new, repeatable quest chain.
You will need the following reputation levels and items to be able to progress the quest chain;

• Exalted with the Argent Dawn, 50 https://classic.wowhead.com/item=12811/righteous-orb; quest chain #1
• Exalted with the Hydraxian Waterlords, 5 https://classic.wowhead.com/item=17203/sulfuron-ingot, 5 https://classic.wowhead.com/item=18562/elementium-ore; quest chain #2
• Exalted with the Thorium Brotherhood, 100 https://classic.wowhead.com/item=11370/dark-iron-ore, 10 https://classic.wowhead.com/item=17010/fiery-core, 10 https://classic.wowhead.com/item=17011/lava-core; quest chain #3
• Revered with the Zandalar Tribe, 25 https://classic.wowhead.com/item=12804/powerful-mojo, 5 https://classic.wowhead.com/item=19943/massive-mojo; quest chain #4
• Honored with the Shen'dralar, 10 https://classic.wowhead.com/item=18240/ogre-tannin, quest chain #5
• Honored with the Cenarion Circle, 100 https://classic.wowhead.com/item=20404/ ... light-text; quest chain #6
• Honored with either the Gelkis Clan Centaurs or the Magram Clan Centaurs, 500 gold; quest chain #7
• Honored with the Brood of Nozdormu, 10 https://classic.wowhead.com/item=21230/ ... i-artifact, 25 https://classic.wowhead.com/item=21229/ ... s-insignia; quest chain #8

Reward: 5 x Tempered Discombobulator

As the quest chain is repeatable, and Tempered Discombobulators are not soulbound, players will be able to trade these to their friends, or sell them in exchange for gold. Players will NOT be able to create a character directly in Classic+ servers, and can only transfer from existing Classic servers by using a Tempered Discombobulator.
The long and difficult quest chain with a steep time investment requirement is intended. This gives the guilds who have cleared all PvE content something to work for, and as the quest reward is 5 Tempered Discombobulators, players can set and work in teams. The Classic+ content will have the following:
Classic+ Stage 1

• Karazhan Crypts: 5 Man Dungeon
• Azshara Crater; 10v10 PvP battleground
• Uldum: Explorable zone with unique quests, a new reputation, and a 5 Man Dungeon

Classic+ Stage 2

• Karazhan: 40 man Raid (requires attunement)

Classic+ Stage 3

• Emerald Dream: Explorable zone with unique quests, new reputations, and a 40 man Raid (requires attunement)

...and many more! /end pointless fan-ideas...
This is more or less the result of me being bored at work, but I also hope to continue the discussion of "Classic going forward".

There are cons and pros of having a "forever classic" server. Pros being namely that people are not rushed to the end-game and can take many months or years to clear PvE content. The cons would be that the more hardcore players would get bored after Xth Naxx clear. So with an optional server transfer to the Burning Crusade expansion, one can still keep their treasured character and play BC.

In addition, the "Classic+" would be everything that Blizz perhaps once intended to release (Emeral Dream, Hyjal zone, Karazhan areas etc.), but couldn't or didn't due to various reasons. This "Classic+" is then intended for the most hardcore of the hardcore. It would be also not possible to create a character outright in these realms, but the Tempered Discombobulators are not soulbound so in theory they could be bought. The non-soulbound item from a repeatable quest also creates a new "endgame economy" for some really hardcore dedicated people; you can stay in "Classic" and farm & sell these items forever if you so desire. The quest chain rewarding 5 of these is also intended, so you can share these with a close group of 4 other friends and venture in the "Classic+" content together - starting from the new 5 man dungeon.

All in all, I'm sure there are lots of errors or dangers in this proposal, and also Blizzard can do a lot more better than I can. Even though this is still a "we'll cross that bridge once we come there" situation, I find it fun to think about these things.

How do you guys think?

It'd be cool if at the top you say this is fan-made. Using a "blue quote" on something not said by Blizzard without any forewarning doesn't sit well with me.

Fair enough.

My heart can not take those false ads ;)

I mean we all know that to some point TBC will come and i hope that the copy the realms so we can still play with our lvl 60 chars.

I'm curious to see what will happen after all the content phases have passed. But to me it seems unlikely they'll do something like this.
It's a good read though, I wonder what they'll have to do to make Karazhan a 40-man raid instance.

IronBrutzler wrote: ↑

5 years ago

I mean we all know that to some point TBC will come and i hope that the copy the realms so we can still play with our lvl 60 chars.

Simply put that's the idea really, with a little bit of in-game lore sprinkled. It doesn't force anyone to take part in TBC, so you can move to those realms when/if you choose. Unless something unexpected happens, I really think Blizzard will eventually add TBC/Wotlk servers ultimately.

Slocain wrote: ↑

5 years ago

I'm curious to see what will happen after all the content phases have passed. But to me it seems unlikely they'll do something like this.
It's a good read though, I wonder what they'll have to do to make Karazhan a 40-man raid instance.

Yeah the "Classic+" approach is a bit... too adventurous for the current Blizz if I'm honest. But I mean Runescape is doing it (if what I've read so far is accurate), and they seem to be doing great over there. More people are playing OSRS, and it is still getting content updates. At the end of the day many people wouldn't support an official Vanilla server back in the days (There was even a copy-paste "Why Vanilla WoW will never happen" response by the green posters on official forums - Edit: It's called "THE WALL OF NO") and look at where we are now! So I wouldn't shut the door to a possible "Classic WoW but with content patches" way ;)

Now whether Blizz would split the Classic servers from Classic+, that's another thing. That's gonna be depending on how everyone feels and how many people will be still playing Classic in 2-3-4 years.

No Veteran will transfer his character when he get lost on the classic server. Tbh. why would I transfer my T3 priest to Burning Crusade to crush all my progress?
I probably would start fresh and let my old character stay there.

Im using classic just as classic TBC waiting room.

So I hope for TBC down the road. :)

Awesome work here - I really liked the bit with chromie and the reputations - it all seemed incredibly blizz like! You definitely have a knack for emulating the way they announce things haha!

That said, I am very much opposed to Classic+ and also to BC stuff. We haven’t even got Classic yet!

Problem I see going into the future with the BC stuff? Massively spread out population and huge gaps in servers where people have moved on to their new home.

Problem with Classic+ ? It’s new stuff, which means it isn’t Classic and shouldn’t be anywhere NEAR this game. It also takes away the ceiling and ruins all the hard work people will have made defeating Naxx and well.. completing the game. Who wants to achieve something great like that then have all their gear and effort invalidated by some karazhan remake patch? Not me.

aeh wrote: ↑

5 years ago

No Veteran will transfer his character when he get lost on the classic server. Tbh. why would I transfer my T3 priest to Burning Crusade to crush all my progress?

That's a good point I hadn't considered.
Would "copying" a character to a TBC server work then, do you think (as a one-time only thing so people can't abuse it)? Perhaps as a limited-time offer?

teebling wrote: ↑

5 years ago

Awesome work here - I really liked the bit with chromie and the reputations - it all seemed incredibly blizz like! You definitely have a knack for emulating the way they announce things haha!

Why thank you :P

teebling wrote: ↑

5 years ago

Problem I see going into the future with the BC stuff? Massively spread out population and huge gaps in servers where people have moved on to their new home.

Yes the whole "splitting the community" could be a disaster, it could not even be feasible if the player count is not that high by the "end of Classic" - whatever that "end" might be. So if in X years we get a TBC server, it would probably run along Classic servers and not as a "character transfer" option. Having top guilds/players transfer to TBC could leave Classic servers deserted (of course this depends whether or not people would actually do this). I guess it's a double-edged sword.

teebling wrote: ↑

5 years ago

Problem with Classic+ ? It’s new stuff, which means it isn’t Classic and shouldn’t be anywhere NEAR this game.

Again the Classic+ stuff would be parallel to the Classic servers. You could go to Classic+ and check it out of you want, but you can also choose to stay in Classic where all your hardwork is not invalidated with new content. In the imaginary setting that I've created myself, I would probably stay in Classic because I want to gradually get updates at my own pace and not worry about new content.

That being said, perhaps new content should not automatically mean better gear. Maybe different gear but on the same power level as Naxx. Or cosmetic only rewards, etc.

PS: Oh no the Blizz quote was removed from my OP It was fun while it lasted tho, I understand teebs decision :p

Gallow wrote: ↑

5 years ago

That's a good point I hadn't considered.
Would "copying" a character to a TBC server work then, do you think (as a one-time only thing so people can't abuse it)? Perhaps as a limited-time offer?

Well, I'd like it if you could just take your character and copy it to a TBC server once. But it stays on the old one. But you can only do this ONCE per character.

That's how this kind of changes in game should be handled: not with some external transaction, but via in game events/quests. Like at the time, when they planned Death Knight, you had to sacrifice on of your characters at level 70 and, after a long chain, having it transformed in DK.
Great ides, I would love a Classic+ :-)

I really hope Blizzard ends up going the OSRS route with community voting for new content and features. In OSRS, 75% of the subscribed community has to agree to said new stuff in order for it to be implemented.

One of my worries with making TBC/Classic+ stuff and not forcing everyone to it is that Classic/TBC/Classic+ will eventually thin out. However, forcing people to go to a new expansion even if they don't want to also sucks, but you can't always please everyone, and that's going to become true as ever some time down during the Classic timeline.

Great effort!

Nice idea but I'm afraid Classic+ servers would be ghost towns if I understood your post well.

I would not be opposed to some sort of classic+ situation. Problem is it can't be done without splitting the playerbase. I do think people will get tired of classic eventually. Truth is, vanilla was only a couple of years, and we're down to months when it's only the patch 1.12. Where were you two years ago, in may 2017? It sure went fast didn't it. Now people are longing for something that felt endless back in the day, but was only so brief. I do think classic will be fun far beyond only 2 years, but you can only do something for so long until it becomes a bore.

Another problem is that blizz feels too incompetent to be able to pull off a classic+ path. IMO it would have to be in the style of vanilla/classic, both visuals and audio, or at least very inspired by it, and the Wc3 style that vanilla was based on.

Pretty interesting idea! Definitely sounds blizz like.

fendor wrote: ↑

5 years ago

Like at the time, when they planned Death Knight, you had to sacrifice on of your characters at level 70 and, after a long chain, having it transformed in DK.

That would have been awesome! Shame they didn't go that route.

Bumlebi wrote: ↑

5 years ago

I really hope Blizzard ends up going the OSRS route with community voting for new content and features. In OSRS, 75% of the subscribed community has to agree to said new stuff in order for it to be implemented.

Evocati wrote: ↑

5 years ago

I do think people will get tired of classic eventually. Truth is, vanilla was only a couple of years, and we're down to months when it's only the patch 1.12. Where were you two years ago, in may 2017? It sure went fast didn't it. Now people are longing for something that felt endless back in the day, but was only so brief. I do think classic will be fun far beyond only 2 years, but you can only do something for so long until it becomes a bore.

Yeah the OSRS route indeed sounds very promising for WoW. I'd say 75% is a good mark (just don't make it 51%).
One thing about OSRS vs. Classic would be, how long does it take to "max out" in both games. I hardly played OSRS, but from what I can tell for pro players it is 1.6k hours and about 2k hours for an average player. That is a lot longer than Classic. To be fair to WoW, you can always roll new characters, grind for Rank 14 etc.

But I digress. My point is, how long is needed until Classic is considered "stale" by the large playerbase? 2 years? 3 years? Personally I get only about 6-10 hrs play time every week, so for me it can last for a few years easily. I know I know it's a very "cross that bridge once we get there" situation, but it never hurts to have a discussion about it.

It's also not solely a "Classic gets stale" argument either. I think the game has great potential, and I think possible future updates to Classic (either Classic+ or whatever) could have great positive effects on the game. Think about updates that are true to the Classic spirit. So obviously no bullshit like LFR/Flying etc. No new "systems". Just new "things"; zones, dungeons, raids, battlegrounds etc. And yes, with Classic graphics.

Even if Blizzard would do it, could they actually accomplish it? Would the Classic fanbase have faith in a Classic+? Those are the big questions, as well as what happens to others who just want a constant Classic (as splitting the playerbase point is something that comes up quite a lot and with good reason).

All in all, I'm pretty excited about what the future (potentially) holds. Personally, if one thing is (almost) certain, is that we will almost definitely get TBC and extremely likely Wotlk servers at some point. But hey that's just my gut feeling.

aeh wrote: ↑

5 years ago

No Veteran will transfer his character when he get lost on the classic server. Tbh. why would I transfer my T3 priest to Burning Crusade to crush all my progress?
I probably would start fresh and let my old character stay there.

I've always felt this way. Especially when they would never let you bring gold/what's in your bags anyhow or players would spend months and months prepping to take a chunk out of the economy. Best case scenario, they allow you to duplicate your character with its gear into the new game. Worst case they would completely transfer that character and it would totally invalidate your progress on the Classic realm and wouldnt be worth it. You'd be better off leveling your own duplicate 60 while you were waiting for BC release and transfer over a fresh 60 and leave your progressed 60 in Classic. I can see the argument for roleplayers who identify with their specific character, but for everyone else it seems like a net loss.

Great ideas! I enjoyed the way you worked the character transfers into the game!

I think the hardcore stance I'm seeing around the web of accepting absolutely nothing after Naxxramas is a bit too much in my opinion. Yes it's not the classic experience from 2006, but so what? Why shut the door on a potentially amazing (truly) new adventure with the same feel and spirit of Classic WoW? It might suck, sure, but it might also turn out to be just exactly the path WoW should have taken 13 years ago.

This implementation, with @aeh's modification, seems interesting to me, it'd allow the core experience to be preserved. If the experiment turned out to be unsuccessful, then nothing would have been lost and everyone could just go back to the plain vanilla servers.

I am not opposed to content after Naxx. The problem I see is better gear breaking the game even more.
Also the general problem with instanced content is that it takes away players from the world. So for Classic+ I would rather see content that does not compete with Vanilla content but rather complements it.

Samaraner wrote: ↑

5 years ago

I am not opposed to content after Naxx. The problem I see is better gear breaking the game even more.
Also the general problem with instanced content is that it takes away players from the world. So for Classic+ I would rather see content that does not compete with Vanilla content but rather complements it.

Fair point on the gear thing, the way blizzard drastically changed their itemization in Naxxramas and the character power ramp-up from that change would pose a difficulty. It'd be hard to sell a step-down in itemization on an hipothetic new tier of content and most likely players would become just too extremely powerful with new-tier gear. I guess they could still upgrade items just not with perfect itemization, maybe that would increase the viability of some less-accepted class/spec combos (along the lines of T2.5).

I don't see a big problem with new instanced content (new dungeons, raids, battlegrounds), I doubt those would really draw that much population away from the non-instanced world. It could be difficult to come up with new un-instanced content without additional levels though.. And for that there's already much content in TBC (as much as I dislike it).

Now, if they created an all new 60-70 experience retaining all the essential characteristics of Classic (e.g. no flying mounts), that for me would be a dream. And yes, I know, it's farfetched and probably not really well thought-out.

For outdoor content I would love to see areas that are designed to be done with raid sized groups. Basically the trash equivalent to a world boss. You can easily add these mobs into otherwise rarely used areas. Badlands, silithus, desolace coast, azshara... these mobs dont need to drop loot, they can just drop (new) materials, quest items or similar stuff. The best world pvp occurs when you force people to compete for ressources, not when you give them meaningless pvp objectives.

Samaraner wrote: ↑

5 years ago

For outdoor content I would love to see areas that are designed to be done with raid sized groups. Basically the trash equivalent to a world boss. You can easily add these mobs into otherwise rarely used areas. Badlands, silithus, desolace coast, azshara... these mobs dont need to drop loot, they can just drop (new) materials, quest items or similar stuff. The best world pvp occurs when you force people to compete for ressources, not when you give them meaningless pvp objectives.

The problem I see with that suggestion is those would be droplets of content, put into already existing zones. It wouldn't feel natural at all, we all know a random giant with a unique name isn't by itself interesting enough to matter.

I think I'd like to see a zone that is centered around PvP, with meaningful rank progression potential and some other interesting rewards. Maybe you need to fight to defend a small area that is the only place a new material spawns, or secure the entrance to the new dungeon/raid complex, only after which you could enter.