Return To Angrathar

I need to say this, and here is as good a place as any.

tl/dr : this ending sucks.

The long explanation. I just did this quest chain for the first time as an alliance toon, and got to this part of the quest. And the cinematic is still cool, the great dragon queen is here with her consort, and everything is still on fire as always but... That's it. Story line OVER.

Without the next few quests, there's a LOT of dangling problems here. I'm no red-shirt guy, but storyline wise this has created a huge consistency problems. Not to mention that Alexstrasza atill beckons you to come ot her, but only to re-show you the cinematic. This ending is, well, unsatisfactory at best.

The lack of an epic quest like "Battle for Undercity" aside, the storyline as it is now is just lacking. Honestly, it wouldn't take much for Blizzard to have made several workarounds to this whole thing. I'm going WAY far out there, bear with me.

We can start with a lampshading of the chronological problems of Northrend and Outlands. This would be pretty simple to address, simply have a keeper of time on the docks and the zeppelin bays. They could explain that it is of vital importance to go back in time and assure that things happen as they need to happen in the past to preserve the future. Problem solved. Heck, make it a plot point where you HAVE to talk to the keeper of time before you can go in there, at least then it's a speedbump that everyone slows down over and those interested could READ it.

Second idea would be a simple phasing issue. Phase the world for the player so they could do the last 5 quests of the chain, including battle for undercity. THEN add one more quest at the tail end, reporting to a keeper of time, and they could simply "correct" time, and you'd be back in Cata world and happy to know that you preserved the timeline as needed. And this could be done raid-party style in that "you begin this last part of the chain, you may not do any other quests until you are finished." Heck CHROMIE is in the region of this quest! You could talk to her (it?) to initiate this as a chain too!

Third is just a storytelling issue. If someone handed you a copy of, oh I'll choose something properly geeky here, "The Empire Strikes Back" and the last 20 minutes were removed, then a lot of "Return of the Jedi" simply wouldn't make sense. (spoilers here folks, you've been warned) Like the wholse scene where Luke calls Vader "father", or Why Lando is working with the rebels or... Ok you get the idea. They could have found a better way to wrap up the loose ends other than hacking them off with a machete. That's all I'm saying.

And yes, I CAN do better, thank you for asking. My JOB is to write schlock like this, I can do it in my sleep. I call those my nightmares. Blizzard has told me they don't want decent writers, so heck with them. And if they steal this idea, they could give me some game time as a thank you, but I won't expect it. Nobody ever thanks the guy who actually SOLVES these problems.

The Battle for Undercity (Horde / Alliance) had been one of the highest rated quests in the game. Seriously, it was the quest you looked forward to doing. You worked your tail off, grinded through almost two dozen quests to get there, and it was a quest you FELT like you just changed the world by completing. It also gave some rare insight to the motivations of the leaders of the horde and alliance. And now, just gone, cut off because they didn't take 5 minutes to think about it.

I play WOW for the story, and honestly this is more than a little disappointing. It's quite the storyline to get wrapped up in and then ultimately let down. I know that video games lately have this trend to make sucktastic endings, but this is pretty much the ultimate one for WOW. You guys can do better than this, I'm shocked you refuse to.\

There. I said it. I feel better.

This quest no longer leads to Reborn from the Ashes, as that quest (and its corresponding chain) have been removed from the game. As a result, the entire Wrathgate chain abruptly ends here, with Alexstrasza telling you to speak to her and then ignoring you when you do. Perhaps the stress of the war is finally getting to her... Apparently the time machines hidden inside the ships which take you to Northrend to wage war upon Arthas are not yet perfect. As a result, this small section

- This quest chains to "reborn from the ashes".

- There is a event where Saurfang jr. and Fordragon attack the wrath gate and are both killed.

- Alliance take the Shield of Fordragon to Varian Wrynn in Stormwind.
- Horde take the Armor of Saurfang to Saurfang sr. in Grommash Hold.

- Varian Wrynn asks you and Jaina Proudmoore to take a portal to Orgrimmar and talk to Thrall.
- Saurfang sr. asks you to talk to Thrall in Orgrimmar.
- At this point we learn that Varimathras and Putress have betrayed the Horde and have taken over Undercity.

- Wrynn asks you to meet with Broll Bearmantle outside the sewers in Tirisfal Glades.
- Thrall asks you to meet with Vol'jin outside the sewers in Tirisfal Glades.

- Both factions attack the Undercity.
- There is a 5 minute wait time before beginning and you dont have to be grouped to have multiple people get credit for the event (similar to the battle of Lights Hope Chapel for deathknights)
- Wrynn/Thrall gives the buff "strength of wrynn/thrall" increasing hp by 30000 and heals 10000 when damage it taken.
- Jaina/Sylvanas gives the buff "improved brilliance aura" increasing rage/mana/energy/runicpower regenaration by alot and gives a run speed buff.
- Let Wrynn/Thrall tank the bosses (Putress/Varimathas) as they can hit for over a million on cloth.

- Alliance find and kill Putress.
- Horde find and kill Varimathras.

- The Alliance group hears Thrall's battle cry and finds its way to the Horde group where Thrall and Wrynn have a dialogue before the 2 groups start fighting. Jaina enters and freezes everyone, then teleports the alliance back to Stormwind to stop the fighting. (im not sure if this part happens in a different way for the Horde or not)

- At the end of the quest you are rewarded with a choice of 6 rare quality pants "Wrynn's/Thrall's leggings/legguards of foresight/heroism/valor/carnage/wisdom/brutality", and are also given a rare quality trinket called a "medallion of heroism". it has increased crit rating and a heal on use effect