World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth
October 21, 2024
Battle for Azeroth: The Return of Faction Warfare and the Rise of N'Zoth
Part Eight of a Multi-Part Series on the Game that Defined a Generation
Released on August 14, 2018, Battle for Azeroth (BfA) was the seventh expansion of World of Warcraft, reigniting the factional conflict between the Alliance and Horde and introducing a new struggle for the resource Azerite. This expansion took players to two new continents, Kul Tiras for the Alliance and Zandalar for the Horde, and featured the rising threat of the Old God N'Zoth. The expansion introduced many innovative systems, like Allied Races, Warfronts, and Island Expeditions, but it was also criticized for its controversial features like the Azerite Armor system. In this article, part eight of our series, we will explore Battle for Azeroth's plot, key characters, innovations, world-first races, controversies, and reception.
Plot Overview: Faction Warfare and the Old Gods
The story of the Battle for Azeroth begins with the shocking event known as the Burning of Teldrassil, when Sylvanas Windrunner, the Warchief of the Horde, orders the destruction of the Night Elves' home, sparking an all-out war between the Alliance and Horde. This event leads to the Battle for Lordaeron, where the Alliance, led by King Anduin Wrynn, pushes back against the Horde's aggression.
As the war escalates, both factions seek potent allies to gain an edge. The Alliance heads to Kul Tiras, a once-proud naval kingdom, to secure the support of Jaina Proudmoore's people. Meanwhile, the Horde travels to Zandalar, home of the ancient Zandalari Trolls, who boasts a powerful fleet. While these two central narratives drive much of the factional conflict, the underlying threat of the Old Gods, specifically N'Zoth, begins to surface.
N'Zoth, one of the last remaining Old Gods, manipulates events from behind the scenes, eventually rising to become the primary antagonist in the final stages of the expansion. His corruption spreads across Azeroth, and players must confront him in his lair, Ny'alotha, the Waking City, in the expansion's final raid.
Key Characters and Antagonists
Sylvanas Windrunner
Sylvanas's role as Warchief of the Horde takes a dark turn in Battle for Azeroth. Her decision to burn Teldrassil fractures the Horde, leading to an internal rebellion spearheaded by Saurfang and Baine Bloodhoof. Sylvanas's morally questionable actions push her further into villainy as the expansion progresses, and by the end, she abandons the Horde entirely to pursue her mysterious agenda.
Anduin Wrynn
As the King of Stormwind and leader of the Alliance, Anduin Wrynn struggles with the burdens of leadership throughout BfA. The escalating war constantly thwarts his desire for peace, and he must lead the Alliance in the fight against both the Horde and N'Zoth. Anduin's leadership is tested as he navigates the complexities of war, diplomacy, and the devastating effects of Sylvanas's actions.
N'Zoth
N'Zoth is the ultimate antagonist of Battle for Azeroth. As one of the ancient Old Gods, his influence spreads worldwide, particularly in the final patch of the expansion, Visions of N'Zoth. N'Zoth's release from prison marks the final act of BfA, as players must enter his dark realm and defeat him in the raid of Ny'alotha, the Waking City.
Innovations and Changes
Battle for Azeroth introduced several new features, some of which became staples of WoW, while others were more divisive.
Allied Races
The Allied Races system was one of the standout innovations in BfA. Players could unlock these new races by completing questlines and achieving exalted reputations with specific factions. Each Allied Race came with unique abilities, mounts, and Heritage Armor. The Alliance gained access to races like the Kul Tiran Humans and Void Elves, while the Horde unlocked the Zandalari Trolls and Mag'har Orcs. These races offered players more customization and new gameplay experiences, especially those seeking a fresh start with a new character.
Warfronts
Warfronts were large-scale PvE battles designed to capture the feel of the classic Warcraft III RTS. In these scenarios, players worked together to gather resources, construct buildings, and lead assaults on enemy bases. Two notable Warfronts were Stromgarde and Darkshore, each featuring the Alliance and Horde battling for control. While Warfronts initially attracted attention, they were criticized for their repetitive nature and lack of difficulty.
Island Expeditions
Island Expeditions offered a new form of 3-player content. Players raced against AI-controlled teams or other players to gather Azerite on dynamically generated islands. These expeditions were designed to be quick, repeatable, and varied, providing a new cooperative experience. However, like Warfronts, Island Expeditions were met with mixed reactions due to their repetitiveness.
Azerite Armor
The Azerite Armor system replaced the Artifact Weapons system from Legion but was one of the most controversial changes in BfA. Azerite Armor allowed players to unlock traits by gaining Azerite Power, but the system was criticized for being overly complex, grind-heavy, and needing more impactful rewards. Blizzard made several adjustments throughout the expansion to address these concerns, but the Azerite system never achieved the same level of engagement as its predecessor.
The World First Races
As with previous expansions, the competitive raiding scene was fierce during Battle for Azeroth. Top guilds raced to claim the world-first titles in each raid tier: After an intense race, the method claimed the world-first kill of G'huun in the expansion's first raid, Uldir. In the Battle of Dazar'alor raid, Limit (now Complexity-Limit) took the world-first kill of Jaina Proudmoore, securing their place among the top raiding guilds. In the final raid of the expansion, Ny'alotha, the Waking City, Complexity-Limit again secured the world-first kill of N'Zoth, defeating the Old God and bringing the expansion's storyline to a close.
Best Moments in Battle for Azeroth
The Burning of Teldrassil
One of the most shocking moments in WoW history was the burning of Teldrassil, the World Tree. Sylvanas's decision to destroy the Night Elves' home ignited the faction war and deeply affected both factions, leading to intense emotional reactions from players.
Saurfang's Rebellion
The storyline of Varok Saurfang's rebellion against Sylvanas became one of the expansion's most compelling narratives. Saurfang's honor and internal conflict culminated in an epic Mak'gora (duel) with Sylvanas in Orgrimmar, reshaping the future of the Horde.
The Battle of Dazar'alor
This raid allowed players to experience key events from the Alliance and Horde perspectives, offering a unique storytelling mechanic. The final battle against Jaina Proudmoore was highlighted for its complex mechanics and emotional stakes.
Controversies
The Azerite Armor System
The Azerite Armor system quickly became one of the expansion's most criticized features. Players found the trait selection process overly complicated and felt that the grind for Azerite Power could have been more varied. Despite attempts by Blizzard to revamp the system, it remained a point of frustration throughout the expansion.
Content Droughts
As the expansion progressed, players began to feel the impact of long gaps between content updates. The lack of new engaging content between raid releases and the repetitiveness of Warfronts and Island Expeditions led to a significant drop in player engagement.
The Handling of Faction Warfare
While BfA promised an epic war between the Alliance and Horde, many players felt that the faction conflict was poorly resolved. The storyline shifted from faction warfare to the threat of N'Zoth, leaving the war plotline incomplete for many players. The focus on Sylvanas Windrunner also overshadowed other key faction leaders, frustrating fans of characters like Anduin Wrynn.
Reception and Legacy
Battle for Azeroth received a mixed reception, with some praising the initial storyline and rich cinematics, while others criticized the expansion's systems and pacing. The return to faction warfare intrigued many long-time fans of the Warcraft franchise, especially with pivotal moments like the Burning of Teldrassil and Saurfang's rebellion. However, players voiced frustration with the Azerite Armor system, which was seen as overly complex and grind-heavy. Some saw the storyline's shift from faction conflict towards N'Zoth as a lost opportunity to explore the Horde-Alliance war fully.
The expansion's technical innovations, such as Allied Races, Warfronts, and Island Expeditions, aimed to add variety to gameplay. War Mode revitalized PvP by providing more player agency in choosing when to engage in world PvP. At the same time, Allied Races added depth and replayability through their unique aesthetics, heritage armor, and associated questlines.
However, some features, such as Island Expeditions and Warfronts, were critiqued for becoming repetitive over time, failing to provide long-lasting engagement. Introducing new Allied Races was a significant positive, expanding customization and lore, but the Azerite Power grind alienated some players due to its heavy time investment.
Overall, BfA succeeded in bringing back grand faction conflict to the forefront, but its controversial systems and uneven pacing dampened the expansion's overall impact. Yet, the expansion laid crucial groundwork for Shadowlands, particularly with the evolution of Sylvanas Windrunner as a central figure and the deeper exploration of Azeroth's history and future threats.
The Bridge to Shadowlands
As Battle for Azeroth closed, its most significant contribution to the World of Warcraft story was the set-up for the next expansion, Shadowlands. With the departure of Sylvanas from the Horde, her growing antagonistic role, and the unveiling of N'Zoth, BfA was a turning point in WoW's narrative direction. The conflicts it stirred between the factions and against ancient powers set the stage for transitioning from Azeroth to the realms of the dead.
In the next part of this series, we will dive into Shadowlands, exploring the new afterlife realms, Covenants, and Sylvanas Windrunner's role in this dramatic new chapter. We will also examine how Shadowlands sought to address some of the criticisms leveled at BfA while expanding the lore of Warcraft beyond the boundaries of the living world. Stay tuned as we explore how the next expansion reshaped the universe of World of Warcraft.