A major shake-up to the Mythic Keystone formula is coming to World of Warcraft with Embers of Neltharion, as the upcoming patch will have no seasonal affix in store for players for the first time since Legion. Ever since their introduction in Battle for Azeroth, seasonal affixes were both beloved and reviled by the community, as keystone affixes in World of Warcraft's Mythic dungeons in general remain a hotly-debated topic full of strong opinions.
While Season 1 was generally received well by World of Warcraft players, no one will miss the Thundering seasonal affix, nor the absence of Ruby Life Pools in Dragonflight's dungeon slate for Season 2. One pattern that has certainly emerged since Dragonflight's launch has been the prevailing notion that Blizzard is finally listening to its players, and taking an egoless look at the game's more annoying features. Given that Shadowlands was often critiqued for its systems and features bloat, as well as a disconnect between developers and players, Dragonflight has been a breath of fresh air in more ways than one.
The decision to remove seasonal affixes in Dragonflight Season 2 was announced at a group interview, where Associate Game Director Morgan Day revealed that Embers of Neltharion would also revamp the Level 7 affixes that have similarly been a major source of frustration to players. Mythic Plus dungeons in World of Warcraft are a popular game mode, as well as a worthy alternative to gearing up compared to the more traditional form of raiding. These changes will hopefully make the experience even more fun for players without stripping away the challenge.
In addition to confirming that affixes would be receiving major changes in Patch 10.1, Blizzard has also unveiled the full dungeon roster for Dragonflight Mythic Season 2. Players can expect to see the other four dungeons of Dragonflight in Mythic Plus, as well as see the return of The Underrot and Freehold from Battle for Azeroth, Neltharion's Lair from Legion, and The Vortex Pinnacle from Cataclysm. Since Cataclysm dungeons had a reputation for being difficult at launch, and the fact that they were never subjected to Mythic affixes before, it will be particularly interesting to see how Blizzard adapts The Vortex Pinnacle into the Keystone format.
Embers of Neltharion is Dragonflight's first major content patch, and it certainly feels the part. The extensive changes that Blizzard has planned for the game, as well as introducing a new zone and raid, is bound to spark excitement once the content unlocks on the Public Test Realms. Players can expect Patch 10.1 to go live in late Spring, while their return to the Forbidden Reach can begin on March 21.
World of Warcraft is available now on PC.
Source: Wowhead