The Legion is coming (again) to World of Warcraft. Announced at Gamescom 2015, the next expansion will bring the Burning Legion to Azeroth and a host of changes and additions to the game that have fans abuzz with speculation. Today, the final day of the convention, a trio of Blizzard developers sat down and answered a few of the most burning questions to shed some light on Legion. While perhaps shorter than we expected, much was still revealed about Legion. Here is a recap of what went down during this particular question and answers session:

General

Developers revealed that the concepts for Legion are not a new idea. In fact, they began well over 2 years ago. Even before the official concept process began on Legion, the Blizzard team knew this would be the direction the story would take after Warlords of Draenor was finished.

Besides covering how the concept of Legion came about, developers of course fielded the question that most WoW players wanted to know; will flying be available in Legion. The answer to this question was an instant yes, probably making many breathe a sigh of relief. With that being said, we won't be flying right away in this expansion. Instead, flying will be allowed at a later day and only after completing an achievement, much like we have seen in Warlords.

Wrapping up general type questions, the developers are asked if we will be getting an extra character slot to use in Legion. The answer is yes, 12 character slots will be available in the new expansion. Alt lovers rejoice.

Lore

Asked numerous questions about the lore behind Legion the developers revealed much including the following:

• This really is our universe. Unlike WoD, which focused on an alternate reality, Legion takes place in the here and now. This means we have more than ever at stake.
• Alternate version Gul'dan was sent to our universe by none other than Archimonde. The reasoning behind why they want to destroy our world so badly will be revealed in the story line behind Legion.
• The Legion enters Azeroth through the Tomb of Sargeras. The Tomb was like a gaping wound, which was sealed with the Titan Pillars of Creation and a temple to the goddess Elune was placed over it. However, the wound has been reopened leaving the way clear for demons to once again enter our world.
• Illidan will play a big part in this expansion. We will seek out his aid, however, there is bound to be a bit of resentment. Afrasiabi says he expects him to be “pretty pissed off”. If Illidan turns out to be a good guy, bad guy, or somewhere in between remains to be seen and will only be revealed via game play.

Zones

When talking about the new zones, the focus quickly moves to Dalaran. After the announcement that we would see Dalaran on the Broken Isles, I think we all wanted to know if it was really moving and what would that mean for the Dalaran in Northrend. The developers answered all those questions by saying that yes, Dalaran is being moved to the Broken Isles. However, it won't vanish from Northrend. As always, each expansion is considered its own little window in time, meaning Dalaran will exist in Northrend and the Broken Isles at the same time.

Artifact Weapons

Moving onto Artifact Weapons the developers answered several questions clearing up many details and also revealing how important a role they will play in Legion. In fact, getting your Artifact weapon will be one of the first things you do when starting out. It will literally be your companion throughout the expansion.

Weapon drops will be a thing of the past in Legion. Your Artifact Weapon is the only one you will ever need or use. Relics will take the place of weapon drops. These Relics can be socketed into your weapon and will be used to upgrade the DPS and ilvl of your Artifact.

Worried about duel spec with your Artifact? Worry no more. While you will start out with just a single Artifact, you will eventually be able to acquire others to match all your specs. Catch up mechanics will be added to keep your secondary Artifacts so they can easily be brought up to par with your main spec. Relics, however, will need to be looted for each Artifact.

Professions

While questions about professions were aimed at the panel, we came out knowing very little. However, what we do kow seems promising. A bigger team of developers than ever before has been placed on professions in Legion and we can expect plenty of UI improvements and new functionality.

Also to make each profession feel unique and worthwhile (unlike Warlords), a quest chain will be in place for each profession. Additionally, they are looking at ways to allow players to specialize in certain recipes or type of recipes. Perhaps a throwback to Burning Crusade Professions.

Demon Hunter

Moving onto the brand new class in Legion, the Demon Hunter. The panel is asked to give a brief overview of the Demon Hunter and Tom Chilton takes the lead. Chilton reveals that the Demon Hunter was almost released in the Burning Crusade, however, the team wasn't comfortable adding a new class at that point. He also points out that the Demon Hunter has been a big part of the lore since at least Warcraft III.

Finally, Chilton assuaged some concerns that the Demon Hunter may steal raid spots and overshadow the Death Knight and/or Monk. He points out that the Demon Hunter is a very different play style from both DK and Monk. Where the Death Knight is slow and heavy and the Monk is a hybrid magic user, the Demon Hunter is quick, agile, and in your face. As far as raid spots are concerned, Chilton sees no problem. The developer says that people playing the Demon Hunter would have been playing a melee class anyway and flexible raid size will hopefully ensure everyone gets a raid spot.

That wraps up the highlights of the World of Warcraft: Legion Gamescom Developer Chat. Keep checking back with us here at Ten Ton Hammer for more Legion coverage!