Cross Faction in Dragonflight: is it possible, how it works?

With the release of World of Warcraft: Dragonflight, Blizzard introduced a highly anticipated feature that allows players from the Alliance and Horde factions to group together in certain activities, thus breaking down long-standing barriers between the two factions. This feature, known as Cross-Faction Play, opens up a new world of cooperation and gameplay possibilities. But what exactly does it mean, and how does it work within the scope of the game? Let's dive in and explore the key features, limitations, and what Cross-Faction Play means for the future of Dragonflight.


Is Cross-Faction Play Possible in Dragonflight?

Yes, Cross-Faction Play is very much a reality in Dragonflight. Previously, players from the Horde and Alliance were locked into their respective factions for most in-game activities. Now, thanks to a significant change in Dragonflight, players from the opposing factions can team up, quest together, and participate in certain activities, provided that they meet the necessary conditions.

One of the major updates in Dragonflight is that both factions — the Horde and Alliance — now begin their adventures in the Waking Shores of the Dragon Isles. This makes it easier for players from both factions to group up and start playing together early on in the expansion. Once you reach the Dragon Isles, you'll be able to form parties with members of the opposing faction, an exciting new addition that was previously not possible.


How Cross-Faction Play Works in Dragonflight

Cross-Faction Play in Dragonflight functions with several restrictions and rules in place to maintain balance and prevent any game-breaking exploits. Here’s a breakdown of the major points:

1. Leveling and Questing Together

  • Starting in the Waking Shores: Both factions start in the Waking Shores region. As soon as players from the Horde and Alliance reach the Dragon Isles, they can form parties and join each other for questing, exploring, and collecting Dracoglyphs.
  • Cooperative Gameplay: You can level up together, explore the world, and share content, which drastically increases the possibilities for grouping and socializing across faction lines. The major restriction here is that players can’t freely join each other in dungeons or skirmish arenas unless certain conditions are met.

2. Dungeons and Raids

  • Dungeon Access: While you can still party up with players from the opposing faction outside of dungeons, Cross-Faction Play does not apply to regular dungeon activities (Normal and Heroic difficulties) or arena skirmishes. This means if you want to do dungeons or raids with players from the other faction, you’ll have to form a party in the open world and then queue for the dungeon manually, bypassing the traditional group finder system.
  • Raids: One of the most exciting aspects of Cross-Faction Play in Dragonflight is the ability to engage in Mythic raids with players from the opposite faction. In the Vault of the Incarnates Mythic raid, up to 4 players from the opposing faction can participate, provided at least 16 players are from the same faction and the same guild. This change allows for more flexibility in raid composition, but with a limit to ensure balance and cohesion.

3. Mythic+ Dungeons

  • Mythic+ dungeons can also be played with players from the opposing faction. This is a huge plus for those who enjoy pushing the limits of dungeon difficulty and are looking for more opportunities to group up with skilled players, regardless of faction. Cross-faction Mythic+ will be available when the first season of Dragonflight launches.

Cross Faction, Dragonflight, How It Works
4. Guilds and Cross-Faction Play

  • Cross-Faction Guilds: As of now, Cross-Faction guilds are not yet a feature in Dragonflight. This means that, while players can team up in parties or raids, they cannot yet join the same guilds across faction lines. However, Blizzard has mentioned that they are open to the idea and might implement it in future patches or expansions.
  • Guild Restrictions for Raids: In the case of Mythic raids, the same guild restriction applies. Players from the opposing faction can join, but they must be part of the same guild for the raid to proceed. This ensures that faction-based guild dynamics and progression are still preserved.

What’s Not Possible with Cross-Faction Play?

While Cross-Faction Play in Dragonflight offers many new possibilities, there are still limitations to maintain the integrity of certain game systems and balance. Here’s what you cannot do with Cross-Faction Play:

  • Normal and Heroic Dungeons: You cannot run Normal or Heroic dungeons with players from the opposing faction using the automated Dungeon Finder. You’ll need to manually assemble your group and approach the dungeon together.

  • Arena Skirmishes: You cannot participate in cross-faction skirmish arenas. These competitive, PvP activities still require players to be in the same faction to enter.

  • Guilds Across Factions: As mentioned earlier, players cannot join the same guild if they are from different factions. While you can play together, guild progression remains faction-specific.


The Future of Cross-Faction Play

Blizzard has shown a commitment to improving and expanding the Cross-Faction system in future updates. The development team has expressed an openness to increasing the scope of this feature, which might include adding Cross-Faction guilds or allowing players from opposing factions to queue for more group activities together. For now, players can enjoy the enhanced ability to collaborate with the other faction, but there is always room for improvement and growth.


Conclusion: Cross-Faction Play in Dragonflight – A Step Forward

Cross-Faction Play in Dragonflight is an exciting and much-needed feature that brings fresh possibilities to World of Warcraft. It allows players from the Horde and Alliance to team up for questing, dungeons, raids, and Mythic+ dungeons. The feature promotes cooperation and camaraderie between the factions, while still maintaining enough restrictions to keep things balanced.

While it’s not perfect and there are some activities where faction lines remain firmly in place, Dragonflight's introduction of Cross-Faction Play opens up a world of potential for future expansions and updates. It’s a step toward a more unified World of Warcraft, and we can only hope that Blizzard will continue to expand and refine this system in the future.

So, if you've ever been frustrated by your faction’s limited pool of players for a specific raid or dungeon, Dragonflight offers a much-needed fix, allowing you to find a group with more flexibility, cooperation, and fun than ever before!

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