Your choice for New race option?

[Mace]

Curious, so i'm making a pole aboutthis, what would be your most preferred choice for the new race option for next expac?

Conventional 1 or 2 race presentation from any or 2 of these candidates:
Naga
Ogre
Ethereals
Vrykul
Nathrezim
(Eredar/nightborne - tho more sub-races)
Wild card totally new race.

or Sub races where every race gets at least one alternate variation, with possibly a second and even 3rd further down the line.

How Sub-races could Practically Work
Sub race is package and would be a new way of doing races and appearances never done before. It would be the main feature accompanying a host of additional customization options added to each race. Best example i can think of is the Orc.

Sub-race: 1. Half-orc, 2. Mok'nathal (half-ogre)
Customization allows skins for Mag'har orcs (brown) and Dragonmaw orcs (black/grey)

Appearance:
The idea of a full sub-race is to give an alternate appearance to the main race, it could have been a different way blizzard had wanted your original character or the 6.0 revamp which they couldn't give you because it was too risky to deviate from what other people were use too. They can now with a sub-race.

Half-orc allows them to give a slimmer more streamline orc, with a more humanized appearance, he gets a human face nose/jaw with the exception of 2 smaller Garona like tusks, males get full beards and more human like hair styles, but the skin remains a paler green.
Mok'nathal allows for a more aggressive monstrous looking orc in the other direction, more brutal, bigger closer to ogre.

They both use the orc model skeleton and animations - reducing the work load considerably, just the skin is altered ( you saw this with the nightborne which used the night elf skeleton and night elf animations, but with a different pose, slimmer body, and darker skin, some of them had their ears different, which is just a greater degree of skin change - the animations and movement were all night elven

But for customization on the original orc, brown and black/grey skin are added to represent Mok'nathal and Dragonmaw and these are simple recolourings of the original model.

Class Options:
This isn't hard: Sub-races will have the class selections that fit their lore, and most often be sub-set, pool of the main class. One significant option they will give would often be classes the original race does not have. Typical example would Man'ari Eredar bringing Warlock option as the main draenei race won't, or Broken bringing the rogue option. Nightborne could give night elves a high class mage option and potential Warlock one too etc.

Starting Scenes
Contrary to popular expectation, sub-races don't have to have a starting zone, they could instead have a starting scenario similar to the artifact and class quests Legion brought. When you think about it, Blizzard did give 12 unique Class Quest scenarios and 35 artifact weapon ones, I think they can manage 12 sub-races well or even 24 with regards. Ofc, some sub-races can actually start with the main race where the lore can allow it. e.g. Half-orcs and Mok'nathal, Half elves or high elves, Forest trolls, while others will definitely need their own scenario: e.g. Highmountain, Taunka, Nightborne, Yaungol, Zandalari

Racial options
I expect lore appropriate racials, but largely most of the racials of the main race can be had by the sub-race with the active racial altered where appropriate. Most of the passive racials are easy to juggle about.
ALso for race options: Here is a potential list of Sub-races: I'm aiming for a minimum of 2 as we can clearly have 2 rounds of sub-races.

Troll: Zandalari troll, Forest Amani/raventusk troll, Ice troll, Sand trolls (sand troll could just be skin customization
Worgen: NElf Worgen, Wrathion Worgen (the ones Wrathion gave dragon blood too in Gilneas)
Forsaken: Vampire, Half-Kvaldir (or undead Azotha)
Human: Half-elf, Half-vrykul (or Azotha)
Orcs: Mok'nathal, Half-orcs (customization for brown/grey skins on the normal orc)
Draenei: Man'ari Eredar (Illidari or Light/void redeemed), Broken (or Kokrul), Half-orc/draenei
Night Elf: Nightborne, Cenarian (Cenarions can shapeshift into bi-pedal form in combat and when mounting) - customization options for Highborne, similar to my avatar.
Blood Elf: Half elf, High Elf, Naga-elf, San'layn darkfallen elf (also redeemed Wretched or Sunfallen - a scruffier more rugged looking hairier blood elf with normal eyes, also Fel elf option is possible.
Dwarf: Dark-iron, Earthern, Iron Dwarf, Frost Dwarf. customizations for Wildhammer and Dark Iron could be given just as skins, with Frost and Earthern being the sub-race option
Tauren: Taunka, Yaungo, Highmountain (highmountain could be just a skin and horn option change, with Yaungol and Taunka being the sub-race)
Gnome: Leper Gnome, Tinker gnome , Mechagnome. (tinker gnome would be half gnome half machine, Leper could be a skin option with Mecha the full sub-race.
Goblin: Gilgoblin, Sand goblin, Spider-eye goblin, tinker goblin (goblins probably have the most options alongside trolls. Sand goblins or spider eye goblins.


Blizzard can get creative. Sub-races can have interesting feature. e.g. Nightborne with eyes that look like the constellaions, night sky purple with stars, or Cenarions in pideal form having horns, one wooden clawed hand. Highborne customizations looking like my avatar but could have subtle white hair with light tints of pink/green/purple.
So many ways you can do scale patches on a naga elf to look beautiful, yet with enough monster. Tattoos on Wildhammers and the way you can make Orcs, it just gives so many options.

[Ramz]

I honestly don't think we need new races, I'd rather for devs to focus on playable ones, give more customisation options to make them more appealing, and write satisfying lore for them.

[digichi]

i really enjoy the excitement of a completely new race. id pref they did 1 for alliance and 1 for horde, but if that's too much, then i think the next best thing is subraces. can't say no to more customization.

[Worgoblin]

I'd love 2 new races, 1 for each faction. Though sub races would be awesome as well. I think sub races will definitely be coming in the future, not sure if it's gonna be the next expansion. I'm so pumped to find out!

[Mace]

I honestly don't think we need new races, I'd rather for devs to focus on playable ones, give more customisation options to make them more appealing, and write satisfying lore for them.

this has by far been the overwhelming response from most players. We want lore, we want variations of our existing races, and we want them to do a fab and interesting job of it. Sub-races fits the bill perfectly if done well, it would be one the best major features of an expansion since the introduction of a new race and class happened for TBC and WotLK

[Hitei]

this has by far been the overwhelming response from most players. We want lore, we want variations of our existing races, and we want them to do a fab and interesting job of it. Sub-races fits the bill perfectly if done well, it would be one the best major features of an expansion since the introduction of introducing a new race and class happened for TBC and WotLK

MMOC is not most players.

[Mace]

MMOC is not most players.

i see overwhelming support for it on the official forums and reddit too. Like overwhelming.

[Ghargatuloth]

i see overwhelming support for it on the official forums and reddit too. Like overwhelming.

You see a vocal minority, it's not even the only one. I see just as many people crying out for Naga for some reason.

[Silakka]

Beavers. Expansion bout water and dams and chewing stuff, trees mostly. Beavers, has to be beavers. Instant re-sub

[Deleted]

The huge problem about sub races and probably the reason why it hasn't happened yet are the starting zones. They would have to be revamped in order to make high elfs or taunka work.

[Jorah]

Tuskar for Alliance and Gnoll for Horde!

[zlygork]

waaaay too many overlapping options for this poll to give any tangible results, I think. Voted subraces + 1 race.

[seleri]

Subraces should come out along with at least one brand new race(or class, whenever the next one happens). Subraces alone aren't enough to get me excited about an expansion.

[Drewbacca]

I've been thinking about this alot too (as have a ton of people). Here are the options I came up with. I tried to stick with ones that would make at least partial sense to stick with the original race's starting zone. It works with most of them.

Human: High elves (Vrykul are not really friendly to humans in particular. The High Elves have been living with humans anyway, and the human starting zone could fit with them.)

Dwarves: Wildhammer, Dark Iron (This one is obvious. I'd avoid Earthen and Frost Dwarves, as they're kinda their own thing. The other two clans are all united under one banner now anyway.)

Gnomes: Leper Gnome (This started out as Mechagnomes. There hasn't really been anything in lore to show Leper Gnomes can be redeemed, but I guess they're a possibility. They'd fit better with the current gnome starting zone than Mechagnomes would. I'd prefer Mecha, but there aren't many of them and they'd really more need a fully new starting zone.)

Night Elves: Highborne (We kinda have these already, as Night Elves can be Mages now, but I think having a paler version that looks halfway between a Night Elf and a High Elf would be cool. Nightborne would be cool here, but they make no sense in the Night Elf starting zone.)

Orcs: Mag'har (This is pretty obvious as well. Mok'Nathal would be cool, but I'm not sure how many of them there are given that we've only seen 2 total in expansions that have been to Outland and AR Draenor.)

Tauren: Taunka, Highmountain (Forget the Yaungol. They're hostile and would never fit in the Tauren starting zone. You could make the Taunka and Highmountain be emissaries of sorts though, so they can fit with a few text changes.)

Troll: Forest (The Zandalari are cool but seem pretty universally bad. There are some Forest Trolls loyal to the Horde though. As with the Tauren, this would require a little text editing in the starting zone.)

Undead: Undead Elves (Some people have suggested skeletons or newly dead, but I like Undead Elves instead. Maybe they can look a little like the San'layn. It would definitely make Undead Hunters seem a little more plausible.)

Draenei: Broken (I've wanted this since BC. Perhaps the new Broken models on Argus are a hint at this direction, as they seem to be more on the Draenei model skeleton, but I prefer the older, more devolved ones. Now you just gotta make female versions.)

Blood Elves: Wretched (Again, I'd really like to fit Nightborne in somewhere, but I can't fit them into the starting zones. I'm trying to think of an idea that prevents Blizzard from creating tons of new content only for levels 1-10. We'd have to figure out a way to make the Wretched redeemable, like the Leper Gnomes, but they seem to fit the best here.)

Worgen: Gilnean Human (I can't really figure out what to put here. I thought about Night Elf Worgen, but they make no sense in the starting zone. They make more sense from a gameplay standpoint after the first zone though. Gilnean Humans make a little more sense, although you'd have to figure out a way to rewrite alot of the dialogue and cutscenes. Maybe this is someone who was bitten but cured and doesn't turn Worgen during combat.)

Goblin: Hobgoblin (Maybe the better choice would be a different cartel goblin, but why would they be in the specific starter zone, and how would you distinguish the model beside the voice? Gilgoblins don't make much sense here, as they're savage and unfriendly. Hobgoblins sound cool, although you'd have to figure out how to make your character fit in as a possible Trade Prince contender instead of hired help.)

Pandaren: Red Pandaren (We kind of already have a subrace here. I'd just change all the Red Pandaren males to have long tails, like the females. Another very cool option would be to have Jinyuu for Alliance and Hozen for Horde, but Red Pandaren make total sense given that the Orc and Dwarf subraces are just slightly reskinned versions of the current race.)

[Ramz]

this has by far been the overwhelming response from most players. We want lore, we want variations of our existing races, and we want them to do a fab and interesting job of it. Sub-races fits the bill perfectly if done well, it would be one the best major features of an expansion since the introduction of a new race and class happened for TBC and WotLK

I wouldn't say I am representing majority of playerbase, in fact your own poll contradicts it, as I am the only person that signed "no new race".
When I am not opposed to sub races, I really want for devs to focus on what we already have, as their protrayal for years left a lot to desire. I just don't see a point to introduce another race that will be merely flavor of the expac and then forgotten / not paying any significant role.

[Chemical Ellis]

You know, I did a quick search to skim 'new race' polls from the past two years, and the results are surprisingly consistent. In order, community top 5 seem to be~

1. Subraces
2. High Elves
3. Ethereals
4. Ogres
5. Naga

If they keep up the fan service tack they've been on with Legion, I'd guess subraces come next - maybe with High Elves as part of that. Though I'd really prefer not to have another neutral race, it does seem to make the most sense if they ever implement playable ethereals.

If next expac features Azshara as the box villain AND new races, I'd be shocked to not get playable Naga.

[Shadowman 747]

Vrykul. Alliance needs a 'Glory or Death' race something badly.

Naga aren't even practical. They have monsterous forms that cant use the armor sets that exist within the game. You can't apply a leg or boot mesh to a snake. Closest you could as a playable race is like a jinyu.

[Darktbs]

Vrykul. Alliance needs a 'Glory or Death' race something badly.

Naga aren't even practical. They have monsterous forms that cant use the armor sets that exist within the game. You can't apply a leg or boot mesh to a snake. Closest you could as a playable race is like a jinyu.

Not only they CAN but they DO wear armor sets.

[Shadowman 747]

Not only they CAN but they DO wear armor sets.

Oh they do 'wear' armor', but not like other races do on a system side level. Any armor attached to the lower half of a naga is modeled on separately from armor pieces. They can use chest, gloves, waist, shoulders, and head with no problem, but feet and legs don't work like any other race. You can see this both in live models, and even in private servers that cheat naga into playability. All modeling below the waist is modeled onto the body.

You can't just magic a leg mesh intended for bipedal two leg model to work on a creature that doesn't physically have two legs. Either it would need its own dynamic conversion system, or every single leg piece with a projected mesh would need to be re-modeled specifically for Naga and Naga alone. And that's not even counting textures.

From a mechanical perspective, Naga aren't really an option for a playable race.

[Wyrt]

Ethereal for Horde, gives Horde a magi-tech race. Naga for Alliance gives Alliance a shadow using race.


New Artificer class with Ethereal tech for Horde and Draenei tech for Alliance.