If WoW began with 6 playable races, how would it be different?

[Esandarius]

Hopefully a nice change of topic discussion from all that's going on leading up to Blizzcon...

If WoW began with only 6 playable races, how would it be different?

Would we see 2 factions, the Alliance and the Horde, or four factions like in WC3?

Personally I see

Alliance: Human, Dwarf, Night Elf

Horde: Orc, Troll, Tauren


How would this impact the story and the game direction the greatest? Would the Forsaken and the Night Elves eventually find themselves onto the Alliance before anything changed? Or would we see a game heavily invested in reclaiming Lordaeron and killing the Forsaken along with the Scourge?

Would the High/Blood Elves ever be implemented? If so, for which team and in what way?

[Deleted]

No, the forsaken and night elf don't really fit in their factions, they're both the black sheep of their faction and this has caused a lot of their old personality to go away so they could "fit in". This is more evident for night elves then forsaken in truth.

Still, if WoW had started with 6 races, I'd go as far as saying there should have been 4 factions:
Alliance: humans, dwarves
Sentinels: night elves
Horde: orcs, tauren
Forsaken: undead forsaken

In turn, each faction would have an arch-enemy, Alliance hates Horde, Sentinels hate Forsaken.
Each faction would have a major ally. Alliance is allied with Sentinels, Horde with Forsaken.
And each faction would have a faction to which it is "neutral" in a way. Sentinels are neutral towards Horde, Forsaken are neutral towards Alliance.

Furthermore, as time passed the other races could have been introduced. Goblins for the Forsaken, and put a higher concern on their more darker side, and draenei for Sentinels. Then gnomes for Alliance and Trolls for the Horde. Worgen for Sentinels and blood elves for Forsaken

[Deleted]

No, the forsaken and night elf don't really fit in their factions, they're both the black sheep of their faction and this has caused a lot of their old personality to go away so they could "fit in". This is more evident for night elves then forsaken in truth.

Still, if WoW had started with 6 races, I'd go as far as saying there should have been 4 factions:
Alliance: humans, dwarves
Sentinels: night elves
Horde: orcs, tauren
Forsaken: undead forsaken

In turn, each faction would have an arch-enemy, Alliance hates Horde, Sentinels hate Forsaken.
Each faction would have a major ally. Alliance is allied with Sentinels, Horde with Forsaken.
And each faction would have a faction to which it is "neutral" in a way. Sentinels are neutral towards Horde, Forsaken are neutral towards Alliance.

Furthermore, as time passed the other races could have been introduced. Goblins for the Forsaken, and put a higher concern on their more darker side, and draenei for Sentinels. Then gnomes for Alliance and Trolls for the Horde. Worgen for Sentinels and blood elves for Forsaken

That's an awesome concept there sir. That also would get rid of this dichotomy of A versus H that hurts more than helps (I play on both sides just to stay even and know their individual versions of the same story but A thinks I'm biased towards H and H thinks I'm biased towards A; can't make everyone happy and sate my curiosity at the same time!).

[Gheld]

Alliance: Dwarves, Ethereals and Dranei.
Horde: Mo'arg, Blood Elves and Undead

[Esandarius]

Very interesting. I would have guessed Goblins and Gnomes would be quick additions to the Horde and Alliance. They're fairly equal in abilities and stature and balance each other quite nicely. It may not be the most exciting of first expansions, but it would feel like a natural and inevitable choice.


If they did go the multi faction route I would like a few things. First, the wars wouldn't be quite as cut and dry I don't think. While Night Elves would be friendly towards most races and aid the planet as a whole, I think they would be fiercely against the Orcs. We've seen them ally with everyone (including the Orcs) to save the world and their homeland, but the Orcs have committed more atrocities against the Night Elves specifically than other factions. They continue to eat into their forest lands, while the Forsaken are a continent away. I think it would be interesting to see how the Night Elves would act. I can see them reconnecting further with their sundered high elf brethren, having an easy alliance with the Alliance, but also being somewhat peaceful with the Tauren and Trolls.

The Alliance would definitely be at war with the Forsaken and the Horde and the Horde with the Alliance and Night Elves, although they may have an uneasy alliance with the Forsaken.

I would love to see degrees. The Night Elves would be welcome in Stormwind and maybe even in Thunder Bluff, but would still be KOS to guards in Orgrimmar. Humans would be watched dubiously in the Elven lands, perhaps no one is allowed inside the great tree unless they are exalted even. Things like that.


Overall this would create a much looser game. It could definitely free some things up, but it would limit a couple of races severely.

I definitely can see the Draenei/Sentinel connection and the addition of Worgen too (who I don't think the Alliance would be too keen to ally with). It would be a very primal and fierce, yet ancient and wise combination.

Can you imagine raiding with such a combination of races? I wonder how that would play out. A raid with Night Elves and Tauren? But what happens when they encounter some undead? Would this be like the terrible dishonorable kills? Would it make it so Night Elves could group with Forsaken or make it so Tauren could not?

[ravenmoon]

from what I remember/heard Gnomes were brought in as a filler race to make 4, and high elves were swapped for night elves because it was felt they'd be more exciting, besides you couldn't have druids without them.

so if it was 6 playable race, it'd have gone:
Alliance: Human, Dwarves, High Elves
Horde: Orcs, Tauren, Troll

First expansion would have given:

• Night Elves and Draenei new races. Night elves would have gone horde because of the horde's lagging numbers, and Draenei gone alliance. Night elves would have made the horde 2 good races, and 2 not so good races. Draenei would have been a lot shiftier and grittier too, giving the alliance a grittier, dirtier image, they'd have had stronger ties to the legion also and brought warlocks to the alliance side.
• Druid would have been the first new class playable by Elves only (night and high). Outland would have been the first expansion still. Blood elves would have been entirely Illidan and legion entagnled, an enemy faction, but not a priority one, similar to the Naga of Steamvaults...there would have been no Sunwell last raid.
• Night elves and not blood elves would have been the main focus on the horde, they'd be chasing and pushing for an end to renegade Illidan and had a much stronger presence (just think of all those blood elf places being night elf places instead, and Tryande playing a much stronger roll in the hunt for Illidan). Draenei would have been the alliance focus, similar to what came out, except they'd have been a bit more brutal and gritty, less cumbaya.

Second expansion would have had:

• Death Knights added as a new class, same as now.
• New races would have been Forsaken and Worgen. Forsaken gone alliance, Worgen Horde. Lich King the big baddy here.
• THe story would have had a much greater scourge emphasis. Forsaken, Humans and High Elves would have dominated the alliance offensive. This dynamic would have added a bit more evil to the alliance faction.. Forsaken would have been viewed as victims rather than vermin, the scourge would be the evil undead. High Elves, Humans, Forskaen hoping the Lich King's demise would bring a solution and cure to their undead condition. There's would be justice orientated vengeance.
• Worgen on the other hand would have become the Orcs' best friends. The night elves would still have been the instrument for their salvation. The horde would have had a nature focus, the Lich King's extermination being a Night Elf led crusade to end the abominations to nature, syncing very well with the renewed orcish shamanistic roots, the Worgen who magically appeal to the night elves and ferally appeal to the orcs, and the Tauren.
• Alternatively: Forsaken would have gone horde, Worgen alliance. The high elves would have been the instrument of the Worgen's salvation, Dalaran and Silvermoon trying as ever to manipulate events to the favour of their alliance. THe forsaken too much of a reminder of the scourge for hthe alliance races to look past their condition and see hope for them, so instead it is the Orcs who see a group of humans terribly cursed like they were, empathize with them, and are quite impressed by the tenacity their hatred brings them.
• In this version, The forsaken would spear head the horde's offensive against the Lich King, it won't be puritianical as the previous scenario, but full on revenge and hatred. The Night Elves and Tauren would hope for a cure and means to save the forsaken, the forsaken would mock their hopes openly, in a we're all damned attitude, lets destroy everything.
• The worgen in this version, would be the alliances weapon against the undeath and also protection, afterall, Gilneans adopted this curse for the very reason of protecting against this plague. The story would have been told differently, a lot more emphasis against the Lich King and he'd be the reason for Gilenas isolation, the focus would have been him and onot Sylvannas, although they'd hate all undead and wish to tear them apart, they'd be made much bigger victims of the Lich King than is made of in Cata.

Expansion 4 Cataclysm:

• New Races: Gnome alliance, Goblin horde. Added specifically to contrast the dark end of world scene with a comical twist.
• Goblins would be largely focused in Eastern Kingdoms, Whiles the Gnomes would relocate their capital to Kalimdor drawn by the advanced tech of the Draenei.
• The alliance would be given a stronger presence in Northern Kalimdor from the Gnomes, and the horde a stronger presence in Southern Eastern Kingdoms in the goblins and Booty Bay.
• Malfurion, Thrall and Velen and Varian would be the 4 faction heroes saving from Deathwing. There'd be no Garrosh warchief either. The Night Elves though a part of the horde aren't ruled by the warchief choice. But they fall in line during battle

Expansion 5:
Mists of Panderia as is. With the race swaps. Sylvannas might be the faction baddy here instead. But the story ends in her redemption rather than destruction.


3rd expansion would had

[Deleted]

Alliance: Humans, Dwarves and High/Blood Elves
Horde: Orcs, Trolls, Tauren

Exactly like in WarCraft 3.

[ravenmoon]

Alliance: Humans, Dwarves and High/Blood Elves
Horde: Orcs, Trolls, Tauren

Exactly like in WarCraft 3.

agreed, although it would definitely have been High Elves, blood elves would have have ended up a small faction that go cookoo in outland turning to the legion possibly, largely defeated in outland, but still around in various Azeroth zones as enemy mobs to both factions. Read my second expansion notes.

[Deleted]

agreed, although it would definitely have been High Elves, blood elves would have have ended up a small faction that go cookoo in outland turning to the legion.. Read my second expansion notes.

Aye, I agree, I said Blood Elves only so people know what current playable race I'm talking about

[ravenmoon]

Indeed, in my version above, night elves and draenei given in the the cataclysm expansion as playable races.

The Draenei would have been the badass aliens and enemies of the orc finally able to give the night elves a run for their money. In this time line, the night elves are still Azeroths oldest and most accomplished race...because they're on the horde, they'd have been no need to boost horde profile by making them come from trolls, furthermore, they would not have been nerfed either but boosted from warcraft 3 because they would be the race given to the horde to boost it's numbers significantly.

The ORc v Dranei conflict would have been told differently too, the Legion would have stepped in more visibly to defeat the advanced Draenei civilization, disabling their defences and opening their cities covertly to be infiltrated by the orc bands and massacred. They would have done this by posing as Draenei long before the Draenei would have realized. The story would have shown how Velen was not able to spot the infiltration, whiles presenting the Draenei as another formidable ancient race enough to rival the Night Elves.

They would crash land on a Kalimdor horde dominated continent, giving the alliance another foothold. It is likely that Teldrassil and Darkshore would not be Night elven controlled territories. Moonglade would have been the night elven capital, Hyjal the start zone , and Ashenvale. Felwood the 11-20 zone. Whiles the draenei and gnomes eventually hold darkshore, stonetalon and deolace along with Azuremyst. The way night elves are introduced in Warcraft 3, they are head and shoulders above every other race, they take on both the horde and the alliance and you fear for the latter.

they were dumbed down in wow when they were introduced to the alliance, and furhter played down because the horde needed some serious boosting to make em more desirable. If night eles came in the second expansion, they would have had an even bigger entry, this would have been seen as really TFT 2, and the Draenei would have been written up as a race able to match the night elves, but the Nelves would have been the focus. Their dislike for the high elves would also have played a larger roll in skewing them to the horde.

In classic, you'd have met the night elves as an impressive but NPC group, trying to heal northren kalimdor from the effects of WC3 burning legion invasion, and both factions would have had quests to help them. Moonglade, Hyjal would have been unavilble, with Felwood sort of barely accessible. Their introduction in TBC would have all that area revived.

[Mormolyce]

I don't think WoW would make any sense with more than 2 factions, that's just how it is.

Alliance: Humans, Dwarves and High/Blood Elves
Horde: Orcs, Trolls, Tauren

Exactly like in WarCraft 3.

Except for TFT.

[Esandarius]

Man, I love the responses here. I wouldn't have thought it would have worked out in a lot of these ways. I think it's especially interesting to imagine how we would have interacted with the races/factions that would not have been originally.

In part because it just makes sense splitting up the races as what was due to the distribution of power and balance of two factions evenly, but I think it's a testamount to Blizz that I find it hard to imagine some of these things going down after seeing how it actually happened.

[ravenmoon]

I don't think WoW would make any sense with more than 2 factions, that's just how it is.



Except for TFT.

in TfT, high elves are still around. The story shows the formation of the Illidan faction, and the revealtion of the Draenei, the version of draenei we would come to know as the Broken Draenei.

TFT leaves us with Night elves, high elves, blood elves. 5 factions. ALliance, horde, Night Elves, Undead, Illidan.

Oh, I agree with you on the first point too. Whiles it's possible they would have gone for the multi faction approach, or even every race for himself, 2-faction was a fundamaental and always intended core of the game. 2-factions was one of the main visions they had for an MMO game. I don't think such existed in the genre before wow. I could be wrong.

[Bad Ashe]

No, the forsaken and night elf don't really fit in their factions, they're both the black sheep of their faction and this has caused a lot of their old personality to go away so they could "fit in". This is more evident for night elves then forsaken in truth.

Still, if WoW had started with 6 races, I'd go as far as saying there should have been 4 factions:
Alliance: humans, dwarves
Sentinels: night elves
Horde: orcs, tauren
Forsaken: undead forsaken

In turn, each faction would have an arch-enemy, Alliance hates Horde, Sentinels hate Forsaken.
Each faction would have a major ally. Alliance is allied with Sentinels, Horde with Forsaken.
And each faction would have a faction to which it is "neutral" in a way. Sentinels are neutral towards Horde, Forsaken are neutral towards Alliance.

Furthermore, as time passed the other races could have been introduced. Goblins for the Forsaken, and put a higher concern on their more darker side, and draenei for Sentinels. Then gnomes for Alliance and Trolls for the Horde. Worgen for Sentinels and blood elves for Forsaken

tauren lore and ethos hardly fit the typecasting of the horde either, especially as it is today.

[ravenmoon]

It may not be the most exciting of first expansions, but it would feel like a natural and inevitable choice.

what would be?

[Combatbutler]

in TfT, high elves are still around.

High elves are only mentioned once during the entire tft campaign, Maiev asked why they are not helping the blood elves fight and Kael tells her, that the blood elves are the high elves and that they changed their name in honor of their fallen kin. Until the release of WoW it wasn't even certain if high elves were still around.

Heck Tyrande says they helped them at Hyjal and that they could repay the favor, by escorting them.

[Deleted]

2 factions

Alliance: Humans, dorfs, high elves
Horde: Orcs, trolls(or undead), tauren

Or if its more than 2, it would have to include player politics and alliances between factions otherwise it would just get messy and would be kinda stupid if it was just all out war between all of them.

[Deleted]

Orcs, Trolls and Tauren

vs.

Human, Dwarfs and High Elves or Gnomes


but Horde need Forsaken to keep an eye on Alliance and need them as a primary target for possible attack instead of invasion on Kalimdor.
and Alliance need Night Elves for the same reasons.

and Forsaken and Night Elves need faction protection and support in case of possible attack.

[Deleted]

Orcs, Trolls and Tauren

vs.

Human, Dwarfs and High Elves or Gnomes


but Horde need Forsaken to keep an eye on Alliance and need them as a primary target for possible attack instead of invasion on Kalimdor.
and Alliance need Night Elves for the same reasons.

and Forsaken and Night Elves need faction protection and support in case of possible attack.

Sure but they can just not be playable. Trolls are a relatively minor faction and could just be present as NPCs only. Same with gnomes.

[Cosmic Janitor]

If the Horde had started out without Forsaken I would have probably never stayed with WoW or I couldn't have played with my friends, as I just canst stand the hunched back orcs, the poorly modeled tauren or the rasta trolls...

The lore part is hard to answer, because lets face it, blizzard would make something up to make anything fit, even if it is orcs being a playable race for the alliance, even if just a slave sub-faction for humans.

Edit:

Hmm I guess after the 2nd War an Alliance like the OP considered would have made the most sense. I think the Forsaken and Sin'dorei might have most likely made a faction in the eastern kingdoms themself. The gnomes were always kinda close to the dwarves, so I have a hard time excluding them. They'd have to be not playable at all, or some bogus lore how they and the goblins made their own faction.