Alt-Races

[WolfRider]

I'd like to think that Next expansion will see the return of the Black Empire with the rise of Nyalo'tha, N'Zoth's city where he's been imprisonned by Titans.
The shutting of Legion's portal (or destruction of Argus) will cause a huge shock on Azeroth and free N'Zoth from the depth of the South seas (starting south of Thal'Dranath to North Pandaria and East of Eastern kingdoms). He'll be in his fortress in the heart of Nyalo'tha and will send his minions, helped by Azshara and the Nagas, to invade to surrounding islands.

This will be a sea themed expansion.
Alliance :
Jaina Proudmoore visited KulTiras and they discovered an island populated with the Azotha, the first breed of cursed Vrykuls.
Magni Bronzebeard is awaken and offers Moira Thaurissan and her Dark Iron clan a place in Ironforge since their home has been invaded by Orcs.
Mimiron found a remedy for the Curse of Flesh and offers to help the Leper gnomes, changing them into cyborgs.
Velen named Farseer Nobundo for his replacement and his first act is to take the Broken in Exodar.
Tyrande granted the rebel Nightbornes to join her in Darnassus.
Genn Greymane cured the Emerald Nightmare's worgen with the same magic he used on the Nightbane Pack from Duskwoods, and offers them a place among the Gilnean pack.

Hord :
We'll discover that Vol'Jin was helping the Zandalari (they found an new island to settle but full of Nagas), he offers them a place in the Hord.
Baine offered the Highmountain taurens to join his side.
Sylvannas found a way to rise fallen high elves of Silvermoon with the help of Helya.
Since the end of Warlord of Draenor's events, Draeneis and Orcs made peace. Saurfang offered a place to the first borns of this mixed race.
Feeling that the oceans would be a huge source of treasures, Trade Prince Gallywix offered a place to the Gilgoblins, in order to make them collect underseas resources.
Lorthremar, asked by Sylvannas, offered a place to the High elves that Jaina Proudmoore dismissed.

[Maxilian]

I'd like to think that Next expansion will see the return of the Black Empire with the rise of Nyalo'tha, N'Zoth's city where he's been imprisonned by Titans.
The shutting of Legion's portal (or destruction of Argus) will cause a huge shock on Azeroth and free N'Zoth from the depth of the South seas (starting south of Thal'Dranath to North Pandaria and East of Eastern kingdoms). He'll be in his fortress in the heart of Nyalo'tha and will send his minions, helped by Azshara and the Nagas, to invade to surrounding islands.

This will be a sea themed expansion.
Alliance :
Jaina Proudmoore visited KulTiras and they discovered an island populated with the Azotha, the first breed of cursed Vrykuls.
Magni Bronzebeard is awaken and offers Moira Thaurissan and her Dark Iron clan a place in Ironforge since their home has been invaded by Orcs.
Mimiron found a remedy for the Curse of Flesh and offers to help the Leper gnomes, changing them into cyborgs.
Velen named Farseer Nobundo for his replacement and his first act is to take the Broken in Exodar.
Tyrande granted the rebel Nightbornes to join her in Darnassus.
Genn Greymane cured the Emerald Nightmare's worgen with the same magic he used on the Nightbane Pack from Duskwoods, and offers them a place among the Gilnean pack.

Hord :
We'll discover that Vol'Jin was helping the Zandalari (they found an new island to settle but full of Nagas), he offers them a place in the Hord.
Baine offered the Highmountain taurens to join his side.
Sylvannas found a way to rise fallen high elves of Silvermoon with the help of Helya.
Since the end of Warlord of Draenor's events, Draeneis and Orcs made peace. Saurfang offered a place to the first borns of this mixed race.
Feeling that the oceans would be a huge source of treasures, Trade Prince Gallywix offered a place to the Gilgoblins, in order to make them collect underseas resources.
Lorthremar, asked by Sylvannas, offered a place to the High elves that Jaina Proudmoore dismissed.

1- There are many Dark Iron Dwarf living in Iron Forge already
2- Those Emerald Nightmare worgen would be the same as a normal worgen but Night Elf... right?
3- Why would the HE join the Horde (after everything that happened) -also this would be a bitch slap to the HE fans-
4- The Wretched makes a better option for BE subrace

[shoc]

Maybe? Although I feel like if they made Azotha canon and added them (if any of them would even still exist) then it would kill the chances for Vrykul to ever be added and I'd rather have them if I'm choosing one or the other.

TBH I don't think Vrykul make for a half-decent playable race on their own. They have less ties to the Alliance and Horde than the Naga or Ogres, the 'viking barbarian' race fantasy would be better satisfied by Vrykul themed Humans, not to mention the Vrykul are prohibitively large (smallest Vrykul are 12 feet tall).

And if we're going to have to scale down Vrykul by 2x just to make them work, I would rather Blizzard just make something new that satisfies the race fantasy instead of trying to shoehorn some lore.

I don't think many people would be complaining about lack of Vrykul when you could get Vrykul descendants with similar culture that looked like this:

[WolfRider]

1- There are many Dark Iron Dwarf living in Iron Forge already
2- Those Emerald Nightmare worgen would be the same as a normal worgen but Night Elf... right?
3- Why would the HE join the Horde (after everything that happened) -also this would be a bitch slap to the HE fans-
4- The Wretched makes a better option for BE subrace

1 - Yes but DarkIron dwarves were in Iron Forge because Moira was in the regent council, not officially included in the Alliance.
2 - You're right, but the Worgens are not necessarily from Gilneas. It's more about the curse how they handle it than about their former race.
3 - Because Blood Elves are all about Light since Legion, the Kael'thas era is done and their hunger for magic has been stabilised. And Jaina turned into Donald Trump.
4 - I don't know because of that theory : http://wowwiki.wikia.com/wiki/Wretched (Wretched Speculation)

I was once a big fan of sub-races idea, but with time I find it a little bit limited.
And in game, if I have all my character slots taken on my actual server, how can I play a sub-race?
And how can I set a sub-race on an existing character? Looks like painful development for Blizzard.

[Deleted]

New skins for races? (Like brown orcs or smth) Sure
"Quality of life visuals" things that take not-that-much effort like normally walking orcs?(like Thrall) Sure
New alt-races like ... whole new races? Sorry but no. I prefer the visual team to focus on something else, something new. Or some whole new playable race which is yet to be seen instead of adding alt-races.
I would even trade new alt race for Gilneas and Blood Elf city to be repaired.

[shoc]

New skins for races? (Like brown orcs or smth) Sure
"Quality of life visuals" things that take not-that-much effort like normally walking orcs?(like Thrall) Sure
New alt-races like ... whole new races? Sorry but no. I prefer the visual team to focus on something else, something new. Or some whole new playable race which is yet to be seen instead of adding alt-races.
I would even trade new alt race for Gilneas and Blood Elf city to be repaired.

I think adding alt-races as whole new races gives them a lot more flexibility than just being a re-skin for the original race. For example, making Night Elf Worgen could be possible if they were an alt-race of the normal Worgen, and make the Night Elf variant of Worgen have a different posture and shape than Gilnean Worgen.

[Deleted]

Ofcourse it gives them alot more flexibility than a simple re-skin. But it requires so so so much more resources that I think it's simply not worth it...
unless their re-model team is free right nao and they do worgen/goblin remodel <plz> or smth, but I think they got another tasks to fulfill during legion development

[Florena]

Ofcourse it gives them alot more flexibility than a simple re-skin. But it requires so so so much more resources that I think it's simply not worth it...
unless their re-model team is free right nao and they do worgen/goblin remodel <plz> or smth, but I think they got another tasks to fulfill during legion development

Yeah, it's always a matter of how much of their art resources are worth pouring into this. Giving dwarves a frost dwarf skin would be easier than adding a half elf model that's an altered human model for example. I also feel like any sub/alt races ought to fit under the umbrella of the base race too, rather than branching off too far, similar to how all specs of a class should still feel like that class and not just a few unrelated class ideas shoved under one label.

[Maxilian]

1 - Yes but DarkIron dwarves were in Iron Forge because Moira was in the regent council, not officially included in the Alliance.
2 - You're right, but the Worgens are not necessarily from Gilneas. It's more about the curse how they handle it than about their former race.
3 - Because Blood Elves are all about Light since Legion, the Kael'thas era is done and their hunger for magic has been stabilised. And Jaina turned into Donald Trump.
4 - I don't know because of that theory : http://wowwiki.wikia.com/wiki/Wretched (Wretched Speculation)

I was once a big fan of sub-races idea, but with time I find it a little bit limited.
And in game, if I have all my character slots taken on my actual server, how can I play a sub-race?
And how can I set a sub-race on an existing character? Looks like painful development for Blizzard.

1- That doesn't change that they are already part of the Alliance and are living in Ironforge (Note: i don't disagree with you, nor i dislike this idea, is just that they are already in the city, they should get a proper introducion into the alliance somehow)
2- Then what would be the different (in looks) of both?, i have always seen the NE worgen as a nice option for subrace for the worgens
3-That doesn't change that the HE and the BE had way too many problems to just push them aside and accept the other, also it would make no sense cause what would be the big different between each other to make them a subrace if they are even going to end in the same faction
4-Is just a theory, the only real problem with that is "if their state is reversible" (And i doubt it -having in mind how it works with Nightborne)

- - - Updated - - -

Ofcourse it gives them alot more flexibility than a simple re-skin. But it requires so so so much more resources that I think it's simply not worth it...
unless their re-model team is free right nao and they do worgen/goblin remodel <plz> or smth, but I think they got another tasks to fulfill during legion development

When ever i read this i only read "Worgen remodel" cause most people don't really have a problem with the goblin model but the Worgen model in the other hand... eww and because they came up together, they should be improved at the same time

[Deleted]

thats what i mostly meant, i can't stand snuffy dog-style worgen, it's not how werewolves even look. and gosh, female worgen is... ewww
but goblin's could get some more polygons, they are 2 heavily pixelized for todays models :P
but agreed wholeheartedly on worgens

[shoc]

Ofcourse it gives them alot more flexibility than a simple re-skin. But it requires so so so much more resources that I think it's simply not worth it...
unless their re-model team is free right nao and they do worgen/goblin remodel <plz> or smth, but I think they got another tasks to fulfill during legion development

I think the "takes too much work" argument is pretty much moot now that Blizz has shown that they can pump out 10 new races worth of playable models in a single expansion (WoD revamp). Why not propose huge, intensive proposals?

Yes, I realize how much work "add 24 new alt-races" is. But I don't think it is too much work for Blizzard, especially as a major expansion selling feature. Giving every playable race a playable subrace of equal fidelity would be about as hard as the WoD revamp, I believe that they could pull it off.

Think of the RP possibilities!

D3 Barbarian = Azotha Arms Warrior
Sylvanas = Undead Blood Elf Marks Hunter
Rexxar = Half-Ogre Survival Hunter

Want to be a Taunka who fell to the Scourge during WOTLK and became a Death Knight? You could! Or an original member of the Druids of the Pack, Night Elven Worgen who have a much more Wolf-like appearance than the normal Gilnean variety? You totally could.

There are so many possibilities if you give alt-races as much attention as a normal race, not just in lore but in terms of body physique options as well.

WoW really sucks when it comes to being able to give players alternative physique proportion options, but alt-races could be the solution to that.

Small: Half-Elf
Medium: Human
Large: Azotha/Barbarian

Catch my drift?

[Deleted]

I could definitely play Troll race that isn't such a little, not musculine<is this even a word?> shiet like darkspears (no offence, but how can they hold a sword and a shield and fight 1v1 vs for example an orc and don't get thrown away 100 ft coz of the strength difference? they have literally NO MUSCLES)
God, can u imagine like Zandalari muscle-full troll playable? Troll-gasm
Some dwarven guys would be perfect too.
Blood elfs would be a lil problem, tho they could share the nightborne and highelves with night elfs, i'm not a fan of lore twist with undead belfs or smth
Tauren - well... default tauren rocks, nobody likes taunka, yaungol or moose tribe, but we could find some better guys there or create them :P

Yep, there are some options :P interesting thing... and the RP I'd love to see more racial difference between my brethren.
and NO HUNCHED ORCS PLZ, i love the draenei-orc idea with lantressor that som1 posted up there. it's brilliant retcon. Blizzard should hire this guy who wrote that, it's better than their chronicle lawl

[Mace]

I think adding alt-races as whole new races gives them a lot more flexibility than just being a re-skin for the original race. For example, making Night Elf Worgen could be possible if they were an alt-race of the normal Worgen, and make the Night Elf variant of Worgen have a different posture and shape than Gilnean Worgen.

Agreed, there are subtle ways they can do things like this I feel, without being too much trouble. Or they can make it pay for itself. by buying a sub-race

Anyway they do it, i want them to do it well.

- - - Updated - - -

thats what i mostly meant, i can't stand snuffy dog-style worgen, it's not how werewolves even look. and gosh, female worgen is... ewww
but goblin's could get some more polygons, they are 2 heavily pixelized for todays models :P
but agreed wholeheartedly on worgens

Think of the RP possibilities!

D3 Barbarian = Azotha Arms Warrior
Sylvanas = Undead Blood Elf Marks Hunter
Rexxar = Half-Ogre Survival Hunter

Want to be a Taunka who fell to the Scourge during WOTLK and became a Death Knight? You could! Or an original member of the Druids of the Pack, Night Elven Worgen who have a much more Wolf-like appearance than the normal Gilnean variety? You totally could.

There are so many possibilities if you give alt-races as much attention as a normal race, not just in lore but in terms of body physique options as well.

WoW really sucks when it comes to being able to give players alternative physique proportion options, but alt-races could be the solution to that.

Small: Half-Elf
Medium: Human
Large: Azotha/Barbarian

Catch my drift?

You mean think of the fantasy possibilities

I think you are both right, I mean there are some people who can't stand a race because of their ethics or alignment others who can't stand a race because of their appearace. And giving a decently altered model can be a suitable alternative big time. Didn't like the normal worgen? well the night elf worgen, a different model and skin appearance range might be right up your strip.

Nightborne NElves are the perfect example of this:
Don't like the nature tree hugger, goody goody 2 shoes normal night elf? You can do a Nightborne, an arcane caster more ruthless and altruistic
Don't like the night elf model much either? Nightborne might be just up your street, night elf but slimmer more pristine.

It's the perfect example of how a sub-race should be. Providing both an alternative fantasy and an alternative model.

Yes, I realize how much work "add 24 new alt-races" is. But I don't think it is too much work for Blizzard, especially as a major expansion selling feature. Giving every playable race a playable subrace of equal fidelity would be about as hard as the WoD revamp, I believe that they could pull it off.

They can so do it too, they don't even have to give all 24 straight away, they can start with 10 or 12, then add the remainder by pairs in patches or *as soon as they're ready.

[Kelthos]

I think adding alt-races as whole new races gives them a lot more flexibility than just being a re-skin for the original race. For example, making Night Elf Worgen could be possible if they were an alt-race of the normal Worgen, and make the Night Elf variant of Worgen have a different posture and shape than Gilnean Worgen.

Night Elf Worgen and Human Worgen have no discernible differences in their worgen forms. I'd rather just have the regular worgen model for both versions and they could devote the time needed to change postures to improving another potential sub-race.

[shoc]

Night Elf Worgen and Human Worgen have no discernible differences in their worgen forms. I'd rather just have the regular worgen model for both versions and they could devote the time needed to change postures to improving another potential sub-race.

There's no reason for Night Elf and Human Worgen to look the same, either.

Besides, what's the harm in saying Night Elf Worgen have a different physique?

You've got your Gilnean Worgen who look like this:



Why couldn't there be Night Elf Worgen who looked like this?



I would even say that providing alternate physiques for the same race is the perfect use for a sub-race slot. Besides, I can't think of anything better for Worgen.

[Beloren]

I would even say that providing alternate physiques for the same race is the perfect use for a sub-race slot. Besides, I can't think of anything better for Worgen.

Agreed. Having sub-races would be like the last wow dream for me, and I think your list is almost perfect Shoc. I would swap:

Forsaken skeleton for something like the Unliving or some sort of forsaken vampire - using a humanized forsaken model.
I think the Jagath would make a good Panderan sub-race instead of Tuskar.
Give Zandalari to trolls. Fold sand troll skins in with existing trolls. Ice troll and Forest troll could occupy the same slot seeing that they're the same models (if you have to have 2 per race)

[shoc]

Agreed. Having sub-races would be like the last wow dream for me, and I think your list is almost perfect Shoc. I would swap:

Forsaken skeleton for something like the Unliving or some sort of forsaken vampire - using a humanized forsaken model.
I think the Jagath would make a good Panderan sub-race instead of Tuskar.
Give Zandalari to trolls. Fold sand troll skins in with existing trolls. Ice troll and Forest troll could occupy the same slot seeing that they're the same models (if you have to have 2 per race)

I've actually had 2 ideas for a Forsaken Sub-race.

One could be a 'recently deceased' Forsaken, with much more Human properties (as opposed to current Undead). It's lame that Nathanos Blightcaller uses a reskinned Human, when there could be a standalone less-dead undead model.

On the other end of the spectrum, you could have 'long deceased' Forsaken, essentially Skeletons, to satisfy that King Leoric character fantasy.

[Beloren]

I've actually had 2 ideas for a Forsaken Sub-race.

One could be a 'recently deceased' Forsaken, with much more Human properties (as opposed to current Undead). It's lame that Nathanos Blightcaller uses a reskinned Human, when there could be a standalone less-dead undead model.

On the other end of the spectrum, you could have 'long deceased' Forsaken, essentially Skeletons, to satisfy that King Leoric character fantasy.

Yeah, I like those much better, I think the whole idea about forsaken vampire was a just deceased, non decayed version standing upright with some other wicked feature, and I like the idea of a long deceased very corrupted body

[Friendlyimmolation]

Yeah, I like those much better, I think the whole idea about forsaken vampire was a just deceased, non decayed version standing upright with some other wicked feature, and I like the idea of a long deceased very corrupted body

I think just adding a modified elf skin for the san'layn subrace to forsaken makes more sense. They are vampires No need to step near the human model.

[Beloren]

I think just adding a modified elf skin for the san'layn subrace to forsaken makes more sense. They are vampires No need to step near the human model.

That just looks awesome. I suspect you can do a vampire form transformation like worgen do, but a subtler change, modified human rather than complete new creature and not compulsory but optional.

San'layn active racial will activate vampire mode to use off course
Otherwise you can switch to vampire mode at will, in and out of combat

Vampire mode transforms the face, especially teeth, and claws, and eyes go blood red - elven form is pretty much like their current darkfallen models in ICC.