Why does every important figure have to be either a human or an orc?

[Baemir]

Seriously, has Blizzard forgotten that this isn't Warcraft 2 anymore? Even the newer characters are almost always humans or male orcs. When are we going to see a female troll/tauren doing something remotely important? When I play one of those "rare" race-gender combinations I feel completely disconnected from the world and story, in most zones it's hard to find even generic questgivers that look like them.

[Emerald Archer]

Sylvanas(Undead)/Greymane(Worgen)/Nightelves are in the spotlight this expansion much more than humans and orcs.

There needs to be another troll raid/story but that'll come in time, there's alot of races to go through. Tauren are literally highmountains thing, the entire leveling zone was about them.

3/10 bait or 10/10 blind. Your pick.

[Wildmoon]

Well, trolls and taurens are stupid and primitive. Don't flame me pls.

[Shiftyfish]

When are we going to see a female troll/tauren doing something remotely important?

I guess you didn't notice who the high chieftain of highmountain was?

[Redmage]

Sylvanas(Undead)/Greymane(Worgen)/Nightelves are in the spotlight this expansion much more than humans and orcs.

There needs to be another troll raid/story but that'll come in time, there's alot of races to go through. Tauren are literally highmountains thing, the entire leveling zone was about them.

3/10 bait or 10/10 blind. Your pick.

How about something gnome / goblin related (that isn't just comic relief) before have our dozenth troll plot.

[Aquamonkey]

The whole franchise started with Orcs & Humans. What did you expect?

[Verdugo]

I guess you didn't notice who the high chieftain of highmountain was?

I vaguely remember some brown shape. It was propably a wooden plank, had about as much personality.

[Emerald Archer]

How about something gnome / goblin related (that isn't just comic relief) before have our dozenth troll plot.

I would like to see something gnome/goblin related, I think that could be really cool to see. Troll wise though, it'd be nice to get something leadership wise since vol'jin got rekt

[Nitros14]

[Derpleton]

The whole franchise started with Orcs & Humans. What did you expect?

Pretty much this, Blizzard is either incapable or flat out does not want to write about other races because we're always "going back to Warcraft's roots" with the same boring generic Orcs V Humans. Legion seems to be the first time this isn't the case but we'll see how long that lasts.

[Emerald Archer]

Pretty much this, Blizzard is either incapable or flat out does not want to write about other races because we're always "going back to Warcraft's roots" with the same boring generic Orcs V Humans. Legion seems to be the first time this isn't the case but we'll see how long that lasts.

You say they're Incapable/don't want to write about anything but humans/orcs, and then in the sentence after state Legion isn't the same case. Contradicting yourself?

That's the entire thing, that same old issue, is no longer an issue with Legion. Why are we complaining about an issue that was fixed?

[Kallisto]

The whole franchise started with Orcs & Humans. What did you expect?

Evolution away from that outdated trope so that any playable race. Yes even Gnomes and Goblins get equal billing. As for Forsaken vs Worgen they're both humans, just cursed in their own way. (Yes also Sylvanas is an undead high elf)

[Aquamonkey]

The pillars of the franchise are orcs and humans. "That's always gotta be what Warcraft is about."

Is the Pandaren’s thoughtful mentality going to change the Horde and Alliance? Are the Horde and Alliance just going to go there, corrupt it, and then go back to what they were doing before?
I guess the way I would answer that is… Ultimately, for my part, I always come back to this one theme in Warcraft. I think the core of Warcraft’s animus is cyclic. Because you can only push racial hatred through so many products without it feeling like the same old thing, and thus end. But the pillars of the franchise are orcs and humans; it really is the Alliance and Horde by extension, and it really is those two groups beating the brains out of each other for an extended period of time. That’s always gotta be what Warcraft is about. (Source)

[Deleted]

How about something gnome / goblin related (that isn't just comic relief) before have our dozenth troll plot.

Gnome spotlight was 1,5 seconds of screentime for mekkatorque in broken shore cinematic and you dare to ask more? /sarcasm

[Highwhale]

The pillars of the franchise are orcs and humans. "That's always gotta be what Warcraft is about."

Im agree with you. On large scale Legion now is about Human (Khadgar) vs Orc (Guldan).

[Sigxy]

I can see where people come from considering at the very start: Warcraft. Orcs and Humans.

The problem is that it's been a LOOONG time since Blizzard decided to add in other races and they sorta have to take the spotlight too in order to be taken seriously.

Personally I don't think the Orcs and Humans are THAT much of the main focus, but the orcs are way too much thanks to MoP and WoD. otherwise. just look at the blood elves - Lor'Themar in specific. TBC-Cataclysm: Nobody knew him. I think people just called him "Bob". MoP: I think everyone on the Horde side knew him after that.

[Highwhale]

The problem is that it's been a LOOONG time since Blizzard decided to add in other races and they sorta have to take the spotlight too in order to be taken seriously.

Star Wars still tells about Jedi vs Sith. And people still like it.

[Traveler Voltin]

because blizzard cant let go.
they refuse to move on.

[Derpleton]

You say they're Incapable/don't want to write about anything but humans/orcs, and then in the sentence after state Legion isn't the same case. Contradicting yourself?

That's the entire thing, that same old issue, is no longer an issue with Legion. Why are we complaining about an issue that was fixed?

Because we have to wait and see, it wouldn't surprise me if we're back to the same old garbage within a few patches or in the next expansion

[Koryn123]

If only Blizzard was capable of writing any story about a race without making it either all about humans/orcs, or making that previously prestigious group look inferior to humans/orcs.

Night Elves got that in Wolfheart and Tyrande in the Temple of the Red Crane scenario.

Dwarves kind of with Varian and Anduin being the only ones able to convince the three clans to set aside their differences and work together in Ironforge.

I guess gnomes don't care, because they've always been sidekicks to dwarves anyway.

Blood Elves can't get anything without the narrative being connected to humans. Even the 7.1 stuff has Dalaran stepping in as if they're an impartial party that can be trusted to keep the Alliance and Horde elves from fighting each other (because the High Elves are just sharing a camp with the Night Elves). Nor can they ever be shown to be good at magic because that would mean the humans aren't the only ones good at magic, and the humans can't have anyone on their level or people won't think they're strong or cool.

Tauren I guess I don't mind, but I'd like to see more tauren commanders (but not peaceful leaf-eating types).

Trolls I dunno, they should have had more while Vol'jin was warchief, rather than just being the commanders at Ashran. The Darkspear have never gotten much while all the other troll tribes are used as loot pinatas and Vol'jin doesn't think the Darkspear should move into their now-ruined cities and get an actual nice home for them for once.

Goblins like gnomes are meant to be sidekicks.

Forsaken are fine and have gotten plenty of their own lore not depending on orcs or Alliance.

Pandaren have a continent and monk class and will need nothing else for a long time, I'm sure.