Vulpera break the trend

[Soulwind]

There probably won't be an alliance and horde for much longer, so it's kinda pointless to put races in a faction now.
Also as far as reskins and such, Vulpera is just a reskin of the goblins but the Kul Tirans actually got a completely new rig like new races do.

Yes and no.

Kul Tirans got more work done than the other allied races, that much is true, but the male skeleton resembles the vrykul skeleton. And females are built from the female human skeleton. Both are heavily modified, but not made from scratch.

Similar to how Zandalari are based on the MoP Zandalari, which were based on night elves. But with every iteration, they got more unique.

And Vulpera face animations are obviously not the same as goblins'. There may have been some work reused in either direction with the new worgen faces, but it'd be hard to tell from the final product.

I don't think the word "reskin" applies to most allied races. Dark Iron dwarves, Lightforged draenei and Highmountain tauren are reskins (and even then, they've got different features), the rest are "remodels" with varying levels of animation customization.

On topic: The word "allied race" was carefully chosen. Anything can be an allied race. Kul Tirans are a race: humans, and allied to the Alliance. Nightborne are a race: night elves, and allied to the Horde. Vulpera are a race: Vulpera, and allied to the Horde.

[Lex Icon]

i'm just hoping they'll add something like those Botani from WoD.
would be nice with some more races that aren't tied to the original playable ones.

[Big Mama]

So far all of the Allied Races have been "subspecies" of the current races in WoW. Most of these have been minor reskins of existing races, which is fine since Allied Races were advertised more as unlockable cosmetics to add some NG+ value.

However, Vulpera seem to change that. They are an entirely new race added to the game, and the only thing they have in common with their counterpart race is that they are a small race. But Vulpera are in no way a subspecies or different tribe of goblin.

As the only completely new, unique race of BfA, this puts an imbalance between the Horde and Alliance. So, I'm thinking this implies that the last two AR reveals will include a completely new race for the Alliance side. This leads me to believe that Lightforged UD will be for the Horde (not Alliance as many were predicting), and the Worgen's counterpart race will be something completely new. Sethrak might be on the table but make little sense to me as Alliance has very limited interaction with them. Ankoan/Jinyu would probably make the most sense... but then again Gilgoblins didn't make the Horde cut.

At any rate, it seems the last AR for Alliance is still the biggest mystery of BfA.

Nobody has ever stated that allied races:

- will be just subraces of already existing races (Blizzard themselves has stated pretty much all races of Azeroth were considered as a future allied race at some point during the development process of BfA)
- can't be a completely new race
- will be allied to/recruited by a particular racial lead depending on their visual similarities
- will come in pairs that make sense

I believe it is really just a coincidence most allied races look similar to the core races. They were just simply easier to make.

[Soulwind]

Nobody has ever stated that allied races:

- will be just subraces of already existing races (Blizzard themselves has stated pretty much all races of Azeroth were considered as a future allied race at some point during the development process of BfA)
- can't be a completely new race
- will be allied to/recruited by a particular racial lead depending on their visual similarities
- will come in pairs that make sense

I believe it is really just a coincidence most allied races look similar to the core races. They were just simply easier to make.

The rules, which are more like guidelines, are purely gameplay related:

- They start at level 20, because it's less work for Blizzard, as they don't need a proper starting zone.
- They are built using existing assets when possible, because it's less work for Blizzard.
- They have to be unlocked by a max level character through reputation and a questline, because that adds Monthly Active Users.
- Since they're easier to make, they are released more often than base races, this is really the only benefit of them over traditional races for players.

[ercarp]

I think you may have. Mechagnomes and Vulpera are the next Allied Races in patch 8.3, for the alliance and Horde respectively. There's all kinds of stuff about it on the front page of MMO-C, and plenty on Wowhead.

That's not what I meant. People are talking about another set of allied races that's supposedly coming after Vulpera and Mechagnomes.

[Raugnaut]

nightborne are also a completely new breed of elf, and saying they aren't different is like saying a blood elf is just a night elf.

so we've gotten at least two new races through allied races.

Nightbourne are just mutated Night Elves. As are all other elves. Night Elves are, in turn, just mutated trolls.

So, really, we have 6 playable races of a variety of trolls.

[Azerate]

In a way you are right, but technically you are not. It's been disclosed that Kul Tirans use a completely new skeleton and aren't based on any other race, so technically, KT Humans are like Vulpera.

Edit: Even more than that. As someone rightly pointed out, Vulpera will probably be based on the goblin skeleton, making KT humans the only unique allied race.

[Fahrenheit]

If I had my choice it’d be something reptilian as the next Alliance race, something with some attitude, of which the Alliance sorely needs. Naga, Sethrak, Saurok, Drakonids. That type of shit. First choice would be Naga as I suspect they might finally fair game to becoming player character after we deal with N’Zoth. Though new and updated Drakonids would be dope too.

As far as Horde, I’d want Ogres using a modified KT skeleton with a new ogre model wrapped around it, complete with two headed caster classes. But we’re probably going to get some kind of fresh looking or light Undead.

[Soulwind]

If I had my choice it’d be something reptilian as the next Alliance race, something with some attitude, of which the Alliance sorely needs. Naga, Sethrak, Saurok, Drakonids. That type of shit.

As far as Horde, I’d want Ogres using a modified KT skeleton with a new ogre model wrapped around it. But we’re probably going to get some kind of fresh looking or light Undead.

Saurok would be a good choice if they weren't less intelligent than Murlocs. I guess they could always say that a tribe of them got smarter because of Kaja'mite or Azerite. Sethrak have extremely large heads, most gear would look ridiculous on them.

Rexxar's new model uses the Kul Tiran skeleton, and I'd say Mok'nathal are more likely than ogres because of their size. They're supposed to be rare, but if a cult of a handful of Blood Elves can become an allied race, an almost extinct tribe of half-ogres isn't too farfetched.

[Gaidax]

As the only completely new, unique race of BfA

Kul Tirans say hi.

[Nerovar]

I don't get why people love Allied Races so much. They're incredibly low effort with little to no customization. I'd rather see new options for existing races.

[huth]

To create a worgen Allied Race counterpart, and to add mogu without reusing the draenei skeleton a second time.

Like I said, just something they could do, however unlikely.

You do realise that's a really stupid reason to do so, right?

[huth]

Kul Tirans say hi.

The OP is talking lorewise.

All other AR are just offshoots of their parent race or vice versa in the case of Zandalari. Vulpera are completely unrelated to Goblins.

[Big Mama]

The rules, which are more like guidelines, are purely gameplay related:

- They start at level 20, because it's less work for Blizzard, as they don't need a proper starting zone.
- They are built using existing assets when possible, because it's less work for Blizzard.
- They have to be unlocked by a max level character through reputation and a questline, because that adds Monthly Active Users.
- Since they're easier to make, they are released more often than base races, this is really the only benefit of them over traditional races for players.

Yes, you summarized it pretty well.

[JoshuaNLG]

They're 'subspecies' so they can just reuse a rig, basically just a skin change, the vulpera are no different because they're essentially goblins.

[Destinas]

That's not what I meant. People are talking about another set of allied races that's supposedly coming after Vulpera and Mechagnomes.

Oh, sorry for the misinterpretation. While no concrete statements have been made as far as which Allied Races will be added after 8.3, they haven't outright said they won't add more after BfA.

They have stated that they may add more at later dates in various interviews - Jeremy Feasel stated that it's something they want to "add in where it makes sense" (~13:40). They stated that Wildhammers are possible in the future. Ion Hazzikostas said in this Q&A that they could add more, but they aren't required for each expansion. In this Q&A Ion stated that they could add different stances for other races based on newer Allied Races (based on the Orc upright stance) which never happened for Forsaken or Trolls, which was asked about. And in this Q&A he stated that they were listening to feedback and that they would add Allied Races where it makes sense in the story.

Basically, all non-answers to keep it open for discussion, as they always do.

That said, people are expecting some sort of Calia-esque Lightforged Undead, since that makes sense with her story. Wildhammers and Forest Trolls were speculated to be another pair when new launcher art was datamined last month, as well. People also hoped for plenty of other things based on story or models, like San'layn and Mok'nathal.

So, no, nothing concrete yet, but it seems likely that they're not done adding Allied Races.

[Bodakane]

Vulpera aren't a sub race of another existing race. They aren;t really modified skins of another race. They will use the same rig has goblins but they aren;t related to goblins in anyway. that its all the OP is saying and anyone not getting that is doing so purposely.

Also, am I the only one that always though Mogu were Orcs with a Dranaei rig?

[Super Kami Dende]

they're NOT night elves. they're shaldorei, a new breed of elf, separate from night elf, just like blood elf is separate from night elf.

They are an off shoot of Night Elves. Night Elves that cut themselves off from the World and survived off the Nightwell instead of the Moonwells.

[ReVnX]

For Worgen? As Pebrocks said - Saberon? But what's the lore reasons?

Saberon and Botani came through the portal with the Mag'har orcs. Blizzard already paved the way for reusing them as NPC or PC in Azeroth

Kul Tirans say hi.

They are still humans

[Super Kami Dende]

Vulperas are just goblins/gnomes by that logic.

Except Vulperas aren't literally just Goblins that locked themselves away for 10000 years. Nightborne are. Hell many of the Night Elves are from Suramar and moved at somepoint pre-WoE..