Sacrifice a character to create a Shadowlands Allied Race

[shoc]

Back in WOTLK development there was this idea that you would have to sacrifice one of your max level characters to become a Death Knight. It never panned out, because logistically the idea of class-swapping a character was not feasible. It's still not feasible, you can't pay for a class change even if you wanted to.

Covenant ARs are basically inevitable at this point, and there could be an opportunity to pull off this character sacrifice system once again without the problem of classes. Instead of creating a new Covenant race from character select, where they'd be low level and have to journey through quest content, you sacrifice a max level character to become a Kyrian or Sylvar if you're Alliance, Maldraxxi or Venthyr if you're Horde. There is simply no option to create a fresh Shadowlands race character.

Functionally it is just regular race change, facilitated through some quests instead of $25 off your credit card. Unlike class changes, race changes are easy peasy. Financially the character-sacrifice option is a better deal for players. It would be a free, one-way, one time deal for each max level character. You'd only have to pay to race-change back into something else.

Lorewise, there would be no need to explain why the Covenants are coming to Azeroth, let alone join a faction, or collect bear asses. This is obviously the biggest glaring problem with the idea of Shadowlands Allied Races, why the hell would they migrate from their realm to ours, or join the Alliance or Horde, it really makes no sense. Character-sacrifice method sidesteps the big lore problems completely. It's the same character, Choom the Tauren Death Knight simply becomes Choom the Maldraxxi Death Knight. Since all Shadowlands ARs are created from pre-existing characters, they don't have to quest or level up (until the next expansion), which would be a weird thing for a being from the afterlife to have to do.

Post-Shadowlands the Kyrians do not mind-wipe new Kyrians. So your Human Paladin turned Kyrian can just go right back to what they were doing before. No explanation other than 'players have agency' is needed to explain why they'd commit themselves to Azeroth's defense instead of performing their duty to the afterlife.

The two points, cost and lore, are compelling reasons to implement Shadowlands Allied Races by means of sacrificing an existing max level character.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk

[Skirdus]

Honestly I really like this idea. I know people will argue until they're blue in the face as to why the covenant races should never become playable under any circumstances, but I think it's a nice tradeoff for being able to play as them in a way that gives them a reason to be doing shit outside of the Shadowlands

[Val the Moofia Boss]

I can't see Covenant races ever being playable. World of Warcraft is framed from the perspective of the player character being a part of conflict between two rival coalitions. The Covenants inhabit the Shadowlands and have a cosmic duty. They should not be getting involved in a war on some planet.

Joining a Covenant faction doesn't work because, again, 95% of the game isn't framed from the perspective of the Covenants. 95% of WoW is framed from the perspective of the player being Horde or Alliance. Covenants will cease to exist after Shadowlands, much as how the class order halls ceased to exist after Legion.

As for sacrificing a character/one way transformation, it's a conceptually cool idea that would work for a singleplayer RPG or a hardcore MMO like Ultima, but WoW tries to have mass appeal and be intuitive. It'd suck if you were enraptured by the idea of being a Death Knight and sacrificed your character... only to then actually play it and realize you preferred your old class, but oh wait you can't go back.

[shoc]

I can't see Covenant races ever being playable. World of Warcraft is framed from the perspective of the player character being a part of conflict between two rival coalitions. The Covenants inhabit the Shadowlands and have a cosmic duty. They should not be getting involved in a war on some planet.

Joining a Covenant faction doesn't work because, again, 95% of the game isn't framed from the perspective of the Covenants. 95% of WoW is framed from the perspective of the player being Horde or Alliance. Covenants will cease to exist after Shadowlands, much as how the class order halls ceased to exist after Legion.

As for sacrificing a character/one way transformation, it's a conceptually cool idea that would work for a singleplayer RPG or a hardcore MMO like Ultima, but WoW tries to have mass appeal and be intuitive. It'd suck if you were enraptured by the idea of being a Death Knight and sacrificed your character... only to then actually play it and realize you preferred your old class, but oh wait you can't go back.

Agree with all your points. Covenants (the factions, and the Eternal Ones) having anything to do with Azeroth makes zero sense, which is why they are not. It's just your player character dying, race changing, and coming back to Azeroth by themselves. They are still members of the Alliance and Horde.. because that's what these Shadowlands AR will have been until about 15 minutes ago, retaining all of their memories and identity from before. That Sylvar is fighting in Arathi Highlands because, that's what they did when they were alive and a Night Elf. No Covenant involvement is desired let alone needed, they can stop being relevant right now for all I care.

The sacrifice is a run of the mill race change, and yeah people probably regret the race they choose every day, but you can go back! People spend hundreds of dollars on race changes, I am sure it is an important chunk of Blizzards revenue stream. Unlike a class change (which is impossible anyways) you can just race change back to 25 bucks. If they were regular ARs, you'd have to pay 25 bucks to change your main into one anyways.

[Darththeo]

The issue is while interesting, it doesn't make sense. If you are choosing to become a part of that Covenant, you are choosing to uphold that Covenant's duty. It isn't just like you become a Kyrian and move on. It defeats the purpose of making that choice.

[shoc]

The issue is while interesting, it doesn't make sense. If you are choosing to become a part of that Covenant, you are choosing to uphold that Covenant's duty. It isn't just like you become a Kyrian and move on. It defeats the purpose of making that choice.

A choice that is going to be made in front of Pelagos, because he's the new Arbiter. Unique to your player character is that they and Pelagos are tight bros. "Maw-walker! My friend! Without you, I may never have found my path." That mofo is going to let the Maw Walker do whatever they want. Very important detail that it is not just some bumblefuck Faun trying to quit their job and chill out on Azeroth, it is specifically the player character, the Maw Walker.

Besides, when has being transformed into the race ever bound someone to 'the duty', tell that to the Forsworn Kyrians, or the rebel Venthyrs, or to Denathrius who took his duty to the Shadowlands and pissed on it.

[Sasquatch]

Sylvanas. I don't need any new race in return. Just take her.

[username993720]

For the 100th time, it wouldn't work because that would mean that the Shadowlands races would be able to be every class.

Venthyr Paladins? They literally burn to ash from the Light.
Maldraxxus Paladins? The Forsaken can't even be one, i can't imagine other undeads.
4 new Druid races? That's 4 new set of forms for all of them. The best Blizzard has done is 2.
Demon Hunter? They can be before anyone else? Makes little to no sense.
Clearly, this hasn't been thought out.

[SynDethroc]

I would ABSOLUTELY sacrifice my main to play a Venthyr.

[Skirdus]

For the 100th time, it wouldn't work because that would mean that the Shadowlands races would be able to be every class.

Venthyr Paladins? They literally burn to ash from the Light.
Maldraxxus Paladins? The Forsaken can't even be one, i can't imagine other undeads.
4 new Druid races? That's 4 new set of forms for all of them. The best Blizzard has done is 2.
Demon Hunter? They can be before anyone else? Makes little to no sense.
Clearly, this hasn't been thought out.

...You know they can just have their own classes the same way every other race does, right?

For example, if your pre-existing character is a druid of any race, they'd probably only be able to go night fae. If they're a warlock, their options are limited to necrolord or venthyr.

[username993720]

...You know they can just have their own classes the same way every other race does, right?

For example, if your pre-existing character is a druid of any race, they'd probably only be able to go night fae. If they're a warlock, their options are limited to necrolord or venthyr.

Then, the OP needs to specify it.

[Mysterymask]

Ok so Maldraxxus and Ardenweld would be a stretch but plausible hell technically the forsaken are the same thing

But if your from revendreth you are in fucking PURGATORY your not supposed to get out same with Bastion....

[Al Gorefiend]

I think the pets and mounts we got from this expansion serves as a painful enough reminder of it having existed for many expansions to come. Id hate to be reminded of the Shadowlands expansion with potentially playable races coming from it.

[draugril]

Not to completely derail, but I would love to "sacrifice" a character to transition them to a new class without abandoning my stuff or character-specific achievements. Maybe my Warrior could become a Dragonsworn, my Mage a Necromancer, or so on, with the understanding that there would be no going back on this choice.

[Accendor]

Sac sylvanas get swolekin

[sighy]

Could see it as more of a 8.2.5 transmog option or something given this framework, where you get rewarded by your covenant, for doing a swell job by them offering you an honorary makeover. Dodging all the "Why are you here instead of doing your one job?" style questions.

[The Stormbringer]

Sylvanas. I don't need any new race in return. Just take her.

Dammit, you stole my idea!

[Nemah]

To be honest, I just want to tank as an abomination, lol. Whatever it takes.

[GreenJesus]

Are shadowlands "races" even supposed to have physical forms outside of the shadowlands? If they do, then what's the difference between being dead and alive besides being a portal away? When souls get sent to a realm of the shadowlands, do they magically generate blood and flesh? I don't understand how this works.

[draugril]

Are shadowlands "races" even supposed to have physical forms outside of the shadowlands? If they do, then what's the difference between being dead and alive besides being a portal away? When souls get sent to a realm of the shadowlands, do they magically generate blood and flesh? I don't understand how this works.

It's all rather ambiguous, more due to a lack of foresight than intent. We know that Maldraxxans can manifest outside of the afterlife. Yet, Kyrians do the same thing but are apparently invisible or something?

The original Shadowlands was supposed to be a dimensional reflection of Azeroth itself, so it made sense to have these beings "present" to herald the soul unto the afterlife, but now we're being told that it's a physical place with no direct connection. But Azeroth is still somehow integral to it? Who knows? It's all so sloppy.