I wouldn't introduce them we don't need them.
The Goblins already aided the Horde before becoming a playable faction. They also became exclusive traders with the Horde for a period of time, so joining the Horde at least has some ground. Sylanavas and the Forsaken was a great story in WC3 and let's be honest, if the Forsaken didn't join a faction, they would have been wiped out long ago. Since they pretty much look Lordaeron from the Alliance, it was obvious that they weren't going to be allowed in to the Alliance with open arms. As for why the Forsaken were made playable? I don't know, they needed 4 races per faction? Not to mention that the Undead were 1/4 of WC3, so not making them playable would have likely disappointed people.
Yes, I get that you could easily fit a story around them to make them playable, you can do that with almost any race and it has been done in the past. My point isn't that it's not possible to pull off, rather does it need to be? Not every expansion needs a new playable race, especially if it means taking an already well established neutral race and then making a new story so they join a faction. Why can't a race remain neutral? Or even look down upon the Alliance and Horde's fighting?
I am not trying to pick holes in the idea of Ethereals being playable. I am simply saying that I prefer some races to remain neutral, especially ones that are already interesting as it is, without just making them another member of the Alliance or Horde.
the worst problem with having ethereals as a playable race is having to listen to that annoying static 60hertz sizzle in all their buildings and habitations.
i can't stand going into the reforge/transmog room.
.
When someone asks you if you're a god, YOU SAY 'YES'!
Looking for Raid: you will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. Come - we must be cautious.
Highly doubt they will make Ethereal's playable, there is no significant customisation options. A remodel to the level that would be required for customisation would not make them Ethereal's anymore.
Won't work either way.
Also, female Ethereal's? How would you tell the difference? Gas boobs?
Your persistence of vision does not come without great sacrifice. Let go of the tangible mass of your mind, it is only an illusion. There is no escape.. For the soul burns on everlasting encapsulated within infinite time. A thousand year journey at the blink of an eye... Humanity is dust..
This thread has deviated wonderfully off topic.
Here's my spin on it.
Assuming you start at level 1:
You get the basic 'Kill 10 boars' in terms of storyline. Eventually, you get hired on by one of two trade princes, and escalate through the ranks. The quests would have a sort of a 'field work' spin on things. Where you're given a zone, a checklist, and you go investigate the areas one-by-one.
At the end of the storyline, you're given the opportunity to chose your faction. Ultimately, you either betray your trade prince, and join the other faction, or remain loyal, and join the faction your prince is working with.
Faction-wise, The ethereals would have ties to the Draenei and Blood Elf (being denizens in some fashion of outland) and have some empathy to the Tauren, Night Elf, Goblin, and Gnomes due to their technology (The Cenarion Circle was interested in how the Etherials of Stormspire were able to foster an ecosystem in Netherstorm.)
The Major problem with how the Pandaren, Draenei, Blood Elf, and Worgen were implemented, was that there was virtually no presence of that race outside of the starting area. A handful of blood elf NPC's were added to various horde settlements, but only as breadcrumb quests. Draenei had the same issue. Worgen, Draenei, and Blood elves all got a bit more love post Cataclysm's update, but still have a woefully small presence moving forward.
IF we get another race, there should be a token effort to make some sort of story-arc as to why they're operating in Azeroth post-shattering. Being the 'Only Panda on Azeroth' was a bit offputting.
I'm not sure you remember TBC the same as I do; there was an entire set of quests involving Draenei added all throughout Azeroth, particularly Ashenvale, where they were attempting to build a new settlement in the north east corner (Forest Song). I will give you Pandaren and Worgen (though they do have the section in Blasted Lands) for sure, but I seem to recall the addition of Blood Elves as well.
Looking for Raid: you will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. Come - we must be cautious.
Bask in their beauty.
I really like the idea of treason in order to select faction. Pandarens' are a mere "philosophical?" choice with little or no repercussions.
What about the Blood elves' archaeology expeditions? Worgen got Raven Hill in Duskwood, Surwich and... can't recall any other. As far as I know Draenei only got Forest Song and that little broken camp in Swamp of Sorrows.
I seem to remember there was quite a bit of small stuff added in TBC, which at the time was considered awesome because they were updating the game world to match changing situations (something I feel they failed on in later expansions - well, not failed, but failed to capitalize on correctly). I recall there being more stuff than most people credit it for.
Looking for Raid: you will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. Come - we must be cautious.
I like the first one, second seems a little over-dramatic. But I'm pretty sure both would be out of the question, their gaseous forms do not maintain any reasonable shape and it's just their enchanted bindings holding it all in. From those pieces of art it looks like the gas itself is retaining the female shape.
Don't get my wrong, I would reroll to Ethereal in a second if they made them playable, but I just can't see it happening.
Your persistence of vision does not come without great sacrifice. Let go of the tangible mass of your mind, it is only an illusion. There is no escape.. For the soul burns on everlasting encapsulated within infinite time. A thousand year journey at the blink of an eye... Humanity is dust..
Your persistence of vision does not come without great sacrifice. Let go of the tangible mass of your mind, it is only an illusion. There is no escape.. For the soul burns on everlasting encapsulated within infinite time. A thousand year journey at the blink of an eye... Humanity is dust..
I want them, on horde side or, better, neutral like Pandaren. They just look too cool to give them only to one faction. I can't understand why people would want to play ogres.
What about this:
Ethereals added as a neutral race
*Starting zones are in a timephased outland where you level 1-60(or 70.. might be boring doing outland it twice :P). Much like the azeroth revamp, the phased outland has new quests and new cities that are logical to that specific time. Black temple might still be inhabited by Draenei or something like that. The main concern would be the battle between orcs and draenei and as an ethereal you choose side and alliegance.
The other races may also complete this phased leveling by talking to a timetraveler from the Scale of Sands at level 10 in a city like Crossroads, or Auberdine. "There is a disruption in the past! We need your help to set things straight over in a distant world called Draenor!" They abandon their normal questing path and start over in phased-outland. This would be optional.
About the 90-95 content I have no idea really..
Arakkoa -> Alliance.
Ogres -> Horde.
Ethereals -> Neutral.
Since the Consortium is quite Neutral, they could be like the Pandaren, but acting like hired mercenaries for the best cause (since they don't want their customers to die to the Legion nor wish to get blasted away into the Nether for another aeon).
The starting zone in their planet, explaining their history and fighting for survival is an awesome idea.