Allied Races for 8.2 and beyond

[Obelisk Kai]

I do agree that all the options you gave are quite cool, regardless of my opinion on Jinyu

I don't think Jinyu are happening, at least not in the way you may hope.

I simply cannot get past the Ankora being introduced in patch 8.2, the ones who help the Alliance. A group we have never seen before, whom Jeremy Feasel called 'Deep Jinyu'? Why create an entirely new group like the Ankora? Why not use ordinary pissed off Jinyu?

I think Ankora might be the intended final allied race for the Alliance, a race designed to have call backs to both Jinyu and Naga (two birds with one stone). And we will know if that is truly the case very soon, as 8.2 is imminent on the PTR and once we get the Ankora models datamined, the level of complexity their models possess will tell us if they are going to happen.

[MatthiasLehner]

Vulpera and Mechagnomes are 100%.

They have / are having their own zone and story, the according faction interacts with them heavily in the story.
Plus, Vulpera's extremely polished based on Goblin's models and even have voice characteristics that stands out compared to other races.
If Blizzard doesn't want to sell this and invested this much into a NPC race, it means they have a serious problem on distributing resources. (look at Sethrac for having one gender and fewer facial animations available)

The bigger questions are: Who are the potential next Allied Race?

If it's a variation of Jinyu, I think that would make sense, they can intertwine aquatic race with Nazjatar's environment and story line we're yet to reveal.
But then what does the Horde get? I wonder..

Personally I think TBC / Outland / Draenor races need to be added eventually.
- Ethereals
- Arakkoa
- Ogres
- Botani, Saberon (some arrived in Azeroth with Mag'har and ran away)
- Broken

Thematically, maybe after we take a heavy toll towards the end of BfA, both factions continue to recruit more numbers into their ranks, and venture further with the affiliated forces.

More races from previous expansions and story lines like

Taunka / Wildhammer Dwarves / Jinyu / Hozen / Mogu would always be awesome as well.

[Mutineer]

I think Ankora might be the intended final allied race for the Alliance, a race designed to have call backs to both Jinyu and Naga (two birds with one stone). And we will know if that is truly the case very soon, as 8.2 is imminent on the PTR and once we get the Ankora models datamined, the level of complexity their models possess will tell us if they are going to happen.

I'm really excited to see what they ultimately look like on the PTR, and how 8.2's release schedule pans out. Have they said if Mechagon will be available day 1 of the patch, or is it something they'll roll out a few weeks later? Is Nazjatar day 1?

However it happens, I think it makes a lot of sense if the deep jinyu are the 8.2.5 allied race, and if junker gnomes are added in 8.3.5 as part of a segue to 9.0. If they add a tinker class in the next expansion, junker gnomes being one of the two last allied races for BFA could work out quite nicely given their release with the last patch could come on the heels of 9.0's reveal at Blizzcon or Gamescom.

[Dracullus]

I highly doubt we would get an allied race in 8.2.

8.3 is a much better candidate to put in the new allied races. And I suspect Vulpera (horde) and mechagnomes (alliance) would be a high probability.

I really don't like allied races because I feel they take up development space over things that actually matter. look at the time blizzard wasted on kul tirans & zandalari.

X.X.5 patches are best time to release race, especially if like in BfA they don't launch with new raid. With Zandalari you can level up him in 8.1.5, gear up with 8.2 catch up gear and be ready for Azshara day 1.

Probably we will see Vulpera (goblin model) and Mechagnomes (gnome model) in 8.2.5 and Calia's Undead (Undead model) and something that will use Worgen model for Horde (Sethrak? Saberon?) in 8.3.5. This would "finish off" all core races up to Cata.

Next expansion will likely be about classes again, either with new class or some kind of customization for existing ones.

[Obelisk Kai]

I'm really excited to see what they ultimately look like on the PTR, and how 8.2's release schedule pans out. Have they said if Mechagon will be available day 1 of the patch, or is it something they'll roll out a few weeks later? Is Nazjatar day 1?

However it happens, I think it makes a lot of sense if the deep jinyu are the 8.2.5 allied race, and if junker gnomes are added in 8.3.5 as part of a segue to 9.0. If they add a tinker class in the next expansion, junker gnomes being one of the two last allied races for BFA could work out quite nicely given their release with the last patch could come on the heels of 9.0's reveal at Blizzcon or Gamescom.

Mechagon is going to be day one content, which is a smart move as the Eternal Palace raid will be timegated to be a few weeks away.
Nazajatar is also going to be day one. There will be plenty to do the day 8.2 goes live.

Now it could work out that Mecha Gnomes, the most obvious allied race candidate by far, are part of the 8.3.5 pair rather than the 8.2.5 pair. The Ankora (who COULD be an allied race) are going to be introduced in the same patch after all, and unlike the Mecha Gnomes the Ankora are going to be on the side of the Alliance from the get go. Mecha Gnomes are, like Nightborne, going to start off neutral to both the Alliance and the Horde but if they become an Allied race for anyone it is going to be the Alliance, so there has to be an explanation of why they move from that neutral stance to a pro Alliance stance. I think it will be as simple an explanation that the Gnomes of Gnomeregan are a part of an Alliance, so it's a positive choice for the Alliance rather than a negative choice to reject the Horde. But it depends how quickly they wish us to make that transition with the Mecha-Gnomes, who will go from neutral to Alliance in half a patch cycle if they are an 8.2.5 addition. Ankora could, narratively, be an easier sell as 8.2 will see us end the Naga threat and 8.2.5 could see the Ankora joining up with the Alliance in a believable manner.

On the other hand, Blizzard may wish to pair the Vulpera and Mecha-Gnome Allied races together (Goblin and Gnomes are counterparts) whilst leaving the Ankora and the unknowable Horde equivalent for 8.3.5. The reason is, Vulpera and Mecha-Gnomes have their fans but both groups have serious detractors. That doesn't rule out their likely inevitable additions, it just means that there maybe a 'bad taste' in more people's mouths over their addition because no matter how you argue it, someone will hate them for 'stealing' slots that could have gone to 'cooler' races. The 8.3.5 pair will be the last Allied races we see for a while, Blizzard might want to do something 'awesome' to conclude the system with.

Ankora, who to my mind look like Jinyu/Naga Samurai, would fit the bill of being awesome. If they are introduced in 8.3.5, then they should find a very positive reception among players and end the Allied Race cycle on a very positive note for the Alliance. Ditto if the Horde equivalent is equally awesome.

There are lots of factors at play in the decision making process for the final four Allied races and seguing into 9.0 is definitely a consideration. 8.2 will give us some long awaited answers.

- - - Updated - - -

Probably we will see Vulpera (goblin model) and Mechagnomes (gnome model) in 8.2.5 and Calia's Undead (Undead model) and something that will use Worgen model for Horde (Sethrak? Saberon?) in 8.3.5. This would "finish off" all core races up to Cata.

Whilst only a guess, the concept art for the Ankora looks like it would be best expressed using the Worgen rig.

[Reinhart11]

A major question will be also, what Blizzard wants to do with the content whole at the end of the expansion. I expect one to be there, like with every expansion so far. Allied races are a way to fill that whole at least with a bit of content.

But i guess the only races which could be made playable in that content whole had to be present in the former BfA expansion story as a criteria.

If they want to fill up that whole, they might bring more than one allied race for each side after 8.3.

[Nephys]

What about Ethereals and some form of playable Dragon? perhaps Draconid?

[THEORACLE64]

Vulpera and Sethrak are coming. They're already been hinted at with class combos. The end.

[Foolicious]

What about Ethereals and some form of playable Dragon? perhaps Draconid?

I think any dragon race goes beyond the concept of allied races.
Or they would be pretty disappointing, like humans with scaly skin and a racial that has dragon in its name.

[Mutineer]

Whilst only a guess, the concept art for the Ankora looks like it would be best expressed using the Worgen rig.

You raise many fair points, and I'm with you in believing it could very easily go either way in the end regarding what is implemented when. However, if the deep jinyu end up an allied race, and if they're based on the worgen rig, then it could also make some sense to do vulpera and deep jinyu as a pair, seeing as the goblin and worgen model updates are also coming in 8.2.5 and both races were counterparts in Cataclysm.

[Beet]

So many furries and gnome lovers. The former are just mentals while the latter are a joke considering almost nobody plays gnomes.

Sethrak and Mok'Nathal are the only Allied Race worthy additions. Maybe Ogres too but those are just fat slobs and Goldshire has already received Kul'Tirans.

Yeah I don’t want anymore furry races. Especially Vulpera. If they end up horde I’ll be crushed. I still prefer horde how it was in vanilla pre BE. But I’d love Moknathal or actual Ogre races. I actually thought they could easily add ogres now just by using the Kultiran human skeleton. I think ogres and obese goblins are my most wanted allied races. By obese goblins I mean like Gallywix. I’d kill to play a fatass goblin rogue.

[Sumskittles]

I know most have probably forgotten by now. But I would reaaallllly love it if we got the Yaungol as a race. Most likely for horde I would imagine. I am a sole alliance player and I dont care what faction they end up on in the end. I would just like them to be playable. I always thought it was a waste they never became a playable race in the game.

[Maxilian]

I don't think Jinyu are happening, at least not in the way you may hope.

I simply cannot get past the Ankora being introduced in patch 8.2, the ones who help the Alliance. A group we have never seen before, whom Jeremy Feasel called 'Deep Jinyu'? Why create an entirely new group like the Ankora? Why not use ordinary pissed off Jinyu?

I think Ankora might be the intended final allied race for the Alliance, a race designed to have call backs to both Jinyu and Naga (two birds with one stone). And we will know if that is truly the case very soon, as 8.2 is imminent on the PTR and once we get the Ankora models datamined, the level of complexity their models possess will tell us if they are going to happen.

I do imagine that's going to be the end product, but a part of me would still hope for Jinyu, just for the sake of narrative. (Maybe if the Ankora does join, they become a joined forced with the Jinyu)

[RaZz0r]

My guess would be vulpera is up next for the horde while mecha gnome is next for the alliance.
Mean while i will keep waiting for the eventual undead flavor of elf be it san'layn/ dark ranger or some new form of undead elf.
I might also consider a less boney undead but i would kinda expect those to be part of the alliance with the whole Calia Menethil and derek being more of a light bound undead.

[Obelisk Kai]

You raise many fair points, and I'm with you in believing it could very easily go either way in the end regarding what is implemented when. However, if the deep jinyu end up an allied race, and if they're based on the worgen rig, then it could also make some sense to do vulpera and deep jinyu as a pair, seeing as the goblin and worgen model updates are also coming in 8.2.5 and both races were counterparts in Cataclysm.

You also raise many fair points, a lot of what we are discussing is predicated on educated guesswork that could very easily be wrong. I guess we will soon see which of your approaches, if any, has been adopted by Blizzard.

I do imagine that's going to be the end product, but a part of me would still hope for Jinyu, just for the sake of narrative. (Maybe if the Ankora does join, they become a joined forced with the Jinyu)

Well Feasel gave the game away when he described the Ankora as 'Deep Jinyu', showing that they are a modified form of Jinyu. So they are the next step up from Jinyu. IF they are an Allied race, I doubt ordinary Jinyu would ever be considered in the same way Pandaren pretty much removed the chances of playable Furbolg (one playable Ursine race is apparently enough).

I suspect the design brief for Ankora, IF they are an allied race, is as a Naga-Jinyu hybrid that pays homage to both long term requests and delivers a unified package in the result.

[Lochton]

I am still hoping for Vulpera.. Badly.. I want another mystic but also trading race. (Vulpera is basically Goblins and Tauren combined).

[Rotted]

So, here's the thing. While it's true that the Ren'dorei are also playable, the Ren'dorei were just studying the Void to use it as a weapon to protect their people, the Sin'dorei. They were just careless scholars who got caught in a ritual that was turning them into Void monsters. The K'thir are literally psycopaths who willingly sold their souls to the God of the Deep, that's how they got their forms in the first place. Because of their very backstory, I don't see how a "good" K'thir could exist.

Have you seen the netflix show Van Helsing?

On that show when someones turned to a vampire, they essentially lose their souls. 0 empathy, care, mercy etc. For example, one guy gets turned (in the back story) and proceeds to feed on his children in front of his wife but leaves the wife alone for the lulz

In the actual show he gets turned back and gets the whole range of emotion back with most memories.

You could easily work this into the story line with wow and this race. If we're going to have some sort of interaction with N'zoth this expansion, it could be worked so he loses those souls essentially returning them to those who gave it up. Then, in the wake of the horrors they've done / resentment / guilt they could join one of the factions.

[Nephys]

I think any dragon race goes beyond the concept of allied races.
Or they would be pretty disappointing, like humans with scaly skin and a racial that has dragon in its name.

I disagree, look at Kul Tirans, they have everything different, as an entirely new race, including things such as custom druid forms, custom shaman totems. I don't think the argument of "its beyond the scope for an allied race" has merit

[Michael Dark]

None. Really what's the point? We already have high level characters of (almost) any class by now, most of us on both factions. Blizzard just wants us to buy rece change tokens to compensate for subscription numbers reduction. It's pathetic. Personally I'm already fed up with those "new" races. It feels like Mortal Kombat palette swapping all over again.

[Hugnomo]

None. Really what's the point? We already have high level characters of (almost) any class by now, most of us on both factions. Blizzard just wants us to buy rece change tokens to compensate for subscription numbers reduction. It's pathetic. Personally I'm already fed up with those "new" races. It feels like Mortal Kombat palette swapping all over again.

Maybe it's just not for you or your playstyle. Plenty of us like the system, leveling, rp, alts, etc. And I haven't personally bought race changes, it isn't mandatory or necessary, so I don't fault them for making money from those who do take the *option* of race changing.