Getting Back to Azeroth (Future Races and Allied Races)

[Alanar]

The problem is that largest group of forest trolls are Amani, which will never join the Horde because of blood elves.

I agree that Forest trolls fit perfectly to the Horde thematicaly, but they are kind of exclusive with Blood elves lorewise.

Trolls in general don't go well with elves according to many lore bits, yet here we are with Darkspear and Zandalari. The zandalari even have zandalar which inhabits many differnt troll tribes. We as horde 60% elves have been around them for a full expansion. I don't think we have to really worry about that. If their grudge was that big, we would have seen something of that already by now. I think for the remaining forest trolls.. it's either stfu and join or get slaughtered by anything else. Their choice.. I don't care lol.

And ofc, if enough demand for that model it's only a matter of time. There are some frriendly tribes so it wouldn't be super hard to explain.

[Skytotem]

The problem is that largest group of forest trolls are Amani, which will never join the Horde because of blood elves.

I agree that Forest trolls fit perfectly to the Horde thematicaly, but they are kind of exclusive with Blood elves lorewise.

Never say never, all we need is a new common foe, like void elves and a resurgent stromgarde trying to retake northern EK

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Tuanka: we helped them evacuate Northrend to....now where. Give them a settlement in Winterspring and redesign the female model. Perfection.

To be fair, they weren't leaving NR we were just helping them stabilize their holdings there. They were never gonna leave the continent. But now they have small forces of Horde guys in big empty fortresses to take refuge with if things ever get really hairy.

They and the Yaungol would make great additions.

[Susanoo]

Yeah we totally needed yet another thread like this.

Anyways, the last thing WoW needs is a shittier version of Draenei and an even edgier variant of elves.
Just give void and blood elfs red eyes and you're good. Void Elfs would even make perfect vampire elfs with their available skin options.

Yeah we totally needed yet another comment like this.

Anyways, the broken have been part of WoW since WC3 and undead elves have long asked to be playable for over a decade. Just because Blizzard chose to create a Void Elves out of left field doesn't mean people should now not get a customization they've long asked for.

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The problem is that largest group of forest trolls are Amani, which will never join the Horde because of blood elves.

I agree that Forest trolls fit perfectly to the Horde thematicaly, but they are kind of exclusive with Blood elves lorewise.

The Revantusk Tribe of Forest Trolls are already part of the Horde. It would most likely be that tribe becoming playable in the lore rather than the Amani Empire.

[Skytotem]

The Revantusk Tribe of Forest Trolls are already part of the Horde. It would most likely be that tribe becoming playable in the lore rather than the Amani Empire.

To be fair, we could see some Amani defectors that'd be a fun way to explore the troll's culture shaking up after the Zandalari joined.

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Allied Races so far by faction model equivalence:

Orcs - N/A (Lightbound are possible if they ever dissolve faction boundaries but aren't really an 'allied' race)

Humans - N/A (But the Fogsail pirates are a possibility if they ever remove faction boundaries, but again aren't an 'allied' race)

Night elves - Nightborne

Blood Elves - Void Elves

Draenei - N/A (Possibly Mogu?)

Trolls - N/A (Alliance attempt to recruit blood trolls didn't work, frankly I don't think they can swing it)

Worgen - N/A (Possibly Saurok?)

Forsaken - N/A (Possibly K'thir? If the Tidesages can figure out how to de-crazy some of the ones that got corrupted, 'non-evil mindflayers' is a heck of an angle)

Goblins - Vulpera use goblin skeleton but they're Horde, Gilblins too, maybe some kinda MoP sprites could join Alliance using their skeleton?

Gnomes - Mechagnomes exist on alliance but are barely a race, and nothing else sapient seems to use the same skeleton so far

Dwarves - No dwarven clans would join horde without dissolving faction boundaries entirely, but maybe the Skardyn could join horde and use their skeleton?

Tauren - Krokul/Broken use basically the same skeleton and are overdue for the Alliance

Pandaren - N/A

[Syegfryed]

Allied Races so far by faction model equivalence:

it would be just better and healthy for the game if just scrap this whole nonsense of allied race needing to have equivalence or be under another race subrace, that is too restrictive and some races just don't work, shove all that is need and is possible to be shoved as skin and focus on new races.

and yeah, no breaking factions boundaries, that is awful.

[Moonrage]

Both San'layn and Vrykul should be horde.

I don't care, sue me.

The San'layn are practically extinct. Shandris and an Alliance champion killed most of the surviving ones back in BFA.

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That being said, we have of plenty races. I'd rather Blizzard focus on more customization for existing ones. Shadowlands was a step in the right direction in that regard, but customization is still severely lacking. More hairstyles, beards, tattoos, body types, scars, jewelry etc are needed.

[Alanar]

The San'layn are practically extinct. Shandris and an Alliance champion killed most of the surviving ones back in BFA.

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That being said, we have of plenty races. I'd rather Blizzard focus on more customization for existing ones. Shadowlands was a step in the right direction in that regard, but customization is still severely lacking. More hairstyles, beards, tattoos, body types, scars, jewelry etc are needed.

I 100% agree.. we need more costimization in general. What we got in sl was super sparse.. so yes we need more across the board.

[Snufflupagus]

Yeah we totally needed yet another thread like this.

Anyways, the last thing WoW needs is a shittier version of Draenei and an even edgier variant of elves.
Just give void and blood elfs red eyes and you're good. Void Elfs would even make perfect vampire elfs with their available skin options.

Broken >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Draenei. I’d give my right nut to play a Broken rogue.

[shoc]

Lightforged Dranei should have been Lightforged Broken.

[Taifuu]

I really like the Jinyu model and would love to see them as a playable race.

[Dancaris]

I think that that exchanging skeletons are dead move. IMO best solution will be to merge factions with timeskip for like 20-30years. And with that - redo characters and race definitions. Like put allied race to sub-race directory, end this disconnection between races with one another. Simplyfy it, straightforward to basic choises and expand it ingame.
Why keep Nightborne aside Nightelves? Or Void Elves aside Blood Elves? Zandalary aside Darkspear? Why not just pick Night elf with sub-race Nightborne (a bit more reputation with Horde races), Hyjal ones (more Alliance rep), with much more has get to come. Maybe even Satyrs and Naga. Heritage armor defines your subrace and not main race.
Same with Trolls. Darkspear, Zandalari, Sand, forest, even ice and dark.
Or orcs with Durotar, Maghars, maybe even dragonmaw (but dont know why) or MokNathals.
Or Humans with Stormwindians, Kul-Tirans, Worgens.
Same with Dwarves - DI, IF, WH. We can add even stone and snow dwarves.
Draenei with Exodarians, LF, Krokuls, Broken, maybe even some Eredar refugees.
This races can even not have some power in factions. Just be an option to customise your character. Like sand trolls are not part of the Horde, but some Moja'kuno from Tanaris wants to be.
Or Nightborne seeks to find his/her parents/siblings in NE lands. Why he/she should kill NE in Garrosh/Sylvanas war?
Or some Tauren befriends with Taunka in Northrend and after some time - with yaungol. And that yaungol wants to explore Kalimdor. For now - yaungols must to join the Horde. But with no faction bias - that named yaungol can explore Thunder Bluff, then go to Regridge and then join the orgy in Golden Lion. Why not?

[Skytotem]

Looking at it from a marketing/Dev PoV, it's hard to imagine what they'd do next.

In the past they did what they thought would be needed for the faction.

Horde got belfs to have a 'pretty' race that could be paladins and market to Asia. Then goblins to give them a 'techy' race.

Alliance got Draenei to have a slightly more monstrous race that could be shaman, and then worgen to give them a 'dark' monstrous race.

Pandaren represented both races recruitment in Pandaria and helped marketing in Asia again.

The allied races were a way to streamline the process of 'new race' without it being as resource intensive but it's not clear if they're gonna keep doing them or not.

Kul'tiran were added to show off the different bodystyle possibilities and have 'plus size' characters, Vulpera were added to soften the Horde after it was saddled with another villain narrative.

Meanwhile Zandalari were added due to aesthetic popularity and to give the Horde a 'high primal' race, and the same could be said of the Highmountain Tauren, (Plus Mag'har but with a 'savage tech' angle) they all expand on the original horde 'feel', while Nightborne are the biggest departure, being another high magic race like the belfs.

Dark Irons were another 'dark' alliance addition and long overdue since they'd technically joined in Cata, while Lightforged were... just more Draenei-ish Draenei, and Void Elves held the dubious honor of filling the 'not quite a high elf' race that people alternately love and hate.



But What Now?

There's not an obvious marketing opportunity or any major 'hole' in the factions atm.

[Fistfighter]

The problem is that largest group of forest trolls are Amani, which will never join the Horde because of blood elves.

I agree that Forest trolls fit perfectly to the Horde thematicaly, but they are kind of exclusive with Blood elves lorewise.

as if blizzard couldn't do a quick 5 quest storyline about how some quirky young blood elf saved some amani chieftain and now the two races are best friends

lore reasons kinda pale compared to the "rule of cool" and you should know that, if you like Void Elves - they also had a very "eh, it's cool so we added them, deal with it" lore

[FuxieDK]

Both San'layn and Vrykul should be horde.

I don't care, sue me.

San'layn, fine..

But Vrykul have Alliance written all over it.

[DatToffer]

But What Now?

There's not an obvious marketing opportunity or any major 'hole' in the factions atm.

I think now the only opportunities left are to fulfill the long demands of players : like Ogres and Broken.

Or, since we just had an extension without a new race/class, giving some novelty tied to the upcoming one. And considering the absolute state of Blizzard right now, they might go for something cheap.

By the way, what the fuck did Blizzard do with Allied Races? I mean, they got it all wrong...

Allied races were a cheap way to produce new races and prototype new customization.

They didn't do it wrong, they just had a different purpose than what you think.

[Varodoc]

The Ethereals shall join the Alliance and fight side by side with the Ren'dorei. An alliance was implicitly forged when the ominous Locus-Walker became Alleria Windrunner's mentor.

[Alanar]

San'layn, fine..

But Vrykul have Alliance written all over it.

Vrykul are disgusted of humans and have a very brute but honorable nature. That alone screams orcs and horde.The connection to humans isnt saying anything. Just like nightborne didnt go to the obvious night elves.

Both should be horde imo.

[Skytotem]

Vrykul are disgusted of humans and have a very brute but honorable nature. That alone screams orcs and horde.The connection to humans isnt saying anything. Just like nightborne didnt go to the obvious night elves.

Both should be horde imo.

Eh, Wotlk Vrykul yeah, but the Tideskorn are under new Management.

[Ealyssa]

Lightforged Dranei should have been Lightforged Broken.

which would make absolutely no sense lorewise...

[Skytotem]

I've had this thought that because they're so amoral yet primal, that Saurok would actually be a good addition to the Horde because they work fine with both the Primal Horde and with the Forsaken

As long as no one tries to enslave them like the Mogu did we could have a narrative of them working with us easily enough

Plus they're happy living in really nasty environs so they could live in Forsaken areas with all their slime alchemy and such with no real complaints