What are the best ways to make the Alliance more popular and interesting?

[AngerFork]

We're in a sad place when the Horde, which is on Genocide number ?? and lost leader number ????, is considered interesting/popular compared to the Alliance.
A lot of people think a "good" character/group can't be interesting. They see a paladin and think they can only be interesting when they do something wrong/bad.

The Alliance will be interesting when people realize they are.

I'd argue it's less that people in general don't realize the Alliance is interesting & more that the dev team thus far hasn't realized they can be interesting. We've seen it time & time again with in-game plots where each faction has different quest sets: The Horde is the one focused on first & given the most attention whereas the Alliance are the ones done afterwards when time is being crunched, so content gets cut more on their side. Look at what we saw in BfA: beautiful Horde rep mounts whereas the Alliance got three horses. A story that consistently featured Horde characters & Horde drama whereas the Alliance were nothing more than spectators. Mostly unique Allied Races for the Horde with strong backstories & differences from their core race counterparts like the Zandalari & Vulpera vs. Alliance Allied Races like the Mechagnomes. It feels like anytime there are Horde & Alliance comparative quests/items/etc coming out at the same time, the Horde ones seems to be taken more seriously whereas the Alliance ones are somewhat brushed off.

Even stories which should largely focus on Alliance characters tend to be little more than window dressing for the Horde characters in the spotlight. Tyrande had what could be a strong plot, but her whole storyline seems to have been little more than to have someone to tell Sylvanas where to go in the end. Bolvar was an Alliance legend & should have had a big role in Shadowlands, yet he barely did anything aside from pick up some coffee at whatever the next quest hub was. Meanwhile, Sylvanas hogged so much of the spotlight that even the main villain of Shadowlands never had room for any real character growth.

Best way to fix it IMO is have more voices who care about the Alliance & Alliance characters in the writer's room, & tell some of those still-hanging story threads. Gilneas, Council of the Three Hammers, Velen & where he is now with the Light after his experiences in Legion. Even if the next Alliance story is something painful about Tyraeleon going too far with the Light & needing to be taken down, at least that would be something for the Alliance as opposed to simply driving a robo-cat around.

[StillMcfuu]

Easy answer; its too late because we are too far gone. But they could start by adding races people actually want to play and "spicing" the Alliance up a bit. I've always said if Ally got Snek Church I'd switch in a heart beat. Plus the Snek's cultish behavior would cause lovely turmoil with the Human/Dwarf jesus lovers.

Difficult answer; make Ally races OP for some reason. The problem with this is you risk just having the population just quit. The switch to Horde happened naturally, people played there because they liked it better, and they got people to join and they wanted to play with their friends, so horde, etc... Horde races being stronger isn't really a valid reason, at least not always. In Vanilla, alliance was better all around, in TBC horde got elves and while they were strong due to Pallys, people joined because "pretty elf" not because of their racials. The ball has been rolling ever since. The only "cool" race alliance have gotten is Worgen, but they lack a city and a real identity and have just become a deviant meme even though Horde is full of what should be deviant races, those memes never really attached (until fox ppl).

And obvious moving forward answer, blow up the faction system. Or even better, make it a rep based faction with rewards so you can rep your faction and get cosmetics and they could even add more... but that's old Blizz I doubt new Blizz would do something that would be a constant work sink like that.

[Eosia]

Not third time since there are also Illidan and Kael'thas during TBC, Fandral Staghelm and Maiev during Cataclysm era, Zaela in MOP like Garrosh, all of which are very bad and stupid attempts to recreate Arthas' turn to the dark side in Warcraft III.

And which of those were leaders of Horde or Alliance factions?

[Varodoc]

Two naaru were obliterated on argus, I don't think either primely responsible individuals should be viewed as completely forgiven. Supporting alleria in seat of triumvirate is no better than supporting the bloodelves with muru

Why are you comparing L'ura to M'uru? M'uru was still a Light Naaru when the Blood elves enslaved him and slowly and painfully drained him of energy. Meanwhile, L'ura was already a Void Naaru when she was rediscovered. She was a source of evil who drew other evil creatures to her. She was put out of her misery at the end of the dungeon and you can't blame Alleria and Locus-Walker for doing that.

[Loreth88]

Best way to fix it IMO is have more voices who care about the Alliance & Alliance characters in the writer's room, & tell some of those still-hanging story threads.

You think they do? They make a pre expansion quest chain for destroying one of the alliance race almost completely, there citys, the lands the population. Why? just why? After that they not fixing it or do something so it will have consequences, they just let the other faction okey that good how it is.
They let the opportunity with all of that to an alliance be an alliance When the horde attack ashenvale and marching against Teldrassil why not the Draeines came? or Mages open portals for Human and Dwarf armies, why not we see Worgen who live with the night elfs represent an army?
Beyond that we see a High King mourn an orc. Just wtf ofc they will see the alliance weak when the "main" leader dont say anything about the alliance losses the high causalities, but He do an elegy in our murderer hearse! Just outrageous!

[VladlTutushkin]

You think they do? They make a pre expansion quest chain for destroying one of the alliance race almost completely, there citys, the lands the population. Why? just why? After that they not fixing it or do something so it will have consequences, they just let the other faction okey that good how it is.
They let the opportunity with all of that to an alliance be an alliance When the horde attack ashenvale and marching against Teldrassil why not the Draeines came? or Mages open portals for Human and Dwarf armies, why not we see Worgen who live with the night elfs represent an army?
Beyond that we see a High King mourn an orc. Just wtf ofc they will see the alliance weak when the "main" leader dont say anything about the alliance losses the high causalities, but He do an elegy in our murderer hearse! Just outrageous!

Only one "voice" speaks for the Alliance in any capacity - Golden. But she only loves Jaina and Anduin and dosent understand other races and characters.

[AngerFork]

You think they do? They make a pre expansion quest chain for destroying one of the alliance race almost completely, there citys, the lands the population. Why? just why? After that they not fixing it or do something so it will have consequences, they just let the other faction okey that good how it is.
They let the opportunity with all of that to an alliance be an alliance When the horde attack ashenvale and marching against Teldrassil why not the Draeines came? or Mages open portals for Human and Dwarf armies, why not we see Worgen who live with the night elfs represent an army?
Beyond that we see a High King mourn an orc. Just wtf ofc they will see the alliance weak when the "main" leader dont say anything about the alliance losses the high causalities, but He do an elegy in our murderer hearse! Just outrageous!

I think what you are describing is a lot of the problem here. A writing team that actually cared about the Alliance as well as the Horde would've done more to make the score actually even rather than centering everything around how cool Sylvanas can be. Why weren't the Worgen helping in the fight after all the Night Elves did for them? Why did the rest of the Alliance treat Tyrande like she was evil when she wanted vengeance for the genocide of her people? In my estimation, it's for the same reason that Varian told Vol'jin that the Alliance would end the Horde if they ever stepped out of line again after MoP, then proceeded to do none of that when BfA happened, which I'd argue is the same reason they happily let the Corpsegrinder monologue go on during Blizzcon with only minimal adjustments: unintentional Horde bias.

At this point, I don't really have much faith in the WoW writing team to properly write any sort of plot differences between the Alliance & Horde in a way that treats the Alliance like an equally interesting faction. Until such a reason exists, I really hope they don't try to do faction specific questing again, because I just don't have faith so far that they have enough interest in the Alliance to do so.

[Loreth88]

I think what you are describing is a lot of the problem here. A writing team that actually cared about the Alliance as well as the Horde would've done more to make the score actually even rather than centering everything around how cool Sylvanas can be. Why weren't the Worgen helping in the fight after all the Night Elves did for them? Why did the rest of the Alliance treat Tyrande like she was evil when she wanted vengeance for the genocide of her people? In my estimation, it's for the same reason that Varian told Vol'jin that the Alliance would end the Horde if they ever stepped out of line again after MoP, then proceeded to do none of that when BfA happened, which I'd argue is the same reason they happily let the Corpsegrinder monologue go on during Blizzcon with only minimal adjustments: unintentional Horde bias.

At this point, I don't really have much faith in the WoW writing team to properly write any sort of plot differences between the Alliance & Horde in a way that treats the Alliance like an equally interesting faction. Until such a reason exists, I really hope they don't try to do faction specific questing again, because I just don't have faith so far that they have enough interest in the Alliance to do so.

Yes u are right, sadly but u are right.

Only one "voice" speaks for the Alliance in any capacity - Golden. But she only loves Jaina and Anduin and dosent understand other races and characters.

I don't think She even care. They are not even Her characters she is a writer, but without her own creation, like a fanfiction...

[VladlTutushkin]

Yes u are right, sadly but u are right.



I don't think She even care. They are not even Her characters she is a writer, but without her own creation, like a fanfiction...

Well she is absolutely a proven fan of both. She even said that she wants her son to be like Anduin and etc.

[Feanoro]

Well she is absolutely a proven fan of both. She even said that she wants her son to be like Anduin and etc.

She wants her son to be like the character she has turned into a nothing beyond a mouthpiece for her IRL politics like "toxic masculinity" and so on.

[Loreth88]

She wants her son to be like the character she has turned into a nothing beyond a mouthpiece for her IRL politics like "toxic masculinity" and so on.

Anduin can be like that, its not good, but not bother me, but why we need char like him as a leader. He is bad, naive fool and leading not just a race but a whole alliance? Just take him to the temple of light and he can be an arch priest or whatever.

Well she is absolutely a proven fan of both. She even said that she wants her son to be like Anduin and etc.

it just sad u can like characters, but when u have a kid u love them who they are not wanting them be like someone else. Buy anyway we need the alliance be an alliance represent the races, not just humans. And not the way they do before, just to justify the horde. Like I remember when tbc come out i wanna be a n elf with my hippogriff etc (i was a kid) and they just give them to to cenarion so even horde can be exalted and buy them, the one of the core night elf mount. Everything the alliance or n elfs have just take away and give to the horde but that not work another way around. Just like darkshore or bfa alli can gwt many nice horses good for them, but what can get the horde? New wolfs with many recolors? Nooo we give them new ones.

[Terrorthatflapsinthenight]

And which of those were leaders of Horde or Alliance factions?

Fandral, Maiev and Zaela were leaders in the Alliance and Horde, and Illidan and Kael'thas were leaders of the Illidari and are some of the most important characters in Warcraft lore, so...

[Athorha]

Why are you comparing L'ura to M'uru? M'uru was still a Light Naaru when the Blood elves enslaved him and slowly and painfully drained him of energy. Meanwhile, L'ura was already a Void Naaru when she was rediscovered. She was a source of evil who drew other evil creatures to her. She was put out of her misery at the end of the dungeon and you can't blame Alleria and Locus-Walker for doing that.

The only reason the player thinks killing her is ideal is because they follow everything the friendly ethereal asks of them. The naaru stayed on argus as a sign of the light when the planet was failing, after being forgotten succumbed to the void, and surrounding it were void entities/ethereals who only wanted to drain its power. If the argument then is that when naaru goes void it is evil, is that the argument for void is evil or naaru cannot be redeemed but other species can redeem from void. But still that says void is evil and not the creature as an unevil naaru would never succumb to void, and a unevil other species would not as well?

[Varodoc]

The only reason the player thinks killing her is ideal is because they follow everything the friendly ethereal asks of them. The naaru stayed on argus as a sign of the light when the planet was failing, after being forgotten succumbed to the void, and surrounding it were void entities/ethereals who only wanted to drain its power. If the argument then is that when naaru goes void it is evil, is that the argument for void is evil or naaru cannot be redeemed but other species can redeem from void. But still that says void is evil and not the creature as an unevil naaru would never succumb to void, and a unevil other species would not as well?

L'ura was literally a creature of Darkness calling other creatures of Darkness to her.

She was a danger and had to be exterminated for the well-being of Mac'aree and the rest of the Universe.

No one will ever blame Alleria for consuming L'ura, a dangerous Void entity that threatened the entire Cosmos, while the Blood elves had to atone for consuming M'uru. It's simple and straightforward: Alleria did nothing wrong, Blood elves did plenty of wrong. You're overthinking this out of bias.

[Eosia]

Fandral, Maiev and Zaela were leaders in the Alliance and Horde, and Illidan and Kael'thas were leaders of the Illidari and are some of the most important characters in Warcraft lore, so...

They weren't leaders of the playable races. The only Alliance ones that have been replaced have been Varian and Magni. Tyrande is still the leader of the Night Elves, Mekkatorque for the Gnomes, Velen for Draenei, etc.

And Kael'thas was never one either. Lor'themar has been the leader of the Blood Elves since BC launched. Zaela was not leader of the Orc, nor was she Warchief of the Horde.

[Loreth88]

They weren't leaders of the playable races. The only Alliance ones that have been replaced have been Varian and Magni. Tyrande is still the leader of the Night Elves, Mekkatorque for the Gnomes, Velen for Draenei, etc.

And Kael'thas was never one either. Lor'themar has been the leader of the Blood Elves since BC launched. Zaela was not leader of the Orc, nor was she Warchief of the Horde.

Fandral was a night elf leader with Tyrande, Zaela is a warlord, a leader of the dragonmaw clan who joined to the horde. (sub race leader.) KT is a blood elf leader when tbc come out, they joined the horde to get to to outland and join him.

[Eosia]

Fandral was a night elf leader with Tyrande, Zaela is a warlord, a leader of the dragonmaw clan who joined to the horde. (sub race leader.) KT is a blood elf leader when tbc come out, they joined the horde to get to to outland and join him.

None of them are capital leaders. None of them sat on the Throne in Stormwind or had the title "Warchief of the Horde."

[Feanoro]

None of them are capital leaders. None of them sat on the Throne in Stormwind or had the title "Warchief of the Horde."

Nice goalpost shifting. "Leaders of playable races" to "Warchief", surely no one will see your cunning plan.

[Terrorthatflapsinthenight]

They weren't leaders of the playable races. The only Alliance ones that have been replaced have been Varian and Magni. Tyrande is still the leader of the Night Elves, Mekkatorque for the Gnomes, Velen for Draenei, etc.

And Kael'thas was never one either. Lor'themar has been the leader of the Blood Elves since BC launched. Zaela was not leader of the Orc, nor was she Warchief of the Horde.

Playable races or non-playable races, it's the same thing. It's just the same story tool and trope used over and over again and failing each time to make the story and characters more interesting.

[Soikona]

Basically: Brutality, arrogance and division.

Imagine a paladin dragging a Forsaken bound with Light-infused chains into the Stormwind Cathedral to torture them for information, the holy ground and chains searing their rotting flesh.
A commoner speaks up in protest, only to be "disappeared" by nearby guards.
Finally, a priest begins a sermon advocating for "justice" against the Horde, using their psychic magic to affect their congregation's minds and whip them up into a frenzy.
Some aren't affected, but they go along with the mood of the crowd for the sake of their own safety.

Outside the Cathedral, a couple of Night Elves watch from the shadows as the sermon ends. Only humans are allowed inside the Cathedral these days...

Sounds like it would just be a copy/paste of the orcs in Cata and MoP. Give it a hard pass.

Btw, edgy doesn’t mean interesting. You can be good and interesting. Which I don’t think is the alliance problem anyway, a gos story needs to orbit the realms of believability. There is no way anyone with a sound mind would forgive the horde constantly.