What Races Are Available To Become Allied?

[Rozzana]

Yeah but that didn't make it into the final game. I understand the concern, but the Worgen aren't limited like a dryad would be, so the argument makes more sense in their case. They still have two legs, have human forms, and their bodies aren't even fit to run about like a mongrel. It'd look silly if they did, like Tauren "plain-runners"--which is why that was scrapped too.

A quadruped is a quadruped, it'd be weird to act and treat it as if it were anything else. I think people would be more bothered by them having "mounts" than having a druid-like mount system fix. If people can tolerate druid forms, I think they could handle a literal animal-bodies creature doing something similar.

At most, perhaps a chariot-like option or disc, but I don't think limitations are too much an issue if there is still some sort of solution. Some of the Allied Races even have very limited customization options, but even with the griping people still play and love them. It can just take some getting use to, but I don't think it'd be balancing issue. Like Wain said, the patterns that exist don't seem to be intentional and this isn't like when we got races in the past. Anything is possible rn, which is all the fun!

[Wain]

I guess Gilgoblins. They can breathe out of water. I'm not sure how smart they are, though.

[Valnaaros]

It did make it to the final game. The Mountain Horse and Swift Mountain Horse were added in a patch sometime after Cata went live.

Possibly. But you aren't forced to constantly be a bear, cat, or stag. You can shift out of those forms and still use normal mounts. Dryads and Keepers can't do that. It would be interesting to see what Blizz might do, but they may play it safe and not do it. Bear in mind, I would love to play a Keeper, but I'm just not holding my breath.

Agreed, anything is possible so long as Blizz can have it make sense within the context of the ongoing story

[Rozzana]

Oh....you're right, I totally forgot Worgen ran for a bit.... maybe I'm glad I forgot

Gilgoblins could be Blizzard's gift to us instead of naga

[Lamiara]

To me, it's mindboggling that one of the oldest and lore-rich races in the game ever since wc3 has not become playable yet.
Talking about Naga, of course.
Huge range of customization, male & female models, variety of available classes, were allied to Bloodelves, have their own capital/leader/language.
They can wear all clothing on the model viewer (except helmets) since forever.

The only issue, mounting, could easily be solved by giving them a spectral "elf" illusion form or somesuch during, just like many costumes function now already.

No other available race has all that- but I read that the devs only considered races with "legs" (unimaginative much?), so that probably means we'll never see playable Naga.

[Valnaaros]

As of right now, they have said that they are just considering races with two legs. I would love naga, but they would require much more work and, honestly, deserve the usual playable race treatment over being made into an allied race.

[Nachtwulf]

Really, ARs are going to come down to sheer game mechanics.

Does the race:
a) use an existing rigging
b) have more or less human anatomy

If it fails to meet either of these, we aren't going to see them as an allied race, flat out. Allied races are races we're getting specifically because Blizzard doesn't have to do a -ton- of work. Anything without legs is right out because of that, and so is anything they can't map existing gear to easily. And they aren't going to rework a bunch of animations either (although they might do a couple if they have time, see: Nightborne).

So things you may see:
Mogu (draenei)
Saberon (worgen)
Wretched (undead)
Quilboar (tauren)

Things you won't see:
Centaur
Gnolls
Grummles
Tol'vir
Ethereals (in their current state anyway)
Naga
Ogres (because they've said straight up they're too big, and probs the same reason we won't get vrykul)

They MIGHT come up with an Ethereal faction that uses humans or night elves or something and just have the glow being in whatever armor you're wearing but as they stand currently with their present models, it's unlikely.

Now, does that mean we'll never see those races? Well, the ones that aren't bipedal, probably not, no. But things like gnolls MAY show up at some point, added as a full new race.... if for some reason we get a gnoll expac anyway.

[Valnaaros]

I agree that ARs will follow the requirements that you suggested. ARs aren't meant to have the same amount of work put into them as a normal playable race.

That said, Wretched couldn't be playable, seeing as they don't really exist anymore. When the Sunwell was restored, the addiction that Sin'dorei suffered from was sated. If there are any Wretched left, they would be far and few. If there is an undead allied race, it would probably be Forsaken Elves.

In lore, tauren are 12 ft. Tall, but are scaled down to about 6-7 ft. In game. The same could easily be done to Ogres. However, I would prefer they get the full playable race treatment rather than be made into an allied race.

[Nachtwulf]

I seem to recall someone asking a dev straight up why no ogres and that was the reason they stated for why they weren't going to add them.

[Valnaaros]

I don't recall that ever being asked. All I remember being said about Ogres in an interview was when Blizz said that they were very close to making them playable in Cata instead of Goblins. If what you said was in an interview, it is a weak reason. Lore from the Traveler has put Ogres at around 10 ft. In height, which is shorter than Tauren.

[Rozzana]

For me, the only concern I have over height is proportions. It's one thing to shrink a race down and another to make sure some of the limbs aren't awkwardly sized because of it. I know they had issues with it in the past and are in the process of fixing things now.