They are though. They started off as allies of the Horde but with Cataclysm they became apart of it. Elder Torntusk outright states “We are proud to call ourselves the last tribe of Forest Trolls to serve the Horde.”
They fought in Cataclysm, battling both the Wildhammer and the Vilebranch to the point of claiming Jintha’Alor.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against the Amani joining us. I just dont want the Revantusk to be forgotten. Its why I’m hoping for a Forest Troll tribe reunion storyline, with at the very least the Amani and Revantusk coming together.
That’s what they did in Vanilla. However Cataclysm has shown that they joined. We have Elder Torntusk outright admitting that they are “striking out to claim more land in the name of the Horde” in the quest The Savage Dwarves. We see them openly support the Horde as they clash against the Alliance and the Vilebranch. We even have one of the dwarves telling Alliance adventurers that the tribe are in the Horde.
As far as I’m concerned that have joined the Horde, like the Stonemaul Ogres have, and it is a tragedy that neither are playable yet. That we are getting a playable Dwarven variant over them boggles the mind.
That is very true although circumstances can make unexpected alliance, as seen with the Blood Elves joining the Horde to begin with. Perhaps as the Void invades Quel’thalas, they attack Zul’Aman to resurrect Kith’ix, which of course sees the Amani under siege.
I can actually see a couple of ways that scenario can lead the Amani joining up with the Horde. Sheer pragmatism and recognizing that they need assistance, the Zandalari using their influence to open dialogue, the Revantusk tribe reaching out to their Blood Elven allies, and the Amani, let the Revantusk in story reputation of trustworthiness come into play, or we would even have an old veteran of the Second War connection between the Amani and the Orcs. Perhaps Eitrigg could be the face of a Orc Second War Veteran, while we would get Krul’tan from the Tides of Darkness novel over a new character being invented for the role.
We could even have a civil war among the Amani. Perhaps some side with the Void or operate as an independent faction determined to wipe out the Elves once and for all, while saner heads decide that with an all out invasion that would seek to claim them it would be better to have allies and reaching out to the Horde, perhaps through the Revantusk, to receive reinforcements and what not.
I Desperately want the Nerubians, it’s one of my most wanted.
As for Forest Trolls, I can seeing during Midnight the Blood Elves and Probably the Nightbourne as they are the tightest of Homies (Also their leaders are married.) going “Look, if you join The Horde, we will help you retake a bunch of your lands and get the Amani Nation back up and running.”
Given the Void Shenanigans, the Alliance might even agree to help a bit in exchange for their aid in the conflict.
I can see the Sin’dorei apologizing for past crimes of invading their lands (With Oversight from the Zandalari, Darkspear, Probably the Reventusk, and Maybe the Shatterspear (A reminder the Shatterspear joined The Horde proper.).) and try to make amends, whereas the Alliance will probably just tolerate them.
Though I would also like to see in Midnight the San’layn becoming proper members of The Horde (Hilariously they could also do it with the 3rd Expansion as they fit for both of the latter 2.).
Quel is planned to be the focal point for Midnight, not TWW. Also, plans could very well change between now and the Midnight alpha… I wouldn’t put money on anything just yet.
The suspected ‘hidden’ allied races for TWW have been well documented by data miners and YouTubers.
This would be something I’d like to see too… more so than the bat elves who look like a missing link between dark trolls and NE. Humanoid nerubian would be leagues better than another race of elves and far more than another dwarf or human race being added. Give us the spider people or give us Saberon finally… at this point humans, elves and dwarves are getting boring. I’d even settle for a new gnome variant but I don’t think they’re going to try full robotic gnomes after the flop that was the cyborg ones not many folk play
For an Allied race to be interesting to me, they have to showcase something that makes them physiologically, culturally, or builds on temporary or established world building. In other words, an allied race is only interesting if it isn’t a “finished” race.
So they can provide a new perspective, new racials, new cultural perspectives on what’s an acceptable class (an example: Warlocks is a “forbidden” or “taboo” class due to it’s lore, but Vulperan culture is entirely about nomadic survival meaning that warlocks aren’t shunned); something that is more interesting than merely a recolourization of an established race.
Which is why suggestions of “Add Forest Trolls” or “Add ‘X tribe that has nothing really unique about them from a player perspective’ because I like them” is so boring… Could they add races like those? Sure!
But then it has to be specifically a deviation from established lore because otherwise they are just as interesting as someone saying “Add Timbermaw Hold as a playable race”. Because at that point you don’t even need to have an idea of the race but you can just go “Add <“name of tribe”> as a playable race!” and it has the same level of unique flavour to them.
If a pre-existing “race” (Amani isn’t a race, they are a tribe - it is noteworthy because Kul’Tirans are humans but they are at least different humans with different traditional physiological traits making them (from a player perspective choosing a race) effectively a new race) is added they have to do something that fundamentally changes them to make them more unique.
Otherwise it would be a pretty poor addition to the game if a void elf using all blood elf customization options is more unique than an entire race, simply because they shimmer purple at times.
I just want Allied Races to be creative and unique… rather than the same thing beaten over the head over and over again. Void Elves are just Blood Elves but c’mon! They at least have an incredibly interesting connection to the Void which has tremendous implications and possibilities. So even another flavour of a Kitchensink Elf is at least unique from that perspective.
Deviation from norms is fun. That’s what Allied Races are. Not massive ones that require entire starting zones and expansions to explain why we should care that they joined one faction or another, but merely just an expansion of WoW’s world building.
Which not only works better in terms of WoW’s other races but is also more interesting and unique than just lifting Nerubians and slapping the colour blue or red onto them.
It isnt interesting and unique, its boring and predictable due to wows focus on making “evolved creatures” all look humanoid and the same but with a different shade.
Nothing beats the absolute critical creative trasvesty than every race getting turned into a small blue human in the after life, “kyrians”.
Amani trolls are super buff and have altered Physiology as most troll tribes do according to their environment or how they survive.
They also have great lore achievements that I mentioned prior, would be useful to have a war hungry buff trolls for the return of their ancient enemy.
Edit:
Also your elves stole magical techniques from the Amani, as when the high elves invaded their land, they were surprised that the “primitive trolls” had superior magic to their own.
After the elves commissioned the humans for help(teaching them arcane) did they succeed in taking their lands.
Most troll tribes have different things they specialize in or unique to their tribe, be it magic or some voodoo unique to them and even have Loas not seen anywhere else along with some we already know elsewhere.
If we can focus the Amani on their ancient enemy amd have Zandalari mend the ties of hate, we could see their creativity foster again.
They were the first tribe to weaponize their Loa by caging them and draining their power, of course this was forbidden.
There was also tricks they learned from the elves themselves.
I know the chances are very slim, but I’m really hoping we get a small, cute gremlin for Alliance like Kobolds or Niffen. I’d also be really content with just a cooler race though like the Naga. Really I just want anything new races wise that isn’t similar to anything we have right now…
