What characters of the different races do you think should be developed more and deserve more screen time? They don’t have to have cinematics and front page features, but having character development through questing and interaction at least. For example, I really enjoyed getting more of Gazlowe in Mechagon. Here’s a few others of mine:
Darkspear Trolls - any of them, even Rokhan. In Shadows of the Horde, Vol’jin implies he has a mate and possibly children. In game (that may now not be canon), he has more than one child with Yenniku being his youngest son.
Worgen - again, any except for Genn. Genn seems to be the only notable worgen in existence with Crowley not having any real significance since Cata. The only other notable Gilneans are Tess and Lorna Crowley and neither of them are worgen.
Humans - House of Nobles with villain potential.
Orcs - I’ve always loved Shokia and want to see more of her.
Undead - Belmont, but I’ll take anyone that’s not Sylvanas or Nathanos.
Night Elves - I’ve got no one in mind specifically, but I’d love a more ruthless NE (that’s not Maiev) front and center.
Morka Bruggu from A Good War. She just sailed off on a Night Elf ship and we never saw her again or got to see what she thought about the burning of Teldrassil.
I believe if we see Shokia again, it will be as a villain. Her, Zaela, Thalen Songweaver, and Harrowmeiser (the goblin whose zeppelin was commandeered by the Alliance in Howling Fjord) were all part of the plot to break Garrosh from prison in War Crimes. However, Zaela excluded for obvious reasons, I would like to see everyone I just listed again.
But let’s do a full answer, since I like the question you’re asking:
Darkspear Trolls - Rokhan, obviously. At the very least, give him a unique model. On top of that, Vanira, Gadrin, Zen’tabra, and Bwemba all would make very intriguing power players if they ever decided to expand on a post-Vol’jin society on the Echo Isles.
Worgen (and Gilneas in general) - I was very happy to see Lorna and Tess again in Legion, but I feel like Darius (and Eitrigg) was added in as sort of an afterthought. I’d love if both him and Ivar Bloodfang could see some action commanding the Alliance outside of Gilly.
Humans - I feel like humans have gotten more than their fair share of development this expansion, but gun to my head, Tyrathan Khort. Great seeing him at Vol’jin’s funeral, but disappointed he didn’t do much outside of just being present at Trueshot Lodge. Maybe Danath Trollbane as well - it’s sort of strange seeing him at Stromgarde, but not seeing him involved in the story in a meaningful way (his character is literally interchangeable with Muradin and Turalyon in BfA).
Orcs - Nazgrel. We haven’t seen him since Outland, and he’d make a great figure for orcish society in a time when orcs are dropping like flies. Also, in an expansion where the Forsaken are called into the spotlight, I’d really like to see a followup on Drek’Thar and the Frostwolves animosity towards them in Cata.
Undead - I’ve always had a soft spot for Dark Ranger Velonara, so to be quite honest, seeing her get her time in the limelight (polarizing as it is) makes me quite happy. Otherwise? Dumass.
Night Elves - Prince Farondis. Not having him in Nazjatar - a city full of dead elves like him - felt wrong, but I have hope now that Azshara’s not dead.
Blood Elf - I agree, Rommath.
Tauren - Funny you mention the Grimtotem, because my answer here is Jevan Grimtotem, the one who joined up with Baine to cast Magatha out of Thunder Bluff after Cairne’s death. It’s strange to me that we haven’t seen him whatsoever following the Shattering, since he played such a big part in bringing members of the Grimtotem into the tribe. If you ask me, Magatha stole his slot as a Shaman Champion.
Gnomes - If we’re going to see Mechagnomes become an Allied Race, I’d like to see Prince Erazmin gain some more development. It seems likely this will occur if the recruitment quest ends up being restoring Mekkatorque to life via mechanization, so this is probably going to occur. I’d also like to see more of G.E.A.R. outside the Heritage armor questline.
Dwarves - Honestly, Muradin has never really felt like that much of a unique presence in the way that Moira, Falstad, Magni or Brann have. I’d like it if the leader of the Bronzebeard Dwarves did something to differentiate himself from the other dwarves.
Draenei - GO BACK AND SAVE YREL’S CHARACTER!!
Goblins - If the shift in the Bilgewater hierarchy that I theorize is coming actually occurs, I’d like to see figures like Boss Mida and Sassy Hardwrench move up the chain of command under Trade Prince Gazlowe.
Here name is Shendruk. She was created for this cutscene. We imagined that this is someone who's been actually probably a soldier on the battle lines in this region, you know, between like the orcish line of going into Ashenvale. She's probably a character who's been there, right, and that had some experience. And I know there's been some conversation about the way she talks about Night Elves. Part and parcel, right, when you're not talking about the game mechanics, right - we know that Night Elves are insanely powerful - but part and parcel, if you've lived in this world, there's going to be a lot of Night Elves in this forest that are just civilians, right? When she's been patrolling that area, by and large, she's probably only witnessed, you know, conflicts between the normal Night Elves. You know, the ones that just live [there]. You would have never encountered the Archdruid. You never would have ever encountered [a "single Night Elf" that "could do all that"], right? So a lot of her impressions are just based on like, "Oh, yeah, I've seen- I've had scuffles with the Night Elves for however many years and I've never had any trouble with them," right?
She’s very dismissive. And the faces even, right? Incredibly well animated. While he knows- * Points dramatically at Nathanos * - He knows exactly how serious this is. And she’s all like, “Pff. Whatever,” because again, as we talked at the beginning, she has dealt with, you know, ordinary Night Elves probably her whole career defending, you know, the Barrens fronts. Never personally encountered Malfurion. But he has * Pointing at Nathanos again. * He knows exactly who he’s talking about.
True but it’s been a long while since MoP and Warcrimes and I can’t help not love her any less. Admittedly, I would be bummed if she did reappear as a villain.
I totally forgot about him, but he’d be excellent.
As for Draenei, I was never sold on Yrel’s character so I’m pretty meh about her. I’d love to see another Maraad like character though, perhaps even Lightforged. It’s incredibly depressing that the only real lightforged character we have with some personality to them isn’t even a Draenei. And Turalyon is a very low-set bar when talking about personality.
Rokhan, Tess Greymane, Lorna and Darius Crowley, Ivar Bloodfang, Tyrathan Khort, Danath Trollbane, Turalyon, Captain Fareeya, Grand Lector Enaara, Grand Vindicator Sorvos, Baraat the Longshot, Archmage Y’mera, Sky Admiral Rogers, Rommath and Halduron, Mordent Evenshade, Muradin and Falstad, Aysa and Ji, Sassy Hardwrench, Megs Dreadshredder, G.E.A.R. (Captain Tread Sparknozzle, Cog Captain Herk Winklespring, Fizzi Tinkerbow, Emaedi Autoblast), Jevan Grimtotem, Tandred Proudmoore, Arator, Jarod Shadowsong, Broll Bearmantle, Vindicator Boros, Eitrigg, Liadrin, Mayla, Geya’rah, Valtrois, Jale Rivermane, Farnell.
Frankly, I’m holding myself back to name anyone else here. We already have an incredibly vast set of characters at our disposal, but the story insists on continuously using the same few characters. Don’t get me wrong, I like Jaina and Genn, and I’m alright with Nathanos, but there’s so many other angles and stories that can be explored with different characters. Allied race characters should have a greater agency in the story, too. Void elves get their moment in the war campaign, but that’s about it. A Lightforged shows up to die in the war campaign.
Warfronts are a fairly poor excuse to cycle characters so they have something of a presence, but you barely interact with said characters and most of them barely appear outside their warfronts. Mission board characters are even worse, since you don’t even see them.
Taran Zhu - maybe some Yalia and Taoshi to accompany him. Ideally development that is wholly separate from the Alliance-Horde war, maybe regarding N’Zoth.
To deviate from the “standard” responses, I want to see more death knights and any demon hunters. I’m fairly certain that after 7.2, there was quite literally zero demon huntery ingame, apart from Illidan of course.
While not really answering your question, I was sad that we don’t see that naga from Borean Tundra again. Granted, we would have likely killed her had we, but still.
I’m less interested in characters for their own sake and more for what they can add to the world–and I’d like to see better-developed undead and gnomish priests. The Forsaken follow a heretical, void-worshipping sect. Gnomregan priests call on the Light, if I understand correctly, through their basically religious belief in their own brilliance. Both ideas have appeal–and I’d like to see how they’d play out in center-stage characters.
I’m not sure who specifically I’d nominate, though. Any ideas from anyone else?