TLDR: The naga might be implemented as a playable race, but not anytime soon; one possibility I have not yet seen discussed to facilitate their introduction is using and embracing mutations.
So like many other fans of the naga, I, too, have desired the creation of a naga playable race. The naga are, to me, among the most intriguing of the races introduced before the WoW MMORPG was made. While they continue to be portrayed as uniformly evil, fanatical, and corrupt (with the possible exception of the Illidari naga), I still think there is a lot of potential for them long after theyâve stopped being ârelevantâ (at least for now) after BfA. The naga have long been on the list of races the developers would like to make playableâŠso after all these years, why havenât they been made playable yet?
Well, after reading a bunch of forum posts on the topic, and reading someoneâs interesting âNazâdoreiâ idea, I had a dreadful epiphany. There really is no plausible way (consistent with existing lore) to really go about integrating a playable naga race anytime soon, is there? The naga have become one of the most awkward races to work with, and everybody has different ideas of how they should look and act (while also considering the limited resources available to make them work in time for the next expansion they are introduced). For example, how do we rig armor to them? Do their snake tails wrap around their mounts somehow, or will they use some form of magical transformation while traveling? Then there is the dilemma of their extreme, by the standards of currently playable races, amounts of sexual dimorphism, both in their culture/behavior and their physical appearance.
Of course, someone might suggest, well, why donât we just make another offshoot of elf that became less corrupted and transformed but monstrous enough to qualify as naga? Why donât we make the saurok or the sethrak playable? If we needed both factions to have an aquatic race, we can do ankoans for the Alliance and gilblins for the Horde, or something like that. Well, unfortunately for me, the naga are too special to ignore. Also unfortunately, due to the many limitations, the classic snake-tailed naga cannot be implemented as a playable raceâŠ
However, I still have hope. If the âmakeoverâ the naga got in Legion is any indication, it is that there are still plenty of ideas worth exploring for the naga that might one day make them more compatible as a playable race. Uniquely among the races, the naga feature a lot of variety in the form of mutants (thanks to Queen Azsharaâs bargain with NâZoth). Similar to the Zerg from Starcraft, the naga appear to stratify class/role based on oneâs own mutations. The hulking naga brutes (which curiously do not have long snake tails) are the shock troopers. The six-legged naga centaurs are commanders. The three-tailed naga tower above the slithering legions as something akin to inspiring leaders (like Queen Azshara herself). These are recent examples, but even all the way back in Burning Crusade, we had the menacing, heavily armored naga lords, like High Warlord Najâentus in Black Temple. Even the extreme sexual dimorphism in the âstandardâ naga might be due to these highly variable mutations.
So, given what we know about the naga now, I think it may be possible for playable nagas to be the result of mutations, particularly mutations that are not restricted by gender. In fact, mutations might even be a racial mechanic similar to the Zandalari trollâs loa blessings. For example, how about we allow males with four arms (perhaps providing a chance at an extra melee attack or reducing spellcasting time; unfortunately extra equipment slots would be broken, so maybe they are reduced/vestigial arms or something), or females that have muscular strength? Maybe some naga might have a venomous bite?
The way I see it, the naga can be a way to embrace variety in appearance, and there is not yet a playable race that does this that I can think of. Naga have already been fitting their own ânicheâ, but I still see a lot of potential for that niche to be expanded further, and be portrayed in a positive light. Naga could be like the Zerg from Starcraft, but more individualistic and less hive-minded. I would also see playable naga as similar to the void elves; they are cursed, but can use their powers as a blessing.
I know that ideas are not normally solicited on the forums, and this essay is not a serious attempt at persuading people to support the idea. However, there are few other places where a suggestion can go. I donât have data or numbers to present, but Iâm convinced that, out of the thousands of ideas that the community produces here, a few are bound to be similar to what is actually implemented in game. So really, Iâm posting this so I can see, how much do you like any idea of the naga as a playable race? What do you think is the most plausible idea for a playable naga race (or perhaps a playable race in general)?
Iâm interested to see what others might have to say about it! 
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nagas can go any direction though. Despite the potential incompatibilities (such as lightforged draenei vs void elves) and old hatreds by the night elves, I donât see a strong reason why naga couldnât join the Alliance. I was kind of expecting Nightborne to go Alliance, but they joined the Horde instead. So much for a night elf family reunion! 