Trolls are a more “natural” species. They’re a part of the fabric - the backdrop, specifically - ofvthe setting. With a few exceptions, Allied Races aren’t “background” characters. They require a little extra context.
And no Allied Races require a reputation grind anymore.
Then just add them to the character creation screen from the start if there is no requirement.
Yes, I know, that would feel odd. I stand by my comment - create a small storyline for the reason for their being available, then make them available. I can practically guarantee you, a lot more players would make allied race toons if that were the case. If you check the stats on allied races, with a few standout exceptions, the majority of them are hardly played at all.
We all choose our hills, I suppose. 
Personally, I think all the major hurdles have been removed. Now, all that is required is that you have an existing character to establish the “norm” for the faction. That baseline is needed for contrast to know why the Allied Races are notable.
But I get what you’re saying - it’s a legitimate stance. I suppose I’m just part of a dying breed that sees the value in certain restrictions.
I am fine with the look of Dracthyr but anyone (and I’m really speaking of some select YouTubers here) who thinks their design opposed to Draknoids is some sort of nod to fetishists really doesn’t understand what they’re talking about. There are definitely plenty who would admire hulk-sized dragon people.
Yep. I’m one of them. And I’m sure that many of the people that hate Dracthyr would have had their opinion on them softened if they were announced alongside each other. Most people that dislike Dracthyr dislike them because they represent an unmet expectation rather than on their own merits (or lack thereof).
Earthen Druids would be interesting. It would also let them lean more into the “automatons gone feral” aspect of their fantasy.
Sethrak or Drakonid, one of these two reptile races would be nice
we got enough Mammals
I think they’re cool but I love dwarves, being able to be a dwarf on horde is fine. Dwarves are unpopular character race as it is. Giving BEs to Alliance had a much greater effect on them… because well people like hot chicks.
I like the idea of the Earthen I just wish that they were given a more unique look. This is mostly as I tend to create melee character, which means all that makes them unique will be lost under the armor and helmet. A warrior Earthen looks no different than a normal dwarf when you encase them in armor.
Which brings up the question of why a race whose skin is made of stone would need to encase themselves in armor in the first place.
Uhhh… Ummm… They were… ahh… made out of… Saronite? …By Loken… or something…
Drakonid have some narrative meat to them. I’ll never understand when people so voraciously beg for those one zone wonders like Sethrakk. And Vulpera, for that matter.
Nor do I understand Blizzard’s inclination to implement those one zone wonders instead of races with a storied history.
It’s actually interesting to note on those asking for Vrykul - when imo the story and lore really heavily implies that the Kul Tirans, the big ones at least, are descendants of the Vrykul known as the Drust who once lived there
Vrykul and Kul Tirans.
I mean look at their faces. The Kul Tirans actually look A LOT like them. Just give them a non-fat option and people wouldn’t complain as much
Imagine if they did playable Naga that you had to unlock.
Had a story that built up Naga regaining legs, and possibly the ability to transform between their Naga and Highborne forms.
Just like the Worgen and Human forms.
Maybe it’d be like a faction of Naga that diverged from the Queen - and found a ritual which gave them that.
Get racial buffs like faster swimming
You do realize the real problem is having three different flavors of the same thing right?
It’s one thing to have two, which is already a problem Draenei, Orcs, Taurens and guess who next Dwarfs have (making an exception for Mecha gnomes here, they are different enough compared to their counterpart, and Zadalari Trolls even more), all those 4 should have their ‘Allied Races’ as customizations, simply because you don’t need to separate it as a “new race” just to give the idea that it’s another race with another lore, etc, could’ve been done in character customization. And the great thing is, if that was the case, we would have 4 slots to other amazing options we already have in the game just waiting or even new ones (truly new ones), and I guess now with War Within this could’ve been five completely unique races.
Void Elves can be one exception to all that but just because you have the need for them to have an icon in the side of the Alliance while choosing faction and race.
In the end this in not an issue in the universe/lore side of things, it’s on the gameplay side. From the perspective of lore we have a new race! Unique in many ways, just like all the allied races are, but on the side of gameplay, the ones we as players interact the most, this is just a third dwarven race… Perhaps the only difference is that supposedly Horde will be able to use it too, and if not for that, they would have no defense.
Disagree. I think people would be totally fine with new if the new race is cool or attractive or badass or cutesy or comedic or w/e fills a lot of people’s character fantasy.
The problem with Earthen isn’t that we aren’t invested in them, the problem is they are short, stout, ugly little dirt creatures. Who’s character fantasy does that fulfill, or who wants to get invested in that in the first place?
Of course some people will make them just cuz its something different, but obviously not many people are going be excited for what they are.
There again, people didn’t need them to be a familiar model we already knew, the problem is they don’t match most people’s idea of cool or badass. They are awkward and derpy looking, and that just isn’t most people’s character fantasy.
I don’t see that as an issue, as the entire appeal of the Allied Race system is to use existing assets and give them a unique coat of paint. Low investment, but relatively high reward. They’re able to give players an avenue of expression, exploring a new fantasy without having to invest in an entirely new player model.
This is a win for both sides, particularly when the alternative to getting a reused model is not getting a new model; the alternative is getting nothing.
They have nothing to do with the next expansion and weren’t going to be shoehorned into it to appease the Alliance. I don’t expect them to be integral to stories about Quel’Thalas or a return to Northrend, either.
Because one was easier to add and actually fit Blizzard’s definition of an allied race (read: races related to core races by species and/or rig, not every NPC that’s mildly popular with players), on top of having a dedicated daily hub with a rep for both factions and a mega-dungeon, and the Alliance interacted with them for longer than 15 minutes. The sethrak were hardly even the focus of their own zone, they shared it with the Zandalari and vulpera.
They weren’t. If they were, they would be among the NPC races whose models can be viewed and geared in Wowhead’s dressing room and they would have scale colors other than single shades of green, black, white, and brown.
The earthen must have been chosen during a Microsoft teams meeting when no one objected because they were working on their other screens.
Eh, given the setting, they make enough thematic sense. But I suppose their chilly reception - as cool as they may be regardless - reveals that players simply don’t want “new” races. At least not before we get the existing roster up to par.
Should’ve been Miqo’te.