It’s no secret that one of the things I’ve wanted more than anything is playable Amani, and I think everyone agrees that they would be Horde if playable. But, one thing I’ve tried to wrap my head around is how do you make that make sense with Blood Elves being a core piece of the Horde.
A lot has been said lately of the justifiable hatred the Amani have for Silvermoon and the bloody history between the two. But if we want them playable how do get to the point where an Amani Troll would come to the defense of Quel’thalas and vis versa as members of the Horde. Especially with the Horde abandoning them in the 2nd war and the Horde Amani conflict in BC and Cata. Is there a way to do this while being believable?
I think it can be but it will be difficult.
It needs to be brokered by the Zandalari and Southern Raventusk.
Kthix and the Ulatek campaign in 12.1 needs to be existential as a threat to the Amani requiring the aid of the Horde to survive
Setting a clear border with mutual acknowledgment of each others territory
if anything remains of the old Amani sacred sites under silvermoon have that be transferred to the Amani
Economic and security aid sent by Zandalar and Silvermoon to rebuild Zul’Aman post crisis.
I don’t see any other way to end the conflict, if it even can be ended. Should the Horde even go out of their way to court the Amani? How do you think we square the circle here?
I have never been a fan of playable Amani, because as far as I’m concerned, I don’t think they’d ever willingly work alongside the Blood Elves.
In Midnight they will, but this feels like an ‘alliance of convenience’ because Xal’atath poses the bigger threat. Once the threat is done with, so is the alliance.
That being said, playable forest trolls have been requested for decades at this point, so I feel like Blizzard is just going to shrug their shoulders and make them playable, if not during Midnight, then during the Last Titan in the same way the Harranir are becoming playable in the expansion after their introduction.
Plus, as Baal pointed out – The Alliance have Eredar, who the Draenei had far greater beef held over a far, FAR longer time than the elves + Amani
Anyway, the Revantusk alone (Zandalari too) acting as a segue to the Amani and the Blood Elves + the Horde making an amends and striving forward for the greater benefit of them ALL — would feel vastly more sensible than the genocidal “Whoopsiedasies” race joining the Alliance. lol
Honestly, these two alone + the hinted narratives we’re getting in Midnight should easily pave the way.
I’d rather Akilzon be their own thing, rather than attributed to just being the daughter of Ohnahra, but it’s also not something I’d be losing sleep over if they did write it that way. lol
Given how the Tauren use to all be quite nomadic before the Sundering, you could also reasonably argue they were saved by Nalorakk when journeying to or from the north-east (Amani regions) long ago
Just because the Alliance has a ridiculous racial combo (not that Eredar are a separate race; they just gave red skin options to the Draenei) doesn’t mean the Horde should get one. This is a race to the bottom, and I would think Horde players would not want to beat the Alliance there.
My stance on playable Forest Trolls has remained consistent from the get-go. I’m not opposed to Forest Trolls joining the Horde, but the ones that join should be the Revantusk, based out of Jintha’alor, which Blizzard could turn into a proper city instead of a ruin that hasn’t been updated visually since 2004.
If people want to take their Forest Troll and pretend they’re Amani trolls by wearing Amani-themed armour? More power to them; I don’t care. What I do care about is the lore and it not being pissed on because a bunch of whiny forumites demanding ‘Amani playable now!’ which was clearly written in half-eaten crayon.
I’m not arguing it’s a win, heck I always reason on the forums:
“Bad lore and writing in one aspect of the game – does not justify them in others.”
But the Revantusk are Amani trolls (of sorts) and they’re already on the Horde Adding to that with the Zandalari, I’d argue they’ve got quite a good decent set-up for the writing to pave the path forward to the Amani TRULY claiming power and finally getting a major victory — By joining the Horde.
Let’s be honest, the Horde and the Alliance are their own Empires within Azeroth at this point.
The Amani want to be part of a great empire once again? Their long-held allies offer them the ripe opportunity to do so.
If Kul Tirans are anything to go by, allied race as Amani trolls do use different skeletons compared to regular trolls or even Zandalari.
That way you have Zandalari covered by… Zandalari
Gurubashi tribes covered by the OG playable troll race (respective to WoW). Darkspears were once part of the Gurubashi empire after all. Aka Jungle Trolls (and that includes the Farraki tribe)
Then Amani covered by Amani. aka Forest Trolls.
Now what would the Alliance get as the counter? Who knows honestly.
If I recall correctly, the male Amani actually just use a beefier version of the existing Darkspear skeleton. The female Amani use the female Orc skeleton. Imo this would make being a customization a poor choice (even the existing upcoming “Amani appearance unlocks” just feel like a little something to hold people over) - that said, it would be a perfect fit for an Allied Race.
I am 100% in favor of Amani joining the Horde instead of Harranir. Improving relationship with Horde isn’t difficult. The only thing I would add is Amani own connection to Azeroth so they doesn’t fade in comparison to Harranir importance. They should have their own version of Coreway or Harandar. Or Amani Loa may have some special connection with world soul.
In my ideal universe, there’s another drop down menu for “nation” after picking race and collapse all the races onto their parent race, thus Human > SW / Strom / KT / Gilneas, AND everyone has access to multiple body types
For Trolls as a collapsed race I’d have 6 body types: baseline, zanda, thicc (amani)
IF IF we get them (in their npc models) playable
they will 99,999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999% surely be neutral
Because thast how modern blizz does things,
becuase why make 2thigns if cna do 1thing,
If I were going to try to make a story where Amani become part of the Horde, I think I’d have Talanji play a role. It seems like she is a figure whom the Amani might actually respect. Say she brings them in under her personal protection, as part of the Zandalari’s “ally” status where they are explicitly not subordinate to the Horde leaders. She could add that any violence toward the Amani will lead to retaliation from the Zandalari.
And then, of course, the Blood Elves should get a similar pledge of protection from any attack or betrayal on the part of the Amani, although I’m not sure who could give it to them. Maybe the Forsaken, who might actually scare the Amani somewhat, although that would work better if Sylvanas were still around to be the link between the Forsaken and Blood Elves.
It would be nice if Rokhan could be involved too, just to give the poor guy something to do.
Even if the alliance with the Zul’Aman tribes is an ‘alliance of convenience’, the Revantusk of the Hinterlands can easily be upgraded to playable status.
I am of the firm opinion that Forest Trolls should be their own playable race, especially since they have new models with Midnight.
I agree, and that’s what I’d prefer. I am not opposed to Forest Trolls joining the Horde. I just want Blizzard to make the playable Forest Trolls come from the Revantusk of Jintha’alor, rather than throwing them aside again in favour of the Amani, who have been opposed to the Horde and the Blood Elves for an extremely long time at this stage.
Likewise with the Last Titan, I want to see the Taunka officially become playable (or at least have customisation options given to Tauren players so they can make their own) because the Taunka have been part of the Horde, officially, since 2008, but they have neither become playable nor had their customisation options added to the game so that Tauren players can use them.
… Times Change.
Plus, as Baal pointed out – The Alliance have Eredar, who the Draenei had far greater beef held over a far, FAR longer time than the elves + Amani 
