Good luck with the San’layn. Maybe you’ll get dem’ High Elf player voices now that we don’t have to push for the other thing.
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I love this concept! Keep up with the amazing ideas of how to implement San’layn (and other races) into the game, as playable races!
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I guess for races that end up as customization for currently existing races, there should be a list of reasonable things to expect with them.
Story that explains how they either joined the Horde/Alliance or become a bigger presence
Races like Wildhammer don’t need much, but races like the Troll Tribes joining the Horde need a bit more. All that is needed is a short cut scene at least that shows the reasons why they’re joining the Horde/Alliance. It can be something simple like the Wildhammer sending off their members on their gryphons across the lands to look for Sylvanas to something like Talanji rounding some Troll Tribes up to call on an agreement they had with the Zandalari to seek out Sylvanas, seeing as I’m sure Bwonsamdi isn’t going to be very happy about the stuff Sylvanas has caused.
A racial leader
Some of these do have a racial leader, such as Falstad for Wildhammer, but others that come up would need one also. Each Troll Tribe needs one and if San’layn become a customization option, then they need a leader also. They don’t need to have a huge presence, but to just be there in the game and occasionally pop up as needed in expansions adds a lot to the game, in my opinion.
A presence in the game
Another important thing for these customization races. They need to not be treated as if they’re their parent races. Sure, called all Dwarf clans dwarves and all Troll Tribes Trolls works, but they need to be something more than just their parent races cosplaying and LARPing.
They also should have story in-game. A race shouldn’t just be announced to be a customization race, plopped onto a parent race, and that’s it without any other thought of the matter. It just falls flat and does a disservice to that race. It doesn’t need to be a huge, epic event, but to have some presence in the story is fine.
For example: in a desert type area? Awesome! Get the Sand Trolls to help out the Horde in the area. Little things like that just helps with the world building.
Heritage armor and mounts
Heritage armor would be welcomed for any race customization options, but within reason, should be different than their parent race’s heritage armor.
Now, Troll Tribes could be like the Mag’har, where the heritage armor is roughly the same design with different colors or features, but would you expect a Wildhammer Dwarf to dress up as a Bronzebeard Dwarf’s heritage armor? Something like San’layn would likely have their own armor set that would be different from Blood Elves too.
As for mounts, again within reason, it would be cool to be able to get mounts meant specifically for customization races. Put them on a NPC merchant for anyone to buy if need be, but I think people would be happy to be able to have a mount specifically meant for them.
Have some of these customization races as NPC’s in some places
If some of these customization races are going to be joining the Horde/Alliance, add them to the world. Have some of the Troll Tribes hanging out in Orgrimmar, occasionally put some of them in faction quest hubs either as quest givers (with quest text of their own flair) or just hanging out in the general area.
Reasonable racials
So what do I mean by this? I don’t mean a fully revamped racial, but just some reasonable ones. Some would work fine for other races, such as making an argument for Troll Tribes having the same racials.
What I view as reasonable is something like Gilblins, assuming they become a customization race instead of having their own slot (I would prefer them as an allied race for the record), having water breathing. It’s something that would add to the character creation process to have some smaller racials like that, and while I realize that these customization options are likely meant for you to change in the barbershop, I feel that it’s reasonable to expect something with gills to be able to not drown underwater. It doesn’t need a complete racial revamp for every customization race, nor does it need to be something you have to balance around PvE and PvP, but some races would need something small like water breathing. I feel like something could be worked out where you wouldn’t feel the need to run to the barber shop to change your Goblin to a Gilblin because you need passive water breathing, but it’s the only example I can think of off the top of my head.
There is likely more people can add to the list, which I’d like to see what others think. The point is that customization races should be a part of your worldbuilding, not as just a feature you put in and just completely forget.
I will say by doing that, it does add a lot to the game for someone like me, even if some races don’t become their own thing. At the very least, it shows some love towards those races, and fans of those races will be happy to have something that differs them from their parent race, even if it isn’t a huge thing.
The point is that customization races should be able to have their own identity in some way. If done correctly, it would give WoW a breath of fresh air and I’m sure people could be happy with the results.
Just my opinion, of course.
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I’m still holding a gothic candle in hope for San’layn. 
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You and a few others are the reason why I sincerely… sincerely hope that Blizzard looks at specific posts in these threads. These ideas, along with many others of yours, are spot on. I really enjoy them, same with what Drede brought up. They’re golden (not the writer) and lovely.
These ideas deserve threads of their own too, much like I hope my “Night-Warrior-Like Questline” one is actually seen beyond the “San’layn for an Allied Race” part of the thread. Granted, yes, best case scenario for the San’layn community specifically WOULD be an Allied Race, but with how Blizzard seems to have no plans at all for more ARs for a while (though they went back on two things now that they said no to…) it seems doubtful. Especially with their habit of ignoring races people have been asking for and going with the new flavor of the week.
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Well, I do try with my ideas when inspiration strikes me. I’m sure some of my ideas aren’t totally perfect, however, and people could argue flaws with them. I certainly don’t fancy myself as a savant of any sort. Still, when it comes to certain aspects of the game, especially with races I really want playable, I do let passion flow through me while trying to be reasonable with my ideas.
As for Blizzard looking at these posts, I do hope they do that as well and, as I mentioned before, it is a reason I try to post ideas and such. Hopefully they don’t just scoff at me and think I’m a nerd with too much free time. They’re welcome to use any ideas I’ve presented if they actually like them. I’m not in this for fame, and all the thanks I need would just be making Saurok, Ogres, and San’layn as playable Horde races…I mean, most of my ideas and such I post on here involve them, so using any ideas would likely involve that to begin with. 
Oh speaking of which…
I just wanted to thank you for giving support as well. It is really appreciated, and it’s cool to see people come together in supporting the races they want playable. Thank you!
I said it before, and I’ll say it again: I dream of the day that we see Saurok, Ogres, and San’layn wandering in Orgrimmar, having been welcomed into the Horde as playable races. 
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I don’t think I’d be satisfied having San’layn as a skin. They are too unique to not have their own allied race option. Just because they share the same rig as blood elves doesn’t mean they would function as them. Given all the abilities we’ve seen from the San’layn in the game thus far, it would be a huge slap in the face to not include them.
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Still hoping for San’layn! Lots of great ideas are still popping up here.
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As someone who’s run this show for over two years, I’m with you there. Allied Race would be the most ideal and satisfying option. I fully believe they’re unique enough to be their own allied race, and could be given such an interesting story, especially with the vampire expansion coming up.
Problem is, the WoW community will just berate us for saying that because “Elves are getting too much” and such like that, not to mention everything that comes with wanting noble/regal vampires playable as opposed to the Venthyr (something again, not a fan of and would never play.) I feel Blizzard would likely listen to them more, to be honest, because our community just isn’t big enough to make an impact, though we did try.
Edit: Although evidently after the ‘no’ in April, they talked about matters due to community response so says WoWhead.
Keeping our discussions going therefore is important even if we are small. I can only hope they’re at least considering what the smaller AR communities and ideas have to say.
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I feel like putting San’layn as a customization option for Blood Elves could be similar to putting Forsaken as a customization option for Humans. Yes, they’re technically the same race just dead, but they would have different mechanics, culture, philosophy, potentially different classes, and certainly different racials among other things.
Sure, you could give Blood Elves undead skin tones, fangs and red eyes, and even change the voices to just sound different in tone, but would they still be a San’layn at this point? Not to mention my whole worry about customization races not getting story or in-game presence at all, for that matter.
Until we see how Blizzard handles customization races, I have to worry about that if San’layn happen to become one, they wouldn’t get the care to detail they need to be a fully fleshed race. There is a lot more I can say, but I would likely type enough for a thesis paper or two at this rate.
Another reason that I hope people still continue on with the different megathreads and continue supporting the races they want playable. Having support of some kind is better than nothing, and you never know what will happen in future expansions.
As I said before, I’m in it for the long haul.
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I’m really hopeful the June 8th interview will shed some light on lots of upcoming things in Shadowlands. I don’t want it to be limited to launch day stuff, but stuff they intend to rollout during the expansion. They’ve already said no allied races at launch, but .5 and 9.1 etc could bring those easily. From my understanding there’s no reason any of the races from the Shadowlands would ever be able to leave as they are bound to their duties and the magic that prevents them from leaving. So seems like the Azerothian races would be the ones to added to the list of playable options. I could see us as the “special” characters able to walk back and forth between life and death going back to Azeroth to a different “time,” as the story will progress in patches like the war campaign.
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Here’s to hoping we get some news on that next stream. I wonder if they’ll be going over things that haven’t been datamined, like more on Kael’thas. It’ll be interesting to see his expanded role. One thing I don’t think will happen is his return to Azeroth, but you never know!
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Hi, guys.
I want to say something for san’layn fans: don’t give up! Since BfA I had a feeling that your request was the most likely to come true. I still think so. Blood elf model remains unused for an allied race in the Horde and San’layn are a popular request, plus there’s something more to it.
I think we will get more allied race, probably 2, later in Shadowlands, in the last patches. I think Shadowlands will start in the realm of death, but the story will return to Azeroth before its end.
Lots of people have been hoping for playable venthyr, kyrian, night fae or necrolords, but I don’t think it will happen. They are immortal shepherds of souls from the afterlife, with no reason to serve mortal factions, meddle in mortal affairs or fight mortal wars. They do not have a civilization in the sense we are used to. They are cogs in the machinery of Death.
So, what I think will happen? When the war for the afterlife return to Azeroth, the denizens of the Shadowlands will seek out mortals to borrow their power and act in their interest. I think the allied races will be those touched by the powers of the beyond.
So… with Kael’thas as their patron or leader, we may see a new breed of San’layn, bound by a pact with the Venthyr and gifted with vampiric powers.
For Alliance, I have no idea, but maybe some kind of kyrian-blessed? Or fae-touched?
I don’t think we will see more than two allied races, but maybe we could even get four, who knows?
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I know it’s not the ideal (which is an actual allied race) but I am really keeping my fingers crossed for the June 9th interview to reveal more specifics about the new customizations forthcoming (hopefully they will hit the alpha at the same time and be datamined) and that Blood Elves, at the very least, get the red eyes and dark ranger skin options, if not also getting non-tentacle ports of the Void Elf hairstyles. My imagination says coupling some of those hair styles with dark ranger skin + red eyes would make an exquisite San’layn to RP with.
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I would advise to manage expectations on the upcoming event.
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Been really wanting to play something dark lately and I’m tired of zombies. Give me vampire elves or demon eredar. I have neeeeeds!
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To keep things upbeat and ideas flowing, I wanted to share some art I’ve collected over the past few months either through commissions I’ve gotten, or art I’ve actually done! (I’ve been trying to learn and get better!)
I’d appreciate if someone with the appropriate trust level could help me out 
The following pieces are by https://twitter.com/GaldersArt !
Reminder of this wonderful piece, Blood King Kael’thas!
https://imgur.com/8T1M0kD.jpg
This is Fallynn, the character I’m posting on Without her sunglasses:
https://imgur.com/Wy0l9TA.jpg
This is my character Salder, showcasing bat-like ears for San’layn This piece is by https://twitter.com/PrivateCoppery
https://imgur.com/PGkIyS6.jpg
The following pieces are by https://twitter.com/MizunoSuzuka !
Fallynn again! This time a fun concept of her having wings and a crown (which she doesn’t actually have)
https://imgur.com/4RGNyQS.jpg
<3
https://imgur.com/UwBLejz.jpg
This is my male San’layn, Elias, wearing bandages around his torso like the Blood Princes
https://imgur.com/0AU04Ck.jpg
This is my character Soul by https://twitter.com/jawbonesart He has shorter bat-like ears as well. And VERY importantly, FANGS!
https://imgur.com/tMpFjNe.jpg
One of my new characters, Set! This is by https://twitter.com/Kelandiir
https://imgur.com/NdWBhY2.jpg
Finally, this is Ares, who also has shorter ears. I like the half-mohawk style, can you tell? This is my https://twitter.com/dearHadrian who did a lovely job.
https://imgur.com/lSDFMen.jpg
Finally, some samples of my art! I’ve only been doing art for 33 days with no prior experience so go easy on me!
This is my guildie’s San’layn, Miira!
https://imgur.com/I4Dk5BD.jpg
Another one of my characters here, Apollo!
https://imgur.com/PESGstf.jpg
Anyone got any San’layn or vampire art they’d like to credit and share that could spark some ideas?
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yeah man give me vampire elves
i wanna suck some blood
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Trust level 3 powers are GO!
Remember to give Fallynn the likes for these images.
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Thanks so much as usual Bagzak, I appreciate it 
Figured prettying up the thread and sharing some creative ideas could bring a lot of fun. I love art so much!
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