Earlier this week we
reported on Nethaera's
stunning revelation that faction changes were in the works. Yeah, I was just as amazed. It might just be an idea at the moment, a work in progress which we might not get access to until a patch or even the next expansion. The logistics are mind-boggling. Would this be a literally blending of species into factions so Humans could join the Horde and Taurens the Alliance or would your character literally be transformed into another species? How exactly would the lore work around that? We've had
character customisation for a while now and the ability to change gender but changing faction and possibly even species. That a whole new kettle of fish.
So, constant readers, in the wake of this bombshell I'm very eager to know what you think. Does the very idea of changing faction seem contrary to how the game works? Would you consider jumping factions? Would you rather see characters choose whether to become Horde or Alliance? Could you change your very species to join the opposing faction? From a lore perspective, how do you think would this work and, indeed, does it need to have a basis in lore? After all no one questioned the gender change. What do you think?
Tags: breakfast-topic, breakfast-topics, character-customization, factions, forum, forums, horde-vs-alliance, nethaera, work-in-progress
Filed under: Blizzard, News items, Breakfast Topics, Forums
Jul 1st 2009 at 8:00AM 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 12)
tondef2 Jul 1st 2009 8:04AM
I would.
And I'm hoping that they make this where I can combine faction, name, and server change all in one.
Balmer Jul 1st 2009 9:33AM
I Agree, I have said that if you change faction, and server at the same time it really won't make all that much of an ompact on anything.
Robert M Jul 1st 2009 9:38AM
Good luck with that, this faction stuff is Blizzard's great joke.
To them we are Dr. Seuss' the Sneetches, and they are pulling up and allowing those of use without stars upon thars to get our stars.
Let's remember that after the sneetches are all out of money, Sylvester McMinkey McBean packs up his machine and leaves the Sneetches to contend with all the faction changing they did.
And what of faction changing? I'm sure the hordies will find elitist pigs that play for the alliance, and the alliance players will find immature morons that play for the horde.
Save your cash, be a smart Sneetch.
http://fatchickstank.blogspot.com/
Jimbo Jones Jul 12th 2009 11:20AM
That would be ideal.
I came back into the game via a Recruit-a-Friend, with my friend, who I had introduced to the game years ago. We were all Horde back in the day, but he decided to roll a Dranei Warrior, who is now his only 80. Hence, Alliance became his main. Well, I've now got a 60 lock/druid, Human and Nelf, respectively...
And I would give ANYTHING to get off this damned RP server, onto a PVP server, and turn my Human Lock into an Undead, and my Nelf Druid into a Tauren. Ideally, to also transfer onto my old account with my 80 DK and 70 Shammy.
Netherscourge Jul 1st 2009 9:42AM
If they don't let you flip races, then what city would you call your "Home" city?
Where would you go to buy your racial Mount?
Ex.: If you're a Night Elf and you want to go Horde, are you forced to get only Wolf/Raptor/Strider/Horse mounts? Will all your Exalted Reps with the Alliance Cities be flipped to Horde Reps? Or will you get knocked back down Neutral and have to run all Horde quests to get up again?
I wonder if it might be easier to just flip races and factions at the same time. Question is - can you pick and choose your race? Or are you stuck with a pre-determined counter-race.
So many questions about this need to be ironed out.
crsh Jul 1st 2009 9:57AM
@Netherscourge
The way I understand it, changing factions would likely mean changing your character's race as well. Seems like a big jump, but having Horde Night Elves and Alliance Taurens (example) wouldn't make much sense.
On the other hand, changing races poses another set of issues; unless they completely loosen the race/class restrictions in place, a Tauren druid could only switch to a Night Elf druid for instance, while any Horde hunters would have 3 race options when switching to Alliance (Dwarf, Night Elf or Draenei).
Remains to be seen how they will set this up, I don't imagine it's going live very soon.
Matt Jul 1st 2009 10:36AM
I personally don't buy into the idea that Horde Night Elves and Alliance Taurens don't make sense. Ever war in human history no matter how brutal has had betrayers. The warcraft Universe is no different. If you look at the fractured nature of the Blood Elves and High Elves after the events of the Sunwell it seems like that some Blood Elves might think its time to mend fences and return to the Alliance. At the Same time Some Gnomes might be getting angry that the Alliance still hasn't cleared all the Trogs out of Gnomeregan. If you want to find a reason in game for why people would switch sides you can find one. And it in all honestly is a chance for some good story telling no society is perfect and the Horde And Alliance are no different. In showing why a Race leaves there faction Blizz could use that as a chance to the challenges and troubles each race is facing.
Josin Jul 1st 2009 11:00AM
"And I'm hoping that they make this where I can combine faction, name, and server change all in one. "
Me too. That will make for much more epic guild bank ninja stories in Guildwatch!
Condor Jul 1st 2009 12:23PM
It never occurred to me that they would allow you to be an Alliance Tauren or something and I really doubt they would do that (without a whole "Benedict Arnold" expansion!). I would bet that either:
A) Every Human would become an Orc, Nightelf-Undead, Gnome-Tauren a'la Orb of Deception race-links. This, however, breaks a lot of race/class restrictions as crsh pointed out.
B) The more likely option, they'll let you choose whichever race you want that supports your class. So I could change my draenai shaman into an orc, tauren or troll while a horde shaman could only choose draenai.
The real issue and the one that Blizzard mentioned had yet to be worked out, is the gear details. It's easy to transfer rep based on the race-links but what about the really difficult faction-reps like Winterspring? Will my Winterspring Saber turn into the new Ravasaur Raptor withouth having to grind the faction? I can't think of anything that's truly faction-exclusive. Even the Chicken Egg from http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=3861 is lootable by horde. Most everything else can be transferred over the Neutral AH one way or another.
Then again, they could just wipe that stuff. That's easier.
Max Jul 1st 2009 12:58PM
I hope they allow same-faction race changes. I would kill to change my troll to an UD mage, will of the forsaken is just too good to pass up.
Nina Jul 1st 2009 2:21PM
@ Robert
Wether I agree with you or not is irrelevant.
The Sneeches analogy just won you +5 internets.
dawnseven Jul 1st 2009 4:09PM
Netherscourge made a great point that I hadn't thought of. What of reps and mounts? I had assumed that a faction change would equal a race change and I already decided not to do it (I have a few horde and a few alliance and I don't need or want everyone on one side). I further agree that most people are probably already playing their preferred faction and that the group that might take Blizz up on this offer would likely be small, relatively speaking.
But I'm thinking yeah ... The Horde can't ride cats due to faction restriction, so if you have an ally with a cat, you lose your cat. Feel free to help yourself to a wolf, kodo, etc. but the cat has to go. As for the rep, I think it's a given that you lose all your alliance rep with stormwind etc. And since all those opening hordie quests would be open to you upon a faction change I'd say you should be able to grind all your horde rep up if you're willing to put in the effort. But what about the neutrals? Should they be kept or should they be dumped as well since again, all the horde-side quests are open and you can grind whatever you want rep-wise.
There has to be a deterrent to this on top of dropping 25 bucks and I think the mount thing and especially the rep thing would take care of that. If your friends or family is playing one faction and you're not able to really make use of a toon you got to a high level in another faction then maybe the "penalty" you have to incur is worth it to you and in that case by all means put in for a faction change. If you're just a snot nosed 11 year old home on summer vacation and looking for a faction change so you can run rampant in some battlegrounds and get you some phat lewtz and then you plan to switch back to your preferred faction and return to your friends, then think again. It won't be worth it.
Dightkuz Jul 1st 2009 8:05AM
Nah, female tauren druid > female nelf druid.
Todd Jul 1st 2009 8:06AM
No I'm already Horde.
offday Jul 1st 2009 9:34AM
No, I'm already alliance.
kooda Jul 1st 2009 10:58AM
So does this mean i can turn my tauren shaman into a troll shaman or can i only go to (draeni?) (draenei?) ????
Todd Jul 1st 2009 10:59AM
"So does this mean i can turn my tauren shaman into a troll shaman or can i only go to (draeni?) (draenei?) ????"
Yes
Melvyl Jul 1st 2009 12:50PM
Ah, but then there is the possibility of the double-switch: Tauren to Draenei to Troll. Toss in a gender change as well and you could totally confuse your friends.
gordon.allan Jul 1st 2009 8:06AM
I wouldnt change my main, but I would certainly move my NE rogue over to horde and hopefully be able to change it to UD. I'm pretty sure thats what most people would use the service for, bringing alts over instead of rerolling.
Banndit Jul 1st 2009 8:30AM
I love my rogue who is also a Nelf. But I rerolled Horde and my Nelf Rogue will be turning to the dark side finally. His flesh will rot and his hair will spike.
Only thing I'll miss will be the awesome saber mounts but that is the price u must pay to be Horde.
FOR THE HORDE!!!