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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBreakfast Topic: Would you play a Worgen or a Goblin?
by Zach Yonzon 
Jul 18th 2009 at 8:00AM
It's not that far-fetched, either. The Undermine, the home of the Goblins, is situated near the Maelstrom. Remember how Blizzard trademarked Cataclysm, which in Azerothian terms actually refers to the events around the Maelstrom? That means we just might see The Undermine in the next expansion. So Goblins aren't such a wild idea.
But what about the Worgen?
Well, remember how the human nation of Gilneas holed up behind the Greymane Wall? Who knows what's been happening behind that wall? And why are there so many werewolves hanging around there? Pretty curious. I'm sure we'll find out soon enough, though, considering Blizzard's been teasing us about it. These masks just might be more of the same.
Here's the deal, though... if Worgen and Goblins do become the next playable races, will you play them?
Would you play Goblin or Worgen?
It's not clear which side either race will be on, but some of you guys made great points yesterday - the Horde need a 'short' race. Goblins also man Horde zeppelins and run the Engineering shop in Orgrimmar. So playable Goblins could be Horde. On the flip side, Gilneas was a human town, so if it turns out to be a werewolf settlement, they just might ally themselves with the Alliance. Does this mean you'd pay for a faction change just to play a Worgen? What are your thoughts on this wild speculation?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Expansions, Rumors, Cataclysm
Reader Comments (Page 20 of 21)
Prinnygod Jul 19th 2009 5:56PM
Make a poll out of this.
Druid4Life Jul 19th 2009 6:27PM
Maybe a new druid form in the making???
Just a thought
Malek Jul 19th 2009 7:25PM
I would say that the wolf masks are almost certainly Wolvar, rather than Worgen. Would make a lot more sense as a playable race too; you even do a quest in Dragonblight called 'Planning for the future' where you collect Wolvar pups...
Elry Jul 20th 2009 12:17AM
I was wondering why so many people here were thinking that the Worgen would be Alliance considering the Forsaken are not. The "gift of Elune" isn't necessarily true, as the scythe might not have been from Elune. But nevertheless, other people here have mentioned it, and Carnagefiend said something along the lines of:
"In any case, they're related to ... the Alliance."
Well, so are the Forsaken.
The night elves, being second furthest from that human "look" shared by humans, dwarves (like short humans) and gnomes (like human children) because of their height, purplish skin-tones and exaggerated ears, don't have a fully trusting relationship with the humans as it is, so what would the humans' likely response be to the Night Elves asking them to accept a load of werewolves they've summoned into their ranks? :S The humans (who let's face it, decide who's in or out of the alliance) don't particularly like the more beastly looking races, preferring instead to attack them on sight due to their prejudices. Draenei are obviously the exception because of their worryingly attractive tailed and goat-legged females... or maybe its because of their uncorrupted use of the Light.
I see it that if the Worgen became a playable race and were originally the inhabitants or Gilneas, the Alliance would shun them just as they rightly (as Wrathgate suggests) or wrongly (as Forsaken members of the Argent Dawn/Crusade would suggest) shunned the Forsaken, not caring one bit whether or not the Worgen would be a useful friend or ally.
Goblins on the other hand... those masks already existed in the game (or at least the male one did, so maybe the female one is just a belated attempt at gender equality), so why are people going on about them so much now? It would take either a fair bit of coding, design and balancing work to make them faction neutral, or a ton of storywriting to make some of them join a particular faction.
Come to think of it... that female worgen one looks rather familiar too...
Anyway, I reckon these masks are for a downsized version of the Hallow's End mask collecting achievement so it can be added back into next years "what a long strange trip its been" (what, you don't really think that proto-drake achievement isn't going to change and get extended each year/expac do you?! :P ) afterall, how are flimsy masks supposed to "pre-seed" (as was said in the previous article on this topic) the introduction of new playable races? Surely what was meant by Blizzard by "pre-seeding" was a proper introductory story leading up to us playing a pivotal role in that story as members of the new races.
JDM Jul 20th 2009 1:32AM
I'd love to play a Worgen, but only if they modified the model to make it a tad more humanoid (closer to a Tauren in stance/shape and whatnot).
Kerry Jul 20th 2009 5:48AM
TBH I'm not that excited about either race... I love my Blood Elf Priest and wouldn't think of giving him up! But healing Worgen tanks would be sick!
Blizz could do a cool Worgen curse theme. Technically the new race would be another faction of humans, but they'd have the curse of the Worgen and their racial would be to change forms.
Para Jul 20th 2009 6:56AM
awww now that would be cool "New faction gilneas" and like by day your a human and at night you turn into a werewolf :O
I would roll that faction immediatly xD
Rev. Jul 20th 2009 7:51AM
Horde needs a 'short' race, while the Alliance needs a 'hunched/furry' race.
Just pointing it out as a multi-server player. The male trolls have a hunched style of standing around while idle, kind of like the Undead have too (I've neglected my UD characters leveling D=).
Lore wise it'd also work out in someway. With the Gilneas happenings and the Undermine.
+ There are some neat areas on the world map of Azeroth (Eastern Kingdoms especially) that you mouse-over and it doesn't react/highlight. You could suppose there'd be a "starting area" on some of them, like the DK had theirs right next to EPL.
I'd try out both on the respective servers I'm on and make my decision on if things work for my liking or not.
That is of course if Goblins and Worgen ever become a playable race.
Dave Jul 20th 2009 7:55AM
"Most worgen keep their wolf-like forms at all times, but experiments by the mage Arugal has resulted in human/worgen hybrids who only appear as worgen under the light of the moon. They carry with them a dark corrupting malaise that grows wherever they infest, making the surrounding area dark and gloomy."-Taken from WoW wiki.
Imagine how awesome it would be if you rolled a Worgen and had the option to transform into a Worgen at a certain server time with changing racials and extra abilities :))
Rattleshirt Jul 20th 2009 9:48AM
If Horde got Worgen, I'd bench my main/geared shaman (rolled her on Day1) and level up another one (would make my 4th +70 sham). Even if I was required to put Barrens Chat on vox and listen to it spoken aloud - I would still be happily slaughtering zhevras for their hooves.
If the Alliance got Worgen...I don't know...
Might reroll on an RP server and be a 'spy' for Thrall, but it would be really tough.
The comments have been pretty convincing that the worgs would go to the Alliance, and that makes me sad. Human territory gives me the creeps, >.>
An alternate suggestion would be to make lycanthropy a permanent curse you could get on an existing character. Have it set up to give bonuses and debuffs whenever you're in wolfie form, (didn't read all of the comments or threads on this, so my apologies if it's been suggested before).
I highly doubt they would do this - the mechanics of having temporary (day/night or proc) racial changes like that would probably fill reams of code.
lolwut Jul 20th 2009 10:48PM
I don't understand this general assumption that Worgen belong with the Alliance. Isn't it the Alliance who ventured to summon them as fodder, to fight their battles? Starsong summoning them with the scythe, Arugal with Ur's research?
How do you think a Worgen might respond to that? With loyalty??
Numal Jul 20th 2009 11:16AM
Anything can happen. Just like the Death Knight had a whole beginning set of quests that kind of taught you the ropes as well as set you up with your starting mount armor weapons etc...they could do the same thing with the neutral races. Start a goblin complete a bunch of beginner quests that are designed to steer you toward one faction or another and once you complete those quests you will be one or the other faction and able to enter and use the factions cities and vendors. It would not be hard to implement this, they already have the template from the Death Knight, and quests that open up new FP's or outposts have been in play since WOTLK release. I think it is an excellent idea. I look forward to seeing what Blizz does with it.
Alveredus Jul 20th 2009 12:41PM
Okay the predictions:
I think the Worgen from the Scythe of Elune who were said to come from another world will turn out to be natives of the Emerald Dream. I suggested this years ago and was laughed at for it but IMHO it works.
The expansion will have a split focus on the Maelstrom and the Emerald Dream, maybe with each as a separate 80-90 leveling path, something we already almost have in Northrend. Keep in mind, the Dream, in many ways, is a What If...? version of Azeroth where the Maelstrom never formed so it could be a "two paths to the center of Azeroth"-type progression.
Beyond that, the Worgen tie into the Dream and the Goblins tie into the Maelstrom. But notice how both races are theoretically neutral.
I think Blizzard may try to maximize the energy they'll get out of this and instead of offering a new race for each side, both races will be open to both sides. Obviously, different factions of Goblins and Worgen on each side.
Now, in terms of story, I think you'll have a divided front. People racing towards a disturbance in the Maelstrom as we encounter Naga and Murloc civilizations. I have a feeling we'll see a semi-indutrialized Murloc capital. Obviously, Goblin intrigue.
Meanwhile, the Emerald Dream will be a path that sends people towards the growing nightmare at the continent's center.
And then we'll discover it's linked to whatever is going on the Maelstrom with Sargeras being behind both.
Also predicting: Caverns of Time - War of the Ancients, a 5 man team-up with Illidan, a major new clash between Varien Wrynn and the Defias who killed his wife as the Bloodsail/Defias/Deadmines story comes back into play. Full on Pirate instance and nautical siege battles.
And while we're at it, I'll theorize that we see Caverns of Times Battlegrounds based on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Wars with resource building and siege combat as major fixtures... and lore figures taking part for that extra AV epic feeling.
Maverick-Werewolf Jul 20th 2009 2:48PM
Worgen all the way. I've always wanted playable werewolves --- I mean Worgen.
Although I'd VERY MUCH prefer to see them Horde-side!
...
Or at least with wolf mounts (Northrend wolves)!
Nioki Jul 20th 2009 7:00PM
Both worgen and goblin would be very interesting racial additions. The lore behind the worgen is very intriguing, but I see this as bringing forth only a neutral faction.
On the faction note of things, what if the next expansion were to introduce the idea of new factions, not necessarily just new races?
My main idea going off of this is the wrath gate event, I suppose, where the apothecaries seem to have betrayed the horde and turned off on their own. Further support in this is the northrend flags for the apothecary camps. They aren't Horde flags, that's for sure. Granted, it may be a symbol for Sylvanas, I'm not sure, but even still.
We also have the Argent Crusade, who seems neutral.
There are several "neutral" factions in the World of Warcraft and I would think this might be a hint that these other factions may become playable.
fuzzknuckles Jul 21st 2009 9:28PM
figured it out ally get the walrus people yay!
Soon to be Scrooge Jul 21st 2009 11:17AM
Just wanted to let you all know that I will be gleefully sending every wolfman/goatman/human or human wannabe straight to hell with an explosive, world ending death as my new Goblin Mage engineer come the new expansion. I will also undercut you at the Auction House, charge ridiculous prices for my services as a portal dropper, steal your ore nodes while you're fighting some terrible beasty, and enjoy being an overall miserly cheapskate as I heartily embrace the Goblin virtues of penny pinching, price gouging, and racketeering.
But...
It'll never happen as this is nothing but hearsay and ( admittedly well thought out ) rumor mongering taken to a fever pitch because of some Halloween masks that have much more to do with the holiday that they're a part of than any new Expansion info. If you really want to be imaginative who's to say that the new Worgen/Goblin face models ( if they are more than just masks ) might not have to do with some new Hallow's End Event involving Worgen? Simpler explanation right?
Vote me down all you like but I'll be the first to say "I TOLD YOU SO!" when the reality comes crashing down.
I'd still play a Goblin though...
Vogie Jul 21st 2009 10:24AM
The only thing I'd rather have on the alliance side is Ethereals. Worgen would rock!
arees Aug 1st 2009 5:04AM
I don't know why people keep messing Worgen with Gilneas nation/kingdom.
A worgen is one thing and a Gilnean is another.
Learn more here www.wowwiki.com
Now, if somehow worgens conquered all gilneans and turned them into worgens, yes, it could be the one and the same as many people seem to believe. However, the what-if games are not my forte. Blizzard on the other hand ;)
roflmaoFTW123 Jul 21st 2009 12:49PM
what if these are the first models of a completly new faction 0_o lol