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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBreakfast Topic: Do you have qualms about playing the other faction?
by Nik Mitchell 
Sep 21st 2011 at 8:00AM
Talk to any self-proclaimed altoholic: They'll tell you stories of rolling characters on both sides of the two factions that split the World of Warcraft. For many, their attachment to one side or the other is merely dependent on "What do I want to play today?" However, for me, playing the other faction has some serious consequences: pangs of agony, nervous twitches, tummy trouble, you name it.
I started WoW on one side but quickly found myself tempted to try the other (I heard they had cookies) and never looked back for years. I filled out all 10 slots with the faction I loved. Seven 85s later, I get the whisper from my officers that they are swapping sides as a pet project. The worst of all isn't really that I'd consider playing the dark side again; it's that my closest of guildies are happily getting entrenched. Lured by the real-life friend of another, lo and behold, they found a level 25 guild that would gladly receive some potential recruits... and now my guildies want me to join them, too.
Now don't get me wrong -- I don't deny the opposite faction their right to exist (well, except every time I get killed in Tol Barad), but it feels so completely wrong to be rolling this character (not to mention having to delete my mid-30s mage). What about you? Have you ever had a question of conscience to even begin to create a character of the opposite faction?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Guest Posts
Reader Comments (Page 5 of 8)
ugoticedbro Sep 21st 2011 8:54AM
I started as a Night Elf Hunter (didn't everybody?!?). After making it to lvl 30, I was bored out of my mind. So I rolled a Rogue. Got him to 32, then got bored with him too. Unsubbed and stopped for 4 months.
One day, a new guy that just started at work was talking about the game to me and I had said I played it for a while, but never made it to max level. He said the new expansion was dropping in around a week, and I should give it a shot again. After resubscribing the day Burning Crusade came out, I made a BE Rogue on his realm and within a couple weeks made it all the way to 70 alongside his new Hunter. Joined the guild he was in and got dragged along to Karazhan every week (and being new to the game, not knowing a rotation, spamming sinister strike and finishing moves mostly, I was probably terrible). We had a paladin tank at the time through Kara, who was also an officer, and I absolutely loved the idea of tanking as a paladin after watching him (who, was very good at it, by the way). A month before Wrath dropped, I had my second Horde toon, a BE paladin.
Since then, I've hit 85 on 6 different characters, 2 of which are shaman, and my poor poor paladin is still 80. But I've been Horde all the way.
Tried Alliance a few times, even faction changed my level 68 druid to give the Alliance quests in Wrath a shot, but I can't ever seem to get in to it and always abandon them, mostly due to never being able to find a good guild without drama (not saying that's the case for everyone on Alliance)
And sorry for that novel I just wrote there. Sheesh.
restodr00d Sep 21st 2011 9:52AM
"I started as a Night Elf Hunter (didn't everybody?!?)."
hahaha there's so much Truth in this.
DETwing1981 Sep 21st 2011 9:02AM
I think it all depends on what type of server you play on. I've always played on a PVP server, as a Horde, and I absolutely despise alliance. I was never a player to "gank lowbies" or camp players questing during vanilla, my original mindset was "let them be and they will let you be." Sadly, I didn't understand the concept of a PVP server.
5 years later, if it's red, it's dead. I don't care if you're level 25 or 85; unless I'm hurriedly on my way somewhere, I will fly out of my way to do SOMETHING to you. I hate alliance towns, I hate their look, I hate their lore. I will never roll alliance, not even as a "pet project," because in some other dimension, somewhere across the sands of time, my once innocent warrior's carcass is being /spit on and laughed at by someone 40+ levels higher than me.
Now don't get me wrong, there are alliance players who reciprocate those feelings, without a doubt. I do not claim the horde is full of respectable and compassionate players. It's as I said, all depends on what server you play on.
Dragoniel Sep 21st 2011 9:41AM
Hmpf, undead rogues.
That is all I have to say.
ravyncat Sep 21st 2011 8:56AM
I prefer the Alliance and that is where all my mains are. But I like the Horde as well and do not have issues playing that faction. It is fun for me to see the story from the other side and Silvermoon is the prettiest city in the game.
I have 10 toons on my Alliance server 10 toons on my Horde server. My guild exists on both and has a Horde sister guild on my Alliance server too.
I would have problems faction changing though. Mainly because I RP my characters and being a Draenei is just as important as being a DK etc. I really love the Draenei and my guildies tease me because I have a LOT of them. XD
For the same reason my Belf pally would never be transferred to Alliance because a big part of her personality is being who she is.
I guess my main bias is I do not like playing Orcs and so I don't. This stems more from my heart being Alliance than from any deficit in them as a playable race. I see them as the "enemy." My Hordies are all Belfs or Trolls or Goblins. Man, I love the Goblins. XD
hrtofvalor Sep 21st 2011 8:56AM
I tried playing horde on the side, but after doing some quests for Garrosh... well... he's an idiot in my opinion. The final straw was the quest that took players from Azshara to Twilight Highlands. Seeing Garrosh's stupidity was... just... it...
Myramensgone Sep 21st 2011 8:56AM
No qualms my 85s are split exactly down the middle 2 horde 2 ally I think its more about who you wanna play with versus faction
mzygi9 Sep 21st 2011 9:00AM
Every time I try to roll an Alliance toon it just doesn't feel right, but it's even harder for me as all of my chars are Forsaken except my shaman and that's just because Forsaken can't be shamans. I can't help it, I just love the animations, voice acting and general lore of the Forsaken.
evoxpisces Sep 21st 2011 9:08AM
I'm at Hordie at heart but I have "dabbled" playing Alliance. I started out Horde, played Horde for a few years, but then met a few friends who were hardcore Alliance, so I played Alliance for about a year but eventually found myself missing the Horde and going back. Alliance isn't bad but it just doesn't feel like home like the Horde does. Plus, the Horde now has Goblins.
chris Sep 21st 2011 9:14AM
Alliance 100%.I have to question the mentality of anyone who sides with foreign invaders.
Kylenne Sep 21st 2011 9:23AM
Horde 100%. I have to question anyone who sides with the privileged oppressor faction.
See, two can play this. XD It's all a matter of perspective.
RiderGeshtar Sep 21st 2011 2:53PM
WOW dat's sum unfortunate implications, little man.
Maybe you wanna put your pants back on if you want to continue fighting evil today?
Spellotape Sep 21st 2011 9:14AM
I have a few low-level characters and one that is almost 85 ... it does feel a bit weird but not because of any faction angst - mostly it's just because all of my stuff is with my main's faction ;)
Belinus Sep 21st 2011 9:15AM
Like many of you, this opportunity presented itself through a guild problem. Nearing the end of t11 progression, our guild split up. Our RL and best hunter hopped servers and factions, and I was offered a tanking spot in his 25 man. It would be a real guild! Where people watched the fights beforehand!
The only problem was I'd have to be Horde. I don't RP, but my character has a definite backstory. Turning on the Alliance would mean leaving Stromgarde in ruins, it would be turning my back on Danath, it would mean becoming the enemy. While I could go into how I think the Horde is the evil faction (comparatively, and I recognize the nuance and the Forsaken's plight; it doesn't excuse their actions), it would be leaving Strom, leaving the Alliance's last hero sitting in Outland, and leaving my character's story unfinished.
Unfinished it remains though. With no guild and no real interest, I swapped servers to a larger realm, lost interest in the game and raiding, and have unsubbed. Swapping factions proved to be more difficult than just not playing. I'll come back for Stromgarde.
Calicia Sep 21st 2011 9:54AM
Thanks for the perspective. I've been asked to follow my raid team on a server/faction change. I'm hesitating for the exact reasons you described. I don't really RP, but my rogue has a back story and I think I'll have regrets if I abandon it.
saliira Sep 21st 2011 9:17AM
I play alliance mostly, though I have alts in my guild's horde version as well. The models make a surprisingly strong difference in whether I can play the class with any enjoyment.
I can't stomach playing a forsaken. Their models, ethics, and environs completely turn me off. I also can't watch a gnome -- their proportions disturb me. It's hard to level a character when you can't enjoy looking at them. :-)
I have trouble leveling orcs or pre-cata trolls because their starting area is so desolate and orange. Color also plays a large part in my enjoyment of the game.
Molly Sep 21st 2011 9:19AM
Honestly, the thing that keeps me from playing Horde is the rampant fanaticism of those who play it. While I am sure there are people out there who are absolutely devoted to Alliance in the same way, pretty much everyone I've run into who plays Ally is really chill about those who play Horde. In comparison, I have yet to tell a Horde player I play Alliance without them shouting "FOR THE HORDE!" in my face and making fun of the fact that I play dwarves and gnomes. So, yeah.
The fanaticism is even built in to the game in some ways. Playing through the Forsaken areas, with their idolization of Sylvanas, is just extremely creepy.
I keep trying to level Horde toons, but then someone shouts "FOR THE HORDE!" and I lose all interest. When/if my goblin shammy makes it to 85, she'll become a dwarf.
Thomas Higgins Sep 21st 2011 9:30AM
I hate the zombies and their queen bitch who infest the once proud city of Lordaeron with a passion. One of these days, they will be kicked out of the Horde, extirpated from the land and erased from history. Then I can roll a Horde toon again. Until then, death to the Lich Queen and death to the Forsaken.
Hal Sep 21st 2011 9:23AM
My only real qualm comes from how I like to intermingle my alts. Back in the day, all my alts were on the same server and covered every profession. This meant that I could swap gold or profession mats around as needed, and as the characters grew, they could swap gear, heirlooms, potions, or other goods around to make the process easier. Heck, for a while my enchanting alt was making more money on Crusader Enchants than my main was with Northrend-level blacksmithing. None of this was the same when my main left that sever for better raiding times and left behind 6 or so alts.
Anyhow, the point of the preamble was that Horde alts don't get the benefit of all that "help" from the established toons. They're left to fend for themselves financially, and since I know those alts will never be potential raiders, my general enthusiasm for the characters is really low. I don't think I've ever gotten a Horde toon past level 20, which is kind of sad.
zaababy Sep 21st 2011 9:26AM
I am bifactional, because I too want to see both sides of the game. Started out Alliance because the Horde were 'ugly', then a friend persuaded me to make a Horde. Fast forward 7 years and my mains are Horde but I have several high level alliance that I pop on to do jc dailies, or achievements, or whatever. Sometimes I'll just get the urge to continue working on the bc reps on my 73 human warlock. She was one of the first toons I ever made, and has hopped around via free server transfers until I got her settled with my other alliance characters. Her exp is turned off. I have 2 servers full and several toons sprinkled around on others. Well that's actually doubled because I have 2 accounts, that way I can run myself through dungeons or whatever. But in my heart, I am Horde. I kinda feel like I don't belong in Stormwind, and if I go into a BG on one of my ally toons I kinda feel like a traitor. But I still enjoy seeing the game from both sides.