Neutral affiliation?

[ProjectRandom]

Alright, it won't let me post in New Players for some reason, so I'll just do it here. I was wondering, is it possible to ICly not be either Horde or Alliance? My character doesn't really like taking sides, and I wanted to know if doing this was possible, and if I can put it in my profile.

[Harmonic]

Yes, but you cannot say, go into Stormwind if you're an Orc, or into Orgrimmar if you're human. The factions would still react to your race accordingly. However, there are neutral organizations such as the Steamwheedle cartel.

[Edgar]

I would say Edgar is more Alliance than Horde, what with all of his Alliance friends. >_> <_<

But aye, what they said above. Although, you -could- saunter into Stormwind on your Orc. Just don't expect a welcoming committee.

[muhaha8]

... Expect a welcoming comittee of armed guards coming to take your head. :|

But yes. You can be neutral. But other races might not respect that claim.

[Nymus]

I at least think Goblins should be able to enter Stormwind, Ironforge and Exodar. If they are Steamwheedle and not Bilgewater aligned.

[muhaha8]

There's also the problem that faction changes can cause some nasty bugs, especially when you're adding Horde factions to an Alliance character, or vice versa. Kretol and I tried this once on Ranzel. It didn't really work. The OOC portal broke and if I wanted to go anywhere, I had to go to Dalaran first to use the capital teleports.

[Nymus]

There's also the problem that faction changes can cause some nasty bugs, especially when you're adding Horde factions to an Alliance character, or vice versa. Kretol and I tried this once on Ranzel. It didn't really work. The OOC portal broke and if I wanted to go anywhere, I had to go to Dalaran first to use the capital teleports.

Could it be possible to make a buff that renders you "unseeable" to hostile NPCs, perhaps? So that Goblins wishing to go to ally cities / Allys wishing to go to Horde cities wouldn't be attacked?

[muhaha8]

I'm doubtful. Remember, the buffs that can be assigned to things like that have to already exist in-game. Kretol can't make new ones without a ton of hassle, as fr as I know.

[Nymus]

http://www.wowhead.com/spell=32842/2-reduced-threat

I'm sure if that could be stacked up to 1000% or so, it could be possible.

But I'm not sure if you can edit values like that.

[FlyingSquirrel]

It could be abused waaay too easily.

[Delta]

Hmm. I can't see any viable situation where a race of the Horde or Alliance would be tolerated openly walking into another faction's capital unless they had business with the leader... and not even then, really. It's essentially the same as imposing the will of one character on an entire settlement of NPCs.

Supposing the character claims neutrality, no one in the city, NPC or PC, is obliged to believe them. Only a recognised ambassador would receive any protection, and even then, they wouldn't parade down the main thoroughfare. That's a pretty offensive political move! "Hey, look at me, an enemy race freely walking down your street and there's nothing you can do!" The leaders wouldn't risk the ire - not to mention the safety - of their populace for it.

[Geoni]

I at least think Goblins should be able to enter Stormwind, Ironforge and Exodar. If they are Steamwheedle and not Bilgewater aligned.

Now that Goblin are considered to be a recognized Horde race, the Alliance sees them as such. However, that being said, there are those in the Alliance that still buy and sell to the cartels, but generally it's done through a middleman and thus it is done outside Alliance cities such as Stormwind.

Plus, all mobs in a city would have to be neutralized for certain characters and that'd be too much of a hassle.

[Harmonic]

Yeah, the Steamwheedle Cartel prefers it's business to come to them, rather than go to non-neutral locations. It's why you don't see "Steamwheedle" NPC's outside of their own cities.

[WingedReaver]

I play Velennia as neutral - though, whether the Horde respects that is purposefully left ambigous. They might not care if a Draenei is calling herself neutral, after all. They might just see the hooves, horns and blue skin, and decide to take her head. /shrug

[Wuvvums]

I play Velennia as neutral - though, whether the Horde respects that is purposefully left ambigous. They might not care if a Draenei is calling herself neutral, after all. They might just see the hooves, horns and blue skin, and decide to take her head. /shrug

A player can be neutral towards the factions at large, and individual players of said faction. That doesn't mean the faction is neutral. I think that's the best way to describe it.

For clarification, when filling out "Association(s)" under the character sheet template, it can not include factions that would normally kill your character on sight. Even if your character might help Alliance characters, if they are Horde they can not list Alliance as an association.