One of the things that’s continually surprised me since news broke on the likely changes to the Horde’s leadership is how many otherwise die-hard Horde players have considered going Alliance. Yeah, yeah, most of it’s probably idle threats anyway, but the real issue is one that’s simmered for the length of Wrath’s storyline. Lots of traditional Horde players are happy to fight under Thrall. Lots of traditional Horde players are…not so happy to fight under someone else.

The issue seems to be the growing rift between players and Horde leadership in Northrend, and the degree to which many of us can’t identify with the sub-faction that eventually hijacks the Horde storyline. I burned Saurfang’s letter as he asked. I nodded alongside Golluk Rockfist as he told Horde players, “You are leaving to the Ruby Dragonshrine. This is not a request.” I sat with Thrall in his darkest moments in the Undercity throne room, when he realized that everything was lost.

By contrast, I /facepalmed my way through Icecrown.

Spoiler material past the break.

Like many other Horde, it feels distinctly odd and not entirely comfortable that, after this emotional tour-de-force in Dragonblight, you find yourself being the errand runner for a number of Garrosh’s increasingly stupid and reckless cronies. Between that, Garrosh’s behavior in Warsong Hold, Garrosh’s behavior in the 3.1 trailer, Garrosh’s behavior in Trial of the Champion/Crusader, and…well, just Garrosh period, a lot of Horde players were flabbergasted that one of the most (if not most) hated Hordeside NPC’s can expect a nice, healthy promotion in Cataclysm, with the type of job security that comes from knowing you’ll probably only be replaced if killed.

Maybe that’s where they’re going with this, but if not, the Faction Change button looks a lot less crazy for my beloved Tauren than it did previously.

Kisirani’s assurances in the linked thread aside, this one’s going out to all the Horde players out there; have you seriously considered rerolling or faction-switching? Does the Horde feel uncomfortably different with Garrosh in charge?