Rather than getting rid of Baine, he needs some personal growth to offset his peaceful side a bit. His current position in SLs could easily do that if Blizzard actually exploits it. However, far more than that, we need characters like Jevan to get built up to offset Baine’s peaceful nature. Rather than replacing Baine and risk any character you place in his spot being turned into what people dislike about Baine, simple keep Baine where he is, give him some long overdue development, and build up his supporting cast.
I’m convinced that the issue with Baine is that we are TOLD that he is a good leader for his people and wants what is best for them, but SHOWN him constantly working to support his Alliance friends, often literally killing Horde in the process.
Him doing both isn’t the issue*. The problem is that we only see him doing the one in-game.
*Killing Horde is an issue. Seriously Baine, stop doing it and making jokes about it.
He is likely irredeemable at this point, so if he was replaced I would only hope that his replacement gets chances to display themselves championing the Horde/Tauren’s interests as well as serving as a diplomatic agent. There are issues on which the Horde and the Alliance fundamentally disagree - competing interests - and any Horde character that needs to be developed such as Baine, or even Calia, should be shown taking the Horde’s side on these in a visible way.
That’s just basic storytelling.
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Tagar from Warcraft 3, Cairne’s 2nd in command (even he knew how useless his son was as a leader)
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I don’t think she should lead the Tauren, but she sure is an interesting character compared to most in WoW.
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Lasan would be my choice.
Maybe Baine and Mayla… just go away for what ever reason… and Lasan is able to quickly secure Highmountain with air superiority and control of the ground with the help of Allied Drogbar. With Highmountain safe and secure, some of the Mulgore Tauren beg him to help settle the power struggle over there. He arrives with Drogbar, Air Power, and local forces to bring order. In the ensuing power vacuum, all the remaining Tauren leaders agree that Lasan should be High Chieftain of all Tauren Tribes to keep them untied and at peace with each other.
They had a pretty epic demonstration in the Battle for Lordaeron Trailer.
Was brief but it was there.
If the theory that Shadowlands is leading up to a time skip turns out to be true and depending on how far forward it goes maybe Baine and Mayla will have a kid who inherits leadership of both branches of the Tauren people.
The only other tauren besides Mayla and Baine that has the lore prestige needed to serve as a racial leader is Magatha Grimtotem but she did kind of orchestrate the killing of Baine’s dad so that’s a bit of a bumpy road to travel.
I’m for it though. I’d take a murderous exile over a hulking himbo who can’t even do anything besides get kidnapped and complain.
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Thanks, now I’m imagining a tauren defeating his enemies with raw sex appeal. I’ll leave that up to the reader if that’s a good or bad thing.
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Allegedly he was supposed to be a large part of the cata south barrens questline, pushing out the alliance murderers from the great gate and taraujo.
Instead they made him a lapdog for Anduin and Jaina who banished the tauren who wanted to fight back and justified his own people’s slaughtering as to not make his alliance bffs feel even slightly sad.
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it’s a beautiful thing
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I think Hamuul is the only choice here
UH OH. He interacted with an Alliance-leaning character in a positive manner, that makes him a write-off in a great many players’ eyes.
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It would give them the opportunity (as if they couldn’t just do this) to show what Sunwalkers are really all about, and how they are distinct from other kinds of Paladins.
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Whatever happened to Tagar? He was Cairne’s right hand man in WC3, but he never showed up in WoW.
What, and give up their 2nd seat on the council?!
Honestly … the reason I’m not overly fond of Hamuul is the same reason I have issues with Baine on a functional writing level. Being “Alliance Friendly” is one thing. Being turned into an accessory for an Alliance character is another. Since Tauren in general rarely get stories devoted to their own race anymore, their reps are often relegated to support roles. Often to Alliance characters.
Baine has been turned into an accessory for Anduin, but in many ways Hamuul has been turned into a mere accessory for Malfurion. They aren’t equal in that partnership or friendship in any way, and are often times just made convenient for the other’s story. Which again brings us back to OPs point, and why the question shouldn’t really be “How do we replace Baine?” … but “How do we change how the Tauren as a whole are written to make reps like Baine and Hamuul work?”
Its not a Baine problem, his use is a symptom. Its a Tauren Race writing problem.
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Create a new character develop it -> done.
Outside of that ehm… Have Baine “Bloodhoof” meet a real tauren like Huln or something and have huln help baine with his character development, he is seen as a coward and spineless in SL so much that the jailer almost didnt bother to securing him. I take that as them acknowledging Baine as weak.
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This would be the way to do it. Seems that we get Baine, Jaina, and Thrall out of the Maw at least; so one would assume that Blizz isn’t so wasteful that they wont give them all at least some form of story arc. Clearly Jaina is going to go the Uther route at some point, due to her closeness to him. Thrall will get to interact with his Mom or Garrosh. So, go with Huln Highmountain for Baine.
Get Baine some long overdue Cairne/Huln injections; which culminates in him getting a new magical weapon (which warriors absolutely need to be relevant beyond dramatic sacrifices). To symbalize that long … long … overdue growth. Get Loa’Jin really cooking, and make that new Thrall statue a thematic reality. It could make a reasonable SLs Horde experience then.
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And give the horde player base something to proud of for a change. The Horde leadership really does need some much needed love and not just having them be side characters to alliance leaders or be sacrifical lambs so the alliance can feel good about themselves for being The Good Guys for the umpteenth time in a ronw
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Nah, i feel like the moment you are “proud” to play as a race/faction is the moment you take video games too far.
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