This is something I’ve been fearful of, and I worry is unfortunately beginning to take shape. While I will fully admit that Demon Hunters are simply too restrictive, and it is totally worthwhile to re-evaluate certain restrictions (Dwarves, for example, couldn’t be Shamans originally, but are thematically actually pretty appropriate), I do feel something important is lost when you open up TOO many options.
For example, Priests as a class are largely devoid of any sort of “class fantasy” or “identity”. Mechanically, sure, they can be healers and deal Shadow damage, but what really is a Priest? Because literally every race can now be a Priest, it kind of dilutes any sort of cultural identity.
I honestly think far too many restrictions have been opened up already. Orcs and Tauren have no place being Mages or Priests (or the latter, Paladins), because there is zero overlap between the cultural identity of either race or class.
The thing is, those restrictions are help what MAKE those races feel cool and meaningful. If the ONLY thing you’re actually choosing when you make your character is “what they look like”, or “what their buttons are”, then those choices are totally devoid of flavor.
The actual WORLD of Warcraft (no pun intended) is appealing to a lot of us, largely because it’s a world with such a rich history worth understanding. The Draenei aren’t just “playable Eredar”, they brought with them a super interesting culture, and their class choices were an extension of that. Not EVERY race got Mages; this implied the Draenei had a connection to the Arcane. Very few races could be Paladins; this wound up being a defining characteristic of the Draenei in a lot of media.
When you just apply the filter of “everyone is the same, they just look different”, it robs these races of their sense of culture. Much as I’m interested to see what direction they take them in with Calia Menethil, the Forsaken are ultimately WILDLY different people than the Blood Elves, or the Humans of Stormwind, or really anyone else. The Night Elves and Tauren are remarkably peaceful towards one another, but still have some distinct differences, just as the Tauren and the Orcs are not the same, nor are Orcs and Trolls.
In an effort to “let everyone be everything”, I think a lot of uniqueness is lost in the process.
Personally, I fear we may have gone beyond anything that can be salvaged. But were in my decision to make, I would personally re-evaluate the options that are available, and instances that are not deemed “lore-friendly”, I would offer players free race-changes.
A few such changes that spring to my mind;
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A Night Elf, Orc, and Tauren Mages (the former, because it is quite literally why the Highborne were exiled to begin with, the basis of their entire culture, the latter two, they just don’t feel appropriate to the “scholarly” theming that defines Mages in Warcraft).
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Demon Hunters, I would probably add Orcs (perhaps with “Fel Orc” options?), and possibly “Eredar” (functionally Draenei, but with red skin and Gift of the Naaru maybe rebranded something like “Gift of the Illidari”).
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Similarly, I might actually add Nightborne Paladins. Thematically speaking, I think Nightborne capture the “vibe” of the Paladin class (the term “Paladin” is actually french), perhaps a sort of “Church of Eternal Starlight” or something added to Suramar?
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I don’t think Humans or Mechagnomes are really appropriate for the “Hunter” class (the class being more than just “can fire a gun”, it seems to imply a deeper connection to nature and wild animals)
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Goblin Shamans have never sat right with me. I’ve never enjoyed their gameplay, but LOVE their lore, and it undermines their lore to allow Goblins to wield the Elements, especially since their culture is almost defined by their capacity to destroy nature.
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Death Knights should really be scaled back. Absolutely none of the Allied Races or Pandaren fit, and I would honestly say they should be restricted to Humans, Dwarves, and maybe Draenei for the Alliance, and Undead, Blood Elves, and maybe Orcs for the Horde.
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I’m already going to be burned at the stake at this point, but I honestly still think it was actually quite interesting that Blood Elves couldn’t be Warriors when they were first added. I think that would be a meaningful restriction, which I might also apply to the Void Elves, and possibly even Nightborne (less sure on that last one, though).
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Draenei and Tauren Rogues. Neither are culturally appropriate to these races, as both races are too honorable (borderline naive) to really have assassins and thieves in their midst.
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Gnomes are very clearly not spiritual, so I would say that Priests don’t make sense. Goblins… I actually feel like this is one subtle distinction I endorse, because I could absolutely see Goblins having some fear-mongering or holier-than-thou types of self-appointed “spiritual leaders”. Honestly, kind of a perfect example of where those restrictions can help inform more subtle differences in culture.
Those are really the main ones. I’ll admit, I might also consider knocking Zandalari Druids if it were me (since I feel the Darkspear would be more likely to get Cenarius’s blessing than the Zandalari), but could go either way.
Either way, I think the idea of just totally throwing open the gates for “everyone to be everything” just undermines the idea of race or class choice actually being important. I love WoW because I want to immerse myself in the world Blizzard created. I like feeling like my Paladin is part of the Silver Hand, or my Death Knight does have some kind of connection to the events of the Scourge in WC3. When you totally divorce those things for the sake of “having more options”, it ultimately just makes the options themselves less interesting.
Just my two cents.
