Narrowing down my choice for a main, and I definitely want to main Shaman again. Looking for anecdotal and aesthetic reasons. I already prefer DID for the indoor run speed bonus (I am a sucker for run speed), but I like that IFD have more customization options.
Thoughts, feelings, insults? I am ready.
Basic Dwarfs have more options but Deluxe ones are better, in my opinion.
Ironforge. Wildhammer Shaman customizations are amazing.
Can’t go wrong with either. Mine is a Bronzebeard dwarf because I like having more customization options. The DID run speed and mole machine are really nice tho. If you plan to play enhance, maybe go with DID. Could build around some really cool fire/lava themes that way.
Ya know, totems are also part of the equation. And I like the DID totems a LOT. That might be the deal breaker for me.
let it all go and play female night elf rogue
I’m not a big fan of Dark Iron dwarves as they have been an enemy of more than just Ironforge for so long until they joined the Alliance, however I always said if I did make one I would go pure Elemental. Slinging lava with Lava Burst and unleashing pure, raw elemental fury seems like the Dark Iron thing to do for me.
For “Ironforge Dwarf” I always tend to lean towards enhancement with a Wildhammer vibe. Especially with the tattoo, hairstyles, and new accessories to really pull off a rugged Falstad look.
Never came up with a resto for a dwarf, regular or Dark Iron, but I’m sure you could find some lore to latch to either way. I gave my opinion as related to which spec I thought would go good with some rp vibes, which may or may not be your thing : 
I’m leaning towards Dark Iron myself. While they have more affinity for Fire this is true I kind of take from Avatar the Last Air Bender to explain away why they’d use other elements like Lightning ect ect.
In the show I think it’s said that lightning bending was the evolution of Fire, and as for water, what do you quench iron with after it’s been in the forge? Earth is a natural combination with fire.
I dunno, I just feel like Dark Iron fits Shaman more then regular Dwarf despite having the Wildhammer in their customization.
“Lightning is a pure expression of firebending without aggression. It is not fueled by rage or emotion the way other firebending is. Some call lightning the cold-blooded fire.”
-Uncle Iroh, R.I.P Mako Iwamatsu
Great show and cool idea!
I prefer standard dwarves, for several reasons:
I prefer passive dps racials and active utility racials. With dwarf, I get passive crit bonuses and I can just hit stone form when I need to clear poisons, bleeds, etc. There’s no pressure to hit my dps buff button every 2 minutes or whatever.
The cosmetic options on regular dwarves are just better, imo. Better skin tones, hair colors, beards, eye colors, etc.
Dark Irons are edgy and kind of lock you into a fire theme, whether you want to or not. So like if you want to spec into resto, for example, it kind of messes with your head canon.
Dark Irons have a blacksmithing racial which pressures you into using a profession that is nearly useless for some classes, e.g., shammies.
I could perhaps go on, but I’ll leave it there.
In Dark Irons’ defense, they do have nice totems.
I went Dark Iron. I like the customization options better. The extra movement speed in dungeons is nice, albeit not needed since we have wolf form. You have mole machine too, but Im not sure how we’re supposed to unlock the different travel points
Always go dark…
You will chose Dark Iron Dwarf.
DID it is and his name is Baron Mordo and he is amazing. Weird bug, in game half the raid sees my name as Theodor and the other half as Mordo. UI bug of some sort lol.
Welcome to the club brother, we’ll grab a pint at the Grim Guzzler on me!
Dark Irons will always be a thousand times cooler than ironforge ones imo
OP here – thank you! Best $25 I’ve spent in months, lol.
DI …for the mole machine
Wildhammer Shamans, standing on the peak of a mountain and commanding the lightning and thunder.
I prefer being a Ironforge Shaman kind of Dwarf, with the option to look like our kinsmen the Wildhammers. Though I mainly chose mine out due to that alone as the racial buffs mattered not to me.