This post may not be your cup of tea. For everyone else, enjoy.
What if being a Druid could be done in a unique and lore efficient way? What if all of the skins for the animal forms already exist? What if, like every other inventive outlier, your character is a round peg trying to fit into a square space? Well, here is my idea that I have been revamping the last few weeks and kicking around the last 15 years.
The Mechanical Druid
Available Races: Gnome, Mechagnome, Goblin, and Vulpera
Reason: The D.R.U.I.D. vehicle requires a small driver given limited internal space
Functionality: Through Gnomish technology, added to by the Vulpera, and boosted by Goblins, The D.R.U.I.D. vehicle uses sophisticated technology to absorb Nature’s power and energy while in motion and redirect that power similarly to how Druids themselves channel nature magic. The absorption and distribution may differ, but the outcome is the same.
Originally intended to help the smaller races blend into nature to observe and scout highly trafficked animal areas like Mt. Hyjal and Grizzly Hills, a slight miscalculation occurred and what looked like Moon fire shot from one of the vehicle’s stabilizer pads (paws) and took out a small tree. The suit was designed to fuel itself by absorbing natural elements, but weaponizing that fuel took this vehicle in a whole new direction.
I present to you…
Druid-like Robotic Ultra-transfiguration Interactive Device (D.R.U.I.D.)
The forms already exist in the game, and simply need to be adjusted in size.
Guardian Druid - modeled from the Anodized Robo Cub
Feral Druid - Modeled from Experiment 13
Balance Druid - a unique spin modeled from the Mechnical Yeti
Resto Druid - Can choose between their character form or another unique mechanical spin with this Tiny Harvester
Flight Forms:
Standard Flying forms (no passenger)
Modeled after Feathers
Modeled after the Pandaren Dragonling
Modeled after the Timeless Mechanical Dragonling
Flight form with a passenger:
Modeled After the Steamscale Incinerator
Aquatic Forms:
Modeled after the Copper Hopper
Modeled after the Storm-Touched Ottuk
Travel Forms:
Solo - Modeled after Mechantula
As a Passenger Mount - Modeled after PHA7-YNX
So there it is. A mechanical Druid class for the 4 smallest races in the game, with existing models which just need to be scaled to match the existing druid shape sizes. Fits the lore of all 4 races, and logically explains the absorption and output of nature magic and damage.
The “device” would be built into a wristband fastened near their bracer and uses a neural like to extract the shape they need in the blink of an eye, thus making for a seamless shapeshifting experience combining nature, biology, and machinery… a power already made possible with the existence of Mechagnomes.