How Far Should Classes Go For Race Acessibility?

Community General Discussion
1

One thing I noticed that is a hot topic is the idea how much accessibility a class gets when it comes to avalible races. We get people who want races to remain true to the lore and people who want every race to have every class availible. And most fall into somewhere between.

Originally, the only class that was avalible to everyone was warrior, which makes sense, since warrior is basically picking up a weapon and bashing or slashing your enemy with it. So there was literary no reason no race couldn’t have people do that, even brainy ones like the gnomes. Since then though, hunters and death knights have become the other two classes avalible to all races, which again makes sense: every race should be capable of using a gun or a bow, and be raised from the dead by the Lich King.

Shamans used to be horde only and paladins alliance, but then BC happened, and dranei and blood elfs brought the other side’s exclusive class with them. Cata happened two expansions later and gave a ton of new classes to existing races.

Of course, there’s still classes where lore limits how they can be utilized. Typically, druids are only accessible to those with a connection to nature: night elves, tauren, and trolls fit this description, while Kul Tirans and worgen practiced similar magic that was able to be upgraded to full on druidic magic (Kul Tirans learning from the Drust, while worgen’s connection to nature was enhanced by their curse). Shaman has less restrictions, but still requires some connection to the natural world. Demon Hunters are only elves (atm) due to the fact Illidan only recruited night elves and blood elves for that.

Now as for me, I’m ok with the idea if lore can properly explain why it’s possible. Some people act like the lore is sacred and should never be added onto, but that makes it stagnant and keeps the story from continuing. But there are stuff I do see that makes some classes unavailible to races.

Paladins make sense for many races that have priests already. Essentially, the Light can be accessed through dedication and strong belief in some external force.

Humans, Dwarves, Draenei, Lightforged, Gnomes, Undead, Blood Elves: The Light itself
Tauren and Highmountain: Anshe
Night Elves, Nighborne(?): Elune
Trolls, Zandalari, Vulpera(?): The Loa
Pandaren: The Celestials, specifically Chi-ji.
Kul Tirans: The Sea/Tidemother

Becoming a paladin requires more than just belief though; you must be physically infused with the Light itself. As we’ve seen, many races who believe in the Light or gain its power through faith are capable of becoming paladins.

So, it does make some sense, without some other external factors, for races like the Night Elves, Kul Tirans, Highmountain, and Pandaren to become paladins themselves. But I can see the problem with Undead Paladins, as the Light is stated to cause physical pain to the Undead, as its somewhat anti-thetical to it. While the Light can heal the Undead, it also causes them pain. So, an Undead Paladin would be basically living 24/7 in constant pain, as they are infused with a power that hurts them.

What’s your stance on this issue?

8 Likes
2

I’m an all classes for all races person. If something sounds too out there like a void elf paladin then a class skin should be made.

23 Likes
3

Loosen restrictions or add more classes, getting stale. I would play an undead paladin all day, for giggles and they’re my favorite race. But I’d prefer new classes all day every day.

10 Likes
4

Free the classes.

I don’t enjoy being forced into a narrative when I want to portray my character in a different mindset. Most folks play VE/BE in this game anyways so it’s not like taboo race/class combos are going to be frequent.

Rogue being locked from races is as stupid as when hunter was locked from races, like human for example. If you don’t want to play the combo, don’t play it. If you don’t like folks playing that combo, then don’t group with them.

Remember when BEs couldn’t be Warriors? Wow, much immersion.

16 Likes
5

I think they’re fine as they are now and the current restrictions should stay. It gives unique identities to each race. RPGness, choices with pros and cons. Removing them reduces races to be empty cosmetic skins with no cultural heritage anymore and would also be Blizz throwing their lore out the window in a bunch of cases.

I just think Blizz should take their game and the story world they built seriously and not listen to players on this matter who couldn’t care less about it.

We’ve gone 17 years just fine with them and players don’t need to have those barred combos to survive. It doesn’t make the game unplayable. At best I could think of a handful of combos Blizz might loosen up to add and still be fine. Draenei rogues for example, worgen/goblin monks, etc. But otherwise we’re more or less at a comfortable limit already.

11 Likes
6

Actually, Blood Elves did not have the Warrior as a class when first introduced.

Personally, though an unpopular opinion, I wish they were a bit more restricted like in the past. There should be a certain amount of give and take when deciding what you want to be. If everything could be anything then you would find only one race for each class with a few mavericks that like to play their own way. Besides, some combinations that keep popping up like Draenei warlocks are off the deep end.

7 Likes
7

Bring back the OG restrictions

Or

Have racial benefits to certain classes.

8

It feels to me like homogenization in a different disguise. But people seem to want it, so why not. I just hope it doesn’t backfire later down the line.

I think people just want more customization options in general. The game is really behind in that aspect in comparison to other ones. Maybe this is a way to get that?

I don’t mind. I would love to play an Undead Paladin.

4 Likes
9

I’m pretty positive back in TBC days, Blood Elves originally didn’t have Warrior class available… then it got opened up I think in Cataclysm.

Personally I think the days of old, class restrictions , while it was great nostalgia but now is more a burden.

I love WoW, I do wish to see it flourish, if Blizzard stuck true to its restrictions throughout every expansion I’d completely say “restrictions is apart of WoW”. Now days with lore being butchered or completely changed which ever way you wanna view it, NPCs being classes/races outside of restrictions, Classes and races being opened up in certain expansions. It doesn’t make sense to not open them up.

Time after time, expansion after expansion we are told we are not a player defined by our race, we are special, unique we create our own path we are basically immortal in a sense. with Exile Reach completely forgoing our “cultural starting zone” why can’t we be a race/class now? If creating a race/class combo that isn’t “traditional” why not just start right into exile reach where it’s not more race focused but more focused in by teaching your class.

I just want to say Lore is constantly changing, what was considered impossible years ago (Gnome Hunters, Troll Druids, Horde Paladins, Alliance Shamans etc), is now normal as the lore changed to allow it.

Why can’t that happen again moving forward??, it’s been told again and again pretty much ever class in game can be bestowed upon or taught to those willing… even complete crazy ideas such as Shamans who traditionally in lore ask the Elements for guidance and assistance to Goblins completely changing that over to “making deals” with the Elements, why can’t other races do that?, it’s the lore isn’t it?.

Edit: What happens today and in future becomes the Lore of tomorrow, nothing is certain, it’s always changing. WoW is a living breathing world, it should continue to change.

13 Likes
10

Completely agree. This adds to the enjoyment of WoW for me.

1 Like
11

^^ This. But then, I like the lore and really dislike trashing the lore just to make people happy or to fit the vision of uneducated (lore wise) developers. To me, that’s the biggest downfall of this game.

2 Likes
12

imo idc let people play w.e. the hell they want. if you are one of those lore people like i kinda am getting more into that when i choose my races/class combo’s it doesn’t bother me if people play other races i mean hell we already got a bunch of things in game that make ZERO sense anyways.

3 Likes
13

I think the current race class combinations are already a bit too generous (in some cases). I’d rather they go the route of new classes or race specific skins for classes.

2 Likes
14

There are two classes, that I think needs to be restricted in some manor… those being the Demon Hunter and Druid.

Otherwise, I say open the flood gates. There are a lot of things in this game, that for game mechanic purposes ignore lore. I feel Classes, could and honestly should be one of those things. The exception being DH and Druid IMHO.

I don’t want to see a Dwarf DH or Goblin Druid, because while it doesn’t make sense. I also don’t think there’s any way to make it not look or sound ridiculous. :laughing:

1 Like
15

Having faction/race/class distinctions adds complexity, variety and flavor to the game. There are 194 race/class combos. That is plenty.

Personally, I would like to see them roll back some of the ones they have now that do not make sense like Night Elf Mages. Or worse, any Priests and Paladin combos where the race cannot wield the Light like Undead or does not worship the Light like Taurens. I’ve seen the justifications and I think they are nonsensical.

However, I would also fully support having Tauren Sunwalkers and anything else along that line that combines the race’s culture with the class’s concept, as it would add more flavor to both the race and the class.

4 Likes
16

Some of the classes are fun to play and are limited by race.

Some people don’t care for so much for lore.

I personally would like servers where lore isn’t going to interfere with gameplay. I love shamans and druids, I am sad I am so limited by races to pick and would love a game mode where that isn’t a thing. As well as other race/class comboes.

Some comboes are already ingame just not playable to us. Such as rangari rogues (dranei rogues), grimtotem rogues, wildhammer druids, night elf paladins.

It is annoying to not have access to these since you can write your own character stories to make it make sense. Like your tauren being a member of the grimtotem clan, or having a parent that is that way and have rogues in the family, or like you are one of the first of your race to be taught by another race, etc. Many for example non-playable shamans were members of the twilight’s hammer. A blood elf shaman could have been a former member for example, or had family try to get you to join for example.

I for example wanted a brewmaster goblin tank, they are very prevalent in brewfest yet can’t go monks why? And be a drunk tank? They have so few tank options, dk and warrior. It just feels bad to have so many tank classes with limited races. Prot paladin would be nice on many horde races.

I’d like to play stuff like tauren fire mage, grimtotem rogue, night elf/nightborne shaman/paladin/druids, goblin druid/monk/paladin, darkspear demonhunter, kul’tiran paladin etc.

4 Likes
17

It will. If anyone can do everything, then everyone will play humans and blood elves only.

2 Likes
18

Not true, I would switch of blood elf for example if trolls could be demonhunters, or we get feltotem demon hunters.

19

You are rather an exception to the what is to come. People who play for looks will never venture out to play goblins, gnomes or tauren/pandaren. Why should they, there is no need to. These players will be rewarded to sticking to the one race they choose.

Having limitations makes sense to a higher degree.

2 Likes
20

There are a few races that could never be a paladin no matter how hard you tried to spin the narrative. For that matter, Druids would be impossible to just give to everyone. The amount of different forms you’d have to make is so unreal and would take too long to even deal with. I do think we need more class/race combos but not every race should be every class, end of.

1 Like