I think it’s easy to say this when at this point (if you are an avid RPer), interacting with a lot of the Vulpera and vulpera character concepts, sort of seem to divert a lot from what the story line was. At least, in my experience.
A lot of characters to me don’t seem to have the sense of need for survival, the spiritual nature of their lands and what little customs we were shown. No one talks about the importance of hyenas, alpacas, their wagon. No one really seems to think about what their character brings to the Horde.
Again, just my experience in the times I interact with vulpera characters.
But usefulness isn’t really what the Horde is about. This implies recruitment only in the means of bolstering numbers or having soldiers for war. This is sort of how the Zandalari were treated I feel, and the AU Mag’har. The Zandalari didn’t really have a want to seek out Horde unification until a reason was sort of forced on them. (There’s other things about their story where their connection to the Horde is/was beneficial but that’s not the point.)
The vulpera though, were a neutral people more or less and live in a harsh land. Where survival and knowledge of the wilds and it’s people determine if they live another day. Most everything is bigger than them, making them prey targets. Used like nothing by the Sethrak. Targeted by the Alliance. They were helping the Horde, they can relate to the Horde and they can relate to the Horde in the sense that this New Horde was formed for survival.
Thrall did not band together the tauren, orc, troll and forsaken because he thought they could do things for him. They’re together because they have reasons to help each other. They respect each other, share similar faith structures and need to look out for each other in a world that see them as well…people not worthy of life, land or safety. (Which is the prompt you’re basically given when you make a pandaren.)
The entire Horde is not made up of warriors or expert craftsmen. It’s a community of people of all types. Civilians, elderly, disabled and sick. Average people. People who contribute by keeping the traditions alive, by supporting their warriors and funding their local crafters. It lives and breaths.
So vulpera…simply just do, what everyone else does. They live, they contribute, they fight and they help be a part of a group where everyone has made them feel like they deserve to be outcasted for being different.
Vulpera would thrive in Durotar. They might offer insight into foraging, harvesting different plants, new water based technology such as systems to help purify it or different methods of anti-venom with how often they are exposed to deadly wasps, scorpids and cobras and dealing with the sethrak.
They can help cultivate food for the Horde, help it be even more sustainable. Contribute to farming, harvesting and transportation of goods. Education on traveling in the heat, how to cover your face, what not to wear (telling them what not to do based on observations of exiled Zandalari and others who did not make it long.)
Shamanic connection and furthering their bond with the people of the horde through spiritual means.
So yes, I’d say the vulpera are very useful. They are a hardy people, who survive, who revere the spirits and want to feel safe in a world who might seem them as unworthy - so maybe …to those out there, maybe rethink before having your character go on about skinning them and calling them rats as thinnly veiled IC disguise as your distaste , when all you do is make people feel bad.
I don’t come across many vulpera though, who take a lot of these into account. Most seem to act like they don’t want to be there, hate the Horde and orcs, are not actually a part of the Horde or they all try to divert away from their Vol’dun culture and thus…they all seem like they might not fit. (And this is largely because people keep wanting to hurt them in scenarios or even whisper them awful things. Be nice, man. Your wasting your time putting energy into telling someone you don’t know you hate their little fox person. See how silly that sounds?)
But I’ve come across a lot of great characters too. I hope this sort of helps!!