Megathread: The Other Half of the Dragon Fantasy - DRAKONIDS

The Other Half of the Dragon Fantasy
DRAKONIDS

As far back as Cataclysm, Blizzard has been considering the playable implementation of a draconic race. With Dragonflight, that vision finally came to fruition with the Dracthyr. Those Dracthyr embody much of the draconic fantasy: the flight, the fire-breathing, the spell-casting, the glamouring in humble humanoid form - in essence, all of the “special” abilities of dragons. However, as many have pointed out, they are missing one key element of the draconic fantasy:

Raw, pure, overwhelming physicality.

In terms of plausibly playable draconic races, this is best exemplified by the drakonids. Dragons themselves are too large, dragonspawn are similarly quadrupedal; only drakonids fit that humanoid mold while also exuding that bulky, strong presence that is lacking (understandably, and by design) with the Dracthyr.

They’ve been a part of WoW since the second raid tier:

And they’ve received an update with Dragonflight:


They would embody the other physical half of the draconic fantasy that does unfulfilled by the Dracthyr. Mechanically, this would translate to Drakonids having access to racial abilities and classes that exemplify their sturdy, hale natures.

Warriors and Paladins to display their stalwartness.
Rogues and Hunters to showcase their skill.
Shamans and Mages to hearken back to their lineage.

At least for their initial implementation, I would resist the urge to roll the class out to classes too outside their core theme of rank-and-file draconic meatshields. Warlocks, Demon Hunters, Death Knights, Priests, Monks, and Druids all have strong non-draconic themes, whereas Paladins, Shamans, and Mages can be justified with their zealous devotion to their respective flights. Once they’ve garnered some independence from their originating flights, we can go with Blizzard’s newly stated intent of opening everything to everyone.

For a racial mount? The DRAKEADON can be revisted.

For racials? It would be bold of me to instruct Blizzard mechanically, but in the broadest of terms, I would like to see a flat damage taken decrease and a Zandalari-esque system for swearing allegiance to a specific flight. Nothing flashy or even clever - just thematically appropriate.

For allegiance? Neutral is the obvious choice. Again, the concept is to fill and unfulfilled fantasy for all players, and that doesn’t really work if we only roll it out to one faction.

What are your thoughts?

119 Likes

Nice writeup. I really hope there’s plans to make drakonid playable in the (relatively) near future. That model is too good to squander in a single expansion, and I find it far more preferable to dracthyr.

25 Likes

Indeed. I’ve found that most critiques of the Dracthyr are centered around not what they are, but what they are not. It’s not that the model is bad - it’s that it simply wasn’t what a good portion of the people interested in a draconic playable race were looking for, or expected. Even though I plan to main a Dracthyr, it certainly wasn’t what I was expecting.

To belabour the point, Dracthyr simply do not exude that physical presence that the WarCraft audience was expecting.

Drakonids do. And then some.

And if we have room for four flavours of Elves, certainly we can manage two flavours of dragon people.

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I wouldn’t be against it by any means!

Dracthyr are pretty clearly Blizzards attempt to make Dragon and Drakonid player desires a thing but I know for some they miss the mark.

Fully support.

5 Likes

The better playable dragon

18 Likes

You have my keg…and my vote

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Big and strong isn’t exactly emblematic of dragons though. I mean tauren are big and strong too. The actual main dragons are big and strong simply because they are large. It’s not like they have overlarge, bulging muscles. At least not in proportion to their size. What’s iconic to dragons is their magic. It’s not like the magic of a mage or warlock. They don’t study and learn it. It’s innate. Foundational to their very being. A dragon person without that, who is just big, isn’t really anything. Just a scaly tauren.

Also, wings. Who wants to be a dragon person without wings?

5 Likes

I would argue that it’s both, in combination. The physicality of dragons isn’t as unique as those magical traits, but it is just as core to their identity. Indeed, those magical traits aren’t all that unique either - they’re simply more striking when in possession of such a bestial, primal creature. People wouldn’t have any issue with Dracthyr if those physical traits weren’t integral to their concept of what a dragon is.

That being said, Dracthyr absolutely nailed those unique magical traits. But they do not fill the draconic niche entirely. Drakonids would fit nicely as a physical counterpart.

The ideal is just playable dragons outright, but that isn’t a feasible option.

3 Likes

Blizzard once again giving us the wrong playable race

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and my warglaives

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This doesn’t have to be an either/or. Both can easily coexist, fulfilling different sides of the same fantasy. Like corrupted green Orcs and Mag’har. Priests and Paladins. Warlocks and Demon Hunters. Blood Elves and Night Elves and Void Elves and Nightbourne… Elves. There’s room for both Dracthyr and Drakonids.

7 Likes

kicks the crap out of drakonids for a few decades

Drakonids: Hey, let’s join the people that have been kicking the crap out of us for decades.

1 Like

Excellent work. Thank you for doing this.

Yes to the fridge option.

3 Likes

If beefcake is what you’re into, most of the races already in game have that option for you.

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Hey, don’t discount the drakonid females, either:

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looks at the Dark Irons and Zandalari.

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And Void Elves. And as Quenya’s picture reminded me, those Dark Rangers that joined the Alliance.

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Amen. I get that Blizzard needs to cater to folks who want the pretty races, but 4 is plenty. Even the “monster” races in WoW have been made pretty, to a degree. Drakonid would be such a nice change of pace.

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Personally I am a fan of drakonids as an alliance race due to the history that dragons have with the night elves.

The horde’s history with the dragons is bad enough for us to not get any playable dragons.

This guy did not skip leg day. Or the office party that had cake and ice cream.

4 Likes