Possible Lore Ideas for the Remaining Race/Class Combos

Community General Discussion
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Since we know they are all coming sooner or later, I thought we’d use this topic thread to discuss what each would look like Lorewise.

Orcs:
For Paladins, I can see them taking their Reverence to Lo’gash to the next level and make Wolf Warriors or something.
As for Druids, there’s a few ways this could go (Being Taught by the Tauren, Lo’gash again, the Botani that fled Draenor making a deal with the Horde for Lumber in exchange for teaching them Druidism (And possible joining.), etc.) I can’t say for sure where that’d go.
As for the Non-Regular Classes, I’ll just say it here I got no idea for Evokers, so I’m not bringing them up again. Orcs are among those that followed Illidan, we have some Fel Orcs in the Horde Already, Kinda Speaks for itself.

Trolls:
They are only missing 2 of the Hero Classes and Paladins. For the Demon Hunters, maybe they learn how to be Demoniacs from those among the Zandalari, but that’s a big maybe.
Paladins are either Followers of Bwomsamedi or Vol’jin, otherwise I have no idea.

Tauren:
…Uh are they missing anything other than Demon Hunters or Evokers? I got nothing.

Undead:
Paladins could be the Penitent, those who seek Penance and are willing to suffer the Pain of the Light for Azeroth/The Forsaken/The Horde. Maybe they call themselves the Penitent Ones or the Order of Penance or The Redeemed or something.
Shamans is a tough one, Struggling to think of something here.
Druids are a bit easier, do something similar with the Kul’tirans but go all in on the aspects of Rot and Decay, Druids of the Rot or something.

Blood Elves:
Shamans is another tricky one, I suppose they figure out how to create Arcane Elementals or something. Like Shamans of Order or something.
Druids we already got enough to work with, Mix that one boss with Farstriders. Dunno what the name would be.

Goblins:
For Paladins, I’d like to avoid taking the joke “Dur hur, they worship money.” and emphasize their Shamanic Origins in some way, basically some kind of Shamanic Paladin, belief in the Elements.
Druid maybe Elemental Druids, again to emphasize the Shamanic thing again (We can’t have multiple of the other idea I get to later.)

Pandaren:
Paladin of the Celestials, this one is easy.
Same with Druid, they already care about nature and worship Wild Gods, this should have been an option to start with.

Humans:
…
Imma be real, they are so generic and their lore doesn’t lend itself well to the remaining classes they don’t have, I can’t think of a single way to make them work.

Dwarves:
Druids I had an idea, maybe emphasize their Titan Roots and make them Druids of Stone or Steel, I think there’s something there.

Gnomes:
Paladins are difficult, they are Agnostic by nature and thus don’t worship…anything. These guys are the hardest for me to come up with. Uh…Maybe Worship of the Titans? I have no idea.
Shaman I actually got something, the Sand Gnomes. Have them bring in the Sand Gnomes into the fold and either make them Customization Option or Allied Race, and the make the Sand Gnomes Shamanic and have them teach the Gnomes.
Druid: One of 2 ways, A do what I suggested with Gnomes and have the Sand Gnomes have Desert Druids, or make them Mecha Druids. Maaaaaaaaybe Titan/Order Druids if we push it.

Night Elves
Paladins of Elune, this isn’t a question.
Shamans are a bit harder, my best Idea is for them to learn how to be Shaman from of all things Druid of the Flame Defectors (And gain them as either Customization or Allied Race.).

Draenei:
Druids have them accompany Druids to Argus to learn from Argus itself to become Druids of Argus or something, maybe Light Druids or something.
Demon Hunters some serve the Illidari and now we have straight up Man’ari in the Alliance, there’s something there.

Worgen:
Paladins they can’t be of the Light like regular Humans, Worgen is a Curse and Paladins of the Light are immune to Curses. So their Faith has to come from somewhere else. Maybe Goldrinn or some kind of Nature Paladin.
Shaman I think might actually be the harder one to figure out, I have no real idea of how they’d work.

I’ll leave Allied Races for another post.

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They’ve already setup a good way to introduce Orc Druids with their Heritage Quest. The Orc PC communes with Owa’nohe, a Thunder Lizard ancient, to restore Thunder Ridge with a small tree. An Orc Druid can just be a follower of Owa’nohe to restore the desolate Durotar and Barrens.

Orc Paladins? I’ve got nothing.

Darkspear Paladins are simple - they just follow the same teachings as the Zandalari in worshipping the Loa of Kings/Queens. That was Rezan but now is strongly hinted to be Vol’jin when he wakes up from his nap in Ardenweald.

Undead Paladins I don’t think needs much. They’ve existed in the lore since all the way back to vanilla with Zeliek. Some undead are just so strong in their faith that even the pain of channeling the Light won’t stop them. I guess if you just want them to have a specifically named organization, you could come up with something. But I think just them carrying over their Church of the Light worship from the time they were alive with Calia and Alonsus being the main figures for it is good enough for me. The Cult of Forgotten Shadow really needs more presence though to act as sort of the foil to the Light-worshipping. For Undead Druids and Shamans, I think going the route of death and decay is the way to go. They’re natural parts of the cycle.

Blood Elves already have lore that could lead into shamans and druids with Thas’alah, the Eversong Mother Tree. It absorbed the energies of the Sunwell through its roots and radiated that energy out and caused the endless spring that permeates the Eversong Woods. B.Elf Druids can simply be a group who acts as Thas’alah’s caretakers. Shamans… I don’t know… a group of Farstriders who learned how to commune with the Elements from their Tauren and Orc allies?

I really don’t see much happening with Goblins beyond what Blizzard already does which is comic relief. Them and Gnomes are pretty much only brought up when Blizzard wants something to lighten the mood. Though I do really want to see Goblin, Gnomes, and Mechagnomes get Druid for some crazy, mechanical druid forms.

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Alright time for the Allied Races

Highmountain:
Paladins are easy, either they pick up Sunwalker Teachings from their Cousins or use their Faith in Huln.
Blood Totem might work for Demon Hunters.

Nightbourne:
Paladins…Hmm, this will be a hard one for them, I suppose they COULD learn how the Blood Knights work, and then make their own thing, I dunno.
Shaman likewise is kind of hard to think of one, I just go back to Arcane Shamans for them.
Druids I do got, the Arcandor, Arcane Druids by adapting the Teachings of the one Night Elf who helped us with that Tree, there’s actually some room to work here.
Demon Hunters cause Elves who aren’t infused with a type of Energy.

Mag’har Orcs
Paladins are gonna be iffy, they are NOT particularly good with the Light given…well you know. And likewise Lo’gash doesn’t work here like it does with the Orcs so I dunno. Maybe Paladins of the Ancestors?
Druids I guess just go back to the Botani again.

Zandalari:
Demon Hunters they might be able to join the Illidari and share the ways of the Demoniac to give them ways to refine the Process of creation. Trade Notes, open recruitment to the Zandalari.

Vulpera:
Paladin they got their own Loa, follow that Loa.
Druids they already take care of their Desert pretty good, probably learn from the Taurens and create like a Branch of Druidism for the Desert, Druids of the Sand or something.

Void Elves:
Paladins full stop, unless we get Racial Effects for classes, lorewise it doesn’t work period.
Shamans I figure they could find some Void Tainted Elementals and teach them how to control it in exchange for working with them, Void Shamans basically.
Druids Study and learning of Void Creatures and Plants and learn how to turn into them, Druids of the Void/Shadow.
Demon Hunters I have no idea how well Fel and Void get along.

Dark Iron:
Druids I guess if the Druids of the Flame join up, they could swap information on Fire and the Firelands and the like, maybe just have them Straight Up Become Druids of the Flame Themselves.

Kul’Tirans:
Paladins honestly I can see them just worshiping the Sea like with their Shamans and Priests and Make Sea Knights or something. Tide Guard maybe.

Mechagnomes:
Paladin again going back to the Gnomes, Very Agnostic People, I don’t know where to go with them. Again Maybe Titan Worship.
Shaman I Guess Techno-Shamans, that could be neat.
Druids We all know where I was gonna go with this, they are Transformers and just turn into Robots, maybe with some form of Symbiosis with Nature somehow (Maybe like that one species From Netflix’s Voltron (The best thing I could make sense with.).).

Lightforged Draenei:
Shaman Light Shamans, don’t know how it’d work, maybe they Lightforge the Elementals.
Druids kind of the same thing, the Mixture Nature and Light. Druids of the Naaru or something.

And finally, the upcoming Earthen

Earthen:
Druids They could fuse Nature and Elemental Magic (Druid and Shaman.) in a different way from the Druids of the Flame, but do it with Stone. Druids of the Stone (Yeah I suggested something similar with the Dwarves, but this is all I got really.).

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Yup, the Arcan’dor is even infused with Emerald Dream energy offering the Nightborne that potential. :robot::+1:

Orcs/Mag’har have worshipped Goldrinn for centuries on both planets (somehow) so druids were inevitable. :hourglass::robot:

Void elves are difficult… although maybe the scrapped lore about druids existing but at a lower level like harvest witches might be fair for Blood elves/Void elves? :robot::sweat_drops:

Yup although it has been strange the Dark Irons and Druids of the Flame never worked together. :robot::thought_balloon:

Funny enough, the Mechagnomes have encountered the Drust before the Kul’tirans so maybe it makes sense there already exist some Mechagnome/Gnome Thornspeakers. :8ball::robot:

The Lost Ones have achieved druidism on Outland and have a sanctuary for themselves. Could be fair to encounter Feralfen teachers for Draenei/Lightforged? :robot::sweat_drops:

Freya already has Titanforged units, likely some Earthen follow her teachings. :robot::leafy_green:

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Any of the races can have it’s own Paladin class, in my opinion. Faith is transferable. Through study and teachings, it wouldn’t be beyond reason if there were at least some folk of diverse races that show an interest in the Light, even if it would, in theory, go against the grain, or possibly even a sort of hero worshipping for a faith based rescuer or maybe from reading so much folklore. After all, each race has Priests, and some of those Priests could be militant enough to make that one step closer a possibility. Besides, there really is nothing to say a Paladin absolutely has to follow the Light. One only need look at various table top RPG’s for inspiration on how Blizzard could create the lore around this.

For example;

  • Kul’Tiran are just human. Since human’s can be Paladins already, nothing at all to prevent them from becoming one at all. It could be it was a niche they didn’t need to fulfil because they already have Holy Priests, and a retinue of Warriors to follow their callings. There wasn’t a need to combine the two. Furthermore, Worgen are still human at heart, even if they must battle their inner wolf. They could use that weakness to help them dedicate themselves further toward the light, and to help them hang on to their humanity a little easier with dedication to a cause.
  • Orcs/Mag’har Orcs can champion the light if they choose. Again, the Holy Priests/Warrior combo could work here as well. Since Blizzard is toning down most of the conflicts between the Horde and the Alliance, they can finally find the time to settle down and learn, see why such races as the Blood Elves and Tauren choose to follow the light, and really learn why it is so effective and satisfying to them, and see why such a calling can only benefit them further.
  • Trolls/Zandalari Trolls may be a bit more problematic, at least in regards to the Light. Since a lot of their culture is based on VooDoo (death, hexes, elixers, etc…), you would think being a Paladin would be much more incompatible with their way of life. However, there is nothing to say they need champion the Light. Championing Death or maybe major Loa’s is just as valid. A Priest could help those who wish to be more militant on behalf of Death (or whatever) can and should help them create a proper Code to follow. Death, for instance, isn’t evil or good, it just is. Maybe a Troll Paladin could be one who believes it is or isn’t yet someone’s turn to die, based on Death’s own Code. Just an example, because the possibilities are multitude.
  • Undead were human (mostly), nothing to stop them taking up the mantle of what they were in life once again. Especially after Sylvanas more or less betrayed them. Again, it may not have to be the Light the second time around, but the Kyrian keepers of the dead.
  • Goblins/Gnomes/Mechagnomes. I’ve got nothing. Champions of Change, maybe? Either way, their Paladin powers would have to be vastly different than any other race’s.
  • Pandaren Paladin’s would be a comfortable fit out of most of the other race’s, simply because their way of life is probably the most compatible to the Light. Championing the Celestials is an obvious choice.
  • Dwarves already have Paladins, and since Dark Iron Dwarves are now a part of society, it isn’t much of a stretch to think they can’t learn from them how to become one with the Light if they have a mind to do so.
  • Kaldorei Paladins of Elune makes good sense to me. For that matter, according to Lore, Earthen could also be Paladins of Elune. “The Tauren and the Earthen were also known to honor, if not outright worship Elune. The earthen were aware that it was she who gave birth to Cenarius, and were surprised to hear that Ysera was regarded as his mother”. *SOURCE Wowpedia.

That’s all I have for the moment. I’ll give it more thought and add to this list another time.

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Some good suggestions so far.

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Paladins: The Tyr’s Guard.
Who? Everyone

Druids: Guardians of The Dream
Who: Everyone.
What forms? Snomowl, owlbear, catraptor

They haven’t introduced the neutral/generic vector for shaman yet but its coming.

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I feel that would be too boring, and so many already have their own thing that that would be unsatisfying.

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I don’t think they’re poling your opinion, mate. They very transparently set up the Tyr’s Guard then staffed it with multi-cultural paladins (some from races that currently cant be paladins as yet) for a reason.

Then what did Tyr do at the end? Oh right. Vow to find new purpose here on Azeroth. Hm.

Is it lazy? Yes. Is it likely? Also yes.

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There is no lore preventing any of the remaining combinations from happening… The only case was Undead and the Light but that was hand-waved all the way back in 2004 so the Horde had a second race that could be Priests.

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I’m not sure why people think this. Paladins have been said to be immune to poison and disease. But magic and curses seem to affect them just fine. And the Worgen “curse” is Druidic in nature, coming from the Ancient Goldrinn. I haven’t seen anything that states Druidic magic cuts off Holy magic in any way.

Besides, the Worgen still worship the Light. Worgen Priests are trained in the use of the Light. One of our very favorite Worgen NPCs, Fiona, is a Holy Priest.

The main reason why there were no Worgen is that Gilneas cut themselves off from the Alliance before the Alliance really started training Paladins.

Of course, that doesn’t explain why Kul Tiras has no Paladins, as they had Paladins in Warcraft II and Warcraft III…

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They don’t need reasoning. They can just throw them into the game like they did Mag’har warlocks.

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There are less Light Followers in Gilneas and Kul’Tiras, this is the main reason you have Druids prior to the curse in the form of the Harvest Witches with the former, and the Latter have Drust Style Druids as well as Tide Shamans and Priests.

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With how long different races have lived with each other at this point, most of them could just easily be explained by saying something like, a small group of orcs were fascinated by blood elf paladins / blood knights growing up and have dedicated themselves towards learning their ways, or some dwarves were interested in night elf druids and learned to love and respect nature enough for the night elves to teach them, etc.

Because let’s face it, while general racial culture will remain strong for a long time yet, when multiple cultures live together for so long, there will be some blending and merging of cultures.

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I actually forgot when writing up the Dwarf part that given they got Mages and Warlocks from The Dark Iron and the Shamans from the Wildhammer, they might have learned Druidism from the Wildhammer.

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In my opinion, lore wise mecha-gnomes shouldn’t “get” any of these classes, but instead use technology to fake it.

Druids would be mech suits, like you said. And shamans/paladins would use technology to replicate the class abilities, but wouldn’t have the “real” abilites because they are incapable of learning them due to their society.

For example, totems could be mechanical turrets and ghost wolf could be a holographic image they put on themselves

Of course, all of that assumes Blizz actually cares about mechagnomes…which we know they don’t

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The Shadowmoon clan was close enough for warlocks although it is fair we’re starting to relate shadow priests accompanied by voidwalkers. :robot::thought_balloon:

We’ve returned to Mechagon three times (Operation Mechagon, De Other Side, Robot Time Rift), had our iconic spidertank fly, and were given a new swim animation in Shadowlands. They care about us. :robot::+1: