Question for Roleplayers - Characters speaking animal forms

Community General Discussion
1

How do RPers consider characters in their animal form speaking?

Like shamans in ghost wolf form, druids in their various animal forms, etc, holding perfectly normal conversations. Is this well accepted?

I don’t mean to imply that these characters suddenly lose intelligence when they shapeshift but I wondered whether, lore wise, any characters are able to speak in their animal forms?

E.g. in my very, very limited knowledge, I think I’ve seen Malfurion only speak when he is in his natural night elf form.

2

There’s examples of characters speaking while in animal form both in-game and lor

I feel like the vast majority of people are fine with characters talking while in animal form

I personally never do, but that’s personal preference. I just prefer to have my characters not speak while in animal form despite retaining all of their intelligence :woman_shrugging:

3

If Worgens can do it then I don’t see a problem with Druids/Shamans doing it in their animal forms.

2 Likes
4

I don’t have a problem with it. I don’t think it’s accurate to say that your character would be able to talk in their respective forms, but it’s not a huge deal if someone does. Sometimes it’s nice to be a bird and be perched somewhere while talking to a buddy in character.

5

That’s a good point.

6

The canonical method of speaking in druid forms is essentially just speaking through magic. You aren’t actually using your animal throat to speak, but rather just magically creating the sound the same way an elemental or spirit would.

3 Likes
7

Mmm, however you wanna do it on yours, I say…

I’m a proponent of “Fun > Nitpicking Logistics and Mechanics”, myself. :smiley:

8

I’ve seen some people who RP out using Telekinesis (which was part of the original Night Elf Druid concept lore, but was never made canon), and others who state that, much as other features of their race manifest while in form (long ears for Night Elves, Tusks/Horns for Trolls/Tauren, etc…) that vocal cords do as well.

I don’t imagine there’s a wrong way to do it.

Source:

https://preview.redd.it/d9w50z34xk821.png?width=960&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=f7b28d0c955607643a075791af676d836fde837a

9

Thanks for all your thoughts, everyone :slight_smile:

10

I’ve been told Worgens have a ruff time speaking…

4 Likes
11

I really like that explanation. :smiley: Having played druids in D&D, we could not speak in an animal form.

12

Woof, Woof! Sniff, sniff, sniff sniff sniff… Woof!

13

It’s been mentioned at times that druids can’t speak in animal form, although it seems like an unnecessary detail to me considering that druid forms carry over many features of their true form.

14

Not a big rper. I don’t recall anything lorewise talking about it.

But logically i would think a druid should be able to use telepathy well in animal form to communicate.

15

I always took that part to be more of a game mechanic, so players could tell a druid in animal from from an actual animal in game. Be it a NPC animal or hunter pet.

16

This is the best way to handle it if you want to speak while in a Shapeshift form.

1 Like
17

My characters speak in form. They don’t suddenly lose their brains unless they remain in it too long. There’s characters that speak in form all the time. If some are against it, that’s fine. They aren’t required to RP with me.

This is an excellent way of putting it!

18

It’s a lore fact, druids can talk in animal form. Malfurion did it to us in Legion when he shape into deer form to give us a ride (he is our mount for a while). During that short journey he talks to us.

19

You’re right, I just remembered that!

20

“A horse is a horse, of course, of course, unless that horse is Mister Ed.”
Could always presume that the aniform voice is different from humanoid. Worgen have raspy, bear has gutteral, lion has a growly intense type, moose has Mr. Ed’s voice.