I actually just got around to doing this one. I came in late during Legion having not played since Wrath so consequently I never unlocked flying and barely understood how most of the new mechanics worked since everywhere but Argus was pointless to quest in.
The HM Tauren thus far haven’t been utilized too well beyond Legion. Their eagles play a role in getting Horde agents in and out of Stormwind in the BFA opener, they operate an outpost in Drustvar, and their eagles again turn up to help down an Alliance skyship in Vol’Dun.
That’s pretty much the extent of their story presence. I actually forgot Mayla’s name within the year I didnt play. Mainly because she has the truly thankless task of being Baine’s gal pal. Seriously idk how you manage to be less interesting than Baine but they managed.
Ebonhorn I remembered though. And it is nice to learn why nobody ever seems to acknowledge the adult black dragon the Horde has on it’s payroll. It’s because only Mayla, the PC and now Baine know his secret. And fair enough. I can see why Ebonhorn might wanna keep that hush hush. Must be a bit like being the only guy with a pickup truck in your social circle. You’re getting phone calls anytime anyone’s moving house.
Although it is a bit silly nobody saw Ebonhorn getting the ole tentacle madness when N’Zoth escaped his enclosure as that’s ths main plot thrust of this storyline.
I gotta say I think nobody benefitted from SL better than the Old Gods. Because come to think of it they really aren’t the most interesting baddies to fight. Back when faceless ones were these mysterious things that should not be that very sporadically turned up they were. But now we’ve tangled with madness from beyond the stars so often that studying shoggoths is probably a perfectly banal field of zoology in this setting. But of course next to grey suits of armor they come off as positively dripping personality out the wazoo.
All in all it was fine as unlock quests go but I doubt I’m going to remember it in a year either. The biggest let down though is far as I can tell there’s still no way to actually get one of their eagles as a flying mount. And I think it’s rather rude to introduce giant bald eagles then not let us ride one. I wanna zoom into battle on them while Real American blares in the background.
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I came here to basically say this. I remember practically nothing of their unlock, other than being disappointed that I don’t get a giant bald eagle. It’s sad because Highmountain will probably fall into the category of ‘cool but unused’ story assets for future expansions, unless Ebonhorn makes an appearance in DF. That seems to be the unfortunate role of most allied races, they kinda had their little story moment and fizzled away into background characters. (at most)
I will go on record as saying that Highmountain have the best Moonkin form, but that might just be the Canadian in me.
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She could have been more interesting, what with being a person who actually united the tribes on screen and didn’t just work off of her dad’s name and off screen acceptance like Baine. She’s got a literal black dragon confidant and leads a people who lived next door to a World Tree and a Titan Keeper’s personal playground. She could be so very interesting and offer a unique perspective on how to handle the larger issues of the world.
But pairing the two together pretty much removes any form of unique character she could ever have and turns her into Aggra 2.0, a mandatory same-race love interest for a male character with the slightest hints of emotional attachment to other men in the story.
Lasan basically is the representative Highmountain character now, because he actually does stuff uniquely highmountain with their eagles, and has an actual fun and unique personality in the Horde that isn’t just Baine, but with less relevance and screen time. Which like, I’m all for because he’s a great character, but I wish that didn’t come at the cost of Mayla’s story role being Baine’s Mandated Het Arm Candy.
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It also doesn’t help that the female HM tauren is so scarcely different from the typical female model that youll actually have to squint to notice.
In general though the ARs outside the Zandalari at least seem largely a failure. The big Zs have a great racial that is frankly OP for Paladins and really rich lore. I suspect they’ll probably overtake the Darkspear in stories to come because Ancient Dinosaur City Made Of Gold is a touch more interesting than ‘some island’ in terms of home bases.
But honest to God I’ve seen more Stormwindians and Forsaken RP as Kul Tiran than actual Kul Tiran PCs. And even stuff I’d be interested in rolling like the Mag’Har or Dark Iron I don’t because they’ve objectively worse racials. Which isnt typically that big of a difference but all things considered I’ll take a stun reduction over a slight mount speed boost that vanishes in compeitive play.
Which is a shame because as stupid as the lore is about it Mag’har seemed like an attempt to introduce Orkz. And obviously I want to play one of those boyz;
But not so much that I’m going to make a suboptimal character. Especially when the Mag’Har cant decide if they’re that or just misunderstood. Because someone realized how stupid it was the non fel corrupted orcs are crazier than the green ones.
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Maybe they will add a special quest line for them like they did with Blood Elves and Dark Iron Dwarves!
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Lasan is obviously a gem. I loved the Horde Intro to BfA where we break Talanji out from Stormwind. The Horde does not have to be the unambiguous villain 100% of the time, it could be written heroically, and that was a great example. It was awesome how Blizzard incorporated the Allied Races.
I had hoped we would see more from the Feltotem and maybe see what happened to any Bloodtotem who did not consume the fel. I guess you can RP as a non Fel Bloodtotem if you use the red war paint? Maybe that they have red as an option means the remaining Bloodtotem joined Mayla, and it wasnt shown in game, or I missed it.
We have fought a ton of Orcs, Undead, Trolls, Elves, Dwarves, and Humans, but I cant recall a Tauren Dungeon much less a raid. I really want to see a Tauren Patch with a Tauren Raid. Mostly because it would be a nice change of pace. I thought the Feltotem might be a part of more angry Tauren stampeding about - but they sort of faded away.
Maybe the Cow King invades from the Secret Cow level, kidnaps Baine, and Mayla leads the invasion of the Cow level to save him.
“There must always be a Cow king…”
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Near the end of Legion some uncorruoted Bloodtotem NPCs are added to Thunder Totem. I believe on the left side.
As for the scenario- i did enjoy it. Ive always enjoyed tauren, so it was obvious id enioy the Highmountain.
Sadly this is true. Theyve certainly been present in areas you mentioned and other places contributing to the war. I think that was due to Mayla’s disgust with Sylvanas, which we saw in the couple racial leader gatherings.
Out of the Allied Race leaders hordeside she is one of the lesser used ones, alongaide Geyarah. But i think theyve done a lot better showcasing the diversity of the factions so im not worried about her vanishing.
Im excited to see where things go. I love the ARs ajd their characters so far
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I know it’s subjective but I feel like Alliance got the crap-end of the AR stick in terms of cool factor. Some folks see Highmountain as just re-skinned Tauren but Tauren are already a bombastic race and adding tattoos and moose horns along with the HM lore was tops. Along with Nightborne (while I know divisive) have a beautiful city, great backstory and are the Highborne encapsulated in a literal bubble. In contrast, the Alliance got two races that seemed to be pulled out of thin air with little-to-no backstory and even less potential to be included in future content. (Unless we get this fabled Light vs Void expansion someday)
Don’t get me started on the fact that there is almost no reason to be a Kul Tiran outside of Shaman or Druid unless you want to be a strong-man character or 6 different variations of Amy Schumer.
Anyway, now I’m just going on a tangent, I’m just salty we didn’t get Krokul. THEY WERE RIGHT THERE BLIZZARD!
A majority of the ARs could’ve just been skin options, let me just put it that way.
There had been at one point an entire quest chain involving Baine during Highmountain questing in development. There was supposed to be a lot of interaction between him and Mayla. It got axed however.
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Even with Roanauk Icemist(Taunka Leader)! It is a shame it was changed.
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