The Unofficial Saurok Playable Race Discussion Megathread! 🐊

[Bagzak-rexxar]

Wanted to wish any moms a happy Mother’s day!

I found a somewhat fitting video of a woman and her pet bearded dragon that has quite the personality:

Bearded Dragon Comes Running When His Mom Calls Him | The Dodo Soulmates

As you can see, reptiles are pretty smart and can have very unique personalities. It varies from reptile to reptile, however, so if you think about getting a reptile pet, please research very carefully and don’t go in expecting them all to act like the one in the video above.

As for me, my mother wants to have some food BBQ’d, which is a good time to do so with record high temperatures. I’ll be able to munch on some delicious BBQ food in the near future!

Whatever your plans are, please have a fun, happy, and safe Mother’s Day!

[Bagzak-rexxar]

Seeing as the Dracthyr dragonkin form seems to be utilizing the female Worgen and/or High Arakkoa model, I’m wondering if playable Saurok would end up utilizing the Worgen models in some way.

While leveling up my male Worgen Frost Death Knight, I saw several animations of the male Worgen model that would work pretty well for male Saurok. Obviously, I don’t expect Saurok to howl to the moon at all, but there are some various animations here and there that seemed like they would work well implemented onto male Saurok. Seems like it could be something that you could utilize the male Worgen skeleton/rigging for.

If the female Worgen model is being utilized for Dracthyr dragonkin forms (which are gender neutral from my understanding), I could see some of that being implemented with female Saurok as well. I figured that the female Worgen skeleton/rigging could fit female Saurok very well, and likely some of the female Worgen animations would work as well.

Seems like it would save some time and money to do that as opposed to building new models and animations from the ground up, which isn’t completely out of the question of course. I imagine playable Saurok would have some differences between a playable model and their NPC counterpart, much like how some races like the Nightborne are different from their NPC models compared to their PC models.

One thing I could see changed with male Saurok would be to remove the hump on their neck. It would make it easier to put armor on them and would likely get them to look a bit better. Maybe keep the option to have the hump as a customization option if need be.

If playable Saurok got a version of running wild, utilizing the Worgen models would help make that much easier to implement, I assume. I don’t know if they actually would get it as a racial, but it is a potential racial to consider.

This was just something I was thinking about looking at the Dracthyr models and animations. Blizzard seems to like to cut costs and reuse assets, which is understandable and works fine when done right. It was something I wondered about with playable Saurok and whether it would be likely to see them utilize the male and female Worgen skeletons/rigging to make them.

Whatever the case, I’m sure Saurok would look neat as a playable Horde race. Hopefully, we’ll see that someday!

[Bagzak-rexxar]

I came across some awesome 3D models of an armored Lizardman that has a frill, which seems to be based on Lizardman/Aeon from the Soul Calibur series. They were created by KoDraCan, with some credit to others that helped in each link’s description, and all three models were uploaded to DeviantArt on January 29th, 2014.

Lizardman: Showcase 1

Lizardman: Showcase 2

Lizardman: Showcase 3

One of the cool things about the models is showing a frilled Lizardman with armor on. Frills are something that should be a customization option for Saurok, though I imagine they can be potentially hidden by helmets depending on how they’re designed. This shows what it could look like with having frills and at least having a hidden helm option on.

The models are also neat in general. You can tell a lot of Lizardman personality from the body language and poses. It’s something I really love and hope would be something you could see with playable Saurok models.

I’ll continue to look for other awesome Lizardman related art pieces to share for playable Saurok idea inspiration!

[Fenelon-wyrmrest-accord]

@Bagzak-rexxar

Seeing as the Dracthyr dragonkin form seems to be utilizing the female Worgen and/or High Arakkoa model, I’m wondering if playable Saurok would end up utilizing the Worgen models in some way.

99% sure they’re using the Demon Hunter metamorphosis form. The stance is exactly the same for both. Worgen female would require some editing of the model to get to the stance we see in the Dracthyr.

[Bagzak-rexxar]

That would be really interesting if they were using that as a skeleton for Dracthyr. Whenever NDA’s are lifted and we start seeing videos of Dracthyr in action, I’ll be sure to link some of them and see if we can tell what all was used to make them.

It’ll be a very interesting and fun time to see how they’ve developed since their reveal!

[Foedarkmoon-moon-guard]

You get dragons next expac. Let this thread die.

GOOD DAY SIR leaves

[Fallynn-wyrmrest-accord (Fallynn)]

Saurok FOR THE HORDE! More reptile races! We have tons of elves and I want more (vampire elves), so we should have tons of scaled folks too!

[Keremi-area-52]

This would be amazing but we got Drakthyr instead.

[Bagzak-rexxar]

Seeing as we have multiple flavors of Elves, Dwarves, and others as playable races, I don’t see why multiple reptilian races would be a bad thing. Moreso when they’d all be unique in their own way.

As such, I think I’ll continue to keep doing what I’m doing until the day we hopefully see both Sethrak and Saurok on that character creation screen!

Slow flashing lights occur in this video:

Cute Dancing Lizard meme (Extended)

Let’s hope for some more reptilian races on that character creation screen!

[Fenelon-wyrmrest-accord]

@Bagzak-rexxar

Let’s hope for some more reptilian races on that character creation screen!

Bring on the Sethrak, Saurok and Tortollan!

Dracthyr are dragons not reptile races and there is no good reason why they’re not all playable.

[Bagzak-rexxar]

With the announcement a few days ago of all current playable races getting the Priest, Mage, and Rogue classes, it seems like Blizzard is open to adding more race/class combos. There have been requests to open all classes to all races at some point, of which I don’t know what the chances of it happening are (especially with Evokers). Just for fun, however, I thought of Saurok with all classes and came upon what I think is an outlier I wanted to comment on.

Saurok Paladins.

The Paladin class in general is something I don’t really see being open to all races in general. Granted, some creativity can be done to explain how some races can be Paladins. Zandalari Trolls, for example, are gifted such powers by the loa while still utilizing the light in combat.

Depending on how playable Saurok would be treated, I wondered if something similar could be done with them. If they have a wild god/loa they worship, could something similar be done with them like with Zandalari Paladins? It seems like Saurok Priests would be likely now, so them utilizing the light in some fashion isn’t so much out of the question. It seems like something that could be used for some ranks, like a Temple Guard or something that would be defending places of wild god/loa worship as well.

Paladins seem like something that don’t really apply to a lot of Lizardmen races in general. Seraphon (Warhammer Fantasy) culture seems like something that would have something like that, albeit not quite 100% Paladin-like I would assume. We technically have Iksar Paladins in Everquest 2 (which has an “all races all classes” system), but I can’t think of too many other Lizardmen races that could have Paladins fit. Saurok would still be fairly savage and tribal, much like other Horde races can be, but it may not be too out of the question to see Saurok Paladins with some creativity.

All the classes I’ve listed in the main post of the megathread are ones I feel like are important to apply to playable Saurok if they ever became a thing. We could see more classes open up in the future based on how we’re getting some more race/class combos. I suppose anything is possible with other classes I didn’t list.

It does make me feel a bit better for future playable races and Death Knights. It seems like it should still be possible for newer races to become Death Knights, and all that really needs to be done is to do a few edits to the allied race/Pandaren DK starting area to future proof it and see new Death Knight races come in the future. As I said, one of my Saurok characters I want to hopefully create someday is a male Unholy Death Knight, so it’s something I’ll likely comment on from time to time.

As for Saurok Paladins, I’m open to it if they ever became a thing. Mostly, I’m in it for Warlocks (or Necromancers if they ever became a thing) and Death Knights, so as long as I get those class options, I’ll be content.

Of course, I’ll be content to get playable Horde Saurok in the first place, but having some good icing on the cake is always good, so to speak.

[Fenelon-wyrmrest-accord]

I feel like every class should be explored as an option for every race now that Blizzard has said they intend to expand class options across the board in the future. I like that they’re going to try to make lore for it for each race and I hope that means that interesting and appropriate lore for each race will be made for such classes.

Paladin has been shown already to be flexible to some degree, though still Light based mostly. It would be interesting to see how that would work out.

And every race should have death knight.

Now I think on it Monk needs to be added to the list Blizzard!

[Bagzak-rexxar]

I’m open to more race/class combos myself, though I would like a little something to explain some combinations or give a little world-building with the purpose of that particular race/class combo. Nothing especially big and grand, but something like how Blood Elf Paladins are called Blood Knights, Zandalari Paladin lore, or that Human Rogues are part of SI:7.

It reminds me of how in Everquest 1, different race/class combos had their own guilds which often had some backstory and personality for them. It made things a bit more interesting and alive, even if not a whole lot came out of it. Sometimes, a good story and world-building can last a long time, no matter how brief it is.

I do think for each class, something could be done to have all playable races eventually be them, although Evokers seem a bit iffy at present. I could see something being done for Saurok and each class as well, aside from Evokers. We’ll see what direction Blizzard goes with new race/class combos as time goes on.

As I said, being able to make Horde Saurok characters is the most important part. I do hope they’d be able to be Warlocks and Death Knights at release in such a case, as well as other classes people would love to have for their dream Saurok character.

[Bagzak-rexxar]

With all the rumors going on of at least one possible new race of some kind for 9.2.5, I wanted to bring up this old video by MrGM about the four allied race ID’s that were datamined during the Shadowlands alpha, who explains the significance of the playable race ID’s in general:

NEW Allied Race Data Added in the Shadowlands Alpha?

At the time, people speculated that this would lead to the four Covenant races becoming playable. A lot of the race models shown here are a bit odd for playable races however, so it is unclear if this was possibly added as placeholders for future playable races, whenever they would be.

It’s up in the air whether we will see at least one new race in 9.2.5 and if we do, what they would be. Still, this is something I wanted to bring up since rumors seem to be blazing across the forums and other WoW related media websites.

Ideally, it would be great to see a couple of pairs of new races. Granted, I would much prefer them to be races people have been requesting for a long time as opposed to races that come out of nowhere. Hard to really know what to expect. Moreso as there continues to be various hints and things of suspect, like with the 9.2.5 splash screen being encrypted on the PTR and preorders for Dragonflight not yet being available still.

While I’m not expecting to see playable Saurok, it would be pretty exciting if they happened to become a playable Horde race from this. I haven’t really seen anything involving them, but it seems like anything is possible. I have seen interest in playable Horde Saurok gradually increase since I started this megathread, so maybe we could be lucky.

Hopefully we’ll get an announcement sooner or later of what is to come so we can see if anything comes from the rumor or not. Regardless of what does happen, I’ll continue to march in support for playable Horde Saurok as best as I can!

[Bagzak-rexxar]

Seeing as there are apparently going to be some events in 9.2.5, part of which I think is to show how Azeroth is faring with the swarms of undead rampaging across the world (of Warcraft!) while we were in the Shadowlands, I thought I would speculate (just for fun of course) some on if we did return to Pandaria briefly for whatever reason.

I’ve mentioned the idea of the Pandarens teaming up with other denizens of Pandaria to fight off the undead, which would include Saurok of course. Seeing as how letting angry undead tearing apart everything would be quite low on their list of fun, happy, and healthy activities, I imagine some tribes of Saurok (either known tribes or unknown tribes) possibly being open to fighting with others for survival.

Part of me imagines Mogu Necromancers taking advantage of the situation as well. Mogu do have Necromancers that appear in-game, though in most documented cases, they seem to deal with spirits as opposed to undead bodies. Still, it could be something the Mogu can do in order to cause some trouble and gain power, and when Mogu are involved, I would think Saurok would be more than willing to put aside differences to help take down any Mogu Necromancers causing the undead problem to be worse.

In such a case, I imagine any Saurok tribe or tribes could be open to negotiations by the Pandaren, since according to Lorewalker Cho, they still try to apply diplomacy with them. Some time has passed and we’ve seen Saurok evolve in many ways, including personality, so it could lead to talks finally being opened with some of the Saurok.

I’m not sure from here how that could lead to Saurok being a Horde allied race, but I’m sure something could be worked out. Maybe they would be interested in seeing the world (of Warcraft!) and being interested in the concept of the Horde. There could be a number of possibilities that I’m sure could work.

In reality, I don’t know what the chances are of doing anything with Pandaria, let alone Saurok would be during 9.2.5. There hasn’t been any hints to suggest such a thing, but you never know. Rumors of at least one new playable race as an early access preorder incentive for Dragonflight (not the Dracthyr) are also blazing around the forums, and while not a guarantee we’ll see anything out of the rumors, it is something to consider. Even if it is for fun.

Hopefully, we’ll be seeing the contents of 9.2.5 soon. Should I see anything of Saurok interest, I will be sure to report here. In the meantime, I keep an open mind of what could be forthcoming or not in general, but always hope for the best.

[Fenelon-wyrmrest-accord]

I like it.

That would be a fun and nice way to get the Saurok done exposure and maybe playable.

[Sevenrabbit-moon-guard]

I love how you’ve tried to make your character look like one of these Saurok, nice one.
But you’ll have to settle for the less threatenening weird Dracthyr instead…

[Fenelon-wyrmrest-accord]

I’ll settle when they add Saurok.

shrug

Dracthyr ain’t Saurok or Sethrak.

[Bagzak-rexxar]

To settle for Dracthyr instead of Saurok is like settling with Pandaren instead of Furbolgs. They’re completely different races with different cultures, and it makes little sense to me that Dracthyr would mean no other reptilian race would ever become playable. This with four flavors of playable elves, with a chance of another one with possibly two variants could be forthcoming, which would also be very unique and awesome compared to the other playable Elf races.

Moreso when Dracthyr are unfortunately extremely limited with transmogs, having to ride mounts in their humanoid form, and only being able to be one class currently. Meanwhile, Saurok and Sethrak would have completely different cultures, personalities, be able to wear multiple transmogs of different armor types, can ride mounts as themselves, and would be able to be multiple classes. Sure, they won’t be flying with wings and be belching fireballs at enemies, but they have their own unique forms of combat in multiple styles thanks to multiple classes and natural body parts like teeth, claws, and such.

While I’m excited for Dracthyr, I won’t settle for them as a Saurok replacement. I can’t say what the chances are we’ll ever see playable Saurok, but I fail to see why Dracthyr being playable would bar other reptilian races from becoming playable. Moreso when you can implement some design features from Dracthyr to Sethrak and Saurok.

Dracthyr are great for those into the dragon fantasy, but it doesn’t scratch that itch for me when it comes to Lizardmen races. Thus I’ll continue to keep marching in support of playable Horde Saurok and hope to see other reptilian races also become playable.

The way I see it, the more variety on that character creation screen, the more interesting the game is. Reptilian races can offer that variety in more ways than one.

[Naughtymoon-proudmoore (Naughtymoon)]

Not gonna lie I’d still like to one day have a female Saurok Warlock.