I can’t shake the feeling that CDev is slowly seeding a fundamental change in the Watchers as an organisation.
Look at the new transmog set that just dropped. There’s Light-coloured magic emanating from one of its two variant tints. Why? The Light or Sun has never really been a theme for them before. Why now?
Then there’s the fact that the Watchers are all about justice; obsessively so, in parts. That meshes quite well with your typical paladin archetype, no?
That’s two relatively small things, admittedly, but the more I think about it, they really would make a good fit for future night elf paladins; which we know are coming at some point.
Priestesses of the Moon are the only fit for a Night Elf Paladin. Look at them all around Amirdrassil wearing their battle armor.
They are not and have never been just a regular cloth wearers casting healing spells. They lead battles and I like how they are represented in Amirdrassil.
Wardens wearing green is no big deal… elves live in forests after all so green will always be welcome. Their armor blends them with their surroundings and is not related to the Sun as some may try to imply.
I farmed up the Darkshore Warfront Plate set on my first Night Elf Warrior and Night Elf Death Knight to be ready for the chance of Night Elf Paladins being playable.
I think they’re certainly a viable option—sure; I can see how one could desire them as the prime candidate for a night elf paladin faction. I’d never state that they are your simple, cloth-wearing priests—in the Kaldorei context, they’re atypical priest-types. Their ranks contain strong, combat-capable women who have demonstrated many a time that they can hold their own on a battlefield. However, they really only fight when needed—it’s not at the core of what they do; hence why they have off shots in the Sentinels and Watchers. First and foremost, they are the spiritual leaders of Kaldorei society.
I personally don’t think they’re the best fit. I simply find Watchers to be more analogous to the traditional paladin archetype; on their own and by comparison.
When it comes to the Light, the Sun is often seen as the celestial body that’s most associated with that magical force, not either moons; which is obviously what the Sisterhood venerates because of the Elune connection. I am seeing sun themes—visual notes, mostly—pop-up in relation to Watchers, of late. Conversely, I haven’t seen that in the Sisterhood.
Also, as alluded to in the OP, the hunt for justice is a huge factor when it comes to paladins, too. Justice is at the core of what motivates Watchers. Now, justice isn’t something of insignificance to the Priestesses, but it isn’t a core, driving force for them.
Also, warden’s wearing traditionally predominantly green armor factors into nothing here. Not sure where that came from, to be honest. As you said, that’s “no big deal”. I agree. The green isn’t of interest to me here, it’s the golden, Light-like—Sun-like—magic that’s emanating from the set. That’s new; and interesting.
That’s been my complain for a while now. The slow but steady push I’ve noticed from Devs to shoehorn the Sun into Kaldorei things. Wardens have never been associated with the Sun so why push for it now?
I obviously can’t speak to the why here. CDev’s motives are alien to me. All I am saying is that it seems to be evident that they want the sun to have a place in modern Kaldorei society now.
For me, it all comes down to compelling story. I am fine with change in a story as long as that change is well justified and flesh-out to a solid degree. So have the sun play a role, if you must, but don’t drop the ball, so to speak. If Elune and the Sun have a relationship to each other somehow, treat that lore with care, common sense, and respect for the past in-mind. I am not a rule of cool guy. In other words, I don’t like it when they do something they think is cool at the cost of the established.
It’s not creative; it’s lazy.
Be cleaver and develop these things so they can coexist or evolve from each other. Why? Because you are writing the story.
I don’t think this is necessarily a push for the sun in lore, but the concept of the set and mount.
About the original subject, Wardens despite being such an important part of night elf lore, weren’t expanded enough, for instance, we know some powers Maiev have are granted by elune, like her blink, which other wardens dont have, but at the same time, other wardens have been shown to be able to summon the vengeance powers, like the clones and so on.
But I honestly don’t see wardens as paladins, id we think of paladins as warrior priests, wardens seem to be a hybrid of warrior priests and rogues.
Also, their motiff is an Owl, so i doubt there will be any Sun connection in lore.
You can get something similar using the new Warden Set in its white/silver variation.
My NE Priest finally looks like a proper Priestess of the Moon in their battle armor.
With that set you can play with helms and shoulders with amazing results.
Now the only thing left is for Moonglaives to be transmogable to more weapons like Daggers. Them being skins for only 1h swords is a joke.
Extra annoying after they already did the One-Handed Swords thing with Elune’s Wrath and Elune’s Fury. Forced me to make a Single-Minded Fury Warrior - my second Night Elf Warrior - and a forth Demon Hunter as the classes that can dual wield One-Handed Swords that fit the weapons best. Neither really fit the pirate style of Outlaw Rogue. Nor does the Glaives. For the Glaives I made my third Demon Hunter a year ago in preparation for the green Warden set to use the Darkshore Warfront Glaives with, and I made a second Monk for the One-Handed Swords Glaives of the Blood Moon to go with the first Night Elf Heritage Armor set.
I don’t really know how hard it can be but I’d imagine they only need to make a smaller version of Moonglaives to use as daggers transmog.
I’m really grateful for all the nice appearances we are getting but it’s sad to have such a drastic limitation with the most iconic night elf weapon.
I nominate Daggers because basically everyone can wield it and already kinda resembles a moonglaive both being pointy weapons.
Hopefully whenever we get Night Elf Paladins, Blizzard gives us the option to use moonglaives xmogs for more weapons.
Or just simply follow pre-established lore and let the Sisterhood of Elune to finally become our in game Paladins.
No need to come up with mental gymnastics to justify it.
Priestesses of the Moon already are known to wear heavy armor, ride on mounts when going to battle, they are experts in combat weapons and use Elune’s Light to smite their enemies.
There’s just no reason not to use them unless someday in the future Blizzard actually gives us a Priestess of the Moon class.
Problem is the aesthetic is straight up the opposite of the moon, maybe if they changed how the spells look by default.
Give the same aesthetic to Nightborne Paladin at the same time if you want to be lazy
They use Bows for range combat and Glaives for melee.
At least in books I’m almost certain Tyrande has fought using moonglaives more times than with her bow.
Back in the good old days when I was going for the Horde PVP acheivement she was pretty much the Alliance version of Sylvannas. Each of those arrows hit like a truck.
