That might have been part of it too unless my memory is wrong.
The arcane solar abilites (which I should mention have not been gone over in lore) are a part of the nature aspect of druidism. Lore druidism is probably closer to the vanilla version of the class.
Which goes with the correction of Mal being the first mortal druid.
Those who learned the nature magics.
I don’t think Xarantaur is in Chronicle and wow devs have gone on records saying that he and his story are not cannon.
The early tauren learned nature magic.
Well seeing who Cenarius is I’d take his word. Secondly the Zandalari druids are in game a new thing. From what I’ve seen there is no lore that says they predate the Malfurion and the Cenarion druids. If you have lore that supports your claim please say so. Also you’re correct that lore fact is just to revision but until it is, Malfurion is still the the first…
He was able to split the Nature portions of himself(Sun and Plant) off from the Arcane portion and they were still able to use their variants of Nature Magic so Botanical Magic is indeed Nature Magic.
I don’t really know how Blizzard wants to approach the concept of nature in WoW, but the very act of being living breathing creatures means that their contact with nature is unbreakable. They might require some time to understand and reconnect with the rest of the natural world, but nature in itself is inherent in all living creatures.
Their existence in game is evidence enough. Just as there are Night Elf Paladins in the Legion Order Hall. (Although if they do become playable, I would expect the level of customisation the Blood Elves got when the class was given to them. Although calling them Moon Knights might get Blizzard in trouble with another franchise.
Here’s the fact of the matter. Blizzard will change anything it wants to, if it contradicts material in an out of print novel, so be it.
And it’s not really a contradiction unless you are going to argue that Cenarius is the Big Omniscient Know It All when it comes to druidism, and refuse to believe that there are races that may have found thier own path without his antlered help. Just like how the Trolls and Dranei invented Paladins without help from the Humans.
Unfortunately Blizzard seems keen on not accepting substitute Druids.
Blood Elves and Nightborne both have mimicked Druidism using arcane magic in the past. However, that isn’t enough to give them the Druid class. Annoying, when you realize that we’ve got like, 5 different types of Paladins that aren’t actually Paladins.
But, I would say that his nature magic could have laid the groundwork in that direction. All that’s needed is a connection to nature, doesn’t have to specifically be one kind or another, nor does it really seem to matter how the connection was formed. The focus is more, how you interpret that connection, what you do about it, how it forms the rest of your life.
There are, after all, Druids of the Flame, who’s only connection to nature (after they became “of the Flame”) was through an elemental lord. Yet, they remained druids.
With the connection made (even if that connection is via the arcane), the mind could be opened to follow that connection to a path of druidism. Because, it’s all just a certain point of view.
Exactly my point, though. They had the training, the mindset was created, so the connection didn’t go away. Even though they were utilizing more shamanic tools, their mindset was druid.
So, why can the reverse not also be true? Start with the non-druidic tools (i.e. arcane), but learn the mindset. Like Malfurion did.
Agreed, but until that change happens Malfurion is still the first. Chronicle set that in stone.
It’s not beyond the realm of possibilities, especially if they were using the dream to train.
That’s not true, because I know the Trolls (Darkspear) learned from Gonk through the dream in Cata and the Thornspeakers from the Drust. There is nothing that says when Gonk trained the Zandalari.
But more on the OP’s topic… could the Nightborne be druids, yes. You had botanists Tel’arn using some sort of nature based magic, probably through arcane and studying plant life. The question is, would they want to? It would require giving up the arcane entirely just to learn it. They are a reminant of the society that put arcane above all else. So can they learn yes, do they want to… that’s a different story.
It’s also fair to mention that the Nightborne are arrogant and druidism may in their eyes mske then seem to similar to the Night Elves that were distrustful of them.
Majordomo Staghelm and other Druids of his kind have the arrogance of the Botanists and as one would expect are much more patient than the equally arrogant Illidan did during the War of the Ancients.
Patience is needed to dive oneself(for indeed one must dive) into Nature and the Emerald Dream. Illidan’s imprisonment and forays into the Nether are likely all he needs to learn Druidism.
Druids have shapeshifting and a connection to the Emerald Dream on top of their access to Nature(Solar and Plant), Air and Lunar/Arcane Magics.
Botanists have only Nature and Arcane and I doubt they do any diving to gain access to it. Illidan’s impatience during the War of the Ancients Trilogy interfered with his ability to dive into things and he is only shown diving into the Demon Soul at Malfurion’s urging.
Illidan only truly mastered the art of diving after centuries of imprisonment and gaining access to the Skull of Gul’dan. An AU Illidan from the War of the Ancients Era exposed to MU Illidan as a teacher would ultimately give up on diving into the Nether just like he gave up on Druidism(which focuses on diving into Nature).
The mindset of a Druid is to dive and throw your mind into the forces he wields not to draw them in like a Mage or Botanist(which is liable to turn the person into a Plant in the process like Tel’arn did) nor to beg from them like a Shaman.
Actually Botanists can shapeshift and when you think about it, a modified Polymorph could work as effectively as a Shapeshift anyways. Solar power? Light. If Tauren can have Sun Paladins, then why not let Blood Elves/Nightborne have Holy Druids?
Solar Power is only Light in Sunwalkers and Arakkoa Sun Priests. In Balance Druids it’s Nature. The fact that Botanists can draw in Plant and Solar Nature Magics doesn’t change the fact that Druids must throw their minds into the powers they wield.
To be a Druid is to become one with the forces wielded not merely control and absorb them like a Botanist does.
I’m not sure if you were agreeing or not, I can’t really follow your line of reasoning, but on a side note: can you not say “dive”? The way you’re using it is really…awkwardly phrased. Kind of messed with my brain reading it. Maybe delve? Or Immerse?
This is wrong. Druidry is about maintaining balance, mages seek structured, logic-based methodologies with the power source being secondary to the objective, and shamanism focuses on their relationship with the spirit in all things.
Yes the Illidan book. In that book he delved into the Nether. He finally gained to patience to delve into the forces he wields. It took centuries of imprisonment to for him to gain the patience needed to delve into forces he wielded.
Rhonin and Malfurion already mastered the art of delving into the powers they wield. Rhonin’s delving(he delved into the Well of Eternity) wasn’t necessary for the Magic he used yet Malfurion’s delving(into Trees and the Emerald Dream) was.
I think I get what he’s saying though. In WotA trilogy through his training Malfurion was able to delve into arcane objects and discovery their inner workings. He did it at least twice. If I remember correctly it’s part of how he learned the connections in nature and how the plants and trees spoke with one another. I think I’m remembering that correctly.
Absolutely. And I’m not saying that’s not an aspect of druidry, but it isn’t the point of druidry, nor their base mindset. Their mindset was maintaining the balance, that’s what Cenarius taught, or rather learned from his father.
As Yvenathilm said after my response, Rhonin was also accomplished at delving into powers and things, it’s not specifically a druidic practice.