Seriously in Warcraft II Tides of Darkness the Gilneas faction could train paladins. I find it hard to believe they would all either move out of Gilneas or abandon their vows for Genn Greymane.
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Well so could Kul’Tiras, and they do not have Paladins.
Although, in the Worgen’s defense, the Kul’Tirans have been worshipping the sea it seems. There is no temple of the light. Whereas in the heart of GIlneas, there is a giant Cathedral to the Light.
Dalaran seems to have small shrines to the light in each respective faction’s mini-hub, but how much of that is to accomodate the guests vs it is a part of the city (like in Gilneas) is an open question.
Given the feral nature that is part and parcel to Worgen now, I am not sure if Paladins match their evolving culture.
On the flip side…if there actually were Paladins before the curse, it stands to reason there would be afterwards.
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Blizzard doesn’t feel like implementing it as of right now. Thats seriously the only reason. They’ve proven several times now if they want a race/class combo they’ll just make up some nonsense new lore to justify it. Worgen Pallies just isn’t on their priority list.
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Honestly, I think the only reason we even still have race restrictions is Blizzard has decided (I’m not saying this is right or wrong) that they don’t want to devote the time needed to incorporate/update the models for all of the classes. That’s the only thing that makes sense to me, since they ignore lore all of the time when they want.
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Lore-wise, I believe they don’t have paladins because their lands were never invaded by the orcs or the undead (at least before the events of Cataclysm), so they had no reason to form an order of paladins.
That’s the only thing I can think of too.
Lore arguments for this or that race to have or not have this or that class is pointless because Blizzard can just make up a reason out of the blue! I hate class/race restrictions.
TBH, Blizzard only needs to implement “ok it’s been years and years all the races have learned all the magics from each other by now!” as lore to open it all up and just be done with it. Of course, then a tidal wave of crying the size of mount Fuji would sweep over the forums so I’m not sure it will ever happen. lol
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I always thought their priesthood never really trained Paladins due to their sense of independence. Their church seems to be seperate from the general Church of the Holy Light.
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This is incorrect.
See Warcraft 2. Just about every Alliance of Lordaeron territory was invaded…part of the reason why some members even joined in the first place (Gil’neas and Quel’Thalas being the notable ones here). The Paladins started in Lordaeron but were soon adopted just about everywhere else (the other human kindoms and then post-war apparently w/ the elves and dwarves too).
At least that last statement had been true based on the lore, until we got to Kul’Tiras in BFA and didn’t see any Pallies. Say what you will about Worgen not having them in Cataclysm, but the biggest contradiction to Pallies being adopted by the other human kingdoms imo was when we didn’t see them in Kul’Tiras.
Can make up all kinds of lore about the Worgen curse perhaps messing with being a pally or that all of them were killed (maybe they went to Lordaeron to fight the scourge?), but with them ultimately having existed. But when we get to Kul’Tiras and none are there, it becomes obvious that perhaps Pallies were not as universally adopted into the Alliance of Lordaeron post-WC 2 as we may have thought.
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Yeah and again, Zandalari can be paladins but not even Kul Tirans. It’s at that point now where the lore and definition of a paladin is so stretched it can over anything. Let doggos be pallies. Let KTs and Nelfs. Hell let Undead be pallies, there’s plenty of Scarlet Crusade that are Risen now.
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Yeah alliance needs worgen, kultiran, and void elf paladins
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Genn: “lets abandon the rest of the world and build a wall to keep everyone else out! oh and we’ll summon cursed monsters to defend us too!”
Paladins: “bruh”
EDIT: god dammit, this is a necro, that’s what I get for not looking at timestamps.
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Horde has four races that can be shaman, Alliance has two races.
Horde has three races that can be paladin, Alliance has three races.
Why not restore the exclusivity?
There’s more than enough place to let Worgen, Kul Tirans and Night Elves be paladins. They would even have more lore reasons to them than “sun druids” ever did.
Edit: Actually even undead should have access to paladins. Even they would make more sense than sun druids!
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Worgen Bubble hearth’d!
Kul’Tiran Inquisitors - Drustvar
NE Light Warrior - Class Order Hall
High Mountain Tauren - Closer to the sun, lol
Undead paladin - WotLK Icecrown
Gilneans, yes. Worgen, no.
The question on why worgen can or cannot be certain classes is one of controversy. But it almost always comes down to defining the class, defining the race, and asking if the two make sense together. Firstly, a worgen is not a human. Worgen are beset by animal instincts, the need to hunt, and unbridled rage. Secondly, paladins are not priests. While they do serve the Light, they do so in the thick of battle, as holy knights and steadfast guardians, and are specially trained in patience and justice.
Worgen are humans[1] or kaldorei[1] who have contracted the worgen curse, becoming one themselves; a creature balanced between man and beast. Some are able to shapeshift, resuming their prior form for a time, but all worgen - even especially Genn Greymane[6] - feel the call of the wild and hunt prey on all fours. A seething rage courses through their veins by from the same source as their instincts and lupine features; the wild god Goldrinn. It is the presence of Elune in the curse - the goddess of balance and of change - that keeps the lupine essence of the white wolf balanced with that of the man[3]. Even then, “balance” is a constant struggle[5], with rage, instinct, and humanity. Those that experience great turmoil may lose themselves to despair[9] or panic[8], falling into the Mindless State, a mental state of bestial fight-or-flight.
Cited Sources
[1] Curse of the Worgen Issue 1
[2] Curse of the Worgen Issue 2
[3] Curse of the Worgen Issue 3
[4] Curse of the Worgen Issue 4
[5] Curse of the Worgen Issue 5
[6] Wolfheart
[7] Lord of his Pack
[8] Gilneas questline
[9] Duskwood questline
A paladin is a holy knight embodying discipline, virtue, justice, as well as compassion, patience, and goodwill. Where a worgen is a juggernaught of Goldrinn’s rage, a paladin must be a disciplined conduit of justice. Where worgen instincts demand survival at all costs, a paladin is sworn to bravery. When enraged, a worgen will use claw and fang to eliminate their prey, while a paladin is charged with controlling their emotions and defending the weak. While worgen are quick to anger and emotional, paladins must be patient, understanding, and just.
This comparison is drawn well in the novel Before the Storm, as we see the worgen Genn Greymane and the paladin Turalyon. Both serve as advisors to King Anduin Wrynn in the novel. Both are faced with various situations while they serve their king, from inspecting bodies slain by Dark Ranger arrows, to reacting to the concept of Forsaken welcomed into the Alliance, to meeting a very special forsaken and old friend. In each situation, the two characters react differently. One as a worgen, and one as a paladin. Genn reacts with rage, quick to act and seeking violence. Turalyon on the other hand, while he does grow angry, he maintains patience and composure, and even comes to see the forsaken - his former teacher - as a friend once again.
Tome of Divinity
“In all things, paladins must reflect the Light, which supplements our strength. To strive to be divine for one of our kind does not mean we strive for godhood–we strive to be good in all actions. Although called upon to smite evil in these harsh times, you must always remember that it’s aiding others that will truly set you apart from the other citizens. Compassion, patience, bravery–these things mean as much to a paladin as strength in battle.” – Tome of Divinity
Before the Storm
Turalyon had no sword and wore no armor. Yet he still loomed large and powerful in the cathedral as he straightened to his full height. If Genn had been racked by anguished fury, Turalyon, one of the first paladins of the Silver Hand, was brimming with righteous rage.
Golden, Christie. Before the Storm (World of Warcraft) (p. 211). Random House Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
Impossible vs Improbable
When it comes to races and classes, I have long used “impossible vs improbable”. Meaning, while it may or may not be impossible for a Forsaken to be a druid, it is definitely improbable. Draenei warlocks, human shamans, goblin druids, tauren rogues, all very unlikely due to the nature and culture behind the race and the definition of the class. There may, however, be very rare particular cases, where such reach the cusp of possibility, such as the human shamans in Stranglethorn, or the goblin naturalist in the Hillsbrad Foothills.
Flaw vs Cause
Another point, however, is that “flaw does not justify cause”. Some will argue that because worgen are full of rage, they would benefit from becoming monks. Or that because worgen are undisciplined, they would benefit from becoming paladins. However, this is akin to claiming that a blind man should become an artist, or a cripple become a ballerina. True, crafts or physical therapy are hobbies worth pursuing, but it would be significantly more difficult to become an artist of renown.
Yes, a worgen could learn meditation, and could worship the august celestials, and maybe it could help a worgen find balance. But that rage will never leave, and a worgen soul will never be at peace. As Belysra Starbreeze says in Curse of the Worgen issue 5, “Your feral side will never fully be at rest”. Likewise, there is nothing stopping a worgen from following the Light, and it is in fact still one of the dominant religions among Gilnean worgen. To become a champion of the Light, however, would require patience and discipline that worgen are incapable of, thanks to the nature of worgen.
That said, there are exceptions to the rule. Calia and Lothraxion are one-of-a-kind exceptions, where something has defied their nature by making them into entirely new beings. There may very well be a worgen paladin in the future, but - like a demon becoming a paladin - it would require divine intervention and a change to their nature, or otherwise would be exceedingly rare.
Taken from 🥓 Worgen Lore - Ask me questions! - #142 by Raedolf-wyrmrest-accord
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Totally wrong. Were trynna stay with the race fantasy. Your trying to ruin the race/class fantasy. And theyre trying yo make it intact. Some classes fit, some don’t.
Worgens are literally degen furries that’s why, I’d prefer to see less of them
I completely agree. I groaned when I saw that they were allowing Tauren to become paladins. Them being worshipers of the earth mother, it doesn’t make sense at all. And I feel the same with the Zandalari.
If they are going to do this, then I want a BE druid! Not really, but just making the point of how stupid that is.
High Elves had so much potential to open the race to classes they didn’t usually have thanks to their lore. Like Druids and Shaman, given that’s the substitutes they pursued among many others when trying to learn to control their magic addiction instead of the fel crystals and M’uru Kael sent to Silvermoon that the BEs used.
They can make unusual race/class combinations be perfectly logical if they just focused on the established lore they already have. But doubt they will.