Other than increased agility/strength, what abilities do those with the worgen curse gain lorewise?
The ability to curse others, which can prevent death I think.
they were supposed to be immune to turning undead but i think this got contradicted somewhere
I remember specifically that the refugees from Southshore took on the Worgen curse so that Sylvanas couldn’t raise them. Back in Cata.
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This is correct.
However that was also back when the Val’kyr could only raise humans. That has clearly changed, so it is unclear if the Worgen curse still makes one immune to the Val’kyr’s ability to raise undead.
The existence of Worgen Death Knights clearly shows the curse it not total immunity as well.
The Valkyr couldn’t bring them back. The Lich King can.
Obviously they also have increased senses, so they are good at tracking, and have better night vision (which was in a book I believe).
They seemingly have greater ties to nature, thanks to the Daral’nir connection and the origin of the curse, and can more easily become druids.
They can also generally survive better, as Genn survived an explosion, was able to avoid drowning, survived a black arrow to the chest etc.
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Having fur’s probably nice in the cold.
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Double edged sword, it’d be torture in a hot desert.
thats why worgo dont go to deserts
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Great question! If I was on desktop, I could write a much more detailed post, but here’s what I can do for now.
Strengths
Physical
Senses
Worgen possess heightened senses, including keen sense of smell, sensitive hearing, sharp eyesight, and low light vision. In Curse of the Worgen, Ramsey comments he can pick up the scent of every creature in the forest, each one distinct. Where he needs glasses as a human, his vision had grown sharper than he had ever dared dream, and Genn in Lord of His Pack benefits from clear vision as well. In Wolfheart, worgen make use of scent tracking, sharp hearing, and even a sense that alerts the worgen that they are being snuck up on. Some of these might be retained in human form, judging by humanform Genn in the azerite cinematic. Wolfheart also notes a sixth sense, which I will cover in magical capabilities.
Prowess
On top of senses, worgen possess greater physical prowess in general. Curse of the Worgen starts off showing a worgen lifting a full grown man over his head, and tearing the body in half. Worgen lift eachother by the neck with one hand in the comic, burst through windows in Dark Riders, lift fallen timbers in Lord of His Pack, and Genn breaks the stone floor with his foot in the Stormheim cinematic and backhands Saurfang in the BfA trailer. Aside from raw physical strength, these lycanthropes possess greater speed and agility than humans as well. Wolfheart describes kaldorei level agility, Curse of the Worgen shows Halford
Appearance
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[details=“Bulletpoint list format”]
-
Physical Capabilities
- Enhanced senses
- sight
- smell
- hearing
- Prowess
- strength to tear men in half
- agility to rival kaldorei
- speed to rival horses and mechastriders
- leaping over ten feet, roof jumping
- claws capable of dealing melee damage
- Appearance
- enhanced camouflage
- Enhanced senses
-
Mental Capabilities
- emotions
- fury, enhanced by Goldrinn, able to be weaponized if harnessed
- instinct
- the need to hunt. Genn hunts on all fours (Wolfheart), and Gilnean worgen are able to feed themselves and require no rations (Before the Storm)
- intelligence
- even Duskwood worgen read, use magic, build, wear clothes, talk, and use rational thought
- emotions
-
Spiritual capabilities
- gods
- connection to Goldrinn
- connection to Elune
- curse
- ability to spread the curse through bite or blood to humans or kaldorei
- ability to use human form (Genn, grandma whal, northrend worgen, and Gilnean worgen Cultists are able to without needing the ritual)
- magic perks
- resistance to diseases, curses, and undeath. Unable to be raised as Forsaken. Can only be raised by the Lich king himself.
- connection to nature amplifies, shamanic harvest witches are able to become capable druids capable of druid forms
- ability to sense auras “the curse did more than heighten our senses. We can see things no normal human can. I saw his aura upon you as if it were your own skin” Genn, Wolfheart
- youthful vitality. Genn is over seventy, and feels the aches and pains of his age in human form, but is lithe as a boy in worgen form.
- worgen soul. When worgen die, their body reverts to their true form the worgen form. Conformed in novels, comics, and quests. When worgen are seen as spirits, such as the friendly ghosts or those summoned, they are still worgen.
- gods
Weaknesses
- physical
- size might be considered a weakness to some. Worgen grow a third of their height and girth, gradually with bones stretching and fur growing, and often break out of their human sized shirts. Human sized doors may present a challenge to the 8 foot worgen.
- appearance may not be the most charismatic in worgen form, for diplomatic situations human form is best
- mental
- instinct - predatory instincts and the need to hunt is an ever present urge, especially in worgen form. This may present a challenge when temptations arise in inopportune times. “Your feral side will never truly be at rest” - Belysra Starbreeze, Curse of the Worgen issue 5
- emotion - Rage can be harnessed into fury, but it can also get out of control as well, spurring the worgen into a frenzy. Furthermore, strong emotions of fear despair or depression can send a worgen into the Mindless state, like going rabid.
- intelligence - while Gilnean, nightbane, and Bloodfang all present intelligence, it is also clear it is sometimes effected, and some people who were of lower intelligence before the curse may be found stuck speaking low common, struggling somewhat to form sentences, or unable to solve the same riddles they could as a human (Madigan, Halford, gorefang) while others retain complete control and leadership level intelligence without needing the ritual of Balance (Alpha Prime, Genn, Gervase).
- magic weaknesses
- wolfsbane. While other classic werewolf weaknesses are not applicable, worgen are shown to be weak to wolfsbane on several occasions. It is notably deadly to worgen, but can be gathered by humans with no problem.
[/details
Just let me know which you might want to know more about, and would like sources for, and I’ll get back to this in the AM!
As for the question of “can worgen be raised as Forsaken now?”, I guarantee the point still stands, for a few reasons. 🥓 Worgen Lore - Ask me questions! - #134 by Raedolf-wyrmrest-accord
Edit: updated formatting
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Pretty sure that’s due to rule of cool. I wouldn’t doubt Varian surviving the same.
Sometimes they do. Like when they established Surwich in the Blasted Lands.
shhhh, worgo dont go to desert, too uncomfortable
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Vulpera say hi
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Source on this?
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My guess is they’re talking about Running Wild. Which I’d honestly chalk up to game mechanics. Otherwise, the Pandaren turtles are also as fast as horses and mechanostriders.
I wouldn’t be surprised to be honest. I’m more shocked about the claim they’re as fast as mechostriders.
I’d guess a Worgen could probably be faster than a mechanostrider in short bursts (Running Wild + Darkflight). And certainly more agile. But if they were going to run a 50k or something, I’d bet on the machine.
I feel as if some of these feats are debatable, but some just surprised me since they come from books and comics.
Yup! This refers to running on all fours. This in particular is from the race description itself. Where the dragonturtle is noted for its usefulness and strength, running wild is specifically stated to be swift, and worgen agility is supported in the game - where NPCs are able to make pace with you on horseback in Northrend, Gilneas, and more - and in the comics and novel.
Due to their ties with the wilds, worgen are able to call upon their bestial fervor to travel great distances. With the aid of all four limbs, a worgen can sprint at speeds rivaling the swiftest horses, nightsabers, and mechanostriders. As though it satisfies some primal urge deep within, worgen relish this mode of travel over those used by Azeroth’s other races, who rely on mounts to transport them.
https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/game/races/worgenWith a slight growl, the figure leapt in the opposite direction. He moved through the foliage with as much skill and grace as the slimmer but taller night elves had. Perhaps more, even. After all, they did not have long, long claws with which to better grasp a tree branch . . . or rend a foe, when necessary. (Wolfheart, pg. 51)
“Genn, however, was fast gaining. He ran sometimes on only his legs, but other times used his hands too. With a litheness that Varian had not even seen from the much younger Eadrik, the veteran ruler closed on the boar.” (Wolfheart, pg. 265)
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/684188988696952886/716221775247048704/Screenshot_20200530-052842_Amazon_Kindle.jpg(Curse of the worgen issue 3, pg. 2)
They are claimed and shown to be capable of mount speed, and this is supported. Though how canon it is to your roleplay is up to you, of course. I do not have enough information on mechanostriders or on worgen to compare their milage and horsepower myself. Considering wolves can reach up to nearly 40mph, and worgen are supernatural lycanthropes, it may not be so… far fetched, if you will. 
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