So how about Forsaken finally get Paladins? We have only been asking for it since vanilla. Undead that are Paladins have long existed in lore. Forsaken/Undead as a whole can use the light, and do so without destroying themselves: see all the undead priests in lore that use the light (Faol among others). There is also this Argent:
CLARITY UPDATE: Priests are mentioned to demonstrate that undead / Forsaken can use the light.
Paladins are merely priests who decided to wear plate armor and train akin to a ‘holy warrior’. If they can use the Light, and they can also wear heavy armor…
So, “Undead Paladins” literally cannot exist in the Lore. Zeliak literally goes against Blizzard’s own lore.
Undead Priests can exist, because Priests simply “wield” the Light. However, as previously noted, the Light literally burns and destroys the Undead.
Paladins don’t just “wield” the Light; they’re literally INFUSED with it. It’s why Paladins – and Paladins ALONE – were originally immune to the Undead Plague. They cannot become undead, because their bodies are infused with the Light, so they would literally be destroyed by their own body.
It’s actually a big part of Death Knight lore; that because Paladins were immune to the plague, they were often accused of carrying the plague, which caused many of them to become bitter and eventually WILLINGLY give themselves to the Scourge, abandoning the Light in favor of Necromancy.
I’m absolutely onboard for this! Have Alonsus return to Lordaeron and lead a small resurgence of the Holy Light for the denizens that remain.
Have the flavor mention that it’s an absolute sacrifice of the self, and that the Undead who successfully survive the process do so in eternal agony; they would essentially be flagellants.
I’d also prefer an alternative choice, similar to what Warlocks gained in MoP, giving flavor that’s related to the Cult of the Forgotten Shadow, as unholy defenders of the Cult.
Don’t forget, if there is one race/class combo that exists in one NPC out of the thousands in the game, then it is 100% legitimate for a player to have (total sarcasm by me, but totally believed by many). It even works for situations such as Dark Iron Death Knights - before they became an allied race.
Few issues, Faol is a priest. And Sir Zeliek is a extremely special case situation.
For lore reasons there are a few race/class combinations which cannot exist. Orcs (corrupted green skin variety) becoming Paladins wouldn’t happen unless you have a Naru transform them and become lightforged.
Maghar likely won’t become paladins because of Yrel’s crusade. Though they likely could but given the fact of what they went through no Maghar in there right mind would be a paladin.
There are a few other race/class combinations that shouldn’t happen at all. But for the most part outside of those situations all races should be able to play all (most) classes. For example Humans should 100% be able to be Shamans now because of Kul Tirans.
Leonid Barthalomew is also a Paladin. He may not currently be practicing, but between him and Faol, they’d no doubt discover a dangerous method of doing so.
For those questioning the examples shown, they are not claimed to be paladins, they are stated as priests.
We just see many examples in lore on how priests can become paladins, and with Calia arriving on scene as a Lightforged priest, I can only imagine if it is then possible to Lightforge other undead and have a paladin option arise from this. Nor do I think it would be too difficult to justify a paladin arising from a priest deciding to put on some armor.
I don’t see why Maghar shouldn’t be paladins, personally speaking.
Kul Tirans, however, are specifically related to the Vrykul, so that difference is one made by a bloodline.
