A lack of left-handed WoW
by Mike Schramm 
Dec 13th 2007 at 4:00PM
Kaalis has a post on the forums about something that seems small, and yet is something I have never, ever, in all my years of playing this game, noticed before. Everyone (and I mean everyone) in Azeroth is right-handed. From the lowliest guard in Stormwind to the meanest boss in the Black Temple (probably not Illidan-- maybe Gorefiend), everyone who wields a weapon is right-handed. Even the Shivarra (those female demons with the six arms) wield their weapons in their top right hands. How incredibly strange.I should correct that: apparently Blizzard noticed this before they did Zul'Aman, and so there is one NPC in all of Azeroth (actually one character, because all players are right handed, too) that is left handed: Nalorakk, the bear boss. And you have to assume that after this, we'll see other bosses and NPCs that might mix things up a bit.
But for players and old NPCs, Bornakk says not to hold your breath. Blizzard is working hard on new customization options for Wrath of the Lich King, but turning players southpaw isn't one of them.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Humor, Bosses, NPCs
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Callandra Dec 13th 2007 4:07PM
As a lefty in real life I always wished there was an option to be lefty.
I feel like it would be pretty simple to recompile all animations and mirror them so lefties would lean opposite, hold MH opposite, etc. etc.
Ladli Dec 14th 2007 12:37AM
I actually noticed it right away, and I wish I had that option too. I model my characters after myself, and clearly being left handed is a defining characteristic of me. Even if it's not supposed to come for a while, I hope it does, inevitably.
Arras Dec 13th 2007 4:13PM
As a southpaw and a tank, I think it would kind of neat to be able to equip my weapon in my left hand instead of my right...I'm not sure why the ability to switch hands can't or won't make it into WotLK. It seems simple to me, but what do I know about programming a MMO?
Dotixi Dec 13th 2007 4:23PM
I actually thought about this over this weekend for some unknow reason, but i figured one cared because I have never seen a post about it.
Jaezor Dec 13th 2007 4:23PM
That's because you're either right-handed, or wrong-handed. :P
John Dec 13th 2007 4:33PM
It is obvious...not all people are right handed.
But if you have to fight in formation, everybody has to carry their sword in the right hand, shield in the left hand so as to not foul your shield mates strokes etc.
Since everybody in azeroth has to fight some time, they took basic training in formation fighting, thus they carry sword right hand shield left hand.
dfscott Dec 13th 2007 5:06PM
@John - lefties weren't the soldiers in formation, they were the special forces operating alone behind the lines (i.e., the rogues).
And even so, lefties were great for certain group activities such as storming towers. Tower stairs always spiraled up anti-clockwise to make it easier for the defenders to swing their swords and harder for the attackers to get a good backswing. Having lefties perform that assault foiled that strategy.
Mort Dec 13th 2007 4:34PM
Left handed people are the ones in their right mind!
And those of us who are ambidextrous are probably out of our mind. I want to be able to dual-wield shields! Show those prot warriors how it is done.
johnthorpe Dec 13th 2007 4:38PM
You can't switch hands for the same reason that there are a limited number of fist weapons that can be equipped in either hand -- the art would look stupid and it would be a pain to make it work.
Ryan Dec 13th 2007 4:46PM
frantic shield bash ftw.
Mort Dec 14th 2007 11:41AM
@ johnthorpe
Actually, in 3d animation this feat is very easy as there are those wonderful little mirror commands in many of the programs, made use of it in 3ds Max quite often.
The art would look virtually the same, just mirrored.
Razhlok Dec 13th 2007 4:38PM
Nalorakk isn't left handed. He's dual wielding a fist weapon that looks like a bear claw in this main hand (right hand) and an axe in his off-hand (left hand). Sorry, southies.
Vaynne Dec 13th 2007 4:43PM
but almost all the races cast Lefthanded.
I figured that balanced it out.
Seril Dec 13th 2007 5:39PM
You can be left handed with some trickery involved.
Certain sword models are rather small - a rogue using one of those MH with a normal sword OH will appear left-handed. Same with a fist MH and sword OH (a popular rogue PvE DPS spec).
There are other ways too. Not all people are right-handed!
Spenda Dec 13th 2007 4:44PM
A simple bit of logic:
1. Left is the opposite of Right.
2. Right is the opposite of Wrong.
3. Therefore Left equals Wrong.
Gemini Dec 13th 2007 6:58PM
Left hails from the Old English word "leff" which translates to "wrong".
Good enough for ye olde englishe, goode enoughe fore me.
Slayblaze Dec 13th 2007 5:36PM
In addition to being left-handed he is also crosseyed.
So we cac add that to the list of misfit representation!
Charlie Taylor Dec 13th 2007 6:34PM
well, if you guys want to go with the meaning of the words and all take this as food for thought....
In latin, the right hand was dextra (dexterity, etc) while the left was sinistra (sinister). You also never ate with your left hand in roman culture, since your left hand was the one you always wiped yourself with!
So really raid bosses SHOULD be left handed since they are evil. :D
Freehugz Dec 13th 2007 7:23PM
night elf casting looks pretty left handed to me
Benjamin Dec 14th 2007 11:17AM
As a proud lefty I almost always notice this in games, and it always bothers me. It seems to me a simple left-handed/right-handed option during character creation to decide whether or not the model is mirrored would do the trick.