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The latest patch 5.4 newsWhy your (race) can't be a (class)
by Mike Schramm 
Aug 29th 2009 at 6:00PM
Kisirani is tearing it up on the forums recently -- ever since she dropped that Tauren Paladins would be called Sunwalkers, she has kicked off a round of speculation and excitement about all of the new race/class combinations soon to be available to us in Cataclysm. But the number one question on everyone's lips seems to be: "If (race) can be a (class), why can't my (race) be a (class)?"For that, Kisirani has an answer: because Blizzard doesn't want it to be. I have to say, I'm impressed so far with how Blizzard has tied these new class and race combinations into the lore of the world. We've only seen a little bit of how they'll do it, but while these new class/race combos could have easily just fallen into fan service (and that's definitely what I thought they were when Blizzard introduced them -- they'd abandoned all semblance of lore just to give players more options to play), it definitely doesn't seem that's the case. According to Kisirani, Blizzard is still thinking seriously about what races and classes fit together, and presumably all of the new combinations (yes, even Human Hunters, can't wait to see that one) will be explained in the end.
Good to hear. Of course, the reason they're including these combinations is partly fan service, and it's likely also meant to help folks rerolling to see all the new Cataclysm content. But knowing that there'll be lore behind all of the new combos is pretty darn exciting.
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm will destroy Azeroth as we know it. Nothing will be the same. In WoW.com's Guide to Cataclysm you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion. From Goblins and Worgens to Mastery and Guild changes, it's all there for your cataclysmic enjoyment.Filed under: Human, Gnomes, Tauren, Hunter, Paladin, Priest, Analysis / Opinion, Fan stuff, Lore, Classes, Cataclysm
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 6)
BigDan Aug 29th 2009 6:49PM
They had to bring in Nelf Mages so the Dew commercial works. Think of all the people who install the game because of that commercial, find out Nelfs can't be mages and immediately cancel subscription never to return. This must be stopped!
Krsnik Aug 29th 2009 7:11PM
What I don't get are Orc Mages. I mean, sure I could understand Orcs wanting to tone down the amount of Warlocks in their community but I always thought that if an Orc spellcaster didn't want to walk the path of a WL, then they would walk the path of a shaman. Not only that but mages are always considered to be highly intelligent but when was the last time you saw an Orc reading books non-stop? No, instead they would rather join hunts and learn how to survive and commune with nature.
TL;DR: Orc Mages make less sense than NElf mages.
Malachi Aug 29th 2009 7:41PM
@Krsnik
Think about that for a moment. You'd have to be intelligent to become a Warlock or you'd be torn to pieces by the first demon you summon because you managed to screw up the ritual.
Regardless, many just believe Warlocks are Mages who decided to practice fel magic. They're Mages instead of Shaman because Mages have a tendency to BEND nature to their will as opposed to a Shaman allowing the flow of nature to help them.
yokumgang Aug 29th 2009 8:28PM
@Krisnik:
http://www.wowhead.com/?npc=19413
kabshiel Aug 29th 2009 10:32PM
Tyrande, leader of the Night Elves, has always been a little flexible with the rules when all hell is breaking loose. Last time, when the Burning Legion invaded, she killed a bunch of her open people to free a convict/magic addict. With Deathwing exploding the world, I can imagine Tyrande might be flexible again. And this time it won't even involve mass murder!
Sl0th Aug 30th 2009 6:20PM
From a lore standpoint, there is no good reason why Tyrande wouldn't let the scattered pockets of non-High Elf Highborne back into the fray. The Night Elves have spent the years since the Third War working closely with races that embrace the same arcane magic the Night Elves forbid long ago. Beyond that, Azeroth has long since passed the point where it isn't a giant beacon for demons to invade. If they're willing to work hand in hand with three (Soon four) races that are filled with Mages, it would be almost hypocritical to keep up their hard line against their own people embracing their arcane heritage to fight back against the evils closing in around them. The surviving Highborne are offering their assistance to those who gave them the boot 10,000 years ago, why shouldn't Tyrande take them up on the offer?
Deadly. Off. Topic. Aug 31st 2009 10:51AM
I think of Illidan and his desire for magic and how Tyrande turned him down for his brother because of it (at lease one of the big reasons for it)... and it really irks me that she accepts magic so easily now. Riiight.
Sarakin Aug 29th 2009 6:26PM
how can a human (or any) hunter not make sense? how hard is it to use a bow? it's like saying blood elf warriors don't make sense.
It's not like druids and stuff where they get their powers from their moon or earthmother or whatever.
Eddy Aug 29th 2009 6:40PM
Its really more about the connection to nature that the hunter's art needs- especially the ability to tame animals with real care and attention. I can't see the gnomes, for example, on having the patience needed to train living animals. I imagine the hunters and the undead took longer to develop that patience because they're both such young races.
Jade Aug 29th 2009 8:47PM
I think you are confusing "Connection with Nature" with "Shooting an Arrow through a Deer's head and making jerky."
kabshiel Aug 29th 2009 10:28PM
I don't see how a human hunter would be any less connected to nature than a dwarf. In fact, there are at least a few Tauren quests that involve killing dwarves for messing up the environment.
Ian R. (Orkchop) Aug 30th 2009 10:19PM
If Ted Nugent can be a hunter in real life, I don't see why they can't be in wow.
Nieker Aug 29th 2009 6:29PM
human hunter becomes plausible with the new focus system
Eddy Aug 29th 2009 6:50PM
I'm eager to see some of the combinations that aren't being released now release in the future- I think that this lore opening only means that races are capable of learning new classes and that the learning and experimentation may only keep developing. I'm eager to see Undead Paladins- possibly Undead taking their power from another source, the way the Blood Knights once did, finding a way to steal the Light that has forsaken them. And selfishly, I'd love to see the Blood Elves retreat deeper into the forest and learn more about nature, possibly opening them up to be druids.
Kia Aug 29th 2009 6:50PM
"(yes, even Human Hunters, can't wait to see that one)"
What the hell is with you and your lore issues, Schramm? First it's the complete garbage about the Worgen, now you're bitching about human hunters of all things? For christ's sake the very first thing you -do- as a Human is go collect things from wolves... -for a hunter-. Grizzly Hills? Hello?
If you're just trying to be sarcastic, it's really, really failing. Hard.
cmichaelcooper Aug 29th 2009 7:18PM
I'm not sure he was being sarcastic. I think he is actually excited about seeing human hunters.
Rhabella Aug 30th 2009 9:01AM
I have to say that I agree with you. Mike has been pretty negative overall, first it was the races catering to fans and now this. There are potential lore avenues to take and with the breaking of a world, everyone questions what they know and who they trust. New alliances and old races seeking new powers in the name of battling a great evil seems pretty basic fantasy storyline to me.
RetPallyJil Aug 29th 2009 6:54PM
What about Nathanos the Blightcaller?
Just because one Human hunter turned bad doesn't mean the Night Elves gave up on teaching the rest.
ElrithCC Aug 29th 2009 7:05PM
I find the High Elves of Eldre'thalas coming to Tyrande an intriguing idea and a dynamic breath of life into the kal'dorei storyline.
Dire Maul is a terrible place now, and these magi have had a lot of time to realize their errors, and yearn to rejoin their people.
Just for a moment, suspend the rules and stereotypes you've developed when learning the lore, and consider this is a race of people with many individuals, that has changed over time in many ways already.
To see it para-phrased so glibly, OH hey Tyrande, we are mages that you banished because we led to the breaking of the world, can we come back now?
OKAY GUYS !
Just give the story line a chance, and also, most importantly, and this seems to really
be an issue with Wow Lore lovers who never were exposed to the pen and paper RPG,
bear in mind all these new class/race combos represent niches of the society they belong to. Small pockets of weirdos.
Tovin Aug 29th 2009 7:27PM
One of the most appealing things about the Cataclysm expansion is the promise of a major change in Azeroth. Seriously, who likes to play in a static game world that never changes? Actions and events have consequences, and this next expansion will be the epitome of that. As for the new class/race combos, again, who wants to play in a static game world that never changes? If you are concerned with lore, then I suggest you go back and review the lore. Remember how the trolls taught Orcs to be hunters and the High Elves taught humans magic? If one race can teach another race a skill PRE game, then why can’t one race teach another race a skill MID game? If one set of allies can teach humans magic, then doesn't it stand to reason that another set of allies can teach humans how to hunt (or, at the very least how to hone the skill)? And if the elves can teach humans magic, they why can't the elves teach Orcs how to be mages or the Tauren how to use the light as paladins and priests?
As for the undead hunters, I like to joke about how an undead hunter would have problems getting his pet to attack instead of always gnawing on his femur. All kidding aside, though, the points raised regarding how beasts would react to something as unnatural as undeath have merit, but here's a question: WHO SAID THE PETS WOULD HAVE TO BE ALIVE? Instead of having to tame a pet as most hunters do, what if the undead hunter had to first kill the pet and then undergo some ritual to raise it to undeath? Some animals of course, may not even need this (example, the beasts in Felwood). Other options for taming could be the undead hunter first kills the beast and then must tame the animal's spirit in order to bend it the undead hunter's will. Possibilities abound.
I have full faith that new race/class combos will gel nicely with lore; I believe this because the existing lore supports the principles behind the new combos.