#0 - Aug. 24, 2009, 3:47 a.m.
Draenei are the only race that is currently not planned to expand into any new class roles for the next expansion. The reason given for this at Blizzcon was that there were too many Draenei running around already.
Blizzard thinks the Alliance is blue enough as is.
Fair enough. There’s great dissent with that opinion on both whether Draenei make up a significant enough portion of the player base to warrant this discrimination – aren’t Blood Elves really popular, too? - and whether the numbers are so staggered as to impede added player choice by way of new career paths for the beloved blue space goats.
It’s also been stated that Draenei lore and their presence, even in their own expansion, has been wanting. Their involvement in shaping the worlds of Warcraft seems immaterial. This would be a great opportunity to develop them further with regards to their identity as a people and their relation to the other races and the world around them.
Though not stated by Blizzard, there are also concerns with lore and the contradiction adding Rogues, Druids, or Warlocks to Draenei society would entail.
Rogues: Hooves are not stealthy nor are big, blue aliens. Tauren can’t be rogues.
Points taken.
However, there are many real-world examples that contradict this. It’s rare that people have to shout over the sound of passing deer. And while Draenei aren’t petite, they can hardly be called cumbersome. Aren’t there large in-game mobs that skulk around, stealthy the entire time, anyway? Satyrs are a perfect example of a sizable, horned, and hoofed creature with stealth capability. Why would a basically normal sized Draenei have difficulty doing the same?
Remember that space goats are smart. They posses both the ability and the sense to fashion some sort of sole for their hooves to dampen noise which, when combined with a keen mind, would allow them to maneuver and stealth around unnoticed.
Druids: Theistic conflicts with existing Draenei culture and a disconnect between the newly-arrived-on-Azeroth Draenei and the world’s natural magic / Emerald Dream prevents them from taking up the mantle of Druid.
Four races will have druids in Cataclysm: Night Elves, Tauren, Worgen, and Trolls. Of those races, Worgen are the only ones that can also be Warlocks: the antithesis to druidism. Despite this, it’s their strong and ancient ties to Night Elves which are somehow responsible for their acceptance into the Cenarion Circle.
The Draenei are the only other race which can boast similar ties to the Night Elves – despite the whole Eradar debacle, they’ve become BFFs if ever there were any – and are very close to the Kal’dorei geographically; there’s even a Druid trainer near the Exodar in their starting zone. Combine this with the innate healing abilities of the Draenei and it seems they’re a shoe-in for druids. They already come equipped with horns and hooves standard!
Warlocks: Draenei Warlock = Eredar. By definition, Draenei cannot be warlocks or utilize Fel Magic. It’s ingrained into who they are as people not to use demonic energy.
That’s a very compelling argument. It’s true. That’s been a central point of the Draenei.
It’s also true that Arcane Magic can be considered Fel Magic Light. They’re differing degrees of the same energies. And you don’t have to look too hard to find practitioners of the arcane arts on Azuremyst Isle.
If the Night Elves can accept mages into the fold once more, then I see no reason Draenei can't do the same with warlocks.
Moreover, I mentioned in a previous thread (see bottom for *link) that warlocks could be superficially re-imagined specifically for the Draenei race. It’s being done to some extent with druids for both Trolls and Worgen; both races will be getting unique animal forms. Having the lore behind a Draenei warlock based around their use of the Light to subjugate or purify demons and fel magic is just one route that could be taken.
I’m certain the folks at Blizzard are creative enough that they could come up with all sorts of reasons any of the above would happen.
The lore is flexible and evolving; it can accommodate anything we wish it to.
I ask that Blizzard reconsider their decision not to give Draenei a new class.
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*Link: http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=19377462603&sid=1&pageNo=2
