RE-post from former forum.
Disclaimer: I need training in consistent writing formulas.
After the announcement from Blizzcon saying Kul Tiran humans will be able to play as shamans I was massively confused and with a hype I did not grasp. So, looking into my playtime surrounding the alliance storyline I have come up with some points and counterpoints as to how I see the question of: “Why can Kul Tiran Humans be shamans?”
Tide sages. Sea priests birthed from the first Lord Stormsong how heard the whispers of an unknow entity now known as Tide mother guiding the Stormsongs to the lands we now know as Kultiras. Its thru her whispers the Tidesages became what we know today, regardless if it was Azshara, a Faceless one, a Water elemental or Nezoth himself. Their role in Kultiras is the equivalent of any priest from the main lands except for the source of the beliefs (being the sea) and their direct activity in any sea related venture. I have a link here to get more details I might skip of ignorantly dismiss.
But what do we see Tidesage as in-game? A priest/mage hybrid with water magic with knowledge in binding elements thru their use of “totems”, the capability to “bless” ships and making use of rune magic directly or bound to scrolls. Here is a main problem I have with the tidesages as shamans, they are more akin to dark shamans than any other race-class combination I have compared with. They bind and control, take and remove. They have a hierarchy in their society transferred to the practices of the tidesages that causes the relation to this elemental source to be respectful but more tool then partner.
A shaman gets its power thru the relation with “individual” elements thru trade and bargaining as the goblins mainly do. Thru faith and companionship in/with the elements as the tauren, orcs and dwarfs (wild hammer) do. Can also be from enslavement from a specific elemental like the dark iron dwarfs as we recently got in BFA. Other origins to shamanism in World of Warcraft can be an elementals act of kindness introduce the practice thru desperate individuals or races (Draenei). Lore wise a shaman is powerless without the connection with their elementals (look up doronsmovies for a quick rundown). This we see after Thralls dishonorable and disgraceful use of the elements fighting Garrosh back in WoD, this effect was seen in the shaman order hall campaign as he lost a lot of his power as if unplugged and why he left to ask why his “friends” aren’t happy (not knowing what he did wrong, + the Doomhammer was misused in a sacred orc combat ritual).
However, this can’t be well applied on our playable avatar (for hopefully obvious gameplay reasons) but is important for the characters in WoW to build the world consistency to keep the believability of this made up world. It’s at this point Kul Tiran Shamans makes a big miss in my eyes. They don’t conform to the already existing “rules” and no, I am not pointing to the already void consumed tidesages we see in Shrine of storm but any untouched tidesage like Allen (however curious I get surrounding the voids-ish connection to tidemother). It also cracks when the look of any gear kul tiran shaman will be using as bones, hides and other animal parts. As they can’t use any of the tidesage cloth armor that the tidesages use (no kul tiran can as they can’t play as any cloth class…). And any mail we see in kul tiras is a clean-cut guard outfit using sword or spears.
There are many more points I would like to bring up, but I fear id either nitpick or go into a redundant path of thinking. Like the relation with the earthen ring might be an issue and that the sages basically use all abilities of a naga or hydromancers but maybe in future post. Kul tiran human’s relation with orcs as shamanism is sort of a central concept to truly understand them. You have a specific point of discussion? Bring it up! We might get to talk about it!
There are however two things I find to be a proper addition to Kul Tiran Humans INSTEAD of shamans and that’s Priest and Mage (an argument can be made for warlocks). Not just to mention the class fantasy to be a frost mage akin to Jaina controlling your water elemental sporting the tidesages wardrobe. Or wielding the shadow/void as the teachings of the tidemothers new corrupted whispers and my favorite that I might even enjoy holy priest however trading the more “holy” look towards a watery appearance as the resto shaman have (let’s not forget holy magic is derived primarily from faith, source is almost irrelevant). This in my mind conforms more towards what the tidesages represent within the Kul Tiran society and how the player base can aim to roleplay as one.
However, there is hope for them to play shamans in the future. I don’t think they are there yet but in the start of the next expansion or the end of bfa I see it as a possibility with an immediate interaction with the shaman of the alliance to curve the tidesages in a more reasonable path towards shamanism as it’s just an odd priesthood with dedicated scholars.
Well this was my first post on the wow forums I hope I was not to incoherent in my writing and reasoning as I was trying to be short in my writing is a short laugh. But I am writing about human shamans…… as if tauren paladins and voidelfs was not hard to believe already…
From a player who likes shamans… a lot.