If it wasn’t used as an excuse to avoid using portals, that could have honestly been a fun issue to contend with in a world as pervasive with magic as Azeroth.
Honestly that’s a little… debatable. There does seem to be a trend where most low fantasy roleplay is related to humans, but I think that comes from other out-of-franchise influences like House of the Dragon, Witcher and other series - with said trend only increasing conveniently when these two sagas publish a new piece of media.
When it comes to actual Warcraft inspiration, the last expansion that happened in Azeroth had the humans assaulting places around Zandalar on airships full of paratroopers, Jaina solo-ing an entire battlefield by pulling up with her Flying Dutchman ship, and a bunch of other stuff which genuinely seemed quite modern even for Warcraft.
Hell, the new human faction leader has a sword that’s closer to being a lightsaber and armor that’s closer to something straight out of Age of Sigmar.
The fact that Shadowlands suffered such a widely bad reception probably had a lot of people seeking inspiration elsewhere as a chain reaction, and it just so happened that the two franchises which I just mentioned (among a few others) were the most popular during that time which still vaguely fit the same bill as being related to the wider fantasy genre.
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I never thought of that, and while I think some of Shadowlands suffered because of that, other parts of Shadowlands suffered because the expansion was almost as much of a dumpster fire as Blizzard itself would be during those same two years.
Yes we’re in a better expac now but I remain bitter >:(
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That’s also likely.
I did say “until recently” since I’m aware Humans have had a big uptick in high-fantasy since about Legion, before that only really having the Kirin Tor and maybe Varian to debate otherwise but you’re right in that it more likely came from stuff like GoT and Witcher.
But still, it’s identifiably humans being the source, not that anyone could or should have done anything about it.
All anyone can do now is call weirdos out for being weirdos when they’re mad about druids playing druids or pretending that the space-faring tentacle-goat super soldier three feet to their left is the exception and not the norm.
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For a start I’d say that the people you have encountered Grisson, that would whisper you to antagonise you for your roleplay, or that put you on ignore because they do not enjoy the flavour of it.
These are just bad roleplayers, bad collaborators and well, rude people. And it has nothing actually to do with the preference as to the flavour of roleplay. That’s not acceptable behaviour no matter.
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Fixed in ten characters.
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Not to mention Human ancestry in Warcraft is uh, possibly the most cosmic of all the races in the entire setting, actually. Literal descendants of the Gods of the Universe’s creations.
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Heck even the “gods” made them in their image to boot.
titans look remarkably like humans out of all possibly forms they could have taken.
Someone once called WoW “Punk Fantasy” due to it being a melting pot of tropes and themes, ranging from the grit and dirt of Game of Thrones, to the fantastical magic of Lord of the Rings or Warhammer.
I’ve taken to using that terminology as well. I think it works.
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WoW has always been high fantasy. The whole premise of Warcraft 1 was alien invaders from another world. Had those same aliens in-game since Vanilla. We’ve had a space ship in-game since Burning Crusade. Gnomes and Goblins both have their whole things, and always have.
Some people enjoy lowerish fantasy RP in their guilds, but getting mad over growing flowers? I’m not sure that Stormwind has really ever been a hub for quality RP.
I prefer to dragon charge my enemies.
Jenit hates portals, she gets portal sick.
Doesn’t stop her taking them if the need arises IC.
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But see, that’s kind of a fun way of going about it. I imagine that a sudden change in environment, possibly a change in continent or even a drastic change in altitude would affect people using portals and I find people who RP out some sort of sudden onset motion sickness from them to be quite endearing.
Meanwhile the dunce I was referring to was sneezing because someone DARED to mention a portal LMAO
I think low fantasy and high fantasy can co-exist. Just don’t magic your way out of every situation. Magic is a tool, but it doesn’t make you invincible.
For example, you might be able to magic up a wall of fire or grow a field of flowers, but a rogue with a gun can still cause you a lot of damage, and a hunter pet that’s leaps on your character is always going to hurt, unless you’re immune to pain.
One of my favourite RP games is Baldur’s Gate and they handle these themes well I think. Archers and rogues can be just as deadly as casters!
As for offensive nature magic, I guess that is possible as a Druid. Entangled Roots and Swarms could be quite nasty IC. Just look at the intro cinematic to the Darkshore Warfront where (if I remember correctly), Malfurion kills an orc with entangling vines that drag the orc underground, as he kicks and screams to break free.
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On an unrelated note, can someone do away with Tyrande?
No reason.
Honestly, it sounds like you’ve run into some rather sorry individuals, who just don’t seem to understand how Druids work. I mean, they’re literally the only class (besides maybe Preservation Evoker) that has plant-based magic as a part of their class fantasy.
Yeah, WoW’s a High-Fantasy setting. I’m literally playing a Dragon Lady, who chose to be a Scout, rather than pursuing the valid (if overpowered) option of becoming an Evoker. And even as a Scout, she’s still got fire-breath, the ability to fly, and some access to innate Draconic magic. Just by playing a Dracthyr of any caliber, that automatically makes her a High-Fantasy Character.
Only thing I can really tell you is that, hey, at least the people who have problems with you are making themselves known and, in that one case, taking care of themselves for you.
Warcraft is incredibly High Fantasy, from portals to other planets to EVERY race having access to magic to healing magic literally healing someone to flipping around from being on death’s door ( Beyond the Dark Portal ) to Warriors basically having Muscle Magic which allows the likes of Grom to lift 10 tons despite being some 500 kg tops, himself or for Garrosh to jump 30 meters in the air.
Not by anyone with a half-decent understanding of the setting, no.
The endless fantasy battle saga continues for some pointless reason. I don’t care if you want to do low or high fantasy, I genuinely don’t, just stop making discussions about it. Cuz I doubt anybody actually cares
Do you, if a guild don’t want your char probably it was the wrong choice of guild