For years, I’ve wanted and tried to play Horde Paladins, but they’ve always felt unsatisfactory to me. They just don’t fit or feel right as traditional Paladins in the same way that Humans and Dwarves do.
Blood Elf Blood Knights:
The Blood Knights initially used the Light through coercion, which was a fascinating and darker twist on Paladin lore. However, their pragmatic and morally ambiguous approach has been softened over time, leaving them feeling less unique. Unfortunately, this original concept remains underexplored in the game.
Tauren Sunwalkers:
Sunwalkers channel the power of An’she, the sun, viewing it as a spiritual force rather than the traditional Light. Unfortunately, this lore isn’t reflected in their spell mechanics or animations. Watching a Sunwalker cast “Holy Light” and flip through a tome feels completely out of place for their culture, which is more spiritual rather than bookish.
Zandalari Prelates:
Zandalari Prelates are an excellent addition, blending faith in their loa with Paladin mechanics. However, again they are visually identical to other Paladins, and they lack unique spell visuals or animations to emphasize their connection to the loa.
I believe the Forsaken are actually the best-suited Horde race for the Paladin class—With Calia Menethil, a Light-infused undead, now leading the Forsaken, the idea of Forsaken Paladins feels more plausible than ever. Her existence demonstrates that the Light and undeath can coexist, even if the relationship is painful and complex.
A slight side tangent here—but I think one of the biggest ways to address the immersion issues I’ve mentioned is through more visual customization for spells. Glyphs are massively underutilized for character customization. They could go a long way in making each race’s approach to the Paladin class—and all classes, for that matter—feel more authentic. For example:
Tauren: Replace tomes and glowing auras with solar-themed animations, like radiant sunbursts or glowing hands.
Zandalari: Add loa-inspired effects, such as spectral dinosaurs, golden energy with tribal patterns, or effects that evoke Rezan.
TLDR: Forsaken Paladins could be a thematic masterpiece and the missing link in making Horde Paladins feel as compelling as their Alliance counterparts. Coupled with better visual customization options for all races, Forsaken Paladins could finally bring the depth and immersion the Paladin class deserves on the Horde side.
Gnome paladins with cyber hammer is more suitable x1’000’000 than forsaken.
+Calia Menethil is one of the big lorewise mistakes done my blizzard
+Calia is an exception between undead not a normal case
+Forsaken are not lightforged like normal draenei aren’t
+there is no any lore, unlike draenei + lightforged draenei, to add lightforged forsaken.
Even undead (healer) priest was a mistake, added for gameplay to have enough healer class in both factions.
Firstly, Gnome Paladins cyber hammers does sound pretty awesome… I’d play that.
Forsaken are essentially fallen humans, risen by the Lich King yet free of his control—or in some cases, risen directly into the Forsaken by Sylvanas’s val’kyr to bolster their numbers. Why, then, would wielding the Light be seen as such an impossibility?
If your not a fan of Calia Menethil, then what about other examples, such as High Inquisitor Sally Whitemane, who, after her resurrection as a Death Knight in Legion, retained her connection to the Light. While not a Paladin per se, she demonstrates that undead can maintain their bond with the Light despite their condition.
My ex-human colleague as fanatic inquisitor is now an undead deathknight, not a priest or a paladin.
player should respect to lore and stop asking for crazy things like that or goblins demonhunter like another forum user wink wink
Devs keep minimal lore respect like you can see there is no dractyr deathknight and Earthen deathknight (that’s logic you need to live for die and raise a DK and earthen are not living people)
and there is no more Lich king actualy and dracthyr came after all the story we know
you also have old NPC like Zeliek, an ex paladin, dead and raised as a Deathknight and still using holy spell.
But like Calia and alonsus Faol, thoses cases are exceptions and the player is not a hero like Jaina, Calia, Arthas, Alleria (spit on the floor) etc…
I believe that Paladins for all races will be coming in the next two expansions, there has certainly been plenty of lore to support this. The Tyr’s Guard, for example. I’ll be very confused if they don’t.
Sir Zeliek (Naxxramas): A former Paladin who became a Death Knight, Sir Zeliek retained his ability to wield the Light, demonstrating that even after death, an individual can maintain their connection to the Light—though it often causes them immense pain.
The Scarlet Crusade Undead:
Many members of the Scarlet Crusade, despite their fanatical devotion to the Light, were raised as undead (e.g., by Balnazzar). While these undead didn’t explicitly retain their Paladin status, their continued devotion to the Light shows that faith in the Light can persist even after undeath.
Forsaken and the Light:
Forsaken can already channel the Light in-game as Priests, using it for both healing and offensive purposes. Lore confirms that for a Forsaken, wielding the Light is agonizing, as it burns their undead flesh. However, this pain doesn’t make it impossible, suggesting that the Forsaken’s relationship with the Light is complex but viable.
I don’t see how the concept of Forsaken Paladins would be an impossibility or a violation of established lore. As with any evolving narrative, lore can change and expand to reflect new ideas and character developments. With figures like Calia Menethil and the presence of undead wielders of the Light, there is ample room for Forsaken Paladins to be integrated into the game without undermining existing lore. For example:
Pain and Sacrifice:
Forsaken Paladins could be portrayed as individuals who wield the Light at great personal cost. Every healing spell or blessing could visibly burn or decay their undead form, emphasizing their suffering and devotion. This duality would make them incredibly compelling, as their strength would come from enduring agony to protect or redeem others.
Faith as Redemption:
Many Forsaken wrestle with the loss of their humanity. A Forsaken Paladin could represent someone seeking redemption or clinging to a faith they held in life, using the Light to prove they are more than just monsters. This could tie into Calia’s influence, as her leadership might inspire some Forsaken to embrace the Light despite the pain.
you re the typical player who want to appropriate for himself something that many other player love so much. Like the guy who want goblin as demonhunters. You want to make a general rules with big exception case like Calia, Zeliek, etc
You pointed Scarlet Crusade dead npc using light spells, That’s even not comparable. You arguing with a religious sect army npcs , dead or not.
Forsaken are a race about random people, soliders etc who was slaughtered by arthas and the scourge and regain their own free will but keep psychological big issues, trauma and stuff.
how the paladin class can fit with that? there is even no specific order like the the Holy Church or Blood knight.
If you really love forsaken, just play a vengeful warrior or deathknight with a past paladin RP. And join the ebon blade
If you love paladin just play human, blood elves, dwarf etc…
Forsaken mind and psychological and paladin mind dont suit together
I can’t even imagine how the idea to ask for undead paladin can grow in the mind of someone who loves the paladin class.
Did you even think about the fact that paladin is a big iconic and symbolic class that thousand of player LOVE and dont want to see dead corps be paladin ?
Like there are thousand of players who love demonhunter lore and dont want to see dumb fancy goblins and gnome, flying / fighting like crazy little fel chicken with warglaives
They already said they will be doing all races x all classes, just a matter of time. Perhaps not DH or new races though. “Lore reasons” went out the window a long time ago.
No that was an example of lore excuses being put to the side. I already stated what Blizzard have said and actual lore reasons for more races with Paladins.
I find the these threads somewhat pointless, it is a roundabout argument against already stated oncoming change.
Right, so what if a Human Paladin was slain, raised by the Lich King, and then regained their free will? What would prevent them from becoming an Undead Paladin?
Additionally, not all Forsaken were created pre-Cataclysm. Many were raised more recently. After the fall of Arthas and the destruction of the Lich King, Sylvanas took it upon herself to ensure the Forsaken’s continued existence by recruiting Valkyr to raise new Forsaken. But now that Sylvanas is no longer in power, what happens to the Forsaken? Are they doomed to extinction, or will they adapt under the leadership of Calia Menethil?
I think you’ve overlooked the main point of my original post, which is that the current Horde races that can be Paladins don’t really feel right to me. While Tauren Sunwalkers and Zandalari Prelates (which I love, by the way) technically serve as Paladins, they are fundamentally different. The in-game mechanics may classify them as Paladins, but their powers come from spiritual connections—An’she for the Tauren and their Loa for the Zandalari—not the traditional Light-based abilities of a Paladin.
I firmly believe Undead/Forsaken Paladins could be implemented in a similar way. Just as the Blood Elves became Paladins through a unique and controversial process of coercing the Naaru and using the Light out of desperation, the Forsaken could wield the Light as well—though with a distinctive twist.
Anyhow, it seems we may not see eye to eye on this, and that’s perfectly okay. It’s natural to have differing opinions.
One of the new dungeon is filled with light infused undead, so this is a good indicator that forsaken gonna be paladin next.
Also the one of the four horsemen in naxx is still wielding the light… so undead using light is not as outlandish as a lot of people claim it to be.
