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[Rogmasha-argent-dawn (Rogmasha)]

Classy Roleplaying: Mage by Creic

With some recent free time I have had I’ve started to level a Mage, oddly enough it’s not one class I would have seen myself choosing due to the fact I curse and swear about them in Battlegrounds and Arena. But, not the point! It has interested me to do some casual Roleplaying with this character when I get some more free time and experience the class.

However, there are so many different forms of roleplaying I have seen with this class from different players that it becomes hard to see what is in guidelines and what is just maybe impossible. I was spending some time in Dalaran after a few battlegrounds and found “The Schools of Arcane Magic” and decided to see if I could get them all, I am still missing one, but a friend was nice enough to provide me with the written information on that missing one, so here goes-- Oh, and I know some of the books just seem to have completely unserious comments in them, some of which made me laugh. But I’m posting these up as a sort of “guideline”, considering these are in-game lore!

The Schools of Arcane Magic:

• Abjuration
• Transmutation
• Necromancy (Not sure of this one?)
• Enchantment
• Conjuration
• Divination
• Illusion

Now, I noticed that Evocation was missing from that list, but after some research the most known lore character to be trained in that school was Queen Ashara, so I’m guessing that is why that book is missing?

Abjuration:

<Penned by the skilled hand of Archmage Ansirem Runeweaver>

Abjuration is the study of protective magic and one of the most important schools for a young mage to study. The most generalized abjuration spell is the mana shield, a spell that transmutes raw mana into a barrier that protects the caster from attacks. Properly executed, this spell can protect the mage against even the most formidable of attacks - but the mana shield is very difficult for a novice to master. It often takes a mage months of practice to even conjure a simple mana shield, and thus, more basic alternatives exist.

A series of elemental armor spells were invented to aid the traveling mage in the unfortunate case that he or she might be attacked. These spells require far less raw energy to cast then a mana shield and are more easily maintained over time, but lack the raw potency of the mana shield. Rather than stopping an attack completely, a frost armor spell might simply decrease the effectiveness of the assault. The more advanced armor spells grant other benefits - for example, the potent mage armor spell actually assists the caster in regaining magical power more easily.

Practitioners of the arcane arts are often ambitious, and we frequently find ourselves in situations where magic may slip just slightly beyond our control. It is for this reason that the ward spells exist. Ward spells are quick, potent incantations to protect the caster against a form of elemental damage - damage which is often caused by the caster attempting one of the other schools of magic. This is why studying abjuration early is so imperative.

One of the most renowned practitioners of Abjuration magic is Prince Kael’thas Sunstrider. While the prince is quite formidable in all schools of magic, Kael’thas has created a variation of Mana Shield that is practically unsurpassed in among the residents of Dalaran. Also notable is the Arcanist Doan, who has perfected a spell that combines Evocation and Abjuration to shield himself for a short time while preparing a powerfull area-of-effect spell. This Detonate spell provides Doan with a degree of near invulnerability for a precious few seconds, but few mages have the capacity to cast it safely.

Transmutation:

<Penned by the skilled hand of Archmage Ansirem Runeweaver>

The ninth and final school of magic is transmutation. It is among the most popular and useful of all of the schools, allowing a mage to manipulate time and space. Perhaps the most iconic Transmutation spell is Polymorph, which allows a mage to turn something - or someone - into something else. Fortunately for many of my students, the effects are not permanent. I’ve seen more than one unwary apprentice turned into a sheep, pig, or worse - don’t even ask what “worse” means.

The second most famous use for transmutation magic is teleportation. The most basic teleportation spell is blink, and it remains among the most useful. Blink can be used to quickly escape a foe - or save a mage who has accidentally fallen off a cliff. Do not attempt to use blink to escape falling to your death unless absolutely necessary. This is the kind of trick you can only fail once.

Make absolutely certain you know your destination before attempting to teleport. There’s a reason we have very specific spells to teleport to certain locations - attempts to cast a teleportation “on the fly” often result in one very dead mage inside a wall, chair, or another mage. And I don’t mean in a fun way.

Spells that manipulate time also fall into this category. The ever-popular slow fall spell is an excellent alternative to falling to your death (and much more reliable than Blink at this function). More advanced practitioners of the arcane arts can also learn a spell that slows the movements of their enemies. I’ve heard rumors of a spell that increases movement speed as well, but I’ve never seen it in practice.

Lady Jaina Proudmoore is a skilled practitioner of transmutation magic. She has developed a powerful variation of the popular mass-teleport spell that is capable of moving a significant percentage of her army with minimal effort. This spell helps make her extremely unpredictable on the battlefield.

Necromancy:

<Penned by the skilled hand of Archmage Ansirem Runeweaver>

Necromancy is the study of magic involving the dead. It is highly illegal and should be avoided at all costs. I discuss necromancy here only because it is our obligation to have a basic understanding of the magic employed by our enemies - and make no mistake, any practitioner of necromancy is your enemy. Necromancers and their followers are the enemies of all living things. Their influence must be avoided at all costs.

Necromantic magic has many functions beyond simply raising the dead. Masters of this tainted field of magic can conjure festering diseases, harness the shadows into bolts of incendiary energy, and chill the living with the power of death. Necromancy can also be used to reconstruct the flesh of undead creatures, allowing them to function again even after the foul monsters have been destroyed.

The former archmage Kel’Thuzad is perhaps the most notable example of a modern necromancer. He greatly contributed to the initial spread of the Scourge and the fall of Lordaeron. Now, Kel’Thuzad reigns as a lich from the floating citadel of Naxxramas. His ongoing existence poses an imminent threat to us all.

Enchantment:

<Penned by the skilled hand of Archmage Ansirem Runeweaver>

Enchantment is the process of imbuing an object - or person - with magical power. Some enchantments are temporary, while others can offer permanent benefits. Enchanting can be difficult to learn, but it is one of the most potentially lucrative forms of magic to study. I highly encourage the study of enchanting, as it is one of the studies of magic that is least likely to culminate in my own destruction.

Disenchanting is the process of dispelling or removing magic. The dispel magic spell is among the most important in a mage’s arsenal, as it can potentially reverse the catastrophic effects of a misfired spell. It is also possible to permanently disenchant a magical item. This produces a unique form of crystallized mana that can be used in the process of imbuing another item with magical abilities. While this can get expensive, it is often one of the best ways for a young mage to study the enchanting process.

While he has already previously been mentioned for his skill in abjuration, Prince Kael’thas Sunstrider is also considered one of the foremost masters of enchanting in our time. He has not only mastered the creation of potent magical weapons, but the prince has also learned to manipulate these objects remotely, allowing them to fight on their own. This can quickly allow the prince to fight as if he was defended by several skilled guardians even when he is completely by himself. A potent defense, indeed.

Conjuration:

<Penned by the skilled hand of Archmage Ansirem Runeweaver>

Conjuration is the study of summoning - both creatures and objects. Ever really, really wanted a fresh drink of spring water when you’re in the middle of nowhere? Conjuration, my friend, is the answer. There is nothing more enjoyable for a mage than creating a fresh slice of bread or a glass of water. Just ask any of us!

More formidable specialists in conjuration can summon several glasses of water at once, or perhaps even a tankard. A few daring wizards have occasionally attempted to summon water without remembering the glass - and thus, the art of summoning water elementals was born. Water elementals are a wizard’s best friend. (Felhounds are not, in fact, friendly at all.) A summoned elemental is a formidable ally in combat, a great listener, and they even taste great!

There are several wizards who have chosen to follow the refreshing path of conjuration. Captain Balinda Stonehearth is a fine example of a mage who has chosen to adapt conjuration magic for battle. Perhaps the most famous conjuror of our time, however, was the beloved Archmage Nielas Aran. Aran was not only noted for being able to summon several elementals at once, he also perfected a recipe for conjuring sparkling cider. It should be noted that Nileas Aran was no simple jester. That’s what magic is all about.

Divination:

<Penned by the skilled hand of Archmage Ansirem Runeweaver>

Divination is the school of magic dedicated to gathering information. Powerful divinations can allow the mage to see targets from a great distance, or even view what may normally be invisible. One of the most common uses of divination magic is scrying, which is the art of seeing something that may be far away - perhaps even on another plane of existance.

I’d like to take this time to remind my apprentices that scrying pools are not a toy. They are absolutely not to be used for displaying students of the opposite sex on a pay per view basis. Consider this your last warning.

The legendary archmage known as Medivh is perhaps the greatest known master of divination. His potent spells allowed him to peer into the world of Draenor from our Home in Azeroth - and perhaps even beyond. We can only speculate at the true depths of the power that Medivh once held.

Illusion:

<Penned by the skilled hand of Archmage Ansirem Runeweaver>

Illusion is the art of deceiving reality itself. The mists of illusion can make a mage invisible or inaudible to the world or twist the image of a location into something entirely different. Illusion can be used for disguise or manipulation, but beware, spells to counteract illusions exist in the divination school. It is not viable to base your entire career on illusionary magic.

Contrary to popular belief, illusions are far more than mere parlor tricks. The spell of invisibility is among the most integral in a battle mage’s repertoire, as you will often find yourself in dangerous situations and in need of a quick method for a strategic retreat. Illusions can also be used to deceive your opponents into thinking that you are elsewhere, or even trick your enemies into fighting each other. This is no easy task, but the accomplished illusionist can turn allies into enemies - and his or her own enemies into allies.

The former archmage Jandice Barov - may her soul rest in peace - was an excellent example of a talented illusionist. In life, she developed a spell that displayed several images of her body that were nearly indistinguishable from her real form. These images duplicated her actions from different locations, making it nearly impossible for her enemies to find her. It was almost infallible. Which brings me to another lesson - almost is simply not good enough.

So, my main question is. What do you think of these books? Do you think these are proper guidelines which -should- be seriously looked at when considering the option to play a Mage?

Other books which I noticed on a search on Wowhead:

Blinking Rules & Regulations

Short range full-body instant cast teleportations have specific rules and boundaries which must be adhered to at all times. This book is a guideline for proper usage of this travel option, to ensure a safe and expedient teleportation.

Rule #1: Never blink into space occupied by anyone else. Blink, as it has been taught, replaces the air and water from the casters target position, to the casters starting position. The spells success and widespread use is based on its simple elegance: The real objective of the spell is to replace the casters body with whatever is in front of them - the fact that the caster is moved to that area is the side-effect.

The spell is elegant enough to recognize and avoid people most of the time. Immense Kirin Tor resources are being spent to perfect an already nearly flawless spell, but be warned that deliberate blinking into others may result in one of three outcomes: The caster replaces the target, the target replaces the caster, or both occupy the same space, creating a sickly abomination the likes of which even The Scourge would exile from their ranks. If you would like to prevent one of these three tragedies, please be mindful of your blink target areas. Which brings us to…

Rule #2: Look where you’re going! After a staggering number of incidences that were the product of people violating Rule #1, the Kirin Tor has moved this rule up from its previous position at #8 to here. We understand that accidents happen, but some accidents are not so easily remedied. Remember mages, look both ways before crossing the Astral Plane!

Rule #3: Don’t blink to anywhere you can’t see. This is a variation of Rule #2 that deserves special mention, due to the fact that this rule is the one most commonly broken on purpose. Like Rule #2, we have gotten increasing reports of mages meeting tragic ends with their blink. Some mages admitted to consciously trying to blink through walls, into dark areas, and even inside crates in a desperate attempt to hide from pursuers. We cannot stress enough how foolish this is.

Solid matter is connected to itself rigidly enough to, well, make it solid. Unlike air and water, which can be easily separated and swapped, the bonds of solids WILL translate onto the caster. The Kirin Tor feels obligated to list all documented Small Claims Disaster Cases pertaining to blinking inside solid objects. Memorize these claims, and avoid making the same mistakes yourselves:

10012-c: “Removal of bar stool from hip of Squibly Ratchetdibble via fire. Collateral burns minimal.”

19798-g: “Removal of (3) mithril support rods from head of Jenus Killian via corrosive brew. Thanks to RAS for donation of mentioned brew. Side-effect: Permanent hair loss of affected area.”

14761-aa: “Removal of Cynthia Wallerby from side of barn via Goblin Shredder. Collateral damage is, unfortunately, severe. However, Mrs. Wallerby can still enjoy a full life with one hand and foot.”

16616-x: “Removal of Harland Wilson from statue of General Turalyon via magma, shipped from Ironforge. Collateral damage moderate. Mr. Wilson was unharmed, but nearby school children witnessed the General being melted to retrieve him, and were consequently scarred for life.”

11773-c: “Removal of (6) Snapvine Watermelons from torso of Sinella Redblade. Collateral damage minimal. (4) melons salvaged and donated to local orphanage.”

<This goes on for hundreds of pages>

Polymorphic Rules & Regulations

Species altercation has the highest potential for abuse and disaster, and is the source of the most number of complaints to the Kirin Tor. Polymorphic study has been under constant scrutiny and threat of removal for years, but only recently have these tribulations increased exponentially. In order for this spell to continue to be sanctioned certain guidelines must be put in place to throttle the increasing number of tragedies reckless polymorphs have caused.

Rule# 1: Do not turn a creature of lesser intelligence into a creature of higher intelligence - Cerebral brain function rarely translates in a polymorph… But sometimes it does. Voracious creatures such as serpents and wolves need not have their predatory instincts honed with a human mind. We feel obligated to quote Small Claims Disaster Case 12651-B, Labeled, “Bartholomew: The Bear who Bears Arms.”

Rule# 2: Use simplified creatures for polymorphs - Many rogue mage disciples sanction exotic creature polymorphic studies. But in a desperate effort to lower Kirin Tor insurance claims we are ceasing to support these types of creatures. Sheep are acceptable creatures for any situation. But there are several other common creature types that are supported (Read the latest edition of the Kirin Tor Monthly for an up-to-date list). Polymorphing into creatures like oozes, ethereals, silithid, and worst of all dragonkin is severely punishable which brings us to…

Rule# 3: Polymorphic debaucheries are to be disposed of in a timely and DISCREET manner - The Public need not bear witness to the horrendous abominations wrought from a botched polymorph. Accidents happen, and the Kirin’Tor understands this. However public viewing of creatures like the Were-Whale, Mur-Elf, Amphibious Worgen, Flying Ooze, Grypho-Hippo-Wyvern, Qiraji Bunny, and the infamous “Blue-Checkered Cube” give us all a bad reputation.

Rule #4: Do not polymorph a creature into another more powerful creature - While this looks like plain common sense, we feel obligated to quote Mildly Severe Claims Disaster Case 8791-E, Labeled, “Magus John Quint: Liquefied by Sickly Deer turned Violently Confused Molten Giant.”

Rule #5: Do not polymorph anything that is halfway through a portal - This has yet to not cause an explosion. This is also covered in “Thinking with Portals: A Memorandum on Proper Portal Usage.”

Rule #6: Do not polymorph inanimate objects! - We can’t believe the Kirin’Tor is receiving reports of this, but such a heinous act caused the development of the brand new Highly Severe Claims Disaster Case 1-A, “My Kingdom For A Horse: The One Hundred and Fifty Reasons Why A Kingdom Should Not Be Turned Into A Horse.”

<This goes on for hundreds of pages>

Thinking With Portals - A Memorandum

It is not our intention to replace popular transportation methods such as ship, zeppelins, and flightmasters. These are cheap, practical, and safe methods of transportation. Portals, when used properly, are just as safe and certainly faster. HOWEVER, in practice portals have a history of being a burden on any society in which it is offered to the general public. Of all the major spells developed and maintained by the Kirin Tor (including polymorph), portal technology is the closest to becoming banished from anything but emergency usage.

Why all the trouble? First, Ley Lines don’t grow on trees. Massive traffic through a Line from all over Azeroth wears down the infrastructure and must be periodically replaced. We charge the mage for every portal via reagent taxes, and encourage mages to pass off these charges to those using the portal. But these taxes don’t even begin to cover the time cost of replacing a Line, only the materials.

Remember that a portal most used is a portal most efficient: More persons using a single portal causes no further stress to the Ley Lines, and is encouraged. A “Portalpooling” program is in the works that will give tax breaks to mages who create portals for no less than (5) persons. Read your latest issue of “Kirin Tor Monthly” to see the progress of the Portalpooling program.

Second, while a properly used portal is just as safe as your average zeppelin trip (maybe more so considering the engineering practices of goblins), an improperly used portal can potentially yield dire results. Here is a list of immutable regulations for appropriate portal usage:

Rule #1: Do not create a portal to anywhere but the designated Kirin Tor drop-off zones. The most dangerous aspect of the portal spell is its vast potential. We realize it’s easy for a mage to create a door to anywhere, so our only way to combat such potentially deadly acts is to make it punishable by death. Special Issue License D-6 permits open portal usage, but is rarely issued. Speak with your local Portal Trainer about qualifying for this license.

Rule #2: Create a portal in the proper place, and use it in the proper way. Do not create a portal beneath the feet of someone. Do not linger halfway in and out of a portal. The portal is not a garbage disposal. The portal is not a shield. Do not use a portal like an umbrella, or any kind of shelter from the elements.

Do not back out of a portal after partially entering it. Do not try and “grab” the edges of the portal, either from the inside or the outside. A portal does not create “handlebars” to assist usage, and disruption of its boundaries is dangerous.

Rule #3: Never force or trick anyone to go through a portal. Not only is this a great way to lose repeat customers, it’s also incredibly dangerous (See Rule #2).

Rule #4: Do not have someone who is polymorphed enter a portal. This has yet to not cause an explosion. This is also covered in “Polymorphic Rules & Regulations.”

Rule #5: Do not remove the liquid filter from a portal spell. Portals innately prevent large amounts of flowing water through them so that they can be cast underwater. To allow for water elementals to use a portal, this filter can be omitted when casting. Do not omit this when underwater! We feel obligated to mention Moderately Severe Claims Disaster Case 34-zz: “The Great Lakeshire Drought & The Great Ironforge Flood of 24 A.D.”

Rule #6: Standard Portal dimensions are 3 yards, 1 foot, and 3/4 inches tall, 2 yards, 8 feet, 9 and 15/16 inches wide. Double-wide portal creation requires Special Issue License G-16, and is commonly issued to mages with a clean portal record of 8 years or more. Speak with your local Portal Trainer about qualifying for this license.

<This goes on for hundreds of pages>

Personally, the last three just look like a bit of a “troll” in a sense, but they are still there in-game and deserve to be recognized. But, to the question at hand which is posted above:

So, my main question is. What do you think of these books? Do you think these are proper guidelines which -should- be seriously looked at when considering the option to play a Mage?

Additional information (Extracted from deep dark articles of Wowwiki):

In your character’s eyes, you have spent years studying the arts of magic, so don’t be afraid to get a little cocky of yourself from time to time. You can belittle a Warrior for being a “brute” or “barbarian”. Priests and Paladins are extremely religious and more than likely, they wont like you too much. Paladin’s believe that Mages hate the “Holy Light” and believe you will NOT ever be cleansed of your evil ways, no matter what you do.

Mages are the overall damage dealers on WoW, but they aren’t very good at melee or taking damage. If you take a hit, make it devestating and make sure people know you’re hurt. After all, you’re wearing cloth armor and you’re not the strongest person in the world. If you’re pretending to be a strong muscly Mage, make a Warrior.

Alchemy - Alchemy is a great job to choose mainly because all you have to do is make magical potions, which fits your role perfectly.
Herbalism - The best thing to choose for money making or making some well-deserved potions with Alchemy.
Engineering - Not the first choice for most Mages, but it counts as a logical pursuit and could fit well with you if you do it right.

“The Four Laws (Extracted from Wowpedia)”

Magic is Powerful.

Magic in Azeroth is the difference between a slave and a master, a foot soldier and king. Few races and nations can operate without powerful mages and warlocks. The use of arcane magic is growing; historically, each time this has happened before, a great disaster shortly follows. However, even though the history of the arcane is well known, mages and their patrons invariably come to the same self-serving conclusion: It won’t happen to them.

Magic is Corrupting.

Magic corrupts the soul; if the humblest person in Azeroth became a practitioner of the arcane, by the time the practitioner reached the higher levels in their art, all traces of her humble roots would be lost. Magic breeds pride and arrogance. Magic corrupts the body; it ages the caster before their time and hastens the blight that the world inflicts on things fair and beautiful. Those who claim that only Necromancy and Fel Magic have a corrupting influence are fooling themselves.

Magic is an Addiction.

When one feels the power of an arcane spell coursing through one’s body as it’s being cast, resisting the urge to cast it again is difficult. Frequent use leads to a desire for more and, eventually, to a desire for the evil fel energy.

Magic attracts the Twisting Nether Like Flies to Honey.

The Burning Legion has invaded Azeroth three times, drawn by the power of the Well of Eternity and those who employ it. Magic is a literal gateway drug that allows dark titans such as Sargeras to bring evil influences to the world. Those who employ arcane magic must deal with demons and other servants of the Twisting Nether.

[Rogmasha-argent-dawn (Rogmasha)]

Necronomicon: guide to necromancer RP by Vredd

“All too soon, my choice was made. Too late did I realize that such power does not come… without a price.” - Archlich Kel’Thuzad

Contents

1. Introduction
2. Capabilities
3. Races
4. Classes
5. Appearance
6. Raising the dead
7. Minions
8. Personality
9. Conclusion

Introduction

As described in “The Schools of Arcane Magic – Necromancy”:

Necromancy is the study of magic involving the dead. It is highly illegal and should be avoided at all costs. I discuss necromancy here only because it is our obligation to have a basic understanding of the magic employed by our enemies - and make no mistake, any practitioner of necromancy is your enemy. Necromancers and their followers are the enemies of all living things. Their influence must be avoided at all costs.

Necromantic magic has many functions beyond simply raising the dead. Masters of this tainted field of magic can conjure festering diseases, harness the shadows into bolts of incendiary energy, and chill the living with the power of death. Necromancy can also be used to reconstruct the flesh of undead creatures, allowing them to function again even after the foul monsters have been destroyed.

Capabilities

As we can see from “The Schools of Arcane Magic – Necromancy” as well as other sources, necromancers do have a number of capabilities beyond raising the dead, though this does remain the bread and butter of the class.

I’ll list some of the capabilities the necromancer will or may have based off of what we have seen in-game:

Raising the dead - this is a no brainer; simply put, a necromancer isn’t a necromancer if they don’t have this ability.

"Conjure festering diseases" - we can only assume that this refers to abilities similar to the ones death knights use i.e. Blood Plague and Frost Fever. Also this has been seen before since necromancers are often responsible for the spreading of plagues, such as the one spread across Lordaeron.

"Harness the shadows into bolts of incendiary energy" - this most likely refers to Shadow Bolt which, though used by warlocks, is in fact also a necromancer ability. This can be seen from mobs such as the Anub’ar Necromancers in Azjol-Nerub and the Dark Necromancers in Stratholme. However, necromancers appear to harness the shadows in a number of other ways too, such as the Auchenai Necromancers who use Drain Soul (also used by warlocks) and an ability called Shadow Mend.

"Chill the living with the power of death" - since most necromancers are former mages, it wouldn’t be too far a stretch to assume that necromancers use darker and far deadlier forms of frost magic. Death knights use these sorts of abilities, even having an entire specialization dedicated to them.

Cripple - in Warcraft 3, this ability was used by the necromancer unit to slow a target’s movement and attack speed, as well as reduce the target’s damage dealt. Besides this however, many necromancer mobs throughout the game use it too, including the Death’s Head Necromancers in Razorfen Downs, and the Shadowy Necromancers in the Battle for Mount Hyjal.

Corpse Explosion - this rather fun ability has been used by necromancers. The Scholomance Necromancer mobs use this ability as well as the Acherus Necromancers who use a variation called Ghoulplosion. Also, death knights used to possess a minor glyph which allowed them the use of this ability, though it didn’t deal any damage.

Unholy Frenzy - unholy death knights will be familiar with this ability. This was also used by the necromancer unit in Warcraft 3 where it had a similar effect, in which attack speed is increased however health is drained. Other necromancers who have used this ability include the Shadowy Necromancers in the Battle for Mount Hyjal.

Bone Armor - similar to Bone Shield used by blood death knights, many necromancer mobs use this ability in which it absorbs damage taken, like Power Word: Shield. Examples of mobs who use this ability include the Malefic Necromancers in Icecrown and the Thuzadin Necromancers in Stratholme.

Soul Tap - this ability is similar to Drain Life and was used by the Thuzadin Necromancers in Stratholme. It leads to the idea that necromancers may use similar life draining abilities.

Drain Mana - a former warlock ability used by the Dark Necromancers in the Culling of Stratholme.

Races

Practically every race is capable of becoming a necromancer. After all, necromancy is ultimately another school of arcane magic. In that case, any race who can become a mage is capable of becoming a necromancer. Also, with the death knight class, every race except pandaren is shown to use necromancy. Here is a list of all the playable races and the extent to which it is possible for them to become a necromancer.

Alliance

Humans - many humans crossed over to necromancy surrounding the events of the Third War, tempted by power, immortality and as Kel’Thuzad described, “an ideal society free of all the burdens the existing one forced upon its citizenry”. Therefore, they make up most of the Cult of the Damned and are highly capable of becoming necromancers.

Dwarves - though all dwarves can become adept in arcane arts, the Dark Irons are the ones who study far darker forms than their Bronzebeard cousins, even bringing warlocks into Ironforge’s ranks. Dwarves are therefore also highly capable of becoming necromancers.

Gnomes - gnomes are found in the Cult of the Damned, and really there’s no reason why a gnome wouldn’t attempt to delve into the dark arts. Their curiosity is often far greater than that of other races, and so necromancy may tempt a gnome or two. Also, they’re shown to be powerful users of arcane magic, and so one could easily become a powerful user of necromancy.

Night Elves - necromancy is the enemy of all living things and the balance of life and death. It would therefore be strictly forbidden by night elf society. Necromancy upon night elves was witnessed during the War of the Ancients, and only one night elf wasn’t disgusted by it: Illidan, and we all know what happened to him. Despite this, night elves are capable of wielding arcane magic, especially after accepting the Highborne back into night elf lands. So the possibility is there.

Draenei - though draenei would completely forbid this, as it goes against their reverence of the Holy Light, we have seen draenei necromancers in Auchenai Crypts. Therefore it’s possible for draenei to become necromancers, however note you’d be exiled and disgraced by draenei society and possibly even executed.

Worgen - worgen are ultimately cursed humans and so would be just as capable of wielding necromancy as regular humans.

Horde

Orcs - as mentioned before with Gul’dan’s necrolytes, orcs are more than capable of wielding necromancy.

Trolls - troll necromancers have been seen. Zalazane is an example and Zanzil could also be considered a necromancer. Despite this, Zalazane’s death was due to his usurping of the domain of Bwonsamdi, the troll loa of the dead, who wasn’t too pleased with him for this. So you may have to keep that in mind as a troll necromancer.

Tauren - tauren, like night elves, would also view necromancy as an enemy of nature and so would react in the same way. Tauren necomancers are possible, however, as we have seen tauren mages among the Grimtotem tribe, so it isn’t that far fetched to suggest one of them may have gone down a darker path.

Forsaken - Helcular and Gunther Arcanus are both examples of Forsaken necromancers. Sylvanas would have recruited many necromancers into her ranks, but only for the sole purpose of sustaining her race.

Blood elves - high elves will also count here. Dar’Khan Drathir and Instructor Malicia are examples of high elf necromancers and the elves make up quite a bit of the Cult of the Damned. Due to their lust for arcane magic, both blood elves and high elves can easily stumble upon necromancy.

Goblin - as we saw from goblin warlocks and shamans, goblins will exploit any form of power just for profit, and so because of that, I don’t see why a goblin wouldn’t try and exploit necromancy. How he’d gain profit out of it I’m not sure, but it would certainly be interesting to see RPed. I hear undead minions make good cheap labour.

Neutral

Pandaren - this is an interesting one. Though you have pandaren mages, the pandaren very much respect their dead and so necromancy would not be accepted nor tolerated. Pandaren necromancers could still be possible but having a good reason for them becoming one would be difficult to play out. It should be noted however that we have not seen any pandaren use necromancy throughout the game with them even being the only playable race who can’t become death knights.

Classes

As necromancers are not a playable class, it’s important to use a class that best suits how they’re both described and seen in lore and in-game. There are four main classes which work best:

Unholy Death Knights – since Legion, unholy DKs have become even more necromancer-like than they were previously. They still retainin their ability to raise a minion and keep that minion out as a “pet”. Aside from this however, they also make use of diseases like Virulent Plague as well as the emphasis on Festering Wounds; they can summon a variety of other undead minions such as a gargoyle, an extra skeletal minion through All Will Serve and even an abomination through Sludge Belcher; finally, with their artifact weapon they can summon even greater armies of the dead in addition to the classic Army of the Dead spell.

Despite this, problems with the death knight include that they can’t wield staffs (however this can be replaced with a tome or a polearm) and they’re undead, meaning that using them to RP living necromancers will not be the best idea. Therefore there are other suitable options include:

Affliction Warlocks – an affliction warlock is a borderline necromancer due to how they dabble with souls and use shadow magic to casts various curses and afflictions. For instance, the Haunt spell is rather necromantic in nature since it states that it sends a ghostly soul into the target. In the section below, you will see how there are a number of warlock gear sets which can be used to brilliantly portray a necromancer.

Shadow Priests – shadow priests clearly use shadow magic and so could also make use of the Realm of Shadows the Scourge uses. In Icecrown you do see Cult of the Damned mobs in Shadowform who are casting Mind Flay. Therefore shadow priests could work.

Mages – most, if not all, necromancers are former mages, and as we saw from Darkmaster Gandling in Scholomance, when you become a necromancer you don’t necessarily ‘unlearn’ your previous abilities. Therefore, you could RP a necromancer who continues to incorporate spells they learned as a mage. Frost mages would most likely work best however, because as mentioned before, necromancers possess frost-related abilities.

The biggest problem with these other options however is that they can’t raise the dead, which some would argue, makes them unable to roleplay necromancers. In the ‘undead minions’ section I’ll present ways to compensate for this.

Appearance

Cloth gear works best for necromancers, though there isn’t really any reason why they wouldn’t wear something a little heavier, as they generally don’t move around much and instead send in their minions. The key really is to use “dark-themed” gear, after all a necromancer is a very shady person and not the most attractive looking person either. In the RPG books it states that necromancers “gradually take on the characteristics of the dead — hollow eyes, shambling gaits, pallid and sunken skin, foul odors and so forth”, and though this is technically non-canon info being in the RPG books, the appearances of necromancer NPCs nonetheless support this idea.

Take this set as an example of a necromancer look, or alternatively look at the various necromancer mobs throughout the game such as the ones I mentioned in the abilities section: [Dead link, removed]

Raising the dead

I thought I’d dedicate an entire section to this as it’s something that as a necromancer you’ll frequently be doing.

In order to raise the dead, unlike the death knight’s Raise Dead ability, you’ll need a corpse. This should be pretty obvious, but what it means is that the necromancer can sometimes be limited and have to rely on offensive and defensive magic due to the lack of corpses.

Despite this however, it can be argued that sometimes a necromancer will summon rather than raise the dead, from a place known as the Realm of Shadows. For example, in Acherus we see the trainers creating minions for their disciples to fight, however Acherus is a big metal fortress in the sky. Therefore, the best possible explanation for this is that these undead minions weren’t raised and were instead summoned from the Realm of Shadows. This will therefore give you a way to create an undead minion without the need of a corpse. For more information on this realm, see:
http://wowpedia.org/Realm_of_Shadows

Most of the time however, you’ll raise the corpse of a fallen soldier in battle. If you’re in the midst of battle and someone falls you can therefore raise them into undeath to do your bidding, which is of course, aid in killing your enemies. Necromancers will most often not be found in a place without some trace of death, which is why many are found scheming in the Plaguelands.

Undead minions

Necromancers can raise/summon a variety of minions, and as we see throughout the game, they come in all shapes and sizes. Some of the types of undead that necromancers can summon or raise can be seen here: >>http://wowpedia.org/Undead

However I will list some of the main types:

Ghouls - seen from both the death knight’s Raise Dead ability and the fact that ghouls are seen to act as the shock troops for the Scourge such as during the Battle for Light’s Hope Chapel.

Skeletons - the ability to raise skeletons was the main ability used by the necromancer unit in Warcraft 3. They fall into two types: skeletal warriors and skeletal mages.

Geists - executed criminals reborn as undead due to necromancy.

Zombies - in Stratholme we saw thousands of these, with all of them being reanimated from the corpses of Stratholme citizens. Should be noted however that zombies are in fact reanimated corpses who have not yet completed the transition into the “true” undead form of ghouls.

Unfortunately, affliction warlocks, shadow priests and mages don’t have the benefit that death knights have of actually raising the dead. Death knights don’t have to worry about this section as they can simply use either Raise Dead, Army of Dead, or even Raise Ally. Non-DKs on the other hand, read on.

There are a couple of approaches to compensating for the lack of raising the dead:

Items - there are items in the game which can briefly summon an undead minion, such as Book of the Dead, Antique Cornerstone Grimoire and Abracadaver. Other than these there are probably other items in the game which have similar effects that I haven’t listed, so look around and see what you can find.

You can have someone RP a minion for you - this can be done in a number of ways. Any class can use Noggenfogger Elixir and so RP a skeleton. As skeletons are the basic form of undead a necromancer can raise, this can work very well. Even better if they’re a mage and so can RP a skeletal mage. The rogue T10 armor is highly reminiscent of geists and so a rogue wearing this gear can RP one. Even the undead race in general could work as a minion as they’re, well, undead.

Pets - another thing you can do, as suggested by some, is use some of the various undead battle pets you can obtain (thank you to Elenthas for listing these):

• Restless Shadeling - Early morning spawn near Karazhan (Resembles a Shade)
• Fossilized Hatchling (Troll Necromancers) - Fossil Archaeology (Skeletal raptor)
• Ghostly Skull - Dalaran Vendor 40g (Floating Skull)
• Lost of Lordaeron - Tirisfal Glades spawn (Resembles blue ghost)
• Macabre Marionette - Day of the Dead (Resembles a humanoid skeleton)
• Unborn Val’kyr - Rare spawn around Northrend (Resembles chibi Val’kyr)
• Sen’jin Fetish (Troll Necromancers) - Argent Tournament 40 Seals (Floating tiki head)
• Scourged Whelpling - Rare(?) spawn in Icecrown (Plagued whelp model)
• Frosty - WotLK Collectors Edition (Resembles frost wyrm whelp)
• Stitched Pup - Gluth, Naxxramas (resembles Gluth)
• Blighthawk - Western Plaguelands (Resembles undead hawk)
• Sinister Squashling - Hallow’s End (Resembles a sinister squashling)
• Withers - Darkshore Quest/Vendor(?) (Resembles a grey, withered treant)
• Cockroach (Various) - They’re cockroaches, there’s a lot around.
• Disgusting Oozeling - Rare World Drop (Resembles a black ooze)
• Arcanomicon - Hillsbrad Foothills, near Dalaran Crater (Resembles floating magic book)
• Jade Oozeling - Hinterlands (Resembles smiling green ooze)
• Arcane Eye - Deadwind Pass, possible rare spawn(?) (Floating blue eye)
• Toxic Wasteling - Love is in the Air event (Green non-smiling ooze)
• Viscidus Globue - Viscidus, AQ40 (Resembles Viscidus)
• Darkmoon Eye - Darkmoon Pet Supplies Rare Drop (Giant orange Darkmoon Eye)
• Ethereal Soul Trader - TCG Reward, super rare and expensive! (Resembles Ethereal)
• Gusting Grimoire - TCG Reward (floating magic book)
• Living Fluid - Primordius, Throne of Thunder, LFR Difficulty(?) (Resembles blood-red ooze)
• Nordrassil Wisp - Mount Hyjal (Resembles Wisp)
• Spectral (Tiger) Cub - TCG/Battle.Net World Championship Shanghai 2012 (Resembles spectral tiger cub)
• Viscous Horror - Primordius, Throne of Thunder (Resembles darker blood-red ooze)
• Devouring Maggot - Howling Fjord (Resembles Maggot)
• Mr. Grubbs - Rare Drop Eastern Plaguelands (Resembles Maggot)
• Son of Animus - Dark Animus, Throne of Thunder (Resembles a mini-Dark Animus)

Personality

Though not all necromancers are the same in terms of personality, there are a few general character traits which would likely apply to all:

-As someone who frequently toys with the balance of life and death, you don’t value this balance in any way other than a tool for you to defeat your enemies.
-You’re unlikely to gain any ties with anyone, instead carrying a callous view that they’re all flesh and bone, ready to be manipulated.
-You’re also very likely to be a megalomaniac, relishing in the ability to summon and command minions who obey your every whim as well as seemingly being able to have control over death itself.

Of course, take these away as mere pointers and not necessarily defining character traits. Ultimately all necromancers are individuals and so will have their own unique qualities as well as these aspects of their personality.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading my guide and hopefully it will help anyone interested in roleplaying a necromancer out there.

[Rogmasha-argent-dawn (Rogmasha)]

An Indepth essay on Night Elf politics by Barlowe of the Earthen Ring

It’s hard to tell, but the broad approach of the Night Elven authorities seems to be that they don’t meddle in very many things…but when they do, they do it with an iron fist.

I had a long discussion about this on another forum once but it seems to be inaccessible, so I’m going to see about getting hold of it. In the meantime…

The Sisters of Elune are described on Wowpedia - citing an official Blizzard encyclopedia now seemingly also inaccessible - as “the major active night elf political faction”, fulfilling “the role of magistrates, officials and the like for the night elf government.” Their highest members are “privyt to the government’s most major secrets.” The Night Elven government is basically a theocracy: the Temple is in charge, with the priestesses representing Elune’s will on earth and the Sentinels as the Temple’s military wing enforcing Her dictates. The Cenarion Circle is an alternative centre of power, but not one likely to offer any kind of political opposition or strife when led by Malfurion, effectively married to the Temple’s head. Certainly the druids are not supposed to mess with politics and government. Things seem a little different with Staghlem there, just as the situation now is generally more complicated than before the war. There are also many semi-independent forest creatures, Ancients, Dryads, Grovekeepers, etc, who presumably operate their own community power structures distinct from the Temple but loyal to it as long as it protects the sacred forests of which I would assume mainstream night elves to consider themselves the divinely-appointed stewards.

If you check out the wowpedia page on ‘Night Elf’, most of which is ripped from lore books, you’ll find that “virtually all remaining kaldorei consider it their sworn duty to maintain the safety and balance of the natural world.” This idea of a universal duty does not really sit well with the idea of a forgiving authority; neither does their description as “a strict but just and sometimes even compassionate people.” Compassion and mercy exists, but within rigidly-defined boundaries that I suspect are made up of explicit laws and implicit social taboos in equal measure. Remember especially that their entire social organisation is effectively a response to one of the worst wars Azeroth has ever seen - and a response to the form of government that allowed that war to happen. That means they are a revolutionary state (they did after all purge the mages), and revolutionary states are not known for their laxity.

Towns and villages seem to be ruled by councils of their elders, maybe elected semi-democratically, who are left to draw up and enforce their own local mores as long as they don’t transgress against the Temple. I tend to go out on a limb and imagine that many other forms of mini-society are possible as long as they don’t mess. So, for example, my character in times past was part of an all-male scholar cult venerating Aviana (messenger-goddess of knowledge) as well as paying respect to Elune, tending to barrows full of ancient texts. In my own personal and mostly private conception of Kaldorei lore, there were a few such cults, who were allowed to exist as long as the Temple was assured that their primary loyalty would be to Elune’s order. Technically the night elves are polytheistic and worship the Ancients and various demigods too, but I’m pretty sure they consider Elune to be the ‘ruler of the gods’ as it were, so you may well have a situation where little devotional cults are allowed, but remain subordinate to the state cult, i.e. the cult of Elune.

So in short a weird mixture of anarchism and authoritarianism - anarchism within certain bounds, swift and merciless state action to maintain them. Maive offers a hint as to just how “swift and merciless” it would be. Until recently these bounds unquestionably excluded use of the arcane (at least among natives), but I’m not sure what the situation is now. It may be like Death Knights in Stormwind - it’s allowed on the condition that it’s accountable to a particular group/faction, i.e. the exile mages’ court. The bounds still very strongly exclude all fel, demonic and shadow magic, and may also forbid unsupervised or large-scale employment of technology.

Similarly, the class system is both simple and strange to us. Before the Sundering, the Highborne were an incredibly hierarchical society; I think of it like an ornate bauble of a government enforcing rigid and fine distinctions between a thousand classes of nobility. The Sisters of Elune (i.e. the Temple - I reckon Night Elves would say “The Temple” in the same way that Americans say “Washington” or “The White House”) were one of the few merit-based organisations. Even the army of the old regime was class-based. Lore says the Temple were the ones who reorganised the army and who were the main organisation taking charge immediately after the apocalypse. So class doesn’t exist as such. The big distinction is: are you a civilian, or are you a Priestess/Sentinel? If you’re the former, who cares? And if you’re the latter, you have your own structures of rank. Of course in such a long-lasting and static society there might be quite ossified ideas about what one does with one’s life, producing many fine gradations that aren’t quite in a hierarchy - town elves, councillors, scribes, craftsmen, wanderers, hunters, religious cultists, etc… so maybe class is just like the organisation of society generally: pluralistic but dominated by a unitary distinction.

All of this fits very well with the lore’s claim that Kaldorei are ‘contradictory’ creatures - “both highly spiritual and pragmatic, an often sophisticated paradox.” The parodox here is how a strict, powerful state maintains a pluralistic society. Of course, maybe it’s not that much of a paradox after all: a society that is so long-lasting, where old people stick around for so long, and where the same faces are seen for hundreds of years, is going nowhere fast, and will generate extremely strong social taboos that may actually regulate people’s individual behaviour as strongly and as harshly (with de facto punishments like rumour and ostracisation) as laws might otherwise. That said I don’t think the majority of night elves around now are the same ones that were alive in the Sundering. I have my doubts about the limits of any mind to cope with proper immortality, and I think it is indicated in lore that many Kaldorei, after a few hundred or a couple thousand years, wander off and just kind of disappear. Maybe they follow a sort of thousand-year curve from youthful vigour through responsible adulthood to reclusive old age to wild wandering to eventual disappearance. Maybe ritual suicide is a common thing, but maybe it’s taboo to let anyone see it happen, so everyone just ‘disappears’. And of course some do genuinely stick around for ten thousand years. It probably depends on the individual. I deliberately avoided the problem by playing quite a young night elf - only a few hundred years old and very sheltered.

In any case, since the Kaldorei are also described as “hono[u]rable to a fault”, I think this paradox combines with an OOC lore paradox to give us a decent conception of what night elven “honour” means . The OOC paradox is: how is it that the Night Elves have maintained a 10,000 year empire that is supposedly utterly without political strife, when no possible conception of intelligent creatures and their behaviour allows for that long without any arguments? And anyway, how would anything be interesting without arguments and conflicts? Maybe the answer is that night elven honour is about drawing a distinction between talk and action, or rather between minor and major action.

You can talk all you want, disagree with someone, spit on the ground before them. But when it comes down to it, when you’re threatened, you have your duty and you do it. Night Elves may argue, but they’ll drop the argument in a second to fight Orcs. And it may be a pluralistic society, but when the enemy appears on the horizon, everyone falls into place, ready to fight and die. Barlowe, with his decidedly un-kaldorei pseudonym, would prefer to think of himself as having entirely abandoned the traditions of his people. But his analytical brain manages to be willfully blind to the fact that he advocates exactly this kind of behaviour. As a doctor, he treats his patients even though he thinks most of them would be better off dead. And his frequent criticism, from a Republican perspective, of Royalist ‘honour’ - that it’s about allowing your stupid emotions and stupid pride to pollute your ethical behaviour, that you so often choose not to help someone because they offend you - is also in fact a disguised criticism from a Kaldorei perspective of human behaviour in general. Honour among elves: you do what you like with your life, but when duty calls you to protect the forest, that’s your goshdarn job; you say what you like to your friends, but when the war begins you stand to attention.

Of course, there’s one big thing we’ve forgotten: gender. In WoW, Blizzard made it so that females and males were all equal because they did not want the controversy of having an in-game race that was actually sexist. But, wanting to have their cake and eat it, their lore is full of statements that gender was overwhelmingly divided before the Third War. Any player characters now will be dealing with the legacy of that divide, whether or not they’ve got over it.

During the Long Vigil, the Kaldorei were a matriarchy. That means that all the apparatus of political power was in the hands of females, which means that a lot of attendant ideology will have grown up around the divide. Since men had some of their own power structures, it won’t exactly be the same as how women have been treated in our own history: you should think in terms of a ‘divide’, equal and equally bitter on both sides, than exactly oppression. Nevertheless, men were locked out of the highest levels of political participation (though they were probably able to be village elders or serve on similar councils) and that will have had an effect. They had their own structures.

If you’ve already read the link above you’ll have seen that I imagine cults to have been one of these ‘outlets’ for male participation. It seems to me ludicrous to propose that every male was a druid, though a big proportion of them might have been. Men must also have been threaded through the ordinary lives of some communities, but, depending on the place, might have had their little corners: imagine a village where most of the population are women but where sometimes young women go out to court the all-male charcoal burners on the edge of the nearby forest, or the all-male fishermen who live by the river. And of course, there were wanderers: transient populations travelling the limits of the empire, just passing through.

What myths would this create? Well, as Nhani (a night elf RPer on my own realm) argued in the link I have failed to find and intended to summarise but have in fact spent a good couple of hours building upon in full that females would have a broad belief in men’s unsuitability for government. This was supported by the vanished encyclopedia’s reference to “a common belief that the deepest mysteries of Elune can only be comprehended by women”, which I think gives broad assent to the idea that gender norms and gender myths are incredibly important to Kaldorei culture. Nhani reasoned that females might see government as their own business, because they’re stable, compassionate, social, communal, responsible creatures who stick things out and care for territory like a mother bear. They might equally consider males to be inadequate for ruling because they’re savage and volatile, propelled by instincts, by their anger and sexual desire. Of course, my feminist convictions demand I claim that these attitudes probably came about from each sex’s place in the structure of government (i.e. women are seen as good for government because they ARE the ones in government, and government always justifies itself), rather than the other way round. Imagine the Sentinels going to war assisted by a company of all-male mercenaries; imagine a matriarch’s attitude to these soldiers (“savage things, but good as a weapon”). Males ruined the empire before because of their petty striving and their starry-eyed slavery to Azshara; tussling with each other for her affections, their drives towards sex and death collaborated in their destruction. Females, on the other hand, have created an order that still stands after ten millennia.

Male attitudes to females might conversely owe much to the duality between the two most prominent female divinities availabl: Elune and Aviana, the mother and the harpy. Of course, Aviana’s a pretty benevolent diety, but for thousands of years her harpies have raged out of control. For the male with strong sexist beliefs, females might represent solace and care, peace and stability, but also grasping possession, the strictures of government, winding you in rules, trying to enfold you in her wings. These opposites combine in the figure of Azshara, the beautiful, smiling head of government who dispenses her affections and favours in accordance to vicious power politics. Really misogynist night elves with no first-hand experience of the old regime might well talk in private about major continuities between it and the new one. Naturally I don’t mean to overstate the case: there are probably plenty of males who are okay with women in government. Either way, after thinking about these kind of attitudes in the night elves, I realised they were once again on display in my character, even though he’s an ostensible humanelf. ADULT CONTENT APPROACHING While I have never bothered to fully imagine his sex life, being unsure whether I’d prefer it to be filthy and active or rare and frustrated, I can see him seeking comfort in the bed of a particular favoured harlot for a few months before deciding that he has to ‘kick’ the ‘addiction’, never seeing her again, and eventually falling off the wagon into a different pair of arms. Nobody escapes the legacy of 10,000 years of gender separation.

What would that separation have meant in practical terms? For a start the sexes may have wished to stick to themselves. Literacy might be more common among females than males, because the females operated the government and thus had to run its bureaucracy and courts (although in such a long-lived society maybe everyone learns to read and write at some point). It may mean female domination of the literary canon, though, at least post-Sundering. It may have created intricate courtship rituals if courtship between males and females is seen as ‘crossing a divide’. It may also have resulted in a form of sexual conservatism as regards role-swapping, even sexual role-swapping. I would expect the figures of men and women equipped with the genitalia of their opposites to crop up frequently in Kaldorei oral and written culture, either as objects of revulsion or of satire; likewise the image of the eunuch or castrato and the image of the masectomised amazon. It would likely mean that swear words and curses were specific to the genders: females might profanely refer to violatory, acid-dripping members, while men to thunderous, toothy cavities. Both genders would mix this language with invectives against the fel and the arcane.

Meanwhile, the Darnassian language (quite why it’s called ‘Darnassian’ is difficult to work out) probably has gendered terms for inanimate objects; as an example, imagine that ‘sword’ is gendered as male. This isn’t implausible (language will be continuous with language before the Sundering) and would cause lots of jokes about females grasping swords etc etc. If your night elf doesn’t speak very good Common, consider having him or her refer to individual objects as “he” or “she”, perhaps even developing your own scheme to work out which ones would be gendered which way, taking into account the structures of gender before and after the Sundering, and at whic point the object would have been more common. An astrolabe could be female, because male mages consulted them and ‘viewed’ them (this wouldn’t have changed ever since, there being few astrolabes in Kaldorei use); a bow on the other hand might be female, because it is a primary weapon of the Sentinels. Cue jokes from the males about females grasping bows and caressing their strings. You just can’t win! Of course, in this society, maybe it’s the females that make jokes about the men trying to operate a bow, and failing miserably because it doesn’t respond to them. Or being impaled by swords.

[Rogmasha-argent-dawn (Rogmasha)]

A Guide to Quest Herbs by Féral

This is just a listing I’ve been drawing up of plants, herbs and cures, poisons and so on not found in Herbalism, but rather in various quests throughout WoW. It’s hardly comprehensive, but I figured that if anyone wanted RP fuel (i.e. if you’ve a particular malady that needs remedying and a long journey for a cure is in store, or if you’re in a zone on a campaign between events and gathering something up might be useful), that such a list might come in mildly handy. I’ve a cross-referencing list afterward so you can search by zone or use if you like.

Additional notes: If you know of any not on this list, shout and I’ll try to add them as soon as possible; same thing goes for any errors. Some OOC information has been given a slightly IC flavor. Plain and common things such as carrots aren’t in here. I’ve tried to be as accurate as I can but some things are unclear, ex. whether something is magic, or simply natural in its healing properties. Lastly, I’m not suggesting that everyone must take things like burning seeds or Emerald Acorns IC–it’s just there for the sake of being as complete a list as possible. Use it if you want, how you want, but common sense applies.

Key
(M) - Magic
(H) - Healing
§ - Poison
(D) - Dark Magic / Plague

Aloe Thistle (H)
Description - Spiked, thick green leaves growing in clusters
Location - Karnum’s Glade, Desolace
Uses - Unspecified, but if similar to reality, then the liquid within may be used topically for burns and other skin issues.
Source - Quest: A Time to Reap

Azure Snapdragon (H)
Description - Deep blue, faintly-glowing orchid-like plants with violet-blue, oak-like leaves
Location - Near Azure Watch, Azuremyst Isle
Uses - The bulbs of these rare plants are claimed by some to be a panacea, or cure-all. They are used to waken a night elf from her coma, though mental trauma seems to knock her back out, so the herb’s efficacy could be debated.
Source - Quest: An Alternative Alternative

Bileberries (D)
Description - Disgusting fruits with pus-like ichor and leathery skin
Location - Blackhorn’s Penance, Mount Hyjal
Uses - Harvested from purple, orchid-like plants known as Wailing Weeds, which are corrupted by demonic presence. These plants fight back and are mobile once attacked, and fighting one will agitate others nearby as well. The berries, once harvested, are crushed into a pulpy liquid which absolutely stinks. This “bottled Bileberry Brew” can be poured down the throat of the newly dead to reanimate them as a thrall, for example for questioning, for a mere minute or two. The body will remain broken, voice wavering, and mind subjugated.
Source - Quests: Seeds of Their Demise/A New Master

Bitterblossom (M) (H) (?)
Description - A tall, stalklike reedy plant with sagging foliage and spiky, lavender-colored flowers
Location - Goldrinn’s Shrine, Mount Hyjal
Uses - The buds are heavy with stored liquid; the plant grows right around the water’s edge. It is combined with Stonebloom and Darkflame Embers (a cool-to-the-touch stone even when still burning, found in Twilight braziers) to create a draught which, when drunk, snaps Old-God-brainwashed people of various races from their state. It is unknown whether it can cure advanced madness, or merely wipes away brainwashing. The “cleansing draught” must be boiled, and is chunky and reeks of rotted cabbage.
Source - Quests: From the Mouth of Madness/Free Your Mind, the Rest Follows

Blackroot (H)
Description - A grassy herb growing along riverbanks
Location - Western rivers of Grizzly Hills
Uses - The juice of this plant is a laxative.
Source - Quest: Just Passing Through

Bloodberries (M)
Description - Red berries on thick green bushes
Location - Isle of Quel’Danas
Uses - This bush grows wild in many areas of Azeroth, and has long been considered merely a nuisance. Those exposed to the power of the Sunwell, however, and thus potentially other arcane sources, can be distilled into an elixir that is consumed to enhance one’s natural abilities.
Source - Quest: Open for Business

Bloodbloom §
Description - Small leafy plant, green and red, with hues of orange and violet
Location - Valley of the Four Winds
Uses - This plant leaches minerals out of the soil, leading to its dark crimson tint. It is used along with Cave Lily, Ghostcap and Violet Lichen to create a “wounding poison” used on Virmen.
Source - Quest: Haohan’s Vote III: Pure Poison

Bloodkelp (M)
Description - A reddish seaweed
Location - Carried by the naga of Alcaz Island, Dustwallow Marsh
Uses - Bloodkelp can be used as a reagent to power divination spells. It can also stain clothing red, perhaps finding use as a dye, were it not so difficult to obtain.
Source - Quest: I See Alcaz Island in Your Future

Bloodthistle (M)
Description - Small green bush with bright scarlet flowers resembling roses or tulips, with yellow pistils and a pungent smell
Location - Eversong Woods, near areas of high Sindorei magic usage
Uses - This is often used by blood elves to enhance their magical abilities for a short time. It causes withdrawal afterward; frequent users are sometimes known as Thistleheads, and there’s some indication that Shattrath, at least, rules Bloodthistle illegal.
Source - Various lore sources, including Quest: Of Thistleheads and Eggs…

Bogblossom (M)
Description - A very fragile plant, green with an orange cap
Location - Growing atop the giant mushrooms of Zangarmarsh
Uses - These may explode violently if mishandled. When combined with equal parts ancient lichen and dreaming glory, and then mixed in a vial of moonwell water, Bogblossom creates the Ward of Wakening: a viscous, shimmering potion. When this is forcefed to a druid whose spirit is in the Emerald Dream, it forcibly wakens them, leaving them vulnerable for a time as their spirit returns.
Source - Quest: The Ward of Wakening

Briaroot (M)
Description - Unknown
Location - Azshara, presumed
Uses - Carried by the Blackmaw furbolg of Azshara, Briaroot is brewed into a bitter, pungent herbal tea with spicy overtones. This tea will place one into a trancelike state where the imbiber will begin to speak the tongue of the Blackmaw furbolg.
Source - Quest: A Pale Brew

Burning Seed (M)
Description - A tiny, brown seed
Location - Firelands
Uses - These seeds emanate power enough to mark them as having come from Nordrassil itself, though they are twisted black by the Firelands’ flames, harnessing the essence of fire granted to the Druids of the Flame. Consumption by normal druids twists their feline form, at least, into one of fire.
Source - Item Tooltip

Burstcap Mushroom (M)
Description - A soft, spongy fungus, black and pulsating, with sickly-green outgrowths
Location - Zangarmarsh
Uses - These can explode if not handled properly. The Darkspear witch doctor situated in Zangarmarsh insists that these are powerful, and uses them to read omens.
Source - Quest: Burstcap Mushrooms, Mon!

Cactus Apple
Description - Small, red fruits resembling apples
Location - Cacti of Durotar
Uses - It is said that nothing will cool you off quicker than a Cactus Apple Surprise made from these fruits. Whether this is a magical effect or a healing one, or simply fresh taste, is unknown.
Source - Quest: Galgar’s Cactus Apple Surprise

Cave Lily §
Description - A beautiful, small white lily
Location - Dark, damp caves in Valley of the Four Winds
Uses - Combined with Bloodbloom, Ghostcap and Violet Lichen to create a “wounding poison” used on Virmen.
Source - Quest: Haohan’s Vote III: Pure Poison

Cave Mushroom (H)
Description - Unobtrusive fungus: short, dull pink-grey with paler spots
Location - Clustered in pairs in the caves of the Storm Peaks
Uses - These are ingested to slow the poison of Jormungar stings long enough for antitoxin to be obtained and administered.
Source - Quest: Cave Medicine

Coconut Milk
Description - Viscous, white liquid
Location - Coconuts such as those growing in Un’goro Crater
Uses - Can be used as a replacement for mechanical oil in some machines, as well as nutritional.
Source - Quest: Repairing A-Me 01

Crying Violet (M)
Description - Small, delicate purple blooms with yellow eyes
Location - Felwood
Uses - These flowers, which shiver their petals at the slightest sound, are used to ‘bind words’ to carry the voices of the user over a distance to the listener. It may also be used along with other arcanist-favored herbs to infuse glass vials. These vials can then be used to gather and purify fel-corrupted moonwell water, used to cleanse demonic corruption and so on.
Source - Quest: Crying Violet/Purity From Corruption

Dahlia’s Tears (M)
Description - Golden butter-colored flower with broad green leaves
Location - Ruby Dragonshrine, Dragonblight
Uses - Growing in soil cleansed by red dragons’ breath, this plant imparts a feeling of hope even on merely touch. They can be infused with dragon magic to create a powerful, magical cleansing cure.
Source - Quest: Dahlia’s Tears

Darkblossom (H)
Description - A spiky, dark violet flower with yellow pistil and green leaves
Location - Darkmoon Island
Uses - Used for everything from treating wounds to seasoning food, as well as being pretty to look at, the exact blends used for this flower’s various applications are known only to members of the Darkmoon Faire.
Source - Quest: Herbs for Healing

Death Cap
Description - Bright gold with white spots and blood-red “veins” at the base
Location - Caves of Darkshore
Uses - Presumably toxic, this fungus was combined with Scaber Stalks to produce a potion of unknown purpose by local night elves
Source - Quest: Cave Mushrooms

Doom Weed
Description - A small, spiky green-and-violet bush
Location - Graves of Tirisfal, north of Brill
Uses - Rumored to be used by the Forsaken for unknown, but undoubtedly nefarious, purposes. Easily confused with many other local plants, including the similarly-named Gloom Weed.
Source - Quest: Doom Weed

Dreadshade §
Description - Red, spike-petaled, green-leaved and -pistiled flower
Location - Venomous Ledge, Dread Wastes
Uses - This musky-scented flower is an extremely potent poison. It is said that even one drop of dreadshade nectar can stop a kuchong’s heart. They appear to be safe to handle, but not to eat. The exception is the local wildlife, who consume dreadshade, causing them to become quite venomous. It is unclear how the wildlife can eat it, however–perhaps having evolved a resistance, or perhaps only certain species are affected.
Source - Quest: A Shade of Dread

Dreamleaf (M)
Description - Green-leaved, evergreen-looking bush
Location - Around the shrine at the eastern side of the Pools of Purity, Valley of the Four Winds
Uses - A slender-branched sprig of Dreamleaf, coated in sticky leaves, can be brewed with lotus root to make a tea. This tea allows one to have “the Golden Dream,” actually a vision of the Vale of Eternal Blossoms in reality. The knowledge on how to brew this tea is held by the Pandaren of New Cifera.
Source - Quest: The Golden Dream

Drycap Mushroom (H)
Description - Beige-pink, thick mushroom
Location - Cave at the Great Fissure of Hellfire Peninsula
Uses - This very rare mushroom can be made into a healing salve which restores strength to debilitated people, for example those who have drunk contaminated water.
Source - Quest: A Debilitating Sickness

Emerald Acorns (M) (H)
Description - Large Acorns
Location - The Emerald Dream
Uses - Infused with a powerful restorative magic, can used for healing and cleansing.
Source - Quest: Hope Within the Emerald Nightmare

Emerald Shimmercap (M) (H)
Description - An eerily-glowing green mushroom whose surface shimmers with the energies of the Emerald Dream
Location - The green pools of Felwood
Uses - This fungus is infused with the magics of the Emerald Dream, and does not feed from the fel of the pools, but rather works to cleanse it. It can be consumed as a mushroom paste to cleanse fel taint from those afflicted; it seems to bind to the energy while still in the stomach, and is then vomitted back out.
Source - Quest: A Slimy Situation

Fel Cone (D)
Description - A pinecone billowing with green smoke
Location - Beneath the trees of Teldrassil
Uses - Used, at least, on demons to temporarily polymorph them, twisting their form into that of a frog in the example seen.
Source - Quest: Seek Redemption!

Fenberries (H)
Description - Red berries on green bushes (Fenbushes)
Location - Wetlands
Uses - These bushes, growing at the water’s edge, are often muddy when found–but can be washed and prepared into a dwarven folk remedy for hangovers.
Source - Quest: Fenbush Berries

Fire Lotus
Description - Unknown, but likely fiery or crimson in appearance
Location - Kun-Lai Summit
Uses - This plant is used as an incense by the Grummles of Kun-Lai to inspire bravery even in the most reluctant or cowardly of individuals.
Source - Quest: Instant Courage

Flushbloom
Description - Unknown
Location - Alterac (?)
Uses - Little is known of this herb bar that it is, or was, addictive and that Lord Aiden Perenolde of Alterac was a user.
Source - Book: Lands of Conflict

Fulgore Mushroom
Description - A small, green mushroom that gives off a soft glow
Location - Zangarmarsh, near Teldredor
Uses - Used as a light source; propogated through spores.
Source - Quest: Fulgore Spores

Fuming Toadstool (H)
Description - Sickly yellow cap, cream stalk
Location - Damp areas among the crumbled stones of the Ruins of Lornesta, Darkshore
Uses - Can be mixed (with unspecified ingredients) into a salve which will close wounds and lessen pain.
Source - Quest: Unsavory Remedies

Ghostcap §
Description - Pointed and slender, grey-purple mushroom with violet spots, giving off an eerie glow
Location - Caves in the Valley of the Four Winds
Uses - Used with Bloodbloom, Cavy Lily and Ancient Lichen to create a “wounding poison” used on Virmen.
Source - Quest: Haohan’s Vote III: Pure Poison

Haze Leaf (M)
Description - Weedy-looking, green-stemmed and purple-flowered plant
Location - Northwestern Grizzly Hills
Uses - Mixed with Waterweed fronds to create a vial of visions, then mixed with troll mojo to communicate at a distance with a particular troll. It is unknown how the elixir is attuned, nor how it can be adapted to others.
Source - Quest: Vial of Visions

Hellfire Spineleaf (H)
Description - A golden-brown, spine-leafed plant
Location - Southeastern Hellfire Peninsula
Uses - This rugged plant can be either consumed for sustenance or made into a salve to dull pain.
Source - Quest: Preparing the Salve

Imperial Lotus (M) (H)
Description - A stalk of pale flowers growing over “ugly” green leaves; gives off a pungent odor
Location - Ruins of Dojan, Krasarang Wilds
Uses - According to folklore, Lotus Tea will cure any Mogu poison or curse; in addition it is used to impart strength to those in pain or depressed.
Source - Quests: Herbal remedies/Lotus Tea

Kafa’kota Berry
Description - Pink berries growing on pale, grey-green bushes
Location - Kota Peak, Kun-Lai Summit
Uses - When eaten or brewed into a drink, these berries give intense energy bursts followed by periods of lethargy or even withdrawal. A “gourmet” version is brewed from berries predigested by the mountain goats and plucked from their droppings.
Source - Quest: Gourmet Kafa, various in-game lore, buffs, debuffs and tooltips

Limes
Description - Green fruit. They’re limes!
Location - Carried by pirates of Stranglethorn
Uses - Limes are crated in barrels and taken to sea, and then eaten in key lime pies or drunken in sweetened juice to prevent scurvy.
Source - Quest: The Bane of Many a Pirate

Lunar Fungal Bloom (H)
Description - Tiny clusters of pale silvery-white mushrooms
Location - Caves of Darkshore
Uses - These add potency to a poison-curing salve which is based on the poison itself (ex. tainted water), which is mixed with earthroot for its curative properties.
Source - Quest: Gathering the Cure

Magmolia
Description - A small, lily-like white flower
Location - Lava lakes of the Molten Front
Uses - This continues to give off heat even after removed from its heat source.
Source - Quest: Steal Magmolias

Mao-Willow
Description - Cattail-like flowering branches, fluffy light and prickly to the touch, of delicate violet and lavender shades
Location - The fields of Townlong Steppes
Uses - These are made into a soothing paste and layered between bandages to create poultices for wounds.
Source - Quest: A Proper Poultice

Marrowpetal § (D)
Description - Oddly heavy for its size, blue-green with bright violet petals
Location - The bottom of Stillwater Pond, Tirisfal Glades
Uses - Combined with briny sea cucumbers and Xavren’s Thorn herbs, and possibly other ingredients, to create a particularly painful and virulent plague. When consumed, the concoction turns the imbiber into a ghoul; they die shortly thereafter.
Source - Quest: Variety is the Spice of Death

Meadow Marigold
Description - A large, healthy, fragrant flower, gold-orange in color
Location - Fields of Valley of the Four Winds
Uses - This is used as a dye, food flavoring and coloring, and a traditional decoration during Day of the Dead ceremonies. (OOC note: the food bit is a real-life quality of the flower. The real version tends to smell rather pungent rather than fragrant, however, so there may be various differences.)
Source - Quest: Yellow and Red Make Orange

Moonleaf
Description - A silvery-leafed, bushy plant
Location - Blackwald, Gilneas
Uses - Moonleaf grows on its own or in large patches near the tree Tal’doren. When a feral, uncured worgen is nearby, the scent of this plant aids their mind in growing clear for a time. It is also used in the ritual cure ceremony that allows worgen to gain mastery over their forms.
Source - Comic: Curse of the Worgen; Quest: Preparations

Moonpetal Lilies (H)
Description - White lilies with tall golden pistils, and bright magenta/flame-colored interiors
Location - Water’s edge in Shadowglen (Teldrassil)
Uses - These can be combined with other (unnamed) ingredients to create an antidote to spider venom.
Source - Quest: Iveron’s Antidote

Muddlecap Fungus § (?)
Description - Clusters of large, blue-gray mushrooms with orange beneath the caps
Location - Drak’agal, the waterlogged area near the Argent Stand of Zul’Drak
Uses - These mushrooms, which apparently smell quite bad, yet are eaten, can be consumed (with troll mojo or perhaps alone) to muddle the mind of the imbiber. Tooltip and quest text seems to indicate that it’s eaten for this effect, perhaps recreationally.
Source - Quest: Mushroom Mixer

Murkweed § / (D) (?)
Description - A small, spidery purple bush with green leaves.
Location - Eldritch Heights, Dragonblight
Uses - Toxins in Murkweed render the imbiber unconscious, so powerfully so that their spirit is “fooled” (Murkweed elixir is said to separate the body from the soul for a short time), allowing them to enter the “world of the dead” or “world of the forgotten” and speak with the spirits of the dead.
Source - Quest: The Murkweed Elixir

Mushan Urine (H)
Description - Not an herb.
Location - Pandaria, ex. Townlong Steppes
Uses - The urine of Mushan beasts, gathered sometimes as whole bladders from slain animals, serves as an excellent natural antiseptic.
Source - Quest: Natural Antiseptic

Musquash Root
Description - A huge, thick, spike of a root
Location - Erupting from the soil beneath Loch Modan’s dam, Wetlands
Uses - When mixed with a Tear of Tilloa, it can be brewed into a poisonous drink. The creator calls it Blackclaw Stout, though this may not be well-known outside of underground warlock circles. The drink tastes simply like a stout that packs quite a punch. The imbiber then falls dizzy, feels hot, and then dies.
Source - Quest: A Noble Brew

Netherdust Bush
Description - A pink-based, blue-green-tipped bush that sparkles with nether energy
Location - Netherwing Ledge and surrounding area, Shadowmoon Valley
Uses - The pollen of the Netherdust Bush is used by Dragonmaw orc mages and shamans, for unknown purpose–perhaps as a mana source.
Source - Quest: Netherdust Pollen

Olemba Seed (M)
Description - Fist-sized seeds taken from pale, glowing blue cones
Location - In and around the trees of Terokkar Forest
Uses - Olemba seeds contain an oil that can be used to coat a weapon, seeming to somehow enhance the intellect and casting ability of the wielder. (Note: generally, OOC buffs aren’t included in this guide, but these effects are mentioned in the quest text and NPC dialogue)
Source - Quest: Olemba Seed Oil

Pine Nuts
Description - Small nuts obtained by roasting pine cones
Location - The best are from the trees of Thunder Bluff
Uses - These can, quite simply, be eaten. (OOC note: simple foods are not generally included, either, but pine nuts are not mentioned much and so are likely not well-known)
Source - Quest: Pining for Nuts

Plague Tangle (D)
Description - Twisted, decayed grasses
Location - Western Plaguelands
Uses - Growing around the corpses of diseased animals, plague tangles seem to absorb the plague and can be used to generate it anew.
Source - Quest: Latent Disease

Prayerblossom (H) (M)
Description - Broad, spear-shaped leaves with a vertical stalk of butter-colored blooms
Location - Swamp of Sorrows
Uses - Said to grow skyward even in the darkest shadows, and to have an affinity with the Light (perhaps in the form of hope), these flowers are used to soothe even great pain. They are also used in cures meant to combine various elemental reagents to call upon the Light.
Source - Quest: Prayerblossom (there are A/H versions)

Razorthorn Root (M)
Description - A small, thorny root buried under hard-packed dirt
Location - Razorthorn Rise, Hellfire Peninsula
Uses - The roots are used as a reagent by Shattered Sun herbalist-alchemist Mar’nah, though their exact purpose is unclear. The unusual aspect is their acquisition, which often involves slaying a Razorthorn Flayer, then using its pheromone glands to entice Razorthorn Ravagers to dig the roots up.
Source - Quest: Discovering your Roots

Root Trapper Vine (H)
Description - Vines taken from slain lashers
Location - Azure Watch, on Azuremyst Isle
Uses - When properly treated, these vines can be broken down into a healing ointment.
Source - Quest: Medicinal Purpose

Rotberries (D)
Description - Small red berries growing on green bushes, which pulse with a faint, red glow
Location - Eastern Plaguelands (far northwest)
Uses - Purportedly used, along with bits of the undead, in counter-plague research. They are said to “taste like sweet, sweet death” though whether that’s a flavor or they’re deadly isn’t clear.
Source - Quest: Counter-Plague Research

Rot Blossom (D)
Description - A reddish, almost cabbagelike flower
Location - Tranquil Gardens Cemetery, Duskwood
Uses - This plant grows “in strange places” and tends to flourish on dead things. It is used to brew “zombie juice,” described as an alcohol potent enough to wake the dead–except it’s involved in necromancy.
Source - Quest: Gather Rot Blossoms

Ruby Lilac (M) (H)
Description - Broad, spearshaped green leaves that glow faintly red, with a veritcal stalk lined with pink blossoms
Location - Ruby Dragonshrine, Dragonblight
Uses - The power this flower holds is said to be strong enough on its own to create a vaccine for local wildlife, which protects against the plague of undeath.
Source - Quest: In Search of the Ruby Lilac

Sanguine Hibiscus
Description - Blood-red, spike-petalled flower with a “passionate” fragrance
Location - The Underbog of Zangarmarsh
Uses - Eaten by the local denizens; the Sporelings have a variety of unnamed purposes for it.
Source - Quest: Bring Me a Shrubbery!

Scaber Stalk
Description - Blue mushroom with pale, cream-colored spots and green “veins” at the base
Location - Darkshore caves
Uses - Combined with death caps to create a potion of unknown purpose, by a local night elf.
Source - Quest: Cave Mushrooms

Scalding Shroom
Description - Undersea mushroom or mushroom-like plant, with a blue stalk and golden cap
Location - Northwestern Abyssal Depths, Vashj’ir
Uses - Can be used to treat and preserve corpses.
Source - Quest: Scalding Shrooms

Serpentbloom (M)
Description - A low-growing green plant with red and violet tips and center
Location - The Wailing Caverns of the Barrens
Uses - Said to hold untold power in its ability to prevent druids from falling into Nightmare.
Source - Quest: Preemptive Methods

Serpent’s Scale
Description - A pale-stalked, orange-brown-capped mushroom with a slightly “hairy” appearance. Pungent-smelling and soft and spongy to the touch.
Location - The Jade Forest, north of The Arboretum
Uses - Said to be healthful (though tough and not particularly tasty) to cloud serpents, providing important properties and nutrients for them.
Source - Quest: Serpent’s Scale

Shadelight Truffle
Description - A faintly-glowing golden-orange fungus with a white base
Location - The Skyrange of the Valley of the Four Winds
Uses - This rare fungus is only used for flavoring foods, and is replaced by spore replanting when harvested.
Source - Quest: The Truffle Shuffle

Shimmerweed (M)
Description - Unknown; stored in baskets.
Location - Dun Morogh
Uses - Grown by the trolls of Dun Morogh and used in their rituals, this plant is also used by adventurous dwarves experimenting with new brews. They claim that Shimmerweed has a unique taste. (Note: this may simply be hallucinogenic rather than magical!)
Source - Quest: The Perfect Stout

Spideroot
Description - A thorny root
Location - West of Halfhill, Valley of the Four Winds
Uses - The sour-tasting liquid within is used in the concoction of a local farmer’s weed-killer; it nourishes plants while killing off weeds.
Source - Quest: Growing the Farm I: A Little Problem

Stoneblossom (M) (H) (?)
Description - An egglike, dried “fungal bloom”
Location - Grows in clusters in the Shrine of Goldrinn, Mount Hyjal
Uses - It is combined with Bitterblossom and Darkflame Embers (a cool-to-the-touch stone even when still burning, found in Twilight braziers) to create a draught which, when drunk, snaps Old-God-brainwashed people of various races from their state. It is unknown whether it can cure advanced madness, or merely wipes away brainwashing. The “cleansing draught” must be boiled, and is chunky and reeks of rotted cabbage.
Source - Quests: From the Mouth of Madness/Free Your Mind, the Rest Follows

Tarblossom
Description - A beautiful green plant with reddish-tinted leaftips and red-and-violet flowers.
Location - Within the Lakkari Tar Pits of northern Un’goro Crater
Uses - This highly-valued and rare flower is prized for both beauty and durability, with its petals being tougher than leather.
Source - Quest: Hard to Harvest

Tear of Tilloa §
Description - A tiny white-blue flower
Location - Manor Mistmantle, Duskwood
Uses - When mixed with Musquash Root, it can be brewed into a poisonous drink. The creator calls it Blackclaw Stout, though this may not be well-known outside of underground warlock circles. The drink tastes simply like a stout that packs quite a punch. The imbiber then falls dizzy, feels hot, and then dies.
Source - Quest: A Noble Brew

Terokkar Chokeberry (M)
Description - Red berries plucked from green bushes
Location - Terokkar Forest
Uses - One of many reagents used to neutralize dark Arakkoa wards, by combining said reagents into a charm.
Source - Quest: The Final Reagents

Thornwood Trees
Description - Thick, dark-barked trees with curling roots, red-pink leaves and massive spikes (man-sized or larger) that act as thorns
Location - Drak’Agal, the waterlogged area near the Argent Stand in Zul’Drak
Uses - The dead roots of these trees resist moisture and can be burned as firewood even when taken directly from the water.
Source - Quest: Creature Comforts

Thorny Stankroot (H)
Description - Hideously smelly, very thorny large and pale silver-green root, with green foliage
Location - The Twilight Highlands
Uses - When steeped in water it boils into a powerful cure-all for gryphons and possibly birds, though it gives humanoids terrible cramps.
Source - Quest: Roots’ll Do 'Er

Violet Citron (H)
Description - Clusters of dark blue flowers
Location - Dampsoil Burrow, Townlong Steppes
Uses - The pollen has a strangely acidic, citrusy smell and is a component used to counteract mantid poison, particularly potent in young swarming mantid. The venom will chew through skin, infect blood and make for a slow and excruciating death if not treated. Violet Citron must be “mixed properly” (how is not specified) and will then eat away at the poison without doing any “lasting” damage to the body. It is applied infused in bandages.
Source - Quest: Treatment for the Troops

Violet Lichen §
Description - Thorny purple moss
Location - High altitudes in the Valley of the Four Winds
Uses - Mixed with Bloodbloom, Cavy Lily and Ghostcap to create a “wounding poison” used on Virmen.
Source - Quest: Haohan’s Vote III: Pure Poison

Volatile Blooms
Description - Spiky red-orange shrubs
Location - Low-altitude green regions of northeastern Kun-Lai Summit
Uses - Even the smell of the red-hued blooms burns the nose. The plant has an affinity with fire, whether due to oil within the leaves, magic, or something else is unstated. It is easily flammable, to be kept away from open flames; hands are to be washed after handling. Many can be gathered and brewed in an unspecified mixture to create a rather effective explosive liquid.
Source - Quest: Handle With Care

Water Poppy (H)
Description - A silvery-green, bushy herb with a flowery base and a larger violet flower on top
Location - The water at the Drak’sotra Fields of Zul’Drak
Uses - Used in a salve that binds to bandages, which are then used to greatly reduce pain.
Source - Quest: Something for the Pain

Waterweed (M)
Description - Bushy green underwater plants
Location - Northwestern Grizzly Hills
Uses - Mixed with Haze Leaf to create a vial of visions, then mixed with troll mojo to communicate at a distance with a particular troll. It is unknown how the elixir is attuned, nor how it can be adapted to others.
Source - Quest: Vial of Visions

Wiggleweed §
Description - Strangely-glowing seaweed with a tantalizing pattern growing across the stem
Location - Grown around the Vashj’ir stronghold near Deepmist Grotto
Uses - Fed to prisoners; extremely addictive, causing severe bowel pain due to withdrawal illness. It may be used simply to keep prisoners from fleeing. One may be able to slowly lower dosage of the sprouts they eat until the addiction is gone.
Source - Quest: What? What? In My Gut?

Winter Hyacinth
Description - Colorful, somewhat spiky purple and blue flower
Location - Grows only on the ice flowing from the Ironwall Dam of Icecrown into Crystalsong Forest
Uses - Rare and seemingly only decorative.
Source - Quest: A Worthy Weapon

Witch’s Bane (M)
Description - A large, fern-like green bush with layered, violet-red flowering stalks
Location - Grows all over the northern peninsula of Dustwallow Marsh
Uses - When burned, for example as a torch, the smoke will draw out “evil,” exposing it from where it hides.
Source - Quest: The Witch’s Bane

Wolfsbane
Description - A small, thorned and coiled green-brown root
Location - Northern Grizzly Hills, around Silverbrook
Uses - Repels worgen, though efficiency, range and effects are unstated.
Source - Quest: Wolfsbane Root

Wyrmtail (H)
Description - A plant of green, coiled stalks that seem to pulsate
Location - The Dragonmurk and Wyrmbog of Dustwallow Marsh
Uses - Wyrmtail can be used to help heal wounds and to dull pain.
Source - Quest: To Catch a Dragon by the Tail

Xavren’s Thorn (D)
Description - Golden-orange plants with paper-thin, razor-edged leaves
Location - Rocky cliffs northwest of Brill, Tirisfal Glades
Uses - Combined with Marropetal and briny sea cucumber, and possibly other ingredients, to create a particularly painful and virulent plague. When consumed, the concoction turns the imbiber into a ghoul; they die shortly thereafter.
Source - Quest: Variety is the Spice of Death

Herbs by Location

Eastern Kingdoms

Alterac Mountains - Flushbloom
Duskwood - Rot Blossom, Tear of Tilloa
Eastern Plaguelands - Rotberries
Eversong Woods - Bloodthistle
Gilneas - Moonleaf
Isle of Quel’Danas - Bloodberries
Stormwind City - Blood Nettle
Stranglethorn Vale - Limes
Swamp of Sorrows - Prayerblossom
Tirisfal Glades - Doom Weed, Marrowpetal, Xavren’s Thorn
Twilight Highlands - Thorny Stankroot
Vashj’ir - Scalding Shroom, Wiggleweed
Western Plaguelands - Plague Tangle
Wetlands - Fenberries

Kalimdor

Azshara - Briaroot
Azuremyst Isle - Azure Snapdragon
Darkshore - Death Cap, Fuming Toadstool, Lunar Fungal Bloom, Scaber Stalk
Desolace - Aloe Thistle
Durotar - Cactus Apple
Dustwallow Marsh - Bloodkelp, Witch’s Bane, Wyrmtail
Felwood - Crying Violet, Emerald Shimmercap
Mount Hyjal - Bileberries, Stonebloom & Bitterblossom
Mulgore - Pine Nuts
Teldrassil - Moonpetal Lilies, Fel Cone
Orgrimmar - Blood Nettle
Un’goro Crater - Coconut Milk, Tarblossom
Wailing Caverns - Serpentbloom

Northrend

Crystalsong Forest - Winter Hyacinth
Dragonblight - Dahlia’s Tears, Murkweed, Ruby Lilac
Grizzly Hills - Blackroot, Haze Leaf, Waterweed, Wolfsbane
Storm Peaks - Cave Mushroom
Zul’Drak - Muddlecap Fungus, Water Poppy

Outland

Hellfire Peninsula - Drycap Mushroom, Hellfire Spineleaf, Razorthorn Root
Shadowmoon Valley - Netherdust Bush
Terokkar Forest - Olemba Seed, Terokkar Chokeberry
Underbog - Sanguine Hibiscus
Zangarmarsh - Bogblossom, Burstcap Mushroom, Fulgor Mushroom

Pandaria

Krasarang Wilds - Imperial Lotus
Kun-Lai Summit - Fire Lotus, Kafa’kota Berry, Volatile Blooms
The Dread Wastes - Dreadshade
The Jade Forest - Serpent’s Scale
Townlong Steppes - Mao-Willow, Mushan Urine, Violet Citron
Valley of the Four Winds - Bloodbloom, Cave Lily, Ghostcap, Violet Lichen, Dreamleaf, Meadow Marigold, Shadelight Truffle, Spideroot

Other

Firelands - Burning Seed
Darkmoon Island - Darkblossom
The Emerald Dream - Emerald Acorns
The Molten Front - Magmolia

Herbs by Property

Dark Magic/Plague

Bileberries, Doom Weed, Fel Cone, Marrowpetal, Xavren’s Thorn, Plague Tangle, Rotberries, Rot Blossom

Healing/Painkilling/Cures

Aloe Thistle, Azure Snapdragon, Blackroot, Cave Mushroom, Dahlia’s Tears, Fenberries, Fuming Toadstool, Hellfire Spineleaf, Imperial Lotus, Lunar Fungal Bloom, Mao-Willow, Moonpetal Lilies, Mushan Urine, Prayerblossom, Ruby Lilac, Thorny Stankroot, Violet Citron, Water Poppy, Wyrmtail

Magical

Bloodberries, Bloodkelp, Blood Nettle, Bloodthistle, Bogblossom, Briaroot, Burning Seed, Burstcap Mushroom, Crying Violet, Dahlia’s Tears, Dreamleaf, Emerald Acorns, Emerald Shimmercap, Hazeleaf, Waterweed, Moonleaf, Netherdust Bush, Olemba Seed, Razorthorn Root, Serpentbloom, Stonebloom & Bitterblossom, Terokkar Chokeberry, Witch’s Bane

Poison

Bloodbloom, Cave Lily, Dreadshade, Ghostcap, Muddlecap Fungus, Murkweed, Tear of Tilloa, Violet Lichen, Wiggleweed

Other/Unknown (includes herbs whose exact method of operation is undefined):

Cactus Apple, Coconut Milk, Darkblossom, Death Cap, Fire Lotus, Flushbloom, Fulgor Mushroom, Kafa’kota Berry, Limes, Magmolia, Meadow Marigold, Pine Nuts, Sanguine Hibiscus, Scaber Stalk, Scalding Shroom, Serpent’s Scale, Shadelight Truffle, Spideroot, Tarblossom, Volatile Blooms, Winter Hyacinth, Wolfsbane

[Cilestine-argent-dawn (Cilestine)]

Lovely initiative, this! (Do let me know if you’ve finished posting everything, I’ll delete this one. :o)

Also, I’m very tempted to write a Human guide, and a Paladin one…

[Rogmasha-argent-dawn (Rogmasha)]

I have everything that was salvaged up now, sans a thread of useful transmog appearances by Aerandul where the pictures were hosted on an unfortunately now broken upload service.

Guides that are up to date and accessible help everyone, even if it’s just with inspiration!

[Vraxxar-argent-dawn (Vraxxar)]

The feeling when it takes 5 mins to load the thread. ;p
Awesome work, Rog! I’ll try and remember to use this thread whenever it’s needed!

[Ârian-argent-dawn]

@Rogmasha-argent-dawn

Worgen - worgen are ultimately cursed humans and so would be just as capable of wielding necromancy as regular humans.

Great summary, but I was just considering regarding this: While no doubt the -vast- majority of Worgen in the Alliance are from Gilneas, what of those Worgen who are Kaldorei in origin?

[Rogmasha-argent-dawn (Rogmasha)]

I’m not overly well-read on the details of Worgen lore - and from skimming the details, it looks like the guide in question was written sometime around Cataclysm or Mists of Pandaria. A re-write or update from someone more intimately familiar might shed some light on the topic.

For now, this section of the Wowpedia page about Worgen lore might be worth a read.

[Forumagent-argent-dawn]

cool

[Rogmasha-argent-dawn (Rogmasha)]

Added this thread to start fleshing out the essays/discussion list, since it already contains a few good pointers, and no doubt will get some more as time progresses.

Your Best Tip For Improving Roleplay

Hello Argent Dawn! There’s many places to go and guides to read in terms of help or advice for roleplay, so much so that it can actually end up quite daunting to some people of where to start and how to try prioritise their search for roleplay guidance. So! I had the amazingly wonderful idea to leave it to you, the roleplayers and community of Argent Dawn! To leave behind your most preferred, personalised top-tip! By having a person just leave a piece of roleplay advice or two in a concise, ea…

[Amdusias-mirage-raceway]

Exceptional and stellar work as always Rog, if only now we can get Blizzard to sticky this. Shame we lost the old forum layout with all the helpful threads.

[Rogmasha-argent-dawn (Rogmasha)]

Added this thread of toys that serve as a good inspiration for toys, trinkets and effects that can help enhance visuals in roleplay: Useful Trinkets for Roleplay

[anon96219900]

A useful thread to keep active.

[Anastre-argent-dawn]

Goodness. It’s almost humbling to see a guide again after more than 10 years after I created it (The Crusader’s Guide), being still used in a ‘Useful threads’ section, despite me being a bit more ehm…grey now. Ahem.

It also makes me blush a little to see it’s a little bit filled with typo’s and it’s a -little- bit outdated. Perhaps when I have a bit more time I could spent some time to spruce up the original and repost it (as I believe the original one is now lost to the ether with the forum swap).

Thanks for retrieving the original guide and archiving it for future use.

[Rogmasha-argent-dawn (Rogmasha)]

Feel free to give me a prod when/if you decide to make an updated version, I’ll swap out the old version Glad to see there’s still plenty other “oldies” around.

[Rogmasha-argent-dawn (Rogmasha)]

Added this thread:

https://eu.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/lore-tidbits-6/

To begin fleshing out out the essays and discussions category again (and to keep this thread open) - if anyone has other noteworthy threads to add to this category, do get in touch!

[anon96219900]

A useful thread to keep current.

[anon96219900]

A useful rp resource