If Anduin becomes a paladin then other races such as UD or NE should be Paladins

[A dot Ham]

Right, I have no leg to stand on. That's why every race can be Paladins - oh wait

Let's get one thing straight - game design is what drives these decisions. Lore only supports game design decisions. What you point out is already known and proven that lore can't disprove anything.

Why can't gnomes be Demon Hunters? Of course they can be, there's nothing preventing that from happening, not even lore. It all comes down to game design. But what influences game design? What is the reason why they would want Gnomes restricted to certain classes instead of being able to be Demon Hunters, Paladins and Druids? Well that harkens back to the idea of adhering to class fantasy and race fantasy. While there's no lore-restricting reason why we can't have Paladins of all races that have Priests, the reasons are heavily influenced by the core fantasy of those races.

Why were Paladins allowed to be opened up to Blood Elves and Tauren when it makes no sense? Because of a game design reasoning; to open up the class to the Horde in TBC, and to further diversify and lessen exclusivity in Cataclysm. Why Tauren instead of Trolls, Orcs, Goblins or Forsaken? Because their racial core fantasy is flexible enough to incorporate the idea of a Warrior of Light and Justice whereas the others did not. We could have all races be able to be Paladins, but my answer is probably the most logical conclusion you could come to.

Honestly, I'm not opposed to the idea of Troll or Forsaken Paladins, but I'm not going to pretend they have a full reason to exist just because they have Priests and because other races have flimsy lore incorporating Paladins. The reality is the game design doesn't currently warrant any more Paladin races, therefore it will stay exclusive to the ones we have right now.

IMO Gnome Druids are an amusing idea that would help popularize Gnomes. Despite being a strong game design decision to boost gnomes, it goes against what Blizzard decides the gnome class fantasy to be.

TL;DR

So you agree then... there is nothing really keeping (x)race from being (y)class. Glad we're on the same page!

This whole argument here is predicated on the idea that by picking up the sword of his father, he is somehow on his way to becoming a Paladin. Its kind of ridiculous logic.

[Kallisto]

It makes sense to allow Forsaken to be Paladins for the simple fact that it's basically dead humans that may have practised the light while living. I think the new short story with Nathanos highlights this too, when in the end of the story he says he felt "regret" over killing his paladin cousin. Either way, i think it would make sense to allow Undead to be paladins, and Night-Elfs already have paladins in the game through class hall followers so why not.

Here is how a forsaken paladin will be.

*Undead body becomes infused with light, undead body falls on the ground in crippling pain feeling is if it was alive living in a furnace 24/7*

That is how the undead react to light. There has never been an undead paladin that isn't under control by another source. Either via the Lich King or Dread lords. Light not just causes pain it causes the worst agonizing pain possible to the undead. It would be like touching a furnace for someone alive that's in Blackrock Foundry. Now imagine that pain, but keeping it going 24/7 and never able to switch the pain off. You wouldn't be able to function.

Hell the lore states that forsaken would rather jump in a fire and self cremate than go up against advancing paladins because the light hurts that damn much.

[Deleted]

Never made sense to me, that undead can not be paladins, they can be warriors, they can be priests and there are examples of undead paladins in the lore.

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Here is how a forsaken paladin will be.

*Undead body becomes infused with light, undead body falls on the ground in crippling pain feeling is if it was alive living in a furnace 24/7*

That is how the undead react to light. There has never been an undead paladin that isn't under control by another source. Either via the Lich King or Dread lords. Light not just causes pain it causes the worst agonizing pain possible to the undead. It would be like touching a furnace for someone alive that's in Blackrock Foundry. Now imagine that pain, but keeping it going 24/7 and never able to switch the pain off. You wouldn't be able to function.

Hell the lore states that forsaken would rather jump in a fire and self cremate than go up against advancing paladins because the light hurts that damn much.

So how can they be holy priests?

[Kallisto]

Never made sense to me, that undead can not be paladins, they can be warriors, they can be priests and there are examples of undead paladins in the lore.

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So how can they be holy priests?

Partly Gameplay > Lore

Partly because a few seconds of channeling once in a blue moon can not be compared a fully imbued vessel 24/7

[Thimagryn]

TL;DR

So you agree then... there is nothing really keeping (x)race from being (y)class. Glad we're on the same page!

This whole argument here is predicated on the idea that by picking up the sword of his father, he is somehow on his way to becoming a Paladin. Its kind of ridiculous logic.

*shrug*

Warcraft's entire story is built on ridiculous logic. What is your point?

[Deleted]

Partly Gameplay > Lore

Ok, I get that you can't lock undead priests into shadow spec, but why let them be priests in the first place?

Partly because a few seconds of channeling once in a blue moon can not be compared a fully imbued vessel 24/7

I also don't understand how a holy priest, currently carrying around some piece of naaru equipment is less imbued by the light than a paladin. Honestly curious what I am missing.

[Traveler Voltin]

Paladins are infused with light
Priests are not. Priests channel light

[A dot Ham]

*shrug*

Warcraft's entire story is built on ridiculous logic. What is your point?

Well going back to OP and my original post.

I disagree that he is on his way to becoming one... and to make him one would actually detract from the character they have created, and characterization process he has gone through.

But I still like the idea of NE Paladins.

Not sure exactly how that became so long winded lore argument.

I guess my point was... you don't need some trigger in lore. For NE paladins to exist. Whether or not Anduin becomes one isn't related.

[Thimagryn]

I guess my point was... you don't need some trigger in lore. For NE paladins to exist. Whether or not Anduin becomes one isn't related.

Triggers in lore happen to explain game design changes, period. There's no case where lore drives game design, unless they were already on the same path (ie bringing Illidan back at some point, or going back to Draenor in WOD).

NE Paladins would be cool. Likely to happen? Maybe maybe not. I mean they just got Demon Hunters so the race has 5 available tanking races and aren't short of healer options whatsoever, so I don't see it very likely to happen. They're pretty well rounded and already incredibly popular.

As for Anduin being a Paladin? I don't see what the fuss is about. Like others have said, Thrall didn't start a Shaman but became one in lore. I don't see why Anduin couldn't become a Paladin when there's no conflict of interest whatsoever with his character lore and personality. His character is changing. That the essence of character development. It wouldn't even be any different than Arthas making that whopping leap from Paladin to corrupted Death Knight despite trying to do everything in his power to uphold justice and do good. It only took one incident in the lore (culling of Stratholme) to make that transition from an otherwise altruistic character that stays a Paladin.

Anduin has path choices. He could stay a priest, he could become a Paladin, hell he could burn out his eyes and become a Demon Hunter too. There's no limit to any of that really.

[jackofwind]

Never made sense to me, that undead can not be paladins, they can be warriors, they can be priests and there are examples of undead paladins in the lore.

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So how can they be holy priests?

Priests call on the Light, Paladins literally have the Light living inside them constantly. They're infused with it. Could you handle the pain of cutting your palm open to heal someone? What about surgically implanting a sharp knife blade into your palm so that it constantly cut you from within for the rest of your life?

And, as per lore, the overwhelming majority of undead priests are shadow priests who never touch Holy magic.

[Divinexve]

Undead should have been able to become paladins since vanilla imo, with an obv shaman addition to alliance in vanilla

[Raetary]

So how can they be holy priests?

there are barely any undead holy priests.
and those who wield holy magic have incredible willpower.

besides that, a priest is calling upon the light.
a paladin is literally a walking light vessel, there is a difference between casting a holy spell and burning 'alive' 24/7 because you are filled with holy energy.

[Vanyali]

Ok, I get that you can't lock undead priests into shadow spec, but why let them be priests in the first place?

Because they built the Cult of Light and Shadow -- basically priests that died saw "hey, there's shit in the shadows that can be useful too!", and continued to be priests, but shifted their focus to the shadows created by the light rather than the light itself.

In an ideal world, it'd be shadow & holy as healing specs and disc as dps, with shadow locked to forsaken and holy available for everyone else... but that's way too restrictive for wow's systems and people would bitch and moan like no other because forsaken were special even if it was just a "corrupted" version of holy.

[shoc]

Undead still can't become Paladins because Paladins fill themselves with Light while Priests channel it like Mages channel Arcane. An Undead Priest can blast Holy Fire towards a target but an Undead Paladin would just explode.

[Volendrung]

Anduin will stay a priest. He's been training to be a priest with Velen for years. Just because he picked up his father's sword does not make him a paladin.

[A dot Ham]

Triggers in lore happen to explain game design changes, period. There's no case where lore drives game design, unless they were already on the same path (ie bringing Illidan back at some point, or going back to Draenor in WOD).

NE Paladins would be cool. Likely to happen? Maybe maybe not. I mean they just got Demon Hunters so the race has 5 available tanking races and aren't short of healer options whatsoever, so I don't see it very likely to happen. They're pretty well rounded and already incredibly popular.

As for Anduin being a Paladin? I don't see what the fuss is about. Like others have said, Thrall didn't start a Shaman but became one in lore. I don't see why Anduin couldn't become a Paladin when there's no conflict of interest whatsoever with his character lore and personality. His character is changing. That the essence of character development. It wouldn't even be any different than Arthas making that whopping leap from Paladin to corrupted Death Knight despite trying to do everything in his power to uphold justice and do good. It only took one incident in the lore (culling of Stratholme) to make that transition from an otherwise altruistic character that stays a Paladin.

Anduin has path choices. He could stay a priest, he could become a Paladin, hell he could burn out his eyes and become a Demon Hunter too. There's no limit to any of that really.

I'm still confused as to why we are going back and forth with this? You need the affirmation of being right? Taking what I've said in a mouthful of words and making it into an essay to prove you are MORE right?

What are we doing here?

[SirCowdog]

Priests call on the Light, Paladins literally have the Light living inside them constantly.

a paladin is literally a walking light vessel,

Please don't misunderstand, because I'm not disagreeing here. But is there anywhere in the lore where this is proven to be the case? I know paladins talk about the light all the time. Fordring was saying it every other word. But I haven't read all the books or perfectly studied all the lore, so I'm just curious if this has been defined somewhere.

[jackofwind]

Please don't misunderstand, because I'm not disagreeing here. But is there anywhere in the lore where this is proven to be the case? I know paladins talk about the light all the time. Fordring was saying it every other word. But I haven't read all the books or perfectly studied all the lore, so I'm just curious if this has been defined somewhere.

The Arthas book covers it fairly thoroughly during the ceremony where he is ordained as a Paladin.

Tides of Darkness I think has some stuff in it too in regards to Uther and how powerful paladins are.

[Ravingmad]

So after watching the new cinematic with Anduin we can imagine that he will become a Paladin in the future.

If that's really the case then all other races such us Undead or Night Elf should also be able to be Paladins - because they can be priests.

I hope these new class/race combos will be a new feature in the next expansion.

Im not sure I see a connection between Anduin "maybe" becoming a paladin (Hes still a Priest, hes just using his Father's Sword, so I don't see where the Paladin thing is coming from), and UD/NE becoming Paladin. Its the same as saying, Garrosh was a warrior without plate armor, so Warrior shouldn't wear plate armor... (The hell..?)

Humans, Dwarves and Draenies can be paladin in Alliance. We have 2 NE Paladin in the Paladin's Class Hall as said before, so NE Paladin could become a thing but I don't think it would add anything new to the game and Lore-wise it wouldn't make sense, but I don't mind (NE can now be mage, so Lore is already gone, as they are supposed to have banned Arcane magic after the explosion of the Well of Eternity).

As for UD, even if I think it makes sense, as they are former Humans and some of them were probably paladin, also they would look horrible and I don't think lady Sylvanas would allow paladins in her City, as they could become a potential treat. (Just speculation). But oh well, why stop there? Tauren Rogue annd Troll Paladin boys!

[murbaez]

For some reason, after reading this, i'm waiting for the person to say...Hey, It looks like Anduin is going to Class Change to Paladin from Priest, Blizzard should allow us to Class change too....

Not trying to bash OP or anything but it's just that catering to that line of thought will just open a Pandora box to more and more requests. And then they will have to start questioning, even further, the race fantasy along with the class fantasy.

But, well, i don't know. Maybe it wont make that big of a deal. I just feel like it's a kind of pointless thing to care much about. Case in point, if it was that big of a deal, Blizzard might have done it already.