An Argument for Gnome (and Goblin) Druids

[MrFiddleswitch]

So, I was sitting here thinking about how Blizzard could expand upon the current class/race combinations and I had a thought about how Gnome and Goblin Druids could play out.

A small group of Gnomes and Goblins, having faced Cenarius in battle along side Archdruid Malfurion Stormrage, realized for the first time in their lives that the power of Nature could be the next step to advancing their races. After the Demigod Cenarius recovered from his wounds in the Emerald Nightmare, this group of adventurers pleaded and begged him to take them under his branches, and train them as they once did the Archdruid.

Cenarius was dubious about this at best, but he felt he owed them a chance for their valor and candor in fighting for Val'Sharah and her people. So he made the attempt, but much to his dismay, his worse fears were quickly realized as the Gnome's and Goblin's training usually only resulted in half feathered gnomes entangling furry goblins in the roots of one tree or another, and after only a single day, he banished these poor adventurers from the Grove of Cenarius and forbid them from practicing the druidic arts for fear that they bring about the end of days.

Of course, Goblins and Gnomes were never the type to give up and one special team of elite Goblin and Gnomish engineers came up with the ultimate solution - tapping into the powers of nature by using their machines and inventions to act as a buffer. Thus the Gnome and Goblin Druid was born.

Using mechanical suits fashioned after the aspects of nature, these brave adventurers began to fine tune their ability to wield the powers of nature, and studying along side Tauren, Trolls, Night Elves, and Worgen, they perfected a blend of magic, machinery, and nature into a single transformable power suit perfect for the small stature of Gnomes and Goblins.

From an in game perspective:

Gnome and Goblins alike can use the basic attacks - wrath, moonfire, etc. while simply being a gnome/goblin form due to their limited training from Cenarius, but their true power comes out when they activate their suits and transform. Receiving a special shape shift animation using the electrical aura graphic from Hati, the hunter Artifact Pet, they transform into robotic/metallic versions of the basic forms - Bear, Cat, Boomkin, and Treant. In place of the stag, they turn into a special, mechanostrider sort of thing, and for flight form, a robotic bird/owl.

Just a bit of fun, and it could give an interesting alternative for those that want to play a sort of steampunk druid.

[Stoeger]

This seems like a lowball idea to make Tinkers sound more appealing.

[Deleted]

gnomes and goblins will never be druids :/

[Kiradyn]

Wow, if you're going to do all that, just make a Tinker class where they pilot robot suits.

[Syegfryed]

thank god this idea is so stupid we d not need to worry about becoming true

[Razion]

You can give a Goblin a copper and he'd sell his soul to Sargeras. Not terribly hard to introduce new classes to Goblins - they'll take up any class as a trade to earn coin.

For Gnomes, you just have to whisper, "you don't know how that magic works, do you?" And then watch them frantically try to master it - just to learn how it ticks.

[MrFiddleswitch]

Wow, if you're going to do all that, just make a Tinker class where they pilot robot suits.

Not a lot to "do" honestly. Just reskin the basic druid forms the same as they have done for every druid race - just with Gnome/Goblin robotic themes.

[Skoll Shorties]

Rather be an Orc Druid than a Goblin Druid.

[Dastreus]

I would rather see Belfs go druid (they have a history of some level of druidism in Quel'thalas), and an alliance race get it.... human harvest witches? (Or give alliance high elf and that's the ally equivalent of belf druid.)

[Deleted]

"Using mechanical suits fashioned after the aspects of nature,"

Err...

the only excuse you need for gnome and goblin druids is that they would look really cute and would bring players to the game. Theres no need for it to be canon really.

[Gracin]

I'm totally against the tinkerer class, I think it's pointless. That said, I have no issues with letting gnomes and goblins basically wear mechas to be "druids" as for the non-mecha casting like moonfire? Let's just go with they use mirror gadgets to actually direct the moons light at their target. Honestly, it isn't difficult to come up with lore/reasons for nearly every race to be able to become any class. And if they want to have like an elf specific class like demon hunters for an expansion to introduce them, and then after that expansion open the race limitation because now others can be "trained", so be it. Hell that's just more race change money in Blizzards pockets.

[Deleted]

I would rather see Belfs go druid (they have a history of some level of druidism in Quel'thalas), and an alliance race get it.... human harvest witches? (Or give alliance high elf and that's the ally equivalent of belf druid.)

That would be humans (the race with equivalent popularity). I guess neither one would be shocking.

[rhorle]

gnomes and goblins will never be druids :/

Hunters being able to tame mechanical things have really made it easier for a gnomish druid. A gnomish druid could blend nature with these mechanical animals that are "alive". Nothing about the current lore makes a gnome druid unthinkable.

[Deleted]

I'm totally against the tinkerer class, I think it's pointless. That said, I have no issues with letting gnomes and goblins basically wear mechas to be "druids" as for the non-mecha casting like moonfire? Let's just go with they use mirror gadgets to actually direct the moons light at their target. Honestly, it isn't difficult to come up with lore/reasons for nearly every race to be able to become any class. And if they want to have like an elf specific class like demon hunters for an expansion to introduce them, and then after that expansion open the race limitation because now others can be "trained", so be it. Hell that's just more race change money in Blizzards pockets.

So... tinkers that actually work with machines, explosives and energy beams are somehow worse than mechanical tree's that moonfire? Druidism is completely opposite of mechanical. Geez...The hate is real and illogical.

[Deleted]

Is this a rockstar contender for Most Ridiculous Way To Make Tinkers Never Happen contest? It surely sounds like one.

[Nyel]

Goblin Druids? Next to Orcs Goblins are the race that cares least about nature. Just look how they're destroying the entire landscape just to put their machines there (or to create the Horde symbol). Goblins will never ever be Druids, they are chaotic where other races are calm and take care of the nature.

[Deleted]

Then every race should have druids, because goblins and gnomes are the most removed races from the druid philosophy as you can get. Probably even more than Forsaken.

- - - Updated - - -

That would be humans (the race with equivalent popularity). I guess neither one would be shocking.

I think it's about time that these two races get druids. Paladin class also got spread over various races over time. I probably also would add Pandaren to a potential druid race.

[Grenzstein]

I think it's about time that these two races get druids. Paladin class also got spread over various races over time. I probably also would add Pandaren to a potential druid race.

Pandaren would be weird. They are bears already.

[Azalar]

I'd rather get Draenei, Blood elf and Pandaren druids, to be honest.

They're much more attuned to nature than Goblins or Gnomes will ever be.

[Raetary]

Pandaren would be weird. They are bears already.

what does that have to do with anything?

tauren are cows and are druids, hell worgen are part wolf.

what they are is completely irrelevant, its about their connection with nature.