Why is thrall so powerful?

[Daswolfen]

I wonder why thrall is the prime shaman even though there is nothing to give its powers. It's almost like he was chosen by the elements for some reason.
Orcs have turned their backs to shamanism.
Thrall did not even get a huge shaman training. Was he born with it? Was he destined to be?

Because he is Chris Metzen's personal Mary Sue and alter ego. Hence, Orc Jesus is born. In reality, he is a poorly written character by a lousy writer and storyteller.

[Faroth]

Not in game but Malfurion has demonstrated his power before.

In the War of the Ancients he was really shown to have some bad assery powers. Since then, I don't recall anything too much of note.

Of course, he's been asleep for most of it. Heheh

[Tojara]

I don't understand why Thrall gets so much hate. To me it's lame when someone suddenly gets unexplained unimaginable power out of no where. Thrall really isn't like that. He has a fairly rich history if you go back far enough and a lot of what makes him powerful can be explained.

The only thing remotely special about Thrall is his eye color as lame as that sounds. Orcs with blue eyes are suppose to be telling of having a great destiny, or to do something great. Simply foreshadowing that he will be an important character.

He was born a slave and became a gladiator. Nothing about his life at this point was given to him, nor did he have any special powers. He was described as witty, cunning and above average compared to other Orcs. While he performed well being a gladiator-slave, it's not like he demolished everything that stepped into the ring with him either.

Taught to be Shaman by Drekthar of the Frostwolves, and was the first new Orc Shaman since the elements abandoned the Orcs for severing ties with them/abusing them on their native planet. It might seem silly that he would later defeat Orgrimm Doomhammer in single hand combat but given what he had gone through up to that point it's not like it was totally unexplained. Given that he was raised by humans, grew up a gladiator/slave, was taken under the Warsong/Hellscreams watch and finally taught to be a shaman by Drekthar, it starts to make a little sense.

I wouldn't call him average by any means. I would say that had he had an average upbringing that he would have likely been average, but nothing about Thrall has been average. A god character is somebody who just begins with unexplainable power just, well, because THEY WERE SUPER TALENTED! Thrall has a pretty deep background story to explain why he is both a brilliant tactician, warrior and shaman.

Thrall is immensely powerful, but Cataclysm portrayed him really badly and that has a lot to do with how badly MMOs are at times of depicting a story accurately.


He still has weaknesses and it's not like he hasn't been defeated before, I mean he was easily brushed aside by Mannaroth and a charged up doomhammer did little to him.

[Deffry]

He has ability called "Plotkai" like Ichigo of Bleach.

[Ersula]

When the writers say a character is powerful but never shows them doing......well, anything, there's not much to complain about with their power level.

It's called Warcraft 3.

[Faroth]

Most of what you described, Tojara, doesn't really explain why Thrall, with minimal training from Drek'thar compared to the life of an orc shaman, followed by a month or two training in Nagrand has resulted in Thrall being one of the most powerful shaman of all time.

There is no explanation, he just is.

That's just how Warcraft writing works. Tyrande is the chosen of Elune; she just is. Varian is the chosen of Goldrinn; he just is. Malfurion was chosen by Cenarius; he just was.

On the other hand, one could argue that the whims of beings beyond the mortal plane are beyond the understanding of we mere mortals. What the elements, Elune, Goldrinn, and Cenarius see in someone or how they view things is simply not explained or beyond mortal ways of thinking.

[Wildmoon]

In the War of the Ancients he was really shown to have some bad assery powers. Since then, I don't recall anything too much of note.

Of course, he's been asleep for most of it. Heheh

In WC3 and Stormrage too. I like young Malfurion in WotA a lot more than what he is now. He seemed full of energy.

[Faroth]

It's called Warcraft 3.

I've played it. Malfurion doesn't do any world moving, mind blowing, omg most powerful being on the planet, moves.

Warcraft 3 was actually pretty good with all the characters. They had their strengths, their moments, but none came across god like.

Malfurion's biggest move was blowing a horn to call upon the wisps. He doesn't go wiping out armies with a single spell (like he did went he went all grief-rage in War of the Ancients).

But if we take Warcraft III, then, that's still why nobody complains about Malfurion. He hasn't done anything in over 10 years of game time.

[Maxilian]

oooh here we go again.

'Metzens durr durr mary sue durr durr I have no clue about story or development durr durr'

Seen it to many times to count.

but for those of your that actually are capable of forming a collective interest in this rather then jumping on the 'every character I dislike is a mary sue' train.. The reason Thrall is regarded as the worlds most powerful shaman is because the same reason Malfurion is the worlds most powerful druid, or Jaina is the worlds most power sorcerer, or Velen is the worlds most powerful priest, or Warrior is the avatar of the wolf god, or Saurfang can cleave shit and not stop.. BECAUSE THATS HOW THE STORY MAKES THEM.

Actually the most powerfull mage is Azshara , but is just like Trassk says...

Or Medith... but i won't count him cause his OP :P

[Granyala]

Aren't a lot of NEs ridiculuosly old?

The Kaldorei (Nightelfs) settled around 15.000 years ago at the shores of the well of eternity, slowly transforming into the Highborn.

So yes, Tyrande is more than 10K years old, but not even half as ancient as Velen.

[Fus Ro Yay]

Actually the most powerfull mage is Azshara , but is just like Trassk says...

Or Medith... but i won't count him cause his OP :P

while i dont spend every living moment reading up on this stuff, i recall azshara siphoning the well of eternity for her magical prowess, when sh*t went boom. she and her highborne were imprisoned underwater & transformed into naga. while she was a powerful sorceress, and probably still is. I think without the well of eternity, she's not as strong as say jaina or kadghar..

[Wildmoon]

while i dont spend every living moment reading up on this stuff, i recall azshara siphoning the well of eternity for her magical prowess, when sh*t went boom. she and her highborne were imprisoned underwater & transformed into naga. while she was a powerful sorceress, and probably still is. I think without the well of eternity, she's not as strong as say jaina or kadghar..

Azshara was very talented in arcane art like Illidan, she was born with golden eyes which was a sign of great destiny. Azshara and Illidan were actually one of the most talented mages in Azeroth. Even Mannoroth thought that Azshara was really strong.

[Deleted]

Most of what you described, Tojara, doesn't really explain why Thrall, with minimal training from Drek'thar compared to the life of an orc shaman, followed by a month or two training in Nagrand has resulted in Thrall being one of the most powerful shaman of all time.

There is no explanation, he just is.

The explanation is Shamanism. Shamans are conduits of the elements, nothing more, nothing less. More connection and empathy a shaman have with the elements, more powerful a shaman is.

I mean, why is Nobundo always considered one of the most powerful shaman? 20 years ago there wasn't any Draenei shaman and all he had was connection with the elements.

---------- Post added 2013-06-29 at 07:36 PM ----------

I've played it. Malfurion doesn't do any world moving, mind blowing, omg most powerful being on the planet, moves.

Several superstorms and a "Genki Dama" in the novels.

[Daswolfen]

oooh here we go again.

'Metzens durr durr mary sue durr durr I have no clue about story or development durr durr'

Seen it to many times to count.

but for those of your that actually are capable of forming a collective interest in this rather then jumping on the 'every character I dislike is a mary sue' train.. The reason Thrall is regarded as the worlds most powerful shaman is because the same reason Malfurion is the worlds most powerful druid, or Jaina is the worlds most power sorcerer, or Velen is the worlds most powerful priest, or Warrior is the avatar of the wolf god, or Saurfang can cleave shit and not stop.. BECAUSE THATS HOW THE STORY MAKES THEM.

Orc Jesus gets hate because he is a poorly written character that is Metzen's alter ego. Orc Jesus gets hate and the rest of them do not get as much because Orc Jesus was rammed down our throats an entire expansion no matter what faction you play.

[Zulkhan]

you're just a thrall fanboi

accept it, thrall is metzens boy

And you're just an Alliance "fanboi". Don't be hypocrite in saying things while you are the same, probably worst.

---------- Post added 2013-06-29 at 07:52 PM ----------

Orc Jesus gets hate because he is a poorly written character that is Metzen's alter ego. Orc Jesus gets hate and the rest of them do not get as much because Orc Jesus was rammed down our throats an entire expansion no matter what faction you play.

Sure Bro. You had a point.

[Thimagryn]

Thrall has a higher midichlorian count in his blood than other shamans

[Dreknar20]

because Metzen wills it

---------- Post added 2013-06-29 at 08:11 PM ----------

Azshara was very talented in arcane art like Illidan, she was born with golden eyes which was a sign of great destiny. Azshara and Illidan were actually one of the most talented mages in Azeroth. Even Mannoroth thought that Azshara was really strong.

if I remember correctly Mannoroth was actually pissed that Azshara's own powers/abilities were stronger than his

[Verdugo]

if I remember correctly Mannoroth was actually pissed that Azshara's own powers/abilities were stronger than his

You wouldnt be pissed when you discovered that some slutty golddigger is more powerfull than you?

[Totle]

Until Garrosh was like FUCK THAT we're going to torture the elementals and go back to some sort of power but this time OLD GODS!

GOOD PLOT METZEN

Unless the reversal was an accident, it was a pretty hilarious troll moment. The internet kind, not the Voljin kind.

[Zulkhan]

Until Garrosh was like FUCK THAT we're going to torture the elementals and go back to some sort of power but this time OLD GODS!

GOOD PLOT METZEN

Lol, maybe you don't belive it, but Garrosh never stopped to value Shamanism, which is the whole point of the Dark Shaman. The problem is that Garrosh doesn't respect the elements, he respects "the old ways", which just says "the orcs used shamanism before Gul'dan", which says nothing about how to use it. The Dark Shaman can do what they want with the elements, even torture them, while Thrall is a "common" shaman that despite everything requires the willing aid of the elements. Thinking about it, common shamans are completely in thrall of the dark ones.