Dreaming of Gnome Druids

With Dragonflight, the Blizzard Developers have stated they would like to open all classes up to all races.  While some classes have been added already, they’ve held back on others because they feel like they do not make sense without a story to explain why or how some races have picked up practices that are traditionally far removed from their native cultures.  I think this is a fantastic idea.  I always love more creative options, and the the fact they are working on story to support new combinations is exciting.  It will mean a lot of identity development for both races and classes.

Gnomes currently can not be paladins, shamans, or druids.  Paladins will be the easiest by far.  When gnomes were given access to priests, it was almost strange that they did NOT get paladins.  Gnome shamans will be a little more of an oddity, but elemental magic seems like a practice gnomes would be inherently attracted to.  Personally, I would love to see sand-gnomes or pygmies brough in to the fold of gnome civilization to introduce shamanism.  Adding these long lost gnomes would be a great opportunity to expand gnome lore using established canon.

Of the three gnome druids will be the most difficult to write.  The guardian of nature aspect of druids is the polar opposite of the industrial machinations of gnomes.  There is part of me that fears we will get a “gArDeN gNoMeS” joke and little to know meaningful explanation.  Blizzard normally takes the lore of the druid class very seriously, so I am sure whatever they add will have substance.

With all that said, I have a blue sky hope for gnome druids, that they will be based (loosely) on “The Dreamfinder” Blarion Mercurial from Disney World’s EPCOT park.  The Dreamfinder character is a bearded man that rides around in his “Dream Mobile”, a zeppelin like craft with a heavy steampunk aesthetic.  He collects dream energy and uses it to manifest creations of raw imagination.

I think using the Emerald Dream to connect gnomes to druids would be a novel choice.  It gives an excellent opportunity to play off of the gnome racial trait “Expansive Mind”.  The Emerald Dream is related to the Titans like gnomes are.  It also might give a new perspective to what the Emerald Dream is.  It also helps get around the fact that gnomes simply are not protectors of nature.  We’ve seen that the environmental damage they do is on par with goblins.  Gnomes are high minded, big thinkers, so bringing them in to the druid mindset by starting with the extradimensional plane and astral powers makes the most sense.

I know I’m already working on backstories for gnome druid characters.

• Stuck with “Inventor’s Block” a gnome seeks out a source of pure inspiration.
• Plagued by nightmares a gnome builds a dream catcher that works a little too well.
• A gnome with a slime that used to be a beloved family member.  They have taken it to every group of magic users they know of.  The Cenarion Circle, is the first group that shows any promise.
• A teleporter accident leaves a gnome stranded in the Emerald Dream for a really, REALLY long time.  (Think Robin Williams from Jumaji.)
• Upon being told the Emerald Dream is an “unspoiled copy” of Azeroth, a gnome seeks to “reset” Gnomeregan.

Gnomes in the First War

Was your gnome around during the first war?  If so they were probably in Gnomeregan or maybe Dalaran, they may have been aware of the conflict or completely oblivious until the news of Stormwind’s destruction.

If you want a gnome that participated in the first war, consider Sunnyglade.  The town of Sunnyglade was destroyed in Warcraft 1. Only one building was left standing, a mage tower that the orc warlocks needed. That tower is (most likely) now the Tower of Azora, populated almost exclusively by gnomes.  Despite the fact that it is a mage tower, it has been stated that most of the gnomes are not mages, so a gnome of any class could be from here.

Let’s take a step back, look at some simplified high level stuff, and maybe put on a tin foil hat.

When the human kingdoms were taught magic by the high elves, the mages left Strom and went north to found the city of Dalaran. The people that formed Stormwind left Strom and headed south.  This might not seem like a big deal, but this southward journey is when the humans came to really know dwarves*.  See that asterisk on dwarves?  Anytime you have dwarves you have *(and gnomes).

I propose that human mages did not travel south to Stromwind, but along the way a group of gnomes joined up with those humans and accompanied them on their travels.  These gnomes went on to teach the southern humans their techniques of arcane magic.

In founding the town of Sunnyglade, the gnomes and humans created a place dedicated to higher learning.  With a reputation as a center of knowledge, the Horde decides to target it because they want more information about human magic.

The town is raised except for the tower, which is looted.  The inhabitants that don’t flee or escape are captured by the horde, but soon liberated by the armies of Stormwind.

Because their is little to no information surviving about the town, there’s a lot of room for players to write themselves in.

What I Want in a CLASSIC Warcraft Server

WARCRAFT: CLASSIC!

Featuring 2 Playable races!

Humans: From the Kingdom of Stormwind.  Brave new recruits have been called to Northshire Abbey! An army will be needed to fend a new threat to the world of Azeroth.

Humans can play as 6 classes:

Warrior	Rogue	Hunter	Priest	Mage	Hero Class: Paladin

Orcs: Hailing from a strange alien land that no human has ever seen.  The orcs have overrun the Black Morass and established a base in Blackrock Mountain.  New Orcs are arriving through the Dark Portal every day!

Orcs can play 6 classes:

Warrior	Rogue	Hunter	Shaman	Warlock	Hero Class:Death Knight

• Play all the way to level 20 in a matter of mere months!
• See the Original Elwynn Forest before Duskwood.  See the Original Dark Portal before the Blasted Lands.
• Delve in to dungeons like the Dead Mines and Temple of the Damned!
• Raid Medivh’s Tower!
• Every building in the game can be destroyed!
• Two professions: Mining and Carpentry!
• Only PVP Servers!
• Come experience the magic before it is completely and utterly ruined for all time by the Stranglethorn expansion!
• Azeroth* is waiting for you!

*(Azeroth limited in some areas)

Feeling bad about gnomes.

Last week I tweeted this:

It feels bad to be playing a gnome right now. Normally we only get a token gnome. One that stands around doing nothing, but is there because all the races are there.

We didn't even get that this time.

— Mekgineer Sicco Thermaplugg (@SiccoThermaplug) November 11, 2017

To clarify, I don’t feel guilty about playing a gnome or anything like that, just unfulfilled. Race is literally the first thing you are asked to define about your character when you create it. It informs where you fit in the world. (Class is how you fit.)

For years I’ve tried to encourage people to play gnomes (or at the very least, to treat gnome players with more respect)

I saw huge potential in the race, and believed that at some point that potential would be relized in the game world, but I don’t think I feel that way anymore. I still think the potential is there, but I don’t think anything is going to come of it. I’ve lost the faith.

I hope this is just a temporary feeling. Right now I feel like I should be warning people away from gnomes rather than encouraging them.

“No story here, look elsewhere for a race that exists”