This post tackles both races to address two in-game issues: Gnomes lacking a healing class, and Taurens lacking a cloth-wearing class. This expands the options of these two races that may be lacking in particular fields.
"With the proper technology, you can fix anything. Of course there are always malfunctions, short circuits, and uncooperative patients to keep things interesting." - Chief Surgeon Gashweld (Cataclysm)
(Art by U/qwertyprophecy - Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/user/qwertyprophecy/submitted/
~{Gnome Priests}~
Gnome priests aren't new to the scene. There has been various examples of gnome priests being seen whether as an enemy in the Twilight Cult, or the Holdout medics we have seen in Gnomeregan. It's shown that gnomes do not turn their head away from having access to a means of medical assistance and application. With the Holdout Medics showing they've access to Discipline and holy spells. Such as Renew, Power Word: Fortitude, and Heal. These show a baseline for priesthood access, or skills they've adopted from their Dwarven cousins. With the tragedy of Gnomeregan, refugees of all sorts of backgrounds fled their gnomish city and now take refuge in Ironforge with dreams they'll one day recover their home from the earth-dwelling troggs. With the effects of radiation poisoning, leprosy driving unfortunate survivors mad, and the horizons broadened now beyond their mountain-forged home. Gnomes have a world to uncover, and means to bring home in the endeavor to recover their losses. The need for aid is in high demand; and thus they look to their Dwarven cousins to teach them all they need to safeguard their own once more.
- Gnome Priest Culture & Customs
Titles introduced in Cataclysm painted the image of gnome priests as Doctors, Nurses, Surgeons, with some adhering to the priestly title in the more religious ranks of the Argent Dawn / Argent Crusade. Revealing how gnomes utilize the holy arts they retained. They have a wide range of finding their place, while also forming their own identities as priests. Gnome Priests would have a a great berth of options to take in roleplay and in custom lore creation to make them fit seamlessly into the world.
With the allying of High Elves in Turtle-WoW, Gnomes make perfect candidates of learning the arts of Mage-Priests. Furthering the complimentary relationship both High Elves and Gnomes share. A mage-priest would also fit well for a gnome due to their expansive minds, adopting a more arcane/holy approach to show they're aren't the most devout but still effective in their fields of study. Allowing some more creative usage of conceptualizing Racial abilities for the gnomes alone.
- Priest Racial Abilities
I'll propose three concept designs, one for each priest school to fit their explicit theme.
Lv. 10 Concepts:
Discipline:
[Arcane Infusion]
Cooldown: 7 Minutes
Range: Self
Mana: [Ranked Amount]
The priest infuses their spells with arcane and holy magics; increasing their Spell Power and Healing Power done by the priest by [Rank Amount] for 15 seconds.
(Design concept: Gnomes are some of the strongest spellcasters in the game, and to incorporate their mage strength is to have a CD that just increases their raw output. Allowing them to heal more, or deal more damage.)
Holy:
[Holy Tonic]
Cooldown: 10 Minutes
Range: Self
Mana: [Ranked amount, very expensive]
The priest creates a Holy Tonic that can be used to instantly restore [Ranked amount] and an additional [Ranked amount] over 10 seconds.
Conjured items disappear if logged out for more than 15 minutes.
(Ranks: Minor, Lesser, Greater, Major)
(Design Concept: With gnomes being doctors; I'm very well privy to the idea of them being able to create medicines with their holy arts. This would be their unique cooldown as they can make a potent tonic for themselves or others. This design is to borrow from their warlock class, but not outrank them. As you cannot stock a party without great delay. )
Shadow:
[Shadow Word: Impair]
Cooldown: 2 Minutes
Range: 30 yards
Mana: [Ranked amount]
A word of darkness that causes [Ranked Amount] damage and slows their spellcasting speed by 50% for 15 seconds.
(Design Concept: Gnomes are brilliant spellcasters, and priests are the perfect anti-mage fighters. What would be better than having a gnome priest knowing your precise weakness? This would offer an offensive spell for alliance priests, rather than an applicable buff.)
Lv. 20 Concepts:
Discipline:
[Holy Shroud]
Cooldown: 45 seconds
Range: 30 Yards
Mana: [Ranked amount, Comparable to Power Word: Shield]
Shields an ally with a magical ward, shielding them from magical damage to a total of [Ranked amount].
Lasts 20 seconds.
(Design concept: The design is made to showcase the gnomes focus on magical arts. To protect themselves and friends, they focus more on warding against magical threats.)
Holy:
[Shining Beacon]
Cooldown: 3 minutes.
Range: 30 Yards
Mana: [Ranked amount]
Summons a Holy Beacon that lasts 30 seconds. It periodically heals allies within 15 yards for (Ranked amount). The Holy Beacon shares the priest's level, and has 25 health.
(Design concept: I wanted to emulate the Healing Wards various enemies throughout the game create. The Holy Beacon will be a little robot or gold color wisp that is stationary and heals in a small area around it. )
Shadow:
[Mind Rattle]
Cooldown: 1.35
Range: 30 Yards
Mana: [Ranked Amount]
Addles the target's mind, reducing their Spell power and Healing power by (Ranked amount) for 30 seconds.
(Design Concept: This was designed to show gnome priests utilizing their knowledge to reduce the effectiveness of other's spells. Making them effective anti-mage fighters. To reduce their targets effective output)
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"The light of the Sun illuminates the path to wisdom. Where shall we walk today, friend?" - Aponi Brightmane (Cataclysm)
(Art by AntonZemskov - https://www.deviantart.com/antonzemskov ... -388386844
~{Tauren Priests}~
Tauren Priests are a natural option for a cloth-wearing class as well as a natural tie-in to their spiritual natures. Taurens already show a great deal of reverence for life and nature. They deeply empathize with others; including the undead for which they take pity on. Cataclysm introduced Tauren priests as a new path and reverence for the Earth Mother's eyes. The sun and moon, of which they have the established grounds for a dynamic faith. As well as expanded lore on An'she. It wouldn't be difficult to introduce them with a great deal of reverence for the Holy Light of An'she, and the Bristling Shadows of Mu'sha.
Much of the lore we can establish can revolve around the existing details of An'she and Mu'sha, and create the Sunwalkers on a less violent path. And more of a priest's path of Discipline, Holy, and Shadow arts. Which will always have a preference for An'she.
- Tauren Priest Culture & Customs
Mu'sha: https://wowpedia.fandom.com/wiki/Elune# ... _mythology
An'she: https://wowpedia.fandom.com/wiki/An%27she
Tahu Sagewind begun the discussions of balance of worship during the Wrath of the Lich King expansion; of which he describes a reflection of the Night Elven worship of Elune / Mu'sha. Here we can hasten the progress and simply tackle it with the worship of the Earth Mother's children. It wouldn't make much sense that the cultural prejudices of druidism would halt the full worship of the Earth Mother's twin children. Such worship would strive to seek balance as the children have adopted with it's cycles of Day and Night.
Tauren Seers exist already as spiritual guides, fortune tellers, and mystical assistance in many ways. Calling upon their connections to the earth mother and the latent spiritual world to foresee good biddings and ill fortunes alike. Priests would take on titles of Seers, Oracles, Diviners, and prophets. A staple role in any tauren tribe that would guide youth and leaders alike on the soul and mind. With wisdom to provide while shamans utilize Ancestral ties to guide as well.
- Priest Racial Abilities
Lv. 10 Concepts:
Holy:
[Sun's Glare]
Cooldown: 3.5 Minutes
Range: 30 Yards
Mana: (Ranked Amount, Inexpensive)
Cast Time: .8 seconds.
Burns a target with a mark of An'she; Increasing any holy damage dealt to them by (Ranked amount) for 25 seconds.
(Design Concept: Holy damage is lacking on the Horde side. With the lack of paladins, this spell would make Tauren priests a very suitable race to select when creating a Smite Priest. Plain simple, effective at early levels.)
Shadow:
[Moonlit Faeries]
Cooldown: 5 Minutes
Range: 30 Yards
Mana: (Leveled Amount, Inexpensive)
Cast Time: Instant
Increases the damage taken by the target from magical attacks by 10%. While affected, the target cannot stealth or turn invisible. This effect lasts for 25 seconds.
(Design Concept: Borrowing from the iconic druid class, Tauren priests utilize their druidic culture to their advantage with a fun twist. Making them weaker to magical attacks as a mirror to Faerie Fire, which reduces armor value.)
Lv. 20 Concepts:
Holy:
[Breaking Dawn]
Cooldown: 5 Minutes
Range: Self
Mana: (Leveled Amount, Inexpensive)
Cast Time: Instant
For 20 seconds, whenever you cast Holy Fire; the target suffers damage equal to half of your total Spirit over 10 seconds. This effect stacks up to 3 times.
(Design Concept: This was made to further build on the smite priest build. I really like the idea of Taurens having a very holy offensive skill set.)
Shadow:
[Starlit Radiance]
Cooldown: 9 Minutes
Range: 8 yards (On target)
Mana: (Ranked Amount, Moderate)
Cast Time: Instant
Shroud a target in blessed moonlight, dealing (Ranked Amount) Arcane Damage to nearby enemies and healing nearby allies for (Ranked amount) every 5 seconds for 20 seconds within 8 yards. No threat is gained by this effect.
(Design concept: This design is to offer a little direct healing and both a healing and offensive spell to draw from. Following the same formula of starshards for Night Elves. The healing won't be nearly as effective as the damage.)
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This concludes the introduction, with some mechanics and culture prospects. I have done some work to try and improve quests, and create NPCs that would fit the bill for this forum. Yet I feel the complexity would need to be followed up in another post to further flesh out NPCs in the world to introduce and involve them with the Horde and Alliance. Beyond that; we've got a very solid foundation of what can be proposed to make these two classes fit into the world.
I am open to feedback, or opinions regarding my proposal for Gnome and Tauren priests.
