Community Blog Topic Results: Favorite playable race
Last week's Community Blog Topic asked, "What is your favorite playable race?" Mine is the Forsaken, even though I have no high level characters that are undead. Many people agreed with me, but the race that came out on top was not my favorite decomposing race.
Tauren
The race most people liked out of all choices was the Tauren. As AdmiringAzeroth said on her blog,
I like their massive bulk and their cute faces (even if there's only a choice of 4). I also like their druid forms.
And jdpatrick.gamer's Horde choice is Tauren as well.
My decision was based SOLELY on a comment Matthew Rossi made on the podcast some months ago. I am paraphrasing, but he made a statement to the effect of, "... when you see a Tauren warrior in plate mail running straight for you, you poop a little."
... I like how, in amongst all the classic fantasy races, they give you the option to play as an eight-foot minotaur.
And mr_killik sums it up nicely.
Love the aesthetic, love the philosophy, love how big their shoulderpads go, love riding around on a massive armoured kodo-beast.
If only their hair wasn't just jagged triangles.
Forsaken
Next on the list is my beloved undead. In the comments, etherraichu said
... one of my favorite things about both forsaken and warlocks come together with them: "You'd be a fool to trust me. But just because you shouldn't trust me, that doesn't mean you don't need me."
The Forsaken are so twisted in every sense, so much so that the land warps itself AROUND them, and they're perfectly happy with it.
Paradox13 loves the Forsaken as well.
... I love the controversy. I like how in Vanilla WoW they seemed like a weaker race just trying to survive. Now they're the race everyone is watching out for because you don't know what they're planning to do next.
I agree with Morkhjarte about the biggest problem with the undead.
The only complaint I have ever had with Forsaken is I do wish there was an option to allow your boney elbows and knees to be covered. It baffles me that my characters seems to instantly shred pants and shirts to show off some shin...bone.
Gnomes
Tied for third place are the gnomes. As Quandary says over on A Gamer at Heart,
The crazy hairstyles, their friendly demeanour, the oddball moustaches, the wonderful community-based insanity present in fan based comics and machinima, the odd in-game quirks like how in the Sapphiron fight if a gnome gets targeted by Ice Bolt, full size players must kneel or sit down to avoid getting hit by frost breath ("My, you're a tall one!").
And here is just one of the many things MikeAnderson at Tiny Priest loves about gnomes:
I love the sheer visceral joy of tanking on a three-foot-tall, pink-pigtailled DK who squeaks like a chew toy every time she gets hit, but nevertheless beats the everlovin' stuffing out of forces of evil hundreds of times her size.
Draenei
The other third place race is the Draenei. Ravyncat1 at Ravyn's Reliquary prefers spacegoats to other races.
... I like them as a people. They are the last remnants of a people who fell to evil. I like them because they took a stand even though it meant losing everything comfortable in their lives and refused to fall.
Laeleiweyn in the comments says
Looks, animations, accent. Their intelligence and diplomatic, ethical and peaceloving personality. From horn to hoof, I adore them!
Dwarfs
Next on the list, we have the dwarfs. It was a toss-up for JeffLaBowski over at Sportsbard between Draenei and dwarfs, but this is what he had to say about the more diminutive race:
I love dwarves as a fantasy race. I love everything about them. Their stoic nature, hard working demeanor and love for ale. I love Ironforge. From the warm glow of the braziers to the perfect circular layout of the city.
And bob.badstreet had this to say about his favorite race:
Love the lore, looks, and animations. Beer drinking and big axes rule. Plus we can play every class except druids. No self respecting dwarf would want to turn into a bear or tree.
Night elves
Tied for sixth place are both elven races. Over at Frost and Claws, tyledres has this to say about night elves:
But what I like most about the night elves are the hair, hair color, and tattoo options.
But depipin's love for the night elves is more than skin deep.
Their story is one of tragedy and hope. They've lost so much over the millenia, yet they are fearless in defending what's left.
Blood elves
Drindaar_Lightkeeper had quite a lot to say about blood elves. But speaking specifically about lore:
Blood Elf lore is huge and varied. Playing both hero and villain, you can both sympathize with and condemn their various difficult decisions.
And Matthew2 had this to say:
I love the Blood Elves for the music, and the beauty of the zone. I really relate (somehow, not sure why) to the story of the once High Elves who are now Blood Elves after their community was devasated by Arthas and Dark'hon.
Goblins
Next in favorites are the goblins. Summing up the love for goblins, evoxpisces says,
Best starting zone in the game (next to the DK one)! Their architecture and technology is very steampunkish which I love. The goblin-heavy areas always reminded me of a junkyard but in an endearing kind of way.
Trolls
Trolls are next in line among reader favorites. Though preferring Forsaken, toffeecake had this to say about trolls,
I do love the effort that has been put into imagining them as a tribal race; the matter-of-fact relationship with nature, the "laid-back" attitude when it comes to some things, and the delightful juxtaposition with an almost prim-and-proper approach to some other things.
Humans
Tied for tenth place are humans and pandaren. Suntiger746, who actually prefers Draenei, describes what there is to like about humans:
I like the humans because, unlike most other games, they aren't the epitome against which all others are measured, they are the small, "degenerate" castoffs of their ancestors that managed to become a power to be reckoned with by sheer tenacity and determination.
Pandaren
Suntiger746 is an equal opportunity kind of commenter.
I like the pandaren for their obvious love of life and at the same time having the positive outlook enforced by the reality of the sha manifesting if they don't keep that outlook. In the same vein I really like the combination of cuddliness and ferocious strength they possess. It is indeed not wise to anger a bear. Especially not a bear that knows martial arts.
Orcs
Orcs are mönstro's favorite along with a couple other readers.
I like their lore, in particular the fact that they were (they actually are) a honored and peaceful race, but were tainted by the legion and turned into the bad guys everyone loves to hate.
Worgen
Dead last on the list come the worgen. Red had this to say about them,
I love the atmosphere, art, music, everything about Gilneas, and pretty much any Worgen area. I love the concept of playing a werewolf. I love the fact that the Alliance has such a dark race. And I absolutely despise Sylvanas and her Forsaken, so I get pumped whenever there is the chance for some Worgen vs. Forsaken conflict -- something that I wish Blizzard would develop more.
I think the look of the females as well as the lack of story development rank high on the list as to why Worgen are the favorites of so few readers.
Of course, those responding to the Community Blog Post are just a tiny fraction of the total playerbase, so this isn't necessarily representative of WoW players as a whole. Still it's interesting how passionate people get about the races they choose to play.
Tune in soon for the next Community Blog Post.
