The Queue: Doomhammer, Orcs, and Winter Veil

Welcome back to The Queue, the daily Q&A column in which the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Matthew Rossi will be your host today.

The more I think about it the more I wish WoW had no race restrictions on classes. I realize there's lore reasons for it, but frankly, if someone wants to play an Undead Paladin at this point I say good for them, make it happen already. Blood elf druids? Gnome hunters? Tauren rogues? Draenei warlocks? Just open the floodgates.

You guys talked about this a lot, so consider this me addressing the issue. I am for removing all race restrictions on classes. Draenei druids? Orc druids? Human shamans? Yes. All of it.

g.dawsonplus3 asks:
Why are there no Winter Veil decorations on Draenor? Surely in that wild and savage (tm) land we would want some cheer, pretty lights, good food and a reminder of home to hearten us?
I really miss it and see no reason why this didn't happen; surely if they had decorations in Panderia . . .

Pandaria was still on Azeroth. It's possible that the inspiration for the Winter Veil celebration existed before the Sundering and thus was heard of even on Pandaria. But not only is Draenor an alien world, the first time any of the natives there heard of Azeroth was when you came through the portal.

To be honest I haven't even noticed if there are decorations up in the Garrison or not. I'd accept that, since the Garrison was built by Azerothians.

JeffLaBowski asks:
If you could rewrite one race out of Warcraft lore which one would it be an why? (Pandaren not included--that would be to easy, pick another!).

Orcs.

I know it's Warcraft: Orcs vs. Humans, I really do. That's the roots of the game. Roots are great. They hold up trees. They get water and nutrients up the trunk so that the leaves can bloom. But we've been doing a lot of talking about those roots lately, and I could really go a while without hearing any more about them. Let's talk about some of that awesome foliage this tree has!

Humans are #2. I find them even more boring than orcs, tbh, but they've gotten a lot less story focus. They're just kind of there.

ScottLeyes asks:
I finally saw the part of the Battle for Shattrath involving Orgrim Doomhammer.

No (real) Spoilers here, but was anyone else (alliance side at least) annoyed that the ending stuff took place on the deck of a boat where we couldn't see it?

No wonder i missed it the first two times I went through there.

I admit I found Orgrim's final fate (and my ability to witness it) less than satisfying. I don't think it's a spoiler at this point to say that if you're Horde, Orgrim shows up, is a jerk, and then pulls a heel/face turn out of nowhere, and if you're Alliance he doesn't even get that - he struts around ordering Iron Horde folks around, then says No, wait at the last possible second. It's weird and unfulfilling.

And having it all take place where you can't quite see it is even weirder. It's an awesome moment overall, but Orgrim doesn't get much to do in it. And he's not even in the cinematic!

Rogueleader1 asks:
I don't know if it has been answered yet, is the Maraad that dies fighting Blackhand our Maraad or alternative Maraad?

Makes sense if it's ours, he came through with the heroes and is a quest hub and he has the whole sense of redemption story going with the prestory video on him.

If it is, where is alternate Maraad? I am sadden that we finally get more on the man only to lose him.

That is our Maraad who dies, the same Maraad who comes through the Dark Portal with us, and is present throughout Shadowmoon Valley and Gorgrond before we go to Talador. It's always our Maraad. There is never any sign of another Maraad and it's likely (as was heavily implied by Kairoz) that this Draenor isn't exactly the same as ours, and there either was no Maraad, or he died before this Maraad (ours) came through the Dark Portal. Clearly, no one seems to recognize or remember him - no one says "Maraad? But you're dead!" or even "Maraad? Aren't you over in Nagrand, what are you doing here" - no one from Velen on seems to recognize him in any way, but neither do they have any trouble listening to him or fighting alongside him.

I'd love to be wrong and run into a Maraad, but I'm not holding my breath, and even if we did run into an alternate Maraad, he's never going to replace our Maraad in my heart.

Maraad was right.

That's my first Queue for 2015 out of the way. Talk to y'all soon.

Have questions about the World of Warcraft? The WoW Insider crew is here with The Queue, our daily Q&A column. Leave your questions in the comments, and we'll do our best to answer 'em!