Druids Missing Limbs

[Agaric]

I'm not exactly sure where I should put this, or if this question has already been asked, but sorry for any inconveniences.
From what I can obtain, if druids lose a limb in one form, they lose it in their others. My character recently lost his hand, which has a major effect on his other forms. While most classes and races could simply obtain a robotic limb, I cannot see this fitting so well with Night Elves or Tauren. Another problem with a robotic limb is that it would not be able to help a druid when they shapeshift, for obvious reasons. Are there any suggestions that could be ICly used for a druid who has lost a hand/paw to obtain another one, or to work around this problem?
Any replies or even theories are welcome, and thank you for taking the time to read this. xD
Edit: Fixed a few grammatical errors.

[DaveM]

You sure can't insta-grow a hand, and even robotic hands are problematic even for other races.

Then again, it's a world in which ressurection works.

As a druid, I'd use a mix of growing myself an attached elemental plant-hand or such, for basic purposes, and nurturing it into slowly phasing into flesh. I'd RP this over a few weeks. And yea, it would work in the other forms too. I'd also probably RP it being weaker than the other and diformed even after the process is complete.

[Harmonic]

Actually. I'd say unless you are an amazing troll, if the limb is gone, the limb is gone. Plant hands and stuff like that really aren't possible.

[Agaric]

Ah, thank you for clearing that up. Would it be possible for a blacksmith to craft an attachable claw for the druid for one of his forms? Or is that also impossible / too against nature?

[Dilly]

The turning wood into flesh thing really wouldn't work, methinks. Seeing as there isn't really a reverse-barkskin thingy mentioned anywhere. However, seeing as Druids can bend stuff, they could form a hand out of wood and plant it into their body. That would require a lot of effort and power though. Moving small roots is one thing (and it's still reserved for the more powerful Druids), but transforming a whole chunk of wood into something so perfect is different. Then again, the hand would really be immobile. Unless, of course, the Druid would move it with their magics. Which wouldn't really be comfortable, 'cus in order to grab, let's say, a quill, the guy should sit around for hours, trying to bend the fingers.

So yeah. Just my opinion though.

[waffenbaum]

Speaking of prosthetics, there's nothing (as far as I know) that seems to indicate that even gnomes are capable of the kind of precise and delicate engineering it would take to make metallic aggregates to replace lost limbs, even if some gnomes apparently RP that they have robotic eyes and hands. That seems completely impossible given the state of technology which at this point in WoW's lore seems to advocate heavy, loud machinery that runs on steam or coal.

Considering how doctors in our real world have only recently made technological breakthroughs that allows for robotic limbs that can be controlled by the mental impulses of the wearer (and not very precisely at that), I'd call it a stretch if anyone were to create something that difficult ingame.

What you are looking at is most likely something like this:



The wooden digits allows you to bend the fingers around things, and it can be moved to some degree. But you wouldn't be able to do much else than manipulate it directly, and it wouldn't be an organic part of you, which would mean that just like your clothes, it would vanish in animal form and return in elven form.

As unlikely as it would be, your best bet would probably be to have a mage infuse the prosthetic with a spell of animus (like the brooms in Silvermoon), allowing the hand to function on its own accord. It would simulate life, but you'd probably get tired of the hand flipping people off at random after a while.

[waffenbaum]

Another picture, courtesy of the Smithsonian:



I hope these can give you an idea of possible solutions. Both hands were fabricated in the early 19th century. It was not uncommon for army officers at the time to replace lost limbs with wooden prosthetics that allowed them to lock the fingers around a cavalry sabre or any other weapon that didn't require anything but a firm grip.

The first image shows a hand which could be placed directly into a socket mounted on the damaged arm of the wearer, meaning that he could own several different utilities, from a hand to a hook or a prong, whatever suited him best at the time. The second picture shows a leather/wood prosthetic which was worn exactly like any long-sleeved glove, but which didn't posses the same firmness to it that allowed for grasping and wielding things. It was mainly for show, and probably belonged to a lady of the era who lost her hand (or part of it) for whatever reason.

[Agaric]

Thank you for all the feedback.
Well, that makes my decision. I believe that while in Nelf form my druid shall have no hand. However, I intend to get a blacksmith to forge him an attachable metal claw for my cat form. This would take a couple of seconds to put on and make shapeshifting quite a task. However, it would also give him the ability to run on all fours again. If there are any objections to this, please state them below.
And Waffenbaum, thank you for going to the effort to show me what a prosthetic limb would look like, and helping my decision.

[Sol]

Actually, gnomes apparently do have the capability to construct mechanical prosthetics, as evidenced by the existence of this fine fellow: Gerenzo Wrenchwhistle. Technology in Warcraft is... indecisive, at best; the Deeprun Tram seems to hover, while tanks go on crude metal wheels, and in my time I've seen people roleplaying their guns as anything from muzzle-loaded, powder-charge muskets to catridge-ammo rifles to God forbid, combat shotguns. Worst still, there's bits of lore all over the place pointing that all of these might exist in synchrony. Shudder. Now, the fact that the guy has a model of a gnome wearing gloves might indicate that his prosthetics're indistinguishable in shape and functionality from a real hand when concealed - or, well, that Blizz are lazy and don't think things through. Probably that second one. Yeah.

However still, any non-engineer and even some still would have a rather iffy time with a prosthetic, seeing as they're going to be clunky, hard to manipulate and generally unwieldly, not to mention being hard to maintain - especially if you didn't build it yourself, or have a schematic handy. The fact that you have no means of actually manipulating the hand through your nervous system doesn't factor into the equation - this game has rocket boots and death rays and crashin' thrashin' robots! Clap your hands if you believe! :D

... that said, they'd hardly be widespread. A more basic prosthetic is pretty much the only way to go. My shaman Vortakh has a block of wood and leather in the place of his left hand in something akin to what Waffenbaum has linked.

EDIT: Ah, few minutes too late. That's what I get when I write several irrelevant paragraphs. T_T

[waffenbaum]

I intend to get a blacksmith to forge him an attachable metal claw for my cat form

That's a whole different ball park. There are many different prosthetics available for animals, although these are a product of a society where we value our pets so much that we are willing to spend large sums on them, when it would make more sense to have a disabled cat or dog put to rest. However there are those who choose to have animal prosthetics made, and below you can see one such:



It's a very simple design that allows the animal to run, jump and do almost everything it could previously (with certain limitations). Constructed from a lightweight metal and grafted directly to the bone of the animal, it allows the skin to grow over the prosthetic limb with time.

A whole paw made of metal would be very unwieldy and above all heavy to a point where it would impede running.

Here's another type of artificial animal limb which could perhaps be created in a somewhat cruder form with the right tools and know-how. Hope they help.