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Warriors
#1
Hello, this little article is to discuss and elaborate on the most played class on the CotH server and my favorite gaming class. I intend to bring up some points to think on for proud owners of a warrior and ideas for those who have not yet been blessed to have such an honor. My objective is not to present a bunch of information, but rather to help you interpret information and apply it to your mad skillz yo. If you manage to get through this, please feel completely free to discuss it publicly. Voice your approval or disapproval. Also, if you do like it and you have some role-played archetypes to add to the list PM them to me and I'll place it in there with credits and examples. Please argue with me over examples. So without further adieu:

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Lets me start by telling you what you've probably seen in the character creation screen already. Warriors come from all walks of life. With this in mind, I want to say that the Warrior as an ingame class is the most versatile, being able to wear all armors, and wield all weapons, save for wands. I also want to say that this versatility and flexibility reflects their nature as a role-played class. Think of the Warrior as a blank slate. As any other class, it's assumed you've got some special ability. As a blank slate you've go a lot of room to build on a character, so enjoy it!

Warrior, as an Archetype:

The warrior in its classic archetypal form represents physical vigor, heroism, and a stoic demeanor. At the same time, a 'good' warrior will express self-sacrifice, honor, devotion and loyalty to 'good' cause. An 'evil' warrior abandons the code of conduct and justifies their savage nature by distorting truths. As it is said, the first casualty of war is truth. If your warrior is good or evil, or somewhere in between, you can benefit from understanding the class on both ends of its spectrum.

The warrior represents culture for some, and a necessary mean for others, and as you role-play your going to want to recognize. Some fight for the gratitude of their province, and others fight for heavier pockets. A warrior is in tune with their weaponry and their equipment, and they become tools of destruction or even protection.

There are many archetypes played as warriors, and I'm sure you can name a few. I've put together a small list of some I've seen and some that may be worth trying out.
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The Brute - AKA Brawn w/o brains, Meathead, stoopid orc, The savage. Your going to see this archetype played as members of the Horde on most occasions. It pisses off the GMs here at CotH, or at least stoopid ork does. I think it's less of the archetype and more of the portrayal. Let's set the record straight, the Brute is not mentally challenged, but it often is portrayed as such. The Brute is not so much dumb, as much as he chooses not to think. The Brute tends not to ponder the trivial topics of art and love and blah. War is their art and it may be all they know. They are quick to abandon ethics and morals for the sake of victory. Their application of stoical indifference transforms into cruelty and they become convenient villains because of this. They follow orders blindly, assuming they follow orders, and they do so without guilt. Do not mistake their decision not to think as stupidity. They may be poorly educated or morally challenged, but The Brute's skills suggest his mind is in working condition. (Examples: The Spartans. The Brutes of Halo. The Enclave soldiers of Fallout. Grunt of Mass Effect 2. )

The Soldier - Here's my favorite quote from a videogame: "I'm not a warrior, I'm a soldier. There's a difference. Warriors attack and conquer, they prey on the weak. Soldiers defend and protect the innocent—usually from warriors." - Carth Onasi.

This sums up the Soldier into a neat little package, but suppose we open that package up. The soldier represents the goodness of being a warrior. A soldier must be self-sacrificing, loyal, and fearless. A soldier almost always serves a higher-up, usually to the best of their ability.It is regrettable that their loyalty is abused, or misused very often. They serve their province for any variety of reasons, but the outcome is a devoted and disciplined fighter capable of heroism at it's most elemental. (Examples: Soldiers exist today in the form of your country, and other countries' armies.)


The Mercenary: If other warriors fight for survival, or king and country, or honor, the Mercenary fights for his pockets. His allegiance lasts with whomever is signing his checks. They may be professional, or they may be uncouth, but they are in it to win it. They are motivated by worldly materials and earthly desires. The characters learn to be tough, or learn to be charismatic. They often let their morals decay and quickly become expendable. There would be less mercenaries around, if not for the sense of survival they develop in their risk-for-reward lifestyle. Virtuous mercenaries are few and far between, and even they quickly become something different. (Example: PMC's. Rios + Salem from Army of Two. Early Han Solo.)

The Knight: The knight is the pinnacle of morality when it comes to warriors. They risk life and limb for a cause and never cave in to violent urges. To my understanding, in the middle-ages Knights were not even killed, but returned to their castles after being captured. This portrays their reluctance to kill, but their devotion to honor and combat. Knights participate in jousting and sparring as sports and serve others before themselves. A knight is likely to have a strong spirit and even in the hands of less-than-capable rulers, they can make rational and ethical decisions on the battle-field. Their heroism manifests in their ability to protect themselves, their king's property, and their woman. At their best they are devoted, dignified, and defensive. At their worst, devoted, proud, and inflexible. They walk a thin line between being more Lawful, or more Good. (The Brotherhood of Steel of Fallout.)

The Thug: Think of an articulating Brute, or a charmless Mercenary, when I say Thug. The Thug follows only one rule of engagement: Mob rule. They are their strongest in large groups and choose to outnumber and overpower their enemies. They are brawlers who are toughened by being lone wolves and become fatal in mobs. A thug is usually a criminal, and a thug is devoid of morals. If they had the finesse they'd be thieves, but they don't. They have all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Instead they use their battle-hardened mind and body to wage war with anybody who gets in their way. Real go-getters. ( Example: The Turnbull A.C's of the Warriors. The Raiders of Fallout)

The Leader: The leader has to be smart to survive as long as she has. She cannot have survived as long as she has and gained all the experience by running into battles headlong. The Leader knows how to court strategy. Leaders are experienced and older. They've seen blood spilled and have committed to war for a while. Although the Leader may be the General safely in a bunker forty miles from the front, the Leader could also be somebody who bleeds in the trenches with their men. The Leader is not particularly good or evil, but after fighting for so long they develop a sort a connection with the men under their control and a connection with the men they must kill. It is a connection of respect, and maybe even compassion. The Leader softens up a bit around their allies, but how can they help it? (Example: Odysseus. Othello. Elder Lyons of Fallout.)

The Adventurer:
The most ambiguous of archetypes for a warrior. They've learnt how to fight and use it as a means of self-defense, usually. If you were to roll any random race as a warrior without thinking what you were going for, chances are they'd gravitate to the adventurer. They are neutral, mostly. They may or may not be skilled, but if they aren't sure what they are doing, you can assume they are novices.



Warriors and Races:

(The format is, first paragraph is fact, second is my interpretation.)
Alliance:

Human: Humans have had it rough and without their warriors, they would never have lasted as long as they did. They have largely relied on the strength of their knights to take care of business. They are bolstered by legions of armored Foot-soldiers, and any Human can be roused to defend their home when the time comes. Their sworn enemy is the Orcish Horde, but they are no stranger to the Scourge and the native wildlife in the world they call home. Humans are known for their resilience and they can end up on the furthest corners or Azeroth.

Warriors from this race are flexible in many ways. You can expect a mercenary, as much as an adventurer. At the same time, some end up as knights on horseback, guardsmen, or loyal soldiers. If they were represented by a tech tree on a whole, I'd say it was Protection, hands down.

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IF Dwarf: The Dwarves represent a burly member of the Alliance. Although they are shorter compared to humans, their stocky build and heavy mass give them the strength to compete. The Dwarves come from a history of clan warfare, but also share a history with the Humans of the Alliance. Dwarves embark on adventure and their warriors often end up as treasure hunters. Their military strength is boosted by their mastery of engineering in the form of rifles, bombs, and Steam tanks. While you could call a Rifleman a warrior, your likely to call him a hunter.

A Dwarven warrior is likely some form of a treasure hunter. They easily fill other roles too, like brawling drunk, guard, or a sell-sword. If they were represented by a tech tree, I'd say it would be closer to Arms, but that is an opinion.

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Gnomes: Gnomes are tiny and not particularly menacing. They've dealt with warfare with their technologies and discoveries. Their warriors, I believe, manifest themselves as Engineer-soldiers. Gnomes don't give their defenders battle-axes and shields to fend off the enemy, instead, they do their math/science thing and come up with more creative ways to deal with maddafacks. Speaking of maddafacks, I'd cite a certain group of Gnomes on using combat to deal with foes.

A Gnome warrior will often resort to more subtle means of combat, like machines and engineering. They are just too small to hold their weight against adversaries. If they are represented by ANYTHING, that anything is the Profession of Engineering. Get at it, soldiers!

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Night Elves: Night Elves are the second largest of the Alliance races with their women maxing out around 300 pounds. A Kal'Dorei warrior could be pretty versatile, but they fill at least one role nine times out of ten. They are women. The Sentinels, the Night Elf's primary military organization, is comprised of women warriors who prefer the bow and arrow and circular glaives. Their archers are said to be able to take out an intruder in their forest without said intruder ever knowing what hit them. When you think Night-Elf warrior, think stealth and guerrilla tactics. They fight and navigate in dark forests and they turn that into an advantage.

A typical Night-Elf warrior is usually a woman with the discipline and skills to work in smaller groups. I could see mercenaries, archers, infiltrators and the like. If a tech tree represents them, I'd be inclined to say Fury,. Then again, I'd also be inclined to say Hunter!

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Draenei: Draenei, for all their apparent physical strength, gravitate to more magical careers. Their warriors aren't even warriors at all, they are Paladins. Namely, the Vindicators. I'd write on the Vindicators, but I'm writing on the warriors so I'll write what I know. A warrior, in the Draenei theater, is centuries old. For all this age, I don't think we can really classify them as particularly experienced in the art. They were scrubbed off of Draenor by the Orcs under their demonic influence. Even worse, they've been on the run from demons, opting for flight over fight. Many Draenei are dead, and some of those Draenei were warriors.

A playable warrior Draenei, I believe, shares parallels with their Paladins. Knowing the race, I think mercenaries and sell-swords would be extreme rarities. I'd see most warrior Draenei as guardsmen in the Exodar and patrolling protectors in the surrounding areas. If there's a tech tree for them, it's got to be Protection


Horde:

Orcs: Yeah, I've bet you been waiting to get to this part. The granddaddy of warriors, the Orc. They've got a few things going for them in the art of war waging. The most apparent being how large they are. Orcs are nearly as big as they get and they know how to put this advantage to work. Orcs were chosen by demon lords to play as shock troops. They nearly wiped out the Draenei and crushed the Humans of Azeroth. Their green skin is a testament to their bloody history. Nowadays, the brain of the Orcish culture is with the wise shamans, and not the Warlocks. But their brawn has always come from their warriors.

I think Orcs make the perfect warriors. While I feel they'd lean to more barbaric warrior archetypes given their status, I could also see them being very sought after. They are smarter than Ogres and nearly as strong and if honor wasn't an issue they'd represent a large portion of the mercenary community. I don't see Orcs as guardsmen, in that in Orgrimmar, crime is done a little differently. I see Orcs as just basic warriors and I think they do it the best. A tech tree would be either Fury or Arms.

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Trolls: The Darkspear Trolls have been isolated on their islands until contact with the Orcs. They were most likely a hunter society then, and their warriors now may have hunter roots. They use spears, axes and knives in close combat, and they know how and when to throw them too. They are tall and lanky and although I don't see them out muscling their Horde peers, I can see them using their skills as a hunter to wage war with the best of them.

A Troll warrior could be influenced by island life and be something of a hunter. At the same time, they could be influenced by the Orcs and have moved on to using large axes and swords. Trolls are pretty cool, in that I can see them in a variety of roles. Morality is never an issue when you'd eat your own sister! If they've got a Tech tree, I think it is also Fury or Arms.

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Tauren: The Tauren represent the largest race of the playable characters in World of Warcraft. Although it is easy to mistake them for gentle giants in the scope of their more belligerent buddies, do not assume they are pushovers. They've been at war with the Centaur since before the Orcish arrival, and much Tauren blood has been shed. All Tauren proclaim they are on The Great Hunt and that they are all hunters, and this is true. But when the time comes, they've been known to channel their rage and exhibit their immense strength.

The Tauren warrior, in play, is the most imposing of any character you could roll. They can be pretty versatile, but I think your average Tauren will always be using that 7 feet or so of Cow to their advantage. Their tech tree strikes me as Arms.

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Undead (Forsaken): The Forsaken are the risen dead of Lordaeron. Men and women who, even in death, find the need for warriors. I see little in difference between human warriors and forsaken warriors. The Forsaken do not follow the same code of conduct, or even share the same morals. They are not restricted by fatigue and pain whereas the living feel these. Forsaken do not, however, heal like humans do. The Undead in Warcraft 3 enjoy an accelerated healing factor in blighted zones, but a crippled healing speed outside of it. At the same time, the Undead are hurt by healing spells cast by the Paladin, instead of healed. Similar functionality on World of Warcraft.

Undead warriors are morally ambiguous. Honor for them is not the same as Orcish honor. 'Dying' for the cause is unnecessary to them as they've already suffered a similar fate. I see the Forsaken, as a whole, resorting to more strategical means of carrying out their combat, and if you make an Undead warrior, it's not a bad idea to keep that in mind. The Forsaken warriors are pretty flexible, even if their limbs are not. As far as tech trees go, I can see them going in any direction equally.

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Blood Elves: Blood Elves do not have a Warrior class option and there is a pretty good reason. The Elves do not resort to the mundane to kill things, they usually go to magic. Or bows and arrows. But that's a start. I depict a quintessential Blood-Elf or High-Elf warrior as a ranger with a trusty bow and a short sword to shiv fools. The closest your going to get to a warrior with the Elves is either a Blood Knight, or a Ranger. Both classes being held up by Paladin or Hunter, respectively. It's a shame the Blood-Elf is so small. A dwarf overcomes them pound for pound, but at least they might be able to fend off a gnome.

If your going for a Blood-Elf warrior, I think you have a lot of leave way to be pretty creative. Keep in mind they come from a society absolutely devoted to magic. Every Elf in Warcraft 3 uses magic, every last one. Their closest thing to a soldier is a Spell Breaker, or an Anti-magic mage who dons ceremonial armor and a glaive. As a Blood-Elf warrior, I think you can expect to be wearing very pretty armor (Pretty, not good.) and graceful weapons. At the same time, you'll enjoy a magic-laden background. IF a Blood-Elf could roll as a Warrior, that tech tree may be Fury or Protection.. Or some pathetic combination of both. Sissy.
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The Armory

Dress up time! Now what good is a Warrior if not for that plate armor he gets at level 40! (It's still 40 right?) In all seriousness, however. We've discussed the warrior, now let's discuss his equipment.

One of the most enjoyable benefits to role-playing a warrior is the cosmetic options you have at your disposal. Glowing swords, oozing shoulder-pads, ornate shields, and flowing capes, all for the choosing. Now, before you go ticketing T6, take a moment to understand why your getting armor for your character. Reason one, to look cool. Mission accomplished. Unless your taste for armor sucks, but I can't help you with that. Reason two, to fit your role. Now, I, nor anyone else, can tell you if your armor is working on portraying what you want it to. However if your the rookie farmboy from Elwynn with Tier 4 Shoulderpads, I'm gonna assume you fought in all three great wars, and eat Orc toes for breakfast. We make assumptions on what we see, and if you want to look cool, that's good. Don't overdo it though and look gaudy and moronic. Unless your trying to. When your looking for armor, go for something that strikes you as fitting of the character. Your warrior is wearing the armor, not the other way around! Don't let your appearance enslave your characters, let it complement them.

On to weaponry. Try the same thing. You don't want your battle-axe speaking for you. Unless you do. At which point I'll only be able to interpret "HI DER I OOZE BLOOD." Don't let your desire to look super cool overpower the purpose of items on a role-play server. To help you role-play. If those weapons on your back are giving the wrong messages, it's only hurting the immersion. It may take a few tries to get the right look, but always strive for the balance.

By now your brain is mush TL;DR
Don't let your equipment act for your character. Let your character act for your equipment.
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#2
Walluce Weekly raves -
A brilliant guide and a must read for anyone rolling a warrior! I know I'll be using it. Five stars for sure!
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#3
Warrrriors come out an' plaaaaay!

In an unrelated matter, this is a wonderful topic. Props.
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#4
Ah thanks, this has reminded me of an armor and weapons guide I was planning on making. Warriors are certainly my most favorite class. One thing I suggest you add is the height ratios on races. I've trained in formal training with shinkendo a while back, and against smaller people more-so than taller I had trouble while sparring (The height differance was roughly 4 inches, and it was enough to force me to over-throw most of my downwards slashes). This is because I had to change my entire grip on my weapon, and stance. So a gnome, though kickable, is actually very hard to slash because well-drilled attacks would stop above their head. Stabbing also proves akward when you're drilled to go for the chest of someone infront of you roughly your size.
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#5
That smells of combat guide! I'll consider another section on fighting though.I may leave that honor up to you , however.
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#6
sorry for spelling, I'm typing from my phone on abumpy bus.

EXactly my thoughts!

Imagine trying to swing your sword down at a gnome. Almost all of your training has been fighting someone our own size. And now a fighter half you size or smaller comes along... Your swings would not have nearly as much power unless you did a Dow ward swing which would
leave your legs too open, or a side ways swing pointed down which would be easil parried dodged, or blocked. An upper cut swig would be your best bet, but would be an easily parried with a counter swing knocking the sword away.

Gnomes get a bad wrap in a fight, but seriously, imagine a two foot tall feature running at you wtb rocket boots, an axe rotating at high speeds, and an electrically charged swords. Nearly
unable to counter an attack due to the small amount of swings
you can do whih the gnome (in their long lives) hav most likely learned
to counter.
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#7
Very nice guide! Well done! :)
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#8
Great Guide! Thing about Undead and being warriors though and the difference between the undead in WC:3 and WoW is that the undead in WC:3 are part of the Scourge and they do get increased healing from the blight. Forsaken however are more similar to the humans for the fact that they are now free willed and might not benefit from the blight the same way a scourge undead does, unless the benefit from blights are physiological of course. But then, the Forsaken can't produce blights anymore..well, I have heard of a few scientists in a few retail quests trying to reproduce it though.

I like how you pointed out that they fight more strategically than most, and they do know their limitations. I mean, they did try fighting toe to toe with human knights during the first days of Forsaken Independence. Well, that failed mostly due to their weak structure. They crumbled under the strength of the human knights. That's an important bit about Forsaken warriors too, that they are indeed, weaker than others for their fragile physiological structure. I see more of their warriors as roguish in nature, and indeed, most succumb to guerilla tactics. Thus you see most of them wearing ninja-like or roguish gear. That was the reason I made the Knights of the Queen, to make some knight-looking Forsaken who are experienced and trained to fight toe to toe with human knights. Heh. I can't blame them too...two of the greatest strategists in Azeroth lead them; Sylvanas and Nathanos Blightcaller.
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#9
Haha, ironic part? My comment was gonna be "Warriors, come out and play-ay!" before I even looked into the thread itself.


Comical note aside, -very- well done Touch! I honestly think anyone rolling or playing a warrior should give this a good read.
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#10
(Y) :>
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