r/classicwow • u/redlow0992 • 1d ago
Forever Beta Feedback My talons will shred your body, **insert player race here**
This kind of dialogue from monsters works for the base-races of classic wow but it is absolutely hilarious when monsters call player "Windshaper Skyborne". Like, what? How do harpies in Barrens know the political and ideological divide between within the Skyborne society and guess which side of the argument do the player character belong to? They should just replace these dialogue with "Skyborne" so that it is less jarring.
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u/Which_Jellyfish_5189 1d ago
It seems every Harpy has to go through racial sensivity training before going out in the wild so they can distinguish not just between elves but between their political alignment.
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u/away-spa 1d ago
Never ask a harpy out at the gym
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u/kabhes 1d ago
Why?
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u/away-spa 1d ago
It was a stretch, making a woke joke given the sensitivity training reference
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u/Zephyr_Sunstrike 9h ago
I'll take this opportunity to tell my favorite WoW joke, too.
What are a Draenei's two favorite Pokémon?
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u/littenthehuraira 9h ago
Gogoat and Skiddo.
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u/After-Let-144 1d ago
The harpies shouldn't even know what a skyborne is. Realistically they'd at most say "Elf".
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u/ksion 1d ago
Die, knife-ear!
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u/rainywanderingclouds 1d ago
exactly, the kind of phrasing OP is looking for here doesn't make sense.
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u/Ok_Protection8223 4h ago
They should spit the phrase "skyborne" at them with venom. Bitch ain't even got wings.
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u/Prestigious_Lime7450 4h ago
I think if anyone has a chance of knowing the Skyborn, it would be the creatures who can fly. If not even the harpies know the skyborn we're in trouble.
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u/Fearless-Diamond3474 1d ago
Windshaper Skyborne from World of Warcraft by blizzard entertainment Inc
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u/RedHowler777 1d ago
Windshaper Skyborne from World of Warcraft: Forever - Beta, 2026 PC edition. Presented by Blizzard Entertainment Inc, a child company of Activision Blizzard, a subsidiary of the Microsoft Corporation.
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u/Arendai 1d ago
Just because they're harpies doesn't mean they can't be up to date on cultural topics!
Next update they will call you Classic Andy or Retail Andy with eerie accuracy.
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u/HildrynMain 1d ago
They'll just straight up say how much gold you bought
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u/Dr-Enforcicle 1d ago
And your IP address, and date/time of birth, and your most-searched character tag on gelbooru.
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u/Eselboxen 1d ago
It's silly, but I found this immersion braking on my hunter. They were yelling at my pet by his name that they were going to disembowel him or something, and I was like how did you know my pet's name. It's not like he screams it when he runs in LOL
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u/Beacon2001 1d ago
This should definitely be changed.
Let me explain something:
Playable humans are Stormwind Humans.
When you make a human, it's specifically a human of Stormwind.
Gilneas and Kul Tiras at this point in time HATE the Alliance, and why would a Dalaran or Stromgarde human start in Elwynn Forest?
Yet the race in-game is just "human". Not Stormwind Human. You are specifically playing a citizen of Stormwind, and yet the game just treats you like a human.
So this naming is just weird. It should simply be "Skyborne".
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u/Randvek 1d ago
I mean that’s true for Trolls, Orcs, and Tauren as well. The Thunder Bluff Tauren were such a minority on the continent that they were on the verge of extinction before Thrall intervened.
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u/AmbiguousAgitator 1d ago
Similarly, the Darkspear Trolls are one of only two or three that have split off from the Gurubashi/Amani/other blood god worshipping sects. Iirc canonically the Darkspear separatists that joined Thrall's Horde are counted in the dozens.
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u/Symaxian 1d ago
Maybe there should be a concept of a <simplified_race_name> which would just be "Elf" for the skyborne.
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u/Efficient_Progress_6 1d ago
Excuse you, I primarily consider myself a Stormwind Human!
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u/Beacon2001 1d ago
Personally I like roleplaying as other kingdoms. Mage from Dalaran, Priest from Lordaeron, Warrior from Stromgarde. Makes the game more fun (I'm a Retail/Transmog andy btw).
But it is important that the in-game race is still from Stormwind.
That is why playable humans do not have Druid or Shaman. Kul Tirans have Druid and Shaman, Gilneans have Druid, but playable humans are from Stormwind and these pagan practices do not exist in Stormwind.
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u/tethysian 1d ago
To be fair the lack of distinction between Stormwind and Jaina's group of humans from assorted kingdoms was always a little strange.
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u/Irazidal 23h ago
After TBC, Blizzard barely even distinguished between Stormwind and the Alliance as a whole.
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u/tethysian 23h ago
Don't even get me started on the "high king" stuff. 😑 It's like Blizz failed to grasp the definition of an alliance.
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u/Irazidal 4h ago
While playing TBC, it was so striking how all the Alliance races got their own moment to shine; Draenei settlements all over since it's their world, a Human settlement in Hellfire, a Dwarf settlement in Shadowmoon, Night Elf and Gnome settlements in Bladespire, even a High Elf settlement in Terokkar. It really felt like an Alliance, like each of these peoples had contributed something to the overall war effort in their own distinct way. And then already in WotLK you get all the races wearing Stormwind armor and a Stormwind tabard...
On a related note, if there's a single minor detail I could change in Forever, it would be to make the crest of Lordaeron the symbol of the Alliance again, as a "neutral" option not directly connected to any of its current members while also providing some spicy conflict with the Horde over the "right" to it.
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u/tethysian 4h ago
Exactly! It felt like all the races were actually working together as equals in an alliance. Then Wrath has Jaina crying and calling Varian 'My King', and Cata hits and they nuke the park -- the representation of new races in the alliance -- and slap down a giant statue of Varian.
I really like the Warchief dynamic for the Horde because the orcs, trolls and tauren basically banded together to form a new tribe, but for some reason that meant the devs had to turn the Alliance into the 'blue horde' with the exact same power structure.
The Lordaeon crest would be better. It's even worse when Stormwind basically sat WC3 out. Jaina and the humans, dwarves and elves she brought over from the north did all the work and made the alliance with the night elves.
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u/UndeadMurky 1d ago
Blizzard broke that with blood elves in TBC though. Blood elves aren't a race, they're a faction of high elves. I assume it's more complicated with elves since there are different types and they need to be distinguished.
But in the context of a creature that doesn't care about politics they should just say elf.
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u/MainDot7096 1d ago
Belves were still visually identifiable by their green fel eyes though. Not so much the case here.
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u/CuteSquirrel01 17h ago
Skyborne are easily identified by their blue paint job.
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u/MainDot7096 11h ago
Yeah but not "Highorder Skyborne" vs "Windshaper Skyborne", that was kind of the point of this thread...
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u/Beacon2001 1d ago
Blood Elves are a race. They are called Blood Elves, not "Azeroth Anti-Kael'thas Blood Elves".
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u/UndeadMurky 1d ago edited 1d ago
No they are not, it's like saying the two skyborne factions are different races.
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u/Beacon2001 1d ago
Blood Elves = Skyborne = Subrace of Elves
Faction of Blood Elves who joined the Horde = High Order/Windshaper Skyborne = Political affiliation
The in-game race is called Blood Elves, not Faction of Blood Elves who joined the Horde vs. Kael'thas Loyalists.
Pray tell, what isn't computing in this very simple analogy?
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u/UndeadMurky 1d ago edited 1d ago
Blood elves are just a faction of high elves who follow Kael Thas and rebranded themselves like 3 years earlier, they are not a separate race from other high elves who didn't follow Kael thas.
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u/Dinoriel6142713 19h ago
Would you say that green-skinned orcs are a distinct race separate from brown Mag'har orcs? Because blood elves have green eyes for exactly the same reason orcs have green skin. I don't think anyone could reasonably make the argument that the difference between green orcs and Mag'har orcs is purely political, so why wouldn't the same be true of blood elves and high elves?
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u/UndeadMurky 16h ago edited 16h ago
I would say they're the same race, just like old horde orcs in black rock etc are the same race. Technically green skin shouldn't be transmissible as it's not DNA but blizzard decided it does just for cool/uniqueness factor.
blackrock orcs and various clans already have different skin tones and they aren't a different race and those are much more likely candidates to be a different race as it is a different gene.
Also note that kael thas declared the blood elves faction in WC3 before he did any of the fel shenanigans in TBC, and I assume some of his followers who stayed in azeroth(eg those in azshara etc) haven't all necessarily snorted fel, yet they're still blood elves, also any high elf could join Kael and become a blood elf at any moment.
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u/Missing42 11h ago
This is also why I think dwarf shamans are a bit of an L. You're playing a Bronzebeard dwarf. They don't practice shamanism. That's a Wildhammer thing.
So far Forever seems to be failing on multiple fronts on world-building nd how that translates to gameplay, which is a shame, because Forever is - or was, I suppose - THE opportunity to fix things like this and craft a new, stronger foundation for the lore.
And yes, I realise one could say they learned shamanism from wildhammer dwarfs and it's just an incredibly niche thing... but if that's your counterargument, I demand gnome paladins and orc druids. It's the exact same logic justifying it, after all.
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u/Bruvvicious 6h ago
Who says when I make a dwarf they have to be a Bronzebeard? Sure, they start in Dun Morough. That’s a gameplay mechanic, though. He could be a Wildhammer if I so choose.
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u/dairymoose 5h ago
You're right this needs to change. Next patch harpies: "Prepare to die, Stormwind Human!"
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u/Key_Arrival2927 1d ago
Back in Legion, I remember same thing happening to allied races. "This ends now, Highmountain Tauren". "Die, Lightforged Draenei".
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u/Ok-Interaction858 1d ago
just say elf. what do the harpy know about the various elf subraces?
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u/kiskoller 1d ago
But they are not even subraces of skyborne, just different factions, right?
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u/Doomsaki 16h ago
Some of the NPC dialogue seems to vaguely imply the sky-elves still have the highborne<->commoner caste distinction. Those with elite lineage kept track of their bloodlines.
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u/AppleMelon95 1d ago
Harpies had Skyborne racial relations in 3rd grade so its no wonder she knows that specific detail.
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u/MakitaNakamoto 1d ago
insert political affiliation
insert race
thats how I approach people as well
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u/ryecoke55 1d ago
When you first go to Stormwind, the humans all call you "Highborne" cause they don't know any better, but this harpy has done her research!
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u/CousinMabel 21h ago
Stormwind: A podunk backwater full of rubes
The Dry Hills: A cultural metropolis full of well educated scholars
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u/hiirogen 1d ago
I had a moment on mine where an Ogre yells "I smash you, High Order Skyborne!"
Seemed real out of place.
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u/Sharizcobar 1d ago
They actually dealt with this very issue in Retail with the allied races. NPCs used to bark “Dark Iron Dwarf” “Lightforged Draenei” “Highmountain Tauren” and “Zandalari Troll” and now just default to the overarching race moniker. I’m not sure how it works for Void Elf - but I think it stays Void Elf because “Blood/Night Elf” is used by NPC barks.
Also the naming convention does not follow the retail dual-faction races. NPCs don’t bark Tushui/Huojin Pandaren, so I don’t know why it isn’t just “Skyborne” in Forever.
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u/Asheeva01 1d ago
Agree, it's really stupid. Should be Skyborne or just Elf.
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u/Live-Habit-6115 22h ago
Or perhaps simply, "dickhead".
Y'know, spice it up. Give 'em some attitude
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u/MisterPrig 1d ago
Just because you kill each other it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be politically correct.
lol
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u/Thoravious 1d ago
Yeah this is dumb, Pandaren are a neutral race and they don't have this.
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u/PM_Me_Modal_Jazz 1d ago
My assumption is that Skyborne are coded differently so the different factions can have their separate racial
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u/AppleMelon95 1d ago
You don't think they should've forced players to pick between the two fan-favourite races, Tushui Pandaren and Huojin Pandaren?
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u/Zestyclose_Way_6607 1d ago
THIS BATTLE SHALL BE LEGENDARY, GREG FROM DOWN THE STREET BUT NOT TOO FAR LIKE JUST OVER THERE
a little too specific
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u/lesupermark 1d ago
Impressive that even while shapeshifted, the foes don't mistake your race or gender. Quite perceptive, especially when we wear armor too.
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u/Amphitera88 8h ago
dumbest npc moment for me, back in DF: centaur calls my character "two-foot", while my character is literally a stag.
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u/rainywanderingclouds 1d ago
why would a barrens monster have the intelligence to know what race you are
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u/tethysian 1d ago
All the humanoid races are intelligent. Hell, even the raptors are building huts and planning silver heists.
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u/Remonsterado 17h ago
Canonically, can we call a harpie racist? Don't they breed with any humanoid?
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u/moon-lesbian 1d ago
This happened back in Legion with things like Lightforged Draenei and Highmountain Tauren too, and they fixed it so thst they'd say the generic Draenei and Tsuren instead. So they do have the tech to fix this
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u/ragnarbones 1d ago
It’s like how the guards in the Horde area of Silvermoon are somehow able to distinguish the difference between Horde Pandaren and Alliance Pandaren.
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u/ShadowsGuardian 1d ago
and that my friend is exactly why Blizz should've went with "High Elves". You'd be called out for being high all the time lol
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u/tethysian 1d ago
They can't becsuse they're not actually high elves. They're highborne, hence skyborne
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u/Coffee_Wizards 1d ago
Yeah I HATE that the different factions skyborne are called different things. It's so dumb. Just call them both Skyborne, we can tell what faction their from
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u/Zavodskoy 1d ago
My favourite is when random mobs use my characters name, like they'd possibly know it
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u/StomachPast1235 1d ago
advanced racism, she's able to pinpoint your ethnical background and political ideology purely based on your phrenology
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u/SacrificesForCthulhu 1d ago
I went through here last week on TBC anniversary, and one of them said "A fine trophy your head will make, Stoneskin Totem II"
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u/SorrowAria 1d ago
I forgot who it was, but it was a human NPC in Booty Bay. They referred to my paladin as “human,” as if becoming a pirate had transformed him into a different race entirely.
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u/tycoon39601 21h ago
Transforms change the race on your player tag so it makes sense they’d respond differently.
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u/disastrous_hyena759 1d ago
At least this one doesn’t write “High Elf.” Take the small w where you can, guys.
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u/zzzornbringer 1d ago
a very minor detail that points out a bigger issue imo. they should just call the skyborne. pandaren also are just pandaren. or is this some sort of dev inside joke to just irritate the shit out of the players? because these skyelves pop out everywhere seemingly.
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u/Venture33 1d ago
I feel like it ought to be case-by-case, with mobs using generic demonyms for peoples they have little established history with, and more specific ones where that history exists. Harpies might just call a troll “troll,” while Amani mobs could call one “Darkspear.” Furbolgs might recognize night elves specifically but mistake Skyborne for highborne. A Titan construct might classify humans, dwarves, and gnomes as “cursed,” elves/trolls/tauren as native fauna or hostiles, and orcs as unknown.
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u/google_is_hard_for_u 1d ago
Imagine if they said your actual name. “A fine trophy your head will make, Mo Lester.”
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u/Alone_Question_3811 23h ago
Skyborne are so out of place in wow forever it's insane. Unfortunately, with how many people are playing the beta right now blizzard probably thinks they did an amazing job
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u/EnemyOfEloquence 22h ago
It's such a dumb name. We don't call trolls Darkspear Trolls. Just call them elves
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u/AdventurousSea5267 22h ago
Would’ve been awesome if they called the players “Sky elves” instead, it fits the sort of lines enemies would throw at you lol
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u/Lingarien 21h ago
Funny thing though, if any random race would know this, it would probably be Harpies.
Since they can fly, and therefore possibly reach the flying island where SkyBorne are from.
And since they kidnap males of other species for procreation, meaning they would have a reason to possibly approach settlements and such.
So there is a vauge possibility that a Harpy could know this, even if unlikely.
(I can't think of any reason others, like a random Ogre, could know this though.)
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u/MinimumInternal838 21h ago
They called my male troll puny. I cried on the run back to xroads. I'm not puny!
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u/minescast 20h ago
I think what they should do is make the harpies mock whatever race the player is. For this, just make them say "Windshaper" is quotes and something about how the sky is theirs or something.
Little things like that would help things sell the RP of the world
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u/Derebeare 20h ago
It does feel a little immersion breaking. I had a mob yell "Me no scared of Ghostfang like you!".
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u/Imaginary_Wait9762 19h ago
If I had a say I'd make the harpies add on to this and get longer-winded each time your character hits some hidden milestone.
"A fine trophy your head will make, Undead who prefers to be called Forsaken in service to Sylvanas and has recently leveled his leatherworking to 300 which curiously makes you still unable to make boots that cover your elongated toenails calling into question the durability of your prod-" is dead
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u/Mega_Trix 16h ago
What you dont think
I will cut you [player.race] with my [enemy.feature] you [player.race(insult)]!
Is flavorful or cool
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u/BearSeekSeekLest 14h ago
just because she flies aimlessly around the desert for her job doesn't mean she isn't educated with student debt
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u/Ganthritor 12h ago
I also found it funny that ogres specify Night Elf, as opposed to just Elf when they want to smash your head in. Very courteous of them to make that distinction.
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u/dawne_breaker 12h ago
Harpies are more well-versed with the elves of Azeroth than me. I couldn't tell one elf from another. Well, night elves sure... but the rest. Not bothering. Someone look up the harpy education system!
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u/LastSecondSeatbelt 19h ago
She could have at least said "Windshapa" but she had to hit em with the Hard R
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u/McBun2023 12h ago
I bet somewhere in the spaggheti code, there are lines that don't let you have races on both faction with the same name
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u/2m4r0 1d ago
Prepare to die **checks notes** High Order Skyborne!