Pathfinder in Azeroth (Warcraft universe)

[Vulkan]

Hey guys what are your experiences with running a Pathfinder game in the setting of Azeroth during one of its events before WoW? Does it normally work out or does the limited Spells hurt the high magic feel of Warcraft?

[Karl Aegis]

Doesn't that limit the races available to Elves and the mechanical faction? They never really interacted. If I recall correctly, World of Warcraft goes back to before the schism of the elves into three factions: the Night Elves, the High Elves and the Naga with the Well of Eternity instance.

[Vulkan]

I'm thinking more like 3rd war stuff.

[Gemini Lupus]

Doesn't that limit the races available to Elves and the mechanical faction? They never really interacted. If I recall correctly, World of Warcraft goes back to before the schism of the elves into three factions: the Night Elves, the High Elves and the Naga with the Well of Eternity instance.

I believe you are mistaken, that's all just part of the lore of World of Warcraft. The game proper doesn't start until after the events of Warcraft III and its expansion. In my experience it works quite well, particularly since there are two 3.x compatible game books. One is just the Warcraft RPG and the other is the World of Warcraft RPG. Since Pathfinder is likewise a high magic setting, it doesn't really change much from a standard campaign except it is set in Azeroth.

[Vulkan]

So it's safe to just list off a few races and classes and say "Alright boys were heading to Azeroth!"

[Seerow]

So it's safe to just list off a few races and classes and say "Alright boys were heading to Azeroth!"

Yeah, should be fine if the lore/world is what you care most about.

If the players are expecting Tabletop WoW they'll probably be disappointed, since most of the classes in PF don't match up very well with WoW classes.

[Vulkan]

Oh no I'm going for pre-wow I'm going 3rd War (love the avatar btw. He died a hero) like I'm pointing at Warcraft 3

[Spore]

Oh no I'm going for pre-wow I'm going 3rd War (love the avatar btw. He died a hero) like I'm pointing at Warcraft 3

With all the "metzconning" that is happening in the real WoW Lore, there is no consistent timeline called canon anyhow. If you really want to stretch it, just tell your players they'll be playing in alternate universe Azeroth (the one connected to AU Draenor and setting of the current expansion). Have Gul'dans plan succeed and him taken out of the picture by some Manaari Lords, flooding the world with demons. You can consider the Lich King up or not (depending on which version of the happenstances in Shadowmoon Valley you prefer) or you can have the core WoW races meet before they actually did.

- Having High Elves clashing with Zandalari Trolls AND Humans being caught in the crossfire isnt that outlandish.
- Having a free undead faction under a powerful undead leader is also not weird for that kind of setting.

Problem just is: You have to rewrite a whole part of the lore. Use iconic figures again (Thrall beginning his way to shamanism and failing to stop Grommash, thus making some orc clans succumb to fel orcs, or Muradin himself picking up Frostmourne) and mix up the stories.

[Yora]

I think simply going with things as they are in Warcraft 3 and Frozen Throne should be simple enough. That game makes it all sound very clear and consitent.

Since Pathfinder doesn't have subraces, I think races can be used as they are. The only thing you'd need to homebrew are trolls and tauren (I would start with lizardfolk and ogres as a base). Regarding classes, I personally would go with sorcerers and oracles instead of wizards and clerics (though perhaps oracles without the curse). Barbarian, fighter, rogue are good as they are. If you want rangers, I would use the Skirmisher archetype that doens't have spells. Druids could be done as Natureoracles. If there is no archetype for paladins that uses spontaneous casting, that would be pretty easy to make yourself.

[Solaris]

In my experience it works quite well, particularly since there are two 3.x compatible game books. One is just the Warcraft RPG and the other is the World of Warcraft RPG.

There's a few more than that; ten books (including original and revised) by my count. They're only so-so on quality, and I think they were trying to bank more on the fandom than on producing something really worthwhile.