The Light and How to Swing it (Warcraft RPG)

[Zonack]

Hello my friends!
Again I come to trouble you with my problems!
So well as I mentioned (I think) in another post, I am gonna run a story for the first time of my life (YAY).
And I decided to run Warcraft for the following reasons.

1.- I love all of Warcraft games.
2.- I love Warcraft story.
3.- I know a good deal of Warcraft lore
4.- The only thing that my buddies know of Warcraft is that there is a dude called ''Arthas'' and a dude called ''Illidan''.

So well it's great to run a story when your buddies doesn't know squat about...

So anyways as a new DM myself I could use some general advice of how to run a story, also if someone here knows about Warcraft lore I would appreciate some help.

It's mostly about ''The Holy Light'' and the Paladins and all who serve it.

How different is a Warcraft Paladin from a D&D Paladin?
Warcraft Paladins doesn't have codes, but I am sure they don't do chaotic stuff (unless they apply the old method of ''The end justifies the means'' in some cases).
What roles does the Naaru play in this role? How are they exactly related to the Holy Light?

Anyways I think you know where I am heading, basically I want to know how Paladins behave and how is their code of conduct etc.

Oh and is Warcraft RPG D20 3.0? or 3.5?

Cheers!

[Foryn Gilnith]

Depends which edition. The more recent one is 3.5-ish IIRC.

Read WoW Wiki for fluff, it helps. What it says about the Light is...
1) Generally non-theistic, disorganized so that accounts vary
2) Three virtues - respect, determination, and compassion
3) Be true to emotions
4) Be happy and try to make others happy.

IMO these could push a Holy Light Paladin towards most of the good-ish alignments. As a non-theistic, disorganized philosophy with a focus on the self, it could very well push towards chaos. However, as this is a Paladin we're talking about, the duty to improve the universe can easily move towards Law.

[Optimystik]

Warcraft Paladins are closer to Divine Minds (CP) than actual Paladins. They share abilities with their companions depending on the aura (mantle) they have equipped, and have access to minor magic depending on those mantles they choose. A Warcraft paladin would choose among the Good, Law, Life, Conflict, Guardian, Justice, Physical Power and Repose mantles.

[Starbuck_II]

Oh and is Warcraft RPG D20 3.0? or 3.5?

Cheers!

Warcraft d20 is 3.5. So is World of Warcraft RPG.

Both are decent sourde books.

[Zonack]

Aha nice thanks for the answers.
Is there a thread here somewhere to help new DM's ?

[GolemsVoice]

Also, keep in mind that human paladins serve the king first, while Draenai and Dwarven paladins serve the light directly. Though I think the Knights of the Silver Hand accepted all races, if you're playing pre Third War.

Paladins in Warcraft are a little less stiff than your average paladin in generic D&D, since they have no code of conduct, as you said, and are not servants of a specific deity with a very specific set of rules. Some paladins may also be agents of a "worldy" power, and be sent as ambassadors or bodyguards.

The Light basically is a universal concept, which I personally find very cool. It states that all beings are connected somehow. By bringing joy into the world, you increase the sum of joy "in the system", thus making the world, and all who are connected in it, a better. The opposite is true if you behave selfish.
The Light HAS an organized church, but, as far as I was able to gather, since there is no specific story attached, no specific rites dictated by some book (like in most real-world religions), the service rather depends on the particular priest, and, I imagine, would boil down to "yeah, we're all connected, do no evil, share your joy, etc."

I also dislike how the Light is portrayed in WoW. It is NOT, as I gathered from the sourcebooks, some kind of god or divine power that looks unfavourably upon "heathens" or smites the evildoers. As WoW RPG says correctly, the only true deity in Azeroth is Elune.

[Grynning]

Aha nice thanks for the answers.
Is there a thread here somewhere to help new DM's ?

So You Wanna Be A DM?

A must-read thread. It's in the "notable threads" sticky at the top of this board.

[Athaniar]

The Light is basically like the Force from Star Wars.

And the Naaru, they are kinda mysterious. Think of them as the angels of the Warcraft universe.

Warcraft d20 is 3.5. So is World of Warcraft RPG.

Although one must remember that the first (Warcraft) edition is essentially another D&D setting, while the second (World of Warcraft) is somewhat different from what you find in the SRD (it has its own classes, for example).

[Zonack]

The Light is basically like the Force from Star Wars.

And the Naaru, they are kinda mysterious. Think of them as the angels of the Warcraft universe.



Although one must remember that the first (Warcraft) edition is essentially another D&D setting, while the second (World of Warcraft) is somewhat different from what you find in the SRD (it has its own classes, for example).

Yeah I was coming to the conclusion that the Light was kinda like The Force... and nice view about the Naaru!

[Foryn Gilnith]

The Light HAS an organized church, but, as far as I was able to gather, since there is no specific story attached, no specific rites dictated by some book (like in most real-world religions), the service rather depends on the particular priest, and, I imagine, would boil down to "yeah, we're all connected, do no evil, share your joy, etc."

Services are pretty much like that. The central church of the Light is just a library of various philosophical musings on what the Light might be and its implications for the world. I expect priests would be fairly independent in their interpretations.

I also dislike how the Light is portrayed in WoW. It is NOT, as I gathered from the sourcebooks, some kind of god or divine power that looks unfavourably upon "heathens" or smites the evildoers.

Accounts vary. Without a central authority to enforce the truth, "cult" offshoots have formed, some of which consider the Light a theistic entity.

[GolemsVoice]

Accounts vary. Without a central authority to enforce the truth, "cult" offshoots have formed, some of which consider the Light a theistic entity.

I've got no problems with actual in-game characters believing this, as the wide variety of beliefs and ideologies within the Warcraft factions has allways fascinated me, and Warcraft had always thrived on internal conflict, but sometimes it seems like Blizzard itself uses the Light as a cheap "higher power" against evil, not it's followers. For example, when the fallen crusader in Icecrown, the one who had succumbed to the Plague, is promised eternal paradise by the Naaru. It's really not a major complaint, though.

[AtwasAwamps]

Also, keep in mind that human paladins serve the king first, while Draenai and Dwarven paladins serve the light directly. Though I think the Knights of the Silver Hand accepted all races, if you're playing pre Third War.

Paladins in Warcraft are a little less stiff than your average paladin in generic D&D, since they have no code of conduct, as you said, and are not servants of a specific deity with a very specific set of rules. Some paladins may also be agents of a "worldy" power, and be sent as ambassadors or bodyguards.

The Light basically is a universal concept, which I personally find very cool. It states that all beings are connected somehow. By bringing joy into the world, you increase the sum of joy "in the system", thus making the world, and all who are connected in it, a better. The opposite is true if you behave selfish.
The Light HAS an organized church, but, as far as I was able to gather, since there is no specific story attached, no specific rites dictated by some book (like in most real-world religions), the service rather depends on the particular priest, and, I imagine, would boil down to "yeah, we're all connected, do no evil, share your joy, etc."

I also dislike how the Light is portrayed in WoW. It is NOT, as I gathered from the sourcebooks, some kind of god or divine power that looks unfavourably upon "heathens" or smites the evildoers. As WoW RPG says correctly, the only true deity in Azeroth is Elune.

1) They are loyal to the king as the head of the country, but should the king conduct an act of indecency they will counter them. There also exists an entire order of Paladins that bears no respect whatsoever to the respective rulers of the factions and races beyond that which they deserve as rules (if you play currently, watch Tirion Fordring in the in-game scenes. He chews out leaders on both sides when they taunt one another.)

Additionally, there are several firm paladin organizations in the game that player-characters technically belong to. For example, Horde Blood Elf paladins, by default in canon storylines, are Blood Knights.

2) The Light is essentially positive energy. The Shadow is negative energy. There you go. Both can be used for good or evil.