Tauren vs Dwarves.

[Unholymoly]

wew...it took quite some time to get to the end of this heated conversation. Didn't expect this thread to be soo hot. But really, I'm quite amazed that in all that 2-3 pages of discussion regarding who is and who isn't and who can and who cannot be a shaman, nobody gave reference to far seer nobundo (for those who don't know who he is, he is a dranei holy paladin, a Vindicator in the Hand of Argus, in the dranei community when they still held grand cities like shattrah and karabor but became a broken during the siege of shattrah due to exposure to the blood mist and lost his ability to wield light but gained shamanic powers instead while being a broken not to mention how he was shunned by his own people whom he bravely defended that caused his deterioration in to a broken) as he gives u the perfect example of answering all those questions and as far as I understand the ordeal that he went through, it is that the elements only judge your worth as their vassal before opening up to u (which allows you to commune to them and wield their powers tldr; be a shaman) and not whether you are a beautiful or intelligent or experienced being / race that has ancient ties with communing with the elements / nature.

Anyways as far as the topic is concerned, dwarfs bruh no point in even doubting that. The tauren are too laid back for their own good. Of course they are a deadly foe if they are enraged but they are by far a very peaceful race that aims to maintain their status quo the same (other than one clan that is) while dwarfs dont have any such inhibitions and get easily triggered thanks to the political scheming that their leaders are used to. (proved by the extreme infighting between the clans)

This is just one man's humble opinion anyways. Ultimately if Chris decides to make tauren wipe out ironforge even though its logically impossible, I'm sure he will find some excuse to do that (although that would be destroying the product).

Yeah, no one referenced to far seer nobundo, but both sides of this conversation stated multiple times that any individual, gifted or by some means of fate, is able to acquire shamanistic powers. Even teach them to others when you are mentored by both the elements and a being as powerful as Velen.
If I remember correctly the debate was over races being given shamanism as their lore out of nowhere. (sudden text describing how that race was shamanistic long ago even though it was never mentioned in the books etc. standard retconning)
And there is no doubt that Nobundo is a shaman, nor would there ever be doubt even if he was a gnome, since the elements called upon him and taught him shamanism themselves, leading to him understanding it and following the path.

[NeganReichstag1]

Dwarves are good blacksmiths and they forging weapons, while Taurens are getting milked by orcs in Thunder Bluff like nomadic savages.

[Kasai]

Lore and society-wise we could all learn something from the Tauren (inspired by Native Americans), they are truly happy they way they are, take from the land only what they need and live in relative peace whenever they can but everyone fears them when called to war. Between separating from the Taunka and migrating to Mulgore until the near-extinction at the hands of the Centaur (which was by dint of sheer numbers) and meeting the Orcs they had no reason to aspire to be more. Even before reading WoW Chronicles I and II they were by far my favorite race in the game.

That said choosing between a peace loving race and a technologically advanced militaristic race ? no contest sadly, if the Dwarves put their minds to it they could very easily annihilate the Tauren :(