Blog Azeroth

So at Blogatelle, we're doing religion week. We've already posted up a Do It Different on Holy Priests. We've got one for Shadow Priests coming up tomorrow, probably.

The problem, though, is that to do one of these posts we need to know what the role-playing stereotype for the category is. Holy priest is easy enough, they're the good, loyal follower of some divine power, working to help their flock. The shadow priest is the avatar of some dark force, bringing its fury upon the world.

But what the hell is a discipline priest anyway?

I have no idea, and neither does Jess. Anyone else out there got any better idea as to what it means, role-playing wise, to be a Discipline priest?

I think a disc priest is someone who is very meticulous. Very restreigned and calculated, who thrives on routine and rules and wants order and the utter abolishment of choas. Where did i get the idea from? Well... they're called DISCIPLINE priests... so there's what I think...

Now I hope no disc priest will hunt me down and smack me on the head with their staff... *runs and hides*

The simplest approach could be to use Good = Holy, Evil = Shadow, and Neutral = Discipline. Pardon my D&D-derived stereotypes.

The Discipline Priest is the type of Priest that doesn't touch little boys.

*chorus of boos ensues*

And Matticus has officially turned the audience the quickest.

LOL

I'm with Phae; Disc is probably of the neutral persuasion. While I play a disc priest, in WoW I'm not much of a role-player, so unfortunately, I haven't much to offer on the subject.

*ahem*

as a shadow priest, I always see myself as using the dark forces to serve the forces of good, and the light. Ok I'm a night elf, so Elune.

No clue on Discipline, but I like Aendi's description best.

And Phae...we are NOT evil *hisses into shadow form*

A discipline priest is one that lives for RULES.

I think Aendi's description fits. To expand upon Phae's D&D reference, Lawful Neutral is what comes to my mind when thinking of a Discipline priest. Maybe like a Monk... self restraint and control?

OP: I had always thought of the discipline priests as more like your current holy priest description. I didn't pay a lot of attention to my priest-specific quests to get a whole lot of backstory to them but I kinda grouped holy priests with the scarlet crusaders -- a bit overly religious. Burn-the-sinners overly. And then shadow was like yours... And I thought of discipline priests as more like monks from other games. Disciplined. The most knowledgeable and scholarly of the three, I guess.

But that's just me.

To take examples of real-world religious figures and apply them to these specs; I think that Jesus is Holy, the Angel of Death is Shadow, and King Solomon is Discipline.

Take from that what you will.

I agree with the lady... Even "good" gods need servants who can smite the heathens. Not to mention that looking at the lore in the game, they get the same quests and train and worship in the same place as all other priests.

Depending on how the talent tree shapes up in Wrath, a discipline priest can also be a priest with high self control (Meditation, Pain Suppression, Inner Focus), and a mastery of mind over matter (Focused Will, Pain Suppression).

Trust me, guys. We're not going to fall into the Holy Priest good, Shadow priest Evil malarky, and we're not satisfied with Discipline priests being neutral, either. There needs to be a scale other than good vs. evil at work.

Seriously, go check out our first one for Holy Priests. The Miracle Man is, if not evil, then at least a very bad man.

If I had to think of anything, I would say that the Discipline priest is more of a protector.

The Holy priest heals, the Shadow priest hurts people, but the Discipline priest focuses on preventing people from being hurt in the first place.

At least that's my take on it, knowing what (admittedly little) I do about their talents.

And THAT'S what I needed to hear. You got it, Pixelated Executioner. You nailed it in one hit.

BEAUTIFUL.

Cool!







Do I get a cookie?

You can have one, but we need all we can get to stop Sean from getting too cynical.

I get a cookie in twenty minutes. I'm thinking apricot.

I'd like to think of a disc priest as a Shaolin Kungfu type Monk spiritual person, they don't have the fanaticism of the Holy side - they are still of the light but are about endurance, and challange - Personal and spiritual acheivement, Pushing the mind and body to the limits, combatitive, but only when forced to defend. Never angry but not quite Vulcan,

I have to agree. This one nailed it. A simplified and sensible answer.

From my PoV as a holy priest, I've always sort of thought of Disc priests as Paladins. Just with dresses. Where paladins are (to me at least, and forgive me if I'm entirely off base) the Holy Warriors that will whap you with their big damn hammers till you see The Light (or stars), Disc priests do a similar thing, but will the spell-casting power of The Light. They are tough, resolute, the sort of missionary or evangelizing warriors for Good that will leave the cloisters and chapterhouses behind and go out into the world and get down and dirty with the worst of the sinners, the lowest of the low and cleanse them with a holy fire.

For those curious, here's how we eventually resolved it. The Holy Priest serves, the Shadow priest is a renegade, but the Discipline priest leads.