Mage Racial Archetypes: Race Specific Visual Customizations
Warcraft lore is packed with Mage archetypes, but in game every Mage plays and looks almost the same regardless of race.
A racial archetype for every playable race, focusing on how we could distinguish them through race specific visuals (only visuals), unlockable through Glyphs, or a new customization option like a talent tree or something else. The outcome matters most, not the way of unlocking them.
This is a list combining lore and some of my ideas. Let me know if I missed some lore, or feel free to drop your own ideas. Or tell me it is a list of bllsht. For visual clarity, these customizations could be toggled off in rated PvP. Additionally players could choose to enable individual customization options rather than being forced into all of them at once.
Warning: because every playable race can be a mage this will be a long list ! !!
At the bottom of this post, you'll find links to my other race/class combinations, as well as a step by step breakdown of how I created these concepts.
Alliance
Human (Archmage)
Archmage Khadgar, Archmage Modera. A classical Kirin Tor inspired Mage. Nothing too much special about human mages, the visuals as they are now are very well suited for them.
- Flying mount: If you mount your flying mount you will be transformed into a flying arcane raven
- Barbershop: Great long beards for males or long hair types that stick out of your armour for females
- Critical strikes: summon for a brief time a kirin tor magical eye above you, arcane, frost or fire variant according to the casted spell.
Dwarf (Mystic)
Tymor, Mystic Ward in Ironforge. A more titanic magic mage, because dwarves study and sometimes revere the Titans. Their cold homeland makes them great frost mages.
- Frost spells: a more snow white colour
- Fire spells: frostfire spells colourization
- Arcane spells: more rectangular forms
Gnome (Mechano-Mage)
NPCs Gnomeregan Mechano-Mage, Gnome tech. A mix of a mage and an engineer (not a tinker). Also there is an official gnome organization called: Enlightened Assembly of Arcanology, Alchemy and Engineering Sciences
- Frost spells: added small mechanical containers with blue liquid
- Fire spells: added small rockets into spells
- Arcane spells: added small clockwork into spells
Night Elf (Shen’dralar)
Archmage Mordent Evenshade. A mage of highborne descent, influenced also by the moonguard order of night elves.
- Frost spells: aquamarine moonwell colour
- Fire spells: silver/purple lunar flame colour
- Arcane spells: added small arcane stars effect
Draenei (Augari)
NPCs Relaxing Augari. The draenei order of mages Augari made of the Wakeners and Consulate. Ancient powerful Eredar magic users.
- Frost spells: the ground freezes beneath the spells for a brief time
- Fire spells: powerful white fire swirls added (to not harm the surroundings)
- Arcane spells: added small arkonite crystals
Worgen (Royal Archmage)
Royal Archmage Arugal. Gilneans have archmages and Arugal was one of their most famous ones. Arugal enchanted his items, so the royal archmages have also this ability, and they are very proud of their possessions.
- Barrier Spells (prismatic, blazing, ice): Instead of making a barrier around you, your armor gets enchanted by the respective school of magic, transforming it into fire/frost/arcane magical version of it
- Critical Strikes: Your critical strikes transforms your weapon into a magical artifact of the respective school of magic
- Time Warp: A big magical clock on a chain appears on your neck when the ability is active
Void Elf (Umbral Magister)
Magister Umbric. Void enhanced spells. because their mastery over void enables them to merge it with arcane.
- frost spells: shadowfrost visuals
- fire spells: shadowflame visuals
- arcane spells: dark cosmic arcane
- portals: look similar to void portals
Lightforged Draenei (Battlemage)
NPCs Lightforged Battlemage and Archmage Y'mera. Battle proven mages that fire spells from weapons.
- Spell cast: instead of casting your spells from your hands, they will manifest from your weapon, your weapon glows with the particular magic school’s magic for a brief time,
- Casting time: when you cast a spell you perform with your weapon a rotating battle movement, in the moment a projectile spell emits from your weapon, you point the weapon to the target.
- Barrier spells: instead of a barrier a draenei inspired spectral shield of the particular magic school appears on the back of your forearm.
Dark Iron Dwarf (Pyromancer)
Sorcerer-Thane Thaurissan, Pyromancer Flamehearth. Like everything with dark irons, they are good with fire.
- Fire spell criticals: If you land a critical with a fire spell you become slightly more transparent and red/yellow and a burning flame around you appears, the more criticals you land in a short time period the effect will become stronger visually, it then slowly dissipates after you stop to cast fire spells.
- Frost spells: Frostfire visuals (in direct opposition to the bronzebeard dwarf mystic concept)
- Arcane spells: Will get added arcane flame effect.
Kul Tiran (Hydromancer)
Zerx Hydromon WC3. Jaina Proudmoore (but she is not a hydromancer but is a Kul Tiran mage). I was considering the kul tiran tidesages but they are a mix of shaman/priest to me. So a kul tiran mage is an arcane spellcaster but their spells look more watery.
- Frost Spells: Will get a sea green colour visual
- Fire Spells: Will get a white burning steam visual
- Arcane Orb and Arcane Explosion: Gets an arcane tidal wave(s) form (bigger orb, smaller explosion)
- Arcane missiles and Arcane Barrage: Dripping arcane water drops form (bigger barrage, smaller missiles.
Mechagnome (Spellgunner)
None. Fully made up concept of mage that fires spells through magical guns.
- Fire Spells: You cast your offensive fire spells through a deployable magical flamethrower that dissipates after a while you don't use a fire spell
- Frost Spells: You cast your offensive frost spells through a deployable magical cryo-gun that dissipates after a while you don't use a frost spell
- Arcane Spells: You cast your offensive arcane through deployable magical shoulder mounted cannons that dissipates after a while you don't use an arcane spell
Neutral
Pandaren (Omnia Mage)
Fei Li, NPCs Omnia Mage. The Shado-Pan group of Omnia has mages and priests. I am adding an influence from the Lorewalkers and some martial art movements.
- Channeling spells: You perform them with an animation of reading of an ancient pandaren scroll
- Instant cast offensive spells: Performed through a backflip kick, or a fast front kick if more instant cast spells follow each other.
- Barrier Abilities: Taking on a form of swirling magical scrolls around you of the particular magical school.
- Out of Combat casting spells (Teleport, Portals, Conjure Refreshment): You cast these spells while you meditate and hover.
Dracthyr (Thaumaturge)
NPCs Dracthyr Thaumaturge. The Dracthyr have all of the five dragonflights power, so blue dragonflight with their arcane mastery will be dominant for these Dracthyr. And also the chrono magic of the bronze dragonflight.
- Spell casting: You cast your offensive spells out of your dracthyr mouth, casting time hand circling is replaced by a deep breath animation.
- Arcane Spells: Gets a bronze chrono magic colourization
- Fire Spells: Gets a blue arcane dragonfire visuals
- Frost Spells: Will get added white crystalline effects
Earthen (Runic Archivist)
Archivist Frunhil. The archivists are a group of earthen that preserve memories and knowledge. This is only a speculative concept and a lore stretch, but maybe with their vast knowledge of the titanic order magic enables them to cast spells like a mage.
- Spell casting: You cast your spells from your left hend while you read an earthen magical tome in your right hand.
- Instant cast spells: Gets an animation of a strong closing of the magical tome
- Barrier Spells: Take on a more rectangular titanic influenced shape
- Ice Block: Is replaced by a magical stasis chamber
Haranir (Aln-Weaver)
No lore stated. This is again only a speculation, but some of the Haranir use Alndust which is a Azerite in particle form and Azerite is arcane in nature.
- Arcane Spells: Take on a blue/gold Azerite colour visual
- Frost Spells: Added blue crystalized Azerite to them
- Fire Spells: Added gold Aln-dust effect
Horde
Orc (Arcweaver)
Arcweaver Kashra. The Kor’kron orcish mages that have been pardoned by Thrall for their crimes. Again only my speculation but their spells could be more rageful and raw than other mages.
- Fire Spells: Black smoldering fire effect added
- Frost Spells: Gets jagged ice elements added
- Arcane spell criticals: If you land a critical strike with your arcane spells you perform a quick victory roar with your eyes glowing with purple arcane energy for a brief time.
- Ice Block: if spec'd as fire it will get a molten rock visual, if spec’d as arcane it will get a rough arcane crystal appearance, for frost spec it will get more jagged ice elements.
Troll (Ritualist)
Uthel'nay. Totally made up, but I imagine a troll mage as an arcane wielder that is inspired by the loa.
- Pyroblast: Have a spectral fire dragonhawk form (Jan’alai)
- Arcane Barrage: Have a spectral arcane serpent form (Ksu’la)
- Flurry: A flurry of small spectral sleek ice sharks (Gral)
- Critical Strikes: a spectral tiki mask with the element according to your specialization float above you, the tiki mask will get more magical effect visuals the more critical strikes you land in a small time window.
Tauren (Runemaster)
Petunia Glimmerhoof. No particular lore, except a mention that tauren mages are runemasters, that see the ley lines as earth mothers veins.
- Projectile offensive spells: (Like frostbolt, pyroblast, arcane barrage etc.): These spells are casted through a mighty stomp of your hoof instead of casting them with your hands
- Projectile offensive spells: (Like frostbolt, pyroblast, arcane barrage etc.): Instead of flying through air all time, these spells fly from the ground up firstly.
- Defensive and Out of combat spells (Ice block, barriers, portals): Summon a magical rune of the particular school of magic on the ground beneath you for a brief time.
- Critical strikes: Summon a magical rune of the particular school of magic on the ground beneath your target(s) for a brief time.
Undead (Dark Sorcerer)
Meryl Felstorm. The lore is that undead mages are what they were when they were humans. They however mostly prefer frost magic. There are also liches, but they are scourge beings and they use too much death magic in my opinion to be an mage archetype.
- Frostbolt, Fireball, Arcane Barrage: takes on a form of a frost/fire/arcane skull projectile
- Arcane Missiles, Flurry, Cinderstorm : takes on a form of small arcane/frost/fire skull projectiles
- Ice Block: Have a magical frost coffin appearance
Blood Elf (Magister)
Grand Magister Rommath. The lore is strong for the classic blood elf mage archetype. Influenced by the spheres and phoenixes of a blood mage.
- Icicles: Will have frost spheres visuals
- Water Elemental: Will have a frost phoenix appearance
- Arcane Familiar: Will have an arcane phoenix appearance
- Arcane Intelect: Summons also arcane spheres
- Pyroblast: Will have a great fast flying phoenix appearance
- Fire Critical Strikes: Will summon fire spheres (atop of your sunfury spellfire spheres)
Goblin (Magician)
The Great Akazamzarak. I imagine a goblin mage as a comical mage, with card looking spells and a magical hat.
- Spells: Thrown out of a summoned magical hat
- Frostbolt, Fireball, Arcane Barrage: takes on a form of a frost/fire/arcane card projectile
- Arcane Missiles, Flurry, Cinderstorm : takes on a form of small arcane/frost/fire card projectiles
Highmountain Tauren (Leywalker)
No lore. So I made up this: they recognize the arcane, the leylines as earth mothers veins, and they commune with it through shifting into the spirit realm, very similar but not the same as Spiritwalkers.
- Spell Criticals: If you land a critical strike, you summon spectral highmountain tauren spirit empowered by the magic of school you landed a critical strike with. This spirit will accompany you for a brief time and mimic your casted spells. These spells have no damage or additional power and the spirits cannot be targeted. Max two spirits at a time.
- Ice Block/Alter time/Invisibility: Shifts you into the spirit realm
- Blink: You perform a fast bull rush through the spirit realm
- Polymorph: You transfer the target into the spirit realm
Nightborne (Arcanist)
First Arcanist Thalyssra. Great lore and great mages, the best of arcane and chrono magic users.
- Fire Spells: The burning effect of fire spells will get a purple spellfire visual
- Frost Spells: The slowing effect of your frost spells look like a slowing chrono magic effect.
- Casting a Spell: Makes you levitate a little
- Portals: Will get a nightborne portal form
- Channeled Spells: You are levitating in a beam of arcane magic
- Mana: You get an arcane glow around you when you enter combat, the more mana you use the more your hands start to glow with arcane magic.
Mag’har Orc (Highmaul Arcweaver)
Taruka Flamehand. A mage that learned arcane arts from the Highmaul ogres in the alternate Draenor.
- Spell Casting: Your casting spells animation looks like preparing for a punch with your hands and then releasing the punch.
- Instant Casts: You perform a powerful clap of your palms
- Channeled Spells: Highmaul arcane runes appear before you when you channel a spell.
- Time Warp: becomes an arcane bloodlust, when you are affected by it, a purple bloodlust icon appears above you.
Zandalari Troll (Arcanital)
Pakina. Arcanital Mara'kah. I decided between Illusionist and Arcanital, Illusionist sounds more interesting to me, but Arcanital won (on the second time).
- Fire Spells: A more golden colour of fire
- Frost Spells: A more grey colour of frost
- Arcane Spells: A teal colour of arcane
- Critical Strikes: Summons a spectral zandalari mask on your face for a brief time of the particular school of magic.
Vulpera (Conjurer)
Like everything with vulpera and their classes there is no lore at all. So I made up an archetype that a vulpera mage is fascinated by conjuring new things because they are so resourceful.
- Conjure Refreshment: Your refreshment table takes various races feasts visuals
- Offensive projectile spells (Pyroblast, Frostbolt, Arcane Barrage): Your spells can randomly be bigger, smaller or cast two of them at the same time, without any additional power.
- Blizzard reverse: Shards come from the ground up
- Flamestrike reverse: Falls from the sky down
- Arcane Missiles: The Missiles hit the target from various angles.
Shamans:
https://www.reddit.com/r/wow/comments/1wckcml/comment/p97d72q/?context=1&screen_view_count=4&ext-referrer=DIRECT
Paladins: https://www.reddit.com/r/wow/comments/1wdt6g7/comment/p9dodcd/?screen_view_count=5&ext-referrer=EXTERNAL
Druids:
https://www.reddit.com/r/wow/comments/1wj2i7d/druid_archetypes_visual_customizations_according/
Priests:
https://www.reddit.com/r/wow/comments/1wmaria/priest_archetypes_visual_customizations_according/
Hunters:
https://www.reddit.com/r/wow/comments/1wsbvsk/hunter_archetypes_visual_customizations_according/
Warriors:
https://www.reddit.com/r/wow/comments/1wxgve8/warrior_racial_archetypes_race_specific_visual/
My concept: step by step:
First I need to find a name for the archetype, because I have been a wow player for a long time and a lore junkie, some of the archetypes, like a blood elf magister are simple to find out.
Then comes the race/class combinations that blizz have established very little or any lore at all. There I was searching for an NPC to give me an anchor to what to do next. The best sources I use are wowwiki and some reddit posts.
When there is no NPC or lore figure at all, I continue to make up a name according to the characteristics of the race, like a mechagnome are great engineers and have mechanical body parts, vulpera are resourceful scavengers etc.
When I get the names and NPCs/Lore figures for every race, I do a small description text to every race/class combination, to help me imagine what the archetype should look like.
The next part is the hardest, the visual customizations. And here in most cases I need to run my imagination wild. In this Mage concept, the majority of the visuals are pure speculation with some lore or made up lore by me, to back it up.
There are some visual customizations that are really lore wise accurate and are not present in the game, like a night elf priest using holy light with a moonlight appearance, or a worgen warrior using claws instead of weapons.
My idea is that every race/class combination can have these visual customizations, the lore of wow is so rich that it's a shame that its not present in the game.
The last part is to make an image, only to see an overview of the archetypes. So I use MS paint with downloaded images from the internet. I know I could use photoshop or something better for the image, but I really don't have the skills to do that.
If you read the post to the bottom, the next race/class combination post will be for rogues, and also I am waiting for the 12.2. patch to do a second version of the paladin concept, with added undead, night elf and troll paladin archetypes.