According to WoW Realm Pop, Warlocks are the least played class, right behind Shamans, at 7.6% if players on US Realms.  In a WoW Insider article posted back in April, they revealed that GuildOx had determined that Warlocks are the least played class in heroic raiding. Cynwise even has a whole series of posts dedicated to the Decline and Fall of Warlocks in Cataclysm.   According to my own opinion, the real reason for the warlock’s low level of desirability is the fact that Draenei cannot be warlocks.  As an example, lets look at the Shaman.  Currently 7.1% of US Alliance players are Shamans (via Realm Pop), as compared to the 0% of Alliance players that were Shaman before the class was opened to Draenei.

Ok, I know that is the worst example ever, since no Alliance race could be Shamans before Draenei. Hey, a gal can exaggerate every once in a while right?

Eredar Twins in Sunwell Plateau

Now, I am well aware that Draenei lore does not really support them being Warlocks.  The name Draenei means “exiled ones” in the Eredun language.  The Draenei were originally Eredar, who, under Velen, fled the corruption on their home world brought about by the fallen titan Sargeras.  The remaining eredar, led by Kil’jaeden and Archimonde were eventually turned into a race of warlocks and sided with the Burning Legion (wowiki).  The Draenei settled on the planet they named Draenor and led a relatively peaceful life with the native orcs, until they too were corrupted by Kil’jaeden himself, who had been hunting the Draenei since they peaced-out of the whole ‘siding with the Burning Legion’ deal.

Archimonde in Mount Hyjal Summit

So, Draenei have not had a nice time with warlocks, I get it, but that doesn’t mean I can’t want to play one!  I have tried to play warlocks of other races, I had a 71 gnome warlock who was deleted, along with a level 12 goblin who was also deleted.  Currently my human lock is 38, and my blood elf lock is 36.  I just can’t get into it.  I am convinced if I had a Draenei lock, she’d be the fasted alt to 85 yet.  It would be the best, I’d probably make her my main.  I’d have a felhunter named Phuumon, and an imp named Kazpit.  Maybe she wouldn’t zoom to 85, I’d turn of my xp and farm dungeon gear so I could turn my xp back on and level up through bg’s.  That probably sounds even more ridiculous than the subject of this post, but that is exactly how I leveled my hunter, lol.

I’d also get wear the most amazing warlock gear, like this:

Chest & Shoulders – Warlock Tier 6 – Robe of the Malefic and Mantle of the Malefic

Waist – Anetheron’s Noose

Hands – Widow’s Clutches

Staff – Staff of Sinister Claws

Super Creepy Warlock Shoulders – Valorous Plagueheart Shoulderpads

Chest – Watcher’s Tunic

Waist – Mage-Fury Girdle

Hands – Hands of Darkness

Legs – Elegant Leggings

Feet – Saltarello Shoes

Staff – Zhar’doom, Greatstaff of the Devourer

So, if you’ve stuck with me this long, you’re probably wondering how I think they should incorporate Draenei warlocks in lore.  Well if you are (or aren’t) here it is.  During a quest in the Swamp of Sorrows, Velen states, “Even now, the true battle between the forces of Light and Darkness approaches. We will all be called to join, and in the face of this conflict, all mortal suffering will be meaningless”.  The Warcraft story will eventually come back around to the Burning Legion.  They’re out there still, and they need to be stopped.  We’ve all heard that the best way to fight your enemy is to use their own strength against them.  If the Draenei are to be at the forefront of this battle, they are going to need understand warlocks inside and out.  To acheive this understanding, a brave group of Draenei will need to study the fel arts and learn how to use it. Only then, will they be able to harness this power against the evil that has hunted them for so long.  I will be that Draenei, and I’ll look good doing it!