The enigmatics Pandaren They are one of the most elusive races on Azeroth. Pandaren come from the Pandaren Empire of Pandaria. They are humanoid pandas with a great love for nature and… beer.
The Pandaren are originally from the center of Kalimdor where they established the Pandaren empire. They were allies of the night elves until they saw how their obsession with magic it was out of control. The clans left Kalimdor, turning away from obsessive magic, and made a new home on an island they named Pandaria. After the Cataclysm, some Pandaren returned to the new Kalimdor to explore it. Once a mighty empire, the Pandaren settle for a safe and peaceful home. With the end of the Third War, the Pandaren have been encouraged to visit Kalimdor.
They are a breed of humanoid panda bears. The amiable appearance of these noble creatures should not be underestimated. They may be cute but they are not harmless. Pandaren have a long tradition of the art of war and are incredibly strong and agile. His traditional fighting style focuses on mobility, speed and precision, as well as forceful jumps and acrobatic movements. Many Pandaren only need the skill of their hands to fight an enemy.
Only the Pandaren know the ins and outs of their society but alcohol is known to be part of their culture. These creatures are excellent connoisseurs of beer and the strongest beverages, a relationship they have with the Ironforge Dwarves. There is a caste of nomadic warriors known as Master Brewers and they are highly respected in their culture.
There are some Masters who have settled on Kalimdor in their search for new concoctions and ingredients to add to their drinks. Pandaren are gentle and noble, trained in the art of war but in search of permanent peace.
His philosophy focuses on a harmony of the opposites: masculine - feminine, order - chaos, existence - nonexistence. This breed feels a strong bond with the natural world and they seek peace between all races and nature.
Very few Pandarens have left the secret island of pandaria although there is a settlement in the Sierra Espolón only for those who have proven to be strong warriors specialized in the art of Drunken Combat with great control of the elements.
The most famous warrior of this race is Chen Thunderbeer who aided the half-orc Rexxar and the Horde after the fall of the Burning Legion. Nobody knows what became of him as a result of that help, but some of his barrels have been found destroyed by the Barrens.
Chen's help to Rexxar does not imply that they are allies of the Horde, they are not affiliated with either one or the other, surely because of their philosophy of balance. This breed seeks peace and defines itself as independent.
Appearance
This breed is reminiscent of a cross between panda bears and humans. Although they bear an apparent similarity to the Furbolgs, the Pandaren are less feral and savage than these. They measure approximately 1,70 on average and their movements are quite precise. Although they have strong humanoid features, their rsid traits are recognized and in fact, they can run on both 2 and 4 legs. They are as smart as Humans and see twice as far as Humans in all conditions, even semi-conditions darkness can distinguish all colors.
No race other than Pandaren has ever seen the elusive island-nation of Pandaria.
Culture
Society
Each Pandaren belongs to a Shao'din which is still his word for "clan." Pandaren society has changed since its inception. They have gone from a society based on the art of war, to the search for peace.
Pandaren society is compartmentalized in many ways. At their core, the Pandaren treasure Peace and Creativity. The vast majority of Pandaren are poets and singers, and artisans are highly valued in their culture. However, with their lives in danger, they have had to evolve and adapt a class of warriors to defend their ideals. From the simple boobies to the great shodo-pans, everyone makes sure that the pandaren culture survives.
Faith
The Pandaren have a deep belief in the connection between the material and the spiritual world. In various ways, the faith of this race reflects the ancient beliefs of the Kaldorei and the tribal thoughts of Taurens, Trolls, and Orcs. However, the Pandaren base their beliefs on an ancient and mystical method, known as Geomancy. Geomancy teaches that the Earth is a reflection of the Spirits and that the Spirits in turn are a reflection of the Earth.
Like Furbolgs and Taurens, the Pandaren have shamanistic beliefs worshiping the Madre Tierra. They're true Geomantic since they extract their sacred powers directly from Mother Earth.
They think of themselves as water flowing around a rock: The water doesn't push the rock away, it just surrounds it. With this simple approach, the Pandaren wake up each morning facing the day to day. If they start a task and fail to execute it, they will think they have chosen the wrong path and will try again. They do not regret mistakes in the belief that they chose the wrong path and that they will undoubtedly do better next time.
Although it seems like a simple life philosophy, the Pandaren apply it to every aspect of their lives, from beer to adventure. They are affable beings who will always extend a helping hand to a homeless man on the road, although if the homeless man turns out to be hostile, the hand of friendship will quickly become a fierce weapon.
Acupuncture
The Pandaren are known for their art of Acupuncture. There are acupuncture points, such as the one found on the right hand, that can quickly accelerate the heart rate while contracting the muscles. Other points, on the left hand for example, can calm if necessary.
Beer
Something that may surprise those who have seen a Pandaren, is its infinite worship of beer. Most of the religious and devotees of Kalimdor regard alcohol as a drink for the masses that clouds the minds and makes it difficult to contemplate the gods. Pandaren laugh at this concept. The ideal day of a Pandaren begins with meditation and ends with a good drink in the company of a good friend. They love hanging out in the taverns, telling good stories and sharing their beers by paying for rounds for everyone present. Those who have been lucky enough to come across a Pandaren and have shared their beer will have found without a doubt the best beer they have ever tasted.
The Pandaren culture is very ancient and refined, so many traditions and arts mark its lifestyle, although not as much as the art of Beer. The drink is found in all aspects of a Pandaren's life and due to the arts and crafts that surround it, distilling powerful drinks has become an institution for the people of Pandaria.
Brewmasters travel the world to search for new and exotic ingredients as well as recipes. These teachers should not confuse you as their warrior arts are deadly because they combine healing and martial arts. With their knowledge of alchemy, potion making and distilling, the pandaren have created incredible beers and spirits that have become great drinks to drink both before and after combat. The concoctions have magical properties in the form of plants, berries and mushrooms that house powerful spirits within them. Only an exquisite distillation could unleash the magical powers.
There are few things more revered in Pandaren culture than beer. The best soldiers consider it as important in their culture as art or traditional rituals. In fact, many of the rituals and arts would suffer quite a bit if beer weren't there. Although alcoholic beverages are a part of every Pandaren's life, they are not a society that stays drunk all day. They love drinking and regard it as one of the noblest things and they respect Brewmasters as other societies revere their Priests.
The concoctions, for the most part, bear the names of the masters who created them. Chou Ling Sing, Hong Liu, and the teacher known only as Xiang are the most revered teachers and had a friendly rivalry. Chou and Hong named their concoctions while Xiang preferred anonymity.
With these great masters long dead, masters must embark on long missions to find new ingredients for their drinks, search for new herbs, and create new recipes.
While beer is treasured in Pandaren culture, Whiskey is revered. It represents health and strength and even luck. The philosophy of the Masters says that the best whiskey can make a Pandaren strong enough to take on an army.
Martial Arts
The Pandaren apply their philosophy to martial arts as well. They use what works, they perfect what is deadly, and they don't use what doesn't. If a wounded leg does not allow the warrior to strike a high blow, forget this type of blow and perfect another. If they encounter a massive opponent, the Pandaren will not waste their time trying to gauge forces as the opponent represents the rock in the river to them. They look for another method to defeat the enemy using the least possible force. They are formidable monks following their philosophies to perfection and improving the martial arts.
Any Pandaren is capable of defending itself using its jaws and claws that are part of its body, although they prefer to use weapons made with natural elements since it makes them feel closer to nature.
Pandaren Relations
All the races that reside in Kalimdor look at the Pandaren with interest. They claim they come from an island called Pandaria that no one has been able to visit other than bringing Beer and some excellent fighting gear. They are still an independent race and those that have been found in the Barrens do not belong to any faction although they are almost always in the company of Alliance races. Although they are quite eccentric, they can also be seen in the company of the Horde. In any case, they are a very nomadic race, which does not stay long in the same place. They are not at enmity with any race that is not evil.
Although they have been to Kalimdor, the Pandaren have developed a special alliance with the dwarves of Ironforge. Dwarves are a breed that appreciates good stories and of course good beers.
They like to stop at Bael Modan as they have learned a lot about the Alliance, the Horde and the Scourge. As a race that reveres the Ascendants, they assist the dwarves in their search for Titan-made artifacts when they can. It is a popular belief among the Pandaren that knowing where you come from is an important aspect of living a full life.
They have also made alliances with the half elves they have encountered as they have begun to adopt the same philosophies as the Pandaren and regard them as ideal travel companions.
Many Pandaren who came to Kalimdor were involved in the incidents with Illidan. Visiting the Dwarves of Bael Modan, the call came to the forces of the alliance to prevent the army of Blood Elves and Nagas from traveling to Northrend. To honor their hosts, the visiting Pandarens joined the fray. During this combat they learned to know the other races and formed an opinion.
They understand and empathize with the Furbolgs and spend long periods with those who live in the Ashenvale Forest. They sympathize with the half-orcs they have encountered and don't understand goblins. They don't care about Nagas and Blood Elves. Trolls seem mysterious to them as they practice divine magic but for evil purposes, which does not match the Pandaren philosophy.
His fondness for the Ironforge Dwarves does not mean that they will join the Alliance. They believe that the Alliance gives a lot of weight to Politics, Arcane Magic and Treaties when in reality, all one needs is to get out, taste the air, feel the earth and each draw their own conclusions. The Alliance is unnecessarily complicated for the Pandaren and while they love to visit Theramore (especially the tavern) they do not plan to make their homes there.
As for spirituality, they are more akin to the horde, but they don't want to join their forces either. The Horde is made up of races in the midst of healing as the Pandaren believe, and they need to find themselves before anyone can join their company.
Besides, the Pandaren are only visiting ...
Military Tactics
The Pandaren rely on a regimental-based combat system using infantry, archers, and cavalry with elite units and spellcasters. They always want the best possible gear and they always bring their concoctions into combat to drink before and after combat.
They are not afraid of anything and have enviable courage and their armies have a lot of endurance and cohesion. An infantry unit serves under the command of a War Dancer which in turn obey a Shodo-pan. Each Shodo-pan of a Shao-din has a team of warriors and War Dancers at his command. These infantry units have panda spears, bamboo helmets, and lamellar armor made from bamboo. Their main tactics are Assault, Flanking, and Charging.
The Pandaren archers remain behind the infantry, using large bamboo bows capable of piercing the eye of an orc from hundreds of meters away. They usually carry curved swords for the occasions when they enter into close combat. They are good trappers and their aim is unbeatable. However, due to their size, it is almost impossible for them to hide.
The Pandaren cavalry is made up of War Dancers on the back of battle horses. Their armor is still bamboo but is reinforced with mesh. Their swords do not leave a puppet with a head.
They have recently introduced firearms that are already quite popular in their combat techniques. Every day there are more Shao'dins that have Rifle regiments that are often trained away from Pandaria with other races that have more technique and skills.
Curiosities
The Pandaren race emerged as an April Fool's joke by Blizzard but had a massive reception from Warcraft fans. In the BlizzCast of January 10, 2008, Samwise commented that they put that on the page and everyone said “Oh my God! A PANDA RACE? Cool!»And could not get out of his amazement. They were soon included in the Warcraft III expansion and Chhis Metzen wrote their story to introduce them to the Lore.
Due to their popularity, it is said that the Pandaren will be the new playable race of the Alliance.
His original outfit was more similar to the Japanese one but the Chinese community began to complain since the Panda is the quintessential symbol of Chinese culture and Blizzard soon changed his outfit adapting it to China.
Information taken from wowwiki