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When World of Warcraft: Dragonflight releases, various NPCs will receive a new model, such as the dragon queen Alexstrasza. But it turned out that the popular gnoll, the storm of all newcomers to the Elvin Forest, named Crusher, will receive a new model. But many players are not happy with these changes – and there is a very specific reason for this.
The Cleaver has gained a huge cult status in the WoW community because it instilled fear into low-level characters in classic times. An optional quest requires players to destroy the gnoll in his camp so that he will no longer terrorize the civilian population. However, this was easier said than done, for the Crusher was not only a strong elite foe capable of delivering a powerful blow, but also stood in the midst of his loyal horde of gnolls. Whoever wanted to finish him off had to have either a powerful group or great stamina.
WoW developers have repeatedly paid homage to the character’s iconic status in the past. Therefore, it is not surprising that this character received a new model in Dragonflight. But the appearance of the model does not at all correspond to the ideas of the fans regarding the dangerous, bloodthirsty gnoll. A comparison screenshot posted by a fan on reddit shows why:
The comments under the post are mostly negative. One fan thinks the new Crusher looks like he’s on cocaine, another calls the model “a run-of-the-mill, rehabilitated gnoll”, and a third says the model looks like a furry suit. Terms like “Paw Patrol villain” or “teddy bear” reflect how much the community is unhappy with the new model.
Many fans think that the new Crusher is not evil enough and point to the HotS model, which looks much more aggressive. Reddit user SunwellDaiquiri took it upon himself to tweak the new model and the community response has been very positive, hopefully Blizzard listens to players’ feedback.
