Members of the Horde faction, a major political alliance in the main location of the game, they are a gentle and peaceful race that chooses to live in harmony with nature, but are powerful when provoked.

[2] The Tauren paladin and priest class was introduced in the 2010 World of Warcraft: Cataclysm expansion pack to add additional gameplay flexibility.

It described them as being the most alienated from the traditional notion of femininity, it cites their "almost-plump" body, hooves, and cow-like noses as features that would typically be perceived as "ugly", giving players more variation in looks.

The book stated that the Tauren walked the line between "quiet and peaceful" and "implacable" foes who "smash their enemies under hoof", as opposed to the more pseudo-Western Alliance.

[11] Philip Michael Alexander complained in Identity and Collaboration in World of Warcraft that the Tauren seemed like a good idea for a fictional race until he saw how they "lampooned" Plains Indian culture, calling it "shockingly similar" to real life.

[12] The Tauren Gamon gained notoriety as the most-killed NPC in World of Warcraft, causing him to become an Internet meme and be included as an official trading card with the quote "not again!"