World of Warcraft
From Infocentral
Contents |
Characters
Classes
A class is the primary adventuring style of a player character which determines the type of weapons and armor it can use, as well as what abilities, powers, skills, and spells it will gain throughout its adventures.
Be aware, choosing a class is constrained by the choice of race. As a character progresses, they can specialize their skills by assigning class talent points in one of three trees available for each class.
Collecting class sets is a way players can improve a character when they have reached the level cap. Most dungeon and raid sets are made up of armor items designed specifically for the class; however, faction rewards sets also include trinkets and neck pieces.
Druid
Druids are versatile hybrids with various shapeshift forms in which they can tank like a warrior (Bear Form), stealth and fight in melee like a rogue (Cat Form), heal like a priest (In their normal night elf or tauren form or in the Tree of Life form gained through talents), and cast spells like a mage (again in normal form or in the talent gained form, Moonkin Form). Druids are the only class who are able to resurrect other characters while in combat. Unlike other hybrids, druids do not perform several roles at once but instead shift between roles.
Hunter
Hunters are the only class that can effectively use ranged weapons (e.g. bows or guns) as a primary source of damage. Very adept at kiting, they have plenty of tools to allow them to avoid melee combat, where they are fairly weak. Hunters may tame many varieties of beasts to serve as combat pets, which along with an array of scouting, tracking, and survival abilities make them excellent solo characters.
Mage
Mages are ranged magic damage dealers with very powerful direct and area effect damage spells, but weak armor and health. They also feature a variety of utility spells, including crowd control, teleportation and group portals to capital cities, and conjuration of food and water. Mages are reliant on mana for all their abilities.
Paladin
A hybrid class focused on defensive melee skills and healing abilities, paladins have very strong group support and buff abilities. They may wear heavy plate armor and carry shields like a warrior, but are also efficient healers, which combine to produce their renowned durability in combat. With talent specialization and equipment selection, paladins can fill the role of tank, offtank, healer, or even melee damage dealer, and excel when called upon to spot-fill all these roles in a group setting. They can even sacrifice themselves to provide wipe recovery when needed.
With the release of the Burning Crusade, Paladins are no longer exclusive to the Alliance. Blood elves (Horde) can now play as Paladins.
Priest
Priests are the quintessential healer, and easily the most versatile class in that role, though they may also specialize to become powerful offensive casters. Priests have a wide variety of utility, buff, and crowd control spells, such as Dispel Magic, Power Word: Fortitude, and Mind Control.
Rogue
Rogues excel at dealing melee damage and incapacitating their foes, particularly low health and low armor targets such as casters. Stealth gives them a tactical advantage and allows them to start a fight on their own terms. Other important abilities include lockpicking and the creation and handling of poisons. Also, the a huge power is the Rogue's ability to stun and incapacitate for a large period of time. This, paired with the rogue's high Damage gives him a huge edge over his opponent. Rogues do not use mana for their combat abilities. Instead they use energy and generate combo points which are used to execute finishing moves.
Shaman
Shamans are one of the most versatile classes in the game as they can switch seamlessly from offensive caster to healer to melee DPS as needed, though at later levels they often specialize in one of these roles. Shamans can make good support characters, with the ability to step in and fill any role that may be lacking at the moment. Their high burst damage and healing also make them quite good at PvP. They are able to drop stationary totems on the ground which provide a variety of effects, many of which are useful to the entire party. They are unique in that they can provide complete wipe recovery by self-resurrecting and then resurrecting the rest of the party.
With the release of the Burning Crusade, Shamans are no longer exclusive to the Horde. Draenei (Alliance) can now play as Shamans.
Warlock
Warlocks enslave demons and call upon dark magic and curses to dominate and destroy their foes. Like hunters, warlocks employ combat pets, but these are summoned demons rather than tamed beasts. They are primary ranged magic damage dealers with a focus on damage over time in addition to nukes and AoE, but lack the extreme burst damage capabilities of a mage. Demon pets and fear spells give them a variety of tactical options, and they have a variety of utility spells and abilities, including summoning party members and creating healthstones and soulstones.
Warrior
Warriors are close-combat fighters and usually fill the role of primary tank, as they are able to withstand and inflict fierce physical punishment and have the most versatile means of attracting and disabling mobs, keeping aggro off other characters. They can also contribute very strong melee DPS when needed. Warrior abilities use rage, which is generated by dealing and taking damage, but decays over time while not in combat. Warriors are highly gear dependent, as their ability to deal and take damage is controlled directly by the quality of their weapons and armor.
Races
The Warcraft Universe is inhabited by many races of sentient and intelligent beings. These races speak many different languages, have different homelands and racial traits, and can pursue different classes.
Though most races come from the world of Azeroth, some come from other worlds, such as Draenor, and the armies of the Burning Legion are culled from many worlds throughout the Twisting Nether.
Currently there are two playable factions in World of Warcraft, the Alliance and the Horde, and each comprise of five very different races.
The Horde is consisted of the brutal Orcs, unmerciful and evil Bloods Elves, the inmortal Undead, the peaceful Taurens and distrustful Trolls
The Alliance is consisted of the Draeni Knights of the Light, the beer loving Dwarves, brave Humans, intelligent and creative Gnomes and the Nature Guardian Night Elves.
Horde
Orcs
The green skinned orcs are one of the most prolific races of Azeroth. Born on the world of Draenor, the orcs were brought to Azeroth through the dimensional gateway known as the Dark Portal and waged war on the humans while under the influence of the Burning Legion. The orcs once cultivated a noble, shamanistic society on Draenor. Tragically, the proud orc clans were corrupted by the Burning Legion and used as pawns in the Legion's invasion of Azeroth. The orcs managed to rebel, however, and they were ultimately able to help turn the tide against their demon masters. Led by the young Warchief Thrall, the orcs have reclaimed their strength and honor. The orcs moved from the Eastern Kingdoms to Kalimdor, and founded the nation of Durotar. Now, the orcs stand ready to fight not for the sake of conquest, but for their very right of survival in their adopted world.
Blood Elves
The blood elves, or sin'dorei ("Children of the Blood" in Thalassian), are a race comprised of former high elves who renamed themselves in honor of their people that were killed during the siege of Quel'Thalas by the Scourge during the Third War. The blood elves of Azeroth have joined the Horde in the Burning Crusade expansion, seeking to reunite with Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider in Outland. Their capital is Silvermoon City situated in the Eversong Woods, the heart of their reclaimed and restored homeland.
Undead
The Forsaken are a faction of undead who broke away from the Scourge and took control of much of the kingdom of Lordaeron, destroyed during the Third War by the death knight Arthas. They are currently allied with the Horde, but an alliance of convenience only. The Forsaken are led by their Banshee Queen, Sylvanas Windrunner, the former Ranger-General of Quel'Thalas. Their capital is the Undercity, in the royal catacombs beneath the ruins of the City of Lordaeron.
Tauren
Tauren, or Shu'Halo in their native tongue Taurahe, are huge nomadic creatures who live on the grassy, open plains of Mulgore in central Kalimdor. Tauren are large, muscular humanoids and bovine in appearance, complete with hooves and horns. They stand anywhere from six and a half to nine feet tall, and weighing anywhere from 400 to 700 pounds. Their immense bodies are covered with fine, short fur that ranges in color from black to gray to white to red to brown to tan and any mottled combinations or variations thereof. After generations of nomadic existence the tauren have recently made permanent settlements in Mulgore and The Barrens.
Trolls
Trolls average seven feet in height and two hundred pounds in weight, save for two tribes, the Drakkari and the Zandalari, who tend to be somewhat larger than their kindred. As with other races, there are also scattered trolls who far exceed the normal size range. For further discussion of these outliers, consult the below section on these so-called "monstrous" trolls. There are several races of troll, see troll sub-species. Many trolls have no loyalty except amongst their own tribes, with the exception of the Darkspear tribe and Revantusk tribe, the former being part of the Horde and the latter being allies of them. Darkspear are the playable trolls in World of Warcraft. Although the Darkspears are the weakest and smallest of all the troll races, even amongst jungle trolls, they are the most cunning and intelligent. Trolls are easily the most diverse sentient race in Azeroth, and can be found in every part of the world.
Alliance
Night Elves
The night elves, or kaldorei, meaning "Children of the Stars" in their native tongue of Darnassian, have a long and fascinating history. Native to the western continent of Kalimdor, the night elves ended a long period of seclusion at the end of the Third War and became members of the Alliance.
Gnomes
The ingenious gnomes, masters of technology and the former denizens of Gnomeregan, are a race of diminutive humanoids who now live in exile in the dwarven capital of Ironforge, in league with the Alliance.
Humans
Humans in Warcraft are a resilient species native to the Eastern Kingdoms, where they founded seven kingdoms that banded together in the Second War. Since the Third War, the kingdom of Stormwind has led humanity, and is a powerful member of the Alliance.
Dwarves
The stoic dwarves of Ironforge are an ancient race of robust humanoids who live beneath the snow-capped mountains of Khaz Modan. The dwarves have always been fast allies to the humans and they revel in the prospects of battle and storytelling alike.
Draeni
The draenei (pronounced DRAN-eye) are a faction of uncorrupted eredar who fled their home world of Argus. Based on Azuremyst Isles near the west coast of Kalimdor, they have joined the Alliance in the Burning Crusade expansion. Their capital is the Exodar.
