Players often find themselves forced to make challenging split-second decisions in every RPG on the market. One such harsh instance is when you have to balance out every available option to create the best character possible. You can either make your character almost like your counterpart, with a similar build and facial likeness, or detach from your usual “self” and create an elaborate character that’s entirely different. In stark contrast to how classes and races work in other games, it’s always been crucially important to pick the right class/race combo in WoW. As vital as this aspect of the game is, we’ve decided to lend you a helping hand in choosing the right WoW Classic race and character with this handy guide!
Why is it Important to Choose the Right Race?
Choosing a suitable WoW Classic race and class for your character can enhance your gameplay. This is especially true in end-game scenarios when even the tiniest bit of extra attack power or health points can make a difference.
That’s because each race comes with a few unique racial traits, ranging from 10% reputation gains to an additional 25% resistance to stun effects. In comparison, others include dealing 5% more damage against beasts or having 5% more Intelligence.
This makes certain classes more fitting for particular races than others. In essence, your best bet is to pick a race whose abilities complement your class’s role, whether it’s tanking, healing, or DPS.
Races Available in WoW Classic
Humans
Powerful warriors and healers who tend to use their ability to speak as their primary weapon. Therefore, you get better rewards when you’re farming for different Reputations.
- Diplomacy: Reputation gains increased by 10%.
- The Human Spirit: Increases Spirit by 5%.
- Perception: Dramatically increases stealth detection for 20 seconds.
Dwarves
Due to their continuous mining, they often develop attributes that help them withstand various threats. They also tend to bond with powerful animals that aid them in battle.
- Stoneform: While active, it grants immunity to Bleed, Poison, and Disease effects.
- Gun Specialization: Gun skills increased by 5.
- Frost Resistance: Increased by 10.
- Find Treasure: This allows the dwarf to sense nearby treasure, which then appears on the minimap.
Gnomes
Little geniuses who use their cunning to invent powerful trinkets through marvelous feats of engineering. Thanks to their agility, they find it easier to escape from different traps set by their opponents.
- Escape Artist: Escape the effects of any immobilization or movement speed reduction effect.
- Expansive Mind: Intelligence increased by 5%.
- Arcane Resistance: Increased by 10.
- Engineering Specialist: Engineering skills increased by 15.
Night Elves
Due to their limited exposure to sunlight, their skin has darkened compared to that of the higher elves. As a result, they have abilities that help them become practically invisible in the shadows.
- Shadowmeld: Activate to slip into the shadows, reducing the chance of enemies detecting your presence.
- Quickness: Dodge chance increased by 1%.
- Wisp Spirit: Upon death, transform into a wisp, increasing speed by 50%.
- Nature Resistance: Increased by 10.
On the other hand, we have Races from the Horde that have different characteristics, such as:
Orcs
More often than not, perceived as the dominant Race in all Azeroth. They seem to give their all in combat to defeat their opponents and conquer everything they desire. As a result, they usually turn “furious” to deal as much melee damage as possible.
- Blood Fury: Increases base melee attack power by 25% for 15 seconds and reduces healing effects on you by 50% for 25 seconds.
- Hardiness: The chance to resist Stun effects is increased by 25%.
- Command: Damage done by Hunter and Warlock pets increased by 5%.
Taurens
Due to their innate physical capabilities, they use their body parts to gain control in any encounter. They’ll stun their adversaries and sustain more damage. Because of their connection to Nature, they gain a deeper understanding of the surrounding ecosystem.
- War Stomp: Stuns up to 5 enemies within eight yards.
- Endurance: Total Health increased by 5%.
- Cultivation: Herbalism skills increased by 15.
- Nature Resistance: Increased by 10.
Trolls
Thanks to their connection with the ancient spirits, they can gather knowledge about the past and foresee possible complications. Consequently, they become “blessed” with higher power and regenerating capabilities due to this secure connection.
- Berserking: Increases your casting and attack speed by 10% to 25%.
- Regeneration: Health regeneration rate increased by 10%.
- Beast Slaying: Damage dealt versus Beasts increased by 5%.
Forsaken
After they regained control of their minds with the Lich King's departure, all the undead creatures formed a powerful bond. But since they are no longer “alive,” they can draw strength from corpses and have less need to breathe.
- Will of the Forsaken: Provides immunity to Charm, Fear, and Sleep while active.
- Cannibalize: When activated, regenerates 7% of total health every 2 seconds for 10 seconds.
- Underwater Breathing: Underwater breath lasts 300% longer than average.
- Shadow Resistance: Increased by 10.
What Class and Race Combinations Are Best for Soloing, Healing, or Tanking?
Although the most optimal race/class combo for soloing is a bit more subjective than the other two, these are the top combinations nonetheless:
For Soloing
The best class-and-race combo for soloing in Classic WoW is the Dwarf Hunter for Alliance players or the Troll Hunter for Horde players.
Apart from holding the world record for solo leveling, Hunters’ ability to make tons of gold while soloing is only second to that of Mages. That’s because you can even solo many higher-level dungeons as a Hunter.
Dwarves and trolls make the best Hunters out there, thanks to their quite suitable racial traits:
- Dwarves: Gun Specialization (increases your skill in Guns by 5) and Stoneform (gives immunity to Bleed, Poison, and Disease effects while also increasing Armor by 10% when active)
- Trolls: Bow Specialization (increases your skill in Bows by 5), Berserking (increases your casting and attack speed by 10%-30%), Beast Slaying (increases your damage vs. Beasts by 5%)
In the end, though, if you fancy a particular class/race combo for soloing that’s not a Dwarf or Troll Hunter, just go for it! Don’t forget to enjoy yourself while leveling up alone or doing any PvE or PvP solo, even if it means not making the optimal choice!
For Healing
The best class-and-race mix for a healer in Classic WoW is a Dwarf Priest, followed by Human and Troll Priests. Essentially, you’d want a race to complement the toolset of the best healing class in vanilla (Priests).
Thus, Dwarves are the most logical choice, given their racial traits unique to the Priest class. Here’s what makes them and the other two top races so good at healing:
- Dwarves: Fear Ward (protects a friendly target against Fear for the subsequent effect), Desperate Prayer (heals you instantly for a small amount), Stoneform (gives immunity to Bleed, Poison, and Disease effects while also increasing Armor by 10% when active)
- Humans: The Human Spirit (increases your Spirit by 5%)
- Trolls: Berserking (increases your casting and attack speed by 10%-30%)
Dwarves are tailor-made for the Priest class thanks to their two unique, Priest-specific abilities.
For Tanking
Human Warrior is, hands down, the top race-and-class combo in WoW Classic. The secret that makes Humans so good at tanking lies in their excellent weapon specialization:
- Sword Specialization: Increases your Swords skill by 5
- Mace Specialization: Increases your skill in Maces by 5
The real beauty of these two racial traits is that having a higher weapon skill (e.g., 305 instead of 300 at level 60) means you’re less likely to miss an attack. But also, your target will have a lower chance of parrying, blocking, or dodging your attacks.
This is crucial when tanking because your threat-generating abilities, like Bash and Sunder Armor, will land more often than not. As a bonus, more of your strikes will land, so you’ll deal more damage!
How Different Are the Classes in World of Warcraft?
Currently, three well-defined archetypes distinguish all available Classes in WoW Classic. In a dungeon, a team usually consists of a tank, a healer, and three DPS (Damage Per Second) characters. To complete a specified function in a party, you have the following options:
For a Tank, you can either pick:
- Paladin
- Warrior
- Druid
For a Healer, you can either pick:
- Priest
- Shaman
- Paladin
- Druid
For a DPS, you can either pick:
- Hunter
- Rogue
- Paladin
- Druid
- Priest
- Mage
- Warrior
- Warlock
The Alliance or Horde?
One of the main features since WoW became available to the public has been focusing on the two dominant factions: Alliance and Horde. Besides the blue and red colors that represent each of those groups, there are more things to consider:
- Alliance: Often perceived as the faction of order and righteousness. All the races available from this group tend to look more appealing to the common eye. In WoW Classic, it is the only group that contains the Paladin Class. The higher ruler is often a human king who uses diplomacy to hold different groups under the same banner.
- Horde: This faction comprises all endangered races that strive to survive in the harsh world of Azeroth. They tend to rely on brute force or elemental magic to keep fighting over the years. As a result, they have powerful Shamans who draw power from nature and unleash devastating spells upon their adversaries. Their leader, often called Warchief, usually proves to the rest of the tribe that they are the strongest warrior among them.
After you decide which faction to pick, the other group's participants automatically become your enemies. It is essential to clarify that neither option has a neutral ground. In other words, both can sometimes be perceived as good or bad throughout the entire Lore.
The Best Classes for Each Race
Here’s a list of all the best classes for each race in the game, separated by faction:
Best Classes for Alliance Races
- Human: Warrior, Paladin, Priest, Rogue
- Dwarf: Hunter, Priest, Paladin, Rogue
- Gnome: Mage, Warrior, Rogue
- Night Elf: Druid
Best Classes for Horde Races
- Orc: Warrior, Warlock, Shaman, Rogue
- Troll: Hunter, Priest, Mage, Shaman, Warrior
- Undead: Warlock, Mage, Rogue, Priest
- Tauren: Druid, Shaman
Choosing the Right Class and Race for You
Choosing the right class and race combo is entirely subjective; it’s simply up to you. You have to decide which role you want to fill when playing Classic World of Warcraft.
Do you intend to support other players by healing them? Do you prefer to protect others by being the main tank who takes the full brunt of incoming damage? Or do you simply want to dish out tons of damage from afar? When you come up with an answer to those questions, you’ll be able to pick a fitting class and race. Eventually, it all boils down to your personal preferences and play style. That said, it’s probably better to pick your class first and then see which races are available.
