The Class : Druid

The Druid is a shapeshifting hybrid class, and is also one of the most versatile classes in the game. As with other hybrids, Druids need to specialize to be most effective in any role. Due to their need to shapeshift to fulfill roles, they can only perform one role at a time; they must switch between the different shapes to adapt to changing situations.

The Class : Shaman

The shaman is a hybrid class and depending on how players choose to customize their character's talents, they can specialize in offensive spellcasting, melee damage dealing, or healing. As such, the class is considered one of the most adaptable and versatile in the game. Shamans can also provide support to a group in the form of stationary totems, of which when placed on the ground by the shaman, either provides various benefits to party members, or deal damage to enemies, of which the range is determined by the totem placed.

The Class : Mage

The mage is a DPS caster that specializes in burst damage and area of effect spells. Their primary role in a group is damage dealing and crowd control through the use of Polymorph, temporarily changing humanoids and beasts into harmless critters. At end-game levels, mages' damage is supplemented with spells like Counterspell, Remove Curse, and Spellsteal. Mages' utility spells also include conjuring food and drink and the ability to teleport to major cities and open portals for party members. In PvP, Mage deals ranged damage while using snare effects and Polymorph to control enemy players. As damage casters, primary stats are intellect, spell power, spell hit rating, spell haste and spell crit. Mages do not benefit any direct DPS increase from spirit and this stat should not be focused on, but can however provide extra mana regen which is somewhat handy for mana management.

The Class : Rogue

Rogues are World of Warcraft's premiere melee damage dealer and especially effective in PvP. They have access to a wide range of special abilities, which depend on their constantly refilling pool of energy. Unlike other classes, such as the hunter who has the ability to deal physical damage from a distance, rogues must be in close.

The primary rogue class advantage is their ability to stealth, preventing other players from seeing them unless the rogue is very close and in a 180 degree arc in front of them or much lower level.

The primary rogue attribute is agility. For PvP rogues, stamina is needed for staying alive. For a rogue, agility is always preferable to strength or attack power. Agility gives both attack power and crit chance to a rogue, while strength only gives attack power. A rogue uses no mana, so intellect and spirit are completely useless.

The Class : Warlock

Warlocks are former arcanists, or in the case of the orcs, former shamans, who, in pursuit of ever-greater sources of power, have cast off their studies of the arcane or nature magics to delve deeper into the darker, fel-based magic of shadow.

Warlocks are renowned for their damage over time (DoT) spells and sinister Shadow magic, as well for summoning demonic minions and their ability to wreak havoc with destructive Fire spells. Warlocks can specialize in any of these areas: Affliction warlocks are the masters of damage over time, draining their targets' health with an array of powerful debuffs; Demonology warlocks summon improved Demons to do their bidding, drawing power from their minions and even transforming into Demons themselves; while Destruction warlocks call down a rain of fire upon their enemies, specializing in potent burst damage and Fire spells. According to the WoW Census, warlocks are the least represented class.

Warlocks are often maligned and mistrusted due to the nature of their powers.

The Class : Priest

The priest is the master of healing and preservation, restoring his wounded allies, shielding them in battle and even resurrecting his fallen comrades from death. While he has a variety of protective and enhancement spells to bolster his allies, the priest can also wreak terrible vengeance on his enemies, using the grand powers of the Holy Light to smite and purge them or the devastating powers of the shadow to decimate their minds. The priest is a diverse and powerful class, highly desirable in any group and capable of fulfilling multiple roles.

The priest is perhaps the best healing class in the game with a surprisingly strong damage potential as well (should the player choose to enhance this aspect of the class). Their ability to heal and buff allies, avoid aggro, dispel buffs on enemies, dispel debuffs on their allies, and resurrect fallen comrades makes them an important member of any group, whether it's PvP or PvE. Due to this, priests are one of the most highly sought after classes for any group.

The Class : Paladin

The paladin is a hybrid class with the ability to play a variety of different roles — including healing (holy), tanking (protection), and DPS (retribution). They have auras, blessings and seals that provide useful buffs for other players while withstanding heavy physical damage with plate armor and strong defensive abilities. Paladins are also considered to be holy knights or blood knights.

NOTE: It is worth mentioning that as Paladins are mostly effective against the undead and demons, the Holy tree also has good DPS talents, such as Consecration, Exorcism and Holy Shock.

The Goblins

• The goblins of the Bilgewater Cartel.
  • With the Cataclysm consuming their home island of Kezan, the goblins of the Bilgewater Cartel are shipped across the sea, intended for slave labor in Azshara, when they are caught in a naval crossfire between an Alliance fleet and a single Horde vessel off the Lost Isles. While there, they are attacked by the Alliance and ally with the orcs to defeat both their mutual foe, the hostile natives of the Lost Isles, and dissent from within their own ranks.
  • Led by Trade Prince Gallywix.
  • Capital is Bilgewater Harbor in the heavily-reshaped Azshara.
    • The goblins also have a district within the orcish capital of Orgrimmar.
  • The Goblins are using Hot rods as mounts, which are like cars.

The Blood Elves

• The blood elves of Quel'Thalas.
  • A group of former high elves shunned for their magic addiction and abandoned by members of the Alliance, turned to the Horde to help them reach Outland and achieve their destiny. These elves have a strong alliance with the Forsaken with whom they share a similar fate and former denizens (high elven banshees and dark rangers).
  • Led by Lor'themar Theron, Regent Lord of Quel'Thalas, following the death of the maddened Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider.

The Undead

• The undead of Lordaeron.
  • A group of undead released from the control of the Lich King, who have set up a truce and an alliance of convenience with the other members of the Horde.
    • The group also consists of other undead creatures, such as the val'kyr, that chose to join the forsaken after the Lich King's death.
  • Led by the Banshee Queen Sylvanas Windrunner
    • Lesser leaders include Master Apothecary Faranell and Prince Galen Trollbane of Stromgarde.
  • Capital is the Undercity in Tirisfal Glades.
  • They also have holdings in Silverpine Forest, the Hillsbrad Foothills and the Western Plaguelands, as well as towns in the Howling Fjord and the Dragonblight in Northrend.
  • The Royal Apothecary Society - a faction of forsaken alchemists trying to create a new plague to wipe out the Scourge and other forms of life.
  • The forsaken contribute Vampire Bats and Skeletal Horses to the horde forces and use them as mounts. These are regular beasts with no sentient mind.

The Tauren

• The tauren of Mulgore.
  • A race of noble creatures, native to Kalimdor, who befriended the orcs and offered them spiritual guidance and aid.
  • Led by High Chieftain Baine Bloodhoof, following the death of his father Cairne.
  • Lesser leaders include: Archdruid Hamuul Runetotem
  • Capital is Thunder Bluff in Mulgore.
    • They also have camps in the Barrens, Thousand Needles, Stonetalon Mountains, Desolace, Feralas and Felwood. They have also sent ambassadors to their cousins, the taunka, in Northrend.
  • They lend their mighty kodo beasts to the Horde's efforts.

The Trolls

• The trolls of the Darkspear tribe.
  • Originally from a small chain of islands in the Great Sea. Eventually joined Thrall’s journey to Kalimdor and moved to the Echo Isles, but were then rooted out by the Kul Tiras marines. They are forever indebted to the orcs for saving their tribe and giving them a home.
  • Led by Shadowhunter Vol'jin.
    • Lesser leaders include: Vanira the shaman and Zen'tabra the druid
  • Capital is Darkspear Isle, the largest of the Echo Isles, off the coast of Durotar.
    • Prior to the reclamation of the Echo Isles, Sen'jin Village in mainland Durotar was the main Darkspear settlement. Other troll settlements are located in Ashenvale, Stonetalon Mountains and Desolace. They also control both of the Horde outposts (Swamprat Post and Zabra'jin) in the Zangarmarsh in Outland.
  • The trolls use raptors and bats as riding mounts.
  • They left Orgrimmar in Cataclysm, and do not support Garrosh.

The Orcs

• The orcs of Durotar.
  • The surviving orcs of Azeroth's First, Second and Third Wars, who were released by Thrall from the Internment camps and led by him to form their new destiny in Kalimdor while attempting to embrace their once honorable, shamanistic ways and fight the corruption of demonic magic.
  • Led by Warchief Garrosh Hellscream, named by Thrall to succeed him in the wake of the Cataclysm.
    • Lesser leaders include: Varok Saurfang and Drek'Thar.

The Hordes

The Horde is one of the two major political factions of the mortal races in Azeroth, its counterpart being the Alliance. The Horde, a faction led by off-worlders and composed of outsiders has survived these obstacles by making allies with few of the native races of Azeroth or even uneasy allies. Although its ideals, policies, and beliefs have been revised and membership has changed over time, it is the same Horde inherited by Thrall through Warchief Orgrim Doomhammer.. However, since the mantle of Warchief was passed on to Garrosh Hellscream, the Horde's alliance with other races has began to suffer heavily due to Garrosh's warmongering. A direct example of this are the Troll's under Vol'jin leaving Orgrimmar because of Garrosh's hunger for war and Sylvanas Windrunner ignoring the warchiefs commands and using her plague on her enemies.

Other Alliance Forces

The human nation of Theramore, based in Theramore Isle, Dustwallow Marsh.

• Led by the Third War hero of the alliance, Lady Jaina Proudmoore.
• Founded by various human refugees that ventured to Kalimdor in the midst of the scourge onslaught of the third war, coming from all the human nations.
• The nation is affiliated with the faction of Stormwind.

Alliance Forces : Northrend

• Valiance Expedition - The main forces of the Alliance expedition to Northrend, led previously by Highlord Bolvar Fordragon.
  • 7th Legion - A group of Alliance veterans from past wars bent on fighting the threat of Naxxramas in Dragonblight.
• The Silver Covenant - A militant core of high elves that have united under the banner of Vereesa Windrunner who opposes Dalaran's acceptance of the horde races. They join the Alliance forces in Northrend.
• The Frostborn - They reside in the Storm Peaks, a lost race of dwarves led by Yorg Stormheart (who is actually Muradin Bronzebeard with a serious amnesia), and after succeeded by Velog Icebellow.
  • [Frosthold]] is their home city and primary base.
  • The Frostborn have a special bond with the Stormcrest Eagles of the Storm Peaks.
• The Explorers' League, led by Brann Bronzebeard, searches for rare artifacts and digs into dwarven history.

Alliance Forces : Outland

The Sons of Lothar – Remaining members of the former Alliance Expedition to Draenor following the Second War, who were joined by the new forces of the Alliance with the re-opening of the Dark Portal.

• Consists mainly of humans, high elves (Quel'Thalas's rangers) and Wildhammer dwarves.
• Stationed mainly in Honor Hold in Hellfire Peninsula, Allerian Stronghold in Terokkar Forest and the Wildhammer Stronghold in Shadowmoon Valley.

The Kurenai, or "Redeemed", a surviving clan of Broken draenei residing in Outland, Nagrand. They are led by Arechron.

Alliance Forces : Azeroth

The uneasy truce between the Alliance and the Horde in the aftermath of the Third War was soon broken when several battlegrounds between various forces of the factions have erupted:

• League of Arathor - The main force of the nation of Stromgarde. In order to supply their war to reclaim the Arathi Highlands (and help supply themselves and The Alliance with valuable resources) the League has invaded the Arathi Basin along with Forsaken forces, with whom they fight vigorously over the rich land.
• Stormpike Guard - A dwarven expedition to the Valley of Alterac in order to search for relics and treasures from the past, have led to open war with the orcs of the Frostwolf clan that resides in the southern parts of the same valley.
• Silverwing Sentinels - The continuous deforesting efforts of the Warsong Orcs that have settled in southern Ashenvale have left the sentinels no choice. The Silverwing sentinels wing was appointed to begin a massive push of the orcs out of the elven homelands.
• Baradin's Wardens - A fierce army that has historic ties to the island stronghold of Tol Barad. They have joined the forces of the Alliance in an effort to repel the Horde, gain control of the strategic island and re-open the island to serve as a prison once again.

The Worgen

• The worgen of Gilneas.
  • Formerly one of the strongest of the human nations, Gilneas was one of the founding members of the Alliance of Lordaeron, sealing itself off from the world after the Second War to avoid being brought into "other people's conflicts". Eventually the Worgen managed to breach the land and started spreading their curse amoung much of the populace. They officially rejoined the Alliance when the Night Elves managed to save them from invading Forsaken.

The Draenei

• The draenei of the Exodar.
  • Refugees of the eredar race fleeing their corrupted brethren, seeking allies to fight against the Burning Legion. They lived on Draenor until the orcish onslaught, and fled from the Legion and the forces of Illidan Stormrage by stealing the Exodar, one of the satellites of Tempest Keep.
  • Led by the Prophet Velen.