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World of Warcraft Class Guide E-mail
Monday, 07 May 2007

In this section you will find a quick overview about World of Warcraft classes, with short description of talent trees.

Please note: we have listed all weapon proficiencies for each class. However, as a new character you will not have all proficiencies immediately available so you might want to buy them from trainers. Some starting proficiencies are from the characters race, while others depends on talents.


Druid
Races: Night Elf (Alliance), Tauren (Horde).

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, Leather.

Weapon Proficiencies: Daggers, Fist Weapons, Maces, Staves.

Description: Druids are able to shapeshift and each form grants different abilities and playing-styles. Bear Form grants lots of hp and armor and you will fight most likely a “little” warrior; Cat Form grants better damage, but you will also become more vulnerable, although there are some abilities that will let you escape from troubles! This form is rogue-style. Moonkin Form, available only with talents, is something like an armored spellcaster. Druids can also travel faster on ground, water and air with their travel forms. In their humanoid form, Druids can heal or cast offensive spells.


Something cool: Druid is the most versatile class in WoW! And it’s the best choice if you want to play different styles with one character. Druids are excellent healers as well and they are immune to polymorph and snare effects.


Something bad: Each form is not good as its correspondent class, obviously. I.e: in Cat Form, a Druid won’t be strong as rogues. In addition, Druids are able to use only spell and abilities of their current form. I.e.: you won’t be able to heal a party member while in Cat Form.

Talent trees:

  • Balance: improves Druids offensive spells and grants Moonkin Form.
  • Feral Combat: improves skill and abilities for each Form.
  • Restoration: improves Druids heal spells.
Druid


Hunter
HunterRaces: Draenei, Dwarf, Night Elf (Alliance), Blood Elf, Orc, Tauren, Troll (Horde).

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, Leather, Mail (after level 40).

Weapon Proficiencies: Bows, Crossbows, Daggers, Fist Weapons, Guns, One- and Two-Handed Axes, One- and Two- Handed Swords, Polearms, Staves, Thrown.

Description: Hunters are the masters of marksmanship and survival. They can snare and deal a lot of damage from distance, while they are less likely to fight in melee, although they have a lot of proficiencies like dual wield ability and medium armor. They have some kind of stances called Aspects that make them more adaptable to different situations. Hunters are able to tame pets that will follow their master in every kind of exploration or fight! Pets will grow as their masters, and can be trained with a lot of useful abilities. Hunters are also masters of traps and tracking skills.


Something cool: Hunters can deal a lot of damage from long range and it’s quite hard to flee from them in fight. Traps cost nothing but mana and they are very useful to snare, freeze or simply damage enemies. Pets can become very strong and gain nice abilities like taunt (very good for PvE) or charge; and they are so cute! Tracking stuff may be helpful both for questing and PvP.

Something bad: Hunters are not so good in melee as they are in ranged fight since melee abilities are few. They can heal their pets but can’t heal themselves. Also, ranged weapons can’t work under 8yd range and there’s a dead zone where hunters can’t fight at all.


Talent trees:
  • Beast Mastery: improves Hunters Aspects and Pets.
  • Marksmanship: improves Hunters ranged combat abilities and damage.
  • Survival: improves Hunters traps, some defensive skills and critical hit chance.


Mage
Races: Draenei, Human, Gnome (Alliance), Blood Elf, Troll, Undead (Horde).

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth.

Weapon Proficiencies: Daggers, Staves, Swords, Wands.

Description: Mages are the true ranged damage dealers. They can cast Elemental spells (fire and frost) or Arcane spells. But are they any more than pure damage? Sure they are! They can freeze a limited area and all players/mobs within, slow enemies, run away from troubles teleporting a few steps ahead, improve their armor, polymorph an ugly giant into a sweet sheep and much more. Mages are very popular among players for their ability to create food and water and for their portals,  that can be used to teleport party members to main cities.


Something cool: Mages can deal a great damage with spells, both on single targets or multiple targets in area. They are able to escape from enemies snaring or freezing them, or become completely invulnerable for short times. Also, they can teleport themselves and other people to the capital cities of their faction.


Something bad: Mages don’t have melee abilities. Their low hp and low armor rating, although it can be improved with spells, make them quite vulnerable to physical attacks. They haven’t any heal ability.


Talent trees:
  • Arcane: improves some Arcane spells and gives more intellect, critical hit chance and various bonuses.
  • Fire: improves Fire spells, mainly increasing damage.
  • Frost: improves Frost spells, mainly increasing defense.
Mage


Paladin
PaladinRaces: Dwarf, Human (Alliance), Blood Elf (Horde).

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, Leather, Mail, Plate (after level 40).

Weapon Proficiencies: One- and Two-handed Maces, One- and Two-handed Swords, One- and Two-handed Axes, Polearms.

Description: Paladins are keepers of Light secrets. This hybrid class combines some warrior strengths with spells. The main feature of Paladins is the ability to cast Seals, spells that gives a short-duration buff on self and that can be released as Judgements on enemies. Other features are Blessings and Auras. The heavy armors, the ability to heal themselves and the others, and the pretty nice damage they can do, makes Paladins awful foes. As guardians of Light and Life, their favorite preys are Undeads.


Something cool: Paladins can use a lot of weapons and plate armors. They can heal and even resurrect themselves and others! Blessing and Auras are very appreciated by other players in every kind of fight. Paladins have their special mount, the Warhorse, obtainable with quests.


Something bad: Their “warrior-side” is not even comparable with other full melee classes. Paladins have no ranged ability, except Hammer of Wrath that allows to finish almost died enemies even from distance. Also, they use mana to heal, they use mana to protect, they use mana to attack. So they do need mana! But as hybrids they will like other stats too.


Talent trees:
  • Holy: improves Paladins Holy spells.
  • Protection: improves Paladins damage reduction, resistances to some effects like fear or stun.
  • Retribution: this tree makes Paladins mostly offensive.


Priest
Races: Draenei, Human, Dwarf, Night Elf (Alliance), Blood Elf, Troll, Undead (Horde).

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth.

Weapon Proficiencies: Daggers, One-Handed Maces, Staves, Wands.

Description: The most powerful healers, protector of their allies and excellent manipulators of Holy powers to smite their enemies. Behind this Light hides the Dark power of Priests, as they are able to cast Shadow spell too and even, with talents, get in Shadowform! This multi-role feature is appreciated by people and Priests are almost always called in groups, not only for their buffs; and makes the Priest nice even in solo.


Something cool: Priests are excellent healers, a feature that often is required in some kind of parties. Their Shield can protect others or themselves from damage, while their Fear is a powerful way to get breath in fight or simply disorient the enemy. Priests are able to deal a good amount of damage as well, both with Shadow and Holy spells.


Something bad: Priests are quite vulnerable to physical attack, although their Shield helps a lot, since their armor is weak and their HP aren’t so much. Also, they can’t slow enemies and their damage is quite good but it’s very slow. They haven’t melee abilities.


Talent trees:
  • Discipline: improves some Priests powers and grants new ones.
  • Holy: improves Priests Holy spells.
  • Shadow: improves Priests Shadow Spells and grants Shadowform.
Priest


Rogue
RogueRaces: Dwarf, Gnome, Human, Night Elf (Alliance), Blood Elf, Orc, Troll, Undead (Horde).

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, Leather.

Weapon Proficiencies: Bows, Crossbows, Daggers, Fist Weapons, Guns, One-Handed Maces, One-Handed Sword, Thrown.

Description: Rogues are masters of assassination, stealth and quick attacks. They are able to go past enemies and strike their target. Their combat works with combo points: some abilities add combo points to the target, and "final strikes" strength depends on the number of accumulated combo points. Up to 5 combo points can be accumulated before blowing the foe with a final strike. Rogues are able to disarm traps and unlock chest/doors as well! Also, they are able to craft and use poisons.


Something cool: Rogues are able to stealth and reach their target or places without fighting if they don’t want to! In addition, they have several efficient abilities to escape from troubles. Their poison can improve the great damage they can deal or slow moving/casting speed. Rogues can open locked doors, even instances ones, and chests.


Something bad: Although Rogues have a good dodge chance, their true weakness is armor. Even if leather isn’t the worst kind of armor, Rogues can be more vulnerable than a priest or a mage, since they haven’t any kind of armor boost. Also, they have no healing ability .


Talent trees:
  • Assassination: improves Rogues poison, critical hit chance and energy.
  • Combat: improves Rogues combat abilities and skills.
  • Subtlety: improves Rogues stealth and attacks made while stealthed.


Shaman
Races: Draenei(Alliance), Orc, Tauren, Troll (Horde).

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, Leather, Mail (after level 40)

Weapon Proficiencies: Daggers, Fist Weapons, One-Handed Axes, One-Handed Maces, Staves, Two-Handed Axes, Two-Handed Maces.

Description: The Shaman is the true hybrid class: it’s a nice spellcaster able to deal with Elemental spells and Healing spells, has medium armor, and is able to deal damage with weapons. Each Element (Fire, Water, Air, Earth) grants instant spells called Shocks and some useful weapons buffs. Also, Shamans are able to use Totems with several effects: area damage, protection, area snare and many more! Like it's said, Shamans can be good healers and can resurrect!


Something cool: Shamans are very versatile! They are healers, Elemental spellcasters and melee fighters, they can cast some cool buffs like Water Breathing or Water Walking. Also, they have a lot of totems with very nice effects. The Shocks are instant so they don’t require time to be casted. Shamans are able to morph themselves in Ghost Wolf and walk faster than normal. In addition, they can be excellent healers and they can resurrect.


Something bad: Since they are half casters and half fighters, Shamans are masters in nothing. And they really need a lot of mana. In addition, Totems are helpful until the party stays in it’s working range, and they can be easily destroyed.


Talent trees:
  • Elemental: improves Shamans Elemental spellcaster-side.
  • Enhancement: improves Shamans melee fighter-side.
  • Restoration: improves Shamans healer-side.
Shaman

 

Warlock
WarlockRaces: Gnome, Human (Alliance), Blood Elf, Orc, Undead (Horde).

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth.

Weapon Proficiencies: Daggers, Wands, Swords (with training), Staves (with training)

Description: Curses, Destruction and Demons are the powers of Warlocks. Their Curses are powerful debuffs that makes opponents weaker, while they strike opponents with Shadow and Fire spells that mainly deals damage over time. Warlocks can even count on the several different demons they can summon,  and each of them has different abilites. Warlocks are popular among players for their ability to summon other people. Also, their special mount is very very cool!


Something cool: Warlocks are good ranged damage dealers, and they are able to heal themselves both by draining health from opponents and by using their Healthstones, which can be given to party members too. Summoned Demons are very useful, and the Warlock can choose a different Demon for each fight. Their Steed is too cool, and obtainable with quests.


Something bad: Some Warlocks abilities require soulshards. In addition, their defenses are pretty weak.


Talent trees:
  • Affliction: improves Warlocks Curses.
  • Demonology: improves Summoned Demons powers and Warlocks related powers.
  • Destruction: improves Warlocks damage spells.


Warrior
Races: Draenei, Dwarf, Gnome, Human, Night Elf (Alliance), Orc, Tauren, Troll, Undead (Horde).

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, Leather, Mail, Plate (after level 40)

Weapon Proficiencies: All except wands.

Description: Warriors are the masters of melee attack and defense. They manage and use their Rage to make opponents bleed, slow and to strike them, or to protect allies from troubles. Warriors can be played in several ways: they can stand and take damage protecting the party, they can become true damage dealing berserkers with the ability to hit multiple foes at the same time; or they can do both things by simply switching between the three Stances: Battle, Defensive, Berserker. Warriors can use several Shouts with different purposes: improve party members’ hp or attack power, or slow down a group of opponents. Also, since they can use any weapon, Warriors can use different sets in fight!


Something cool: Warriors can use all kind of armor and weapons! The ability to change Stance make them very adaptable fighters since each Stance grants many different melee abilities. Also, they have a lot of hp and are able to give nice buffs to other players with their Shouts.


Something bad: Warriors uses rage to trigger their abilities, and the rage bar rises when they take or deal damage: no Rage? No special moves! Also, they are quite vulnerable to snare and root/freeze effects and, since they don’t have any ranged special ability, this is a great weakness. In addition, they don't have powers to heal themselves or others.


Talent trees:
  • Arms: improves Warriors weapon knowledge, allowing them to improve some abilities.
  • Fury: improves Warriors berserker-side.
  • Protection: improves Warriors defensive abilities.
Warrior


Guide by Falckeneint [Vampires] - World of Warcraft European player on Crushridge

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