Picking a class is difficult when playing World of Warcraft Classic for the first time. The 16-year-old MMO requires substantially more time and dedication than its retail counterpart.
Once you’ve chosen your class, you’re stuck with it until level 60. And that’s why it’s so important to choose the race and class most suited to your playstyle.
When all things are considered, the race you choose won’t make a great deal of difference. If you’re a casual player, picking your favorite race should be your priority. If you’re more of a serious player, though, and you care about min-maxing, race really does matter.Â
Here’s the full list of classes and their best race combos in WoW Classic.
Druid
There are very few options when it comes to the Druid in Classic. They’re a flexible class with multiple specializations at their disposal, but they’re lacking in the race department.
For Alliance, their only option is Night Elf. And for Horde, there’s just Tauren.
Night Elves offer +1 percent Dodge and Shadowmeld, while Tauren provides +5 percent Maximum Health and War Stomp.
If you had to choose between the two, Tauren would probably come out on top, but the differences are slim. A Night Elf’s increased dodge and Shadowmeld ability are suited for PvP, while a Tauren’s increased health is ideal for tanking.
When picking between the two, though, it’s mostly up to you. If you’re more of an Alliance player, pick Night Elf. If Horde tickles your fancy, choose Tauren.
Hunter
There are multiple choices when playing Hunter, each depending on playstyle and personal preference.
Night Elves have the highest base Agility, an increased Dodge chance, and Shadowmeld. Dwarfs are a strong secondary option, offering Stoneform and +5 Gun Skill.
As for Horde, Trolls edge out Orc and Tauren for the PvE side of things, while Orcs come out on top in PvP.
Troll’s Berkerking racial ability increases attack speed by a considerable amount, boosting DPS in raids. It’s a good damage dealer for world PvP and battlegrounds too, but Orcs’ +25 percent Stun Resist is by far the best for PvP action. It’s particularly strong against CC-heavy classes like Rogues.
Mage
Gnomes are the top dogs for Mage on Alliance. They gain a mighty +5 percent Intellect as well as Escape Artist. The latter isn’t much to write home about, but the increased Intellect will always be the best option.
Humans are most certainly viable, but +5 percent Spirit and increased Stealth Detection are far worse than what Gnomes have to offer.
When it comes to casters, Trolls are usually the way to go. The increased casting and attack speed they get from Berserking is exceptional in both PvE and PvP.
Undead slightly edge out Trolls in PvP, though, making use of Will of the Forsaken. Having immunity to Charm, Fear, and Sheep will always be a strong option in PvP—and Cannibalize isn’t bad either.
Paladin
There are just two options for Paladin due to the class being locked to the Alliance faction.
Humans are the best bet, edging out Dwarves. They offer improved sword and mace skill, which is a lot better than it sounds. They also have increased stealth detection, helping them out in PvP.
There’s nothing wrong with playing Dwarf either, but they offer very little except their Stoneform. It’s good for tanking and it has its uses in PvP, but from a pure DPS perspective, Humans come out on top.
Priest
Priests have a different dynamic than the other eight classes on this list.
Each race offers two unique spells:
Dwarf
Desperate Prayer: Instantly heals the caster for 134 to 170, but has a 10-minute cooldown.
Fear Ward: Wards the friendly target against Fear. The next Fear effect used against the target will fail, using up the ward. It lasts three minutes.
Human
Desperate Prayer: Instantly heals the caster for 134 to 170, but has a 10-minute cooldown.
Feedback: The priest becomes surrounded with anti-magic energy. Any successful spell cast against the priest will burn 18 of the attacker’s Mana, causing one Shadow damage for each point of Mana burned. It lasts 15 seconds and has a three-minute cooldown.
Night Elf
Starshards: Rains starshards down on the enemy target’s head, causing 60 Arcane damage over 15 seconds. It has a 30-second cooldown.
Elune’s Grace: Reduces the chance you’ll be hit by melee and ranged attacks by 20 percent for 15 seconds. It has a three-minute cooldown.
Troll
Hex of Weakness: Weakens the target enemy, reducing damage caused by two and reduces effectiveness of healing spells by 20 percent for two minutes.
Shadowguard: The caster is surrounded by shadows. When a spell, melee, or ranged attack hits the caster, the attacker will be struck for 20 Shadow damage. Attackers can only be damaged once every few seconds. This damage causes no threat. It has three charges and lasts 10 minutes.
Undead
Touch of Weakness: The next melee attack against the caster will cause eight Shadow damage and reduce the damage caused by the attacker by two for two minutes.
Devouring Plague: Afflicts the target with a disease that causes 152 Shadow damage over 24 seconds. Damage caused by the Devouring Plague heals the caster. It has a three-minute cooldown.
Each race is viable, but Dwarves stand out for Alliance and Trolls for Horde.
A Dwarf’s Fear Ward is particularly strong in PvE and PvP. It’s good for raiding, preventing tanks from dropping aggro—and it’s a powerful Priest, Warlock, and Warrior counter in battlegrounds.
For Horde, Troll comes out on top in PvE, boosting the raid with Hex of Weakness. Undead offers little in PvE, but in PvP, their Will of the Forsaken is a solid option. Devouring Plague is also great for Shadow, but the spec is rarely seen in high-end raiding.Â
Rogue
Two races stand out for Rogue.
Humans offer a +5 Sword Skill for Alliance, boosting DPS output in PvE and PvP. Combat is also the strongest spec for Rogue, meaning swords are their go-to weapons.
Orcs are ideal for Horde. Blood Fury is a pure DPS boost for PvE and their stun resist is perfect for PvP.
Shaman
Shaman is Horde’s answer to Paladin.
Orcs and Trolls are viable, depending on their spec. Trolls are the best for Elemental and Resto Shamans due to Berserking, while Orc’s Blood Fury and Axe specialization fit perfectly with Enhancement Shamans.
Orcs are also the obvious option in PvP for their stun resist.
Warlock
Similar to Mage, Gnomes are the only real option for Warlock. Their increased intellect allows them to dish out the most damage. Escape Artist can also be valuable in PvP.
Neither of the Horde Races offers much to Warlock where PvE is considered. But for PvE, Orc and Undead are viable. The stun resist is arguably the best for PvP, although Will of the Forsaken will always come in clutch.
Warrior
Humans and Dwarves are decent options for tanking warriors. Humans have an increased sword and mace skill, while Dwarves offer Stoneform.
As for Horde, Taurens are usually the strongest tanks. They have an increased health pool, meaning they can tank harder hits and their War Stomp can come in surprisingly handy for raiding. They’re a decent option for PvP too, but Orcs are the best in that regard.
For DPS, Orcs are the best all-around Warrior race, beating even that of the Alliance. They have Blood Furry, increasing their damage output, as well as Axe Specialization and a stun resist.
Published: Oct 29, 2020 09:00 am