Race selection guide

Race selection guide

In this thread I'll be dissecting each race's pros and cons, to help any new players decide their race, by revealing each race's best role.
Note:
These racial trades in no way have a serious impact on the game. If you want a specific race and class, play it; this is for the purely mathematic geeks who want the absolute maximum.



(Explanations below)


--Alliance--
Human- PvP paladin
Dwarves- PvE prot warrior
Draeni- PvE Paladin/Shaman
Night Elves- PvE Druid/Rogue (dps)
Gnomes- PvP disc priest
Wargen: PvP Warrior, Druid, Rogue

--Horde--
Orcs- PvP arms/ Fury warrior
Undead- PvP disc priest
Tauren- PvE Druid tank
Trolls-PvE hunter
Blood Elves-PvP Holy paladin
Goblins- PvP hunter/Death knight



---------- Alliance -----------

// human

Statistical pros:
Human spirit: +3% base spirit

Every Man for Himself- grants the freedom trinket effect, but does not grant stats.

Sword SpecializationÔÇöpassiveÔÇöExpertise with One-Handed Swords and Two-Handed Swords increased by 3.
Mace SpecializationÔÇöpassiveÔÇöExpertise with One-Handed Maces and Two-Handed Maces increased by 3.

Visual pros:
an average sized character, moderate chance of being picked out in a group.

Visual cons:
Humans have a boring run animation, boring spell casting animation.

Summary: humans will best suit a Plate wearing dps or a healer in pvp.

Optimal class: PvPer Paladin; all racials can be utilized by changing specs, and the racial ability grants for additional cool down trinket use, allowing much more custom gameplay in pvp.






// dwarves
Statistical pros:

[Stoneform] - Instant - 2 min cooldown
Removes Bleed, Poison, and Disease effects. In addition, damage taken is decreased by 10%. Lasts 8 seconds.

[Gun Specialization] - passive
Your chance to critically hit with Guns is increased by 1%.

[Frost Resistance] - passive
Increases your resistance to harmful Frost effects by *Scales with level*.

[Explorer] - passive
You find additional fragments when looting archaeological finds and you can survey faster than normal archaeologists

[Mace Specialization] - passive
Expertise with One-Handed Maces and Two-Handed Maces increases by 5.

Visual pros: smaller character, will seem to run faster,

Visual cons: awkward run, in my opinion.

Summary: the racials seem to be pve-based for a tanking class.

Optimal class: PvE prot warrior; all racials can be utilized by a pve prot warrior, and the damage reduction will be very helpful as a tank.






//Draenei
Statistical pros:
[Gift of the Naaru] - instant - 3 minutes cooldown
Activate to heal your target for 20% of their total health over 15 sec - 40 yd range. This no longer scales with attack power or spell power.

[Heroic Presence] - passive
Increases chance to hit by 1%.

[Gemcutting] - passive
5 point skill bonus to Jewelcrafting (note, this also raises the cap by 5 at each level of jewelcrafting).

[Shadow Resistance] - passive
Reduces chance to be hit by Shadow spells by 2%.

Visual pros:
Cool animations

Visual cons:
Cannot think of any

Summary:
The auras and buffs from Draenei make them a key asset to pve, and their racial sets them mainly as a healer.

Optimal class:
Pve shaman or paladin healer; the extra healing along with their buffs make them a strong candidate as a raid healer.





// night elves

Statistical pros:

Shadowmeld - instant - 2 min cooldown
Activate to slip into the shadows, reducing the chance for enemies to detect your presence. Lasts until cancelled or upon moving. Any threat is restored versus enemies still in combat upon cancellation of this effect. (Stealth)

Elusiveness - passive (rogue/druid only)
Reduces the chance enemies have to detect you while shadowmelded or stealthed.

Quickness - passive
Reduces the chance that melee and ranged attackers will hit you by 2%.

Wisp Spirit - passive
Transform into a wisp upon death, increasing speed by 75% (instead of 50%).

Nature Resistance - passive
Reduces the chance you will be hit by Nature spells by 2%.

Visual pros: cool facial artwork, colorful hair.

Visual cons: not much variety in appearances.

Summary:
PvE , Night elves have a stealthy nature, so they are a stealth class, either a Druid or rogue.




// gnomes
Statistical pros:

Escape Artist - instant - 1.75 min cooldown
Escape the effects of any immobilization or movement speed reduction effect.

Expansive Mind - passive
Mana increased by 5%.

Arcane Resistance - passive
Reduces the chance you will be hit by Arcane spells by 2%.

Engineering Specialization - passive
Engineering skill increased by 15.

Shortblade Specialization - passive
Expertise with Daggers and One-handed Swords increased by 3.

Visual pros: they're freakin' cute little munchkins!

Visual cons: lack of appearance variety.

Summary: they are meant to wield a spell blade and escape; their mana increase proves useful in all situations.

Optimal class:
PvP Priest; their escape ability can seperated them from Melee cleaves or escape a ranged dps burst by reaching a pillar.




// wargen

Statistical advantages:

[Darkflight] (3 min cooldown)
Activates your true form, increasing movement speed by 40% for 10 sec.

[Viciousness] (passive)
Increases critical strike chance by 1%.

[Aberration] (passive)
gives more resistance to both Nature and Shadow damage.

[Flayer] (passive)
Skinning skill increased by 15 and allows you to skin 0.5 seconds faster.

Visual pros:

[Two Forms] (1.5 sec cooldown)
Transforms you between human and worgen forms. You will revert to worgen form in combat.

[Running Wild] (1.5 sec cooldown)
Drop to all fours to run as fast as a wild animal. Provides a speed increase equivalent to a ground mount.

Wargens also provide for very much variation in appearances, and the alternate unique mount provides visual variety.

Summary:
Wargens make good pvp Melee classes dependant upon crits.
Their sprint is the perfect ace up your sleeve while being kited.

Optimal class: pvp rogue, warrior, or Druid.





----------- Horde ---------------
// Orc
Statistical advantages:

Blood Fury - instant - 2 min cooldown
Increases attack power by (Level*4)+2 and your spell power by (Level*2)+3. Lasts 15 seconds.

Hardiness - passive
Duration of Stun effects reduced by an additional 15%.

Command - passive
Damage dealt by Death Knight, Hunter, Shaman and Warlock pets increased by 5%.

Axe Specialization - passive
Expertise with Axes, Two-Handed Axes and Fist Weapons increased by 3.
Visual advantages:
Resembles the hulk

Summary: Melee 2h wielding classes would be an orc's preference.

Optimal class:
PvP warrior; the reduced stun racial proves useful in intense pvp situations, and the increased damage cooldown can be used in several ways.





// Forsaken/undead
Statistical advantages:


Will of the Forsaken - instant - 2 min cooldown
Activate to remove any fear, sleep, and charm effects.

Cannibalize - instant - 2 min cooldown
Activate to regenerate 7% of total health every 2 seconds for 10 seconds(=35% of total health). Only works on Humanoid or Undead corpses within 5 yards.

Underwater Breathing - passive
Underwater breath lasts 233% longer than normal. (10 min)

Shadow Resistance - passive
Reduces the chance you will be hit by Shadow spells by 2%.

Visual pros:
very sweet looking walk, I think this race has the most swag while moving.

Summary:
undead have no specific weapon pros; however the race allows for a wide variety of play. Their regeneration ability proves very useful while leveling up, and their will of the forsaken is priceless in pvp.

Optimal class: PvP Priest; their will of the forsaken allows them to save their trinket for cyclones and stuns; and put their fear ward on another person or save it for after their racial has been used, avoiding any dispells.








//Tauren
Statistical pros:

[War Stomp] (2 min cooldown)
Stuns up to 5 enemies within 8 yards for 2 seconds.

[Endurance] - (passive)
Base Health increased by 5%.

[Cultivation] - (passive)
Herbalism skill increased by 15 and you gather herbs faster than normal herbalists.

[Nature Resistance] - (passive)
Increases your resistance to harmful Nature effects by 1. *Scales with level*

Visual pros: you represent the mythical Minotaur; and you are physically huge.

Visual cons: in pvp you will be picked out of a group easy, discouraging pvp healing without a disguise.

Summary:
Lore wise; Tauren are meant to be a class of nature, just as the night elf. Their massive size gives a slight disadvantage, as you will be targeted.

Optimal class: PvE tanking feral Druid;
Their racial stomp can save a raid and allow for more heals. Their increased health makes it easier on healers, and their bear form best resembles a bear.






// Trolls

Berserking - instant - 3 minutes cooldown
Activate to increase attack and casting speed by 20% for 10 seconds.

Regeneration - passive
Increase health regeneration bonus by 10%. Also allows 10% of normal health regenerate during combat.
(The regen that occurs as if you've gone afk; Not at all impacting abilities such as recuperate or enraged regen, or any other regen abilities)

Beast Slaying - passive
5% damage bonus to Beasts.

Throwing Specialization - passive
Increase Throwing Weapon crit chance by 1%.

Bow Specialization - passive
Increase Bow crit chance by 1%.

Da Voodoo Shuffle - passive
Reduces the duration of all movement impairing effects by 15%. Trolls be flippin' out mon!


Visual pros:
very colorful characters, allowing much customization.

Visual cons: very awkward movement; hard for me to get used to, you also, in my opinion, look like a total tears while walking. :)

Summary:
Trolls make very good independent classes; hunters and rogues especially.

Optimal class:
PvE hunters, their increased haste and bow spec grant great stats as a hunter. The increased haste buff is far more useful as a hunter.






//Blood elves
Statistical advantages:

Arcane Torrent - instant - 2 minutes cooldown
Activate to silence all enemies within 8 yards for 2 seconds. In addition, you regain 6% of your mana. If you play a death knight or a rogue this ability restores 15 runic power/energy.

Arcane Affinity - passive
10 point skill bonus to Enchanting (this raises the cap by 10 at each level of enchanting).

Magic Resistance - passive
Reduces the chance to be hit by spells by 2% (as of Patch 3.0.2)

Visual pros:
Blood elves have a great resemblance to humans; the greatest of any non-human race. They have animations with a lot of movement and emphasis.

Visual cons:
The male blood elves in wow appear to be the same person; absolute minimal appearance variety.

Summary:
Blood elves are racially magical: their racial is most useful to healers who generally have mana issues and want an offensive ability.

Optimal class:
PvP holy paladins; their racial allows for a nice cc chain in arenas and battlegrounds: pummel, silence, stun, pummel. Their mana restore allows for a greater mana supply, on top of divine plea.







//goblins
Statistical pros:

Rocket Jump (2 min cooldown, shared with Rocket Barrage)
Activates your rocket belt to jump forward. This ability is on the global cooldown.

Rocket Barrage (2 min cooldown, shared with Rocket Jump)
Launches your belt rockets at an enemy, dealing X-Y fire damage (24-30 at level 1; 1654-2020 at level 80). This ability is on the global cooldown.

Time is Money (passive)
Cash in on a 1% increase to attack and casting speed.

Best Deals Anywhere (passive)
Always receive the best discount regardless of faction standing.

Pack Hobgoblin (30 min cooldown)
Calls in your personal servant, allowing you bank access for 1 min.

Better Living through Chemistry (passive)
Alchemy skill increased by 15.

Visual pros: goblins are tiny; kinda toy-like.

Visual cons: extremely little variety in appearance.

Summary: goblins have a great ability to move around and close gaps.

Optimal class:
PvP death knight; if a target is out of range with your grip on cool down, a goblins racial can speed up your dps. The increased haste aids your rune regen.





So there you have it; all races with their optimal classes and why.