Why your race matters
Azeroth is full of different peoples: some were born on this world and others came from elsewhere. When you pick a race you also pick a side, because most races fight for either the Alliance or the Horde.
Besides the faction, the real gameplay difference between races is their racial traits ("racials"). Every race has at least three of them, a mix of passive bonuses and at least one active ability, and a new character knows them all from the start.
Races by faction
| Faction | Core races | Allied races |
|---|---|---|
| Alliance | Human, Dwarf, Night Elf, Gnome, Draenei and Worgen | Void Elf, Lightforged Draenei, Dark Iron Dwarf, Kul Tiran and Mechagnome |
| Horde | Orc, Undead, Tauren, Troll, Blood Elf and Goblin | Nightborne, Highmountain Tauren, Mag'har Orc, Zandalari Troll and Vulpera |
| Both | Pandaren and Dracthyr | Earthen and Haranir |
Read more in Alliance Races, Horde Races and Allied Races. Allied races must first be recruited in the game before you can create one.
When each race arrived
| expansion | New playable races |
|---|---|
| Original game | Human, Dwarf, Night Elf, Gnome, Orc, Undead, Tauren and Troll |
| The Burning Crusade | Blood Elf and Draenei |
| Cataclysm | Goblin and Worgen |
| Mists of Pandaria | Pandaren |
| Battle for Azeroth | 10 allied races |
| Dragonflight | Dracthyr |
| The War Within | Earthen |
| Midnight | Haranir |
Wrath of the Lich King, Warlords of Draenor, Legion and Shadowlands did not add a race. The pandaren were the first race that could join either faction.
Pandaren and Dracthyr
These two core races appear on both the Alliance and the Horde lists. The Dracthyr arrived together with the Evoker class and can shift between a dragon form and a humanoid look.
| race | Racial traits |
|---|---|
| Pandaren | Epicurean, Gourmand, Inner Peace, Bouncy and Quaking Palm |
| Dracthyr | Soar, Glide, Wing Buffet, Awakened, Discerning Eye, Visage and Chosen Identity |
Racials that help professions
Any race can learn any profession, but some racials add a bonus to one of them. A few examples:
| race | Racial | profession |
|---|---|---|
| Draenei | Gemcutting | Jewelcrafting |
| Gnome | Engineering Specialization | Engineering |
| Worgen | Flayer | Skinning |
| Blood Elf | Arcane Affinity | Enchanting |
| Goblin | Better Living Through Chemistry | Alchemy |
| Tauren | Cultivation | Herbalism |
| Pandaren | Gourmand | Cooking |
Sources
- World of Warcraft (official): Playable Races
- Warcraft Wiki: Racial trait
- Warcraft Wiki: Allied race
- Warcraft Wiki: Expansion
- Warcraft Wiki: World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor
- Warcraft Wiki: Pandaren
- Warcraft Wiki: Dracthyr
- Warcraft Wiki: Profession
Game pictures: © Blizzard Entertainment · worldofwarcraft.blizzard.com
