WoW BradyGAMES EnGB Guide

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Massively Multiplayer? Online?

Massively multiplayer online games, or MMOs, are games played simultaneously by hundreds or thousands of players.
Many of the characters you see in the game world are controlled by other players.
MMOs also do not have an offline component to the gaming experience. Where many games (such as first-person shooters or
real-time strategy games) typically have a single player campaign in addition to multiplayer options, all gameplay in MMOs is
done online. You must be connected to a server in order to play the game.
Worl d of Warcraft i s a massively multiplayer online game i n whi ch you assume control of a character who i s part of the worl ds of Azeroth and Outl and. These worl ds
are fi l l ed wi th magi c and fantasti cal creatures, but you wi l l al so catch gl i mpses of advanced technol ogy.
When you enter the game you become part of a stor y whi ch i s set i n a ti me of i ncreased fri cti on between l ong- ti me enemi es, the Al l i ance and Horde. The Horde consi sts
of Bl ood El ves, Orcs, Gobl i ns, Taurens, Trol l s and Undead. The races of the Al l i ance i ncl ude Draenei , Dwar ves, Gnomes, Humans, Ni ght El ves, and Worgen. The recentl y
redi socvered Pandaren may choose whi ch si de of the confl i ct they j oi n.
In addi ti on to sel ecti ng one of the races of Azeroth, you must assi gn a cl ass to your character. There are ten cl asses avai l abl e to you, and your cl ass sel ecti on has the
greatest i mpact on your experi ence whi l e pl ayi ng the game.
AN INTRODUCTION TO
WORLD OF WARCRAFT
BEGINNERS GUIDE
AN INTRODUCTION TO
WORLD OF WARCRAFT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
WORLD MAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
GETTING STARTED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Picking the Right Realm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Making Your Character . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Taking Your First Step. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Quests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
CHOOSING YOUR CHARACTERS RACE. . . . . 22
Draenei . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Dwarf. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Gnome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Human . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Night Elf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Worgen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Pandaren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Blood Elf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Goblin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Orc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Tauren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Troll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Undead. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
CHOOSING A CLASS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Death Knight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Druid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Hunter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Mage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Paladin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Priest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Rogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Shaman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Warlock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Warrior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
THE USER INTERFACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Character Portrait . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Minimap Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Interface Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Controlling Your Character . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
GETTING AROUND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
PLAYER VS. ENEMY COMBAT . . . . . . . . . . 134
Enemies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Loot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
ADVANCING YOUR CHARACTER . . . . . . . . 146
Gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Other Ways to Improve Your Character . . . . . . . . . 150
Gaining Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Talents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Just for Fun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
PET BATTLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
COMMUNICATING WITH OTHER PLAYERS . . . 168
Interacting with Other Characters. . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Advanced Group Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Dungeon Finder Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Guilds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Auction Houses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
PROFESSIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Alchemy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Blacksmithing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Enchanting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Inscription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Jewelcrafting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Leatherworking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Tailoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Herbalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Skinning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Archaeology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Cooking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
First Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Fishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
PVP COMBAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
ACHIEVEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
CUSTOMIZING THE GAME INTERFACE . . . . . 232
ONLINE RESOURCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
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1-10
10-20
10-20
10-20
68-72
73-75
74-77
77-80
77-80
77-80
76-78
71-74
77-80
68-72
70
48-50 45-48
50-52
52-54
20-25
25-30
30-35
30-35
35-40
80-82
82-83
84-85 10-20
10-20
10-20
10-20
50-55
45-50
80-82
1-10
1-10
1-12
1-10
10-15
15-20
20-25
25-30
20-25
20-25
30-35
35-40
35-40
40-45
40-45
45-50
50-55 55-60
83-84
25-30
30-35
54-58
1-10
1-10
1-10
1-10
58-63
67-70
62-65
64-67
60-64
65-68
67-70
87-88
88-89
89-90
86-87
90
85-86
86-87
55-56
OUTLAND
LEVELS 58-63 LEVELS 60-64 LEVELS 62-65 LEVELS 64-67 LEVELS 65-68 LEVELS 67-70 LEVEL 70
Hellfire Peninsula Zangarmarsh Terokkar Forest Nagrand Blades Edge Mountains
Netherstorm
Shadowmoon Valley
Isle of QuelDanas
NORTHREND
LEVELS 68-72 LEVELS 71-74 LEVELS 73-75 LEVELS 74-77 LEVELS 76-78 LEVELS 77-80
Borean Tundra
Howling Fjord
Dragonblight Grizzly Hills ZulDrak Sholazar Basin
Crystalsong Forest
Icecrown
Storm Peaks
Wintergrasp
MISTS OF PANDARIA
LEVELS 85-86 LEVELS 86-87 LEVELS 87-88 LEVELS 88-90 LEVEL 90
The Jade Forest
Valley of the Four Winds
Krasarang Wilds
Kun-Lai Summit
Townlong Steppes
Dread Wastes
Vale of Eternal Blossoms
NEUTRAL ZONES
STARTING ZONES LEVELS 20-25 LEVELS 25-30 LEVELS 30-35 LEVELS 35-40 LEVELS 40-45 LEVELS 45-50 LEVELS 50-55 LEVELS 55-60
The Wandering Isle Ashenvale
Arathi Highlands
Northern
Stranglethorn
Stonetalon
Mountains
Desolace
Southern Barrens
The Hinterlands
Cape of
Stranglethorn
Dustwallow Marsh
Feralas
Western
Plaguelands
Eastern Plaguelands
Thousand Needles
Badlands (44-48)
Tanaris
Felwood
Searing Gorge
(47-51)
Burning Steppes
(49-52)
UnGoro Crater
Swamp of Sorrows
(52-54)
Deadwind Pass
(55-56)
Blasted Lands
(54-60)
Winterspring
Silithis
ALLIANCE ZONES
STARTING ZONES LEVELS 6-10 LEVELS 10-20 LEVELS 20-25
Coldridge Vale & Gnomeregan
Northshire Valley
Shadowglen
Gilneas
Ammen Vale
Dun Morogh
Elwynn Forest
Teldrassil
Gilneas City
Azuremyst Isle
Loch Modan
Westfall (10-15) & Redridge Mountains (15-20)
Darkshore
Ruins of Gilneas
Bloodmyst Isle
Wetlands
Duskwood
HORDE ZONES
STARTING ZONES LEVELS 6-10 LEVELS 10-20 LEVELS 20-25
Deathknell
Sunstrider Isle
Valley of Trials & Echo Isles
Red Cloud Mesa
Isle of Kezan
Tirisfal Glades
Eversong Woods
Durotar
Mulgore
The Lost Isles (5-10)
Silverpine Forest
Ghostlands
Azshara
Northern Barrens
Hillsbrad Foothills
The l evel val ues i n the fol l owi ng tabl es are not exact, but i nstead provi de a general range for each zone. Use the maps on thi s page for a vi sual representati on of the
i nformati on provi ded i n the fol l owi ng tabl es.
CATACLYSM
LEVELS 80-82 LEVELS 82-83 LEVELS 83-84 LEVELS 84-85
Mount Hyjal
Vashjir
Deepholm Uldum Twilight Highlands
WORLD MAP
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Tuesday Downtime
Blizzard typically uses Tuesdays to perform server maintenance or apply the latest updates (known as patches) to
World of Warcraft. The game is often unavailable from early morning until early afternoon, depending on your time zone.
Downtimes are often given in Pacific Time since that is the timezone where Blizzards offices are located.
GETTING STARTED
PICKING THE RIGHT REALM
Your fi rst act, after you regi ster, patch, and l oad the game, i s to sel ect a real m. If you have fri ends al ready pl ayi ng, contact them and ask whi ch real m to j oi n.
Other wi se, you are strongl y encouraged to tr y out one of the real ms marked for NEW PLAYERS.
Mi l l i ons of peopl e cant al l pl ay i n the same pl ace at the same ti me. As such, Worl d of Warcraft i snt hosted from a si ngl e computer. Instead, ser vers around the worl d host
the many real ms where Worl d of Warcraft i s pl ayed. Each real m i s a separate copy of the game where several thousand peopl e pl ay.
THE REALM SELECTION SCREEN
TYPE
Click on this header to sort the list by type.
YOUR CHARACTER(S)
The number of characters you have on a given
server appears here. It lists the realms on which
you have characters at the top of the list.
REALM NAME
Click this header to sort the list in alphabetical
order. Click on it again to switch between
ascending (starting with the letter A) and
descending (starting with the letter Z) order.
GEOGRAPHIC TABS
Click on the tab thats
appropriate for where you live.
POPULATION
Click on this header to sort
the list by population level.
TYPES OF REALMS
The l i st of avai l abl e real ms may be daunti ng the fi rst ti me you scrol l through i t,
so how do you know whi ch type of real m i s for you? Use the fol l owi ng i nformati on
to hel p you reach a deci si on.
POPULATION
The l ast vari abl e to consi der i s the pl ayer popul ati on of a ser ver.
Normal
Normal real ms are al so known as PvE (Pl ayer- versus Envi ronment)
real ms. If youre new to the game, strongl y consi der a Normal ser ver
before tr yi ng any other type.
PvP
Pl ayer- versus- Pl ayer ser vers. In addi ti on to al l the standard aspects of
the game, pl ayers from opposi te facti ons are free to attack each other i n
most areas. If you dont know what PvP i s, dont choose i t.
RP
Rol epl ayi ng ser vers. Envi ronments that encourage pl ayers to stay
i n character whi l e pl ayi ng the game. There are addi ti onal rul es
i n pl ace that govern pl ayer names, and behavi or i n publ i c areas.
There arent any mechani cal processes that force you to rol e pl ay
your character wel l (or at al l ), but i t i s encouraged i n these real ms.
RP-PVP These ser vers combi ne the RP crowd wi th a PvP rul eset.
Full New accounts are unabl e to create characters on Ful l ser vers.
High
A l arge number of pl ayers. Theres al ways someone around who mi ght
hel p, but you may be wai ti ng i n a queue to l og i n some ni ghts.
Medium A robust pl ayer base but not too crowded.
Low
Sparse pl ayer base. You wi l l al ways be abl e to do your task at- hand,
but there may not be many peopl e around to hel p you.
New Players
Newer ser vers wi th a l ower overal l popul ati on. If you are tr yi ng out
Worl d of Warcraft for the fi rst ti me, choose one of these real ms!
Offline
Grayed out ser vers are bri efl y unavai l abl e, but wi l l l i kel y be onl i ne agai n
soonsave for Tuesday downti mes.
TO MAKE YOUR SELECTION
Cl i ck on the real m where you want to pl ay, then cl i ck Okay. You are now l ogged i nto that ser ver. Wi th no characters currentl y created, the character creati on screen i s
automati cal l y opened for the pl ayer.
8 9
CHARACTER RACE AND CLASS SELECTION
The Character Creati on Screen i s di vi ded i nto two screens. You begi n wi th a random character (whi ch appears i n the center) that you can customi ze i n mul ti pl e ways.
The fi rst screen l ets you pi ck your race, cl ass and gender.
MAKING YOUR CHARACTER
RACE
Click on these icons to change the race of your character.
Choosing a race impacts which classes are available for you to play.
GENDER
Choosing to play a male character or female character provides
different options for the characters physical appearance.
CLASS
The icons for classes appear here; no race can play
every class, so some of these icons will be unavailable
regardless of the race you select.
MORE INFO
Clicking this button brings up two information boxes, one provides Race History,
while the other is a Class Description. The information provided in these boxes updates
as you click on different icons for races and classes. Each race has advantages and
extra abilities which are listed at the top of the Race History box. The Class Description
box displays a few brief lines that serve as an overview of the class, then provides
additional details to give you a better feel for the class.
CHARACTER APPEARANCE AND NAME
When you are comfortabl e wi th your characters cl ass and race, cl i ck Next to bri ng up the second character creati on screen. Thi s screen al l ows you to change your characters
gender and appearance. When you cl i ck an opti on on the l eft si de of the screen (under the Gender wi ndow) the avai l abl e opti ons for that categor y appear on the ri ght.
The number of opti ons avai l abl e var y by race.
CURRENT CHARACTER GENDER APPEARANCE OPTIONS CYCLE THROUGH OPTIONS
Current Character
Each ti me you cl i ck on a new opti on for race, gender, cl ass, or physi cal appearance, the character di spl ayed here i s updated. The gender and the physi cal appearance
choi ces you make for your character are purel y cosmeti c; they have no i mpact on how your character performs i n the game. Have fun choosi ng your hai r col or and marki ngs.
After al l , thi s i s your i n- game persona; you want to l i ke what you see! You can press Randomi ze to l et the game show you some opti ons.
When youre sati sfi ed wi th your characters cl ass, race, and appearance, i ts ti me to sel ect a name.
When choosi ng a name, consi der that your characters name i s the fi rst i mpressi on others have of you i n the game. Bl i zzard has a Nami ng Pol i cy that i s desi gned to
di scourage pl ayers from usi ng character names that are i nappropri ate to the game. In general , you want to avoi d real worl d names (l i ke cel ebri ti es), offensi ve names,
names from other fi cti onal worl ds, or trademarked names. If you real l y cant thi nk of a name that you want, or i f al l of your good ones are taken al ready, tr y the
Randomi ze button under the bar. It mi ght gi ve you a few suggesti ons that sui t you and are avai l abl e.
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DEATH
KNIGHT
Page 52
DRUID
Page 58
HUNTER
Page 66
MAGE
Page 72
PALADIN
Page 78
PRIEST
Page 84
ROGUE
Page 90
SHAMAN
Page 96
WARLOCK
Page 102
WARRIOR
Page 110
TAKING YOUR FIRST STEPS
Wi th your character created, i ts ti me to get i nto the real game. It seems pretty compl ex when you fi rst l og i n to the game, wi th so many thi ngs up on the screen;
however, youre free to take as much ti me as you need to get comfortabl e before you start adventuri ng. The fol l owi ng pages i ntroduce you to many aspects of gamepl ay
that you experi ence duri ng your fi rst ti me i n Worl d of Warcraft. Each of the topi cs i s covered i n more detai l through thi s gui de, but what you l earn i n thi s chapter wi l l get
you started i n Worl d of Warcraft.
After the openi ng movi e ends you are gi ven control of your character. The fi rst thi ngs to do are ski m the Begi nner Tool ti ps that appear and take a l ook at the mi ni map
l ocated at the top ri ght corner of your screen.
THE MINIMAP
The circle in the top right corner of your screen is
the minimap. The minimap is a valuable tool that
you should get to know as quickly as possible.
The minimap eventually provides greater detail
about the nearby area, but the basics are all you
need for now.
TOOLTIPS
When a question mark appears at the bottom
center of the screen, it indicates that you have
encountered a new aspect of the game.
Click on the question mark to bring up a box
with more information. These tips are helpful
to new players, so take a moment to read each
one as it appears.
Your character i s i ndi cated by an arrow. It poi nts i n the same di recti on that your character faces. For now, l ook for the
nearby quest gi ver (marked wi th a yel l ow excl amati on poi nt). Thats your fi rst desti nati on.
YOUR CHARACTER
QUEST GIVER
GNOME DWARF HUMAN GOBLIN
PAGE 28 PAGE 26 PAGE 40 PAGE 30
TAUREN NIGHT ELF BLOOD ELF
PAGE 38 PAGE 32 PAGE 44
UNDEAD ORC PANDAREN
TROLL WORGEN
DRAENEI
FOR MORE INFORMATION
If you are most i nterested i n pl ayi ng a speci fi c facti on or Race, turn to page 24 for Al l i ance races, page 38 for Horde races, or page 36 for Pandaren. If you are most
i nterested i n pl ayi ng a speci fi c Cl ass, turn to the appropri ate page number (provi ded bel ow).
12 13
MOVE YOUR CHARACTER
There are two ways to control the movement of your character: wi th your keyboard,
or wi th your mouse. If you prefer to use your keyboard to move your character then
use the W, A, S, and D keys. W and S move your character for ward and backward,
A and D turn your character l eft and ri ght. To turn, press W to move foward,
then press A/S (whi l e sti l l hol di ng down W). Pressi ng j ust A or S spi ns your
character i n pl ace.
To control your characters movement wi th the mouse, press the l eft and ri ght mouse
buttons si mul taneousl y to move for ward. Your character conti nues to move for ward
so l ong as you hol d down both mouse buttons. Sl i de the mouse to the l eft or ri ght
to turn your character i n that di recti on.
CHAT LOG
In the bottom l eft corner of your screen i s the chat l og. Whenever the game or
other pl ayers want to communi cate wi th you, the text appears here. Two tabs are
avai l abl e (General and Combat Log) but the General tab i s al l you need to
focus on for now.
To say somethi ng to anyone nearby, hi t enter. If screen doesnt read Say, then hi t
enter and type /say. Type i n the message you want to share wi th anyone standi ng
nearby, then press enter.
For a pri vate message, use /whi sper to tal k wi th a speci fi c person. Just type i n
/w al ong wi th the name of the person. Type i n your pri vate message. If someone
whi spered you fi rst, you can j ust press r to respond to that whi sper.
A game-controlled characters comment
Another players comment. Note that
characters controlled by other players are set
apart with brackets around their name.
INTERACT WITH A QUEST GIVER
No matter where you start, theres a nearby character wi th a yel l ow excl amati on poi nt over hi s or her head.
These characters have tasks for you to perform. These tasks are cal l ed Quests i n Worl d of Warcraft and they are
an i ntegral part of your gami ng experi ence.
Ri ght- cl i ck on the quest gi ver to speak wi th hi m or her. The quest gi ver descri bes a task and offers compensati on i n
the form of money and i tems. In addi ti on to the l i sted rewards, you earn Experi ence Poi nts for compl eti ng quests.
COMPLETING QUESTS
After you accept a quest, i t i s tracked on the screen near the top ri ght corner.
To revi ew the quest i n greater detai l , press the l etter l on your keyboard to
open your Quest Log. It l i sts al l quests you have accepted but have not yet
compl eted. The quest l og al so contai ns a summar y of what i s expected of you
to compl ete a gi ven quest. The Mi ni map i s updated as wel l . A thi ck, gol den
arrow poi nts i n the di recti on you need to travel for the quest.
ENEMIES
Do some expl ori ng and put your mouse cursor over the di fferent
creatures. Look near the bottom ri ght corner of the screen for a smal l
i nformati on box to appear. If the enemy i s one you need for a quest,
target i t and start attacki ng!
Mousing over this enemy brings up an
information box here. The game even tells you
if you need the creature for a quest.
COMBAT
To start fi ghti ng a creature, you must fi rst sel ect i t by l eft- cl i cki ng whi l e your mouse
poi nter i s on i t. For your fi rst fi ght, move cl ose to your target and attack i t wi th
your mel ee weapon by pl aci ng your poi nter over i t and ri ght- cl i ck your mouse one
ti me. Hunters are the l one excepti on here. They start wi th a ranged weapon, so they
shoul d attack from a few yards away. If you al ready sel ected the enemy wi th a l eft-
cl i ck, press the l etter t on your keyboard to start attacki ng. In the starti ng area
you can defeat any enemy wi th thi s basi c techni que, but i n future fi ghts you shoul d
start to use your character cl ass abi l i ti es to make thi ngs go much faster.
If youre at cl ose range, the fi rst attack you make tri ggers what i s known as your
autoattack. Thi s means that your character wi l l conti nue to stri ke the enemy agai n
and agai n wi th no further acti on on your part. Ever y character can do much more
than thi s when youre acti vel y fi ghti ng and usi ng abi l i ti es, but auto- attacks are good enough to bri ng down earl y enemi es.
14 15
Nameplate Colors
When you select an enemy, the color of its name text provides an important bit of information. If the text is yellow,
the creature wont attack until you initiate combat. You are free to attack or ignore these creatures as you wish. If the name
appears in red, the creature is aggressive and will attack as soon as you move within a certain range. Dont stray too far
from your starting point without finishing a few quests and getting a feel for combat. The enemies closest to where you start
wont come after you, but there are aggressive enemies lurking in the area.
Limited Inventory Space
You begin with a single backpack that can hold 16 items. Whenever you are near a vendor, sell off excess items so you have
room for items you may need to collect.
LOOT
Al most al l enemi es offer some ki nd of
l oot. When you have l oot wai ti ng, your
dead enemy sparkl es and a gol den l oot
i con i s di spl ayed as you mouse over the
dead enemys corpse. Ri ght cl i ck to open
the enemy l oot box, then cl i ck on each
i tem to put i t i nto your i nventor y. If you
press Shi ft and Ri ght- cl i ck, at the same
ti me, each i tem i s sent di rectl y to
your Backpack.
Some quests al so award i tems when
you compl ete them. These i tems al so
go di rectl y to your backpack. Any money you col l ect (j ust coppers at thi s poi nt)
are al so stored i n your backpack.
INVENTORY
Ever ythi ng that your character owns
wi l l ei ther be equi pped, whi ch means
weari ng i t; or i t wi l l be stored i n your
Backpack. Press the l etter b to
open your backpack and to see what
i s i nsi de.
As you col l ect i tems (ei ther from
ki l l ed enemi es or col l ected on quests)
they go to your backpack. Ever y
character starts the game wi th a
Hearthstone, whi ch i s the bl ue and
whi te i tem i n the fi rst sl ot.
ACTION BAR
Your Acti on Bar appears at the bottom of the screen. At l ow l evel s, you wont have many abi l i ti es here, but that wi l l change as you get further i nto the game. Al l characters
begi n wi th the number 1 i ni ti ati ng ei ther the starti ng attack for your cl ass or a si mpl e mel ee attack. There are other abi l i ti es on your Acti on Bar, but they are di fferent
dependi ng on whi ch cl ass and race you chose for your character.
Meeting Your Trainer
One of the earliest quests you get in any starting zone will introduce you to your class trainer. After you learn a new ability,
it appears on your Action Bar. This only happens if there are any spaces free on your main bar. Once the bar is full, abilities
will no longer be placed there automatically, and you will have to do it yourself, or place them on different bars and move
abilities around.
WHERE TO GO NEXT
If you want to learn more about the User Interface
and controlling your character turn to page 116.
If you want to learn more about communicating with
other players, turn to page 168.
If youre ready to complete quests, turn to page 16.
If you want learn more about combat and special
abilities, turn to page 134.
If you want to learn more about enemies,
turn to page 143.
If youre looking for more resources about the game,
including setting Parental Controls, turn to page 239.
If youre not sure what a game term means,
use the glossary on page 190.
16 17
WHATS WITH ALL THE PUNCTUATION?
Future quest.
You need to gai n
a few l evel s to get
thi s quest.
Incompl ete quest.
You al ready have
thi s quest but you
have not met al l
the requi rements to
compl ete i t yet.
Avai l abl e quest.
Tal k to the quest
gi ver now to start
the quest.
Compl eted quest.
You have compl eted
al l the requi rements
of the quest and
you can now speak
wi th the quest-
gi ver to cl ai m
your reward.
Repeatabl e quests.
These quests
can be done
mul ti pl e ti mes.
Ki l l a creature wi th
a red excl aamati on
poi nt over i ts head
to begi n a quest.
Not a quest gi ver,
but a fl i ght master.
Speak wi th these
NPCs whenever you
fi nd them.
QUESTS
Quests tel l the stori es of the i nhabi tants of Worl d of Warcraft and someti mes reveal i n- game secrets. Questi ng i s al so an effi ci ent way to i ncrease your character l evel ,
earn money, and acqui re i mproved gear.
FINDING QUESTS
For most quests, you ri ght- cl i ck on the person or i tem, read the quest, and (i f you dont automati cal l y accept the quest) cl i ck Accept to add the quest to your l og. There are
many sources of quests, so keep an eye out for any of the fol l owi ng characters or obj ects. You may get some quests si mpl y by enteri ng a new zone! Watch for a prompt
under your mi ni map as you travel to new areas.
QUEST GIVERS
Quest gi vers are i denti fi ed by the excl amati on poi nt fl oati ng over thei r heads. Many quest gi vers offer
more than one quest. Some quests even come from i tems, events, or areas.
Items as Quest Givers
The most common i tem that gi ves quests are Wanted Posters. These appear i n hi ghl y popul ated areas,
frequentl y offeri ng rewards for l ocal vi l l ai ns who need tracki ng and ki l l i ng. There are al so i tems found i n
the open, or i n a camp of creatures that gi ve out quests. Al l these i tems have gol den excl amati on poi nts
that appear over them.
Dropped items
Some enemi es drop i tems that i ni ti ate a quest. Any i tem that begi ns a quest has a gol d excl amati on poi nt
i ntegrated i nto i ts i con. Ri ght- cl i ck the i tem to see the quest i t offers.
TYPES OF QUESTS
Most quests are desi gned so you can compl ete them on your own and do them onl y once. There are other types of quests, however. Your Quest Log i denti fi es certai n quests
as one of the fol l owi ng:
Group
A quest wi th a recommended number of pl ayers to compl ete i t. Frequentl y,
the obj ecti ve i s ki l l i ng a hi gh l evel monster.
Dungeon
Quests that must be compl eted i nsi de an i nstanced dungeon (the earl i est youl l see
a dungeon i s l evel 15). You must enter the dungeon and compl ete these quests as
part of a group.
Raid
Quests that must be compl eted wi th a rai d group. Rai d groups are essenti al l y
mul ti pl e groups j oi ned together. You wont need to worr y about rai d quests unti l
you reach a much hi gher l evel .
Daily
The quests marked as Dai l y i n your quest l og can be compl eted once each
day. These quests come from the quest gi vers wi th bl ue excl amati on poi nts over
thei r heads.
Class
Some quests are avai l abl e onl y to a speci fi c cl ass. These quests often l ead to
l earni ng a new cl ass ski l l or acqui ri ng a ni ce pi ece of gear.
Seasonal
Quests that are avai l abl e duri ng certai n events duri ng the year. Check the i n- game
cal endar for i nformati on about events.
18 19
MORE QUEST TYPES
Whi l e the game doesnt categori ze quests i n the fol l owi ng ways, most quests fal l i nto one of the fol l owi ng types:
Breadcrumb quests requi re you to speak wi th a character i n another area, or take an i tem to another character. They are cal l ed breadcrumb because they are desi gned to
l ead you to a new zone or area wi th more quests.
There are two types of collection quests. The fi rst type does not requi re you to fi ght. After accepti ng the quest, l ook for obj ects that sparkl e. Put your mouse poi nter over
the obj ect and ri ght cl i ck on i t to put i t i n your backpack. The second type of col l ecti on quest i nvol ves i tems that are carri ed by enemy characters. These enemi es must be
ki l l ed before they surrender thei r i tem. Just l i ke the obj ects i n the fi rst type of col l ecti on quest, defeated enemi es sparkl e when they have i tems for you to pi ck up.
The obj ecti ve of kill quests i s to el i mi nate a number of a speci fi c ki nd of enemy. These quests are si mpl e and strai ghtfor ward. Once you fi nd the ri ght type of enemy,
i ts a matter of taki ng them down i n combat.
In an escort quest, you free an i n- game vi cti m and l ead the character to safety. These quests are usual l y encountered i n out- of- the- way l ocati ons whi l e compl eti ng
other quests.
A quest chain i s a seri es of quests that must be compl eted i n a certai n order. Chai ned quests arent marked as such i n your quest l og, but i ts easy to tel l when youre i n
the mi dst of a quest chai n when you speak wi th the same quest gi ver many ti mes. Compl eti ng a l ong quest chai n can be one of the most sati sfyi ng and rewardi ng aspects
of the game.
QUEST LEVELS
Your Quest Log al so i ndi cates the l evel of di ffi cul ty of your quest usi ng correspondi ng col ors. The l evel of di ffi cul ty i s a compari son between the l evel of the quest and your
current l evel . As you gai n l evel s, the quest becomes rel ati vel y easi er, so the col or changes.
If a quest i s too di ffi cul t for you currentl y, l eave i t i n your l og as l ong as you
can spare the room. The benefi t to tackl i ng red and orange quests i s that the
XP reward i s greater; i n fact, i f you wai t unti l a quest turns Gray to compl ete
i t, i ts worth onl y 10% of the XP had you compl eted i t as a Red quest!
QUEST COLOR DESCRIPTION
Gray Very easy quest, but not worth much XP.
Green Easy. Simple to complete solo.
Yellow Normal. Likely to complete solo.
Orange Hard. Consider finding help for the quest.
Red Very Hard. Dont try this quest without some help.
COMPLETING QUESTS
Remember to read the quest text careful l y. If you compl ete several
quests si mul taneousl y, you can turn them i n at the same poi nt and ti me.
When you compl ete a quest, the quest tracker poi nts you to where to turn
i n the quest for your reward. Frequentl y, you return to the ori gi nal quest
gi ver, who i s i ndi cated wi th a gol d questi on mark.
Not all quests require you to return to a quest giver to
complete them. When you see this prompt, click on it to
complete the quest and get a follow-up quest as well.
Phasing
While you are questing, or have just completed a quest, you may notice the world
around your character undergoes a change. Buildings look different, NPCs might move
to different areas, or monsters might be there that werent before. This sort of change is
known as phasing. If youre playing on your own, you may not even notice these changes,
or you may consider them just a part of the story being told around you.
If youre in a group, however, it could cause problems. Phasing is individual to each
character, meaning two people in the same group could be standing close by and not
even see each other! If that happens, look next to the character portraits in the upper left
portion of the screen. If you see a swirl next to a party members portrait, that character is
out of phase with you.
There are two ways to get characters back into phase. The first way is to have both players
complete the same quests. The second way is to move both characters out of the phased
area. Phasing isnt worldwide, so you should eventually find a spot where you can see each
other again.
20 21
When you accept most quests, l ook for a quest tracki ng wi ndow to appear j ust under your mi ni map. The text here
summari zes the obj ecti ves you must meet i n order to compl ete the quests i n your l og. Not ever y quest has obj ecti ves that
can be tracked, so not al l quests wi l l appear here; ever y acti ve quest al ways appears i n your quest l og.
If you need more i nformati on about a speci fi c quest, cl i ck on the text (not the numbered ci rcl e) to bri ng up i ts quest l og
entr y. Cl i cki ng the numbered ci rcl e to the l eft of each quest changes whi ch quest you are acti vel y tracki ng on your map and
mi ni map. If you want to change the order i n whi ch the quests appear (or stop tracki ng a certai n quest), ri ght cl i ck on the
quest you want to change to bri ng up a menu of opti ons.
If you must use an item for a quest, a shortcut to use the item
appears in the quest tracker. In the quest log shown here, the quest
Magnets, How Do They Work? has one such shortcut.
USING THE MAP TO FIND QUEST OBJECTIVES
After accepti ng a quest, you often see a yel l ow arrow appear on your mi ni map. Thi s arrow i ndi cates the di recti on i n whi ch you shoul d travel to compl ete the quest.
The regi on map di spl ays even more i nformati on, i n the form of ei ther a yel l ow questi on mark or a numbered i con. To open the regi on map, ei ther press the l etter m
or cl i ck the map i con near the zone name at the top of the mi ni map. Cl i ck the arrow i n the top ri ght corner to expand or shri nk the regi on map.
The smaller map above provides only the location of each quests
objective. The expanded map on the right includes a summary of
the active quests in the zone as well as the full quest text for the
currently selected quest below the map.
The numbered i cons whi ch appear on the regi on map are ti ed to the quests whi ch are bei ng tracked. Mousi ng over one of the numbered ci rcl es bri ngs up the obj ectves for
that quest. The yel l ow arrow on the mi ni map poi nts you i n the di recti on of the currentl y sel ected quest you are acti vel y tracki ng. If you want to track a di fferent quest,
cl i ck on that quests numbered ci rcl e (ei ther on the regi on map or i n your quest tracki ng l i st).
Skulls on the Minimap
When the objective of a quest is to find a specific enemy (often referred to as a named) that
enemy appears as a regular numbered callout on the region map. However, when you are close
enough, its location is marked by a skull on your minimap.
The yel l ow questi on marks are where you go to turn i n al ready compl eted quests. The ci rcl e questi on mark i ndi cates the turn- i n for the quest whi ch appears at the top of
your quest tracki ng wi ndow. As you approach the i ndi cated area the yel l ow questi on mark wi l l appear on your mi ni map, provi di ng the exact l ocati on for you to compl ete
your quest.
TRACKING YOUR QUEST PROGRESS
22 23
There are 13 races i n the game: si x for the Al l i ance, si x for the Horde and one race that can choose ei ther si de. Keep i n mi nd that each race has l i mi tati ons on
avai l abl e cl asses.
Each race has i nnate benefi ts (known as Raci al Abi l i ti es) that are uni que to that race. These are abi l i ti es you have i n addi ti on to what you get from choosi ng your cl ass.
CHOOSING YOUR
CHARACTERS RACE
The race you choose determi nes whether you wi l l be part of the Al l i ance or the Horde. If you have fri ends i n the game wi th whom you want to pl ay, you need to choose the
same facti on i f you want to work together i n the game. There are no good or bad si des i n thi s confl i ct. Both facti ons have ri ch stor yl i nes and compel l i ng moti ves.
STARTING OUT WITH FRIENDS
Each race has i ts own home regi on, so the race you choose determi nes where you start i n the game. If you and a fri end want to start the game together, you must choose
the same race so that you start at the same l ocati on.
If you and your fri end cant agree on the same race, i t wont take l ong to reach the maj or hubs of the game where you can j oi n up. As a resul t, i ts best to pl ay the exact
character you want, even i f i t means wai ti ng to see your buddi es a l i ttl e bi t l onger.
The Most Important Factor
Its not uncommon to see that one race might be better suited to the class that youve chosen compared with another,
but what if that isnt the race that you had your heart set on? The best thing to do is ignore Racial Abilities if you have any
strong preference for a specific race. Bonding with your character is a real thing. Choosing a race that you dont want to
play is something that grates on you over time. Dont let that happen. Enjoy your time in the game. In the end, stats arent a
big deal; you wont flounder just because you picked a weaker race to go with your class. None of the races are especially
overpowered or underpowered. Their bonuses are more of a tiny perk. They help, but they never make or break a class.
FACTIONS
Though thei r ways are someti mes brutal and warl i ke, some of the l eaders of the Horde exempl i fy
honor and courage. The vari ous races of the Horde have struggl ed to free themsel ves from
demoni c tyranny, a mi ndl ess pl ague, and countl ess wars.
TROLL BLOOD ELF ORC UNDEAD TAUREN GOBLIN
Horde Races
Pandaren Race
The eni gmati c Pandaren have l ong been a myster y to the other races of Azeroth. For ten thousand years, they l i ved i n i sol ati on i n thei r mi st- shrouded
homel and, stayi ng away from the confl i cts of the worl d of Azeroth. Now the outsi de worl d has come to the conti nent of Pandari a and the Wanderi ng Isl e,
gi vi ng each Pandaren the opti on of whi ch facti on they wi sh to j oi n.
PANDAREN
Alliance Races
The Al l i ance gi ves the appearance of bei ng on the si de of ri ghteousness and many of i ts l eaders
are good peopl e. However, they are al so the source of hypocri sy and consi derabl e l awl essness.
The destructi on l eft behi nd by the Gnomes sci enti fi c mi stakes, Dwar ven ci vi l wars, and Human
mi sconduct have scarred much of the Eastern Ki ngdoms. HUMAN DRAENEI GNOME NIGHT ELF DWARF WORGEN
24 25
AVAILABLE CLASSES
Start Location: Ammen Vale in Azuremyst Isle
Home City: The Exodar
Elekks, the Draenei Racial Mount
DRAENEI
GEMCUTTING
GIFT OF THE NAARU
HEROIC PRESENCE
SHADOW RESISTANCE
RACIAL ABILITIES
The Draenei are an intelligent and spiritual race who no
longer have a homeworld of their own. They fled both
their home planet of Argus and then Outland as well.
The Burning Legion, a force of horrible evil, has dogged
their efforts at every turn. Currently, the Draenei have
crash landed on Azeroth in their capital ship (The Exodar).
Though their ships engines have been sabotaged, they are
ready and willing to continue the battle against evil.
Draenei are dedicated to magic and Holy Light.
The Draenei also have a spiritual affinity with the Naaru,
energy beings who serve the Holy Light.
Draenei are 7-8 feet tall, with long tails and bipedal hooves.
Females have horns of varying shapes and sizes. Males have
unique cranial and facial features.
Jewelcrafting skill (a crafting Profession)
increased by 10.
Heals the target for 20% of the casters
total health over 15 sec.
Increases your chance to hit with all spells
and attacks by 1%.
Reduces Shadow damage taken by 1%.
PRIEST ROGUE HUNTER MAGE WARLOCK PALADIN WARRIOR DRUID SHAMAN DEATH KNIGHT
26 27
FROST RESISTANCE
CRACK SHOT
MACE SPECIALIZATION
STONEFORM
EXPLORER
RACIAL ABILITIES
Reduces Frost damage taken by 1%.
Expertise with ranged weapons increased by 1%.
Expertise with Maces and Two-Handed Maces
increased by 1%.
Removes all poison, disease and bleed effects and
reduces all damage taken by 10% for 8 sec.
You fnd additional fragments when looting
archaeological fnds and you can survey faster
than normal archaeologists.
Start Location: Coldridge Valley in Dun Morogh
Home City: Ironforge
Rams, the Dwarven Racial Mount
Dwarves are a hardy people, due no doubt to living for
generations in cold regions, frequently in underground
fortresses. Masters of stone and ore, Dwarves are equally
skilled at building cities and crafting weaponry. Dwarves
are treasure seekers, explorers, and courageous fighters.
Dwarves are 4-5 feet tall, stocky, and muscular. Males prize
their elaborate beards; females, their decorative hairstyles
and piercings.
DWARF
AVAILABLE CLASSES
28 29
GNOME
The eccentric Gnomes once thrived in Gnomeregan,
a city deep in the mountains beneath Dun Morogh.
When attacked by Troggs, the clever Gnomes released
toxic radiation against their attackersand the gnome
citizenry as well. The surviving gnomes fled the city,
still sharing their inventions and odd devices with others.
They currently use Ironforge, the Dwarven capital, as a
place of refuge.
Gnomish and Goblin engineers have a long-standing
rivalry. Its uncertain to outsiders which side is more
dangerous to their friends and enemies!
Gnomes are approximately 3 feet tall, being the shortest
sentient race in Azeroth. They have petite bodies but
larger facial features. Gnomes have only 4 fingers per hand.
Male and female Gnomes are known for their outrageous
hair colors.
Start Location: New Tinkertown in Dun Morogh
Home City: Ironforge (Tinker Town)
Mechanostriders, the Gnomish Racial Mount
AVAILABLE CLASSES
ARCANE RESISTANCE
ENGINEERING SPECIALIZATION
EXPANSIVE MIND
ESCAPE ARTIST
SHORTBLADE SPECIALIZATION
RACIAL ABILITIES
Reduces Arcane damage taken by 1%.
Engineering skill (a crafting Profession)
increased by 15.
Mana pool increased by 5%.
Escape the effects of any immobilization or
movement speed reduction effect.
Expertise with Daggers and One-Handed Swords
increased by 1%.
30 31
Start Location: Northshire in Elwynn Forest
Home City: Stormwind
Horses, the Human Racial Mount
Humans are both proud and ambitious, seeking comfort
and glory and to change the world around them.
Many humans are laborers, working in the farms, mines,
and lumber mills outside of Stormwind, eagerly taking all
that nature offers. Humans are also courageous knights,
brave on the battlefield and loyal to their comrades.
Humans are 5-6 feet tall, strong and healthy. Human
physical traits vary greatly, with a wide palette of skin and
hair colors.
HUMAN
DIPLOMACY
EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF
SWORD SPECIALIZATION
THE HUMAN SPIRIT
MACE SPECIALIZATION
RACIAL ABILITIES
Reputation gains are increased by 10%.
Removes all movement impairing effects and
all effects which cause loss of control of your
character. This effect shares a cooldown with
other similar effects.
Expertise with Swords and Two-Handed Swords
increased by 1%.
Spirit increased by 3%.
Expertise with Maces and Two-Handed Maces
increased by 1%.
AVAILABLE CLASSES
32 33
Start Location: Shadowglen in Teldrassil
Home City: Darnassus
Nightsabers, the Night Elf Racial Mount
Night Elves are perceived as aloof and solitary, preferring
nature to conventional cities and the company of their own
kind to that of other races. Rather than using nature as a
resource, Night Elves seek to be in rhythm with the natural
world. Night Elves blend magic and the forces of nature for
their protection and strength. This belief places Night Elves
in strong opposition to Blood Elves, who have consumed
tremendous magic against the flow of nature and who
continue to place ambition before reason.
Night Elves are approximately 7 feet tall; they are lithe and
athletic. Night Elves have prominent eyebrows and very
long ears. Males have elaborate facial hair. Females have
facial tattoos.
NIGHT ELF
RACIAL ABILITIES
ELUSIVENESS
NATURE RESISTANCE
SHADOWMELD
QUICKNESS
WISP SPIRIT
Reduces the chance enemies have to detect you
while Shadowmelded and increases your speed
while stealthed by 5%.
Reduces Nature damage taken by 1%.
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.
Increases your chance to dodge melee and ranged
attacks by 2%.
Transform into a wisp upon death, increasing
speed by 75%.
AVAILABLE CLASSES
34 35
Start Location: Ruins of Gilneas
Home City: Gilneas
Worgen learn the racial ability Running Wild at level 20 in addition to the ability to use a mount.
It was once thought that Worgen were evil creatures
that came to Azeroth from another dimension. Time has
proven this false, as newer knowledge reveals that Worgen
are descendants of cursed Night Elven Druids. These
Druids worshipped Goldrinn and would take on the form
of the wolf. Eventually, this sect lost themselves in madness,
and their curse has continued for many generations.
The Greymane Worgen are infected with this curse,
but they have fought hard to retain themselves and
developed a partial cure to this illness. As such, they are not
driven toward uncontrolled violence. These Worgen have
reached out to the Alliance, forming the sixth member race
of this group.
These Worgen are both human and wolf, able to pass between
the two forms. They have full control over themselves in
wolf form, but still appear as true Worgen, growing thick
hair and possessing a feral, canine appearance.
WORGEN
ABERRATION
DARKFLIGHT
FLAYER
RUNNING WILD
VICIOUSNESS
RACIAL ABILITIES
Reduces Shadow and Nature damage taken
by 1%.
Activates your true form, increasing current
movement speed by an additional 40% for 10 sec.
Skinning skill increased by 15 and allows you to
skin faster.
Drop to all fours to run as fast as an animal.
Increases critical strike chance by 1%.
AVAILABLE CLASSES
36 37
Starting Location: Shang Xi Training Grounds on Shen-zin Su
Since breaking free of the control of the mysterious race known as the Mogu thousands of years ago, the Pandaren have
lived peacefully on the continent of Pandaria, and on the Wandering Isle, which is actually Shen-zin Su, the great turtle.
Pandaren are known to be tenacious and have a passion for food and imbibing spirits.
Pandaren are generally between 5 and 6 feet tall, and covered in fur from head to toe. Every Pandaren has two colors
of fur; one is always white but the other color ranges from black to brown to red.
Pandaren are unique among the playable races of Azeroth in that they begin as Neutral, part of neither the Horde nor
the Alliance. Pandaren who wish to see the rest of Azeroth must choose between the factions before theyre allowed to
depart the Wandering Isle.
AVAILABLE CLASSES
PANDAREN
Dragon Turtle, the Pandaren Racial Mount
EPICUREAN
GOURMAND
INNER PEACE
BOUNCY
QUAKING PALM
RACIAL ABILITIES
Your love of food allows you to receive double
the stats from Well Fed effects.
Cooking skill increased by 15.
Your rested experience bonus lasts twice as long
as normal.
You take half falling damage.
Strikes the target with lightning speed,
incapacitating them for 4 seconds,
and turns off your attack.
38 39
Start Location: Sunstrider Isle in Eversong Woods
Home City: Silvermoon City
Hawkstriders, the Blood Elf Racial Mount
The Blood Elves are so named in honor of their High
Elf ancestors who died during the Scourge invasion of
their homeland, QuelThalas. Blood Elves seek power
through arcane magic, bending it to their will to create
warped, beautiful surroundings. Fiercely loyal to their race,
Blood Elves will do anything to avenge their ancestors
and reclaim their magic power. They are survivors hoping
to regain glory once again.
Those of a weak disposition are unable to control their
lust for magic and power. This burns away at their wills
and turns these Elves into a pathetic, weaker version of
what they once were.
Blood Elves are 5-6 feet tall, slim and wiry. Their hair
and skin color reflect their affinity to fire and the sun.
All Blood Elves have prominent eyebrows and long ears.
Males have minimal facial hair. Females have elaborate
ear jewelry.
BLOOD ELF
ARCANE AFFINITY
ARCANE TORRENT
ARCANE RESISTANCE
RACIAL ABILITIES
Enchanting skill (an item-enhancing Profession)
is increased by 10.
An ability that Silences all enemies within 8 yards
for 2 seconds and restores Rage, Mana, Energy,
Focus, Chi, or Runic Power, depending on your class.
It also interrupts NPC spellcasting for 3 seconds.
Reduces Arcane damage taken by 1%.
AVAILABLE CLASSES
40 41
Starting Location: Kezan
Capital City: Orgrimmar (Goblin Slums)
Turbo-Trike, the Goblin Racial Mount
Goblins are a creative race that often fails to see the
forest through the trees. This might be because of their
penchant for cutting down entire swaths of landscape.
Many Goblins have a fascination with technology and
innovative engineering.
Often found on neutral ground, many Goblins werent
interested in taking sides between the Horde and
the Alliance. There isnt much profit in the choice
because it closes out a huge market from the other side.
However, recent developments in the world have made
it impossible for the Goblin race to sit on the sidelines.
As such, some have joined the Horde and are ready to lend
their inventions to the cause.
GOBLIN
ROCKET JUMP
BEST DEALS ANYWHERE
BETTER LIVING THROUGH CHEMISTRY
PACK HOBGOBLIN
ROCKET BARRAGE
TIME IS MONEY
RACIAL ABILITIES
Activates a rocket belt to jump forward;
the cooldown is shared with Rocket Barrage.
Effects which slow the rate of falling cannot be
used for 10 seconds after using this ability.
Always receive the best possible gold discount
regardless of faction standing.
Alchemy (a crafting skill) increased by 15.
Calls in a personal servant, allowing bank access
for one minute.
Launches belt rockets at an enemy,
dealing fre damage.
Cash in on a 1% increase to attack
and casting speed.
AVAILABLE CLASSES
42 43
Start Location: Valley of Trials in Durotar
Home City: Orgrimmar
Wolves, the Orc Racial Mount
Orcs are large and terrifying to their enemies, but after
numerous wars, the Orcs seek peace and a return to their
shamanistic heritage. Thrall, their great Warchief, led his
people to Durotar, chosen due to its desolate climate
and isolated position. Due to their warring heritage,
Orcs are courageous on the battlefield. They are also a
hardy people, seeking a new path to glory and honor.
Orcs are approximately 6 feet tall, with muscular physiques.
Males have very long and unusual facial hair. Females have
eclectic hair styles and unusual piercings. All Orcs have
some variation of green skin.
ORC
AXE SPECIALIZATION
BLOOD FURY
COMMAND
HARDINESS
RACIAL ABILITIES
Expertise with Fist Weapons, Axes and
Two-Handed Axes increased by 1%.
Increases attack power or spell power by an
amount that increases by level. Lasts 15 seconds.
Damage dealt by pets is increased by 2%.
Reduces the duration of Stun effects by 15%.
AVAILABLE CLASSES
44 45
Start Location: Camp Narache in Mulgore
Home City: Thunder Bluff
Kodos, the Tauren Racial Mount
The Tauren are a spiritual and nomadic race, wandering
the plains for survival and seeking the will of the Earth
Mother. Though inherently peaceful, hunting skills
are prized as being part of the natural order. Tribal in
nature, the Tauren were united under the rule of Cairne
Bloodhoof in majestic Thunder Bluff.
Tauren are 7-8 feet tall, with very large bulk and weight.
Tauren have long tails, bipedal hooves, and only three
fingers per hand. Both males and females have horns of
varying size and shape.
TAUREN
CULTIVATION
ENDURANCE
NATURE RESISTANCE
WAR STOMP
RACIAL ABILITIES
Herbalism skill (a gathering Profession) increased
by 15. Tauren also gather herb nodes faster than
other races.
Base Health increased by 5%.
Reduces Nature damage taken by 1%.
Stun up to 5 enemies within 8 yards
for 2 seconds.
AVAILABLE CLASSES
46 47
Start Location: Echo Isles in Durotar
Home City: Orgrimmar (Valley of Spirits)
Raptors, the Troll Racial Mount
The Darkspear Trolls fled Stranglethorn Vale after
generations of wars with other troll tribes and invaders.
The Orcs offered the Trolls a new homeland in Durotar.
Senjin Village is named in honor of the Trolls fallen
leader. This was the temporary settling point for the Trolls,
but theyve now pushed out to the Echo Isles, just off the
Durotar coastline.
Trolls are wild, from living in the jungle, and superstitious,
due to their tribes spiritual practices. They are 7-8 feet tall,
the tallest race in Azeroth. Males frequently squat in place,
but females do not. Trolls have three fingers per hand and
two toes per foot. Both males and females have a variety
of tusk styles and wild hair styles.
TROLL
RACIAL ABILITIES
REGENERATION
DA VOODOO SHUFFLE
DEAD EYE
BERSERKING
BEAST SLAYING
Health regeneration rate increased by 10%.
10% of total health regeneration may continue
during combat.
Reduces the duration of movement impairing
effects by 15%. Trolls be fippin out mon!
Increases your melee, ranged, and spell haste
by 20% for 10 seconds.
Expertise with ranged weaons increased by 1%.
Damage dealt against Beasts increased by 5%.
AVAILABLE CLASSES
48 49
Start Location: Deathknell in Tirisfal Glades
Home City: The Undercity
Skeletal Horses, the Undead Racial Mount
A renegade group of Undead broke away from the Scourge
army and the rule of the Lich King. Led by Sylvanas
Windrunner, this group of Undead call themselves the
Forsaken. Hated by the living but unwilling to return
to the control of the Lich King, the Forsaken wage
a continuous battle for their independent survival.
They didnt choose undeath, but they see that it has
its benefits.
Forsaken are 5-6 feet tall, scrawny, and gaunt. Their skin is
deteriorating, and their hair is unkempt. Both males and
females have a variety of decomposing features.
UNDEAD
CANNIBALIZE
SHADOW RESISTANCE
TOUCH OF THE GRAVE
WILL OF THE FORSAKEN
RACIAL ABILITIES
When activated, regenerates 7% of your total
health and mana every 2 seconds for 10 seconds.
Only works on Humanoid or Undead corpses
within 5 yards. Any movement, action,
or damage taken while using Cannibalize
will cancel the effect.
Reduces Shadow damage taken by 1%.
Once every two minutes, an Undead can
remove any Charm, Fear and Sleep Effect.
This ability shares a 30 second cooldown
with other similar effects.
Your attacks and damaging spells have a chance
to drain the target, dealing Shadow damage and
healing you for the same amount.
AVAILABLE CLASSES
50 51
Death Knight
The tenth class is a hero class: the Death Knight. This class is available only to players who already have a high-level
character. You must wait to create a Death Knight until your first character reaches level 55. Any race, except Pandaren,
can play as a Death Knight.
Of al l the character- creati on deci si ons, your cl ass choi ce has the greatest i mpact on the type of experi ence you have i n Worl d of Warcraft. There are el even avai l abl e cl asses
i n the game, but not al l cl asses are avai l abl e to ever y race. For your fi rst character, you have ni ne cl ass choi ces: Drui d, Hunter, Mage, Pal adi n, Pri est, Rogue, Shaman,
Warri or, and Warl ock.
A QUICK LOOK AT CLASSES
Mage, Pri est, Rogue, and Warri or are consi dered the four archetypal cl asses because they are cl assi c rol e- pl ayi ng and fantasy heroes from the myths and
l i terature that i nspi red the creators of Worl d of Warcraft. Warri ors and Rogues are pri mari l y mel ee combat cl asses, whi l e Mages and Pri ests prefer to stay at
a safe di stance i n combat.
Drui d, Pal adi n, and Shaman are hybri d cl asses because they are versati l e characters, equal l y comfortabl e fi ghti ng up cl ose or usi ng magi c spel l s to harm
enemi es or heal al l i es.
Hunter and Warl ock are the pet cl asses, because both uti l i ze a compani on pet duri ng combat. Hunters tame wi l d beasts, whi l e Warl ocks summon
demoni c creatures.
The next thi ng to consi der i s how you pl an to pl ay the game. The how i n thi s case i s How many peopl e wi l l you be pl ayi ng wi th?
Going Solo
If you pl an to pl ay sol o (whi ch means youl l be pl ayi ng the game al one for a maj ori ty of the ti me) any cl ass i s a vi abl e choi ce. Because there are al ready a
number of peopl e who pl ay the game al one, l arge porti ons of Worl d of Warcraft are desi gned around peopl e pl ayi ng sol o.
Playing in a Group
If you pl an on pl ayi ng wi th other peopl e (even i f i ts j ust one other person), consi der havi ng someone i n the group pl ay a cl ass wi th access to heal i ng
spel l s. If you are that person, remember that heal i ng i s j ust one of the rol es you can assume. Ever y character fal l s i nto one or more of three categori es:
tank, heal er, and damage deal er.
Tips for Choosing Your Class
Experi enced pl ayers can debate al l day (and they do) about whi ch cl asses are
the easi est to pl ay, hardest to pl ay, strongest, weakest, overpowered, under-
poweredyou get the i dea. As a new pl ayer, you shoul d make a choi ce based on
personal preference.
When consi deri ng cl asses, consi der the rol e that appeal s to you and keep the
fol l owi ng thi ngs i n mi nd:
Hunters, Mages, Priests, and Warlocks fight best from a safe distance. You must
learn how to control the range of a fight, because youre not built for melee combat.
Keep enemies away from you, and youll be successful.
Paladins, Rogues, Death Knights, and Warriors fight up-close and personal with their
enemies. Melee combat is generally more chaotic than what ranged
classes experience.
Druids and Shaman can fight from long range or in melee combat, and its up to you to
decide which way you prefer.
CHOOSING A CLASS
Tank
Do you enj oy shi el di ng peopl e from harm? If so, tanks are a good choi ce for you.
They are often expected to be the l eader of groups, and peopl e respect them when
they get the j ob done. Its not the easi est choi ce, but i t i s rewardi ng. Warri ors,
Pal adi ns, Drui ds, and Death Kni ghts may assume the rol e of tanks.
Healer
Do you prefer to support other pl ayers whi l e they do the ki l l i ng? Heal i ng may be
the way for you. Heal ers are essenti al to great groups. They rarel y get the gl or y of
a tank, but they are needed, and wi se pl ayers are qui ck to thank them for bei ng
there. Pri ests, Shamans, Pal adi ns, and Drui ds can fi l l thi s rol e.
Damage Dealer
Is sel f- rel i ance a bi g thi ng for you? Maybe you j ust want to sl aughter when you get
the chance. Youre a damage deal er. About 60% of a gi ven dungeon or rai d group i s
composed of damage deal ers. Some may have backup heal i ng (or backup tanki ng)
potenti al , but thei r pri mar y rol e i s to di sabl e or ki l l enemi es. Any cl ass can fi l l thi s
rol e but Rogues, Mages, Warl ocks, and Hunters are notabl e choi ces because they are
dedi cated to thi s task.
WHATS NEXT?
Use the fol l owi ng pages as an i ntroducti on to the cl asses avai l abl e to you when
you fi rst pl ay the game. If you arent sure whi ch cl ass i s the one for you, tr y a few
di fferent cl asses. You may not know what you l i ke unti l you tr y i t!
52 53
OVERVIEW
Death Kni ghts are Azeroths sol e hero cl ass, abl e to uti l i ze powerful spel l s and mel ee
stri kes and mani pul ate the energi es of shadow and frost to hi nder and ul ti matel y
sl aughter thei r foes.
Death Kni ghts are the onl y cl ass to start at a l evel other than 1 (i n thei r case, 55).
Thi s means that, ri ght away, they have an array of abi l i ti es al ready at thei r di sposal ,
i ncl udi ng the benefi t of sel ecti ng some tal ents to hel p them overcome foes.
Where other cl asses start thei r j ourney at a l ocati on determi ned by thei r race,
Death Kni ghts al ways start i n Acherus, a gl oomy secti on of the Eastern Pl aguel ands
where they trai n, eventual l y abl e to venture out i nto the worl d.
Bei ng a hero cl ass i s not wi thout i ts hi ndrances: i n order to create a Death Kni ght,
you must have al ready achi eved l evel 55 on a di fferent cl ass. You woul dnt want a
Death Kni ght to be the fi rst cl ass you experi ence Azeroth wi th anyways, as thi s cl ass
assumes youre al ready fami l i ar wi th the basi c mechani cs of the game.
DEATH KNIGHT
USABLE WEAPONS
1 HAND WEAPON 2 HAND WEAPON
Axes Axes
Maces Maces
Swords Polearms
Swords
EQUIPMENT OPTIONS
RACIAL ADVANTAGES
SPECIALIZATIONS
At l evel 55, Death Kni ghts must choose one of the fol l owi ng speci al i zati ons:
Bl ood, Frost, or Unhol y.
Unholy Death Knights have better overal l spel l work,
i mproved damage over ti me, and have superi or summonabl e
pets. They even get a speci al Gargoyl e ever y few mi nutes.
Frost Death Knights combi ne damage from di rect
attacks and Frost- based spel l s. They al so have resi l i ence to
di sabl i ng effects.
Blood Death Knights are tanks who focus on hol di ng
the attenti on of enemi es i n combat, and sur vi vi ng the
resul ti ng damage.
UNDEAD TAUREN TROLL BLOOD ELF GOBLIN
Horde Races Alliance Races
Either Faction
PANDAREN
HUMAN DWARF NIGHT ELF GNOME DRAENEI WORGEN ORC
ARMOR TYPE SHIELD
Plate No
ALLIANCE
RACE NOTES
Draenei
Heroic Presence grants Draenei +1% Hit chance. Gift of the Naaru heals the Draenei
or any ally. Draenei take less damage from Shadow spells.
Dwarf
Stoneform is excellent for PvP and tanking, as it removes all bleeds, Poison and
Disease effects and reduces damage taken. Mace Specialization provides increased
Expertise with one and two hand maces. Dwarves take less damage from Frost spells.
Gnome
Escape Artist provides an extra ability for escaping slow or snare effects, making it
great for PvP. Shortblade Specialization provides increased Expertise with daggers
and one hand swords. Gnomes take less damage from Arcane spells.
Human
Every Man for Himself removes effects that cause loss of control. Sword and Mace
Specialization provides Expertise with one and two hand swords and maces.
Night Elf
Night Elves are less likely to be hit by any physical attack (perhaps the best racial
passive for tanking) and take less damage from Nature spells. Shadowmeld renders
Night Elves invisible while motionless and cancels spells being cast by enemies on
the Night Elf.
Worgen
Worgen get 1% increased Critical Strike from Viciousness. Darkflight increases
movement speed temporarily. Worgen take less damage from Shadow and
Nature spells.
HORDE
RACE NOTES
Blood Elf
The signature Blood Elf racial, Arcane Torrent, provides Runic Power and an AoE
silence. The former helps in tight situations, and the latter is great for PvP and
certain PvE encounters. Blood Elves take less damage from Arcane spells.
Goblin
Rocket Jump is a great mobility tool. Additionally, Goblins get 1% increased Haste.
Rocket Barrage is another source of damage for Goblins.
Orc
Blood Fury increases your attack power. Axe Specialization provides Expertise for
axes. As a bonus, Orcs get increased pet damage, which benefits your ghouls.
Hardiness reduces the duration of stun effects by 15%.
Tauren
Nature Resistance increases a Taurens ability to stand up to harmful Nature effects.
War Stomp provides an (AoE) stun in melee range, and Endurance boosts base health by 5%.
Troll
Berserking grants a temporary increase in attack speed. Da Voodoo Shuffle
passively reduces the duration of movement impairing effects, which is important
for Death Knights. Trolls regenerate Health faster than other races, and 10% of
total Health regeneration may continue in combat. Trolls deal 5% extra damage
versus Beasts.
Undead
Undead are more suited for PvP as they can break out of Charm, Fear, and Sleep
effects with Will of the Forsaken. Their passive racial, Touch of the Grave, is a life
leech and also provides a modest DPS increase in any situation. Undead take less
damage from Shadow spells.
54 55
RUNIC POWER
Death Kni ghts use a uni que resource cal l ed runi c power, commonl y recogni zed for i ts
l i ght bl ue ti nt.
Thi s resource works si mi l arl y to a Warri ors Rage resource i n that some abi l i ti es
generate i t, and some others spend i t. The mai n di fference between them i s thei r
vol ati l i ty: runi c power bui l ds up at a sl ower, steadi er pace, wi th many damagi ng
abi l i ti es and mel ee stri kes granti ng you a smal l amount, where rage bui l ds and i s
spent faster. Thi nk of runi c power as a buffer that can be spent i n the appropri ate
si tuati on i n order to deal more damage or i ncrease your sur vi vabi l i ty.
RUNES
The other uni que resource used by Death Kni ghts i s the rune system. Runes are a
regul arl y repl eni shi ng resource spent by qui te a few Death Kni ght abi l i ti es, provi di ng
a paci ng mechani sm that wi l l requi re most of your attenti on i n a fi ght.
The rune system i s easy i n i ts concept, but wi l l l i kel y requi re some practi ce i n i ts
executi on i f you wi sh to get the most out of i t. There are three types of runes:
bl ood, frost, and unhol y (matchi ng the names of the Death Kni ght specs, but not
excl usi ve to them).
Instead of spendi ng mana, energy, rage, or runi c power, some of your abi l i ti es wi l l
si mpl y spend, for exampl e, 1 Bl ood.
Thi s means one of your two bl ood runes wi l l be acti vated i n order to use that abi l i ty,
tri ggeri ng a 10- second cool down on i tsel f. Because you have two bl ood runes,
you can use another abi l i ty that requi res a si ngl e bl ood rune, but that wi l l di sabl e
you from usi ng any abi l i ti es that requi re bl ood runes unti l at l east one of them
i s repl eni shed. They repl eni sh one at a ti me wi thi n thei r el ement, so you can be
regenerati ng a bl ood and a frost rune at the same ti me, but two bl ood runes wi l l
recover one at a ti me.
Thi s i s fai rl y strai ghtfor ward unti l you consi der that some abi l i ti es consume two
types of rune at once, and theres even a fourth type of runethe death rune
that works as a wi l dcard. Arguabl y the most compl ex resource i n the game, the
rune system takes some ti me to get used to, but at some poi nt, youl l keep track of
ever ythi ng wi thout even noti ci ng.
PRESENCES
Another concept shared between Death Kni ghts and Warri ors (cal l ed stances for
Warri ors) are the mutual l y excl usi ve Presences.
The three presences correspond to the three powers harnessed by Death Kni ghts:
Bl ood, Frost, and Unhol y. Death Kni ghts have access to any presence at any ti me i f
they meet the l evel requi rement, but swi tchi ng to a new presence wi l l destroy any
accrued runi c power.
The three presences are descri bed i n the fol l owi ng tabl e.
PROMINENT CLASS ABILITIES PLAYING AS A BLOOD DEATH KNIGHT
Bl ood Death Kni ghts mani pul ate the power of bl ood to sustai n themsel ves i n the
face of an enemy attack, protecti ng al l i es wi th thei r durabl e pl ate armor and heal th-
regenerati ng abi l i ti es. They are the onl y pl ate- weari ng tank wi thout a shi el d,
i nstead tanki ng wi th a two- handed weapon. However, that doesnt mean theyre
any l ess effecti ve at any tank- rel ated j ob, as several mechani cs provi de the defenses
necessar y to compensate.
Mastery: Blood Shield
Grants you a shi el d that absorbs damage when you use Death Stri ke
whi l e i n Bl ood Presence. The amount absorbed i s based on your Master y.
Use Plague Strike if you have an unholy rune and you need to apply Blood Plague
Use Icy Touch if you have a frost rune and you need to apply Frost Fever
Use Heart Strike if you have a blood rune and dont need immediate healing
Use Death Strike if youre in need of healing (note that it consumes a frost and
unholy rune)
Use Rune Strike whenever you have enough runic power
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Bl ood i s actual l y a respectabl e spec when i t comes to l evel i ng, though i t i s pri mari l y
a tank spec. Opt for a more damage- ori ented rotati on, usi ng your runes to deal the
most damage.
Li ke other Death Kni ght specs, choosi ng the ri ght tal ents i s key for l evel i ng speed.
Consi der passi ve tal ents or tal ents on short cool downs, such as Roi l i ng Bl ood,
Deaths Advance, and Death Pact. At hi gher l evel s you can l earn Runi c Corrupti on,
whi ch provi des a much needed boost to rune regenerati on rate, al l owi ng you to use
abi l i ti es much more freel y.
Death Kni ghts have a sl i ght advantage over other mel ee cl asses when i t comes to
sur vi vabi l i ty i n the battl efi el d, wi th many cool downs that can be used to prevent
damage, restore heal th, or remove debuffs. Dont save these for a rai ny day when
l evel i ng, as they wi l l reduce your downti me from enemy to enemy.
BASIC ROTATION
Bl ood depends l argel y on the abi l i ty Death Stri ke as both an offensi ve and defensi ve
mechani sm. However, thi s doesnt mean you shoul d i gnore other abi l i ti estr y to
save Death Stri ke for when you actual l y need i t, other wi se opt for i ts si ngl e- rune
counterparts. You have an outstandi ng number of defensi ve cool downs, so remember
to use themVampi ri c Bl ood, Danci ng Rune Weapon, Rune Tap, and Bone Shi el d
fal l i nto thi s categor y, al ong wi th more si tuati onal ones l i ke Anti - Magi c Shel l .
PLAYING IN A GROUP
Bei ng a tank i s a bi g responsi bi l i ty i n groups, so make sure your gear i s up to par
for the content youre attempti ng to do. That sai d, Bl ood i s al l about managi ng your
runes, especi al l y the bl ood types. Note that Death Stri ke i s not on a cool down, but
costs two runes of di fferent types. It i s i deal to use Death Stri ke i mmedi atel y after
taki ng a l ot of damage as youl l gai n maxi mum benefi t from the sel f heal , however
al l i s not l ost i f you use thi s abi l i ty at max heal th because you can prepare for the
next l arge i ncomi ng attack by bui l di ng up your Bl ood Shi el d by usi ng Death Stri ke
on cool down. As a si de note, for bi gger packs, you mi ght want to consi der usi ng
Pesti l ence, Bl ood Boi l , and Death and Decay, as Heart Stri ke can onl y hi t three
targets at once.
For emergency si tuati ons, use your l arge cool downs to hopeful l y sur vi ve a heavy
si ege. Because Death Kni ghts have many defensi ve cool downs, you shoul d use
these l i beral l y.
GROUP BUFFS AND DEBUFFS
Al l Death Kni ghts provi de the Attack Power buff wi th Horn of Wi nter.
Necroti c Stri ke i mparts the Cast Speed Sl ow debuff and negates heal i ng on the
enemy target by absorbi ng i t, and Bl ood Death Kni ghts affl i ct enemi es wi th
Weakened Bl ows from the abi l i ty Scarl et Fever.
PRESENCE DESCRIPTION
Blood Presence
Increases stamina, armor, threat generation, and reduces the damage you
take from all sources.
Frost Presence
Increases the generation rate of runic power, and reduces the duration of
crowd control effects on you.
Unholy Presence
Increases Rune Regeneration by 10%, and also increases attack and
movement speed.
56 57
PLAYING AS A FROST DEATH KNIGHT
Frost Death Kni ghts have the opti on of del i veri ng vi ci ous stri kes through the use
of two- handed weapons or dual wi el di ng. Maki ng the most use of runi c power,
these i cy harbi ngers have an array of frost- based abi l i ti es that can hi nder and wound
enemi es whi l e pummel i ng them wi th a fl urr y of l i ghtni ng- qui ck attacks.
Mastery: Frozen Heart
Increases al l frost damage done by a percentage determi ned
by your Master y.
Use Plague Strike to apply Blood Plague
Use Howling Blast to apply Frost Fever, or to AoE enemies
Use Obliterate when both of your diseases are up on the target
Use Frost Strike when you have enough runic power
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Frost i s great for l evel i ng wi th i ts qui ck attacks and AoE- fri endl y abi l i ti es. Note that,
whi l e i t mi ght be tempti ng to go to Unhol y Presence for the added speed, you wi l l
benefi t more from remai ni ng i n Frost Presence, as several passi ve abi l i ti es i nteract
wi th your core spel l s to deal more damage.
Li ke other Death Kni ght specs, choosi ng the ri ght tal ents i s key for l evel i ng
speed. Consi der passi ve tal ents or tal ents on short cool downs, such as Unhol y
Bl i ght, Deaths Advance, and Death Si phon. At hi gher l evel s you can l earn Runi c
Empowerment, whi ch provi des a much needed boost to rune regenerati on rate,
al l owi ng you to use abi l i ti es much more freel y, especi al l y consi deri ng Frost has two
permanent death runes i nstead of bl ood runes.
PLAYING AS AN UNHOLY DEATH KNIGHT
Unhol y Death Kni ghts excel at defi l i ng the ground wi th Death and Decay and then
spreadi ng powerful di seases amongst al l thei r foes. They are al so masters of undead
control , bei ng profi ci ent at commandi ng ghoul s and other undead mi ni ons, and
maki ng them powerful through dark abi l i ti es.
Mastery: Dreadblade
Increases al l shadow damage done by a percentage determi ned by your
master y stat.
Use Plague Strike to apply Blood Plague and Frost Fever
Use Scourge Strike if you dont need to refresh your diseases yet
Use Festering Strike when you have a blood and frost rune to extend the duration
of your current diseases
Use Dark Transformation upon reaching five stacks of Shadow Infusion, which is
generated by casting Death Coil at your enemies
Use Death Coil whenever you have runic power
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Unhol y i s arguabl y the fastest Death Kni ght l evel i ng spec, consi deri ng you take ful l
advantage of Unhol y Presence, have a permanent pet, and can di spatch mul ti pl e
enemi es at once by usi ng powerful di seases and Death and Decay.
Li ke other Death Kni ght specs, choosi ng the ri ght tal ents i s key for l evel i ng speed.
Consi der passi ve tal ents or tal ents on short cool downs, such as Roi l i ng Bl ood,
Deaths Advance, and Death Si phon. At hi gher l evel s you can l earn Runi c Corrupti on,
whi ch provi des a much needed boost to rune regenerati on rate, al l owi ng you to use
abi l i ti es much more freel y.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
Execute your standard rotati on for si ngl e enemi es, usi ng DPS- i ncreasi ng cool downs
as desi red, and maki ng sure not to pul l threat (thi s i s especi al l y i mportant for
Death Kni ghts, as they are a mel ee cl ass that has no threat reducti on moves).
When fi ghti ng mul ti pl e enemi es, you can AoE them by usi ng your AoE- fri endl y
tal ents and Howl i ng Bl ast.
If you pul l aggro, or your tank happens to di e, you can sti l l save the day by qui ckl y
swi tchi ng to Bl ood Presence. Thi s wi l l make you ver y durabl e, hopeful l y gi vi ng
your group enough ti me to recover from a possi bl e wi pe. If you swi tched to Bl ood
Presence because you pul l ed aggro, however, dont use any abi l i ti es unti l your tank
has the monsters attenti on agai n, as they wi l l generate a l ot of threat.
Al l Death Kni ghts provi de the Attack Power buff wi th Horn of Wi nter. Groups get the
Attack Speed buff from the Unhol y Aura provi ded by Frost Death Kni ghts.
Necroti c Stri ke i mparts the Cast Speed Sl ow debuff and absorbs heal i ng effects,
and Frost Death Kni ghts use Bri ttl e Bones to appl y the Physi cal Vul nerabi l i ty debuff.
BASIC ROTATION
An added feat of Frost Death Kni ghts i s thei r Bl ood of the North passi ve,
whi ch converts bl ood runes i nto death runes (thus provi di ng two wi l dcards).
Thi s hel ps tremendousl y wi th your rotati on, whi ch uses mostl y unhol y and frost
runes. Whi l e i n Frost Presence, Frost Death Kni ghts al so have cheaper runi c power
abi l i ti es, maki ng them a pri mar y source of damage.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
as desi red, and maki ng sure not to pul l threat. Thi s i s especi al l y i mportant for Death
Kni ghts, as they are a mel ee cl ass that has no threat reducti on moves, but l ess so
for Unhol y, as a porti on of the damage comes from your pet. When fi ghti ng mul ti pl e
enemi es, you can AoE them by usi ng your AoE- fri endl y tal ents and di seases.
If you pul l aggro, or your tank happens to di e, you can sti l l save the day by qui ckl y
swi tchi ng to Bl ood Presence. Thi s wi l l make you ver y durabl e, hopeful l y gi vi ng
your group enough ti me to recover from a possi bl e wi pe. If you swi tched to Bl ood
Presence because you pul l ed aggro, however, make sure not to use any abi l i ti es unti l
your tank has the monsters attenti on agai n, as they wi l l generate a l ot of threat.
Al l Death Kni ghts provi de the Attack Power buff wi th Horn of Wi nter. Groups get the
Attack Speed buff from the Unhol y Aura provi ded by Unhol y Death Kni ghts.
Necroti c Stri ke i mparts the Cast Speed Sl ow debuff and absorbs heal i ng effects,
and Unhol y Death Kni ghts use Ebon Pl aguebri nger to appl y the Physi cal
Vul nerabi l i ty debuff.
BASIC ROTATION
As an Unhol y Death Kni ght, you want to be i n Unhol y Presence due to your Improved
Unhol y Presence. Unl i ke the other two specs, you actual l y have to manage your
pet to some extent (whi ch i s permanent for Unhol y), as a l arge porti on of
your damage wi l l come from i ts swi ngs, especi al l y under the effects of Dark
Transformati on. To accompl i sh thi s, you can empower your ghoul by casti ng Death
Coi l on your enemi es.
58 59
OVERVIEW
Drui ds are true hybri ds and masters of shapeshi fti ng. They are the cl ass cl osest to
nature, and the onl y one abl e to master four di fferent speci al i zati on trees.
Each form adoptabl e by Drui ds grants uni que abi l i ti es or bonuses and has a purpose
ei ther i n combat or outsi de of i t. Unl i ke other cl asses, Drui ds are abl e to pl ay ever y
rol e archetype profi ci entl y: they can be mel ee DPS, tanks, casters, and heal ers.
They trul y are Jacks of al l Trades. Thi s makes them a perfect fi t for those who
wi sh to experi ence ever y aspect of combat i n a si ngl e cl ass. Though Drui ds are not
wi thout thei r own ni chesfor i nstance, they are the masters of heal s over ti me
(HoT) among heal ers. Because of thei r affi ni ty to nature, Drui ds possess a great
arsenal of nature- based spel l s, but they can al so bl ast thei r enemi es wi th arcane
spel l s (chi efl y Bal ance Drui ds), further i ncreasi ng thei r spel l vari ety.
USABLE WEAPONS
Daggers Maces
Fist Weapons Polearms
Maces Staves
EQUIPMENT OPTIONS
RACIAL ADVANTAGES
SPECIALIZATIONS
At l evel 10, Drui ds must deci de to fol l ow one of the fol l owi ng speci al i zati ons:
Bal ance, Feral , Guardi an, or Restorati on.
Balance opens the moonki n form, and causes the Drui d to deal
more damage wi th thei r spel l s.
Feral provi des a boost to the Drui ds cat form, turni ng them
i nto cl ose- combat ni ghtmares.
Guardian enhances the tank aspects of a Drui d, al l owi ng them
to act as the protector to ever yone i n thei r groups.
Restoration i s a l i ne dedi cated to heal i ng. The ul ti mate
expressi on of thi s l i ne i s the Drui ds abi l i ty to peri odi cal l y
assume the form of a Tree of Li fe.
Either Faction
PANDAREN
ARMOR TYPE SHIELD
Leather No
ALLIANCE
RACE NOTES
Night Elf
Night Elves are less likely to be hit by any physical attack (perhaps the best racial
passive for tanking) and take less damage from Nature spells. Shadowmeld cancels
spells being cast by enemies on the Night Elf.
Worgen
movement speed temporarily. Worgen take less damage from Nature and
Shadow spells.
HORDE
RACE NOTES
Tauren
War Stomp provides an (AoE) stun in melee range, and Endurance boosts base health by 5%.
Troll
Berserking grants a temporary increase in attack speed. Trolls regenerate
Health faster than other races, and 10% of total Health regeneration may continue
in combat.
DRUID
60 61
PROMINENT CLASS ABILITIES
FORMS
Shapeshi fti ng i s the bread and butter of Drui d combat and travel .
At certai n l evel s (starti ng at l evel 6) Drui ds are granted the abi l i ty to change thei r form i nto several di fferent ani mal s. Each ani mal has a speci fi c functi on. The tal ent
Incarnati on al so al l ows you to temporari l y shi ft i nto an i mproved versi on of the forms.
Whi l e shapeshi fted, you are i mmune to Pol ymorph effects, and the act of shapeshi fti ng frees you from movement i mpai ri ng effects. Thi s makes Drui ds i ncredi bl y mobi l e,
wi thout even taki ng i nto account the abi l i ti es that grant speed boosts. Forms are ver y fl exi bl e; Drui ds can shi ft from one form to another wi thout havi ng to go back to thei r
ori gi nal form fi rst.
Mana i s preser ved across forms and conti nues to regenerate even whi l e shapeshi fted. Thi s al so appl i es to Cat Forms energy resource, al l owi ng for more hybri d- l i ke pl ay.
RAGE, ENERGY, AND COMBO POINTS
Whi l e i n Bear Form, Drui ds wi l l have a combat resource shared by Warri ors, cal l ed Rage. Rage i s generated by deal i ng damage wi th auto- attacks. Most abi l i ti es consume
rage i nstead of generati ng i t, wi th a few excepti ons l i ke Mangl e. The Enrage abi l i ty wi l l al l ow Drui ds to i nstantl y gai n some rage, and then an addi ti onal amount over ti me.
Whi l e i n Cat Form, Drui ds wi l l have a combat resource shared by Rogues and Monks, cal l ed Energy. Thi s resource i s constantl y repl eni shi ng i tsel f as ti me passes, usual l y i n
a speedi er fashi on than other resources (i ts a matter of seconds for an Energy bar to go from empty to ful l ). The hi ghest amount of Energy i s 100 by defaul t. Thi s resource
keeps regenerati ng i n other forms.
Because thi s resource regenerates so qui ckl y, abi l i ti es based on i t often use a great amount at once, ser vi ng as a paci ng mechani sm for Cat DPS. Certai n abi l i ti es al so
generate Combo Poi nts, whi ch can be seen around your targets character portrai t. These poi nts are requi red for other abi l i ti esthe more poi nts, the stronger or more
effi ci ent these abi l i ti es wi l l be. Some abi l i ti es, l i ke Faeri e Fi re, dont generate or spend Combo Poi nts.
FORM TREE OF PROFICIENCY FUNCTION
Cat / King of the Jungle Feral Melee DPS
Bear / Son of Ursoc Guardian Tanking
Travel None Ground traveling
Aquatic None Water traveling
Moonkin / Chosen of Elune Balance Caster DPS
Tree of Life Restoration Healing
Flight None Air traveling
Swift Flight None Air traveling
63 62
PLAYING AS A BALANCE DRUID
Bal ance i s a caster DPS tree focused on abi l i ti es that excel at deal i ng ranged,
magi cal damage. Drui ds who speci al i ze i n Bal ance are abl e to stay at range and di sh
some seri ous damage through spel l s such as Wrath, Starfi re, and Moonfi re.
In addi ti on to a mana bar, Bal ance Drui ds have a uni que Ecl i pse bar that i ndi cates
your Sol ar or Lunar energy.
Mastery: Total Eclipse
Increases the bonus damage granted by Ecl i pse by a percentage
determi ned by your Master y.
Apply/refresh Moonfire if working toward Solar Eclipse
Apply/refresh Sunfire if working toward Lunar Eclipse
Cast Starsurge when available when youre working toward either Eclipse effect
Cast Wrath if working toward Lunar Eclipse
Cast Starfire if working toward Solar Eclipse
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Bei ng the caster versi on of a Drui d, you wi l l benefi t most from rooti ng abi l i ti es such
as Entangl i ng Roots and Natures Grasp when l evel i ng.
Consi der Fel i ne Swi ftness and some heal i ng (or hybri d) tal ents for maxi mum
l evel i ng speed.
PLAYING AS A FERAL DRUID
Feral Drui ds refer to the mel ee DPS versi on of Drui ds. Tanks have thei r own spec
cal l ed Guardi an, al l owi ng Feral to make the most out of Cat Form and i ts abi l i ti es.
Many abi l i ti es are shared between Guardi ans and Feral Drui ds, maki ng synergy
between these two specs possi bl e.
Mastery: Razor Claws
Increases the damage done by your bl eed abi l i ti es by a percentage
Apply/refresh the Rake bleed
If you have 5 combo points and the effect isnt already active, use Savage Roar
Use Rip when you have 5 combo points
Use Ferocious Bite when you have 5 combo points and Rip is already active,
or your target is below 25% health
Use Shred if positioning allows it
Use Mangle otherwise
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Cats are ver y versati l e l evel ers, especi al l y because they can so easi l y turn steal th.
Though thi s wont al ways be necessar ymost of the ti me, youl l si mpl y want to
pul l an enemy wi th Faeri e Fi re and then appl y your bl eeds as soon as possi bl e.
Dont wai t for 5 combo poi nts to use Ri p on weaker enemi es, as i ts rarel y worth i t.
Consi der whether Savage Roar i s necessar y or notat 5 combo poi nts, i t can l ast
l ong enough to defeat several enemi es.
For tougher enemi es, consi der usi ng Prowl before a fi ght and openi ng wi th Pounce
or Ravage. The l atter can actual l y be a ver y good al l - purpose opener, as i ts cri ti cal
chance i s greatl y i ncreased for targets wi th hi gh heal th.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
Execute your base rotati on whi l e maki ng sure to use tal ents and other damage-
i ncreasi ng cool downs when i n Ecl i pse. Your Sol ar Beam abi l i ty i s one of the few
AoE si l ences avai l abl e to pl ayers, so i t i s usual l y appreci ated, especi al l y agai nst
numerous caster enemi es. Keep Faeri e Fi re i n mi nd i f nobody el se can appl y the
Weakened Armor debuff.
Bal ance Drui ds appl y the Stats buff wi th Mark of the Wi l d, and i mpart the
Spel l Haste buff when theyre i n Moonki n Form. Faeri e Fi re i nfl i cts the Weakened
Armor debuff.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
Bei ng mel ee- based, you must watch your threat near the start of a fi ght, parti cul arl y
i f the tank i s l ess geared than you are. If you opted for hybri d tal ents, remember to
use them to ai d your groupparti cul arl y those that al l ow you to tank temporari l y
or heal al l i es whi l e remai ni ng i n Cat Form. Use Faeri e Fi re often, as i t wi l l benefi t
you and other mel ee cl asses i n your group.
Drui ds grant the Stats buff wi th Mark of the Wi l d. Feral Drui ds provi de the Cri ti cal
Stri ke buff vi a Leader of the Pack.
Faeri e Fi re stacks i mpart the Weakened Armor debuff, whi l e Thrash causes
Weakened Bl ows on i ts target.
BASIC ROTATION
Cat DPS i s al l about mai ntai ni ng bl eed effects on targets that wi l l l i ve l ong
enough for them to ful l y ti ck. Because of Shred, you wi l l usual l y want to be behi nd
your enemi es.
BASIC ROTATION
Bal ance rotati on i s about, wel l , bal ance. Your goal i s to go i nto Ecl i pse mode by
generati ng Sol ar or Lunar energy. Once youre i n that mode, you wi l l cast spel l s
associ ated wi th the opposi te energy (as they wi l l deal more damage), al l owi ng you
to al ternate. Ei ther Ecl i pse wi l l grant a si gni fi cant spel l haste and mana boost.
64 65
PLAYING AS A GUARDIAN DRUID
Tank Drui ds are cal l ed Guardi ans. Wi th many passi ve and acti ve abi l i ti es that benefi t
Bear Form, Guardi ans can sustai n the brunt of enemy attacks whi l e sti l l provi di ng
some uti l i ty to a group, mai nl y through hybri d tal ents.
Mastery: Natures Guardian
Increases your armor by a percentage determi ned by your Master y.
Apply/refresh Lacerate up to 3 stacks (depending on how long your target will live)
Apply/refresh Thrash, especially for multiple enemies
Use Mangle
If you have enough rage, consider Savage Defense or Frenzied Regeneration to
increase your survivability
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Because Guardi an Drui ds and Feral Drui ds share many abi l i ti es (most notabl y
Ravage, Ri p, Rake, and Mangl e), youre better off l evel i ng i n Cat Form (and thus
Feral Spec) than as a bear. If you can spare the gol d, however, dual speci al i zati on
gi ves you a chance to have a proper l evel i ng spec and sti l l be abl e to tank dungeons
as you l evel .
BASIC ROTATION
As wi th other tanks, Guardi ans can benefi t greatl y from proper resource
management. In thi s case, the Savage Defense abi l i ty wi l l be your pri mar y
defensi ve rage consumi ng ski l l .
PLAYING AS A RESTORATION DRUID
Restorati on i s a Drui ds heal i ng speci al i zati on, mostl y empl oyi ng nature- based
recover y spel l s i n order to ser ve as a groups heal er. Restorati on Drui ds are masters
of heal - over- ti me spel l s, and they al so provi de extra uti l i ty wi th many hybri d abi l i ti es
and tal ents.
Mastery: Harmony
Your di rect heal i ng i s i ncreased by an addi ti onal percentage and casti ng
your di rect heal i ng spel l s grants you an addi ti onal percentage bonus to
peri odi c heal i ng for 20 sec.
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Restorati on i s not opti mal for l evel i ng, but keep i n mi nd Drui ds have tal ents and
abi l i ti es that al l ow them to use di fferent forms effi ci entl y. Chi ef among these
i s Ki l l er Insti nct, a Restorati on passi ve that i ncreases your Agi l i ty by an amount
determi ned by your Intel l ect when you turn i nto a bear or a cat. Thi s al l ows you
to be rel ati vel y effi ci ent at l evel i ng, but never l i ke a Feral Drui d. Consi der dual
speci al i zati on i f you want to be a heal er i n dungeons but l evel at maxi mum speed.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
As a tank, your rol e i s to keep al l enemi es off your party members. To accompl i sh
thi s, Bear Form grants you a l arge bonus to threat, maki ng enemi es much more
l i kel y to attack you. Thrash i s a key abi l i ty when faci ng mul ti pl e enemi es, as i t
weakens thei r attacks and deal s damage to them, hopeful l y keepi ng them off more
fragi l e party members. Natural l y, use your taunti ng abi l i ty, Growl , i f you cant seem
to get a si ngl e enemys attenti on.
Watch your heal th cl osel y at al l ti mes, parti cul arl y when you predi ct l arge
i ncomi ng damage. Tr y to save some Rage for these occasi ons i n order to use your
defensi ve abi l i ti es.
Drui ds grant the Stats buff wi th Mark of the Wi l d. Guardi an Drui ds provi de the
Cri ti cal Stri ke buff vi a Leader of the Pack.
Faeri e Fi re stacks i mpart the Weakened Armor debuff, whi l e Thrash causes
Weakened Bl ows on i ts target.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
Use your heal i ng pri ori ty to conser ve as much mana as possi bl e, as you never know
when youl l need i t. Inner vate al so hel ps you accompl i sh thi s. Note that Restorati on
Drui ds can sti l l use the crowd control abi l i ti es Hi bernate and Cycl one, so dont be
afrai d to i f you predi ct a l arge pack wi l l make qui ck work of your tank. If someone
di es but you thi nk the fi ght i s sti l l doabl e, be qui ck to use Rebi rthnote that other
cl asses can use si mi l ar spel l s, however, i f youre struggl i ng to keep the group al i ve.
Restorati on Drui ds provi de onl y the basel i ne Drui d buff (Stats) wi th Mark of the
Wi l d and the Weakened Armor debuff wi th Faeri e Fi re.
HEALING
Heal er Drui ds, al ong wi th Di sci pl i ne Pri ests, have the l east standard of heal i ng
spel l s. They do have the three mai n types of heal , but the way they i nteract wi th
passi ves and other abi l i ti es provi des bonuses that mi ght be l ess strai ghtfor ward to a
newcomer. You can sti ck to the fol l owi ng gui del i nes, however.
SITUATION(S) USE...
An ally is in need of immediate
healing
Swiftmend if the target has one of your main HoT spells,
otherwise Regrowth
Healing a single target thats not in
immediate danger
Keep Lifebloom up, especially if the target is a tank;
it is refreshed by other heals, making this task easier.
Otherwise, Healing Touch or Nourish, depending on how
much health is missing
Everyone is healthy, but you know
theres going to be incoming damage
Cast Rejuvenation on all the targets you think will take
damage. For Restoration Druids, this spell has a shorter
cooldown, allowing you to accomplish this more easily
Heavy AoE damage from enemies
Get Wild Growth up on as many targets as possible. If this
isnt enough, use Tranquility
66 67
OVERVIEW
Hunters are masters of archer y and marksmanshi p, rel yi ng on thei r ranged weapons
to el i mi nate thei r foes from afar, wi thout the need to get cl ose and personal .
Hunters are cl ose to nature, al l owi ng them to tame and summon wi l d beasts to do
thei r bi ddi ng. Azeroth has an i mmense vari ety of ani mal speci es, and Hunters are
abl e to charm thei r way i nto getti ng ai d i n battl e from most of them. Pets are an
i ntegral part of pl ayi ng a Hunter, and there are a few pages devoted to them at the
end of thi s secti on.
Hunters are the onl y ranged cl ass that pri mari l y deal s physi cal damage, mai nl y usi ng
bows, crossbows, or guns. Because theyre best at range, Hunters can master
many sl owi ng, snari ng, and i mmobi l i zi ng mechani cs to keep thei r enemi es at bay.
Among these are traps, whi ch can sl ow enemi es down, prevent them from acti ng
al together, or even hel p the Hunter deal more damage. Lastl y, Hunters can take
on the aspects of several di fferent beasts, modi fyi ng thei r abi l i ti es i n vari ous
i nteresti ng ways.
EQUIPMENT OPTIONS
RACIAL ADVANTAGES
SPECIALIZATIONS
At l evel 10, Hunters must deci de to fol l ow one of the fol l owi ng speci al i zati ons:
Beast Master y, Marksmanshi p, or Sur vi val .
Marksmanship swi ngs the damage pendul um back onto
the Hunter. Thi s i s the l i ne for massi ve ranged damage.
However, Marksmanshi p i s much harder to pl ay sol o than
Beast Master y. Your pet wont hol d qui te as much attenti on
from monsters, so you need to know when to swi tch targets
when necessar y, and stay more mobi l e.
Survival Hunters bri ng a number of tri cks to a group,
but i ts a chal l engi ng Hunter speci al i zati on to master.
Sur vi val enhances traps and gi ves some of the best crowd
control abi l i ti es and AoE damage abi l i ti es among Hunters.
Beast Mastery puts at l east hal f of the damage output of
the Hunter/Pet team onto the pet. You get the strongest pets
i n the game by sel ecti ng Beast Master y. You al so get the abi l i ty
to tame Exoti c Pets.
Either Faction
PANDAREN
ARMOR TYPE SHIELD
Leather until Level 40, then Mail No
ALLIANCE
RACE NOTES
Draenei
Dwarf
Stoneform is excellent for PvP, as it removes all poison, disease, and bleed effects
and reduces damage taken. Crack Shot increases Expertise with ranged weapons by
1%. Dwarves take less damage from Frost spells.
Human Every Man for Himself removes effects that cause loss of control of your character.
Night Elf
Night Elves are less likely to be hit by any physical attack and take less damage
from Nature spells. Shadowmeld renders the Night Elf invisible while motionless and
cancels spells being cast by enemies on the Night Elf.
Worgen
movement speed temporarily.
PANDAREN
RACE NOTES
Pandaren
Epicurean doubles the statistical bonuses from being Well Fed. Quaking Palm acts
as a form of brief crowd control.
HORDE
RACE NOTES
Blood Elf
The signature Blood Elf racial, Arcane Torrent, provides Focus and an AoE silence.
The former helps in tight Focus situations, and the latter is great for PvP and certain
PvE encounters. Blood Elves take less damage from Arcane spells.
Goblin
Rocket Jump is a great mobility tool, allowing Hunters to stay at range; it can
also be used as a second Disengage. Goblins get 1% increased Haste from Time is
Money. Rocket Barrage is another source of damage for Goblins.
Orc
Orcs are great for maximizing damage. Blood Fury increases your attack power.
Command increases your pets damage output. Hardiness reduces the duration of
Stun effects by 15%.
Tauren
War Stomp provides an (AoE) stun in melee range, and Endurance boosts Base
Health by 5%, making Tauren a good choice for PvP.
Troll
for Hunters. Dead Eye increases Expertise with ranged weapons by 1%.
Trolls regenerate Health faster than other races, and 10% of total Health
regeneration may continue in combat.
Undead
HUNTER
USABLE WEAPONS
1 HAND WEAPON 2 HAND WEAPON RANGED
Axes Axes Bows
Daggers Polearms Crossbows
Fist Weapons Staves Guns
Swords Swords
68 69
PETS
Hunters have the abi l i ty to tame nearl y any wi l d beast they encounter, turni ng i t
i nto thei r si deki ck. Whenever you tame a pet, you may gi ve i t a name and use i ts
abi l i ti es as you wi sh. The Beast Master y speci al i zati on i s dedi cated to i mprovi ng pet
performance, and even al l ows you to tame exoti c beasts.
You are l i mi ted to fi ve (dependi ng on your Hunters l evel ) beasts wi th you at a
ti me. You can store up to 50 more wi th the Stabl e Masters found throughout
Worl d of Warcraft.
Hunter pets bri ng a vari ety of buffs and debuffs to groups. Whi l e Hunters can have
a si ngl e pet acti ve at a ti me, they can change between a handful of pets between
fi ghts. Pl an ahead and take the pets that fi l l i n any mi ssi ng buffs or debuffs
provi ded by the rest of your group or rai d.
FOCUS
Focus i s the resource that both Hunters and thei r pets use to acti vate thei r abi l i ti es.
Most Hunters and Hunter pets have a maxi mum Focus val ue of 100 (Beast Master y
Hunters and thei r pets have 120). Focus regenerates by i tsel f over ti me at a rate
of 4 per second for the Hunter, and 5 per second for pets, but i s i ncreased wi th
addi ti onal val ues of Haste. There are a few di fferent methods to i ncrease the rate
at whi ch you regenerate Focus. Casti ng Steady or Cobra Shot i nstantl y restores
14 Focus. Several tal ents al so cause you or your pet to generate Focus i nstantl y.
Al so, Haste i s effecti ve at i ncreasi ng the rate at whi ch you passi vel y regenerate
Focus, and i ncreases the rate at whi ch you can cast your Focus generators l i ke
Cobra Shot or Steady Shot.
Focus i s a resource to be used! Dont ever l et yoursel f get to maxi mum Focus after
the start of a fi ght. You shoul d be doi ng somethi ng at al l ti mes, whether i t i s usi ng
Steady Shot to regenerate Focus that youve used, or usi ng an abi l i ty that costs
Focus. Most of your hardest- hi tti ng abi l i ti es have cool downs, so al ways tr y to have
enough Focus to cast them as soon as theyre ready.
TRAPS
An i mportant aspect of pl ayi ng Hunters i s the abi l i ty to drop traps to hi nder your
enemi es. They are val uabl e i n a vari ety of si tuati ons, rangi ng from i ncreasi ng your
damage, l ong- term crowd- control , or creati ng a patch of i ce that sl ows al l enemi es
that approach i t. The l atter i s one of the best ways to keep several enemi es sl owed
at once.
Traps can be pl aced i n one of two ways: ri ght under your character, or shot at a target l ocati on. The l atter i s possi bl e due to Trap Launcher, whi ch i s now a toggl ed abi l i ty.
Unti l Mi sts of Pandari a, Hunters needed to keep usi ng Trap Launcher before pl aci ng ever y trap. Now you can si mpl y toggl e Trap Launcher and throw ever y trap you use, or
you can toggl e i t off and pl ace a trap to fend off an enemy thats too cl ose for comfort.
Note that traps tri gger a cool down based on thei r type. For exampl e, you can pl ace ei ther Freezi ng Trap or Ice Trap. If you pl ace ei ther, the other becomes di sabl ed for the
durati on of the cool down. Addi ti onal l y, onl y one target can be frozen by Freezi ng Trap at once, so pi ck your target wi sel y!
ASPECTS
Hunters can take on the aspect of several beasts, provi di ng a buff to themsel ves or thei r al l i es. The aspects are i nstant and unl i mi ted, but onl y one of them may be acti ve at
a ti me. Hunter Aspects requi re the use of an excl usi ve Aspect Gl obal Cool down both i n and out of combat. Thi s means that you must thi nk careful l y about the si tuati on you
are i n, and i f changi ng Aspects wi l l be a net gai n for you at that ti me.
PROMINENT CLASS ABILITIES PLAYING AS A BEAST MASTERY HUNTER
Hunters i ncrease thei r affi ni ty wi th beasts through Beast Master y speci al i zati on,
whi ch al so al l ows them to tame a wi der vari ety of beasts and boost the damage
caused by thei r pets. Exoti c Beasts, whi ch can be tamed starti ng at l evel 69, are a
great way to fi l l gaps i n your groups buffs due to cl ass composi ti on.
Mastery: Master of Beasts
Increases the damage done by your pets. Each poi nt of Master y
i ncreases pet damage by an addi ti onal amount.
Apply/refresh Serpent Sting (Cobra Shot can refresh it too)
If you know your target will be sticking around for a while, use your damage
cooldowns: Bestial Wrath, Rapid Fire, and Rabid; they wont always line up,
but try to use them simultaneously
Use Kill Command when off cooldown
Use Arcane Shot if you have enough Focus
Use Cobra Shot to generate Focus
Use Kill Shot if your target is under 20% health
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Beast Masters are adept at l evel i ng, consi deri ng pets wi l l do much of the work.
Do note that i f your pet ki l l s an enemy al l by i tsel f, you wont get any experi ence
poi nts or l oot off i t, so you must damage al l enemi es at l east once. That sai d,
the most i mportant thi ng i s getti ng an awesome pet to accompany you through your
adventures. As soon as you can tame Exoti c Pets, tame one. It i s i mportant to keep
pets wi th you that provi de the speci fi c pet speci al abi l i ti es that you enj oy pl ayi ng
wi th. Keep i n mi nd that al l of your pets can be specced i nto Tank, DPS, or PVP/
Defensi ve- ori ented pets vi a the Pet Speci al i zati on trees. Your goal when fi ghti ng
such enemi es i s pri mari l y to keep the enemy off you by usi ng Mi sdi recti on and
Fei gn Death, and secondari l y to keep your pet al i ve through Mend Pet and tal ents.
Dont be afrai d to fi ght several enemi es at onceyou can al so use Mi sdi recti on
to di rect them to attack your pet i nstead of you. Remember to use your cool downs
often as wel l , especi al l y Besti al Wrath.
For tal ents, consi der taki ng up Spi ri t Bond, Di re Beast, and Lynx Rush,
whi ch i s great for several enemi es at once.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
When groupi ng, make sure your pet i snt acci dental l y tanki ng, unl ess thi s i s the
i ntent. Use your rotati on agai nst si ngl e targets, and use AoE abi l i ti es on groups of
enemi es that are not crowd- control l ed. If you pul l aggro (whi ch i s rare wi th Beast
Master y), use Fei gn Death. Si nce enemi es usual l y wont be i n mel ee range, focus on
usi ng your DPS abi l i ti es and tal ents as opposed to the ones geaered for sur vi vabi l i ty.
Another i mportant aspect of groupi ng: keep your pet al i ve! It takes si gni fi cantl y l ess
AoE damage than pl ayers, but that doesnt mean i ts i mmortal . Let your heal er(s)
know i f your pet i s dyi ng often.
Hunters provi de the Attack Power buff wi th Trueshot Aura and appl y the Mortal
Wounds debuff wi th Wi dow Venom.
Hunter pets provi de a vari ety of buffs and debuffs, whi ch are covered l ater i n
thi s chapter. Onl y Beast Master y Hunters can use the Exoti c Pets and thei r
vari ous buffs.
BASIC ROTATION
As Beast Master y, your pet becomes si gni fi cantl y more powerful and an i mportant
part of your damage output. Many passi ves grant your pet buffs based on your
attacks, and vi ce versa. Beast Master ys bi g cool down, Besti al Wrath, wi l l al so
i ncrease your damage done and reduce the Focus cost of your abi l i ti es.
70 71
PLAYING AS A MARKSMANSHIP HUNTER
Marksmanshi p Hunters excel at deal i ng damage from afar whi l e rel yi ng l ess on thei r
pets and more on thei r weapons and ski l l s. Parti cul arl y adept at deal i ng burst damage,
the Marksmanshi p tree excel s i n si tuati ons where sur vi vabi l i ty i s not a concern.
Concussi ve Barrage and Bombardment offer i mprovements to deal i ng damage to
groups and control l i ng thei r movements. Thi s doesnt turn the Marksmanshi p Hunters
i nto a gi fted AoE sel ecti on, but they contri bute wel l duri ng AoE encounters or whi l e
attacki ng groups i n PvP.
Mastery: Wild Quiver
Grants a chance for your ranged attacks to al so i nstantl y fi re an
addi ti onal ranged shot. Each poi nt of Master y i ncreases the chance.
Apply/refresh Serpent Sting (Chimera Shot can refresh it too)
If Master Marksman is stacked to 3, use Aimed Shot
Use Chimera Shot as soon as its off cooldown
Use Arcane Shot to consume your Focus
Use Steady Shot to generate Focus
Use Kill Shot as often as possible if your target is under 20% health
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Because Marksmanshi p i s the tree that i s most rel i ant on gear, i ts l evel i ng
effecti veness wi l l var y. If youre wel l - geared (perhaps due to hei rl ooms), you can
even ki l l monsters your l evel i n one Ai med Shot cri ti cal hi t (whi ch happens often due
to Careful Ai m).
Normal l y, however, you appl y Serpent Sti ng i f the target wi l l l i ve l ong enough for i t
to run i ts ful l durati on. Other wi se, open wi th Ai med Shot and fol l ow wi th Chi mera
Shot. If the target ends up bei ng under 20% heal th, fi ni sh i t off wi th Ki l l Shot.
For stronger targets, go the Beast Master y routeuse Mi sdi recti on to di rect al l
threat to your pet temporari l y, and then Fei gn Death i f you pul l aggro. After thi s
happens, however, you must be careful not to pul l aggro agai n (though Deterrence
or ki ti ng can sti l l save your l i fe). General l y, you wi l l be ki ti ng more than the other
specs, so use Concussi ve Shot and frost- based traps l i beral l y.
For tal ents, consi der Aspect of the Iron Hawk and Fer vor. Marksman i s best at
qui ckl y ki l l i ng one enemy at a ti me.
PLAYING AS A SURVIVAL HUNTER
Sur vi val Hunters have traded some of thei r damage potenti al for a bag of tri cks that
i s a constant frustrati on to thei r enemi es. In smal l groups, they shi ne thei r bri ghtest.
Sur vi val Hunters are best at avoi di ng damage and deal i ng i t whi l e on the move.
Many of a Sur vi val Hunters attacks are al so magi c- based and are boosted through
thei r Master y.
Sur vi val i sts Hunter traps have stronger effects than those from other Hunter
speci al i zati ons. Entrapment l ocks down enemi es, gi vi ng groups a few preci ous
seconds to fi ght maj or enemi es wi thout worr yi ng about peri pheral targets.
Mastery: Essence of the Viper
Increases al l magi cal damage you deal . Each poi nt of Master y i ncreases
magi cal damage by an addi ti onal amount.
Apply/refresh Serpent Sting (Cobra Shot can refresh it too)
Use Rapid Fire when available
Use Black Arrow when available
Use Explosive Shot when available
Use Arcane Shot to consume your Focus
Use Cobra Shot to generate Focus
Use Kill Shot on enemies under 20% health
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Sur vi val l evel i ng i s mobi l e and safe, but sl i ghtl y sl ower than the other trees.
The i ncreased effecti veness of traps al l ows you to get away from enemi es
more easi l y, and your Focus- based abi l i ti es can be used on the move. As wi th
Marksmanshi p, use Mi sdi recti on on your pet l i beral l y i n order to keep enemi es off
you. Because of Lock and Load procs, you sti l l want to use Bl ack Arrow, even i f the
enemy wont be al i ve for i ts ful l durati on. For numerous weak enemi es, use Ice Trap
and proceed to AoE them down wi th Mul ti - Shot/Serpent Spread.
Notabl e tal ents are Crouchi ng Ti ger, Hi dden Chi mera (al l ows for the use of
Di sengage more often), and Thri l l of the Hunt (for more effi ci ent AoE).
PLAYING IN A GROUP
Execute your standard rotati on agai nst si ngl e targets. For AoE, Bombardment
provi des a great way to use Mul ti - Shot repeatedl y. Thi s al l ows Marksmanshi p to deal
bursts of AoE damage. Sustai ned AoE damage i s best l eft to Sur vi val , however.
As usual , use Fei gn Death i f you pul l aggro, and hel p your tank out by usi ng
Mi sdi recti on often. Al though your pet i snt as vi tal to your DPS as i t i s to Beast
Master y, i ts sti l l a si gni fi cant source of damage, so tr y to keep i t al i ve. Shoul d i t
di e, consi der how l ong the current fi ght wi l l l ast before revi vi ng i t.
thi s chapter.
BASIC ROTATION
Marksmanshi p damage i s about watchi ng out for Careful Ai m vul nerabl e targets
(targets at 80% HP or above), keepi ng Serpent Sti ng on the target, and Steady
Focus acti ve on the Hunter, and usi ng Chi mera Shot as often as possi bl e.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
For si ngl e targets, execute your normal rotati on. Make sure your pet i s al i ve
before starti ng a fi ght, and use Mi sdi recti on on the tank to hel p out wi th threat.
General l y, you want to pi ck a target wi th a l arge heal th pool so Bl ack Arrow
wi l l have ti me to deal i ts ful l damage. Sur vi val real l y shi nes for AoE packs,
especi al l y ones that stay al i ve for a l ong ti me: wi th Serpent Spread, Mul ti - Shot
appl i es the Serpent Sti ng DoT on al l the enemi es i t hi ts. Dependi ng on the
si tuati on, you can use al l your Focus on Mul ti - Shots (general l y for a l arge amount
of enemi es), or you can Mul ti - Shot once to appl y the DoT on ever ythi ng, and then
conti nue your si ngl e- target rotati on on a target wi th a l arge heal th pool .
Natural l y, use Fei gn Death i f you pul l aggro, and Deterrence as a l ast resort to
stay al i ve.
thi s chapter.
BASIC ROTATION
Sur vi val s rotati on i s si mi l ar to Marksmanshi p, but much more mobi l e. The most
i mportant di fference i n your DPS output i s how often you can use Lock and Load
procs, as Expl osi ve Shot tends to be your top- damage abi l i ty. Note that Sur vi val has
great sustai ned AoE due to Serpent Spread, so Mul ti - Shot becomes a DPS i ncrease
wi th as few as 3 enemi es i n range.
72 73
OVERVIEW
The Mage i s a powerful damage- ori ented caster cl ass that excel s at harnessi ng the powers of Fi re, Frost, and Arcane.
Mages are known to deal great amounts of di rect and over- ti me damage from a di stance, whi l e al so bei ng capabl e of damagi ng mul ti pl e enemi es at once wi th thei r
numerous area of effect (AoE) spel l s. Mages are not wi thout thei r share of uti l i ty, however, whi ch i ncl udes tel eportati on spel l s (for the Mage and group members),
rel i abl e crowd control , and conj ur y of temporar y i tems that repl eni sh heal th and mana. Dependi ng on the si tuati on and the speci al i zati on chosen, Mages can be fragi l e but
powerful wi zards (often referred to as gl ass cannons) or cl ever masters of snares and crowd control . Al though al l three of a Mages speci al i zati on trees are i nvol ved i n
deal i ng damage, theyre vastl y di fferent i n thei r purpose and the way theyre pl ayed.
Either Faction
PANDAREN
MAGE
RACIAL ADVANTAGES
ALLIANCE
RACE NOTES
Draenei
or any ally. Draenei also take less damage from Shadow spells.
Dwarf
Stoneform is excellent for PvP, as it removes poison, disease, and bleed effects in
addition to reducing damage taken for a short time. Dwarves take less damage
from Frost spells.
Gnome
Escape Artist provides an extra ability for escaping slow or snare effects; great for
PvP. Expansive Mind increases your mana pool by 5%, which is great for Arcane
Mages. Gnomes take less damage from Arcane spells.
Human
Every Man for Himself removes effects that cause loss of control of your character.
The Human Spirit increases your Spirit by 3%.
Night Elf
Night Elves are less likely to be hit by any physical attack and take less damage
from Nature spells. Shadowmeld renders Night Elves invisible while motionless and
cancels spells being cast by enemies on the Night Elf.
Worgen
Shadow spells.
PANDAREN
RACE NOTES
Pandaren
HORDE
RACE NOTES
Blood Elf
The signature Blood Elf racial, Arcane Torrent, provides mana and an AoE silence.
The former helps in tight mana situations, and the latter is great for PvP and certain
Goblin
Goblins get 1% increased Haste from Time is Money. Rocket Jump is a great
mobility tool, allowing Mages to stay at a comfortable range. Rocket Barrage is
another source of damage for Goblins.
Orc
Orcs are great for maximizing damage. Blood Fury increases your spell power.
Command increases your pets damage output. Hardiness reduces the duration of
stun effects by 15%.
Troll
passively reduces the duration of movement impairing effects. Trolls regenerate
in combat.
Undead
Undead are well suited for PvP as they can break out of Charm, Fear, and Sleep
damage form Shadow spells.
SPECIALIZATIONS
At Level 10, Mages must deci de to fol l ow one the fol l owi ng speci al i zati ons: Arcane,
Fi re, or Frost.
Frost Mages are wonderful al l i es or vi l e pests, dependi ng on
your perspecti ve. Thi s speci al i zati on offers a greater number
of escape opti ons than other Mages, maki ng them hard to ki l l .
Frost Mages focus on freezi ng thei r targets, and then focusi ng
thei r attacks on thei r hel pl ess vi cti ms. Addi ti onal l y, Frost Mages
are the onl y Mage speci al i zati on wi th access to a pet
a conj ured Water El emental that assi sts the Mage i n combat.
Fire i s the l east predi ctabl e Mage speci al i zati on, but that
doesnt stop them from i nfl i cti ng fri ghteni ng amounts of
damage. Thei r method of attack i s focused on deal i ng cri ti cal
hi ts, and they have spel l s that hel p boost thei r cri ti cal hi t
chance. Once a Fi re Mage has set thei r pri mar y target abl aze,
they can spread those burni ng damage over ti me effects to
other nearby enemi es, whi ch can be devastati ng for smal l
groups of enemi es.
Arcane i s the Mage spec wi th the most raw power. They are
abl e to di sh out huge damage, but they pay for i t wi th l ess
mobi l i ty and a bi gger rel i ance on mana than the other Mage
specs. Properl y managi ng your mana i s the key to pl ayi ng an
Arcane Mage. They represent the bal ance between the AoE
capabi l i ti es of Fi re Mages and the control - heavy Frost Mages,
and have access to wel l - rounded abi l i ti es for group and sol o pl ay.
EQUIPMENT OPTIONS
ARMOR TYPE SHIELD
Cloth No
USABLE WEAPONS
Daggers Staves
Swords
Wands
74 75
DIRECT DAMAGE
Mages are known to cast l arge, repeatabl e di rect si ngl e- target damagi ng spel l s,
commonl y referred to as nukes. Nukes are a Mages pri mar y source of damage;
many other spel l s (and tal ents) wi l l boost or compl ement your spel l damage.
Al though each speci al i zati on tree has a pri mar y spel l , they each have di fferent
properti es and speci al effects.
Arcane gets Arcane Bl ast, a nuke that i ncreases Arcane damage done by bui l di ng
Arcane Charges, and Arcane Mi ssi l es, whi ch i s free but can onl y be cast when
another spel l acti vates i t (50% chance per Arcane Charge).
Fi re uses Fi rebal l , whi ch i s a si zabl e Fi re spel l , and Pyrobl ast, whi ch i s a more
damagi ng versi on of Fi rebal l (wi th a l onger casti ng ti me).
Frost has Frostbol t, whi ch i s l ess damagi ng than Fi rebal l but appl i es a snare, and Ice
Lance, whi ch i s an i nstant cast spel l that deal s quadrupl e damage to frozen targets.
DIRECT TRAVEL SPELLS
Di rect Travel spel l s fal l i nto two categori es: Tel eports and Portal s. Tel eports work
onl y for the Mage who casts the spel l . At the end of the cast, the Mage i nstantl y
appears i n another l ocati on wi thi n a fri endl y and neutral ci ty. Portal s are smal l
magi cal gateways that can be used by anyone grouped wi th the Mage.
The ci ti es avai l abl e depend on your l evel ; each Tel eport and Portal spel l i s l earned
i ndependentl y. Spel l s rel ated to ci ti es l ocated i n hi gh- l evel conti nents such as
Outl and and Northrend are l earned when the casters l evel i s hi gh enough to expl ore
those areas. The Tel eport spel l for your races home ci ty i s automati cal l y l earned at
l evel 17, and the portal spel l to that ci ty i s l earned at l evel 42. The Tel eport and
Portal spel l s to the rest of the ci ti es l ocated on Kal i mdor and Eastern Ki ngdoms must
be l earned from a Portal Trai ner l ocated i n any maj or ci ty.
Any damage caused to the caster wi l l i nterrupt Tel eport or Portal spel l s, so dont tr y
to use these spel l s to escape from hosti l e enemi es.
PROMINENT CLASS ABILITIES PLAYING AS AN ARCANE MAGE
Arcane Mages speci al i ze i n mana mani pul ati on, uti l i ty, and burst damage (wi th an
emphasi s on the l atter). Al ong wi th some Fi re bui l ds, and vastl y dependi ng on tal ent
choi ces, Arcane Mages have a reputati on for bei ng gl ass cannons. Mages who
spec i nto thi s have some mobi l i ty opti ons, pri mari l y from Arcane Barrage.
BASIC ROTATION
Arcanes DPS rotati on mi ght seem strai ghtfor ward, but rest assuredtheres a fai r
deal of strategy i nvol ved, especi al l y regardi ng mana usage. The tal ents you choose
wi l l affect Arcane DPS the most out of the three trees, so choose wi sel y.
Mastery: Mana Adept
Increases al l spel l damage done by a percentage based on the amount
of mana the Mage has unspent. If you have more than three Arcane Charges and enough mana, cast all of your
damage-increasing cooldowns
Cast Arcane Missiles, if available
Cast Arcane Barrage to clear Arcane Charges to avoid running out of mana (use
less frequently when damage-increasing effects are active)
Cast Arcane Blast
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Level i ng as an Arcane Mage i s fai rl y strai ghtfor ward, but sti l l requi res you to
manage your mana. In thi s scenari o, you want to use your damage- i ncreasi ng
cool downs frequentl y, and be as mana- conser vati ve as possi bl e (you wi l l most l i kel y
sti l l need to use Evocati on often, however). Di spatch enemi es wi th Arcane Bl ast,
usi ng Arcane Barrage at three or four arcane charges, and Arcane Mi ssi l es as often
as possi bl e. You can al so use your damage- i ncreasi ng cool downs i n order to di spatch
several enemi es i n a short ti me by repeatedl y usi ng Arcane Bl ast, but you wi l l l i kel y
have to use refreshments to repl eni sh your mana after ward.
For tal ents, Ice Barri er provi des the easi est sur vi vabi l i ty tool , and at hi gher l evel s,
Nether Tempest al l ows you to deal wi th several enemi es at once wi th ease.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
Due to the vol ati l e and expl osi ve nature of Arcane damage, threat i s l i kel y to be
an i ssue on fi ghts where you use al l your damage- i ncreasi ng cool downs ri ght away.
Fortunatel y, Invi si bi l i ty (and i ts i mproved versi on, Greater Invi si bi l i ty) can al l evi ate
the i ssue by provi di ng a temporar y threat drop. For AoE, you shoul d appl y Nether
Tempest to al l targets, cast Fl amestri ke on Cool down, and cast Arcane Barrage
when your Arcane Charge stacks are maxed or equal to the number of enemi es i n
the group.
Mages appl y both the Spel l Power and Cri ti cal Stri ke buffs wi th Arcane Bri l l i ance.
Arcane Mages i nfl i ct the Cast Sl ow debuff wi th Sl ow causi ng decrease i n target
movement speed and i ncrease i n casti ng ti me.
ARMOR OFFENSIVE EFFECT DEFENSIVE EFFECT
Frost Armor Increases Spell Haste by 7%.
If an enemy strikes the caster, their
movement is slowed by 30% for 5 sec.
Mage Armor Increases Mastery
The duration of all harmful Magic effects
used against you is reduced by 25%.
Molten Armor
Increases spell Critical Strike
by 5%.
Reduces all physical damage taken by 6%.
ELEMENTAL ARMORS
Mages can i mbue thei r armor wi th three di fferent Armor spel l s, i ncreasi ng thei r
offense and defense i n vari ous ways.
Armor spel l s now have a cast ti me, so i ts probabl y not a good i dea to constantl y
swi tch between them i n combat; rather, you shoul d pi ck one before starti ng a fi ght,
based on the si tuati on. Armor spel l s are al so excl usi ve, meani ng you can onl y
have one of them acti ve at a ti me. The three Armor spel l s are detai l ed i n the
fol l owi ng tabl e.
As you can i magi ne, the defensi ve effects wi l l be ver y i mportant for sur vi vabi l i ty,
especi al l y i n PvP. In PvE, you wi l l most l i kel y l ook at the offensi ve porti on of the
effect, but you mi ght sti l l use di fferent Armor spel l s for the defensi ve part i n certai n
encounters (chi efl y Mage Armor).
76 77
PLAYING AS A FIRE MAGE
Fi re Mages use an array of fi re- based spel l s to burn thei r enemi es. They are masters
of AoE damage, a feat pri mari l y attri buted to the Inferno Bl ast abi l i ty, whi ch can
spread hefty damage- over- ti me spel l s to numerous enemi es. Fi re Mages benefi t a
great deal from the cri ti cal stri ke stat, as thei r spel l s and passi ve abi l i ti es i nteract
wi th and are dependent on cri ti cal stri kes.
Mastery: Ignite
Your target burns for an addi ti onal 12% over 4 sec of the total
damage caused by your Fi rebal l , Frostfi re Bol t, Inferno Bl ast, Scorch,
and Pyrobl ast. If thi s effect i s reappl i ed, any remai ni ng damage wi l l be
added to the new Igni te.
If your target is affected by Pyroblast and Ignite, use Combustion
If AoE is required, use Inferno Blast to spread fire-based DoT spells
If theres a single enemy, use Inferno Blast when you need an extra critical strike
to get an instant Pyroblast
Use Pyroblast when the buff is available
Use Fireball as a filler
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Level i ng as Fi re i s opti mal when you have a l arge percentage of Cri ti cal Stri ke,
as i t wi l l al l ow you to use i nstant Pyrobl asts more often. Fi re scal es wel l wi th gear,
so i t can potenti al l y be the fastest l evel i ng tree dependi ng on the tal ents chosen.
Worthy of note i s that Inferno Bl ast i s your cheapest basel i ne spel l and shoul d
be used often, especi al l y consi deri ng i t has no cast ti me and i t al ways provi des
a cri ti cal hi t toward your i nstant Pyrobl ast. If you get i n troubl e, Dragons Breath
provi des some room for you to escape harm.
For tal ents, consi der Li vi ng Bomb, whi ch i s the hi ghest si ngl e target damage bomb
tal ent. For tougher enemi es, Frostj aw can be i nval uabl e, as i t keeps creatures i n
pl ace for l ong enough to al l ow you to deal a l arge amount of damage.
PLAYING AS A FROST MAGE
Frost Mages are powerful casters that empl oy i ce and water spel l s to snare and deal
damage to thei r enemi es. They are the onl y Mages abl e to control a petthe Water
El emental to ai d them i n battl e.
Mastery: Frostburn
Al l your spel l s deal i ncreased damage agai nst Frozen targets.
Increases the damage done by your Water El emental . Use Frozen Orb and Icy Veins when available
Make sure one of the three level 75 DoT abilities is active on at least one target
Use Frostfire Bolt when you gain Brain Freeze
Use Ice Lance when your target is frozen or you have stacks of the
Fingers of Frost buff
Use Frostbolt as a filler, or to heal your pet
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
As the onl y pet- enabl ed Mage tree, Frost hol ds i ts own on the l evel i ng front.
Di spatch enemi es by usi ng the same rotati on you woul d use i n groups, but use Icy
Vei ns l i beral l y to get the most out of i t.
The Ice Ward and Frostj aw tal ents i nteract wi th Ice Lance and Deep Freeze,
becomi ng ver y useful for Frost Mages. Ice Fl oes i s a good tal ent choi ce for
Frost Mages, al l owi ng you to Frostbol t on the move ever y once i n a whi l e.
Lastl y, Col d Snap provi des an extra Frost Nova, whi ch gi ves you more opportuni ti es
to use Ice Lance for a hi gh amount of damage.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
Fi re provi des, at i ts si mpl est, the steadi est damage output out of the Mage trees,
meani ng threat shoul d be l ess of an i ssue for si ngl e targets. For AoE, natural l y,
Fi re can deal a l ot of damage, potenti al l y attracti ng unwanted attenti on from
enemi es. Be qui ck wi th your threat- droppi ng abi l i ti es shoul d thi s happen, as dungeon
and rai d enemi es wi l l l i kel y make qui ck work of you.
BASIC ROTATION
Because of Pyrobl ast, Fi re Mages depend on cri ti cal stri kes much more than the
other trees. Lucki l y, Inferno Bl ast al l evi ates the l uck factor, provi di ng a guaranteed
cri ti cal hi t at your command. That sai d, the basi c i dea i s to use as many i nstant
Pyrobl asts as possi bl e, and fi l l the rest of your rotati on wi th weaker spel l s.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
Threat shoul d not be an i ssue unl ess your gear i s si gni fi cantl y better than your
tanks, as some of your damage wi l l come from your pet. If you noti ce havi ng to
resummon your pet often, l et your heal er know that your Water El emental coul d
use some heal i ng. Because your damage output i s dependent on the Mage Bomb
spel l s (l evel 75 l i ne of tal ents), make sure to pi ck the most appropri ate one based
on the si tuati on.
BASIC ROTATION
Frost damage i s l argel y dependent on the l evel 75 l i ne of tal ents that affect Mage
Bomb, as thei r ti cks grant the Brai n Freeze buff, al l owi ng you to i nstantl y use
Frostfi re Bol t. Make sure your pet i s al i ve when you start a fi ght, and keep i t al i ve
through Frostbol t heal i ng i f necessar y.
78 79
OVERVIEW
Pal adi ns are protectors of the Li ght, sworn to vanqui sh evi l from Azeroth.
Al ways avai l abl e to the Al l i ance, and rel ati vel y new to the Horde, Pal adi ns have
pl ayed a key rol e throughout hi stor y, protecti ng and heal i ng al l i es, or usi ng the
power of the Li ght to destroy foes.
These heavi l y- armored warri ors are one of the true hybri d cl asses avai l abl e to
pl ayers, havi ng the abi l i ty to fi l l al l three combat rol es effi ci entl y. For thei r DPS
tree, Retri buti on, they prefer goi ng i nto the fray and usi ng thei r hol y ski l l s i n mel ee
range. They dont have a speci al i zati on tree enti rel y dedi cated to casti ng spel l s,
but they do have some offensi ve abi l i ti es they can use from range.
Onl y a few races have the necessar y affi ni ty to the Li ght that al l ows them to
become Pal adi ns.
USABLE WEAPONS
Axes Axes
Maces Maces
Swords Polearms
Swords
RACIAL ADVANTAGES
SPECIALIZATIONS
At Level 10, Pal adi ns must deci de to fol l ow one of the fol l owi ng speci al i zati ons:
Hol y, Protecti on, or Retri buti on.
Retribution Paladins use two- handed weapons to deal
damage i n cl ose quarters. As a Retri buti on Pal adi n, you arent
over whel med wi th a l arge number of abi l i ti es, whi ch al l ows you
to become fami l i ar wi th the cl ass i n l ess ti me than what other
cl asses may requi re.
Protection Paladins are extraordi nari l y hard to ki l l ,
maki ng them great tanks. By consecrati ng the ground upon
whi ch they stand, Protecti on Pal adi ns do a great j ob of hol di ng
the attenti on of mul ti pl e enemi es at the same ti me, al l owi ng
others i n the group to perform thei r tasks uni mpeded.
Holy Paladins are dedi cated heal ers. Thei r best work i s done
when they can focus on keepi ng two al l i es al i ve. They are
resi l i ent heal ers due to weari ng pl ate armor and usi ng shi el ds.
Either Faction
PANDAREN
ARMOR TYPE SHIELD
Mail until Level 40, then Plate Yes
ALLIANCE
RACE NOTES
Draenei
Heroic Presence grants Draenei +1% Hit chance, which is powerful for Retribution
and Protection in all situations. Gift of the Naaru heals the Draenei or any ally.
Draenei take less damage from Shadow spells.
Dwarf
Stoneform is excellent as it removes all poison, disease, and bleed effects and
increases armor. Mace Specialization provides increased Expertise with one and two
hand maces. Dwarves take less damage from Frost spells.
Human
Every Man for Himself removes effects that cause loss of control of your character
and movement impairing effects, which is very powerful in PvP. Sword and Mace
Specialization provides Expertise with one and two hand swords and maces.
The Human Spirit increases your Spirit by 3%.
HORDE
RACE NOTES
Blood Elf
Tauren
War Stomp provides an (AoE) stun in melee range, and Endurance boosts base
health by 5%. Nature Resistance increases a Taurens ability to stand up to harmful
Nature effects.
PALADIN
EQUIPMENT OPTIONS
80 81
HOLY POWER
Asi de from mana, al l Pal adi ns now have a resource cal l ed Hol y Power, whi ch i s
generated by some abi l i ti es and spent by others.
SEALS
Previ ousl y, Pal adi ns had several di fferent perenni al abi l i ti es cal l ed Auras. These have
other uses now, and have been repl aced wi th Seal s i n the hotbar.
Seal s are powerful hol y- based sel f buffs that grant a maj or benefi t to al l specs
dependi ng on the si tuati on.
You l earn your fi rst seal as earl y as l evel 3, but i t i s l ater repl aced wi th a more
powerful versi on. At the hi ghest l evel , you wi l l have a total of three seal s, or four i f
youre a Retri buti on Pal adi n.
PROMINENT CLASS ABILITIES PLAYING AS A HOLY PALADIN
Hol y Pal adi ns are masters of heal i ng spel l s that use the Li ght to provi de rel i ef to
the wounds suffered by al l i es. Previ ousl y, Hol y Pal adi ns l eaned toward si ngl e- target
spel l s, mai nl y usi ng heal s that requi red a cast ti me. Thi s has changed, as Pal adi ns
are now great AoE heal ers and can use Hol y Shock, Word of Gl or y, and Li ght of
Dawn on the move.
HEALING
Pal adi n heal i ng can be ver y effecti ve i n al l sorts of si tuati ons. Li ke other specs,
usi ng your Hol y Power effi ci entl y can make the di fference between goi ng out of
mana or keepi ng your group al i ve. For Hol y, the two Hol y Power- consumi ng spel l s
are Word of Gl or y and Li ght of Dawn, provi di ng hefty si ngl e target and AoE heal s
(respecti vel y) free of mana cost.
Mastery: Illuminated Healing
Al l ows your di rect heal i ng spel l s to al so pl ace an absorb shi el d on your
target for a percentage based on your Master y and l asts 15 sec.
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Hol y Pal adi ns are arguabl y the sl owest l evel ers i n the game, so consi der swi tchi ng
to Retri buti on i n order to di spatch enemi es qui ckl ythe dual speci al i zati on feature
al l ows you to keep Hol y as a secondar y spec i f you want to use i t i n dungeons.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
As wi th any heal er, your goal i s to keep your group al i ve. To accompl i sh thi s,
you must conser ve mana and use the appropri ate heal s at the ri ght ti me. You can
techni cal l y j ust use Fl ash of Li ght over and over, but youl l l earn that thi s wi l l
consume al l of your mana qui ckl y, l eavi ng you wi th no resources for the rest of the
fi ght. If thi s happens, keep usi ng Hol y Li ght as often as mana permi ts.
Usi ng Di vi ne Pl ea i s a sort of art that you wi l l master after youve pl ayed Hol y for a
l ong ti me. Theres never necessari l y a perfect moment to use i t, consi deri ng i t hal ves
your heal i ng output; you have to assess the ri sk and how badl y you need the mana.
General l y speaki ng, you benefi t from i t the most duri ng a l ul l i n i ncomi ng damage,
where you can keep usi ng Hol y Li ght and keep ever yone heal thy.
Pal adi ns can provi de ei ther the Stats buff wi th Bl essi ng of Ki ngs or the Master y buff
wi th Bl essi ng of Mi ght.
SEAL PREFERRED SPEC BEST FOR...
Seal of Command Retribution and Protection
Early levels. It is replaced by Seal of
Truth at Level 24
Seal of Truth Retribution and Protection
Tanking or dealing damage to a single
enemy that will live long enough to stack
the effect up to 5 times
Seal of Righteousness Retribution and Protection
Dealing damage to several enemies that
are bunched up together
Seal of Insight Holy and Protection
Healing and recovering mana by using
basic melee attacks on enemies when
possible and situations where survivability
is paramount for Protection
Seal of Justice
(Retribution)
Retribution
Slowing enemies down, allowing you to
stay in melee range of them
SITUATION(S) USE...
An ally is in need of immediate healing
Depending on the amount of healing needed,
use Holy Shock or Flash of Light. For emergencies,
use LoH, but consider the long cooldown
immediate danger
Ideally, youll want to use Holy Light as often as
possible. If the target is taking too much damage,
switch to Divine Light
Everyone is healthy, but you know theres
going to be incoming damage
Keep using Holy Shock to save some Holy Power,
which can later be spent in Light of Dawn or Word
of Glory. If you have time, melee an enemy to
regenerate some mana via your Seal of Insight
Use Holy Radiance to heal your allies and
grant you Holy Power. When you have three,
use Light of Dawn
The abi l i ti es that generate thi s resource (for exampl e, Crusader Stri ke) onl y
generate one at a ti me i n thei r basi c formsome other Pal adi n abi l i ti es boost thi s
so you can get more than one at a ti me.
The abi l i ti es that spend Hol y Power can spend up to three charges at a ti me,
whi ch i s the maxi mum as a basel i ne. The passi ve abi l i ty Boundl ess Convi cti on,
avai l abl e to al l Pal adi ns and l earned at hi gher l evel s, al l ows you to store up to fi ve
charges at a ti me. Even wi th thi s passi ve, however, abi l i ti es wi l l onl y consume up
to three charges at once. An abi l i tys effecti veness i s determi ned by the amount of
Hol y Power spent.
Looki ng at the bi g pi cture, thi s i s one of the easi est secondar y resources to
keep track of, but dont negl ect i t, as the abi l i ti es that consume i t are vi tal to al l
three specs.
82 83
PLAYING AS A PROTECTION PALADIN
Protecti on i s a tanki ng spec that shares i ts name wi th the Warri or tanki ng tree (not
to be confused!). Li ke Warri ors, Protecti on Pal adi ns are pl ate- cl ad j uggernauts abl e
to use shi el ds to defend themsel ves and al l i es from enemy attacks. As wi th other
Pal adi n specs, tanki ng Pal adi ns use both mana and Hol y Power i n order to i ncrease
thei r effecti veness.
Mastery: Divine Bulwark
Increases the damage reducti on of your Shi el d of the Ri ghteous,
i mproves your Basti on of Gl or y, and i ncreases your chance to bl ock by
a percentage determi ned by your Master y.
Use Avengers Shield as an opening move, and then again whenever its available
Use Judgment whenever available
Use Crusader Strike if Judgment is on cooldown
Use Consecration whenever available
Use Word of Glory when you have 3 Holy Power if Bastion of Glory is at five
stacks, you are at low health, or the incoming damage is magical
Use Holy Wrath when everything else is on cooldown
Use Shield of the Righteous when you have 3 Holy Power, depending on the
amount of incoming damage
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Protecti on Pal adi ns are rel ati vel y fast l evel ers among tanks, but never as fast as a
Retri buti on Pal adi n woul d be. Execute your standard rotati on and make sure to use
your cool downs (especi al l y damage- i ncreasi ng ones) often.
For tal ents, Long Arm of the Law provi des the best benefi t for l evel i ng i f youre
usi ng Judgment often, especi al l y as an openi ng move. Sacred Shi el d i s al so great
for l evel i ng, as i t wi l l nul l i fy some of the steady, weak damage deal t by standard
enemy monsters. Lastl y, Sancti fi ed Wrath i s great when pai red wi th Long Arm of the
Law, al l owi ng you to use your short spri nt much more often as Protecti on.
BASIC ROTATION
Protecti on Pal adi ns are l i ke other tanks when i t comes to resources: thei r key
defensi ve abi l i ti es are not on a l ong cool down, but consume Hol y Power, whi ch i s
vi tal for sur vi vabi l i ty. Tr y to ti me these abi l i ti es wi th l arge amounts of damage i n
order to hel p your heal ers out.
PLAYING AS A RETRIBUTION PALADIN
As thei r name suggests, Retri buti on Pal adi ns use the power of the Li ght to unl eash
vengeance upon thei r foes. It i s the onl y DPS- ori ented spec avai l abl e to Pal adi ns,
speci al i zi ng i n the use of two- handed weapons i n mel ee range. It shares numerous
abi l i ti es wi th Protecti on Pal adi ns, but several passi ve ski l l s make them compl etel y
di fferent i n how theyre pl ayed.
Mastery: Hand of Light
Al l ows your Crusader Stri ke, Hammer of the Ri ghteous, Hammer of
Wrath, Templ ars Verdi ct, and Di vi ne Storm abi l i ti es to deal extra Hol y
damage based on your Master y.
Use Judgment when available
Use Crusader Strike when available
Use Exorcism when available
Use Inquisition if you have 3 Holy Power and the buff is about to expire
Use Templars Verdict if you have 3 Holy Power and Inquisition is active
Use Hammer of Wrath if your target is below 20% health
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Retri buti on i s the fastest l evel er out of the three Pal adi n trees, deal i ng the most
damage and converti ng Hol y Power i nto speedi er ki l l s. Your basi c rotati on i s
suffi ci ent for most enemi es; remember to use cool downs often, as they wi l l i ncrease
your effecti veness (chi efl y Avengi ng Wrath or i ts i mproved versi on).
For tal ents, Long Arm of the Law provi des the best benefi t for l evel i ng i f youre
usi ng Judgment often, especi al l y as an openi ng move. Sacred Shi el d i s al so great
for l evel i ng, as i t wi l l nul l i fy some of the steady, weak damage deal t by standard
enemy monsters. Lastl y, Sancti fi ed Wrath i s great when pai red wi th Long Arm of the
Law, al l owi ng you to use your short spri nt much more often as Retri buti on.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
Bei ng a tank i s a bi g responsi bi l i ty i n groups, so make sure your gear i s up to par
for the content youre attempti ng.
As wi th other tanks, your number one j ob i s si mpl e: keep enemi es attacki ng you
i nstead of your teammates, and make sure you sur vi ve i n the process. That sai d,
Protecti on i s al l about managi ng your Hol y Power, mana, and usi ng defensi ve
cool downs i n cri ti cal si tuati ons. Note your Shi el d of the Ri ghteous abi l i ty i s unl i ke
most other Hol y Power consumi ng ski l l s, i n that i t doesnt scal e wi th the amount
of Hol y Power you have. Instead, i t fl atl y uses three of the resource, provi di ng a
si zabl e damage mi ti gati on cool down.
For emergency si tuati ons, use your l arge cool downs to hopeful l y sur vi ve a heavy
si ege. Dont hesi tate to use Lay on Hands on yoursel f shoul d the si tuati on
get dangerous.
wi th Bl essi ng of Mi ght. Protecti on Pal adi ns al so appl y the Weakened Bl ows debuff
wi th Hammer of the Ri ghteous.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
as desi red, and maki ng sure not to pul l threat (thi s i s especi al l y i mportant for
al l mel ee cl asses, as they pul l aggro off the tank more easi l y due to di stance).
When there are several enemi es cl ose together, you shoul d use Di vi ne Storm,
but make sure Inqui si ti on i s al ways up. Swi tch your seal s around based on the
si tuati onmost of the ti me, however, youl l be usi ng Seal of Truth i n groups. If you
pul l aggro, or your tank happens to di e, you can sti l l sur vi ve by usi ng Di vi ne Shi el d,
or save party members through the use of Hand spel l s, coupl ed wi th the Reckoni ng
taunt. Bei ng a pl ate user, youre l i kel y more durabl e than the rest of your group.
Remember to keep your Bl essi ng spel l s acti ve on party members i f nobody el se i n
the group can provi de the buffs they grant.
wi th Bl essi ng of Mi ght. Retri buti on Pal adi ns use Hammer of the Ri ghteous to i nfl i ct
the Weakened Bl ows debuff on targets, whi l e Judgments of the Bol d appl i es the
Physi cal Vul nerabi l i ty debuff.
BASIC ROTATION
The most i mportant thi ng to keep track of as Retri buti on i s Inqui si ti on,
whi ch provi des a drasti c damage i ncrease as l ong as the buff i s present. You usual l y
want to save up the 3 Hol y Power to get the l ongest durati on, but consi der usi ng
l ess i f you predi ct a fi ght i s goi ng to end soon, or you need the heal i ng from
Word of Gl or y.
84 85
OVERVIEW
Pri ests harness the power of Hol y and Shadow magi c. Pri ests are versati l e heal ers wi th many i nstant spel l s that can save group members from certai n death. Theyre al so
the onl y cl ass wi th two di fferent heal i ng speci al i zati ons, both wi th ver y di fferent pl aystyl es, each excel l i ng at restori ng or preventi ng di fferent ki nds of damage.
Whi l e the Pri est mi ght i ni ti al l y sound l i ke a heal i ng- excl usi ve cl ass, theyre al so abl e to use many spel l s that deal damage di rectl y or over ti me. Beyond heal i ng and deal i ng
damage, Pri ests possess many other uti l i ty spel l s, such as Mass Di spel , Leap of Fai th, Hymn of Hope, Shackl e Undead, Levi tate, and Mi nd Vi si on.
USABLE WEAPONS
Daggers Staves
Maces
Wands
RACIAL ADVANTAGES
Either Faction
PANDAREN
ARMOR TYPE SHIELD
Cloth No
ALLIANCE
RACE NOTES
Draenei
or any ally. Draenei take 1% less damage from Shadow spells.
Dwarf
Stoneform is excellent for PvP and PVE as it removes all poisons, diseases,
and bleed effects as well as reduces damage taken by 10%. Dwarves take 1% less
damage from Frost spells.
Gnome
Escape Artist provides an extra ability for escaping slow or snare effects;
great for PvP. Expansive Mind increases your mana pool by 5%. Gnomes take
1% less damage from Arcane spells.
Human
Every Man for Himself removes effects that impair movement and cause loss of
control of your character which is great for PvP and PvE. The Human Spirit increases
your Spirit by 3%.
Night Elf
Night Elves are 2% less likely to be hit by any physical attack and take 1% less
damage from Nature spells. Shadowmeld renders the Night Elf invisible while
motionless and cancels spells being cast by enemies on the Night Elf.
Worgen
movement speed temporarily. Worgen take 1% less damage from Shadow and
Nature spells.
HORDE
RACE NOTES
Blood Elf
PvE encounters. Blood Elves take 1% less damage from Arcane spells.
Goblin
Rocket Jump is a great mobility tool, allowing Priests to stay at range.
Goblins get 1% increased Haste from Time is Money. Rocket Barrage is another
source of damage for Goblins.
Tauren
Tauren take 1% less damage from Nature spells. War Stomp provides an (AoE) stun
in melee range, and Endurance boosts base health by 5%.
Troll
Berserking grants a temporary increase in attack and casting speed.
Da Voodoo Shuffle passively reduces the duration of movement impairing
effects. Trolls regenerate Health faster than other races, and 10% of total Health
regeneration may continue in combat.
Undead
leech and also provides a slight DPS increase in any situation. Undead take 1% less
PRIEST
PANDAREN
RACE NOTES
Pandaren
SPECIALIZATIONS
At Level 10, Pri ests must deci de to fol l ow one of the fol l owi ng speci al i zati ons:
Di sci pl i ne, Hol y, or Shadow.
Holy Priests are the heal ers heal ers. Thei r goal i s to
heal wel l under al most any ci rcumstance. Outsi de of Chakra:
Chasti se stance, they have al most no offensi ve strength,
but thats not the goal for Hol y Pri ests. Hol y Pri ests are so
dedi cated to heal i ng, they eventual l y l earn how to conti nue
heal i ng after bei ng ki l l ed!
Discipline Priests bal ance thei r heal i ng and spel l casti ng.
Thi s i snt a damage- deal i ng l i ne, but i t provi des a number of
effects that mi ti gate damage, protect Pri ests and thei r al l i es,
or ai d i n casti ng (whether for damage or heal i ng).
Shadow Priests vi ol entl y di verge from the other two
Pri est trees. Ideal for sol oi ng, Shadow Pri ests get to have fun
tormenti ng enemi es before ki l l i ng them.
EQUIPMENT OPTIONS
86 87
HEALING VARIETY
Pri ests are extremel y versati l e heal ers, as they possess a l arge arsenal of heal s.
Pri est heal i ng boi l s down to four pri mar y heal s: Prayer of Heal i ng, Fl ash Heal ,
Heal , and Greater Heal . You must choose the ri ght heal for a parti cul ar scenari o;
for exampl e, a si tuati on where a party member i s qui ckl y taki ng damage mi ght
not gi ve you enough ti me to cast Greater Heal , meani ng you must use Fl ash Heal .
When possi bl e, however, opt for the sl ower heal s l i ke Greater Heal or Heal , as they
conser ve mana i n the l ong run.
Other si tuati onal heal s i ncl ude Prayer of Mendi ng and Renew, whi ch al l evi ate
the need for smal l heal s i n group si tuati ons and are rel ati vel y mana- effi ci ent for
thei r cost.
More speci fi c heal s are based on whi ch heal i ng speci al i zati on you sel ect.
For exampl e, Di sci pl i ne has Penance, whi ch i s great for qui ckl y heal i ng a si ngl e
target, whi l e Hol y has Ci rcl e of Heal i ng, whi ch i s great for i nstantl y heal i ng an
enti re group. Ul ti matel y, the spel l s you choose for heal i ng determi ne how qui ckl y
you spend your mana.
DAMAGE PREVENTION
Thi nk of damage preventi on as proacti ve heal i ng. You put a buffer on your target
that hel ps reduce the amount of heal th you need to restore l ater. The mai n tool for
thi s i s Power Word: Shi el d, whi ch absorbs a certai n amount of damage based on the
Pri ests l evel and Spel l Power; moreover, i t prevents spel l pushback for as l ong as
the shi el d i s acti ve. Di sci pl i ne Pri ests i n parti cul ar excel at Power Word: Shi el d,
wi th passi ve abi l i ti es l i ke Master y: Shi el d Di sci pl i ne to i ncrease the amount of
damage absorbed. Power Word: Shi el d i s an i nval uabl e tool for any Pri est. It can
be used both proacti vel y and reacti vel y, and i t wi l l often save your l i fe when thi ngs
go awr y. Because Power Word: Shi el d i s not a Hol y spel l , i ts avai l abl e whi l e
i n Shadowform.
PROMINENT CLASS ABILITIES PLAYING AS A DISCIPLINE PRIEST
Di sci pl i ne i s one of the Pri ests heal i ng speci al i zati ons. It excel s at mobi l e
restorati on, agi l e casti ng, defensi ve abi l i ti es and, perhaps most i mportantl y,
damage preventi on. Di sci pl i ne i s al l about i nstant or qui ck casts, whi ch al l ow
the Pri est to be constantl y on the move. Di sci pl i ne Pri ests are no deadl i er than
Hol y Pri ests, but are sl ower ki l l ers than Shadow Pri ests, so i ts an okay l evel i ng
speci al i zati on as l ong as youre pati ent.
Di sci pl i ne Pri ests l ack the raw aggressi on of a Shadow Pri est. Penance i s a
l ong- range spel l that damages enemi es or heal s al l i es. Di sci pl i ne Pri ests, and onl y
Di sci pl i ne Pri ests, get Power Word: Barri er, an abi l i ty that protects an enti re area.
Mastery: Shield Discipline
Increases the potency of al l your damage absorpti on spel l s and al l of
your heal i ng. Each poi nt of Master y i ncreases the potency of absorbs
and heal i ng.
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Di sci pl i ne i snt the fastest choi ce for Pri est l evel i ng, but i ts decent when compared
to other cl asses heal i ng speci al i zati ons. Needl ess to say, Di sci pl i ne Pri ests are
durabl e; wi th al l the boosts granted to Power Word: Shi el d, thi s mi ght be the onl y
heal i ng (or damage preventi on i n thi s case) needed whi l e l evel i ng.
At l ower l evel s, Smi te and Shadow Word: Pai n wi l l be your bread and butter.
Later, you can use Penance and Hol y Fi re for some added damage. Keep Power
Word: Shi el d on you, i f necessar y, to avoi d i nterrupti on or pushback,
especi al l y for channel ed spel l s. At l evel 38, Di sci pl i ne Pri ests l earn Atonement
whi ch i s a si gni fi cant boost i n keepi ng your heal th up whi l e al so doi ng damage.
For tal ents, consi der taki ng Voi d Tendri l s (to gai n di stance from mobs),
Body and Soul (for the i ncreased speed), and Power Word: Sol ace i f you have
any mana probl ems.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
The Di sci pl i ne heal i ng styl e i s a l i ttl e l ess strai ghtfor ward than other cl asses, but i ts
pl enty of fun. Instead of si mpl y heal i ng through damage, the i dea i s to prevent i t as
much as possi bl e, and then heal through what coul dnt be prevented. The pri me tool
for thi s, natural l y, i s Power Word: Shi el d. If you take a qui ck l ook at the Di sci pl i ne
passi ves, note that some of them boost the effects of Power Word: Shi el d.
Bei ng a successful Di sci pl i ne heal er i nvol ves predi cti ng whi ch party members wi l l
take damage, and then usi ng Power Word: Shi el d on them. The tank of your group
wi l l often requi re addi ti onal heal i ng, for whi ch Penance i s a great tool . Fl ash Heal
i s al so a great asset i f Penance i s sti l l on cool down and one of your group members
needs qui ck heal i ng. Pai n Suppressi on ser ves as a si zabl e damage dampener on a
fri endl y target. Lastl y, Power Word: Barri er i s a great spel l to use i n si tuati ons where
the group i s taki ng heavy AoE damage.
Di sci pl i ne Pri ests provi de the Stami na buff wi th Power Word: Forti tude.
Another great tool i s Leap of Fai th, a spel l (on a consi derabl e cool down) that
i nstantl y pul l s a party member toward the casti ng Pri est. Leap of Fai th can be a
pri cel ess tool i n encounters where a party member needs to be at a certai n spot
(or away from one) i mmedi atel y. In boss encounters, thi s spel l has proven ver y
useful where a pl ayer (often the tank) i s targeted by a boss abi l i ty and must qui ckl y
get away from i t. In PVP, any abi l i ty that al l ows for qui ck movement out of danger
i s an i nval uabl e tool .
DOMINATE MIND
One of the most i nteresti ng spel l s avai l abl e to a Pri est i s Domi nate Mi nd. Thi s Level
15 Tal ent puts a target humanoi d (pl ayer or NPC) under the Pri ests command for
a short peri od of ti me. Whi l e control l i ng a humanoi d, the pri est cannot use hi s own
abi l i ti es; i nstead, the pri ests acti on bar changes and i ncl udes some of the key
abi l i ti es that the target Humanoi d Mob can use. Domi nate Mi nd can be broken at
any ti me by cancel l i ng the buff, or by usi ng a Pri est abi l i ty l ocated somewhere other
than the targets acti on bar (such as one of the si debars).
The uses of Domi nate Mi nd are up to the casti ng pl ayer; tradi ti onal l y, thi s spel l i s
used most for PvP si tuati ons where the Pri est doesnt need to i mmedi atel y heal
hi s or her teammates and woul d rather control an enemy pl ayer to reduce damage
or stop heal i ng. In dungeons, Domi nate Mi nd can be used to reduce the number of
mobs i n a l arge pack of humanoi dssi mpl y Domi nate Mi nd the cl osest enemy and
the others wi l l attack i t as i f i t were your mi ni on. Another use for Domi nate Mi nd
i s to cast buffs on your group that onl y enemy mobs can cast. These usual l y have
a short durati on, however, so theyre best used wi thi n the same area the mob was
found. There are al so other fun possi bi l i ti es for thi s spel l , such as heal i ng or buffi ng
the opposi te facti on (Al l i ance or Horde).
HEALING
Di sci pl i ne i s one of the most uni que heal i ng trees out of any cl ass, provi di ng
i ncredi bl e damage preventi on (and through Di vi ne Aegi s passi ve) and si ngl e-
target heal i ng.
SITUATION(S) USE...
An ally is in need of immediate healing Power Word: Shield; Flash Heal if not available
immediate danger
Penance when off cooldown, Heal or Greater
Heal depending on the incoming damage
Everyone is healthy, but you know theres going
to be incoming damage
Power Word: Shield and Prayer of Mending
Heavy AoE damage from enemies Power Word: Barrier and Prayer of Healing
88 89
PLAYING AS A HOLY PRIEST
Hol y excel s at sheer heal i ng output, Area of Effect (AoE) heal s, and heal s over ti me
(HoT). Because the Hol y tree boosts AoE heal s and i ntroduces a new one (Ci rcl e of
Heal i ng), i t i s a useful addi ti on to encounters wi th hi gh amounts of AoE damage.
Hol y Pri ests can be dedi cated tank heal ers as wel l , as thei r si ngl e- target heal s can
be formi dabl e and mana effi ci ent.
Hol y Pri ests can create Li ghtwel l s to l et peopl e heal themsel ves even i n the mi ddl e
of a fi ght. As a pi votal heal er i n a group or rai d, i ts ni ce that Spi ri t of Redempti on
al l ows Hol y Pri ests to conti nue to heal for a l i ttl e whi l e after dyi ng. Guardi an Spi ri t
i s a protecti ve buff uni que to Hol y Pri ests that i ncreases heal i ng recei ved by the
person and then saves them from a ki l l i ng bl ow i f necessar y.
CHAKRA
Hol y Pri est heal i ng has perhaps the most tool s out of any heal i ng cl ass, maki ng
them i ncredi bl y versati l e. The three di fferent Chakra spel l s work si mi l arl y to stances,
granti ng si gni fi cant buffs to di fferent pl aystyl es. Each spel l i s best used to adapt to
certai n si tuati ons.
Chakras have a 30- sec cool down, so you cannot constantl y swi tch back and forth
between si ngl e- target and AoE heal i ng, for i nstance. The cool down i s short enough,
however, that you can adapt to the type of i ncomi ng damage several ti mes i n
a fi ght.
Mastery: Echo of Light
Your di rect heal i ng spel l s heal for an addi ti onal 10% over 6 sec.
Each poi nt of Master y provi des addi ti onal heal i ng over 6 sec.
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Hol y i s now vi abl e as a sol o l evel i ng spec. Wi th Evangel i sm and the changes to
Chakra: Chasti se, Hol y Pri ests are capabl e of outputti ng a l ot of damage for ver y
l i ttl e mana. Coupl ed wi th tal ents such as Surge of Li ght (for free Fl ash Heal s) and
Power Infusi on (for more burst), Hol y Pri ests are comparabl e to Di sci pl i ne i n l evel i ng
speed, though Shadow remai ns faster than both.
PLAYING AS A SHADOW PRIEST
Shadow i s the pri mar y damage- ori ented Pri est speci al i zati on tree. Li ke other
spel l casters, Shadow Pri ests prefer to stay at range, especi al l y consi deri ng Mi nd
Fl ay, one of the pri mar y Shadow spel l s, i s channel ed and suffers from spel l
pushback. Shadow Pri ests enj oy i ncreased damage output and sur vi vabi l i ty, as wel l
as decreased downti me due to havi ng access to many abi l i ti es that return mana
such as Vampi ri c Touch, Di spersi on, Shadowfi end, and Hymn of Hope. Because some
heal i ng spel l s can sti l l be cast (and passi ve heal i ng from Devouri ng Pl ague),
Shadow Pri ests are reasonabl y durabl e when sol oi ng.
Shadow Pri est mi ght suffer from mana i ssues i f they spend a l arge amount of ti me
heal i ng or appl yi ng thei r DoTs on many targets. To l essen the mana tensi on i t i s best
to use your Shadowfi end at the start of a fi ght so you can get the ful l benefi t of the
mana return. If you happen to pul l a mob off of your tank, remember to use Fade to
gi ve them ti me to regai n the l ead i n threat.
Mastery: Shadowy Recall
Gi ves your peri odi c Shadow damage spel l s a chance to deal damage
twi ce, each ti me they deal damage.
Apply/refresh Shadow Word: Pain
Apply/refresh Vampiric Touch
If available, use Mind Blast
If you have 3 Shadow Orbs, use Devouring Plague
If the target is below 20% health, use Shadow Word: Death
Use Mind Flay
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Shadow i s the fastest Pri est speci al i zati on for l evel i ng. Keep i n mi nd, however,
that some hi gher- l evel abi l i ti es and passi ves si gni fi cantl y boost a Shadow Pri ests
sol o abi l i ty. Thi s means you mi ght have some downti me at earl y l evel s, and
acci dental pul l s wi th numerous enemi es coul d make qui ck work of you.
That sai d, ki l l i ng monsters i n a sol o setti ng i s rel ati vel y strai ghtfor ward: appl y
your DoT spel l s (you can ski p Shadow Word: Pai n i f you feel the mob wont l i ve
l ong enough for i t to be worth casti ng, but you usual l y want to cast Vampi ri c Touch
anyway), then use Mi nd Bl ast and Mi nd Fl ay. If you get 3 Shadow Orbs whi l e
fi ghti ng an enemy (and you often wi l l ), hol d off on usi ng Devouri ng Pl ague unti l the
next enemy, as the DoT porti on i s pretty si gni fi cant and heal s you. Remember you
al so have some sur vi vabi l i ty and heal i ng tool s at your command, l i ke Di spersi on,
Fl ash Heal , and Power Word: Shi el d. The l atter i s best used over hol y- based heal s,
as they wi l l drop you out of Shadowform.
Because DoT spel l s conti nue to ti ck when an enemy i s feared, consi der taki ng up the
Psyfi end tal ent, and use Psychi c Scream for mul ti pl e enemi es.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
Execute your base rotati on agai nst si ngl e targets, and remember to use other
abi l i ti es as necessar y. If the group i s i n need of heavy heal i ng and the heal er seems
to be fal l i ng behi nd, use Vampi ri c Embrace. If a target i s l ow on heal th, use Shadow
Word: Death to (hopeful l y) fi ni sh them off. Mi nd Spi ke can be a good tool for when
you need burst damage, especi al l y i f you know your target wi l l di e before you are
abl e to appl y your DoTs, but remember that Mi nd Spi ke wi l l exti ngui sh al l current
DoTs on your target so use i t spari ngl y!
Agai nst mul ti pl e enemi es, you need to consi der how l ong they wi l l l i ve. If theres a
swarm of smal l enemi es wi th l ow heal th, si mpl y use Mi nd Sear for best resul ts.
If there are several enemi es that are l i kel y to l i ve more than 15 seconds, i ts worth
i t to cast your DoT spel l s on them, and then ei ther Mi nd Sear or conti nue your
normal rotati on on a si ngl e enemy. The l ast ti er of tal ents al so provi des some AoE
abi l i ti es, but these are often based on posi ti oni ng.
Shadow Pri ests provi de the Stami na buff wi th Power Word: Forti tude and the Spel l
Haste buff when Shadowform i s acti ve.
BASIC ROTATION
In i ts si mpl est form, the Shadow trees rotati on consi sts of keepi ng DoT spel l s
acti ve, and then usi ng other abi l i ti es based on certai n scenari os:
NAME DESCRIPTION BEST FOR...
Chakra: Chastise
Increases the damage done by your Shadow and
Holy spells by 50%, grants 10% chance for Smite to
reset the cooldown of Holy Word: Chastise, reduces
the mana cost of Smite and Holy Fire by 90% and
transforms your Holy Word spell back into Holy
Word: Chastise
Holy Word: Chastise
Chastise the target for Holy damage, and disorients
them for 3 sec. 30 sec cooldown.
Increasing damage
output
Chakra: Sanctuary
Increases the healing done by your area of effect
healing spells by 25%, reduces the cooldown of your
Circle of Healing spell by 2 sec, and transforms your
Holy Word: Chastise spell into Holy Word: Sanctuary.
Holy Word: Sanctuary
Blesses the ground with Divine light, healing all
within it every 2 sec for 30 sec. Only one Sanctuary
can be active at any one time. 40 sec cooldown.
AoE healing
Chakra: Serenity
Increases the healing done by your single-target
healing spells by 25%, causes them to refresh
the duration on your Renew on the target, and
transforms your Holy Word: Chastise spell into Holy
Word: Serenity.
Holy Word: Serenity
Instantly heals the target and increases the critical
effect chance of your healing spells on the target by
25% for 6 sec. 15 sec cooldown.
Single-target healing
HEALING
SITUATION(S) USE...
An ally is in need of immediate healing
Holy Word: Serenity if available, Flash Heal otherwise.
If the target is very likely to die, use Guardian Spirit
immediate danger
Heal or Greater Heal depending on the incoming damage.
Binding Heal if you need healing as well
Everyone is healthy, but you know
theres going to be incoming damage
Prayer of Mending and Renew
Heavy AoE damage from enemies Circle of Healing and Prayer of Healing
PLAYING IN A GROUP
Bei ng one of the most versati l e heal ers, Hol y Pri ests can be pl ayed i n vastl y
di fferent ways when groupi ng. Its al l about stri ki ng a bal ance and adj usti ng to
di fferent encounters. Newcomers mi ght fi nd i t easi er to use the three mai n heal s
(Fl ash Heal , Heal , and Greater Heal ) di rectl y, but for maxi mum mana effi ci ency,
take advantage of the Hol y Pri ests ful l repertoi re of spel l s and abi l i ti es.
Hol y Pri ests provi de the Stami na buff wi th Power Word: Forti tude.
90 91
OVERVIEW
Rogues are known for thei r outstandi ng agi l i ty and ski l l s that cl oak them from
enemi es. They are excl usi vel y mel ee damage deal ers. Al l three of thei r speci al i zati on
trees provi de a di fferent set of ski l l s through whi ch they deal mel ee damage.
Garbed i n l eather equi pment, Rogues sport the weakest armor out of any mel ee-
based cl ass; thats not to say theyre the frai l est, however, as thei r abi l i ti es provi de
numerous ways to sur vi ve dangerous si tuati ons. A Rogue caught off- guard, however,
i s l i kel y to peri sh qui ckl yRogues are al l about ambushi ng enemi es, a techni que
theyve l ong perfected.
USABLE WEAPONS
Daggers None
Fist Weapons
Axes
Maces
Swords
EQUIPMENT OPTIONS
RACIAL ADVANTAGES
Either Faction
PANDAREN
ARMOR TYPE SHIELD
Leather No
ALLIANCE
RACE NOTES
Dwarf
while reducing damage taken. Mace Specialization provides increased Expertise
with maces. Dwarves take less damage from Frost spells.
Gnome
PvP. Shortblade Specialization provides increased Expertise with daggers and one
hand swords. Gnomes take less damage from Arcane spells.
Human
Every Man for Himself removes effects that cause loss of control of your character.
Sword Specialization increases Expertise for swords by 1%.
Night Elf
Quickness means Night Elves are less likely to be hit by any physical attack.
Night Elves take less damage from Nature spells. Shadowmeld renders the Night Elf
invisible while motionless and cancels spells being cast by enemies on the Night Elf.
Elusiveness increases the Night Elfs movement speed while stealthed by 5%.
Worgen
Shadow spells.
HORDE
RACE NOTES
Blood Elf
The signature Blood Elf racial, Arcane Torrent, provides Energy and an AoE silence.
The former helps in tight Energy situations, and the latter is great for PvP and
certain PvE encounters. Blood Elves take less damage from Arcane spells.
Goblin
Rocket Jump is a great mobility tool. Goblins get 1% increased Haste from Time is
Money, making them great for PVP and PVE. Rocket Barrage is another source of
damage for Goblins.
Orc
Orcs are great for maximizing damage. Blood Fury increases your attack power
for a short period of time. Axe Specialization increases Expertise with axes by 1%.
Hardiness reduces the duration of stun effects by 15%.
Troll
for Rogues. Trolls regenerate Health faster than other races, and 10% of total
Health regeneration may continue in combat.
Undead
ROGUE
PANDAREN
RACE NOTES
Pandaren
SPECIALIZATIONS
At Level 10, Rogues must deci de to fol l ow one of the fol l owi ng speci al i zati ons:
Assassi nati on, Combat, or Subtl ety.
Assassination Rogues are the royal ty of burst damage.
They focus on usi ng daggers, poi sons, and sudden attacks.
For the bi ggest sudden numbers, l ook here! Assassi nati on
Rogues gai n combo poi nts qui ckl y, and they spend them on
pure damage.
Combat Rogues are more di rect. They often use heavi er
weapons and stand toe to toe wi th the target, wai l i ng away
wi th an emphasi s on outdamagi ng the enemy. You di e fi rst
i s thei r way of thi nki ng. If you want to have a di rect combat
character and dont mi nd l i ght armor, Combat Rogues are a
pi l e of fun.
Subtlety Rogues are, i ndeed, the most subtl e of the bunch.
They rel y on more frequent use of speci al abi l i ti es, cool down
i mprovements, and damage over ti me abi l i ti es. It takes l onger
to master thi s tal ent l i ne compared wi th the al ternati ves,
but i ts al ways been a rewardi ng choi ce for a thi nki ng
persons Rogue.
92 93
STEALTH
One of the si gnature Rogue abi l i ti es, Steal th, al l ows you to move throughout the
worl d whi l e remai ni ng unseen to most enemi es.
COMBO POINTS
Another feature excl usi ve to the Rogue archetype (of whi ch Feral Drui ds are al so a
part of) i s combo poi nts.
These poi nts provi de the Rogue wi th an addi ti onal resource that i s generated
through usage of several abi l i ti es, usual l y known as combo poi nt generators.
Certai n other abi l i ti es, known as fi ni shers, use thi s currency and have thei r
effecti veness affected by the number of poi nts you have.
Combo poi nts are target- speci fi c, meani ng that, when you use a combo poi nt
generator, you gai n combo poi nts on your current target. When you swi tch targets,
you cannot use the poi nts you have accrued on the new target. Some Rogue abi l i ti es
hel p al l evi ate thi s, al l owi ng you to swi tch targets more effi ci entl y.
Combo poi nts can be seen around your characters portrai t, up to thei r maxi mum of
fi vel ook for the red or gray dots that represent acti ve or empty combo poi nts,
respecti vel y.
ENERGY
Rogues pri mar y combat resource, shared by Feral Drui ds and Monks,
i s cal l ed Energy.
Thi s resource i s constantl y repl eni shi ng i tsel f as ti me passes, usual l y i n a speedi er
fashi on than other resources (i ts a matter of seconds for an Energy bar to go
from empty to ful l ). The hi ghest amount of Energy i s 100 by defaul t, but can be
i ncreased through equi pment, set bonuses, and some abi l i ti es.
Because thi s resource regenerates so qui ckl y, abi l i ti es based on i t often use a great
amount at once, ser vi ng as a paci ng mechani sm for Rogue DPS.
In some si tuati ons such as PvP combat, pool i ng energy i s a common tacti c that
al l ows you to use cruci al abi l i ti es i n a pi nch.
PROMINENT CLASS ABILITIES PLAYING AS AN ASSASSINATION ROGUE
Assassi nati on Rogues are the masters of poi son effects, l argel y dependi ng on thei r
weapon poi sons to deal damage and hi nder enemi es. Pri mari l y usi ng sharp and
deadl y daggers, Rogues that opt for thi s speci al i zati on prefer to use underhanded
tacti cs to thei r advantage i n order to defeat thei r opponents.
BASIC ROTATION
Assassi nati on Rogues have to keep track of two ti mers that greatl y i ncrease DPS
output: Rupture and Sl i ce and Di ce. The durati on of these effects i s based on your
combo poi nts, but general l y speaki ng, they l ast l ong enough that you dont have
to constantl y worr y about generati ng enough poi nts to use them. Because Muti l ate
consumes so much energy, youl l want to use Di spatch as often as possi bl ethe
Bl i ndsi de passi ve l ets you use i t occasi onal l y regardl ess of the enemys heal th.
Mastery: Potent Poisons
Increases the damage done by your poi sons by a percentage
If you have 5 combo points (or less, depending on the monsters health),
use Rupture
If both Rupture and Slice and Dice are up, use Envenom to consume your
combo points
Use Dispatch when available through Blindside, or when the enemy is below
35% health
Use Mutilate to generate combo points
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Li ke other Rogue specs, Assassi nati on can l evel fast by choosi ng the ri ght tal ents.
Rogues have numerous sur vi vabi l i ty cool downs, so make sure to use them shoul d
you acci dental l y pul l several enemi es at once. Note that Rupture and Sl i ce and
Di ce are not al ways worth i t, and someti mes youre better off usi ng them at 1 or 2
combo poi nts. Rupture, however, has an added bonus for Assassi nati on: i t restores
energy proporti onal to the ti me l eft on i t. Its sti l l better to use i t earl y i n a short
fi ght, however.
Tal ents are of great i mportance to Rogue l evel i ng: consi der Ni ghtstal ker i f you
deci de to open fi ghts wi th Ambush or Ner ve Stri ke i f you want the safer route of
openi ng wi th Ki dney Shot. Shadowstep provi des a qui ck gap cl oser between you and
enemi es, and i s usabl e i n steal th, further i mprovi ng steal th openers. Tal ents whose
effi ci ency i s l argel y affected by a l arge amount of damage (l i ke Cheat Death) are
best ski pped for l evel i ng.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
Rogues have one rol e i n groups: deal i ng damage. Wi th no abi l i ti es to heal other
pl ayers, and bei ng l argel y i ndependent when i t comes to sur vi vi ng, you wi l l be
focusi ng on qui ckl y di spatchi ng enemi es most of the ti me. Do note you have many
i nterrupts and stuns for enemi es that can be shunned from such effects.
Bei ng a mel ee, natural l y, youl l want to stand behi nd enemi es to avoi d parri es
and those nasty cl eave effects that make qui ck work of Rogues. The buffs you
provi de for your group are passi ve, so you dont have to worr y about casti ng them.
Another benefi t of bei ng a mel ee: you bri ng a l ot of useful debuffs you can appl y
on enemi es!
Lastl y, i f your group needs l ong- term crowd control , your Sap abi l i ty wi l l provi de
j ust that. Bl i nd can al so be used, even i n combat, for a shorter crowd control thats
usabl e from range.
Rogues provi de the Attack Speed buff wi th Swi ftbl ades Cunni ng. Rogues bri ng
a host of debuffs to groups. Si nce the j ob of a Rogue i s to deal damage wi thout
drawi ng attenti on, al ways l et tanks appl y any debuffs they have i n common wi th
you. Expose Armor appl i es the Weakened Armor debuff, Master Poi soner appl i es
Magi c Vul nerabi l i ty, Wound Poi son appl i es Mortal Stri ke, and Mi nd- Numbi ng Poi son
appl i es Sl ow Cast.
Thi s abi l i ty si ngl e- handedl y changes the way Rogues pl ay, as catchi ng an enemy
off guard i s extremel y advantageous i n a fi ght. Whi l e under the effects of Steal th,
you can al so use several abi l i ti es excl usi ve to thi s mode, such as Sap, Ambush,
and Cheap Shot. Most of these abi l i ti es wi l l end the Steal th effect, thus engagi ng
you i n combat; others, however, wi l l not, al l owi ng you to l et the enemy know youre
around wi thout gi vi ng your l ocati on away.
In PvE, you can sl i de past enemi es wi th Steal th, but they wi l l spot you i f you get too
cl ose, at whi ch poi nt theyl l turn toward you. If you keep getti ng cl oser, they wi l l
open fi re i f theyre aggressi ve. Both pl ayers and monsters al i ke can spot an i nvi si bl e
Rogue much more easi l y i f they are hi gher l evel , so take thi s i nto consi derati on
before tr yi ng to sneak past monsters ten l evel s hi gher than you!
94 95
PLAYING AS A COMBAT ROGUE
Combat Rogues prefer to stand toe- to- toe agai nst enemi es, usi ng thei r ski l l s and
knowl edge to ci rcumvent subtl ety i n favor of sl aughter. Combat Rogues are not
l i mi ted to dagger use, as thei r key abi l i ti es si mpl y requi re any mel ee weapon to
be equi pped, maki ng them profi ci ent at the use of axes, fi st weapons, and swords
(al l one- handed, of course).
Mastery: Main Gauche
Gi ves your mai n- hand attacks a chance, based on your Master y,
to execute an extra attack thats sl i ghtl y stronger than the ori gi nal .
Open with Revealing Strike, and keep it up. One great benefit of it is that it can
proc an extra Combo Point, allowing you to reach 5 combo points faster
If you have 5 combo points (or less, depending on the monsters health),
use Slice and Dice
If you have 5 combo points and Slice and Dice is up, use Eviscerate
Use Sinister Strike to generate combo points
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Li ke other Rogue specs, Combat can l evel fast by choosi ng the ri ght tal ents.
Combat i s much more di rect i n i ts damage than Assassi nati on or Subtl ety, al l owi ng
you to si mpl y go up to an enemy and start deal i ng damage. Rogues have numerous
sur vi vabi l i ty cool downs, so make sure to use them shoul d you acci dental l y pul l
several enemi es at once. Note that Sl i ce and Di ce i s not al ways worth i t, and
someti mes youre better off usi ng i t at 1 or 2 combo poi nts.
PLAYING AS A SUBTLETY ROGUE
Subtl ety Rogues l i ve up to thei r name by usi ng abi l i ti es that expl oi t the enemys
weak spots, and maki ng use of the Steal th mechani c to i ts ful l extent. Rogues that
opt to go the Subtl ety route benefi t greatl y from bei ng behi nd enemi es, l argel y due
to the Backstab and Ambush abi l i ti es, whi ch deal s a l arge amount of damage but
can onl y be used i f the enemy i snt faci ng you.
Mastery: Executioner
Increases the effecti veness of your fi ni shi ng moves, and the
effecti veness of your Sl i ce and Di ce, by a percentage determi ned by
your master y.
If available, use Premeditation to get 2 combo points on the target and activate
Slice and Dice (if youre concerned about the loss of damage from Sanguinary
Vein, open with a Garrotte)
If you have 5 combo points (or less, depending on the targets health),
use Rupture
If both Rupture and Slice and Dice are up, use Eviscerate to consume your
combo points
Use Hemorrhage if you cant get behind an enemy
Use Backstab to generate combo points
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Li ke other Rogue specs, Subtl ety can l evel fast by choosi ng the ri ght tal ents.
Bei ng the spec that benefi ts the most from Steal th openers (pri mari l y due to the
Master of Subtl ety passi ve, whi ch i ncreases your damage after Steal th breaks),
you wi l l l i kel y want to di spatch enemi es by starti ng a fi ght from Steal th mode.
Rogues have numerous sur vi vabi l i ty cool downs, so make sure to use them shoul d
you acci dental l y pul l several enemi es at once. Sl i ce and Di ce gi ves Energy, whi ch
can make l evel i ng sl i ghtl y faster (i t can be automati cal l y refreshed wi th the Deadl y
Momentum gl yph). Rupture deal s more damage as Subtl ety due to the Sangui nar y
Vei n passi ve, so keep that i n mi nd.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
Bei ng a mel ee, natural l y, youl l want to stand behi nd enemi es to avoi d parri es
and those nasty cl eave effects that make qui ck work of Rogues. If you cant stand
behi nd an enemy, i ts not as bi g a deal as i t woul d be for other Rogue specs (chi efl y
Subtl ety), maki ng you more versati l e. The buffs you provi de for your group are
passi ve, so you dont have to worr y about casti ng them. Another benefi t of bei ng a
mel ee: you bri ng a l ot of useful debuffs you can appl y on enemi es!
usabl e from range.
BASIC ROTATION
Because of i ts l arge DPS i ncrease, you sti l l want to keep Sl i ce and Di ce on yoursel f.
Because Combat i s al l about fi ni shi ng moves, they get several bonuses passi vel y,
i ncl udi ng the abi l i ty to reduce the cool down on damage- i ncreasi ng abi l i ti es.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
Bei ng a mel ee (and especi al l y as Subtl ety), natural l y, youl l want to stand behi nd
enemi es to avoi d parri es and those nasty cl eave effects that make qui ck work of
Rogues. If you cant stand behi nd an enemy, you can sti l l use Hemorrhage as a
combo poi nt generator, but your overal l DPS wi l l be l ower. The buffs you provi de
for your group are passi ve, so you dont have to worr y about casti ng them.
Another benefi t of bei ng a mel ee: you bri ng a l ot of useful debuffs you can appl y
on enemi es!
usabl e from range.
BASIC ROTATION
As previ ousl y stated, the uni que aspect of Subtl ety DPS i s that you greatl y benefi t
from bei ng behi nd an enemy. You can sti l l execute your rotati on i f you cant meet
the posi ti oni ng requi rement, but thi s wont l et you use Backstab, whi ch i s a hefty
DPS i ncrease. That asi de, the rotati on i s si mi l ar to Assassi nati on i n that you have to
keep track of Rupture and Sl i ce and Di ce.
96 97
OVERVIEW
Shamans are masters of nature and el emental magi c. They are a hybri d cl ass that can perform mul ti pl e rol es wi th vastl y di fferent pl aystyl es.
Whi l e Shamans are pri mari l y spel l casters, they can excel at mel ee combat i f the proper speci al i zati on tree i s chosen. Shamans are al so capabl e of depl oyi ng totems,
whi ch wi l l grant si gni fi cant temporar y benefi ts to the Shaman and hi s or her al l i es. Totems are i nval uabl e for groupi ng, and other Shaman buffs add to the desi rabi l i ty to
group wi th a Shaman. Because of thei r abi l i ty to heal , coupl ed wi th thei r hefty armor and shi el d, Shamans are a great cl ass for sol o pl ay as wel l . There are several totems
across the four el ements; choosi ng the ri ght one for ever y si tuati on i s part of the fun of pl ayi ng a Shaman.
USABLE WEAPONS
Axes Axes
Daggers Maces
Fist Weapons Staves
Maces
EQUIPMENT OPTIONS
RACIAL ADVANTAGES
Either Faction
PANDAREN
ARMOR TYPE SHIELD
Leather until 40, then Mail Yes
ALLIANCE
RACE NOTES
Draenei
Dwarf
and reduces damage taken. Mace Specialization increases Expertise with maces,
which are common Shaman weapons. Dwarves take less damage from Frost spells.
HORDE
RACE NOTES
Goblin
Rocket Jump is a great mobility tool, allowing Shaman to stay at range.
Goblins get 1% increased Haste from Time is Money. Rocket Barrage is another
source of damage for Goblins.
Orc
Blood Fury increases your attack and spell power. Axe Specialization increases
Expertise for axes. Hardiness reduces the duration of stun effects by 15%.
Tauren
health by 5%.
Troll
in combat.
SHAMAN
PANDAREN
RACE NOTES
Pandaren
SPECIALIZATIONS
At Level 10, Shamans must deci de to fol l ow one of the fol l owi ng speci al i zati ons:
El emental , Enhancement, or Restorati on.
Elemental Shaman use shocks and other spel l s to take down
enemi es. They deal damage whi l e standi ng at a safe di stance
from mel ee combat. El emental Shaman have a few tri cks to
push away enemi es who draw too cl ose, whi l e the Mai l armor
they wear al l ows them to stand up to puni shment better than
most other spel l - casti ng damage deal ers.
Enhancement Shaman thri ve i n the mi dst of battl e, deal i ng
damage to enemi es wi th a weapon i n each hand and a host of
spel l s at thei r command. Where most cl asses focus on usi ng
ei ther weapons or spel l s to deal damage, Enhancement Shaman
use a bal anced mi x of both i n combat.
Restoration Shaman offer support to the groups they
j oi n wi th heal i ng spel l s that keep al l i es al i ve and fi ghti ng.
Restorati on Shamans are not desi gned to i nfl i ct damage,
but thei r totems boost the abi l i ti es of others, maki ng the
overal l group a more effecti ve fi ghti ng force.
98 99
TOTEMS
Pl aci ng totems i s a Shamans si gnature abi l i ty. As you l evel , you can l earn to cast
numerous di fferent totem spel l s, each of whi ch has a speci fi c functi on for sol o or
group pl ay. Totems are smal l fri endl y uni ts that usual l y grant you (and your group)
a buff or i nfl i ct negati ve effects on hosti l e targets. They are ver y fragi l e and can
usual l y be ki l l ed wi th one swi ng of an enemys weapon. However, because they
are unaffected by AoE, enemi es must manual l y target your totems i f they wi sh to
destroy them.
Totems are grouped i nto four categori es, each correspondi ng to one of the el ements
of nature: Fi re, Wi nd, Earth, and Water. Thei r cl assi fi cati on i s rel evant, because you
can onl y drop one totem per el ement at a ti me. For exampl e, i f you have an earth-
based totem on the ground and you drop a di fferent earth- based totem, the fi rst
one wi l l i nstantl y peri sh. Totems are consi dered spel l s, and as such, cost mana and
tri gger the gl obal cool down (do note they are al l i nstant, however).
At ti mes, you mi ght want to purposeful l y destroy al l your totems (perhaps to avoi d
an enemy from spotti ng them). Totemi c Recal l does j ust thati t i nstantl y recal l s
al l your totems, granti ng you a fracti on of the mana spent to summon them. It i s
good practi ce to recal l your totems whenever you move to a new spot, as wanderi ng
enemi es mi ght run toward you after spotti ng and ki l l i ng your abandoned totems.
In the days of yore, totems were used to grant party members l ong- term buffs,
most of whi ch are passi ve now. To el i mi nate thi s redundancy, totems are now
cool down- l i ke abi l i ti es wi th a ver y speci fi c use. Natural l y, thei r number has been
greatl y reduced, and the abi l i ty to drop numerous totems at once has been removed.
ELEMENTAL SHIELDS
As a Shaman, you can l earn several di fferent el emental shi el ds that grant di verse
bonuses passi vel y or when struck i n battl e.
Li ghtni ng Shi el d i s the si mpl est form of thi s spel l categor y. It creates several
l i ghtni ng orbs that surround you and deal damage to any enemy that attacks you.
The orbs onl y detonate ever y few seconds, so fast attackers wi l l not depl ete al l your
l i ghtni ng orbs i nstantl y. Certai n passi ve abi l i ti es i n the Enhancement and El emental
trees i ncrease the useful ness of thi s ski l l .
Water Shi el d i s ver y useful i f youre ai mi ng to be a heal er- type Shaman. It creates
three water gl obes that surround you and passi vel y grant you mana regenerati on.
In addi ti on, Restorati on Shaman gai n Resurgence. Resurgence i s a passi ve
Restorati on abi l i ty, whi ch makes i t so that di rect heal i ng spel l Cri ti cal Stri kes al so
grant mana as l ong as Water Shi el d i s acti ve.
Lastl y, Earth Shi el d, excl usi ve to Restorati on Shamans, i s an outstandi ng ski l l for
sur vi vabi l i ty. It surrounds the target wi th numerous earthen orbs, each provi di ng a
smal l heal upon detonati on (when the target i s struck). Earth Shi el d al so i ncreases
heal i ng taken by the target i n questi on, whi ch onl y appl i es to Shaman heal s.
You can onl y cast one shi el d on yoursel f, but as a rul e of thumb, Enhancement
and El emental Shamans mi ght prefer Li ghtni ng Shi el d (unl ess mana i s a probl em),
and Restorati on Shamans al ways prefer Water Shi el d. Earth Shi el d can be cast
on others, but i t i s al so useful i f cast on yoursel f when sur vi vabi l i ty i s an i ssue
(such as PvP encounters).
WEAPON IMBUES
Li ke the el emental shi el ds, weapon enchantments are sel f- cast buffs that enhance
your abi l i ti es or hi nder enemi es. The mai n di fference i s that these enchantments are
cast on your weapon, and remai n acti ve unti l they expi re or theyre cancel l ed.
As a bonus, the i mbues have a speci al abi l i ty tri ggered by the Unl eash El ements
abi l i ty, whi ch i s a basel i ne Shaman spel l wi th a short cool down. The speci al abi l i ty
i s based on the type of i mbue.
These i mbues remai n l argel y unchanged, but can now be sel ected through the
Weapon Imbues abi l i ty, whi ch groups them neatl y. The i mbues are detai l ed i n the
fol l owi ng tabl e.
PROMINENT CLASS ABILITIES PLAYING AS AN ELEMENTAL SHAMAN
El emental Shamans are the most durabl e damagi ng caster cl ass when i t comes to
armor, as they can wear mai l gear and a shi el d. The spel l s boosted by the El emental
tree are pri mari l y nature- based. Li ghtni ng Bol t and Chai n Li ghtni ng are the mai n
sources of damage, but Shock spel l s of di fferent el ements, al ong wi th Lava Burst
(one of the maj or sources of damage from an El emental Shaman), benefi t as
wel l . If youre l ooki ng to stay at range and deal magi cal damage, El emental i s the
speci al i zati on tree for you.
BASIC ROTATION
El emental has several passi ve abi l i ti es that i nteract wi th your core Shaman spel l s.
Most notabl e among these i s Rol l i ng Thunder, whi ch gi ves you a charge of Li ghtni ng
Shi el d when usi ng certai n damage spel l s.
Mastery: Elemental Overload
Gi ves your spel l s a chance to overl oad, deal i ng a porti on of thei r
damage agai n for free. The chance i s based on your Master y.
Apply/refresh Lightning Shield on yourself
Apply/refresh Flame Shock on an enemy
If you have 7 charges of Lightning Shield, use Earth Shock to proc Fulmination
Use Lava Burst whenever available
Use Lightning Bolt as a filler
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Wi th outstandi ng armor, a shi el d, and heal i ng spel l s, keepi ng your di stance from
mobs i snt as i mportant as i t i s for other caster cl asses. As an El emental Shaman,
you wi l l be ver y durabl e and capabl e of wi thstandi ng bl ows from several enemi es
at once. Remember to keep your weapon i mbued at al l ti mes! Fl ametongue Weapon
i s the i deal choi ce for El emental Shamans, as i t wi l l i ncrease your spel l damage.
Keep your Li ghtni ng Shi el d up at al l ti mes. Fl ame Shock i s al ways a good i dea,
even i f the enemy wont l ast i ts ful l durati on, as i t i ncreases the amount of damage
deal t by Lava Burst. Fi ni sh enemi es wi th Li ghtni ng Bol t or Chai n Li ghtni ng, and keep
an eye on your mana pool .
Tal ents arent as rel evant to Shaman l evel i ng as they woul d be for other cl asses,
but consi der Echo of the El ements and other passi ve tal ents.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
Shamans are i ncredi bl y versati l e i n groups and can greatl y ai d a struggl i ng heal er,
potenti al l y savi ng the party. Natural l y, thi s i s ver y dependent on your tal ents,
especi al l y the l evel 75 l i ne. Because your totems act more l i ke cool downs than they
di d before, you onl y need to drop them i n speci fi c si tuati ons, such as an AoE fear
effect on the party (for whi ch youd use Tremor Totem).
Make sure you watch your threatoveral l , however, i t shoul dnt be much of a
probl em (and you can sti l l take a hi t i f necessar y).
Al l Shaman provi de the Spel l Power buff wi th Burni ng Wrath and the Master y buff
wi th Grace of Ai r. El emental Shaman get the El emental Oath abi l i ty, whi ch provi des
the Spel l Haste buff. Use Earth Shock to i nfl i ct the Weakened Bl ows debuff on
your enemi es.
IMBUE BUFFS UNLEASH ABILITY
Flametongue Weapon
Increases magical damage
done, and melee swings deal a
small amount of fire damage.
Deals fire damage and greatly
increases the damage of your next
fire spell.
Frostbrand Weapon
Melee swings deal frost damage
and apply a slowing debuff.
Deals frost damage and applies
a slowing debuff, which is more
effective if another frost slowing
debuff is already active.
Rockbiter Weapon
Increases threat generation
and slightly reduces damage
taken.
Taunts an enemy to attack you.
Earthliving Weapon
(Restoration only)
Increases healing and gives
your heals a chance to place a
HoT on their target.
Heals your target and greatly increases the
effectiveness of your next healing spell.
Windfury Weapon
(Enhancement only)
Gives your attacks a chance to
trigger three extra attacks with
bonus attack power.
Deals damage and increases your
attack speed briefly.
100 101
PLAYING AS AN ENHANCEMENT SHAMAN
As an Enhancement Shaman, you can get up cl ose wi th enemi es and damage them
usi ng your weapons and other mel ee abi l i ti es. Enhancement i s a speci al i zati on tree
pri mari l y dedi cated to boosti ng your mel ee prowess, whi l e usi ng your mana pool
to i ncrease your damage through vari ous spel l s. Enhancement i s one of the few
speci al i zati ons that del ves i nto the art of wi el di ng two one- handed weapons at once.
Enhancement Shamans are ver y durabl e, as they are sti l l abl e to wear mai l armor
and heal themsel ves i n a pi nch.
Mastery: Enhanced Elements
Increases damage done by your el emental (fi re, frost, and nature)
spel l s by a percentage determi ned by your Master y.
Place/refresh Searing or Fire Elemental Totem
Apply/refresh Flame Shock
Use Stormstrike whenever available
Use Lava Lash whenever available
If you have five stacks of Maelstrom Weapon, use Lightning Bolt (preferably after
Stormstrike), or a healing spell if necessary
Use Unleash Elements on cooldown
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Enhancement i s perhaps the fastest of the three speci al i zati on trees when i t comes
to l evel i ng sol o. As Enhancement, you wi l l be ki l l i ng enemi es qui ckl y whi l e keepi ng
your heal th and mana pool s heal thy through heal i ng spel l s and mana- regenerati ng
abi l i ti es. Weapon i mbues are parti cul arl y useful for Enhancement Shamans, as they
wi l l provi de a si zabl e damage boost j ust by bei ng acti ve on a weapon.
Use your shock spel l s dependi ng on the si tuati on; general l y, Fl ame Shock wi l l deal
the most damage i f used earl y i n a battl e (and the battl e l asts l ong enough for i t
to compl ete i ts durati on). Use i nstant stri kes, such as Pri mal Stri ke at l ow l evel s
(repl ace i t wi th Stormstri ke as soon as Stormstri ke becomes avai l abl e) and Lava
Lash whenever possi bl e. Al so keep your Li ghtni ng Shi el d up, unl ess mana i s an
i ssue, i n whi ch case swi tch to Water Shi el d. Remember to use your Enhancement-
speci fi c cool downs (Shamani sti c Rage and Feral Spi ri t) often i n order to mi ni mi ze
your downti me.
PLAYING AS A RESTORATION SHAMAN
Restorati on i s the heal i ng- ori ented speci al i zati on tree avai l abl e to Shamans.
It speci al i zes i n boosti ng Shaman abi l i ti es that restore heal th to the caster or other
fri endl y uni ts. Restorati on Shamans, l i ke Drui ds, use nature- based heal s. They are
one of the most resi l i ent heal er cl asses due to the abi l i ty to use mai l armor and a
shi el d. Li ke other speci al i zati on trees, Restorati on i s abl e to provi de noti ceabl e
buffs through totems, whi ch makes i t a good heal er choi ce for smal l and l arge
groups al i ke.
HEALING
Shaman heal i ng i s l argel y dependent on mana. Lucki l y, the passi ve Resurgence
restores some mana from your cri ti cal heal s, i f Water Shi el d i s acti ve (and i t shoul d
al ways be!). Other passi ves benefi t from Cri ti cal Stri ke as wel l , maki ng i t a ver y
attracti ve secondar y stat for Restorati on Shamans. As wi th al l heal i ng cl asses, the
best way to i mprove your effi ci ency i s to use di fferent spel l s based on the si tuati on.
Mastery: Deep Healing
Increases the effi ci ency of your heal i ng spel l s by a percentage based
on your Master y. The percentage i s al so proporti onal to the targets
current heal thl ower heal th targets are heal ed for more.
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Restorati on i s not the opti mal choi ce for Shaman l evel i ng, as i t l acks the offensi ve
capabi l i ty of Enhancement or El emental . If you want to be a vi abl e dungeon heal er
whi l e l evel i ng, you can choose El emental as your pri mar y l evel i ng speci al i zati on,
as i t wi l l usual l y be profi ci ent enough at heal i ng. Note that, because El emental
benefi ts from Spi ri t, the gear between these two specs wi l l often be i denti cal ,
further encouragi ng Restorati on Shamans to have the El emental dual - speci al i zati on
when l evel i ng.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
Bei ng mel ee- based, you wi l l often have to watch your threat near the start of
a fi ght, parti cul arl y i f the tank i s l ess geared than you are. Use Wi nd Shear to
i nterrupt caster enemi es, as i t can si gni fi cantl y reduce damage taken by the group,
or the heal i ng enemi es do to each other. Li ke other Shaman speci al i zati ons, you can
greatl y hel p a struggl i ng heal er wi th your heal i ng abi l i ti es, chi efl y Heal i ng Stream
Totem and the enti re l evel 75 l i ne of tal ents. Thi s makes you much more versati l e
and desi rabl e i n a group (not to menti on Shamans bri ng numerous group buffs
as wel l ).
wi th Grace of Ai r. Excl usi ve to Enhancement Shaman i s Unl eashed Rage, whi ch
grants the Mel ee and Ranged Haste buff. Use Earth Shock to i nfl i ct the Weakened
Bl ows debuff on enemi es.
BASIC ROTATION
Note that Enhancement Shamans use qui te a few damage spel l s, maki ng them one
of the l east physi cal - based mel ee cl asses. The passi ve Mental Qui ckness makes thi s
possi bl e, greatl y reduci ng the mana cost of spel l s and i ncreasi ng your spel l power
based on your attack power. Another passi ve, Mael strom Weapon, stacks and makes
your next Nature or El emental spel l i nstant, so keep an eye on i t.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
Restorati on i s one of the most strai ghtfor ward speci al i zati on trees when i t comes
to heal i ng, whi l e sti l l bei ng extremel y versati l e. In groups, your pri mar y heal s wi l l
be di rect ones, al ong wi th your trusty Earth Shi el d and Ri pti de. Your totems wi l l
compl ement your abi l i ty to keep your group al i ve ni cel y, as they provi de defenses or
heal i ng for several si tuati ons. Remember to use Totemi c Recal l whenever your group
i s rel ocati ng and you have totems acti ve, so you can regai n some of the
mana spent.
Your mai n heal s wi l l be Heal i ng Surge, Heal i ng Wave, and Greater Heal i ng Wave.
Heal i ng Surge and Greater Heal i ng Wave both i nteract di fferentl y wi th Ti dal Waves
(and thus mana and HPS throughput). General l y, Heal i ng Surge does the most
heal i ng per second but has the worst mana effi ci ency, and Greater Heal i ng Wave i s
somewhere i n between. Gauge the danger of the si tuati on and react accordi ngl y,
whi l e keepi ng Earth Shi el d on a target that takes constant damage (usual l y the
tank). At ti mes, there wi l l be heavy i ncomi ng area of effect damage, whi ch can be
countered by usi ng Chai n Heal , Heal i ng Stream Totem, Heal i ng Rai n, and tal ents.
Remember to keep Earthl i vi ng Weapon acti ve! Si nce Ri pti de i s no l onger consumed
by Chai n Heal , al ways have a Ri pti de acti ve and Chai n Heal through that target
when needed, as i t boosts your heal i ng done si gni fi cantl y.
wi th Grace of Ai r. Use Earth Shock to i nfl i ct the Weakened Bl ows debuff.
SITUATION(S) USE...
An ally is in need of immediate healing Healing Surge
immediate danger
Healing Wave or Greater Healing Wave, depending
on the frequency and amount of damage taken by
the target
Everyone is healthy, but you know theres
going to be incoming damage
Earth Shield on a target you know will take steady
damage, such as a tank
Healing Rain if you have time and there are allies
grouped together, then Chain Heal, preferably a
target you used Riptide on
102 103
OVERVIEW
Warl ocks are powerful casters who del ve i nto dark magi c and demoni c arts. They are
damage- ori ented magi c users wi th the abi l i ty to summon powerful pets to ai d them.
Warl ocks possess hefty damage- over- ti me spel l s, and are good at summoni ng and
control l i ng demons, appl yi ng vari ous curses, and i nsti l l i ng fear i nto thei r enemi es.
Li ke Mages, Warl ocks l ack physi cal defense, but they make up for thi s l ack through
ski l l ful use of crowd control spel l s and defensi ve abi l i ti es l i ke Unendi ng Resol ve,
whi ch reduces damage and prevents spel l i nterrupti on for several seconds.
Warl ock speci al i zati ons range from pure burst damage to steady damage- over-
ti me and profi ci ency i n summoni ng demons. Though a Warl ocks si gnature spel l
ki t consi sts of Shadow spel l s, they can make effecti ve use of the Fi re school ,
parti cul arl y when speci al i zed as Destructi on. Among the uti l i ty repertoi re of a
Warl ock l i es the abi l i ty to summon other pl ayers, or even create portal s through
whi ch they can travel i n order to qui ckl y change l ocati ons.
USABLE WEAPONS
Daggers Staves
Swords
Wands
EQUIPMENT OPTIONS
RACIAL ADVANTAGES
Either Faction
PANDAREN
ARMOR TYPE SHIELD
Cloth No
ALLIANCE
RACE NOTES
Dwarf
Stoneform is excellent for PvP and PVE as it removes all poisons, diseases, and
bleed effects as well as reduces damage taken by 10%. Dwarves take less damage
from Frost spells.
Gnome
Escape Artist provides an extra ability for escaping slow or root effects; great for
PvP. Expansive Mind increases your mana pool by 5%. Gnomes take less damage
from Arcane spells. Shortblade Specialization increases Gnomes expertise with
Daggers and Swords by 1%, which applies to Spell Hit as well.
Human
Every Man for Himself removes all movement impairing effects and all effects
which cause loss of control of your character. Sword Specialization increases
Humans expertise with Swords by 1%, which applies to Spell Hit as well.
Worgen
Shadow spells.
HORDE
RACE NOTES
Blood Elf
Arcane Torrent provides mana and an AoE silence. The former helps in tight mana
situations, and the latter is great for interrupting enemy spells mid-cast. Blood Elves
take less damage from Arcane spells.
Goblin
Goblins get 1% increased Haste from Time is Money. Rocket Jump is a great
mobility tool, allowing Warlocks to stay at a comfortable range. Rocket Barrage is
another source of damage for Goblins.
Orc
Orcs are great for maximizing damage. Blood Fury increases your spell power
temporarily. Command increases your pets damage output. Hardiness reduces the
duration of stun effects by 15%.
Troll
Berserking grants a temporary increase in spell-casting haste. Da Voodoo Shuffle
in combat. Beast Slaying increases Trolls damage by 5% against Beasts.
Undead
leech and also provides a modest DPS increase in any situation. Undead take 1%
less damage from Shadow spells.
WARLOCK
SPECIALIZATIONS
At Level 10, Warl ocks must deci de to fol l ow one of the fol l owi ng speci al i zati ons:
Affl i cti on, Demonol ogy, or Destructi on.
Demonology Warlocks are the toughest of the bunch.
Theyre qui te hard to ki l l , and someti mes they even end
up tanki ng speci fi c events. They gai n i mproved pets, more
sur vi vabi l i ty, and can occasi onal l y transform themsel ves i nto a
Demon (i ts as awesome as i t sounds).
Affliction Warlocks are the damage over ti me speci al i sts.
They l ay down damage over ti me spel l s faster than other
Warl ocks vari eti es, and theyre good at movi ng from target to
target to maxi mi ze thei r abi l i ty to keep damage fl owi ng.
Destruction Warlocks are the more tradi ti onal casters of
the three. To sl ay thei r enemi es they rel y on hard- hi tti ng fi re
and shadow spel l s, havi ng tremendous burst damage and fel l i ng
si ngl e targets qui te wel l .
104 105
DEMONIC PETS
One of the most i mportant aspects of pl ayi ng a Warl ock i s the abi l i ty to summon
mi ni ons. Al though the Demonol ogy tree i s capabl e of summoni ng the powerful
Fel guard and Wi l d Imps, ever y speci al i zati on tree benefi ts from usi ng summoned
demons. The l evel 75 l i ne of tal ents di rectl y al ters how demons are used i n
battl eyou may even sacri fi ce your demon i n order to boost your damage, i f the
correct tal ent i s chosen.
The process of summoni ng i s usual l y l engthy compared to other spel l s. But some
abi l i ti es, such as Destructi ons Fl ames of Xoroth, wi l l al l ow you to i nstantl y revi ve
your pet. There are numerous demons that can be summoned, each useful dependi ng
on the scenari o. It wi l l often boi l down to personal taste. Look for more detai l s
about Warl ock pets l ater i n thi s secti on.
DEALING DAMAGE OVER TIME
Regardl ess of what tal ent tree i s chosen, a Warl ocks offensi ve spel l arsenal i ncl udes
damage- over- ti me (DoT) spel l s. Such spel l s dont deal burst damage; i nstead,
they pl ace a debuff on an enemy target, sl owl y chi ppi ng away at thei r heal th.
Dont be fool ed by the rel ati vel y smal l numbers, howeverDoT spel l s are among
the most powerful damage deal i ng abi l i ti es i n the game!
To get the most out of DoTs, appl y them earl y i n the fi ght so that they l ast for thei r
enti re durati on. When i n combat wi th more durabl e targets, recast your DoT spel l
shortl y before the effect wears off i n order to prol ong durati on of the DoT. One bi g
advantage DoT spel l s have over di rect damage i s that theyre usual l y fast casts
(and are often i nstant), granti ng the Warl ock some freedom to move around whi l e
sti l l deal i ng damage.
SECONDARY RESOURCES
Al though Warl ocks use mana as thei r pri mar y resource to cast spel l s, each of thei r
speci al i zati on trees i s capabl e of generati ng and spendi ng a secondar y resource.
PROMINENT CLASS ABILITIES PLAYING AS AN AFFLICTION WARLOCK
Masters of damage- over- ti me spel l s, Affl i cti on Warl ocks empl oy an array of shadow-
based debuffs and drai ns i n order to deal damage. Affl i cti on Warl ocks are great at
deal i ng wi th mul ti pl e enemi es at once, but can al so hol d thei r own agai nst si ngl e
targetsthanks to Mal efi c Grasp and Haunt.
The four angul ar shapes that appear under your Affl i cti on Warl ocks heal th and
mana bars are Soul Shards, whi ch turn purpl e as they are fi l l ed. Use Soul Shards
to acti vate Soul burn, whi ch grants vari ous bonuses to certai n spel l s. The Soul burn
effect l asts 30 seconds and consumes a si ngl e Soul Shard. Soul burn i s a cri ti cal
abi l i ty for Affl i cti on Warl ocks, i mprovi ng the effects of Drai n Li fe, Heal th Funnel ,
Curses, Seed of Corrupti on, Unendi ng Breath, Demoni c Ci rcl e: Tel eport, Soul Swap,
and Summon Demon.
Mai ntai ni ng your Soul Shard suppl y i s i mportant. There are two ways to renew thi s
resource, dependant on whether your Warl ock i s i n combat or not. Out of combat,
Soul Har vest (a passi ve abi l i ty) adds Soul Shards automati cal l y over ti me; you shoul d
gai n back al l four shortl y (i t takes 75 seconds). In combat, Warl ocks must rel y on
Drai n Soul , a channel ed attack spel l wi th a twel ve second durati on. If i t ti cks twi ce
on a target, i t restores 1 Soul Shard, and i f a target di es whi l e affected by Drai n Soul
i t restores 3 Soul Shards. The Affl i cti on passi ve abi l i ty Ni ghtfal l al so grants a rare
chance to generate a Soul Shard when Corrupti on deal s damage to a target.
BASIC ROTATION
The i ntent behi nd Affl i cti ons rotati on i s to keep reappl yi ng the damage- over- ti me
debuffs as cl ose to thei r expi rati on ti me as possi bl e. Strongl y consi der downl oadi ng
a debuff- tracki ng add- on to best see when debuffs are about to expi re on enemi es.
Mastery: Potent Afflictions
Increases the damage of Agony, Corrupti on and Unstabl e Affl i cti on
by 25%.
Apply/refresh Agony
Apply/refresh Corruption
Apply/refresh Unstable Affliction
Repeat for any adds that will live long enough for Corruption to fully tick
Use Haunt if you have Soul Shards
Channel Malefic Grasp if target is over 20% health
Channel Drain Soul if target is under 20% health
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Level i ng as Affl i cti on i s effi ci ent and fun. You can DoT enemi es as you run around
to gather more targets. The best way to l evel i s to pul l enemi es wi th Agony from
as far away as possi bl e, then appl y Corrupti on whi l e movi ng onto the next target.
Fi nal l y, appl y Unstabl e Affl i cti on, whi ch requi res a bri ef pause to cast. Whi l e your
DoTed up enemy i s runni ng towards you, fi nd another one and repeat the cycl e.
More often than not, a si ngl e set of DoT spel l s wi l l be enough to ki l l enemi es.
For extra effi ci ency, you can ti me Soul Swap (wi th or wi thout the gl yph) on
l ow- heal th enemi es i n order to ful l y debuff another mob.
For tal ents, take Howl of Terror (use when enemi es catch up to you after debuffi ng),
Burni ng Rush, Gri moi re of Supremacy, or Sacri fi ce, and Ki l Jaedens Cunni ng.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
Si mi l ar to l evel i ng, pl ayi ng i n a group i s al l about keepi ng damage debuffs up on
enemi es. Use your normal rotati on on si ngl e enemi es, and DoT mul ti pl e enemi es i f
necessar y. Keep a pet out unl ess you sel ected Gri moi re of Sacri fi ce. Si nce your spel l s
damage constantl y (and often uncontrol l abl y once appl i ed), keep an eye on threat
and use Soul shatter i f you pul l aggro.
Dark Intent provi des both the spel l power and Stami na buffs when cast.
Warl ocks can appl y ei ther the Magi c Vul nerabi l i ty debuff wi th Curse of the El ements,
or appl y the Sl ow Cast and Weakened Bl ows debuffs wi th Curse of Enfeebl ement.
RESOURCE DESCRIPTION
Soul Shards
Usable by Affliction Warlocks, Soul Shards are consumed via Soulburn to
empower specific abilities.
Demonic Fury
Demonologys special resource, Demonic Fury, is generated by casting
offensive spells, and spent while in Demon Form.
Burning Embers
Burning Embers (exclusive to Destruction Warlocks) are generated by
casting Incinerate or Fel Flame, then consumed to cast Chaos Bolt for a
big burst of damage at a single target, to spread Fire spells to multiple
targets with Fire and Brimstone, or used for a burst of potent self-healing
via Ember Tap.
The key to maxi mi zi ng DPS and sur vi vabi l i ty i s l earni ng to manage these
resources effi ci entl y.
106 107
PLAYING AS A DEMONOLOGY WARLOCK
Adept at demoni c magi c, Demonol ogy Warl ocks favored party tri ck consi sts of
turni ng i nto a demon to i ncrease damage deal t. Theyre abl e to summon the
powerful Fel guard to do thei r bi ddi ng, as wel l as the smal l but hel pful Wi l d Imps.
Many damagi ng spel l s and demoni c pet abi l i ti es generate Demoni c Fur y.
Demoni c Fur y i s the resource used excl usi vel y by Demonol ogy Warl ocks whi l e
empl oyi ng thei r Metamorphosi s abi l i ty. When i n Demon form, Warl ocks consume
6 Demoni c Fur y per second and al l spel l s have a Demoni c Fur y cost i nstead of a
Mana cost. If Demoni c Fur y reaches zero, Warl ocks revert to thei r normal sel ves.
Demoni c Fur y wi l l passi vel y i ncrease or decrease to a val ue of 200 when a Warl ock
remai ns i n caster form and out of combat for a whi l e. The maxi mum amount i s
1000 Demoni c Fur y, so whenever you hi t that, dont hesi tate to use Metamorphosi s
to wreak havoc upon your foes.
Mastery: Master Demonologist
Increases the damage done by your demon ser vants by 8%.
Increases the damage you deal i n caster form by 8%. The damage done
whi l e usi ng Metamorphasi s i s i ncreased by 24%.
Use Metamorphosis if close to 1000 Demonic Fury (or judge how long the enemy
is going to live)
Apply/refresh Corruption (Doom in demon form)
Apply/refresh Hand of Guldan
If moving, use Fel Flame (Void Ray in demon form)
Cast Soul Fire if Molten Core is active
Cast Shadow Bolt
If you need to AoE, go into demon form and use Hellfire and Chaos Wave.
Remember to use your pets Felstorm ability as well
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
As Demonol ogy, i ts best to keep your Fel guard out. For weaker enemi es, you can
opt for the Affl i cti on approach and use Corrupti on and Hand of Gul dan on ever ythi ng
you encounter. Then turn i nto a demon and use Hel l fi re (to acti vate Immol ati on
Aura), Chaos Wave, and Fel storm. In demon form, your curses become an aura
whi ch emanates from the Warl ock, so i t mi ght be worthwhi l e to use Curse of the
El ements whi l e engagi ng bi gger packs. Do note that Hand of Gul dan makes enemi es
sl ower, al l owi ng you to outrun them i n a pi nch.
For tal ents, take Gri moi re of Supremacy (si nce you wi l l be usi ng your Fel guard),
then Burni ng Rush and Ki l Jaedens Cunni ng to hel p you stay mobi l e whi l e casti ng
spel l s. Howl of Terror and Shadowfur y shoul d both be roughl y equal i n terms of
useful ness when l evel i ng as Demonol ogy.
PLAYING AS A DESTRUCTION WARLOCK
Destructi on Warl ocks are fi re- based spel l casters who rai n down havoc upon thei r
foes. Thi s expl osi ve speci al i zati on tree i s especi al l y fun for those who l i ke fast
damage, bi g cri ti cal hi ts, and ampl e sel f- heal i ng. Burni ng Embers are the resource
of the Destructi on speci al i zati on. These appear bel ow your heal th and mana bars,
and you can hol d a maxi mum of four at a ti me.
Chaos Bol t, Shadowburn, Ember Tap and Fl ames of Xoroth al l consume one
Burni ng Ember, and have great resul ts, such as huge damage, an i nstantl y revi ved
Demon, or Heal th restorati on. To gai n Burni ng Embers, cast damagi ng Fi re spel l s.
Attacks such as Rai n of Fi re and Immol ate have a chance to generate part of an
Ember on cri ti cal hi ts, and Inci nerate and Confl agrate al ways generates some of an
Ember, maki ng i t your pri mar y path to repl eni shi ng your store of them. Whi l e i t may
take a l i ttl e whi l e to fi l l up one or two, the power of the spel l s that use them i s
vast. Si nce Burni ng Embers fade soon after combat ends, dont hesi tate to use them
to your advantage.
Mastery: Emberstorm
Increases the damage of Immol ate, Inci nerate, Fel Fl ame and
Confl agrate by 9%. Increases the effecti veness of Burni ng Ember
consumi ng spel l s by 24%.
Apply/refresh Immolate
Use Conflagrate if its off cooldown (this will give you Backdraft, speeding up
Incinerate and Chaos Bolt casting speed)
If moving, use Fel Flame
Cast Chaos Bolt if you have a whole Burning Ember
Cast Shadowburn if you have a whole Burning Ember, the target is below 20%
health and youre moving, or the target is about to die
Cast Incinerate
If you need to AoE, just use Rain of Fire for numerous low-health enemies.
For heftier enemies, Immolate everything and then Rain of Fire
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Destructi on l evel i ng i s smoother than i t once was, thanks to the added effect of
Confl agrate, whi ch can sl ow down enemi es. Al though you probabl y shoul dnt chai n-
pul l ever ythi ng i n si ght l i ke an Affl i cti on Warl ock woul d, you can qui ckl y di spatch
enemi es one at a ti me. Cast Immol ate and then i mmedi atel y Confl agrate i n order
to sl ow the enemy down. Fol l ow wi th Inci nerate unti l the enemy di es, or i s l ow
enough on heal th for Immol ate to ki l l i t. Burni ng Embers can be used to open up on
an enemy wi th Chaos Bol t (often ki l l i ng i t i nstantl y) or to cast Shadowburn at a l ow
heal th targetki l l i ng a Shadowburned target wi thi n 5 seconds returns two Burni ng
Embers! Ember Tap can be used to hel p keep your heal th from droppi ng too l ow.
For tal ents, take Shadowfur y (the stun offers another way to prevent enemi es from
reachi ng you qui ckl y), Burni ng Rush, and Ki l Jaedens Cunni ng. Gri moi re of Sacri fi ce,
al ong wi th Ember Tap, wi l l hel p you recover the heal th cost of Burni ng Rush.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
Your standard rotati on shoul d be best agai nst most enemi es. Demonol ogy Warl ocks
real l y shi ne when there are numerous enemi es bunched up i n a cl ustershoul d
thi s be the case, use your AoE abi l i ti es as descri bed i n the Rotati on secti on for
maxi mum damage. You need to be i n mel ee range for some of the abi l i ti es to work,
so make sure youre ready to Soul shatter to shed some aggro i f necessar y.
Lucki l y, Metamorphosi s form i s qui te resi l i ent.
A qui ck note about Gl yph of Demon Hunti ng: i t al l ows you to taunt (through
Soul shatter), makes you more resi l i ent, and al l - around transforms you i nto a
pseudo- tank. The key here i s pseudo, as i t wi l l not transform you i nto a ful l -
fl edged tank. It mi ght be suffi ci ent for l ower- l evel i nstances, or j ust for fun,
but you mi ght be vi si ti ng your fri end Spi ri t Heal er i f you attempt to tank hi gher- l evel
content wi th i t.
Dark Intent provi des both the Spel l Power and Stami na buffs when cast.
The Fel guard pet can appl y the Mortal Stri ke debuff wi th Mortal Cl eave.
BASIC ROTATION
Deal i ng damage as Demonol ogy i s al l about proper use of Metamorphosi s.
Ti mi ng i t wi th other damage- boosti ng abi l i ti es such as tri nkets and Gri moi re of
Sacri fi ce i s opti mal .
PLAYING IN A GROUP
As Destructi on, i ts usual l y best to focus on a si ngl e enemy and then use Havoc
on secondar y targets. Usi ng Immol ate on secondar y targets i s worth i t, but onl y
for a margi nal DPS i ncrease, so onl y do i t i f i ts easy for you to swi tch back and
forth. As usual , keep an eye on threat (especi al l y when usi ng Chaos Bol t earl y)
and Soul shatter as necessar y. AoEi ng as Destructi on i s tri cky, as you have to j udge
whether to Immol ate the targets or not. If most of the enemi es wi l l be al i ve for
more than 20 seconds, i ts best to Immol ate (preferabl y wi th Fi re and Bri mstone)
and then Rai n of Fi re. If you dont have a Burni ng Ember banked and there are too
many enemi es to keep Immol ate up on al l of them, you can cast Rai n of Fi re,
then use si ngl e- target spel l s unti l you generate an Ember. If you have Embers
banked, you can use Fi re and Bri mstone to spread Immol ate, cast Rai n of Fi re,
then cast Inci nerate (wi th or wi thout Fi re and Bri mstone) to conti nue
generati ng Embers.
Dark Intent provi des both the Spel l Power and Stami na buffs when cast.
BASIC ROTATION
Destructi on damage consi sts of appl yi ng the Immol ate DoT, usi ng Confl agrate as
often as possi bl e, and ti mi ng Chaos Bol t wi th other damage i ncreases.
108 109
WARLOCK PETS
Short Duration Demon Pets
At level 49, Warlocks learn how to summon an Infernal. After being summoned, Infernals remain active for one minute and
use powerful AoE attacks. Summon Doomguard, learned at level 58, works in a fashion similar to the Infernal. The difference
being that Doomguards cast Doom Bolts at a single target while they are active.
Grimoire of Supremacy renames these two demonic pets and boosts their damage output. An Abyssal is an upgraded
Infernal, while the improved Doomguard is called a Terrorguard.
Imp
Imps are fragi l e casters wi th the abi l i ty to heal you over ti me and
di spel magi cal debuffs. Imps augment the damage output of the
Warl ock wi th fi re spel l s.
Succubus
Succubi are fragi l e seductresses wi th the abi l i ty to deal mel ee damage,
knock- back, and crowd control enemi es. A Succubus i s best used i n
si tuati ons where a foe must be kept at bay, such as PvP.
Felguard
The Fel guard are powerful and wel l - rounded mel ee demons excl usi ve to
the Demonol ogy tree. Fel guard are powerful mel ee fi ghters who excel
agai nst mul ti pl e targets and reduce heal i ng recei ved by thei r target.
Felhunter
Fel hunters are mel ee- range demons adept at si l enci ng and steal i ng
buffs from enemi es. Because Warl ocks dont have an offensi ve di spel
or si l ence, Fel hunters ser ve as a ni ce compl ement to thei r abi l i ti es,
especi al l y i n PvP.
Voidwalker
Voi dwal kers are durabl e demons wi th the abi l i ty to di sarm or taunt
enemi es to keep them away from you and your al l i es.
Voidlord
Voi dl ords repl ace Voi dwal kers when a Warl ock sel ects the l evel 75 tal ent,
Gri moi re of Supremacy.
DEMONOLOGY-ONLY PET
Shivarra
Shi varra repl ace Succubi when a Warl ock sel ects the l evel 75 tal ent,
Wrathguard
Wrathguards repl ace Fel guards when a Warl ock sel ects the l evel 75 tal ent,
Observer
Obser vers repl ace Fel hunters when a Warl ock sel ects the l evel 75 tal ent,
Fel Imp
Fel Imps repl ace Imps when a Warl ock sel ects the l evel 75 tal ent,
Al l pets come wi th the abi l i ti es Fel Energy and Avoi dance. Avoi dance i s a Passi ve abi l i ty that reduces the damage a summoned demon takes from non- pl ayer area of effect
attacks by an addi ti onal 90%.
110 111
OVERVIEW
Warri ors are the j uggernauts of Azeroth. They combi ne i mmense strength and bui l di ng rage to destroy enemi es or protect al l i es from harm. Warri ors speci al i ze i n effecti vel y
usi ng a vari ety of weapons i n combat; they are abl e to choose between di fferent combat styl es, i ncl udi ng dual wi el di ng massi ve weapons that woul d normal l y encumber
other cl asses.
The Warri or i s an i ncredi bl y mobi l e mel ee cl ass, abl e to charge and l eap to qui ckl y get to, or get away from, enemi es. Because theyre l acki ng i n the ranged damage
department, Warri ors must keep enemi es cl ose wi th sl owi ng abi l i ti es l i ke Hamstri ng. Warri ors depend on equi pment qual i ty more than other cl asses, as they use the ful l
extent of thei r armor and weapons to both deal damage and prevent i t.
USABLE WEAPONS
Axes Axes
Daggers Maces
Fist Weapons Polearms
Maces Staves
Swords Swords
EQUIPMENT OPTIONS
RACIAL ADVANTAGES
Either Faction
PANDAREN
ARMOR TYPE SHIELD
Mail until level 40, then Plate Yes
ALLIANCE
RACE NOTES
Draenei
Dwarf
and reduces damage taken. Mace Specialization provides increased Expertise with
maces. Dwarves take less damage from Frost spells.
Gnome
PvP. Shortblade Specialization provides increased Expertise with daggers and one
hand swords. Gnomes take less damage from Arcane spells.
Human
Every Man for Himself removes effects that cause loss of control of your character,
which is great for PVP. Mace and Sword Specialization increases Expertise with
swords and maces.
Night Elf
Quickness means Night Elves are less likely to be hit by any physical attack. Night
Elves take less damage from Nature spells. Shadowmeld renders the Night Elf
invisible while motionless and cancels spells being cast by enemies on the Night Elf.
Worgen
Shadow spells.
HORDE
RACE NOTES
Blood Elf
The signature Blood Elf racial, Arcane Torrent, provides Rage and an AoE silence.
The former helps in tight Rage situations, and the latter is great for PvP and certain
Goblin
Rocket Jump is a great mobility tool. Goblins get 1% increased Haste from Time is
Money, making them great for PVP and PVE. Rocket Barrage is another source of
damage for Goblins.
Orc
Orcs are great for maximizing damage. Blood Fury increases your attack power for
a short period of time. Axe Specialization increases Expertise with axes. Hardiness
reduces the duration of stun effects by 15%.
Tauren
health by 5%.
Troll
for Warriors. Trolls regenerate Health faster than other races, and 10% of total
Health regeneration may continue in combat.
Undead
WARRIOR
PANDAREN
RACE NOTES
Pandaren
SPECIALIZATIONS
At l evel 10, Warri ors must deci de to fol l ow one of the fol l owi ng speci al i zati on
paths: Arms, Fur y, or Protecti on.
Protection Warriors are tanks. They have opti ons for
stunni ng, and provoki ng enemi es, but most of al l they excel at
stayi ng al i ve. They gai n abi l i ti es that extend thei r l i ves duri ng
tri cky battl es, and al l ow them to reduce the damage they take.
Fury Warriors equi p weapons i n both hands whi ch i ncl udes
the opti on of usi ng a two- handed weapon i n one hand!
Few si ghts i nsti l l as much fear as a pl ate- cl ad Warri or
brandi shi ng two gi ant weapons.
Arms Warriors use a two- handed weapon to deal strong
burst damage.
112 113
STANCES
Warri ors can adopt one of three stances, based on the si tuati on and spec,
i n order to become more effi ci ent at thei r rol e. Note that stances are now on the
gl obal cool down, meani ng you shoul d not tr y to constantl y swi tch between them.
Instead, assess what the si tuati on cal l s for i n terms of rage, and swi tch accordi ngl y.
Protecti on Warri ors wi l l l i kel y remai n i n Defensi ve Stance most of the ti me,
as some of thei r key abi l i ti es requi re thi s i n order to generate Rage (and i ts di ffi cul t
to tank wi thout the i ncreased threat generati on). Arms and Fur y Warri ors wi l l fi nd
themsel ves usi ng al l three stances at some poi nt. For most fi ghts, Battl e Stance
provi des the most Rage. For fi ghts wi th a steady stream of damage taken (and PvP
encounters), Berserker Stance grants more rage. Shi el ds are not recommended for
standard DPS use, but theyre a requi rement for Shi el d Wal l , whi ch can defi ni tel y
save your l i fej ust remember to swi tch to a shi el d/one- hander setup fi rst!
PROMINENT CLASS ABILITIES PLAYING AS AN ARMS WARRIOR
Arms Warri ors, as thei r name suggests, excel i n the master y of weapons. Bei ng abl e
to use nearl y al l weapons avai l abl e i n the game, these battl e- hardened j uggernauts
use mobi l i ty and fi nesse to defeat thei r opponents. Because of passi ve ski l l s l i ke
Seasoned Sol di er, Arms Warri ors prefer the use of two- handed weapons to di sh
out thei r damage. In contrast wi th the Fur y speci al i zati on, Arms damage i s more
control l ed and has on- demand burst, i ncl udi ng ski l l s that can greatl y ai d i n damagi ng
mul ti pl e enemi es at once.
Arms Warri ors benefi t from havi ng mul ti pl e targets to attack. Thei r use of Sweepi ng
Stri kes al l ows for far more damage output when there are more targets to hi t.
BASIC ROTATION
Arms Warri ors deal damage pri mari l y through i nstant mel ee- based abi l i ti es,
whi l e taki ng advantage of the Col ossus Smash debuff. In PvE, duri ng whats cal l ed
execute range (an enemy i s bel ow 20% heal th), Arms and Fur y warri ors shi ne due
to thei r damage output from Execute, whi ch can be devastati ng when pai red wi th
other damage- i ncreasi ng cool downs.
Mastery: Strikes of Opportunity
Grants a chance for your mel ee attacks to i nstantl y tri gger an
addi ti onal mel ee attack for 55% normal damage.
Use Charge to quickly close the distance to your enemy and generate some
initial rage
If available, use Colossus Smash so your subsequent attacks bypass the
enemys armor
If the enemy is below 20% health, use Execute
If available, use Mortal Strike
If available, use Overpower
Versus single targets, dump rage with Slam; against more than one target,
dump rage with Whirlwind
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Arms Warri ors are one of the most effi ci ent l evel i ng machi nes i n the game. The way
i t works i s fai rl y strai ghtfor ward: Charge i n order to get to your enemy and generate
rage, then use Col ossus Smash on cool down and Mortal Stri ke. Each ti me you cast
Mortal stri ke, you wi l l gai n two charges of Overpower (whi ch has a 60% i ncreased
cri ti cal chance). You can have up to fi ve Overpower charges at once. If you run out
of Overpower charges and Mortal Stri ke i s sti l l on cool down, you can use Sl am i n
the meanti me. As soon as Mortal Stri ke i s back up, repeat the process. Bel ow 20%,
use Execute.
For tal ents, Juggernaut l ets you use Charge much more often, Impendi ng Vi ctor y
l ets you i nstantl y gai n heal th i n emergency si tuati ons (Second Wi nd i s a sol i d
al ternati ve), and Bl adestorm al l ows you to defeat several enemi es at once.
Instead of the l atter, Dragon Roar i s al so a good choi ce.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
Use your standard rotati on for si ngl e enemi es, usi ng DPS- i ncreasi ng cool downs as
desi red whi l e avoi di ng steal i ng the tanks threat (thi s i s especi al l y i mportant for
Warri ors, as they are a mel ee cl ass that has no threat reducti on moves). When there
are two enemi es cl ose together, you shoul d use Sweepi ng Stri kes, as thi s resul ts
i n an i ncredi bl e DPS i ncrease and i s one of the most effi ci ent ways to di spatch two
enemi es at once. For a greater number of enemi es, sti l l use Sweepi ng Stri kes,
but use your excess rage on Cl eave (i nstead of Heroi c Stri ke) and Whi rl wi nd.
If you pul l aggro, or your tank happens to di e, you can sti l l save the day by usi ng
Di e by the Sword, whi ch provi des 100% parr y chance and wi l l keep you from taki ng
damage for 8 seconds. If that doesnt work, equi p a shi el d and a one- handed
weapon (thi s can be done through a macro as wel l ) and use Shi el d Wal l , whi ch wi l l
hopeful l y gi ve your group enough ti me to recover.
Warri ors provi de the Attack Power buff wi th Battl e Shout and the Stami na buff wi th
Commandi ng Shout. They i nfl i ct the Weakened Armor debuff wi th Sunder Armor and
Weakened Bl ows wi th Thundercl ap.
Arms Warri ors add to the debuffs provi ded by other Warri ors by appl yi ng Mortal
Wound wi th Mortal Stri ke and Physi cal Vul nerabi l i ty vi a Col ossus Smash.
SHOUTS
Warri ors use vari ous Shouts to i nspi re groups or demoral i ze enemi es. Some shouts
are avai l abl e onl y as tal ents, and some avai l abl e onl y to certai n speci al i zati ons,
but ever y Warri or has a few to choose from.
Commandi ng Shout and Battl e Shout are used to provi de benefi ts for your party
or rai d, and to generate i ni ti al Rage before a fi ght. These shouts share a 1 mi nute
cool down. Al so, a Warri ors own shouts wi l l over- wri te each other, therefore i n
rai d groups Warri ors must spl i t the shouts between them to enj oy the benefi ts of
both shouts.
The remai ni ng shouts can cause an enemy to fl ee, reduce the damage they can
i nfl i ct, do AoE damage, and snare or root enemi es wi thi n the Warri ors shout radi us.
Learni ng how and when to best use these shouts can make the di fference between
wi nni ng or l osi ng an encounter, so keep a l evel head duri ng combat, and surpri se
your foe wi th a mi ghty roar!
QUICK MOVES
Warri ors have al ways been one of the most mobi l e cl asses, whi ch hel ps to offset
thei r l ack of ranged abi l i ti es. Tal ents provi de hefty buffs to Charge, whi ch can
be used i n combat. Juggernaut al l ows you to use Charge nearl y twi ce as often,
whi l e Doubl e Ti me l ets you use i t twi ce before i t i ncurs i ts cool down (and i t
l ooks si mi l ar to usi ng Charge and then Intercept i n previ ous expansi ons).
Addi ti onal l y, Heroi c Leap al l ows you to j ump a great di stance, and theres a gl yph
to reduce i ts cool down. Lastl y, Inter vene al l ows you to charge towards an al l y and
i ntercept the next si ngl e attack made toward them. These abi l i ti es, al ong wi th
Hamstri ng, shoul d al l ow you to stay on top of fl eei ng enemi es.
114 115
PLAYING AS A FURY WARRIOR
Fur y Warri ors are desi gned to deal massi ve, constant mel ee damage wi th ei ther
two one- handed weapons, or (starti ng at l evel 38) two two- handed weapons.
Crazed Berserker i ncreases autoattack damage by 10%, and off- hand damage
by 25%. Whi l e other cl asses, l i ke Rogues, can dual wi el d one- handed weapons,
the abi l i ty to dual wi el d the heavi er set of weapons i s excl usi ve to Fur y Warri ors.
Thi s makes them qui ck- attacki ng berserkers that deal an i mmense amount of steady
damage. Addi ti onal l y, the Fur y- excl usi ve passi ve Si ngl e- Mi nded Fur y i ncreases your
damage output whi l e dual wi el di ng one- handed weapons, maki ng them roughl y
si mi l ar to two- handers i n terms of damage.
Fur y Warri ors often trade thei r safety for i ncreased damage output. Thi s puts them
at ri sk of dyi ng i n groups. However, when pl ayed wel l , you can l earn to avoi d
steal i ng threat and l et the tanks do thei r j ob. Avoi d grabbi ng the attenti on of the
monster, ki l l your targets, and know how to get out of troubl e.
Mastery: Unshackled Fury
Increases physi cal damage done whi l e Enraged.
initial rage
If available, use Bloodthirst to generate Rage and deal damage
If the enemy is below 20% health, use Execute
If you have any charges, use Raging Blow
Use Wild Strike
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Fur y Warri ors l evel at a respectabl e pace thanks to Bl oodthi rst and Vi ctor y Rush.
Note that Fur y i s more gear- dependent than Arms when i t comes to l evel i ng, so i ts
effi ci ency wi l l be based on your weapons and how much Hi t and Experti se you have
through your gear. That sai d, the l evel i ng process i tsel f i s fai rl y si mpl e: Charge,
use Bl oodthi rst (to generate Rage and get the Bl oodsurge buff to reduce Wi l d Stri ke
rage requi rements), then conti nue your normal rotati on. There are several factors
that can i ncrease how qui ckl y an enemy i s di spatched, most i mportant of whi ch i s
how many ti mes you proc Enrage.
For tal ents, Juggernaut l ets you use Charge much more often, Impendi ng Vi ctor y
al l ows you to gai n heal th i n emergency si tuati ons (Second Wi nd i s a vi abl e
al ternati ve), and Bl adestorm al l ows you to defeat several enemi es at once,
though Dragon Roar (same l evel as Bl adestorm) i s a good choi ce as wel l .
PLAYING AS A PROTECTION WARRIOR
Protecti on Warri ors are shi el d- beari ng tanks that protect al l i es from harm by hol di ng
the attenti on of enemi es. One of the best tool s Protecti on Warri ors have for keepi ng
attenti on on them i s Devastate. Devastate repl aces Sunder Armor and appl i es the
Weakened Armor debuff but has the added benefi t of i nfl i cti ng a good bi t of damage
at the same ti me. At hi gher l evel s, Protecti on Warri ors get more tool s that enhance
thei r sur vi vabi l i ty (Last Stand, Basti on of Defense, Shi el d Barri er) and abi l i ty to tank
mul ti pl e targets at the same ti me (Revenge, Bl ood and Thunder).
What sets Protecti on Warri ors apart from other tanks i s thei r superi or mobi l i ty.
Between Charge, Inter vene and Heroi c Leap, Protecti on Warri ors can move al most
i nstantaneousl y to a hosti l e target (and stun i t at the same ti me), a fri endl y target
(and save i t from an i ncomi ng attack at the same ti me), or to a speci fi c l ocati on
(and damage nearby enemi es at the same ti me).
Mastery: Critical Block
Increases your chance to bl ock and your chance to cri ti cal l y bl ock.
initial rage
Use Shield Slam to deal damage and generate rage
Use Thunderclap to apply the Weakened Blows debuff
To increase your defenses, use Shield Block or Shield Barrier if you have
sufficient rage
If available, use Revenge
Use Devastate
GETTING TO LEVEL 85
Protecti on i s the sl owest l evel er of the three Warri or speci al i zati ons, but Vi ctor y
Rush makes Protecti on Warri ors cl ose to i ndestructi bl e when faci ng same- l evel
monsters wi th a shi el d. When you tackl e mul ti pl e enemi es at once, Shi el d Sl am has
a good chance to make Cl eave Rage- free, whi l e Bl ood and Thunder makes Thunder
Cl ap appl y Deep Wounds on al l nearby enemi es. Revenge stri kes three targets at
once, so tr y to pul l groups of three enemi es at a ti me once you feel comfortabl e
wi th your rotati on. Stay i n Defensi ve Stance through these fi ghts si nce Vengeance
i s the source of a good deal of your damage output, and there are abi l i ti es that wi l l
onl y generate Rage i n Defensi ve Stance.
For tal ents, Juggernaut l ets you use Charge much more often, and Impendi ng Vi ctor y
l ets you i nstantl y gai n heal th i n emergency si tuati ons (Second Wi nd i s a vi abl e
al ternati ve to Impendi ng Vi ctor y). Dragon Roar i s a good choi ce si nce i ts another
source of AoE damage and al so knocks down nearby enemi es. Bl adestorm deal s
bonus damage for Protecti on Warri ors, so i t i s a vi abl e al ternati ve to Dragon Roar,
especi al l y for l evel i ng.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
but do not to pul l threat (thi s i s especi al l y i mportant for Warri ors, a cl ass that
has no threat reduci ng moves). When fi ghti ng mul ti pl e enemi es, i ts i mportant to
take advantage of Meat Cl eaver, whi ch i ncreases the number of targets hi t
by your Ragi ng Bl ow ever y ti me you use Whi rl wi nd (stacki ng up to 3 ti mes).
Because Ragi ng Bl ow deal s a l arge amount of damage, thi s passi ve makes Fur y
Warri ors wi th suffi ci ent Rage a great AoE speci al i zati on.
If you pul l aggro, or your tank happens to di e, you can sti l l save the day by usi ng
Di e by the Sword, whi ch provi des 100% parr y chance and wi l l keep you from taki ng
damage for 8 seconds. If that doesnt work, equi p a shi el d and a one- handed
weapon (thi s can be done through a macro as wel l ) and use Shi el d Wal l , whi ch wi l l
hopeful l y gi ve your group enough ti me to recover.
Warri ors provi de the Attack Power buff wi th Battl e Shout and the Stami na buff wi th
Commandi ng Shout. They al so i nfl i ct the Weakened Armor debuff wi th Sunder Armor
and Weakened Bl ows wi th Thundercl ap.
Fur y Warri ors add to the debuffs provi ded by other Warri ors wi th Wi l d Stri ke
i nfl i cti ng Mortal Wound and Col ossus Smash i mparti ng Physi cal Vul nerabi l i ty.
BASIC ROTATION
Fur y Warri ors deal damage pri mari l y through i nstant mel ee- based abi l i ti es.
Col ossus Smash shoul d be used consi stentl y, al most ever y ti me i t i s avai l abl e,
i n order to mai ntai n the Physi cal Vul nerabi l i ty debuff. In PvE, duri ng whats
cal l ed execute range (the enemy i s bel ow 20% heal th), Fur y Warri ors shi ne
due to Execute, whi ch can be devastati ng when pai red wi th other damage-
i ncreasi ng cool downs.
PLAYING IN A GROUP
Pl ayi ng a Protecti on Warri or i s al l about managi ng Rage and usi ng defensi ve
cool downs i n cri ti cal si tuati ons. You can use Shi el d Bl ock twi ce ever y 9 seconds,
but i t costs 60 Rage, whi ch means you shoul d save i t for the ti mes you know i t wi l l
mi ti gate damage and save heal er mana. Ski l l ed Protecti on Warri ors know when to
use Shi el d Bl ock and Shi el d Barri er, and when i ts best to spend the Rage generati ng
more threat by usi ng damage- i nfl i cti ng ski l l s.
In emergency si tuati ons, use l ong cool down abi l i ti esLast Stand and Shi el d
Wal l to sur vi ve a heavy si ege. Dont hesi tate to use Di sarm on enemi es that have
weapons, as i t doesnt cost any rage now.
Protecti on Warri ors provi de the Attack Power buff wi th Battl e Shout and the Stami na
buff wi th Commandi ng Shout. They al so i nfl i ct the Weakened Armor debuff wi th
Devastate and Weakened Bl ows wi th Thundercl ap.
BASIC ROTATION
Your number one j ob as a tank i s to generate threat as qui ckl y as possi bl e and
mai ntai n i t throughout the fi ght. When youre confronted wi th a pack of enemi es,
consi der usi ng Heroi c Leap i nstead of Charge to open the fi ght. Heroi c Leap deal s
damage to al l enemi es near the l andi ng l ocati on, gi vi ng you a head start on threat.
Other wi se, use Charge and then Thunder Cl ap to get thei r attenti on.
116 117
SYMBOL WHAT THIS MEANS
Acts as a basic pointer
Characters who can give you quests
Characters with whom you can speak
Trainers who can teach you new skills
Creatures you can attack
SYMBOL WHAT THIS MEANS
Vendors or loot from corpses
Vendors who can repair your gear
Guards who can offer directions
Items or objects that you can open or operate (important for quests)
Items which act as a Mail Box (you can send or receive in-game mail)
Thi s chapter further devel ops and detai l s the concepts i ntroduced i n Taki ng Your Fi rst Steps so some of what fol l ows may be fami l i ar to you i f you read that
secti on al ready.
USING YOUR MOUSE
The mouse poi nter i s your pri mar y tool for l earni ng about and i nteracti ng wi th the game worl d.
Take a moment to move your mouse poi nter (whi ch normal l y appears as a gl oved hand) and hover over di fferent peopl e and obj ects. Your mouse cursor changes dynami cal l y
when you pass i t over di fferent peopl e, monsters, and obj ects. Let your mouse do some of the expl orati on for you. Hi ghl i ghti ng thi ngs ahead of ti me l ets you avoi d fi ghts
wi th monsters that are too powerful to defeat.
CURSOR SYMBOLS
THE USER INTERFACE
THE GAME INTERFACE
The game i nterface i s ever ythi ng you use to i nteract wi th the game, i ncl udi ng your Acti on Bars, chat wi ndows, and the mi ni map. Press Al t and Z together,
then wai t a second and press them agai n. Ever ythi ng that bri efl y vani shed from your screen i s consi dered part of the game i nterface.
You can al so mouse over parts of your game i nterface. The i nformati on you get from these tool ti ps i s i nval uabl e as you gai n l evel s and l earn more abi l i ti es.
Because you can do so many thi ngs i n the game, the game i nterface can appear to be compl ex, so i ts broken down here for you.
BUFFS AND DEBUFFS
Near your mi ni map are any posi ti ve or negati ve effects that are currentl y i n pl ace.
These effects show up as i cons. Buffs (the posi ti ve effects) are usual l y cast by your
character or thei r group members. Debuffs (the negati ve ones) are usual l y cast by
enemi es you are fi ghti ng. If you mouse over a buff or debuff, you are gi ven detai l s
about i ts effects and durati on. When a buff or debuff i s about to expi re, the i con
that appears here begi ns to bl i nk.
The most i mportant pi ece of i nformati on to l earn about a debuff i s what type of
debuff i t i s (the most common are Poi son, Di sease, Magi c, and Curse) because many
cl asses eventual l y gai n abi l i ti es that al l ow you to remove the debuff i nstantl y.
Character Portrait Target Portrait
Buffs/Debuffs Minimap
Quest Tracking
Chat Logs Backpack and Bag Slots Action Bar Interface Bar
Debuffs Buffs
119 118
Life Bar
Al l character cl asses have a green heal th bar. If your heal th reaches zero, your
character di es. When youre out of combat, your heal th gradual l y returns to i ts
maxi mum val ue. Havi ng an al l y use a heal i ng spel l on you (usi ng a heal i ng spel l on
yoursel f works as wel l ), or eati ng i n- game food repl eni shes your characters heal th
much faster.
Second Bar
The col or of your second bar and what i t represents are determi ned by your cl ass.
Dependi ng on your cl ass, there may al so be an addi ti onal resource bar that appears
here. The same bars are used by al l characters, enemi es, monsters, and ani mal s i n
the game.
CHARACTER PORTRAIT
The Character Portrai t shows your characters face, name, l evel , l i fe bar, and a second bar whi ch vari es wi th the cl ass you chose.
Death Kni ghts bui l d a resource cal l ed Runi c Power,
much l i ke a Warri ors Rage, by acti vati ng stri kes and
Runes to puni sh thei r enemi es. The maj ori ty of thei r
abi l i ti es are fuel ed by a combi nati on of Runes and
Runi c Power.
Hunters and thei r pets have an orange focus bar
that fuel s speci al attacks. Focus regenerates over
ti me or wi th the use of abi l i ti es l i ke Steady Shot or
Cobra Shot.
Mages, Pri ests, and Shamans al l have a bl ue mana
bar, whi ch fuel s thei r spel l s. Whi l e mana regenerates
sl owl y over ti me, the qui cker way to repl eni sh your
mana i s to si t and dri nk di fferent types of water when
youre out of combat.
Pal adi ns pri mari l y use mana to fuel many of thei r
spel l s, however they al so use the Hol y Power resource
to bol ster thei r abi l i ti es and tri gger speci al acti ons.
Rogues have a yel l ow energy bar that i s consumed as
the Rogue uses speci al combat abi l i ti es. Lost Energy
regenerates over ti me.
Warri ors have a red rage bar, whi ch i ncreases as they
take and deal damage. Warri ors use accumul ated rage
to use thei r speci al abi l i ti es.
Target Portrait
When you left-click on an NPC or monster, you target that character. The Target Portrait appears next to your characters
portrait and shows the targets face, name, level, and life bars. There is more information about the Target Portrait on
page 143.
Warl ocks al so have the typi cal bl ue mana bar, but dependi ng on thei r speci al i zati on, al so devel op other resources
to fuel the dark powers they unl eash on thei r enemi es.
Monks use ei ther Energy or Mana, dependi ng on thei r speci al i zati on; however they al so bui l d Chi as they perform
thei r mysti cal arts. Chi al l ows the Monk to augment speci al abi l i ti es as thei r l i fe energy fl ows.
Drui ds start wi th a mana bar but use di fferent bars as they acqui re ani mal forms starti ng at l evel 6. In bear form, Drui ds use a rage bar. In cat form, Drui ds use an energy
bar. Bal ance Drui ds have an Ecl i pse bar as wel l as a mana bar.
120 121
Region & Town Name
Clock
Tracking
World Map
Calendar
Mail
Zoom In
Zoom Out
Your Character
MINIMAP BUTTONS
Northern Barrens is a region of the continent of Kalimdor. Kalimdor is a continent on the world of Azeroth. Azeroth is one of two planets in World of Warcraft.
TRACKING:
The smal l er ci rcl e on the top l eft i s a menu that al l ows you
to track di fferent thi ngs i n- game. Cl i ck on the ci rcl e to get
a drop down menu of al l thi ngs your character can track.
If you cl i ck on somethi ng speci fi c to track, such as Food
& Dri nk, any nearby vendors who sel l Food & Dri nk wi l l
appear on your mi ni map.
WORLD MAP:
Thi s button opens a map of your current regi on. Locati ons
you have found appear on the map; undi scovered l ocati ons
remai n obscured unti l you fi nd them. You can al so press the
l etter m to bri ng thi s up at any ti me.
MORE ON MAPS
One ri ght- cl i ck on your regi on map opens a map of the conti nent. A second ri ght- cl i ck opens the conti nent- wi de map. A thi rd ri ght- cl i ck opens the map of the enti re worl d.
Left- cl i ck on parts of the map to zoom i n to that area.
Character
Quest Location Flight Path
Under Attack?
The game never pauses, so you can be attacked while staring at the map. If this happens, the map screen is surrounded by a
red flashing border to let you know that something is chewing on your leg.
CALENDAR
The cal endar shows upcomi ng i n- game events. There are schedul ed events, such as
the weekl y fi shi ng contest i n Strangl ethorn Val e and the Darkmoon Fai re, as wel l as
seasonal feasts and hol i days.
If youre i n a gui l d, each gui l d has i ts own event tracki ng. The cal endar al so
tracks battl eground hol i days and rai d l ockout resets, but those are for hi gher l evel
characters. You dont need to worr y about those j ust yet.
CHAT LOGS
If you mouse over the Chat l og area, the chat tabs appear. By defaul t, the General l og i s vi si bl e. Thi s di spl ays announcements and the General and Local Defense channel s
for your regi on as wel l as Says, Whi spers, Party, Gui l d, and Battl eground chat. Youl l al so see Trade chat when youre i n a ci ty.
General Log Your conversati ons and other non- combat system messages
appear under thi s tab.
Combat Log The Combat Log offers opti ons for obser vi ng what happens
to you, other characters nearby, and enemi es duri ng combat. You dont
need to watch thi s l og whi l e youre fi ghti ng si nce your character portrai t
and target portrai t provi de an adequate summar y of how any fi ght i s goi ng.
Instead, use the Combat Log to revi ew recentl y compl eted fi ghts i f you feel
somethi ng di dnt go the way you pl anned.
Chat Menu The Chat menu offers shortcuts for communi cati ng wi th
other pl ayers i n the game. Cl i ck to open; press Esc to cl ose. You can al so
type i n the shortcuts l i sted on the ri ght of the menu. To l earn more about
communi cati ng wi th other pl ayers, turn to page 168.
122 123
INTERFACE BAR
OPENING AND CLOSING WINDOWS
To open a wi ndow, you can ei ther cl i ck on the button associ ated wi th that wi ndow, or use the shortcut key. Hover over a button and l ook for the l etter i n parentheses to fi nd
out i ts shortcut key. Press the same button or key to cl ose a wi ndow that was previ ousl y opened.
You can have mul ti pl e wi ndows open at once, and i f you want to cl ose ever ythi ng at the same ti me, j ust hi t the Escape key.
EXPERIENCE BAR
The experience bar is a long strip of 20 bubbles at the bottom of
your screen. Highlight this to find out how much experience you
need before gaining the next level. This bar fills in real time,
so each quest completed, enemy slain, or new area explored
causes it to fill. There is a shaded region of your experience bar to
represent your characters rested experience.
REPUTATION
You have the option to track the progress of your Reputation gains with any
particular faction here. To learn more about Reputations, turn to page 124.
ACTION BARS
Abilities placed in your Action Bar allow quick access to those abilities. The numbers along the
top of the buttons on your Action Bar correspond to the number row on your keyboard. If you
want to use the ability in the spot marked 1, you can either click on the icon with your mouse
or press the number 1 (above the letter Q, not your number pad) on your keyboard. The bars
have 12 slots, using keys 1-0, and then and = as well.
GUILD
Use the Guild Finder window to list yourself as
looking to join a guild, or browse through guilds
looking for potential members. After you join a
guild, this pane provides detailed information
about your guilds activity.
PLAYER VS. PLAYER
The Player vs. Player (often abbreviated PvP) button
is the Horde insignia for Horde characters or the
Alliance insignia for Alliance characters. After reaching
level 10 you can queue to participate in bracket-based
battle grounds against other players.
DUNGEON FINDER
Use this window when you would like to join a group
(some players call it a party, but its the same thing)
to explore a Dungeon, Raid or Scenario. This works
by placing you in a queue that assembles groups
based on available role compositions.
MOUNTS & PETS
This window displays the mounts and companion pets youve collected in game. Each race has specific mounts,
but there are ways to acquire other types of mounts as well. You can get your first mount at Level 20.
Companions, or vanity pets are fun to play with. You can summon them to wander around the world with you,
or fight them against other players pets! These are earned in a variety of ways.
DUNGEON JOURNAL
This panel details information about all the dungeon and raid encounters available in the game. It provides
information about individual encounters (bosses), such as abilities they may use, or loot they may drop.
This is a handy resource for a players first time in a dungeon or raid group setting.
GAME MENU
Use the Game Menu to customize the game interface, change in-game settings, or log out of the game. Until you
become more familiar with the game, you should leave the settings at their default values. There are literally
hundreds of options to tweak inside this menu, so like most things in WoW it might seem daunting at first.
Dont let it scare you away. Playing with the interface is a wonderful way to unlock the games information.
You tell the system how to present everything, and it is happy to oblige.
ACHIEVEMENTS
The Achievements window lists thousands of in-game achievementssome
include rewards such as titles, or new pets, for your character. In most cases,
the reward is earning the achievement itself. Click on a given achievement to
learn more about how to earn it.
CHARACTER
The Character window provides all the details you need to know about your
character. Theres more information on page 124.
SPELLBOOK
See opposite page.
SPECIALIZATION & TALENTS
This button opens a panel that details your specialization and talent choices.
You can also access the Glyphs window. Glyphs allow you to customize some of
your characters abilities.
QUEST LOG
The Quest Log lists all quests you have accepted but have not yet turned in to
the quest giver. There is additional information about Quests on page 16.
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
The question mark at the end of the bottom row is your call for help. Here, you can access the
Knowledge Base or contact a Game Master about problems. The Knowledge Base has searchable
answers to the most common questions about game mechanics. Game Masters can only help with
issues of game functions, problems with other players, or if you character is physically stuck in the
game. Neither option offers tips or strategy for completing quests or defeating monsters. These are
for bugs or things that just cant be helped without external intervention.
EQUIPMENT CONTAINERS
Early on, you only have a Backpack; eventually, you should acquire a bag for each of the slots
in the lower right. Some enemies may drop bags, but certain players are able to create bags.
There is an option to display the amount of free inventory space on your backpack icon.
Rested
All characters start the game in a Normal state. However, if you log out your character sleeps and goes into a Rested State.
The next time you log in, there will be a notch on your XP bar that indicates how much Rest XP you have accumulated.
Logging out in an Inn or a city adds Rest XP at a much greater rate than logging out in the open. The easiest way to tell if
youre in the right place is to look at your character portrait. If your name is flashing yellow, and your character level changes
to zzz, you are in the right spot.
While you are Rested you earn twice the experience you would normally gain from slaying a monster, gathering professions,
and from discovering a new region on a map; the experience earned from turning in completed quests is unchanged.
You become less rested as you kill monsters, gather and discover new locations. When your XP bar catches up with your
Rest Marker, you feel normal.
A FEW WORDS ABOUT
IN-GAME MONEY:
Copper coins are indicated with the
C abbreviation.
Silver coins are indicated with S.
Gold coins are indicated with G.
100 copper = 1 silver
100 silver = 1 gold
THE PROFESSIONS TAB
(opened with k) is empty until you learn a Profession. There are more details
about Professions later in this guide.
SPELLBOOK
Your Spel l book (opened wi th p) l i sts al l the spel l s and abi l i ti es that your
character has acqui red and ones that wi l l be avai l abl e as your character gai ns l evel s.
The Spel l book has vari ous tabs that organi ze your spel l s by type. When you start the
game, al l your characters acti ve spel l s are al ready i n your Acti on Bar.
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CHARACTER INFORMATION
The Character wi ndow has two tabs: Character and Reputati on. A thi rd tab,
Currency, wi l l become avai l abl e after your character earns one of the types of
currency tracked i n game, such as Honor Poi nts, Cooki ng Tokens, and Darkmoon
Fai re Pri ze ti ckets. Some cl asses, notabl y Warl ocks and Hunters, have a Pets tab
that provi des i mportant i nformati on about thei r currentl y acti ve pet.
Cl i ck the yel l ow arrow i n the bottom ri ght corner of your character wi ndow to di spl ay
detai l ed i nformati on about your character. Its amazi ng how much there i s to take i n
at fi rst. Lucki l y, you dont even need to understand al l of i t yet. Your character has
what they need to ki ck monsters around. What each stat does and what you need to
maxi mi ze i snt i mportant unti l you earn more l evel s.
However, some peopl e are curi ous ri ght off the bat. If you want to understand more,
heres a heads up.
CHARACTER
The Character window shows all the slots for your characters
clothing, armor, and weapons. It also shows all the physical and
mental statistics that influence your characters performance
in the game.
REPUTATION
The Reputation window indicates your characters standing with
various factions. Factions are groups of associated NPCs found at
various points in the game world. Many NPCs are associated with
some faction. As you progress through the game, you encounter
more factions, and your Reputation page will change. If your
Reputation reaches higher levels with some groups, you are
able to purchase special gear. If your Reputation reaches lower
levels, members of that group become Hostile and eventually
attack you on sight.
STATISTIC DEFINITIONS
CATEGORY HOW THIS AFFECTS YOUR CHARACTER
Health How much damage you can take before dying
Strength Raises Attack Power (amount varies by class)
Agility Raises Attack Power (again, the amount varies), and Critical Strike
Stamina Increases health
Intellect Raises mana and Spell Critical Strike (if applicable)
Spirit Controls mana regeneration
Damage Base damage from your weapon attacks
DPS Damage over time of your weapons attacks
Attack Power Influences physical damage output
Attack Speed How often you make auto attacks
Mastery Improves talent bonuses
Haste Influences Attack and Casting Speed
Hit Improves your odds of hitting
Crit Improves your odds of scoring criticals (extra damage attacks)
Expertise Reduces the chance that an enemy will Dodge or Parry your attacks
Armor Reduces physical damage (highlight to see the % mitigated)
Dodge Chance to Dodge a physical attack, avoiding 100% damage
Parry Chance to Parry a physical attack, avoiding 100% damage
Block
Chance to Block with a shield, mitigating additional damage
(highlight to see the amount)
PVP Resilience
Provides damage reduction against all damage done by players and their pets
or minions.
PVP Power
Increases damage done to players and their pets and minions, and increases
healing done in PVP zones.
BASIC MOVEMENT
There are two ways to control the movement of your character: wi th your keyboard, or wi th your mouse. By defaul t, your character moves at a run. To swi tch between
runni ng speed and wal ki ng speed, press the for ward sl ash key, whi ch i s found on the number pad.
Jump to It!
To start out, hi t your space bar; i ts a bi g target so i ts a natural pl ace to begi n.
The space bar causes your character to j ump. Jumpi ng i s often the qui ckest way to
avoi d l ow obstacl es, and i t wont sl ow you down i f youre runni ng somewhere.
Keyboard Commands
If you prefer to use your keyboard to move your character then tr y to use the W, A,
S, and D keys. The arrow keys move your character as wel l , but usi ng WASD l eaves
your fi ngers cl oser to the number keys used to acti vate your characters abi l i ti es.
Of course, theres nothi ng wrong wi th usi ng the arrow keys. If youre more
comfortabl e wi th those keys, then use them whi l e youre pl ayi ng.
CONTROLLING YOUR CHARACTER
In thi s secti on, you l earn more about control l i ng your fi el d of vi si on i n the game and movi ng your character around the envi ronment. Thi s chapter bui l ds on the concepts
i ntroduced i n Taki ng Your Fi rst Steps so some of what fol l ows may be fami l i ar to you i f you read that secti on al ready.
JUMP
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Mouse Control
To control your characters movement wi th the mouse, press both mouse buttons si mul taneousl y to move for ward. Your character conti nues to move for ward so l ong as you
hol d down both mouse buttons. Sl i de the mouse to the l eft or ri ght to turn your character i n that di recti on.
Strafing
Strafi ng i s a way to move l eft or ri ght whi l e barel y changi ng what you see on screen. If youre not fami l i ar wi th strafi ng, take some ti me now to tr y i t out. Press the Q key
to strafe to the l eft, and press the E key to strafe to the ri ght. Strafi ng does not cancel Auto- Run.
THE CAMERA
In most games, camera refers to your fi el d of vi ew of the gami ng worl d. In Worl d of Warcraft, the defaul t camera vi ew shows a smal l area, wi th your character i n the
mi ddl e of the screen. The smoothest way to change what you see i s to press the l eft button on your mouse, and hol d i t down whi l e you move the mouse. Your character
stays i n pl ace, but what you see changes. Be careful when movi ng your mouse for ward or back. You may end up stari ng at the ground or strai ght upward!
After you get comfortabl e l ooki ng around, do i t whi l e your character i s i n moti on. It may be di sori enti ng at fi rst, but tr y to get the hang of i t. Its a bi g hel p when youre on
the l ookout for enemi es.
You can also change how far the camera is from your character. Some players like to zoom in tight on their characters; others like to zoom out for a broader view of the game.
To zoom i n, press the Home key mul ti pl e ti mes or rol l your mouse wheel for ward. Once you are i n fi rst person perspecti ve (meani ng you are l ooki ng through the eyes of
your character) you cant zoom i n anymore.
To zoom out, press the End key mul ti pl e ti mes or rol l your mouse wheel backward. There i s a l i mi t to how far you can pul l back the vi ew, and i t wi l l al ways center on
your character.
Auto-Run
If you press the Num Lock key, your character starts to run and wi l l conti nue to run
unti l you cancel i t. The fol l owi ng are the qui ckest ways to cancel Auto- Run:
Press Num Lock again
Press any of the keyboard keys that cause your character to move forward or backward
Press both mouse buttons at the same time.
You retai n control of your character when Auto- Run i s acti ve. Pressi ng the keys to
turn your character l eft or ri ght sti l l turn your character and do not cancel Auto- Run.
If you want to use your mouse to turn your character, hol d the ri ght mouse button
and sl i de the mouse l eft or ri ght.
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At the begi nni ng l evel s, your onl y choi ce i s to hoof i t when you want to go somewhere. Once you start getti ng quests that send you to new pl aces, i t hel ps you a great deal
to know about al l your transportati on opti ons.
TRAVELING BY FOOT
Its not gl amorous, but ever ybody starts out runni ng to get to new pl aces. When youre goi ng l ong di stances, use Auto Run (defaul ts to the NumLock key), so you can focus
on control l i ng your character.
It i s possi bl e to wal k i f you arent i n the mood to run. Though sl ower, thi s i s fun for rol epl ayi ng or setti ng a tone; i ts al so good i f youre escorti ng an NPC that i s wanderi ng
around at a di fferent pace. To wal k, tap / once. Tap i t agai n to resume runni ng.
There i s no spri nt key, unl ess youre a Worgen or a Rogue, both of whom have abi l i ti es that l et them put on the speed ever y few mi nutes.
SWIMMING
At ti mes, you need to swi m through bodi es of water to get to your l ocati on. At other
ti mes, you need to di ve to fi nd hi dden i tems for quests. Al most ever y body of water
has some sort of aqual i fesome of them are hosti l e.
Control l i ng your character whi l e swi mmi ng di ffers from control s for runni ng.
BUFFS FOR RUNNING
Even on foot, some cl asses have ski l l s and abi l i ti es to i ncrease thei r speed. They dont start wi th these abi l i ti es at l evel 1, so keep an eye on your spel l book to see when
the fol l owi ng abi l i ti es become avai l abl e.
Druids
Drui ds l earn a Travel Form that l ets them turn i nto a Stag. Thi s gi ves them consi derabl e speed.
Buffs for Swimming
Swi mmi ng i s sl ower than runni ng, unl ess you have some buffs or abi l i ti es. Your character can stay under water for a l i mi ted amount of ti me before runni ng out of ai r and
eventual l y dyi ng, unl ess you consume the proper poti ons or consumabl es, or have a Warl ock around to grant you under water breathi ng.
Drui ds eventual l y l earn how to shi ft i nto an Aquati c Form. Thi s form al l ows Drui ds to stay under water as l ong as they l i ke. They al so move faster than other cl asses.
Shaman and other cl asses, such as Death Kni ghts, Rogues, and Hunter pets, have abi l i ti es whi ch al l ow pl ayers to wal k on the surface of water as i f i t were l and.
It works for mounted characters as wel l .
Fatigue
Runni ng out of breath i snt the onl y danger when youre out i n the water. Characters get fati gued i f they tr y to swi m for too l ong i n deep water. Thi s prevents peopl e from
tr yi ng to cross the ocean wi thout a shi p. If you see the fati gue bar pop up, return to l i ghter water as fast as you can. Depth i s not an i ssue i n thi s, so stayi ng at the top of
the water wont hel p.
SWIMMING CONTROLS
KEY EFFECT
X Dive deeper into the water
Spacebar Swim to the surface
Right-click+mouse movement Moves the direction your character is swimming
NumLock Character continues swimming in the same direction
Hunter
Hunters l earn an abi l i ty cal l ed Aspect of the Cheetah, whi ch i ncreases speed i ndefi ni tel y (they al so l earn Aspect of the Pack whi ch i ncreases the run speed of the enti re
group). You are i mmedi atel y dazed i f you take damage whi l e usi ng Aspect of the Pack, so i t i snt useful duri ng combat.
Shaman
Shamans l earn how to turn i nto a Ghost Wol f. Thi s form i ncreases speed i ndefi ni tel y, so i t i s i deal for l ong j ourneys.
GETTING AROUND
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FLIGHT PATHS
Usi ng fl i ght paths i s the most common means of travel i n the game.
Fl i ght paths are i n ever y ci ty as wel l as i n most regi ons. Fl i ght Masters
are i denti fi ed by the wi nged foot i con on your regi on map.
To access a new fl i ght path, you must di scover the two ends of the
path on foot. Al l characters start wi th access to the fl i ght poi nt i n thei r
home ci ty. However, you wont be abl e to use that fl i ght poi nt unti l
you di scover another desti nati on attached to i t.
Each ti me you enter a new regi on or town, l ook for the fl i ght poi nt
usi ng the tracker i n your mi ni - map. Ri ght- cl i cki ng on the Fl i ght Master
wi th a green excl amati on poi nt gets you the fl i ght poi nt. Ri ght- cl i cki ng
on hi m agai n opens a map that shows you where you can fl y. Cl i ck on
your desti nati on, and youre on your way i mmedi atel y.
Most fl i ght paths are speci fi c to Al l i ance or Horde, and each facti on
fl i es on di fferent types of beasts. There i s a modest fee each ti me you
fl y. When you thi nk about i t, fl yi ng saves you money. The cost of the
fl i ght doesnt compare wi th the money you make questi ng and ki l l i ng
enemi es i n the ti me youve j ust saved!
Fl yi ng i s one of the cool est features of the game. You can use your mouse to l ook around you whi l e fl yi ng, because you cant fal l off a fl yi ng mount. Thi s i snt true once
you have your own mounts, but thats a di fferent i ssue.
FACTION-SPECIFIC TRAVEL METHODS
Alliance Ships
Shi ps are desi gned for cross- conti nent travel . Most shi p paths are for Al l i ance desti nati ons, though the path betwen Booty Bay and Ratchet i s avai l abl e to both Horde
and Al l i ance.
Unl i ke fl i ght paths, theres no need to di scover a shi p path. Si mpl y go to the harbor, fi nd the ri ght dock, and wai t for the shi p to arri ve. Most harbors ser ve several shi ps,
so you need to speak to the Harbor Master to make sure youre getti ng on the ri ght one. You may have to wai t a few mi nutes for the shi p to arri ve, so tal k to peopl e
nearby, l ook at tal ents and achi evements, practi ce your crafti ng, or j ust rel ax. There i s no fee for a tri p on one of these vessel s. If you j ump or fal l off the boat, you must
swi m for shore.
Deeprun Tram
The Deeprun Tram i s a commuter tri p between Stormwi nd and Ironforge. The tri p i s as fast as fl yi ng, and i ts free. The tram stop i n Stormwi nd i s l ocated i n the Dwar ven
Di stri ct. In Ironforge, i ts i n Ti nker Town.
Zeppelins: Horde Regions
Zeppel i ns are al so desi gned for cross- conti nental travel . Al l zeppel i n paths are for Horde desti nati ons.
Unl i ke fl i ght paths, theres no need to di scover a zeppel i n path. Si mpl y go to the zeppel i n tower, fi nd the ri ght pl atform, and wai t for the zeppel i n to arri ve.
Most zeppel i n towers ser ve several shi ps, so you need to speak to the Zeppel i n Master to make sure youre getti ng on the ri ght fl i ght. You may need to wai t a few mi nutes
for the zeppel i n to arri ve.
There i s no fee for a zeppel i n tri p. If you j ump off the zeppel i n, your character wi l l probabl y di e. That sai d, peopl e can j ump off of the Ti ri sfal Gl ade zeppel i n wi thout dyi ng.
Usual l y. Just dont j ump too soon.
The Silvermoon Portal
A portal connects Si l vermoon Ci ty and the Underci ty. The Underci ty portal i s l ocated j ust i nsi de the ci ty wal l s. The Si l vermoon portal i s l ocated i n Sunfur y Spi re.
Thi s portal i s free.
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PERSONAL MOUNTS
At Level 20, pl ayers are el i gi bl e to purchase ground mounts. Ri di ng a mount i s 60% faster than runni ng. To use a
mount, you must purchase the mount i tsel f and Apprenti ce Ri di ng, whi ch enabl es you to use the mount.
You arent requi red to use the standard raci al mount for your character. By expl ori ng the worl d, you are l i kel y to fi nd
other mounts. Some of these requi re doi ng repeated quests to rai se your reputati on wi th a gi ven facti on, but i ts al l
worthwhi l e when you want thei r cool mounts.
Ri di ng i s a ski l l that you onl y need to trai n at each ti er. Thus, you can have ten mounts and sti l l onl y need to have
trai ned Ri di ng that fi rst ti me. The onl y recurri ng expense i s when you go to buy another type of mount.
There are faster mounts i n the game, i ncl udi ng epi c mounts (that requi re more i ntense Ri di ng trai ni ng) and fl yi ng
mounts. Fl yi ng mounts cost the most, and you wont be abl e to get i nvol ved wi th those unti l youre wel l i nto the
games l ater content.
Warlock and Paladin Bonus!
Warlocks and Paladins have special ground mounts that are class specific. Paladin mounts even change depending on your
characters race. You get the first mount at level 20, and the second at level 40.
MAGE PORTALS
Mages fi rst l earn the abi l i ty to Tel eport themsel ves to
si gni fi cant ci ti es. Later, mi d- l evel Mages are abl e to
open Portal s that tel eport peopl e i n thei r party to a
speci fi c maj or ci ty. As Mages l evel , they l earn how to
access even more ci ti es (wi th thei r races capi tal bei ng
the fi rst opti on).
WARLOCK SUMMONS
At Level 42, warl ocks l earn the Ri tual of Summoni ng.
The warl ock and two other pl ayers can use the spel l to
summon another pl ayer to the warl ock from anywhere
i n the worl d. Thi s spel l i s frequentl y used to bri ng
group members to the same l ocati on. Note that the
Ri tual of Summoni ng can onl y be made wi th ever yone
bei ng i n the same group or rai d. Thi s doesnt work on
peopl e outsi de of your group.
SUMMONING STONES
Dungeons have stones that l et peopl e cal l thei r groupmates. It onl y takes two peopl e at the stone to bri ng ever yone el se i n the group to the proper l ocati on. You need to be
at an appropri ate l evel for the dungeon at hand; other wi se, thi s feature wi l l not work.
RACIAL MOUNT CHOICES
RACE COMMON MOUNT
Draenei Elekks
Dwarves Rams
Gnomes Mechanostriders
Humans Horses
Night Elves Nightsabers
Worgen No Mount
Pandaren Dragon Turtle
Blood Elves Hawkstriders
Goblins Trike
Orcs Wolves
Tauren Kodos
Trolls Raptors
Undead Skeletal Horses
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PLAYER VS. ENEMY COMBAT
A Dif ferent Way to Choose a Target
You can always left-click to select between targets, but there are
other ways to find your enemies. Press the Tab key to shift between
various monsters that are close to your character. Move near a group
of enemies and hit Tab several times to scroll through the various
available targets.
The benefits of using Tab include quick target changes with minimal
loss of attention to your keyboard and that it targets any nearby
enemieseven the ones you cant see. The downside to Tab targeting
is that it doesnt reliably target the enemy you want to engage next
nor does it always pick the closest target.
Try fighting both ways (manual selection of targets and using Tab) and find what feels more comfortable to you.
Expl ore the area around your character and drag your mouse cursor over the di fferent creatures you see. Look near the
bottom ri ght corner of the screen for a smal l i nformati on box to appear. Enemi es appear i n red text, not green l i ke a fri endl y
NPC or yel l ow l i ke a neutral one. Some neutral targets can be attacked, but they wont fi ght unti l you go after them.
Enemi es are aggressi ve; theyl l go after you i f you get too cl ose! Be ready to defend yoursel f.
When you chose to fi ght a creature,
you are consi dered to be i n combat.
In combat means you are acti vel y
targeti ng, or are the target of, an
enemy. Its easy to tel l when youre i n
combat as your character portrai t fl ashes
red and your l evel numbers change to
crossed swords. Bei ng i n combat means
you are unabl e to perform some acti ons,
such as eati ng and dri nki ng.
ABILITIES AND SPELLS
Its fun to watch a fi ght unfol d, but you must pay attenti on to more than the acti on i n front of you. Duri ng combat,
watch for opportuni ti es to use spel l s or abi l i ti es that mi ght tri gger at one ti me or another. Gauge your heal th and your
resources wel l to know when to unl oad on a target, when to gi ve up and run, and how i ts al l goi ng to devel op.
Each character begi ns wi th a handful of abi l i ti es that var y wi th the cl ass and race you sel ected for that character.
These i ni ti al abi l i ti es appear on your Acti on Bar so they are easy to access. Hi ghl i ght the i cons on the Acti on Bar
(or i n your spel l book) wi th your mouse. Thi s bri ngs up a tool ti p that provi des more i nformati on about the abi l i ty.
Read that panel to fi nd out more about any of your abi l i ti es.
Passive Abilities
Some abilities in your spellbook are listed as Passive and dont appear on your Action Bar. These abilities are always active on
your character.
You shoul d get used to your abi l i ti es by usi ng them, even i f youre unsure of thei r val ue at fi rst. Dont be ski tti sh and worr y about whether youre doi ng thi ngs perfectl y.
Just tr y out thi ngs and see how they feel and what they accompl i sh. The fol l owi ng pages wi l l hel p you understand the i nformati on provi ded i n the tool ti ps and what they
mean to you and your character.
136 137
COMMON TERM DEFINITION
Aggro/Threat Refers to managing an enemys attention, either increasing or reducing a monsters attention toward a character
Resist/Resistance These effects make it harder for certain spells and abilities to fully damage their target
Immune/Immunity These effects provide full immunity to a given damage or crowd control type
Fear These abilities cause a target to run around chaotically; the effect may break if the victim takes too much damage
Daze/Snare These abilities slow victims
Disorient Causes a victim to wander aimlessly for a brief time
Stun An ability that prevents the target from taking any action
Root Abilities that immobilize the victim; though the target cannot move, they can still fight or use abilities
Interrupt An ability that stops an enemy spell from completing
Area of Effect (AoE) Something that has an effect over a wide area, influencing multiple targets within that zone of effect
Curse/Disease/Poison Debuffs that damage a target in certain ways; these can often be Dispelled or otherwise removed
Damage over Time (DoT) An ability that inflicts an amount of health damage over a certain number of seconds
Heal Abilities that restore lost health
Heal over Time (HoT) These abilities restore health every tick (duration between ticks is defined by the ability)
Aspects Buffs that enhance players or groups for an extended period of time
Polymorph Changes targets into helpless animals for a long time. This effect breaks if the target takes damage
Sap Knocks out a target for a long time. This breaks if the target takes damage
Shield The ability absorbs damage, preventing the target from losing health as quickly in a fight
ABILITY TERMS
If youre not sure what an abi l i ty does or when to use i t, the fol l owi ng terms may poi nt you i n the ri ght di recti on. The same terms al so appl y to abi l i ti es that are used
duri ng a battl e.
Knowi ng how abi l i ti es work can hel p you put together a pl an of acti on when you face enemi es. For exampl e, i f you have some sort of stun or i nterrupt, you can keep an
enemy from hi tti ng you wi th a powerful spel l or heal i ng i tsel f.
More About Daze
While there are abilities that daze your character, its possible to become dazed at almost any time. If an enemy hits you
from behind (if, for example, you are running away from a fight) there is a chance for you to become dazed. Being dazed is
dangerous as it reduces your running speed, which allows the enemy to get in more attacks while youre trying to get away.
Clicking Versus Typing
At some point, everyone must click on an ability icon with their mouse pointer. Maybe youve set up five hot bars on your
screen and cant get to everything quickly. However, your goal should be to use the keyboard for all possible actions. This is
often much faster and lets your character pop through abilities at lightning speed.
Demonstrate this for yourself.
Search for the ability in slot six and left click on it, even if nothing is there.
Press 6 on your keyboard. Which was faster?
Once youre used to the game, teach yourself to use abilities without even looking to see what they are. Memorize where
each ability is located and watch your character transform into a killing machine. No one expects you to master this instantly,
but it will make your experience in the game go much more smoothly.
ACTION BARS
Your Acti on Bar appears at the bottom of the screen. Your Acti on Bars are the most effi ci ent way to access your characters spel l s and abi l i ti es. At l ow l evel s, you wont have
many abi l i ti es here, but that wi l l change as you get further i nto the game.
Al l pl ayers have si x Acti on Bars. You can shuffl e through your Acti on Bars i n two ways: fi rst, press and hol d the Shi ft key, then press any number between 1 and 6;
second, cl i ck on the up and down arrows to the ri ght of the button marked wi th the equal s si gn (=). The number i n the smal l ci rcl e next to the arrows tel l s you whi ch
Acti on Bar i s currentl y acti ve.
Be l ogi cal about the way you set up your Acti on Bars. It makes a huge di fference i n your combat effecti veness. Its a bad si gn i f you fi nd that you must swi tch Acti ons Bars
often i n a regul ar fi ght. By the same token, you dont want to shi ft between numbers too dramati cal l y. Thi s i s easi er to show wi th an exampl e or two.
Peopl e wi th good Acti on Bar set ups are much faster on the draw. They are usi ng an abi l i ty ever y 1.5 seconds (thats normal l y the gl obal cool down on how qui ckl y you can
use your abi l i ti es). If your character i s frequentl y auto- attacki ng whi l e you fi sh around for somethi ng to do, they become i neffi ci ent.
Its al so normal for a new pl ayer. Dont be upset wi th yoursel f i f thi s takes ti me to l earn. Instead, attempt to fi nd a setup for yoursel f that makes sense. As you feel your
speed i mprove, congratul ate yoursel f and thi nk about how much deadl i er your character i s becomi ng.
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Cooldowns
The Acti on Bar tool ti ps al so i ndi cate the cool down ti mes of your vari ous spel l s and abi l i ti es. Cool down i s the amount of ti me you must wai t to use an abi l i ty agai n.
Once you use an abi l i ty, the Acti on Bar shortcut darkens that acti on unti l i ts ready to be used agai n. Thi s graphi c representati on i s i mportant because i t l ets you know what
you can do at any gi ven moment.
Cool downs are represented vi sual l y on your Acti on Bar i cons as a cl ockwi se- movi ng l i ne that moves l i ke a stop watch. When you cant cast a spel l due to a cool down,
the game tel l s you: That spel l i snt ready yet.
There i s al so a gl obal cool down (often abbrevi ated to GCD) that i s tri ggered when most abi l i ti es are used. The gl obal cool down l asts 1.5 seconds (1 second i f youre
a Hunter, Rogue, Death Kni ght, Monk, or Drui d i n Cat Form). When you use an abi l i ty, watch al most ever y other sl ot darken as wel l . Anythi ng that i snt on the gl obal
cool down i s abl e to be used even when youve j ust fi ni shed a di fferent acti on. These unl i nked spel l s and abi l i ti es are often potent, reacti ve abi l i ti es that get you out of
troubl e wi thout havi ng to wai t.
Some abi l i ti es have a shared cool down beyond the gl obal one. For exampl e, any Shamans Shock spel l tri ggers the cool downs of the others, so you cant bl ast someone
wi th a di fferent Shock ever y second and a hal f.
CATEGORIES OF ABILITIES
Al l character cl asses have numerous types of abi l i ti es that fal l i nto di fferent categori es. Its al most i mpossi bl e for you to know the exact effect of ever ythi ng i n the game.
However, knowi ng the categor y of an abi l i ty and l ooki ng for key words i n the text wi l l gi ve you cl ues as to how best to use that abi l i ty.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ABILITIES
Casting Time
Ever y spel l or attack has a casti ng ti me; thi s tel l s you how much ti me your character needs to make the attack. Instant abi l i ti es happen as soon as you press the button wi th
whi ch theyre associ ated. Ti med casti ngs can take several seconds, l eavi ng your caster exposed for the enti re process. Characters that are casti ng spel l s often cannot move
to defend themsel ves wi thout hal ti ng thei r current spel l cast. They stop maki ng any auto- attacks, and they cant use other abi l i ti es.
Some enemi es (i ncl udi ng other characters) have Interrupt abi l i ti es to stop spel l casters i f used wi th the proper ti mi ng. In addi ti on, damage can set a caster back,
forci ng them to take more ti me to get thei r spel l off.
Channel ed spel l s take ti me as wel l , but theyre a di fferent breed. These start to take effect qui ckl y, but the spel l caster must mai ntai n the channel for i ts effects to conti nue.
As wi th ti med spel l s, these effects can be i nterrupted. Damage doesnt set them back; i nstead, i t sets channel ed spel l s for ward, causi ng them to end prematurel y.
Casters often fi nd ways to earn ti me for themsel ves to cast spel l s. They sl ow enemi es, force them to run away, or other wi se make i t hard to engage i n mel ee combat whi l e
they are busy.
Schools of Magic
The school s of magi c are Arcane, Fi re, Frost, Hol y, Nature, and Shadow. Some abi l i ti es that arent spel l s can al so i nfl i ct some of these types of damage. Di fferent enemi es
are i mmune or hi ghl y resi stant to di fferent types of damage. No si ngl e school of magi c i s i nherentl y more powerful than the others.
Most cl asses who can use spel l s have access to two or three school s of magi c. However, unti l you gai n access to speci al i zati ons at l evel 10, al l school s of magi c are
essenti al l y equal .
BUFFS AND DEBUFFS
Duri ng combat, buffs and debuffs appear near your mi ni map. These are al so shown
underneath your character portrai t i f you hi ghl i ght yoursel f.
Most cl asses have some sort of buff that they can cast on themsel ves, a weapon,
or thei r group. You shoul d cast those before combat begi ns and keep them goi ng
whenever possi bl e. The cost of buffs i s al most al ways tri vi al compared wi th the
benefi ts they add to your character or others.
Duri ng combat, you can be hi t wi th debuffs from your enemi es. Most debuffs have a
short l i fespan, and you may need to wai t them out. Other debuffs can be countered
by the ri ght spel l or i tem.
Many cl asses i nfl i ct thei r own debuffs on enemi es. You mi ght even be abl e to stri p
off buffs from enemi es too.
If youre buffi ng group members, real i ze that you dont need to cl i ck on i ndi vi dual
peopl e ahead of ti me. Cast the buff on one character i n your party and ever yone i n
your party shoul d get i t at the same ti me.
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FIGHTING ADDS
An add i s an addi ti onal enemy
that unexpectedl y j oi ns your
fi ght. Duri ng the course of battl e,
theres al ways a chance for
adds to appear and compl i cate
thi ngs. These addi ti onal enemi es
general l y j oi n battl e for one
of three reasons. Fi rst, some
enemi es tr y to run away when
thei r heal th i s nearl y depl eted.
Thi s i s probl emati c because
the enemy can run out of your
attack range and coul d bri ng
back fri ends. In other cases,
you may be fi ghti ng too cl ose to
an enemys patrol path. If the
enemy spots you, even i f youre
al ready engaged i n combat,
i t wi l l j oi n the fi ght, and not on
your si de!
There i s a thi rd, and much rarer
i nstance, of adds j oi ni ng the
fi ght. Some powerful enemi es have henchmen that may not j oi n the fi ght i mmedi atel y. Instead, the mai n enemy may wai t unti l some porti on of heal th i s gone before cal l i ng
i n rei nforcements. Thats why i t pays to al ways stay al ert i n combat!
Pul l monsters away from thei r buddi es i f youre worri ed about adds. Thi s i s a safer way of fi ghti ng, but i t takes more ti me. When youre confi dent of vi ctor y, dont bother
doi ng thi s.
If youre wonderi ng how to pul l monsters, there are many ways to get the j ob done. For a mel ee character, hi t the monster, step back, hi t them agai n, and repeat.
You wont mi ss auto- attacks by bei ng on the run (as l ong as youre faci ng your target), and your abi l i ti es are often usabl e on the fl y as wel l .
For ranged characters, thi s i s easi er to do. Cast a spel l at l ong range to start the fi ght. Next, run l i ke the wi nd unti l youre i n the pl ace where youd l i ke to fi ght them.
Turn back around and resume casti ng.
Keep i n mi nd that i f you tr y to pul l a monster too far, theyl l tether back to thei r starti ng poi nt.
RUNNING AWAY
Someti mes you see the wri ti ng on the wal l , and i t says that youre doomed. Perhaps another enemy j oi ned the fi ght when you were al ready badl y hurt. Maybe a monster
was a tad more dangerous than you real i zed. Whatever the case, you know that you probabl y wont sur vi ve the encounter.
Go ahead and run! If youre by yoursel f, there i s no shame i n thi s. When youre wi th others, l et them know that youre fl eei ng so that they dont di e i n your stead.
Some cl asses are much better at thi s than others. If you get out of mel ee range, the monster cant pound on your back duri ng your fl i ght.
Al so, monsters wi l l have a chance to daze you! Getti ng dazed sl ows your character, gi vi ng monsters even more ti me to attack before they tether and return home.
Thus, use anythi ng i n your repertoi re to stun a target or root them i n pl ace before you start to fl ee. Freeze them, hamstri ng the suckers, or use fear effects.
Do somethi ng. Anythi ng!
Once youre i n moti on, watch the area ahead of you (dont l ook back at the thi ng sl averi ng behi nd you). Tr y to avoi d other targets duri ng your fl i ght; other wi se, youre j ust
maki ng thi ngs worse for yoursel f.
Fi nal l y, avoi d runni ng through other peopl e when youre evacuati ng. Pul l i ng monsters through another person i s cal l ed trai ni ng. If you di e whi l e fl eei ng and the monsters
arent far enough to l eash back home, theyl l attack any nearby targets. Nobody l i kes getti ng hi t wi th a trai ned mob, especi al l y i f they get ki l l ed or end up fi ghti ng
creatures that arent worth experi ence because you attacked them fi rst.
Well-Fed Bonus
Some food and dri nk provi des a Wel l Fed buff i f you consume them over an extended (and uni nterrupted) ti me. Low l evel food that conveys the Wel l Fed buff l asts for
fi fteen mi nutes, whi l e hi gh l evel food buffs l ast for si xty mi nutes. Wel l Fed bonuses affect one or more of your characters stats, such as Stami na, Strength, or Hi t. To see i f
a food provi des a bonus, and what the benefi t wi l l be, pl ace your mouse poi nter over the foods i con unti l a tool ti p appears.
EATING AND DRINKING
Between battl es, you may need to repl eni sh your heal th
or mana. Eati ng food repl eni shes your green heal th bar.
Dri nki ng beverages repl eni shes your mana bar, i f you have
one. Both heal th and mana regenerate natural l y,
but eati ng and dri nki ng restores these much faster.
The regenerati on rate for your mana i s ti ed to your Spi ri t.
At l ow l evel s, you can move between most fi ghts wi th
l i ttl e del ay.
Ri ght- cl i ck on any food or dri nk that you want to use.
Note that these i tems (and any other usabl e i tem) can be
dragged onto the Acti on Bar at the bottom of the screen.
Thi s makes the i tems more conveni ent i n the future,
l oweri ng the ti me you spend l ooki ng through your bags.
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DYING
Thi s wont be on your l i st of thi ngs to do, but at some poi nt earl y i n your characters l i fe, thei r heal th bar wi l l reach zero, and they wi l l di e. It mi ght happen because you
forgot to refresh your heal th bar between battl es; you were attacked by mul ti pl e enemi es si mul taneousl y; or you attacked an enemy who was too tough for you.
It happens. Ever ybody di es. Someti mes more than once. Over and over agai n. The onl y penal ty to dyi ng i s that your current armor suffers a 10% durabi l i ty l oss. Durabi l i ty i s
essenti al l y the heal th of your gear. When you take damage, di e, or resurrect at the Spi ri t Heal er, your gear sl owl y l oses durabi l i ty.
When you di e, the Rel ease Spi ri t box appears over your corpse. When you cl i ck thi s button, your character turns i nto spi ri t form and i s transported to a graveyard wi th a
Spi ri t Heal er.
To reuni te your spi ri t wi th your body, you can run back to your corpse; or you can ask the Spi ri t Heal er to resurrect your body at i ts l ocati on. If you Accept resurrecti on,
you recei ve an addi ti onal 25% durabi l i ty l oss i n your armor. At l ater l evel s, you al so suffer resurrecti on si ckness. Resurrecti on si ckness depl etes your characters stats,
maki ng i t nearl y i mpossi bl e to do anythi ng i n the game unti l the si ckness di sappears. When the debuff i con for Resurrecti on si ckness fades away, your stats return
to normal .
Most of the ti me, you wi l l si mpl y retri eve your corpse by runni ng back to the l ocati on where you di ed. A new arrow appears on your mi ni map that i ndi cates the exact
l ocati on of your corpse. The second arrow that appears i s to gui de you back to the Spi ri t Heal er. Fortunatel y, ghosts run faster than l i vi ng characters.
When you reach the general l ocati on of your corpse, you get the opti on to Resurrect Now? There i s a generous area i n whi ch you can resurrect, so that you can avoi d any
enemi es around you. You must retri eve your body from a safe pl ace, because characters resurrect wi th onl y 50% of heal th and mana bars. Eat and dri nk qui ckl y to restore
your heal th and mana.
TARGET PORTRAIT COLORS
RED
The target i s hosti l e and wi l l attack i f you get too
cl ose. In PVP si tuati ons, pl ayers from the other facti on
al so appear wi th thi s col or.
GRAY
The target has al ready been attacked by another pl ayer.
You can sti l l attack thi s target, but ki l l i ng i t wi l l not
gi ve you any experi ence poi nts and you wi l l not share
i n any l oot. In addi ti on, the ki l l wi l l not count toward
any quests you have.
ORANGE
The target i s unfri endl y. It wont attack you, but dont
expect any i nteracti on wi th i t. There are often a seri es
of quests that al l ow you to gai n reputati on wi th the
targets facti on i n order to change i ts di sposi ti on.
GREEN
The target i s fri endl y.
YELLOW
The target i s passi ve and wi l l onl y fi ght i f you
attack fi rst.
BLUE
The target i s a pl ayer, j ust l i ke you.
ENEMIES
Enemi es, monsters, and mobs are al l generi c terms for anythi ng that you can fi ght i n the game. When you target an enemy, you can get hel pful i nformati on about i t
by l ooki ng at i ts portrai t and tool ti p. The character name mi ght i ndi cate the cl ass of enemy; and a bl ue mana bar i ndi cates i ts some ki nd of caster who can attack you
from afar.
By mousi ng over the enemy, the tool ti p tel l s you the type of enemy i t i s. The types of enemy i ncl ude Humanoi d, Beast, Undead, Demon, and El emental . Some abi l i ti es onl y
work agai nst certai n types of enemi es and wi l l fai l i f you tr y to use them agai nst the wrong type of enemy.
144 145
The col or of the targets l evel number provi des i mportant i nformati on to you as wel l .
If the numbers are gray, ki l l i ng that enemy doesnt provi de any benefi t other than l oot.
Green numbers i ndi cate the enemy i s a few l evel s l ower than you, and shoul d be easy for you to ki l l .
Yel l ow numbers are for enemi es who are cl ose i n l evel to your current l evel and coul d be a chal l enge i n a fi ght.
Red numbers are for enemi es that are a few l evel s hi gher than you; i ts best to avoi d combat wi th them unti l you are a hi gher l evel .
If you target an enemy and a skul l appears i n the pl ace of i ts l evel , then that enemy i s at l east 10 l evel s hi gher than you. Avoi d enemi es l i ke thi s whenever you
encounter them!
LEVEL NUMBER COLORS ON TARGET PORTRAIT
SOCIAL MONSTERS
If you see a smal l group of enemi es and arent sure you can handl e them al l at the same ti me, obser ve them for a moment to see i f they move apart from each other.
Wi th some pati ence, you can typi cal l y fi ght each enemy by i tsel f.
However, some creatures are soci al , and wi l l hel p thei r comrades when they are attacked even when they arent ri ght next to each other. There i s no way of i denti fyi ng
whi ch types of monsters are soci al except through experi ence.
RARE SPAWNS
Creatures wi th a si l ver dragon around thei r portrai ts are
uni que mobs wi th guaranteed drops. Some i tems they
drop are not found on any other creature, whi l e others are
guaranteed to drop better than average l oot.
If the si l ver dragon around the creatures portrai t has wi ngs, i t i s an El i te monster.
These creatures have the trai ts of both rare spawns and el i te monsters.
ELITE MONSTERS
El i te monsters are powerful enemi es, usual l y the targets
of group or dungeon quests. El i tes are stronger than thei r
l evel woul d i ndi cate. General l y speaki ng, you can assume
that fi ghti ng an el i te wi l l be as hard as fi ghti ng a monster
three l evel s hi gher. In addi ti on, El i te monsters often have
speci al abi l i ti es that make fi ghti ng them even tri cki er.
El i tes are i denti fi ed by the gol d dragon around thei r character portrai t and the word
El i te i n thei r tool ti p.
LOOT
Enemi es wont stand agai nst you forever. Ever y target has a heal th bar under i ts name. When thi s green
bar drops to nothi ng, the creature di es. Al most al l enemi es offer some ki nd of l oot after theyve been
defeated. When you have l oot wai ti ng, your dead enemy sparkl es. Look for thi s gol den shi mmeri ng
effect and rej oi ce. Youve earned somethi ng!
Ri ght- cl i ck to open the enemy l oot box, then cl i ck on each i tem to put i t i nto your i nventor y. If a creature
drops an i tem rel ated to a quest youre fol l owi ng, that l oot wi l l be hi ghl i ghted yel l ow. If you press Shi ft
and ri ght- cl i ck at the same ti me, each i tem i s sent di rectl y to your Backpack.
You earn rewards by l ooti ng enemi es and from compl eti ng quests. Quest rewards go di rectl y to your
backpack after you fi ni sh the quest. Any money you col l ect, from any source, goes i mmedi atel y i nto your
backpack. It cant be l ost or uni ntenti onal l y di scarded. Al so, money has no wei ght i n Worl d of Warcraft.
You can carr y hal f a mi l l i on gol d around i f you l i ke.
Critters
Critters are the non-combat animals you see roaming around,
including rabbits, cows, snakes, and prairie dogs. If you
attack them, they cant fight back; and you get no XP from
killing them. Some Critters are considered wild pets and are
eligible for Pet Battles.
They Keep Coming Back
The enemies you kill dont stay gone forever. They eventually respawn, meaning an area you cleared of enemies will shortly
be filled again.
A loot window is opened by right-clicking
on a sparkling, defeated enemy.
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ADVANCING YOUR CHARACTER
For now, al l of your possessi ons are ei ther equi pped on your character or are bei ng carri ed i n your backpack. Press shi ft pl us b to open your backpack and see what i s
i nsi de. Another way to do thi s i s to l eft- cl i ck on the backpack i con on the ri ght hand si de of your acti on/i nterface bar.
MANAGING YOUR INVENTORY
Eventual l y, you acqui re addi ti onal bags to expand your i nventor y. Characters can carr y up to four addi ti onal contai ners. Some professi ons al l ow characters to craft thei r own
bags, or sel l them i n the Aucti on House. There are i n- game bag vendors, who can provi de storage, but i nventor y space i s at a premi um, more sl ots cost more money.
As you expl ore Azeroth, questi ng and l ooti ng defeated foes, your backpack wi l l qui ckl y fi l l wi th i tems. When your backpack i s ful l , you wont be abl e to recei ve any more
l oot, and the game wi l l tel l you, Inventor y i s ful l . To make some room, l ook for a vendor who wi l l buy l ow qual i ty i tems, other i tems you cannot use, or dont need.
If you arent near a vendor but sti l l need room, you can al ways del ete i tems from your backpack by l eft- cl i cki ng and draggi ng an i tem to pul l i t out of your backpack.
Left cl i ck agai n on the desktop to drop the i tem. Youl l get a message aski ng whether you want to del ete the i tem. Cl i ck Yes.
If you get a quest reward contai ner, or fi nd a bag of any ki nd, keep i t! Its far more val uabl e to you for storage than the money you coul d get from a vendor by sel l i ng i t.
Drag new bags i nto any of your Equi pment Contai ner sl ots, or ri ght cl i ck them from i nventor y to equi p them.
SELLING TO VENDORS
To complement the coppers youve collected from defeating enemies and completing quests,
you can earn money by selling the unneeded items collected from slain foes. Since your
bag space is limited you should return to your quest hub or city to sell off these items.
Get into the habit of selling off your unwanted loot when you turn in quests, that way youll
have bag space when you strike out into the world again. Although each vendor sells only a
specific type of merchandise, they buy anything that you have. Items that arent considered
gear come in two colors: grey and white.
Grey i tems are often cal l ed vendor trash because they have no real purpose other than
to be sol d to vendors.
Whi te i tems are useful i n some way i f you pl an to take on a crafti ng Professi on,
but theres usual l y no harm i n sel l i ng off the i tems at thi s poi nt.
Click this icon to open your backpack.
Hearthstones
Every character starts the game with a Hearthstone. These special items teleport your character to the last place that they
bound. Normally, you bind at inns. These are good locations to log out of the game because you get rested bonus (and thus
free experience) by letting your character rest there when youre not playing.
Hearthstones are on a long cooldown timer; this means that you can only use them every 30 minutes, at most. Its best to save
these for times when you need to cross a large distance and know where youre teleporting or for times when youre about to
log out and want to get someplace safe to rest.
I Didnt Mean to Sell That!
If you accidentally sell something you meant to keep, dont worry. At the bottom of each vendor window is a Buyback tab.
Click on that tab and purchase the item you sold by mistake.
ITEM COLOR QUALITY
GRAY POOR
WHITE COMMON
ITEM COLOR QUALITY
GREEN UNCOMMON
BLUE RARE
ITEM COLOR QUALITY
PURPLE EPIC
ORANGE LEGENDARY
GEAR
Al l new characters start out wi th mi ni mal weaponr y, armor, and cl othi ng.
In the starti ng zone, there are three sources of i mproved gear: l ooti ng
enemi es, compl eti ng quests, and armor vendors. For most starti ng pl ayers,
the vendors arent an opti on because you dont have much money. If you
do have the money and you l i ke to have your characters outfi t match,
then check out what the vendors have to offer.
You can tel l i f an i tem i s a new pi ece of gear because i ts tool ti p i ncl udes
i nformati on about where you wear i t (hands, back, chest, etc.). When you
fi nd a pi ece of gear, open your bags and mouse over the i tem. The col or of
the fi rst l i ne tel l s you about the qual i ty of the i tem. At earl y l evel s, you are
l i kel y to fi nd onl y gray, whi te, and green i tems.
The next col or to l ook for i s red. Red text on an i tem tel l s you that you are
unabl e to equi p i t. It coul d be that i ts a weapon or type of armor you cant
use, or that you are not hi gh enough l evel to equi p i t. If you mi ght be abl e
to use an i tem after you gai n l evel s, keep i t. If you are pl ayi ng wi th fri ends,
see i f anyone el se coul d use the i tem. Other wi se, fi nd a vendor and sel l off
your unusabl e gear.
Helmet Hands
Back Feet
Amulet Waist
Shirt
Rings
Wrist
Shoulder
Chest
Legs
Tabard
Trinkets
Off Hand Main Hand
148 149
Color-Coded Information
Thi s tool ti p for Gobl et of Anger provi des some basi c i nformati on usi ng col ors. The name i n purpl e means the i tem i s
Epi c qual i ty. The red text tel l s you why you cant use the i tem. In thi s case, the character doesnt meet the i tems
l evel requi rements.
Weapon Skills and Armor Proficiencies
If youre ever wondering which weapons are available to your character, press p to
open your spellbook and look for the Weapon Skills icon. Highlight the icon to see
what weapons are available for your character to use.
The Armor Proficiencies icon details the type of armor you can currently use plus
whether your character can equip a shield. These limitations are determined entirely by
your class. However, some classes get an armor upgrade when they reach higher levels.
Warriors and Paladins start the game with only mail proficiency, but they eventually
learn how to wear plate. Shaman and Hunter start out wearing leather, but can use mail
armor when they hit a certain level.
Heirloom Items
Heirloom items are special pieces of equipment that change based on
the character using them. These items are bound to accounts instead of
individual characters. Generally, you must have a higher level character
on your account to purchase one of these items and send it through
the mail to a lower level character. These items often offer experience
bonuses, and improve as you level. As your character increases in levels,
the items do the same.
COMPARING EQUIPMENT
When you mouse over a pi ece of equi pment, you can see
detai l s about i ts attri butes. At earl y l evel s, equi pment wi l l
have an Armor stat onl y, so you can choose the pi ece wi th the
hi ghest l evel of armor protecti on. Later i n the game, however,
you wi l l fi nd gear that offers other stat i ncreases as wel l .
Hol d down the shi ft key whi l e hi ghl i ghti ng a potenti al upgrade.
Thi s compares your currentl y equi pped gear wi th the new
i tem. The game automati cal l y gi ves you a summar y of the stat
changes that woul d occur i f you swi tched.
At earl y l evel s, you are l i kel y to fi nd onl y Poor (gray),
Common (whi te), and Uncommon (green) i tems. If you cannot
use a gray i tem, sel l i t. If you fi nd a whi te or green i tem,
hopeful l y, you can wear i t. If you cannot use a green i tem,
you mi ght consi der sel l i ng i t to another pl ayer.
After you pass through the earl i est game l evel s, Poor and
Common i tems stop bei ng acceptabl e for use. You want to swi tch to Uncommon gear excl usi vel y (i .e., al l greens for your weapons, armor, and peri pheral equi pment).
After l evel 20, you start seei ng more than an occasi onal bl ue i tem. These Rare pi eces are qui te ni ce for thei r ti me, and you shoul d seek them out. However, i t i snt unti l
much l ater i n your career that they become basel i ne equi pment.
Epi c gear exi sts before l evel 60, but i ts not pl enti ful . Dont even worr y about i t unl ess youre doi ng somethi ng ver y speci fi c. Unl ess youre stuck at a gi ven l evel ,
such as bei ng at the cap, Epi c gear i snt necessar y. Thi s i s equi pment that rewards someone for stayi ng a gi ven l evel and doi ng an excepti onal l evel of content over ti me.
Thus, you l evel past the uti l i ty of Epi c gear throughout most of the game.
Legendary equipment is so rare that most people will never have access to such an item. Even endgame raiders in big guilds cant count on having these items at their disposal.
ARMOR
When you start the game, most of your armor sl ots are empty. Eventual l y you fi nd pi eces for your head, shoul ders, back, chest, wai st, l egs, feet, wri st, and hands.
If a shi el d i s hel d i n the off hand the character i s l i mi ted to usi ng weapons that requi re onl y one hand to use, but shi el ds provi de an amazi ng amount of armor.
CLOTHING
Cl othi ng pi eces fi l l up your shi rt and tabard sl ot. These dont often have any i nfl uence on your characters progressi on, but they decorate your avatar. Tabards can i denti fy
your affi l i ati on wi th a gui l d. They can al so show an associ ati on wi th certai n i n- game facti ons.
150 151
AMULETS, RINGS AND TRINKETS
These are hi gher l evel i tem sl ots. You wear a si ngl e amul et around your neck,
but get two sl ots each for ri ngs and tri nkets. Some of these i tems are acti ve.
Many tri nkets have powerful abi l i ti es that when acti vated gi ve your character a
sudden boost i n one aspect of pl ay. You can drag the tri nket from your character
sheet to your acti on bar to access thi s easi er.
Dont worr y too much about these unti l you reach hi gher l evel s.
WEAPONS
Al l characters have a mai n hand and an off- hand i nventor y sl ot. These are taken up by a two- handed weapon, two one- handed weapons, ranged weapon, or a weapon and
an off- hand i tem, such as a shi el d. Cl ass sel ecti on determi nes a great deal of what you end up equi ppi ng here.
REPAIRING YOUR EQUIPMENT
As your gear l oses durabi l i ty, a paperdol l of your armor appears under your
mi ni map i n the top ri ght of your screen. Yel l ow means damaged; red means broken.
When your armor i s broken, that pi ece no l onger protects you i n combat, nor appl i es
i ts stat bonuses.
To repai r your armor, you can ask a guard or turn on repai r tracki ng from the
mi ni map to easi l y l ocate a pl ace to repai r. Anvi l s i ndi cate vendors who are capabl e
of repai ri ng your gear. When you ri ght- cl i ck thi s type of vendor, two i cons appear
i n the vendor wi ndow, showi ng the cost for repai r. Cl i ck on Repai r Al l Items. At l ow
l evel s, you dont real l y need to worr y about repai ri ng your gear because you shoul d
repl ace i t qui ckl y. As you start gai ni ng l evel s, repai ri ng your gear becomes more
i mportant, but more costl y.
OTHER WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR CHARACTER
There are other ways that you can gi ve your character an edge. These i tems dont need to be equi pped. Instead, theyre used (often permanentl y) to boost your character or
your characters equi pment. Some effects are temporar y, others are more permanent.
Some of the fol l owi ng suggesti ons di scuss Professi ons. To l earn more about Professi ons, turn to page 192.
POTIONS, ELIXIRS & FOOD
Characters dri nk poti ons and el i xi rs and consume foods to enhance thei r performance. Poti ons, el i xi rs, and fl asks can be made by characters wi th the Al chemy professi on.
If youre l ucky, poti ons are someti mes found i n treasure chests.
Some poti ons have short- term benefi ts, onl y worki ng for the moment after you dri nk them. These restore heal th or mana, and they can get you through some nasty ti mes.
Poti ons can be taken duri ng combat, but there i s a cool down ti mer for thei r use. You cant bri ng ten poti ons i nto a fi ght and hope to keep yoursel f al i ve i ndefi ni tel y.
El i xi rs and some poti ons buff your character for a somewhat l onger peri od. They can enhance a number of thi ngs, i ncl udi ng armor, heal th regenerati on, attri butes,
and so forth.
There are other dri nkabl e i tems cal l ed fl asks. These are i ncredi bl y expensi ve because they demand many more reagents duri ng creati on. Fl asks persi st through death and are
a common aspect of dungeon runs and rai di ng.
Food i s ei ther purchased, or created wi th the Cooki ng professi on. Some food i tems have short- term effects and typi cal l y enhance character attri butes. Regardl ess of the type
of stati sti cal bonus provi ded by food, i ts buff i s al ways cal l ed Wel l Fed.
ARMOR KITS
Some armor pi eces can be permanentl y i mproved by addi ng armor ki ts to them. These ki ts are produced wi th the
Leather worki ng professi on. Earl y armor ki ts mai nl y provi de addi ti onal armor, but hi gher l evel ki ts offer substanti al benefi ts.
SPELLTHREADS
Spel l threads are made by character wi th the Tai l ori ng professi on. These are si mi l ar to armor ki ts i n that they enhance armor
and can provi de attri bute benefi ts, but they can onl y be attached to l eg sl ot i tems. Appl yi ng ei ther enhancement makes an i tem soul bound.
SHOULDER INSCRIPTIONS
The Inscri pti on professi on creates speci al Inscri pti ons that are appl i ed to shoul der armor. Just l i ke Spel l threads, these Inscri pti ons cause i tems to become soul bound.
You wont see your fi rst shoul der armor Inscri pti on unti l your characters are much hi gher l evel .
152 153
ENCHANTMENTS
Another way to permanentl y enhance equi pment i s to have i t enchanted.
Al most ever y type of equi pment can carr y some type of enchantment. Though the
temporar y cost i s qui te hi gh, the l ong- term benefi ts are substanti al i f you have
most of your gear enchanted. Thi s rai ses attri butes, adds damage to weapons,
and i s fun to pursue, especi al l y i f you have some cash to spare.
GLYPHS
As you progress through the l evel s, Gl yphs start comi ng i nto pl ay. Press the l etter
n to bri ng up the Speci al i zati on wi ndow. From there, sel ect the tab l abel ed
Gl yphs to see whi ch ones are open for your character. Gl yphs are created by the
Inscri pti on professi on and can al so be bought from the Aucti on House.
There are two ti ers of Gl yphs and you unl ock addi ti onal sl ots for Gl yphs as you
gai n l evel s. Maj or Gl yphs al l ow you to further customi ze the effects of some of
your abi l i ti es. On the other hand, Mi nor Gl yph effects i ncl ude sl i ght al terati ons to
your spel l s vi sual effects.
TRANSMOGRIFICATION
One l ast form of i tem i mprovement, though i ts purel y aestheti c, i s
Transmogri fi cati on. For a pri ce, you can transform your equi pment i nto a l ook you
fi nd more vi sual l y pl easi ng. There are restri cti ons on some equi pment appearances,
and the transmogri fi ed i tem must be the same type i tem. For exampl e, you cannot
transmogri fy a one- hand sword to l ook l i ke a two- hand sword. If you fi nd a pi ece
of gear that you l i ke the l ook of, hol d on to i t so you can transmogri fy your future
i tems i nto i t even when you fi nd an upgrade.
CHARACTER STATS
Each ti me your character gai ns a l evel , many of thei r attri butes (such as heal th,
mana, Agi l i ty, Strength, etc.) are i ncreased. Go i nto the character wi ndow to fi nd
out more about these changes.
Di scussi on of stats i s a fai rl y advanced topi c, and stats change at each l evel ,
but here are some basi cs that you shoul d know when you l ook i n thi s wi ndow.
LEVEL 10: THE BIG CHOICE
At l evel 10, your character must sel ect a speci al i zati on to fol l ow wi thi n hi s or her
chosen cl ass. Press the l etter n to open the Speci al i zati on panel and di spl ay the
opti ons avai l abl e. Youre al so abl e to l ook at some of the core abi l i ti es that youl l
l earn wi thi n each speci al i zati on.
If youre unsure about whi ch speci al i zati on youd l i ke to pursue, hi ghl i ght the abi l i ti es
i n the previ ew panel for each speci al i zati on to l earn some detai l s about each ski l l .
Once youve deci ded on the speci al i zati on that youd l i ke to pl ay as, cl i ck your choi ce
on the l eft si de of the panel and cl i ck l earn on the bottom of the panel to fi nal i ze your
sel ecti on and l earn your new speci al i zati on speci fi c abi l i ti es.
RESETTING YOUR SPECIALIZATION
After pl ayi ng your cl ass wi th your chosen speci al i zati on, you may fi nd that i t doesnt
qui te fi t your pl ay styl e. Dont worr y; you can al ways reset your speci al i zati on by
tal ki ng wi th one of your Cl ass Trai ners.
Changi ng your speci al i zati on i ncurs a fee that i ncreases each ti me you deci de to
change, but i t i snt so taxi ng that you wont be abl e to expl ore the pl ay styl es for each of your speci al i zati on choi ces unti l you fi nd the one that best sui ts you.
White By default, your stats should be in white. This is a normal level.
Red
Stats in red are being affected negatively by a debuff, broken armor, or other
negative effect.
Green
Stats in green are good and are likely being enhanced by a buff, enhanced armor,
or potion.
GAINING LEVELS
As you ki l l enemi es, compl ete quests, gather herbs and ore, and di scover new areas i n the game worl d, you gradual l y earn experi ence poi nts (XP), and fi l l the experi ence
bar l ocated al ong the top of your acti on bar. When the bar i s ful l , the game congratul ates you on earni ng a new l evel wi th a fl ash of l i ght and fanfare. Compl eti ng the i ni ti al
quests you fi nd i n your starti ng vi l l age wi l l easi l y move you from Level 1 to Level 2.
TRAINING NEW ABILITIES
As you gai n l evel s, the game l ets you know when you l earn new abi l i ti es. New abi l i ti es automati cal l y (for the fi rst few l evel s) go i nto an open sl ot on your Acti on Bar.
Youre free to move your newl y l earned ski l l s around on your Acti on Bar i n any way that makes sense to you.
LEVEL 5: LEARN A PROFESSION
When you hi t l evel 5, you gai n the opti on of l earni ng a Professi on. It i snt necessar y for you to l earn a Professi on, but i f youre i nterested i n l earni ng more, turn to
page 192.
154 155
Over ti me, you may deci de that one tal ent
may offer you more benefi ts, accordi ng to
your pl ay styl e, than another. If thi s i s the
case, you can easi l y reset your tal ents wi th
Vani shi ng Powder, Dust of Di sappearance,
Tome of the Cl ear Mi nd (dependi ng on your
l evel ). You can al so speak wi th one of your
Cl ass Trai ners, who wi l l refund your Tal ent
Poi nts so that you may spend them agai n on
any new tal ent choi ces you deci de to make.
Pl ease bear i n mi nd though, each ti me you
choose to reset your tal ents, you are charged
a fee by your trai ner. Thi s fee i ncreases each
ti me you deci de to rel earn your tal ents.
TALENTS
Begi nni ng at l evel 15 and ever y 15 l evel s after that unti l you reach l evel 90, you earn
a Tal ent Poi nt that you can use to purchase a tal ent based on your cl ass. Press the l etter
n to open the Speci al i zati on and Tal ents wi ndow. Sel ecti ng the Tal ents tab al l ows you
to vi ew the tal ents avai l abl e, and you get to choose one of the three opti ons presented.
Typi cal l y, the choi ces presented ei ther augment a spel l or abi l i ty wi thi n your
speci al i zati on, or provi de you wi th a new uti l i ty abi l i ty. In some cases one of the tal ent
choi ces provi ded grants a speci al abi l i ty to be used i n ti mes of di re ci rcumstance.
Hi ghl i ghti ng the opti ons by usi ng your cursor to mouse over each of the
presented tal ents provi des some detai l ed i nformati on about what each tal ent does
for your character.
Tal ents are presented to gi ve you a chance to add some fl ai r to your character wi thout
i mpedi ng the other spel l s and abi l i ti es you use wi thi n your speci al i zati on. There i s no
ri ght or wrong choi ce for tal ents, as they are presented onl y to enhance how you choose
to pl ay your character.
After you sel ect your tal ent, cl i ck the Learn button at the bottom of the pane to add the
tal ent to your spel l book.
RESETTING YOUR TALENTS
MONEY
You carr y your money i n your Backpack at al l ti mes, and theres an extremel y hi gh
l i mi t on how much personal gol d you can carr y. Unl ess youre approachi ng a mi l l i on
gol d, i ts not worth worr yi ng about.
At earl y l evel s, you wont have much money, so you may be shocked by the cost of
many i tems and what other pl ayers are wi l l i ng to pay. However, the game offers you
hi gher rewards as you compl ete more di ffi cul t quests and as you pursue new ways
to earn money.
HERES A QUICK LIST OF A FEW
WAYS TO EARN MONEY:
Loot EVERYTHING!!
Sell off your old Soulbound items or gray items to vendors.
Sell items directly to other players.
Sell items through the Auction House.
Use your profession skills to collect or create items for sale.
156 157
Banks
Each maj or ci ty has at l east one bank.
Tal k to a ci ty guard for hel p fi ndi ng one.
Insi de are bankers wi th whom you can
i nteract (ri ght- cl i ck). Banks real l y functi on
as vaul ts for stori ng i temsnot money.
Usi ng a bank i s a way to free up your bag
space and store i tems that you dont need on
a moment- to- moment basi s.
When you ri ght- cl i ck on a banker, you open
your personal vaul t. The fi rst thi ng most
peopl e noti ce i s that the bank vaul t i s qui te
l arge. You have more personal space i n there
than you woul d wi th j ust your backpack and
a few ti ny bags. Thi s gets even better!
Wi th a bi t of extra money, you can purchase
bag sl ots for your bank vaul t. These i ncrease
i n cost dramati cal l y after your fi rst few sl ots
are unl ocked, but i ts sti l l a wi se way to
spend money i f youre runni ng out of space.
Col l ect spare bags for the bank vaul t; taki ng away ones from your character i s fool hardy because i t reduces the amount of i tems you can carr y around. Thus, i t l i mi ts your
i ncome from l ooti ng and gatheri ng! Al ways i nvest i n hi gh- qual i ty bags. They pay for themsel ves better than many al ternati ves. They al so make your l i fe easi er.
Al l banks are l i nked. So, even though you deposi t your i tems i n one bank, you can access them from any other bank.
Guild Vaults
Gui l ds have thei r own bank vaul ts. These groups store money and i tems to keep them accessi bl e to thei r gui l d members. The Gui l d Master sets a l i st of permi ssi ons that
control access to the gui l d i tems. Ask members of your gui l d for detai l s.
Send People Gifts
If you want to remember a fri ends bi rthday or send a pl ayer a thank you gi ft, here are some fun i tems you
can purchase:
Fireworks in Ironforge
Wine & Flowers in Stormwind
Flowers in Thunder Bluff
JUST FOR FUN
Thi s chapter l i sts many of the extras that you can do i n Worl d of Warcraft. Some of these acti vi ti es wi l l get you i n- game rewards, but most are for fun and soci al i zi ng.
Get a Haircut
Several maj or ci ti es offer Barbershop ser vi ces. Al l races and genders have the opti on for a makeover for a smal l fee. Features you can change i ncl ude hai r col or, hai r styl e,
faci al hai r, horns, pi erci ngs, tattoos, and undead parts.
Socialize
There are al ways other pl ayers wi th whom you can chat, exchange i tems, i nspect thei r gear, or check out thei r pets and mounts.
Use Training Dummies
Trai ni ng Dummi es are mechani cal NPCs that you can use for target practi ce. There are trai ni ng dummi es of di fferent l evel s i n al l maj or ci ti es.
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Companion Pets & Pet Battles
COMMON HORDE PETS
COMMON ALLIANCE PETS
OTHER PURCHASABLE PETS
PET LOCATION
Undercity Cockroach Undercity
Snakes Orgrimmar
Prairie Dog Thunder Bluff
Dragonhawk Hatchling Eversong Woods, Fairbreeze Village
PET LOCATION
Cats Elwynn Forest, Southeast of Stormwind
Snowshoe Rabbit Dun Morogh, Amberstill Ranch
Owls Darnassus
Moths The Exodar
PET LOCATION
Frogs Darkmoon Faire
Birds The Cape of Stranglethorn, Booty Bay
Magical Creatures Netherstorm, The Stormspire
CELEBRATE IN-GAME HOLIDAYS
The game offers numerous seasonal hol i days wi th accompanyi ng events, i ncl udi ng quests, games, gi fts, costumes, and hol i day food. Hol i days l ast for var yi ng l engths of
ti me, so check your i n- game cal endar regul arl y so you dont mi ss out!
AZEROTH HOLIDAY CALENDAR
TIME OF YEAR EVENT
January New Years Day
Late Winter Lunar Festival
February Love Is in the Air
Spring Noblegarden
Late Spring Childrens Week
June Midsummer Fire Festival
July Fireworks Spectacular
September
Harvest Festival
Pirates Day
Fall Brewfest
October Hallows End
November
Day of the Dead
Pilgrims Bounty
December
Feast of Winter Veil
New Years Eve
ATTEND IN-GAME EVENTS
The Darkmoon Fai re opens monthl y on i ts own i sl and.
The Darkmoon Fai re offers uni que vendors, games, and
opportuni ti es for pri zes. Pl ayers can earn Darkmoon ti ckets
by compl eti ng a quest or by bri ngi ng requested i tems to the
carni val workers.
The Strangl ethorn Fi shi ng Extravaganza i s a weekl y fi shi ng
contest i n the Strangl ethorn regi on. Thi s i s predomi nantl y a sol o
acti vi ty for pl ayers who have passed l evel 30. When you reach
Northrend around l evel 80, theres another fi shi ng contest run
by the Kal uak.
The Gurubashi Arena Booty Run i s a free- for- al l battl e experi ence
i n the Cape of Strangl ethorn Val e. Go to the Gurubashi Arena
ever y three hours when the cal l goes out throughout the zone.
Ever yone who attends i s fl agged for PvP, and the wi nner gets
a pri ze.
Cal l To Arms i s a seri es of weekl y Battl eground chal l enges for pl ayers i nterested i n PvP combat. The featured Battl eground yi el ds more rewards duri ng thi s peri od, and there
are usual l y extra pl ayers si gni ng up, meani ng that matches are buzzi ng al l day and ni ght.
Compani on pets, as opposed to hunter pets, are avai l abl e to al l cl asses i n the game.
For the most part, compani on pets have no effect on gamepl ay, but Pet Battl es have
been added for Mi sts of Pandari a.
By goi ng to a Battl e Pet Trai ner, you can l earn how to pi t your pets agai nst others
pets, or face wi l d pets. You get Achi evements as you col l ect more pets and as you
wi n more battl es. There are a vari ety of ways to col l ect compani on petsfrom
purchasi ng them outri ght to gai ni ng them as quest rewards to capturi ng wi l d pets
after weakeni ng them i n a fi ght. Some professi ons are capabl e of creati ng pets,
and you can fi nd more compani ons by compl eti ng Achi vements, or by searchi ng for
enemi es that drop pets on rare occasi ons.
The fol l owi ng tabl es show whi ch pets are avai l abl e for purchase throughout the
worl ds of Azeroth and Draenor.
160 161
GO FISHING
You can fi sh anywhere i n the game, but what you catch
depends on your fi shi ng ski l l and where you fi sh. Some fi sh can
onl y be found i n speci fi c areas. Even the most unl i kel y bodi es
of water can yi el d fi sh and hel p i ncrease your ski l l l evel .
Bai t and l ures are avai l abl e from Trade or Fi shi ng Suppl y
Vendors al l over Azeroth. Fi shi ng Trai ners offer l ures,
but they may al so have better Fi shi ng Pol es that i ncrease
your ski l l further.
HUNT FOR ACHIEVEMENTS
Achi evement hunti ng i s i ncredi bl y addi cti ve, especi al l y for a certai n type of pl ayer.
There are peopl e who l ook through the l i st each day, pi ck out a few thi ngs to tr y for,
and make i t al l happen.
And why not? You dont need to wai t for the l evel cap to do thi s. Someti mes i t
seems strange to i nvest ti me i n somethi ng that doesnt i mprove the strength of your
character, but i s that real l y i mportant? You can l evel whenever you want, and i t
doesnt take that l ong to hi t the cap. Instead, the happi est peopl e seem to be those
who set thei r own goal s and have a great ti me meeti ng them.
Tr y thi s out. You too coul d become an achi evement hunter.
PLAYER VERSUS PLAYER BATTLES
Up to thi s poi nt, PvP has been menti oned onl y i n passi ng. There are two reasons for that. Fi rst, Worl d PvP general l y doesnt get extremel y competi ti ve unti l youre around
l evel 20. Even on PvP ser vers, the zones up to l evel 20 are control l ed by one si de or the other so youre free to i gnore pl ayers from the opposi te facti on as you see fi t.
Second, PvP i s an advanced and i ncredi bl y deep topi c that i s covered l ater i n thi s gui de. However, that doesnt mean PvP i s al ways seri ous busi ness.
Open World PvP
Someti mes, the most fun i n PvP comes from open- worl d PvP, whi ch offers some of the best and most i nteresti ng fi ghts i n the game. There i snt a l i mi t on numbers or si des.
There i snt a necessi ty for fai rness or ti mers. Just form a group or rai d, and choose somewhere to attack. Fi ght, l augh, l ose, regroup, and watch as more peopl e j oi n both
si des of the engagement. These attacks can l ast for hours.
What i f Im on a PvE or RP ser ver? you ask. Thats not a bi g hi ndrance. Fl ag yoursel f for PvP combat and go i nto an area wi th pl ayers from the enemy facti on. Once one
of them wi l l take the bai t, theyl l be fl agged after ward, whether you wi n or l ose. Encourage more of your own peopl e to j oi n. More of thei rs wi l l too, and soon i tl l be j ust
l i ke a PvP ser ver, for a whi l e at l east.
162 163
PET BATTLES
Pets Learned from Pet Battle Trainers
The race of your character, not the race of the trainer, determines which pet a given trainer offers to you.
More Fun with the Pet Journal
There are a few other commands available to you in the Pet Journal. Right click on any portrait to bring up the following
options: Summon/Dismiss, Rename, Set as Favorite, and Release.
Use Rename to name your pets. Set as Favorite marks your pet and allows you to find it quickly when you choose to display
only favorite pets. If you right click on a pet thats already marked as a favorite, the option becomes Remove Favorite.
Release returns your pet to the wild.
Theres another option available to pets that are purchased from a vendor: Put In Cage. Pets that can be put into a cage can
be traded with other players or sold through the Auction House.
GETTING STARTED
The onl y requi rement to get started wi th Pet Battl es i s havi ng 10 gol d (at any l evel ) to
purchase Battl e Pet Trai ni ng. There are Pet Battl e Trai ners i n the towns nearest each races
starti ng l ocati ons. For exampl e, l ook for trai ners i n Gol dshi re (El wynn Forest) and Razor Hi l l
(Durotar), though each facti on capi tal (Stormwi nd for Al l i ance and Orgri mmar for Horde) has
a trai ner as wel l . Speak wi th any of these trai ners to l earn the Pet Battl es abi l i ty. In addi ti on
to teachi ng your compani ons how to battl e, youl l al so l earn how to track wi l d pets and return
your compani ons to ful l heal th ever y 8 mi nutes. These trai ners al so sel l starter pets to you,
based on your characters race (see bel ow).
Your trai ner al so offers a quest cal l ed Learni ng the Ropes that sends you to your fi rst Pet
Battl e. Look for wi l d pets i n the areas outsi de the town where you trai ned. Run around the area
and watch your mi ni - map for a green paw i con. Thi s green paw i con i ndi cates the l ocati ons of
wi l d pets el i gi bl e for battl e.
Before you cl i ck on a wi l d pet to start a battl e, press Shi ft- P to open your mounts and pets
wi ndow. Cl i ck on the Pet Journal tab to vi ew the vani ty pets youve col l ected previ ousl y.
If theres a speci fi c pet you want to use, cl i ck on the pets i con and drag i t i nto the Pet Battl e
Sl ot. Be aware though, once you cl i ck on a wi l d pet to start a fi ght, you cant swi tch any pets
from your j ournal i nto an acti ve sl ot so make sure you make the ri ght pet choi ce beforehand.
Once you are sati sfi ed, ri ght cl i ck on a wi l d pet to start your fi rst battl e!
ALLIANCE
RACE PET
Draenei Blue Moth
Dwarf Snowshoe Rabbit
Gnome Snowshoe Rabbit
Human Orange Tabby Cat
Night Elf Great Horned Owl
Worgen Gilnean Raven
HORDE
RACE PET
Blood Elf Golden Dragonhawk Hatchling
Goblin Shore Crawler
Orc Black Kingsnake
Tauren Brown Prairie Dog
Troll Black Kingsnake
Undead Undercity Cockroach
PANDAREN
RACE PET
Pandaren Jade Crane Chick
A BASIC PET BATTLE
In your fi rst encounter your pet has a si ngl e abi l i ty set i n i ts fi rst abi l i ty sl ot.
Pet Battl es are round- based, meani ng each combatant i s al l owed one acti on each
Round. Cl i ck on the i con, or press 1 on your keyboard to send your pet out to
attack. After you wi n a battl e, return to the trai ner and compl ete your quest.
KEEPING YOUR PETS HEALTHY
Your trai ner offers a fol l ow- up quest, On the Mend. Youre tasked wi th l ocati ng a
Stabl e Master and getti ng your pets restored to ful l heal th. Speak wi th the i ndi cated
Stabl e Master, heal your pets (theres a mi ni mal charge for the ser vi ce), and turn i n
the compl eted quest to the trai ner.
Stabl e Masters are j ust one way to restore your pets. Your other choi ce i s the Revi ve
Battl e Pets abi l i ty, avai l abl e once ever y 8 mi nutes. Look for the abi l i tys i con at the
top ri ght corner of the Pet Journal page.
GETTING YOUR PET TO LEVEL 3
The next quest from the trai ner i s Level Up where you rai se one pet to l evel 3. The onl y way to l evel up your pets i s through defeati ng wi l d pets, so head back out i nto
the wi l ds. Whi l e youre compl eti ng thi s quest, your pet wi l l reach l evel 2 whi ch wi l l grant i t a new abi l i ty that wi l l appear i n the 2 spot when you go i nto battl e. Now you
wi l l have a choi ce of abi l i ti es to choose from i n each round of battl e. You can mouseover the abi l i ti es i con to read a descri pti on to l earn more about i t and then tr y i t out i n
battl e to get more fami l i ar wi th i t.
ADDING WILD PETS TO YOUR PET JOURNAL
After compl eti ng Level Up, your Pet Battl e Trai ner offers you a new quest
cal l ed Got One, whi ch sends you out i nto the wi l d to capture your fi rst pet.
Once your fi rst pet reaches l evel 3, the abi l i ty to capture wi l d pets wi l l be unl ocked.
Thi s abi l i ty, cal l ed Trap, wi l l appear i n sl ot 5 of your shortcut bar and wi l l onl y
become acti ve once the wi l d pet i s at 35% heal th or l ower. Sl owl y whi ttl e down
the wi l d pet taki ng care not to ki l l i t. When Trap i s abl e to be used i t wi l l become
hi ghl i ghted. Cl i ck on the abi l i ty to tr y to capture the weakened wi l d pet.
Theres onl y a chance you wi l l succeed i n capturi ng the wi l d pet each round,
so be prepared to exerci se some pati ence.
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MULTIPLE PETS AND NPC PET TRAINERS
Once your fi rst pet reaches l evel 3, a quest shoul d have popped up that sends you to the Battl e Pet Trai ner i n your facti ons capi tal ci ty. By speaki ng to thi s Battl e Pet
Trai ner, you wi l l recei ve another quest to chal l enge a certai n Pet Trai ner (the quest i s named after the Pet Trai ner youre asked to chal l enge), but you shoul d compl ete the
quest Got One and get one pet up to l evel 5 before tackl i ng the trai ner. Getti ng a pet up to l evel 3 grants the achi evement, Newbi e, and unl ocks your second battl e pet
sl ot. The thi rd sl ot opens when you get a pet to l evel 5 (you al so get the achi evement, Just a Pup). To change a pet i n a Pet Battl e, cl i ck on the Swi tch Pet Button and
choose a di fferent pet.
The bad news about trai ner battl es i s that these trai ners have two or three pets you must defeat i nstead of the si ngl e wi l d pets youve faced up to thi s poi nt. At l east
one of your pets must sur vi ve the battl e for you to get credi ted wi th a wi n and a compl eted achi evement. The good news i s that your pets get far more experi ence from
these fi ghts.
Defeati ng the fi rst trai ner l eads to a battl e agai nst a second trai ner i n a hi gher l evel zone. Thi s process repeats and you take on progressi vel y tougher trai ners wi th hi gher
l evel pets.
GOING INTO BATTLE
Regardl ess of the opponent youre faci ng, you have the same choi ces on each of your turns. Keep i n mi nd that some abi l i ti es i ncl ude a cool down. When you use one of
these abi l i ti es, a number appears over the i con to l et you know how many rounds must pass before the abi l i ty i s ready to use agai n. There are al so certai n abi l i ti es that
bl ock some of your opti ons for a l i mi ted number of rounds. For exampl e, many spi ders use Sti cky Web to keep you from swi tchi ng pets for a few rounds.
Pass Forfeit Match
Use Trap
Use an Attack or Ability
Switch Pets
Mouseover here for more info about NPC pets. You can see the pets stats and abilities.
This information is not available when youre facing off against another player.
The yellow arrows on the portrait show which pet has initiative (acts first in a given round).
Keep in mind that there are a limited number of abilities that always act first regardless of initiative.
TYPES OF PET BATTLES
There are three types of Pet Battl es:
PVP Battles are fought anonymousl y agai nst other pl ayers. Use the Fi nd Battl e button on your Pet Journal wi ndow to fi nd opponents.
Pet Duels are i ni ti ated wi th a ri ght- cl i ck on another pl ayers portrai t. Sel ect Pet Duel and wai t for the other person to accept.
Wild Pet Battles are fought agai nst wi l d pets. Locate a wi l d pet wi th the green paw i con fl oati ng over i t and ri ght cl i ck i t to start the fi ght.
You are i mmune to NPC damage whi l e engaged i n a Pet Battl e, but i f youre fl agged for PVP, you are vul nerabl e to other pl ayers. Be careful where you choose to battl e!
PvP Pet Battles
When you cl i ck on the Fi nd Battl e button on your Pet Journal , you are randoml y matched agai nst other pl ayers. The game does not track your l osses, onl y the number of
ti mes youve won.
Pet Duels
Pet Duel s functi on basi cal l y the same as regul ar duel s. Approach another
character, ri ght- cl i ck thei r portrai t and i nvi te them to a Pet Duel . Pet Duel s
fol l ow the same rul es as regul ar duel s, meani ng you cant duel i nsi de a
ci ty or desi gnated sanctuar y. If your PVP fl ag i s turned on, then Pet Duel s
agai nst characters of the opposi te facti on are not an opti on. You must use
an area such as the sewers under Dal aran i f you want to Pet Duel when
characters are fl agged for PvP. There are no rewards for Pet Duel s,
other than earni ng Achi evements.
Pet Battles Against NPC Trainers
There are NPC pet trai ners found i n many l ocati ons i n ever y worl d. A l i ne of
quests sends you to battl e them, and you must work your way through these
trai ners i n order to unl ock the dai l y quests l i sted i n your Achi evements under
the Pet Battl es tab.
Pet Battles Against Wild Pets
Unti l youre overl oaded wi th l evel 25 pets, the bul k of your Pet Battl es take pl ace agai nst
wi l d pets. There are wi l d pets throughout Azeroth and Outl and, wi th most zones havi ng
at l east one that appears nowhere el se. These are the battl es where your pets gai n most
of thei r experi ence poi nts, and the means by whi ch you add to the popul ati on of your
Pet Journal .
Pets i n the wi l d can be any l evel (from 1 to 25) and they mai ntai n the maj ori ty of thei r
l evel s when you capture them. (For exampl e, a pet caught at l evel 24 can be weakened
to l evel 22 by capture.) Once theyre yours, they gai n experi ence i n the same way as
any other pet you own. If you want to go after hi gher l evel wi l d pets, you must l ook i n
i ncreasi ngl y hi gher l evel zones.
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Picking the Best Pets to Capture
The quest Got One showed you how to capture pets, but how do you know whi ch are the best ones to capture? Pet qual i ty can be determi ned by l ooki ng at the border
around the pet portrai t. Grey = Poor, Common = Whi te, Uncommon = Green, Bl ue = Rare. Just l i ke l oot! Rare pets are the most desi rabl e and hardest to fi nd. Rare qual i ty
pets have the best stats (more on stats l ater i n thi s secti on) and are sought after by ever y seri ous pet battl er.
There are al so l i mi tati ons to keep i n mi nd when i t comes to capturi ng pets. You are l i mi ted to three of the same type of pet i n your Pet Journal . If youre not happy wi th
a pet and want to capture a di fferent one, you must have no more than two copi es of that pet i n your j ournal before you start a battl e. Once the battl e begi ns, you cannot
rel ease the pet to make room for a newer one. In any gi ven battl e, you can onl y capture one pet, so dont waste your trap on a creature you dont want! Once i ts i n the
trap, youre stuck wi th i t unti l the battl e ends.
The World is Full of Beasts and Critters
The most common types of wild pets are Beasts and Critters. If your goal is to capture as many different pets as possible as
quickly as possible, strongly consider leveling up a combination of the following: a Beast pet (Beast attacks do higher damage
against Critters), a Flying pet (high resistance to Beast attacks), a Humanoid pet (high resistance to Critter attacks), and a
Mechanical pet (Mechanical attacks do higher damage against Beasts).
Not all Beasts and Critters use Beast and Critter attacks at all times, but they generally include at least one ability in
their repertoire.
Other Ways to Acquire Pets
Compani on pets have been avai l abl e i n Worl d of Warcraft si nce i t fi rst went l i ve. Most of the pets youve been col l ecti ng si nce then are now el i gi bl e for Pet Battl es.
That i ncl udes the pets from:
Vendors
Achievements
World Events
Blizzard Store
World of Warcraft Trading Card Game
Crafted with Professions
Quests
World/Raid Drops
Promotional Pets
BATTLE PETS
Ever ythi ng up to thi s poi nt has covered the basi cs of Pet Battl es: obtai ni ng pets, how to fi ght, who to fi ght, and how to keep your pets heal thy. Thi s secti on focuses on the
pets themsel ves and the characteri sti cs that make them more or l ess desi rabl e to use i n battl e.
ABILITIES AND STATS
Open your Pet Journal (Shi ft- P, then cl i ck on the Pet
Journal tab) and you shoul d see somethi ng si mi l ar to
the fol l owi ng i mage.
Pet Icon and Level
Experience Bar
Pet Battle
Achievement Points
Stats
Pet Family
Abilities
Pet Icon and Level
Mousi ng over the i con tel l s you how to acqui re the pet and provi des the creatures
l ore. Thi s al so works wi th pets you havent yet obtai ned.
Experience Bar
Tracks how much experi ence a pet has earned and how much more i s needed to
reach the next l evel .
Pet Battle Achievement Points
Total Pet Battl es Achi evement Poi nts earned.
Stats
Al l battl e pets have three stats: Heal th, Power, and Speed. Each stat i ncreases as
your pet gai ns l evel s.
In addi ti on to these stats, al l pets have an extra characteri sti c: Qual i ty.
Qual i ty can be Poor (gray), Common (whi te), Uncommon (green), and Rare (bl ue).
Qual i ty never changes as pets gai n l evel s, but can be upgraded by usi ng Battl e-
Stones (i tems acqui red from wi l d pet battl es at hi gher l evel s, the Aucti on House,
or from dai l y quests i n Pandari a). Its si mpl y a way to see i f you have one of the
best exampl es of a gi ven type of pet.
STAT DESCRIPTION
Health
This is your maximum health. When a pets health reaches zero,
theyre incapacitated and unable to continue fighting.
Power
This number determines the amount of damage a pet deals in combat.
The higher the number, the more damage the pet does in battle.
Speed
Speed determines initiative, which is used to set the order in which pets act in
each round of battle.
Abilities
Al l pets begi n wi th a basi c attack abi l i ty. Addi ti onal abi l i ti es become avai l abl e
at l evel s 2, 4, 10, 15, and 20. Each pet has three acti ve abi l i ty sl ots for battl e.
However, you are l i mi ted to two choi ces for each sl ot. To change between acti ve
abi l i ti es, cl i ck on the yel l ow notch under the abi l i ty sl ot and choose the abi l i ty you
want to make acti ve.
SLOT # ABILITIES ELIGIBLE FOR THE SLOT (BY LEVEL EARNED)
1 1 or 10
2 2 or 15
3 4 or 20
Abi l i ti es are broken down i nto the same fami l i es as battl e pets. Each fami l y of
abi l i ti es has one other fami l y agai nst whi ch i t i s 50% more effecti ve (noted by a
green arrow) and another fami l y agai nst whi ch i t i s 33% l ess effecti ve (noted by
a red arrow).
Its i mportant to note that there i s no bonus damage from a pet usi ng an attack
of the same fami l y as the pet. The onl y factors that determi ne how wel l an abi l i ty
does are the attackers Attack val ue, the fami l y of the abi l i ty used, and the
targets fami l y.
FAMILY PASSIVE ABILITY DESCRIPTION
Aquatic Purity
Harmful damage over time effects are reduced by
25% on Aquatic pets.
Beast Enrage Beasts deal 25% extra damage below half health.
Critter Elusive
Critters break out of crowd control effects
more quickly.
Dragonkin Execute
Dragons deal 50% additional damage on the next
round after bringing a targets helath below 25%.
Elemental Weather Immune Elementals ignore all weather effects.
Flying Swiftness
Flying creatures gain 50% extra speed while above
50% health.
Humanoid Recovery
Humanoids recover 4% of their maximum health if
they dealt damage this round.
Magic Spellshield
Magic pets cannot be dealt more than 40% of their
maximum health in one attack.
Mechanical Failsafe
Mechanical pets come back to life once per battle,
returning to 20% health.
Undead Damned
Undead pets return to life immortal for one round
when killed.
ATTACK TYPE DEALS 50% EXTRA DAMAGE DEALS 33% LESS DAMAGE
Aquatic Elemental Magic
Beast Critter Flying
Critter Undead Humanoid
Dragonkin Magic Undead
Elemental Mechanical Critter
Flying Aquatic Dragonkin
Humanoid Dragonkin Beast
Magic Flying Mechanical
Mechanical Beast Elemental
Undead Humanoid Aquatic
Passive Family Abilities
In addi ti on to abi l i ti es that they use i n battl e, each fami l y of pets has a
passi ve abi l i ty.
168 169
COMMUNICATING WITH
OTHER PLAYERS
Li ke ever ythi ng el se i n the game, you can control how much communi cati ng and soci al i zi ng you want to do wi th other pl ayers. Thi s chapter tel l s you how to tal k to other
pl ayers, how to ask for hel p, and make i n- game fri ends.
The most basi c way to communi cate i n the game i s to press the Enter key, whi ch opens the Say prompt. You can j ust type i n your comment and press Enter. Thi s message i s
sent to ever yone i n your general vi ci ni ty.
WHO CAN HEAR ME?
The di fferent speech commands are i n pl ace to l et you communi cate sel ecti vel y.
You woul dnt want to shout ever ythi ng to the enti re worl d, ri ght?
Say:
/say goes to anyone nearby. Speak to pl ayers i n your vi ci ni ty. By defaul t, you see
a speech bubbl e over your head. As l ong as peopl e nearby are i n the same facti on
as your character, theyl l see what you type (pl ayers from the opposi te facti on wi l l
see what appears to be gi bberi sh). Because thi s i s publ i c, avoi d sayi ng anythi ng
awkward or i nappropri ate.
Whisper:
/whi sper (/tel l works as wel l ) i s a pri vate message for one other pl ayer. You must i ncl ude the characters name after the /whi sper. There i s no di stance l i mi t on
these messages.
Tr y i t out for yoursel f! Hi t Enter, then type /whi sper fol l owed by your characters name. When you hi t space, the prompt changes, and whatever you type next becomes
the message you send to yoursel f after you hi t Enter agai n.
Reply:
Use /r (or j ust r) to repl y to whomever l ast whi spered to you.
Yell:
/yel l i s a broadcast message to al l pl ayers i n your regi on. Thi s i s the most awkward communi cati on method i n Worl d of Warcraft. Its si mi l ar to /say i n that i t di spl ays your
text to anyone wi thi n i ts radi us; however, the di stance covered i s much wi der than /say.
Party Chat:
/party i s a pri vate message that l ets you communi cate wi th ever yone i n your current group at the same ti me. No one outsi de of your group can hear thi s chat even i f
theyre standi ng i n the mi ddl e of your party.
Guild Chat:
/guild sends a message to anyone in the same guild as you. No one else can hear you, and members will see what youre typing even if theyre half a world away from you.
The Chat Menu
Al l these same commands are avai l abl e through the Chat menu. Cl i ck on the opti on
you want from the Chat menu (i t l ooks l i ke a speech bubbl e) and sel ect what you
want from the l i st.
Al l the messages that you send and recei ve appear i n your General chat l og.
To see ol der messages, use the up and down arrows. To see the most recent
messages, use the end arrow. If you ri ght- cl i ck on a chat tab, you can customi ze
ever ythi ng that appears i n the chat l og, i ncl udi ng the background (transparent to
sol i d bl ack) and fi l ters (i ncl udi ng text col or).
USING VOICE EMOTES
Voi ce emotes are i n- game expressi ons that your character (not you) can say. Voi ce emotes have nomi nal benefi t i n group si tuati ons. You can see a l i st of them by cl i cki ng
on the Chat menu (speech bubbl e i con) and then mousi ng over Voi ce Emote. Cl i ck one of the voi ce emotes to make your character speak.
170 171
USING THE CHANNELS
Each ti me you l og i nto the game or enter a new regi on, you get a remi nder i n your General chat l og about what channel s are avai l abl e to you. A l i st of the vari ous common
chat channel s i s i ncl uded on thi s page.
Channel s are used to communi cate wi th al l pl ayers i n the same channel . By defaul t, you j oi n the General Chat and Local Defense channel s; you al so j oi n the Trade channel ,
but that onl y becomes acti ve when you enter one of the bi g ci ti es found throughout Worl d of Warcraft.
You can l eave each of these channel s at any ti me by typi ng /l eave #, where # i s the number of the channel .
GENERAL
The standard channel for your specific region or major city where your character is currently
located. Theres a different General channel for every region. This is a good location to ask
questions about quests specific to your region.
TRADE
This channel links all the major cities in your faction. Players offer goods to be sold and seek
goods to purchase. This channel is very busy (and the talk doesnt always stay on topic),
so you wont want to stay on indefinitely. Your character must be inside a city to use it.
LOCALDEFENSE
This channel informs players when in-game attacks from the opposite faction are being made
in your local region. This is primarily of interest to players seeking PvP (or trying to avoid it).
WORLDDEFENSE
Similar to LocalDefense, but this channel tells you about opposite faction attacks anywhere
in Azeroth.
LOOKINGFORGROUP
This channel links all regions in your faction. Players must be in a major city in order to gain
access to the LookingForGroup channel.
CHANNEL COMMANDS
To see whi ch channel s are avai l abl e, press the l etter o for the Soci al menu and cl i ck the Chat tab.
On thi s page, you can see al l the channel s avai l abl e i n your current l ocati on. If youre on a channel ,
i ts whi te; i f youre not on a channel , i ts gray. Cl i ck on a whi te channel , and the game shows you al l other
characters currentl y on the channel too.
For al l the / shortcuts, you press the space bar after the command word, then you type i n your message.
There i s absol utel y no need for you to stay on any of the i n- game channel s. If you fi nd them over whel mi ng, /l eave them.
If you enj oy a qui et pl ayi ng experi ence, l eave the chat channel s as soon as possi bl e. The game becomes amazi ngl y cal m once you do thi s. If you l i ke constant banter,
l ook for a gui l d and/or keep yoursel f i n as many channel s as you l i ke.
CUSTOM CHANNELS
Di d you know that you can create your own chat channel s? Thi s i s a powerful abi l i ty
for peopl e who are j ust starti ng on a ser ver. Maybe you dont have a gui l d up yet,
but you want to speak to a group of your fri ends. Let them know to /j oi n Custom
Channel Name as soon as they come on.
EXAMPLE
/join Friendschat
Thi s puts you i n the Fri endschat channel , even i f
there wasnt one al ready open. Other peopl e who
type that command wi l l be thrown i n wi th you.
Its another way to have buddi es stay i n touch.
You can even have a gui l d wi thi n a gui l d thi s way, or even a group wi thi n a group,
and di ssol ve the temporar y chat system when the current task i s compl eted.
ASKING FOR HELP
There are several ways to seek assi stance. The most effecti ve way to get a real answer to a speci fi c questi on i s to fi nd another pl ayer i n your current area who i s doi ng or
has done somethi ng si mi l ar to your current task. You can then use /say i f youre i n the same area or /whi sper i f theyre too far away to ask a questi on di rectl y.
A broader way to go about aski ng for hel p i s sendi ng your quer y out on the General channel . There are more peopl e on the channel , but they may not be abl e or wi l l i ng to
hel p. Someti mes, the General channel i s ver y hel pful . Someti mes, i ts ful l of chatti ng pl ayers bei ng si l l y.
Heres the command for aski ng a questi on on the General channel :
/# <Your question or comment goes here>
By ei ther method, the best way to ensure you get a hel pful response i s to ask a speci fi c questi on, and avoi d bei ng vague or demandi ng.
Bad Example: I cant find the barrow key!!!
Good Example: Is anyone else looking for the barrow key?
Better Example: Im having trouble finding the barrow key. Any hints out there?
An Internet search can be surpri si ngl y powerful for getti ng a fast response as wel l . Odds are that i f youre havi ng a probl em, someone el se has bumped i nto the exact same
thi ng. Searchi ng wi th WoW where i s the barrow key woul d l i kel y get you answers i f peopl e i n- game are j ust as stumped as you are.
SENDING & RECEIVING MAIL
Use the mai l system to send messages, i tems, or money to other pl ayers. Mai l boxes are
found i n al l bi g ci ti es and most towns and vi l l ages. They take on vari ous appearances,
dependi ng upon thei r l ocal e. You can track the l ocati ons of mai l boxes on your mi ni map.
Receiving Mail
Any ti me you have mai l wai ti ng, the game shows you an i con near your mi ni map. Thi s l ooks
l i ke a l etter, so i ts pretty cl ear what youre expecti ng.
To get your mai l , ri ght- cl i ck when you approach and target a mai l box. The fi rst tab that
opens i s your Inbox. Left- cl i ck to open any messages, and cl i ck on any i tems to send them
to your Backpack. When an attachment i s removed from a pi ece of mai l that doesnt have a
message, the mai l i tsel f wi l l be del eted.
If you read a pi ece of mai l but l eave i t i n your Inbox, the l etter turns gray and can remai n
i n your Inbox for 30 days. When mai l expi res, i t i s automati cal l y del eted, i ncl udi ng any attachments.
If someone sends you an i tem by mi stake, you can cl i ck on Return to i mmedi atel y send i t back to them. You can al so Repl y to the sender.
COMMAND EXAMPLE
Joining a channel /join <fullnameofchannel> /join General
Speaking on
a channel
/# <Your question or comment goes here.> /3 Seeking guild of mature players to run dungeons
Leaving a channel /leave <# of channel> /leave 3
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Sending Mail
The second tab i n the mai l system i s the i nterface to send mai l . Type i n the reci pi ents name ver y careful l y (the game wi l l
autocompl ete names from your fri end l i st or from peopl e i n your gui l d), and i ncl ude a subj ect l i ne i f you wi sh. You cannot send
mai l to yoursel f or to pl ayers i n the opposi ng facti on. You can, however, send mai l to other characters that you control that are
on the same ser ver. The onl y mai l you can mai l di rectl y to your characters of di fferent facti ons are Bi nd on Account i tems,
such as Hei rl oom equi pment.
You deci de whether to wri te a message, send an i tem, or send money. To attach an i tem, you can ri ght- cl i ck on anythi ng i n
your Backpack or grab and drag the i tem over to your l etter. To send money, you type i n the number of gol d, si l ver, or copper
coi ns you wi sh to send. Then press Send. The game wi l l ask for your approval .
Each sent message costs 30 copper (plus 30 copper for each attachment), unless you use the C.O.D. option. C.O.D. is for players
selling and buying items. By choosing this option, the mail system sends the item, but the transaction only completes when the
recipient agrees to pay. Then, one player gets his money and another gets his gear. C.O.D. items expire after only 3 days.
Letters arri ve i mmedi atel y. Items and money can take one hour to arri ve unl ess youre sendi ng messages between members of
a hi gh l evel gui l d. One perk of these gui l ds i s that they can send thi ngs through the mai l at l i ghtni ng speed.
Buyer Beware
Sometimes people would scam others through the mail system. Theyd send people items through the mail (something small
and trivial) but put a Cash on Delivery tag with it. Grabbing the item would cost considerable money.
World of Warcraft now has a number of systems in place to reduce or eliminate this type of scam, but its wise to be careful
of mail from strangers. In some ways, real life isnt always that different from World of Warcraft.
Should you have any issues, you can always contact Blizzards in-game support staff, known as GMs. When other players
suggest you send in a ticket they mean to send a message through the support system. Click on the big, red ? to the right
of your bottom action bar to get started.
USING THE SOCIAL WINDOW
You can use the Soci al Wi ndow to track new fri ends and fi nd other pl ayers i n your current regi on.
Using the Friends List
The fi rst tab of the soci al wi ndow i s your Fri ends Li st. If youve enj oyed chatti ng or questi ng wi th someone, you shoul d
add them to your Fri ends Li st so that you can fi nd them agai n. To add a new name, cl i ck Add Fri end, type i n the name,
and cl i ck Accept. That pl ayer i s now added to your Fri ends Li st. Any ti me you open thi s wi ndow, you i mmedi atel y see
whether they are onl i ne as wel l as thei r current l ocati on. From the same wi ndow, you can send a message, i nvi te them to
a group, or remove thei r name.
For Private Time
Worl d of Warcraft i s a soci al game, but there are ti mes when you may not want to be di sturbed, such as duri ng a tri cky fi ght or whi l e youre i n a battl eground and you need
to concentrate. There are tool s bui l t i nto the game to cover these i nstances.
If you type /dnd (meani ng Do Not Di sturb) any pl ayer who tri es to use a /whi sper or /tel l to contact you gets a message back sayi ng that youre busy. Typi ng /dnd
agai n turns off the Do Not Di sturb noti ce and peopl e can contact you normal l y.
You cant l i ke ever yone al l of the ti me. If you want to pretend that someone doesnt exi st, cl i ck the Ignore Tab on the Fri ends Li st. Cl i ck Ignore Pl ayer, type thei r name,
and cl i ck Accept. You can al ways go back and remove pl ayers from thi s l i st at a l ater ti me. You can al so i gnore pl ayers by ri ght cl i cki ng thei r name i n the chat wi ndow and
sel ecti ng i gnore.
When someone i s on your Ignore Li st, they wont be abl e to send you messages. Thei r text i s i nvi si bl e to you, so groupi ng wi th someone i n thi s si tuati on i s subopti mal .
They coul d be shouti ng warni ngs to ever yone whi l e youre happi l y pul l i ng away, i gnorant of the troubl e. If youre goi ng to /i gnore someone, pl ease avoi d them enti rel y!
Real ID Features
Chat across game servers and even in other Battle.Net games
Real names are shared between these friends
See what you friends are doing, not just where they are located
Broadcast messages to your group of buddies
All characters from your friends account are automatically friends of yours, so you wont have to search for each alt and sign them up
Battle.net and Real ID
Bl i zzard has been expandi ng the thi ngs you can do between accounts. You can
now tr y to share your Real ID wi th another pl ayer, gi vi ng them the abi l i ty to
contact you even when youre off on another ser ver. Thi s i s a ni ce feature,
but you can certai nl y see why you woul dnt want to gi ve thi s access to ever yone
i n the game worl d.
To start a Real ID fri end request, type i n a persons emai l address or Battl e Tag
i n the fri end secti on and wai t for them to accept. Your request appears i n the
Pendi ng tab of thi s wi ndow, and they can choose to accept or deny the request
whenever they see i t.
Pl ease consi der reser vi ng thi s power to peopl e that youre cl ose wi th.
Just because someone i s i n your gui l d doesnt mean theyre your fri end i n real
l i fe. Real ID i s certai nl y for peopl e that you trust.
174 175
Scroll of Resurrection
Another new feature i s the abi l i ty to send fri ends Scrol l s of Resurrecti on. Cl i ck the scrol l i con i n the top- ri ght corner of your fri ends l i st to get thi s process started.
Scrol l s of Resurrecti on are used to bri ng a fri end back to Worl d of Warcraft. If you know someone who l et thei r account l apse for any reason, you can use thi s functi on
to gi ve them one free week of pl ay. Shoul d that fri end purchase addi ti onal game ti me, you (and they) earn some ni ce bonuses, l i ke mounts, and the abi l i ty to bump a
character up to l evel 80.
However, the i nacti ve account must have been made before March 2012, and they can onl y ever accept one scrol l from anyone on that account. If you have any fri ends who
used to pl ay, consi der usi ng a Scrol l of Resurrecti on to tempt them to come back and hel p you i n your Worl d of Warcraft adventures.
INTERACTING WITH OTHER CHARACTERS
If youre i n the same pl ace as another pl ayer of your facti on (meani ng a character wi th a bl ue target portrai t), there are several ways you can i nteract wi th them di rectl y.
Target them and then ri ght- cl i ck on thei r pl ayer portrai t. You get a short l i st of ways that you can communi cate. You al so see the name of the pl ayers gui l d i n thei r tool ti p.
Underneath thei r name you al so see thi s gui l d i denti fi er.
INTERACTION METHOD RESULT
Add Friend Adds the character to your Friends List
Set Focus Sets a current target as your focus target, allowing you to keep track of two different targets at the same time
Whisper Another way to whisper to a player
Inspect Opens the players Character window, so you can see their armor, PvP status, Talents, and Guild
Invite Invite the player to join a group
Compare Achievements Used to see who has done more in-game activities
Trade Opens the Trade window, so two players can buy, sell, trade items, enchant, or unlock items for each other
Follow Causes your character to follow behind the other person, as long as you can keep up
Duel Invite another player to fight to the almost-death (no permanent damage is incurred by either party) while outside of major cities
Pet Battle Duel If both characters have trained Pet Battles, you can challenge that character to a Pet Battle Duel
Target Marker Icon Set an icon for your party or raid group above this player
Move Frame With this option, you can move their portrait and raid frame to a position you prefer
Report Player for If the player has an offensive name or is violating the terms of service to cheat, you can report them to Blizzard. Check Blizzards Harassment Policy before you use this
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PLAYERS
If you are chatti ng wi th someone from afar, or i f you see them chatti ng on a channel , you can fi nd out more about them or i ni ti ate a conversati on wi th them by cl i cki ng on
thei r name when you see i t i n the General chat l og.
Cl i ck on the pl ayer name to whi sper to them.
Shi ft+cl i ck on the pl ayer name, and the game tel l s you thei r l evel , race, cl ass, gui l d, and current l ocati on.
If youre tr yi ng to fi nd someone, use the /who command to search for pl ayers that match a name, l evel range, l ocati on, or cl ass descri pti on. /who i s qui te useful i n thi s
way, but you can onl y search wi th i t ever y few seconds. Type too qui ckl y and the ser ver wi l l i gnore some of your requests.
TRADING WITH OTHER PLAYERS
Before i ni ti ati ng a trade, you and another pl ayer shoul d agree on the i tem to be sol d and the pri ce to be pai d. To trade
wi th another pl ayer, you must be i n cl ose proxi mi ty. Ei ther party can i ni ti ate the trade by ri ght- cl i cki ng on the other pl ayers
portrai t and cl i cki ng on Trade. You can al so drag an i tem over a character to open thi s wi ndow.
The l eft wi ndow shows what you wi sh to trade; the ri ght wi ndow shows what your comrade wi shes to trade. There are three
di fferent areas for money, i tems, and i tems that you do not actual l y wi sh to trade. To make a trade, you can type i n the
amount of money you want to pay or you can ri ght- cl i ck on any i tem i n your Backpack to send i t to the Trade wi ndow.
When your si de of the transacti on i s accurate, press Trade; your wi ndow turns green. When your comrade does the same,
the trade compl etes.
The Wi l l not be traded secti on i s for i tems that wi l l be modi fi ed by another pl ayer. Thi s i ncl udes equi pment that someone
wi l l enhance or l ocked boxes that wi l l be opened. To compl ete thi s transacti on, pl ace your i tem i n the bottom box, and your
comrade goes to work. It i s customar y to ti p a pl ayer that performs thi s ser vi ce for you.
Be careful about maki ng trades of l arge sums of money or val uabl e materi al s i f you dont know the other person.
Most pl ayers are honest, but you shoul d al ways be careful about who you do busi ness wi th.
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GROUPS
GROUP RULES
A group consi sts of two to fi ve pl ayers, wi th one of them bei ng a l eader. When youre i n a group, you can use the /p command to chat onl y wi th pl ayers i n your group.
These are the automatic group rules in the game:
Groups divide experience for kills. With enough characters in the group, there is a bonus to the total XP gained, so groups that kill quickly can make more than soloing players.
However, this requires an aggressive pace.
If multiple people are on the same collection quest, each player waits his turn to get a dropped quest item.
If multiple people are on the same quest to kill a single enemy, all players will be able to loot the associated head, insignia, or other item the quest has requested.
All members are awarded kill credit for targets as long as they are close enough to the fighting.
To create a group, there are two sets of commands: those you can use i f you are i n the same room and those you use i f the pl ayer i s i n another l ocati on.
GROUP COMMAND SUMMARY
COMMAND EFFECT
Join If you are asked to join a group, choose Accept or Decline
Create/Invite If you are creating a group, type: /invite <playername>; You can also right-click on the player portrait, and click Invite. You are now the Leader. Only the Leader can Invite.
Uninvite To remove a player from your group, type: /kick <playername>. You can also right-click on the player portrait, and click Uninvite. Only the Leader can Uninvite.
Promote to Leader If you are the Leader, you can designate someone else the Leader. Right-click the player portrait, and click Promote to Leader.
Leave To leave your party, right-click your own portrait, and click Leave Party.
Party Chat /p <Anything you want to say>
F1 Target yourself
F2, F3, F4, F5 Target other party members
F-key Assist target; this targets anything that the currently selected person is targeting.
Focusing Fire
One of the most fundamental strengths of a group is their
ability to kill targets quickly by focusing all attacks on
a single target. Five characters attacking five monsters
simultaneously are effectively soloing. Whats the point?
Why would that even help? A few shared buffs would be the
only major difference.
However, five people that attack one monster kill it almost
immediately. That takes 20% of the damage out of the fight.
Always try to /assist the leaders of your group. They should
let you know who to /assist. If they dont, actively state
that youre going to /assist the tank. This encourages others
to do the same.
Free-For-All
Any player can loot any corpse. This is useful if one player is seeking a specific drop. However, this isnt a good
option for strangers on collection quests. Friends get the most out of this because its fast and easy.
Round Robin
Every player takes his turn in a specified order, just like a hand of cards. You know when its your turn to loot,
because the corpse sparkles for you.
Master Looter
The Leader takes all the loot and doles it out at the end. This is primarily used in specific guilds, where point
systems are in place to figure out loot distribution.
Group Loot
Has the same rules as Round Robin, with an additional option. When an Uncommon (Green) or better item appears,
the game offers an option for players to roll, as in rolling dice, for the item. This is a good default when dealing
with strangers.
Need Before Greed
Similar to Group Loot except that players who cannot equip the valuable items automatically cannot roll for them.
This is the automatic setting for groups created in the Dungeon Finder. While this option is engineered to be the
most fair, not everyone who can equip an item needs it. And sometimes, people who cant equip an item can use it
for an alt, or a disenchant. Think carefully when choosing this option.
LOOTING OPTIONS
When pl ayi ng i n a group, there are several di fferent opti ons for shari ng the l oot you fi nd on corpses. The defaul t
opti on i s Group Loot, whi ch i s the most practi cal choi ce at begi nni ng l evel s and for pl ayers who dont know each
other. Here i s the ful l l i st.
178 179
1. Be polite and communicative. Say thanks when someone helps. Apologize if you
make a mistake. If someone is new and makes a mistake, be helpful. Dont forget,
you were in their place at one point!
2. Confirm what role you need to play in the group: tank, damage dealer, or healer.
Try to fill that role as best you can by equipping the best gear for that role and use
the abilities that maximize your potential in that style of play.
3. If your class has a buff of some kind, share it with everyone in the group. Do the
same with items that your class creates (such as Warlock Healthstones).
4. Share any relevant quests with party members.
5. Tell the group if you must leave at a certain time. Do this as far ahead of time as
possible to avoid a sudden, unexpected departure.
6. If multiple players have the same gathering professions (Herbalism, Mining,
Skinning), share the resources fairly.
7. Dont loot while others are still fighting. Wait until everyone is safe.
8. Share loot that you cant use. If you get a weapon you cant equip, consider giving it
to a player who can.
9. Disband the party only after everyone has completed the quests they started together.
10. Stay close to your group members, so you dont accidentally draw the aggro of
extra enemies.
11. State openly if youre going away from keyboard or taking any kind of break.
12. Dont whine if things arent going your way. Bad groups are out there, and they
happen to everyone. Leave (politely) as soon as you can if a group isnt to your
liking, but dont make a scene. You never know why someone is having an off day,
and hurting their feelings is unnecessary.
GROUP ETIQUETTE
The fol l owi ng i s a short l i st of gui del i nes for becomi ng a rel i abl e group member.
These gui del i nes go both ways. Al l members i n your party shoul d be cooperati ve and fai r. If they arent, feel free to tel l them so and add them to your Ignore Li st.
Occasi onal l y, groups do go poorl y. A good rul e of thumb i s to express your concern and gi ve the group a chance to i mprove. If members dont cooperate, you can feel
j usti fi ed i n l eavi ng mi d- group. Keep i n mi nd that l eavi ng an i nstance before i t i s compl eted wi l l bar you from j oi ni ng another group through the LFR system for 15 mi nutes.
When you have a great group, say thank you. You can even add your new comrades to your Fri ends Li st, or consi der j oi ni ng thei r gui l d. If no gui l d exi sts, consi der
starti ng one.
MORE ABOUT GROUP LOOT AND NEED BEFORE GREED
Most parti es tend to be i n one of these two l ooti ng formats, so i ts i mportant to be abl e to qui ckl y deci de whi ch i s the best opti on to choose. When an i tem of hi gh enough
qual i ty appears i n the l oot pool (and the l oot i s set to Group Loot or Need before Greed) ever y el i gi bl e pl ayer i s prompted to rol l on the i tem.
Need
If the i tem descri pti on shows that you can use the i tem, and i ts al so an upgrade for the character youre usi ng i n the group, sel ect Need. Doi ng so generates a random
number from 1- 100. Your rol l i s compared agai nst al l other pl ayers who rol l ed Need. The i tem i s awarded to the pl ayer wi th the hi ghest rol l .
However, be careful when pi cki ng Need. If youre i n a group wi th peopl e you dont know, i ts consi dered proper eti quette to ask i n party chat i f anyone mi nds that you
Need an i tem. By aski ng pol i tel y and not abusi ng Need to hoard i tems, youl l fi nd yoursel f i n many pl ayers good graces.
Greed
Assumi ng no one sel ected Need, ever yone who chose the Greed opti on generates a number between 1- 100. The pl ayer wi th the hi ghest resul t i s awarded the i tem.
If you want the i tem for an al t, you shoul d choose Greed. If you pl an to sel l the i tem, you shoul d defi ni tel y cl i ck Greed, or Pass. You wi l l earn the goodwi l l of ever yone i n
the party.
Disenchant
If your party i ncl udes an Enchanter, al l pl ayers wi l l get thi s opti on. Di senchant i s consi dered a Greed rol l . meani ng i f anyone cl i cks Need, the resul ts of the pl ayers who
chose other opti ons are di sregarded. Di senchanti ng causes the i tem to be destroyed wi th the resul tant materi al s pl aced i n the i nventor y of the wi nner. You shoul d onl y
choose thi s once you feel comfortabl e enough wi th the game that you know i f l oot wi l l be more val uabl e to you as components than as an i tem.
Pass
If you si mpl y dont want the i tem, or i f you dont know i f you have permi ssi on to rol l on the i tem at al l , choose Pass. There are many ti mes when the benefi t of steppi ng
asi de i s more than the benefi t of havi ng an i tem. You can get another weapon, but bei ng a pol i te party member coul d resul t i n maki ng new fri ends.
WORLD DUNGEONS
Worl d dungeons are l arge pl aces desi gned for more i ntensi ve pl ay than standard areas i n Worl d of Warcraft. Some worl d dungeons are bi gger than others, but they al l have
i nstanced zones. An i nstance i s a speci fi c copy of the dungeon that i s for your group onl y. In the same way that your ser ver i s a copy of Worl d of Warcraft, your i nstance i s
a copy of a dungeon. You can onl y enter the same copy of the dungeon i f you are i n a party wi th your fri ends.
Level 15 i s the mi ni mum character l evel to enter the l owest l evel Worl d Dungeons. You arent requi red to take fi ve characters i nto a dungeon. An overl evel ed character can
sol o thi ngs to farm for l ow- l evel materi al s. You wont be getti ng i n anyones way because youl l be i n your own copy of the dungeon.
However, taki ng on any dungeon of appropri ate l evel shoul d be done wi th al l fi ve character sl ots fi l l ed. Ever yone shoul d al so meet the l evel requi rements of the dungeon
and be geared adequatel y. Even i f someones gear seems a bi t l ow, dont i mmedi atel y assume theyre no good for the dungeon. Gi ve that pl ayer a chance before maki ng a
snap deci si on based sol el y on gear. Poor pl ayer ski l l i s far more of a l i abi l i ty than weak gear!
ADVANCED GROUP PLAY
Groupi ng changes the nature of Worl d of Warcraft pl ay consi derabl y. Pl ayers are no l onger focused on doi ng ever ythi ng for themsel ves. Instead of acti ng as tank, heal er,
and damage deal er al l at once, you get to focus on whatever you do best, whi l e others i n your group do the same.
Groups can carr y up to fi ve members, and that i s what you need to compl ete most dungeon runs. Thi s secti on expl ai ns more about rol es i n a group, and dungeon runni ng.
What to Expect in World Dungeons
World dungeons differ from standard gameplay in many ways:
1. Dungeons are designed for groupsnot solo play.
2. Completing a dungeon can be time consuming.
3. The enemies are tougher and more numerous. Expect almost all monsters to be elite.
4. Dungeons are populated with many special monsters, called bosses.
5. Dungeon quests are much harder.
6. The rewards are much richer. You find a much higher percentage of Rare or Epic gear by
fighting in dungeons.
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GROUP PREPARATION
When youre i n a group that i s consi deri ng a dungeon
run, make sure that you know the answers to the
fol l owi ng questi ons.
Who is the main tank? Thi s i s the person who
wi l l i ni ti ate fi ghts, hol d aggro, and protect the group.
You want to ensure that thei r j ob i s as easy as
possi bl e because your characters l i fe depends on i t.
Who is the main healer? Al most any group
i s goi ng to need one heal er, and some are goi ng
to need more than one to get through a dungeon.
The mai n heal er shoul d be savi ng al l resources for
heal i ng. They onl y tr y to add damage to a fi ght when
thi ngs are goi ng especi al l y wel l .
Who is dealing damage (DPS)? Ever yone who
i s goi ng to focus on damage i s i ncl uded i n the groups
DPS (damage per second, but i t often i s j ust used as
a way to say damage). Damage deal ers shoul d have
/assi st macros to ensure that they are al l hi tti ng
the same targets. The tank or most experi enced DPS
member shoul d be the one that ever yone assi sts.
Who will do the pulling? Some mai n tanks l i ke
to have another person bri ng monsters back to the
group. A pul l er i s a character who goes ahead of
the group and then l ures enemi es back to a safer
posi ti on, where they can be ambushed and ki l l ed
wi thout the danger of addi ti onal targets j oi ni ng the
encounter. If the mai n tank i snt a pul l er, thi s task
often fal l s to a ranged character.
Who is the group leader? Someone needs to
l ead, and the others must fol l ow. A tradi ti on i s to
have the mai n tank l ead, but what i f they dont know
the dungeon wel l ? A good l eader shoul d know an
area ahead of ti me and be a ski l l ed pl ayer!
Does everyone have all the dungeon
quests? Look i n the quest l og to make sure that
ever yone has any perti nent quests. Share ever ythi ng
possi bl e so that ever yone gets the most gol d and experi ence from thei r dungeon run.
How long will it take? Confi rm whether anyone has to l eave earl y. Some dungeons are much l onger than others, and havi ng someone l eave i n the mi ddl e i s a
maj or hassl e.
What are the loot rules? Ever y group must deci de on l oot rul es before starti ng thei r fi ghts. You dont want a good i tem to pop up and get snatched away because you
di dnt deci de on thi s ahead of ti me.
Has everyone shared their class buffs? Use cl ass buffs, food, and any other bonus- produci ng goodi es before you start a chal l engi ng quest or dungeon run.
Are hunters and warlocks managing their pets? Pets shoul d be set to assi st. For speci fi c encounters where preci si on i s key, peopl e may even ask that pets
be di smi ssed.
Dungeon Preparation
Here are another few things to take care of before you start a group for a dungeon run.
1. Repair your armor. Theres no place to repair in a dungeon. Some characters can use abilities to help out with this, but you shouldnt rely on them (especially considering that most players
wont have them until higher levels).
2. Empty your bags. You often collect a greal deal of loot in a dungeon, so take only essential items in your bags. Being full of crummy items is lame when you have expensive dungeon gear
to snag. As a last resort, destroy low-quality loot or grey items in your bag to make room for better stuff.
3. Stock up on provisions. Take enough food, water, potions, and reagents.
4. Bring any required quest items. Double-check quest text to see if you need anything while youre in the dungeon to complete the quest.
LEVEL REQUIREMENTS
Because the content i n dungeons i s di ffi cul t, each dungeon has a recommended l evel range that al l members i n your party shoul d meet. Taki ng someone who i s bel ow that
l evel requi rement wi l l be probl emati c, because enemi es can aggro on that l ower- l evel character from farther away. Thi s makes i t much harder to manage fi ghts or sneak
through speci fi c areas, and even i n more cauti ous groups i t can l ead to probl ems. Al so, hi gher- l evel monsters are hard to hi t; a character bel ow the mi ni mum i snt goi ng to
contri bute much toward a groups success.
The best way to fi nd dungeons that are appopri ate for your l evel i s to use the Dungeon Fi nder Tool and see whats avai l abl e to you. Once you hi t l evel 15, there wi l l be at
l east one i nstanced dungeon avai l abl e to you.
WIPEOUTS
Wi pi ng occurs when al l members of your group di e and
they have no way to resurrect where they di ed. If thi s
happens, you must run back from a graveyard and return
to your corpse. When thi s happens i nsi de a dungeon,
you must go back i nto the dungeons entrance before your
body respawns.
Dependi ng on the ti mi ng, al l the monsters you ki l l ed may
sti l l be dead or they may have respawned, whi ch means
theyve reset, and you have to fi ght them agai n. Thi s onl y
happens when a group takes a l ong ti me to compl ete a
dungeon. Thi s i s someti mes a si gn that thi ngs arent goi ng
wel l and that peopl e mi ght want to tr y agai n another ti me.
Understandabl y, groups want to avoi d a wi pe at al l costs,
so i ts wi se to tr y to save a party member who can resurrect
ever yone el se l ater. However, i f your group does wi pe,
dont get too upset about i t. Wi peouts happen, especi al l y
when peopl e are l earni ng new dungeons/encounters.
Your gear suffers a durabi l i ty hi t when your character di es, but the cost i snt that severe. Its easy to make money wi th questi ng, sel l i ng thi ngs on the Aucti on House,
and by general l ooti ng. You arent goi ng to end up poor because of a few l ousy dungeon runs.
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PICK UP GROUPS (PUGS)
In thi s case, PUGs arent cute l i ttl e dogs. Thi s refers to groups that are formed by strangers, often usi ng the dungeon fi nder. These are the hardest groups to wi n wi th,
but that doesnt mean that theyl l al ways be of l ow qual i ty. Indeed, you mi ght end up wi th several peopl e who know a dungeon al ready or have i mpressi ve gear, and the
dungeon wi l l be a wal k i n the park because of i t.
The real i ty of PUGs i s that you wont know what to expect. Thei r qual i ty has such wi de vari ance that you mi ght have a perfect run and fol l ow i t up wi th a nai l - bi ti ng,
hai r- pul l i ng attempt that fal l s fl at after an hour.
To l i mi t your ti me wi th random groups, remember to /fri end peopl e who i mpress you. Good pl ayers make groups a great deal more enj oyabl e. If you can fi l l two or three
sl ots wi th pl ayers of known ski l l , you wont have nearl y as much uncertai nty i n your dungeon del vi ng.
Eventual l y, you mi ght fi nd a group or gui l d of peopl e that adventures wi th you regul arl y. Thi s l eads to consi derabl e advances i n tacti cs and pl aystyl e. Its al so a great way to
make fri ends.
TACTICS
Take a l ook at whi ch abi l i ti es you use whi l e sol oi ng. Some of them make perfect
sense when you dont have anyone watchi ng your back. However, i n a group
envi ronment, some of these become a waste of ti me and resources. If youre not
taki ng aggro from monsters, why use somethi ng that rai ses your sur vi vabi l i ty by
a substanti al measure (especi al l y i f i t takes away from your damage output)?
Fi gure out how you can best contri bute wi thi n your rol e. If youre a tank, l earn
how to mi ti gate as much damage as possi bl e. Use abi l i ti es that get attenti on
from mul ti pl e monsters. Tr y to keep yoursel f from goi ng l ow on heal th, and l earn
how to control monsters posi ti ons so that the damage deal ers know where to
stand i n each encounter.
Heal ers shoul d spend a huge amount of ti me l ooki ng at ever yones heal th and
savi ng the group from harm. Fi nd ways to do thi s effi ci entl y duri ng l ong fi ghts as
wel l as methods to maxi mi ze your heal i ng output and mana duri ng tense boss fi ghts. Consi der who the most i mportant peopl e are to keep heal ed (e.g., a tank or another
heal er), move as necessar y to keep thi ngs from poundi ng on you, and take enemi es over to someone el se i f you do get attenti on. Bei ng an effecti ve heal er i snt onl y about
managi ng bars, i ts al so about good communi cati on.
Damage deal ers shoul d l ay on as much damage as possi bl e wi thout steal i ng aggro from the mai n tank. As l ong as they assi st each other to stay on one target at a ti me,
thi s i s not terri bl y di ffi cul t. Theyl l ri p down i ndi vi dual enemi es whi l e the tank hol ds onto ever ythi ng el se (and preferabl y the si ngl e target as wel l )!
Dont be afrai d to ask questi ons before a fi ght. Ask about your rol e or your abi l i ti es. If you dont know a boss encounter, you shoul d say so before the pul l begi ns.
Ive never fought thi s guy before. What shoul d I do?
Some peopl e wi l l be annoyed by thi s. The maj ori ty wont, because they know that youre tr yi ng to l earn. They al so know that your questi ons mi ght save the group i n the
pul l ahead. If one person di dnt know what to do, maybe there were a coupl e more peopl e who di dnt know but were afrai d to ask!
Al so, use avai l abl e resources to fi nd out more about your targets. The Dungeon Journal i s an i n- game tool that l i sts al l the abi l i ti es and avai l abl e l oot wi thi n
Worl d Dungeons.
HAVE FUN
Thi s secti on mi ght make dungeons seem extremel y i nti mi dati ng and tough. They can be, but they can al so be ver y sati sfyi ng to compl ete. Dungeons reveal more about the
Azeroth stor yl i ne, and they hol d the most exoti c, someti mes amusi ng, and powerful enemi es i n the game. For success, enter a dungeon, l i sten to your l eader, and pay cl ose
attenti on, but al so have fun!
DUNGEON FINDER TOOL
If you want to run a dungeon, whether you are a part of a ful l group of fi ve pl ayers or j oi ni ng on your own, the Dungeon Fi nder tool i s a val uabl e resource for you.
Usi ng the Dungeon Fi nder to run dungeons has many advantages, but the bi ggest one i s arguabl y the fact that you are transported di rectl y to the i nteri or of the dungeon
i nstead of spendi ng the ti me travel i ng to that dungeon.
What about the other options?
Raid Finder, Scenarios, and Challenges dont become available until you are at or near the maximum level for
Mists of Pandaria.
USING THE DUNGEON FINDER
The Dungeon Fi nder tool fi rst becomes avai l abl e at l evel 15. To access the Dungeon Fi nder tool ,
ei ther cl i ck on the appropri ate i con i n your i nterface bar, or press I on your keyboard.
Fi rst, you can sel ect a speci fi c dungeon, or set the system to assi gn you to a dungeon randoml y.
Next, sel ect a rol e appropri ate for your cl ass and spec (Tank, Heal er, Damage Deal er).
The Dungeon Fi nder pl aces you i n the queue, and the Dungeon Fi nder tool i con appears near your
mi ni map. Mousi ng over the Dungeon Fi nder i con near the mi ni map provi des the average wai t
ti me for pl ayers usi ng the system. Tanks and Heal ers general l y have much shorter wai t ti mes than
pl ayers who choose a Damage rol e.
Use the drop down Type: menu to choose to run a random dungeon, or a speci fi c dungeon from
a l i sti ng appropri ate for your partys l evel range. Whi l e i t mi ght be tempti ng to sti ck wi th dungeons
youre fami l i ar wi th, there are advantages to runni ng random dungeons (more on that soon).
The Dungeon Fi nder al ways pl aces you i n dungeons appropri ate to your characters l evel and
equi pment. At hi gher l evel s, you may need to meet certai n requi rements, such as compl eti ng a
quest or di scoveri ng a dungeons entrance, to access the dungeons through the Dungeon Fi nder tool .
Queuing in a Group
Groups, whether they are ful l or need to fi l l a few roster spots, can sti l l use the Dungeon Fi nder. The group l eader queues the enti re group, but i ndi vi dual pl ayers must chose
thei r rol e, or rol es (wi th dual specs, most cl asses can sel ect more than one rol e), wi thi n the group. If your group has fewer than fi ve pl ayers, i t i s pl aced i nto the queue and
other pl ayers al ready i n the queue wi l l be added to your group when a dungeon i s sel ected.
If your group al ready has fi ve characters, then you are sent to a dungeon i mmedi atel y after ever yone has sel ected a rol e. Keep i n mi nd that at l east one pl ayer must sel ect
Tank and another Heal er i n order for the Dungeon Fi nder to pl ace your group.
INSIDE THE DUNGEON
After enteri ng the dungeon, you can use the Dungeon Fi nder i con near your mi ni map to tel eport out. Doi ng so sends you back to the spot from whi ch you were
tel eported i nto the dungeon. Wal ki ng out of the portal at the start of the dungeon does the same thi ng. To fi nd the opti on to return to the dungeon, ri ght cl i ck on the
Dungeon Fi nder i con.
RANDOM DUNGEON BONUSES
Compl eti ng a random dungeon provi des extra rewards. Most often the rewards are extra money, experi ence, and even i tems at l ower l evel s. Another advantage to sel ecti ng
a random dungeon i s that ever yone i n a group wi th at l east one random member recei ves a Luck of the Draw buff. Luck of the Draw i ncreases damage done by 5%, heal i ng
done by 5%, and heal th by 5%. Thi s number i ncreases i n 5% i ncrements for each random party member i ncl uded i n the group, al though the maxi mum benefi t gi ven by Luck
of the Draw i s 15%.
184 185
GUILDS
Gui l ds are pl ayer- run organi zati ons that form to accompl i sh some type of goal that becomes easi er to achi eve
through cooperati ve efforts. Members of a gui l d mi ght be i nvol ved i n PvP events, rol e pl ayi ng, runni ng dungeons
and endgame rai di ng, questi ng, or j ust about anythi ng el se you can consi der. There are thousands and thousands
of gui l ds throughout Worl d of Warcraft, some wi th members that have been adventuri ng together for l onger than
Worl d of Warcraft has been rel eased!
Most pl ayers end up j oi ni ng a gui l d at some poi nt, but pl ayers j oi n gui l ds for many di fferent reasons. As l ong as
youre pl ayi ng wi th a ful l versi on of the game, you can j oi n any gui l d that i nvi tes you. Usi ng mul ti pl e characters,
you can even be a member of di fferent gui l ds!
FINDING A GUILD
Its easy to fi nd a gui l d. In fact, you may be asked to j oi n gui l ds by total strangers. The tri ck i s fi ndi ng an acti ve and stabl e gui l d that sui ts your purposes. If you meet a
pl ayer that you enj oy pl ayi ng wi th, i ts compl etel y appropri ate for you to i nqui re about thei r gui l d. Keep i n mi nd that there are no rul es for moni tori ng of gui l ds, so gui l d
behavi or vari es wi del y. The fol l owi ng are some cri teri a you shoul d consi der i f youre l ooki ng for a gui l d.
Theres a Gui l d Fi nder Tool bui l t i nto the games i nterface as wel l . If you arent currentl y i n a gui l d, press j to open the Gui l d Fi nder Tool . Check the boxes rel evant to your
i nterests and avai l abi l i ty and you can browse whi ch gui l ds are currentl y recrui ti ng and share your i nterests.
TYPES OF GUILDS
Questi ng gui l ds work together to expl ore al l the l ands of Worl d of Warcraft through the compl eti on of quests. Many gui l ds of thi s type are al so thought of as l evel i ng gui l ds,
si nce the emphasi s i s often worki ng wi th new or l ow- l evel pl ayers to i ncrease thei r character l evel .
PvP gui l ds focus on pl ayer- versus- pl ayer combat i n the battl egrounds or el sewhere i n the worl d. Due to the competati ve nature of PvP, many PvP gui l ds arent prone to
accept new pl ayers wi thout a tri al peri od.
Dungeon and Rai di ng gui l ds are typi cal l y l ooki ng for pl ayers to fi l l speci fi c rol es i n thei r 5- , 10- , or 25- man groups. Gui l ds runni ng dungeons may have characters at vari ous
l evel s and coul d have a spot avai l abl e for newer pl ayers. Rai di ng gui l ds are stocked wi th max l evel characters, and focus on compl eti ng endgame content and are more
l i kel y to have more speci fi c rul es on pl ayti mes and character readi ness than many other gui l ds.
RP gui l ds are together for rol e pl ayi ng. They stay i n- character whi l e pl ayi ng Worl d of Warcraft.
GUILD SIZE AND MEMBERSHIP
Gui l ds can be l arge or smal l , and nei ther i s better than the other. Smal l gui l ds are usual l y more i nti mate and fri endl y, but you have fewer pl ayers to game wi th. A l arge
gui l d can feel l ess personal , but there are more pl ayers on whom you can rel y.
Most peopl e feel more comfortabl e i n a gui l d wi th members wi th some si mi l ar i nterests. If youre new to the game, you may not be comfortabl e i n a gui l d of pl ayers
progressi ng through hi gh- l evel content. On the other hand, i f you want to i mprove your combat ski l l s, bei ng around more experi enced pl ayers may benefi t you.
You can fi nd gui l d members of var yi ng age, gender, and l i fe experi ences. In addi ti on, you shoul d i nqui re about the pl ayi ng hours of other gui l d members. That way,
youl l get a sense of whether thi s i s a pl ace where youl l fi t i n.
COOPERATION
A strong gui l d encourages cooperati on among i ts members. Thi s means that pl ayers wi l l hel p you compl ete questseven i f they dont have the same quest, and you wi l l be
expected to reci procate. Gui l ds are al so good opportuni ti es for i mprovi ng your Professi ons. Gui l d members are often wi l l i ng to provi de the raw materi al s for your Professi on
i f you suppl y them, or the gui l d i n general , wi th i mproved gear.
GUILD BENEFITS
The pri mar y benefi t of j oi ni ng a gui l d i s that you are never al one i n the game. Bei ng part of a gui l d i s l i ke bei ng part of a cl ub or team. Your gui l d mates are there when
you have questi ons or probl ems i n the game or when you j ust want to pl ay wi th a group.
Pl ayi ng wi th the same peopl e al so bui l ds tremendous rapport. Its easi er to compl ete dungeons and rai ds when you can communi cate wel l wi th other peopl e, and getti ng to
know ever yone i n a gui l d ai ds that process.
Gui l ds have thei r own bank vaul ts to exchange materi al s, and they often have far more advanced crafters than peopl e who are sol oi ng. Because members of these
Professi ons have mul ti pl e gatherers on thei r si de, they rai se thei r ski l l s qui ckl y and then often provi de thei r work to others on the team at a tri vi al rate (or free of charge).
The Downside of Guilds
Really, there is only one big downside to playing with guilds. They expose you to drama. Any large group of people has its
politicking and foolishness. Dont expect gaming to change that at all!
Guilds can break apart in the span of hours, even after theyve been together for years. Its essential to find a guild with calm,
friendly, and still firm leadership if you want to stay in one place for as long as possible. Larger isnt necessarily better for
this. Age helps (both of the guild and of its player base), but that is no proof against drama either.
Instead, the actions of a guilds players speak the loudest. Observe multiple members of a guild in various circumstances.
How are they in groups? Are they polite? Serious? Do they cause any trouble? How do they handle troublemakers?
For the best results, try out for a guild and let them work just as hard to impress you. Find people who like doing the same
things that you enjoy. It pays for itself in the long run, even if you spend a good while on your own, looking for the right fit.
GUILD PERKS
Gui l ds are l evel i ng creatures. The more i ts members gai n experi ence, the more the gui l d i s abl e to provi de for them.
Gui l d bonuses i ncl ude i ncreased experi ence gai n for i ts members, faster mount speeds, and much more.
Nearl y ever ythi ng the members of the gui l d do i n the game works to i ncrease the gui l ds l evel . In addi ti on to the experi ence the
gui l d needs to reach hi gher l evel s, members of the gui l d must bui l d thei r own standi ng wi thi n the gui l d.
GUILD ACHIEVEMENTS
Gui l d Achi evements appear i n your Achi evement pane under the Gui l d tab. Most of these achi evements mi rror your standard
achi evements wi th the added sti pul ati on of accompl i shi ng many of them i n a group made up pri mari l y of members of your gui l d.
These achi evements span ever y facet of the game. Compl eti on of dungeons, and parti ci pati on i n PVP battl es are exampl es
of achi evements that must be done i n a gui l d- heavy group. Other achi evements keep track of the combi ned efforts of the
i ndi vi dual s i n the gui l d. Getti ng at l east one of ever y cl ass from each possi bl e race to maxi mum l evel i s an exampl e of such an
achi evement, as i s havi ng Zen Masters i n ever y Professi on.
186 187
GUILD REPUTATION AND REWARDS
Gui l ds cant si mpl y add pl ayers wi th hi gh l evel characters or maxed out Professi ons. Each character must achi eve
a certai n standi ng wi th the gui l d i n order for thei r accompl i shments to count. Thi s al so appl i es to pl ayers.
You cant j oi n a gui l d and i nstantl y gai n access to ever ythi ng the gui l d has unl ocked. You must put i n ti me and
effort before you benefi t from the work the gui l d as a whol e has compl eted. Gai ni ng Gui l d Reputati on happens as
youre accompl i shi ng the tasks that boost your gui l ds l evel , so i ts a wi n/wi n si tuati on!
JOINING A GUILD
To j oi n a gui l d, you need to get an i nvi te from a gui l d
offi cer. You mi ght get an i nvi tati on ri ght away, or you
may have to wai t unti l a parti cul ar member i s onl i ne.
Once you accept the gui l d i nvi tati on, youl l be added
to the gui l d channel , and youl l start seei ng the ongoi ng gui l d chat.
LEAVING A GUILD
To l eave, type /gqui t.
Joi ni ng a gui l d i s not l i ke getti ng marri ed. It i s, however, l i ke dati ng: you may need to j oi n successi ve gui l ds before you fi nd one that real l y sui ts you. If you deci de to l eave
your gui l d, i ts good form to tel l the Gui l d Leader that youre l eavi ng and why.
CREATING A GUILD
If youd prefer to l ead rather than fol l ow, fi nd four other peopl e and make your own gui l d. Thi s starts when you go
to a maj or ci ty and purchase a Gui l d Charter. They cost 10 si l ver, and you can fi nd the Gui l d Master NPC that sel l s
them wi th the hel p of the l ocal guards.
Thi s i s the onl y upfront money that i s needed for a gui l d to be put together. You use the charter to get other peopl e
to si gn, and once you have al l the si gnatures you are ready to go. Bri ng the charter back to the Gui l d Master and
turn i t i n.
Di fferent characters from the same account cannot l og i n to si gn the charter once one character from that account
has al ready si gned i t. Thus, you need fi ve di fferent pl ayers to work together when formi ng a gui l d.
Peopl e who si gn your charter dont need to remai n i n the gui l d after i t forms. They can l eave i nstantl y i f they l i ke,
so even a si ngl e person can be i n a gui l d (by themsel ves). If you pay others to hel p you put thi ngs together, thi s i s
qui te doabl e. Its l onel y, but some peopl e prefer thi ngs that way.
GUILD RANKS
Gui l ds have the fol l owi ng ranks for thei r members: Ini ti ate, Member, Veteran, Offi cer, and Leader. What the
ranks actual l y i ndi cate vari es from gui l d to gui l d. Each gui l d has onl y one Leader, but Offi cers can do many gui l d
management tasks.
GUILD TABARD
A tabard i s a tuni c beari ng the col ors and i nsi gni a of your gui l d. It i ndi cates your al l egi ance to your gui l d, but there
i s no i n- game benefi t to weari ng a gui l d tabard. Purchasi ng a tabard costs 1 gol d. If you l eave one gui l d and j oi n
another, you can use the same tabard; the i nsi gni a updates as you change gui l ds.
GUILD VAULT
Each gui l d can buy Gui l d Bank tabs at the Gui l d Vaul t. Some gui l ds are weal thy, and some are poor. The vaul t
i s al ways managed by the Gui l d Leader, who deci des what ki nd of access each member gets. Vaul ts can hol d
anythi ng, i ncl udi ng gol d, weapons, armor, reci pes, and other shared i tems.
AUCTION HOUSES
Aucti on houses are l ocated i n al l maj or ci ti es. Li ke banks, they are l i nked by facti on.
So, you can access the same aucti ons from any aucti on house i n any ci ty. There are
al so several neutral aucti on houses that ser ve both Horde and Al l i ance, but youl l
need to be around l evel 40 to reach them.
The Aucti on Houses i n Worl d of Warcraft work ver y much l i ke real - l i fe onl i ne aucti on
si tes. You set up a ti med aucti on wi th a mi ni mum starti ng pri ce that sel l s to the
hi ghest bi dder; you can al so set a buyout pri ce that enabl es pl ayers to purchase the
i tem i mmedi atel y. And, i f you fi nd an i tem you want, you can pl ace a bi d or buyout
the i tem i nstantl y.
Ri ght- cl i cki ng on any Aucti oneer opens the aucti on i nterface. It has three tabs:
Browse, Bi ds, and Aucti ons.
BROWSING
The Browse tab enabl es you to search through al l current aucti ons. Because there are
thousands of avai l abl e i tems, you need to use speci fi c cri teri a to narrow your search.
For exampl e, suppose youre l ooki ng for a ni ce, new pi ece of Mai l Armor. Usi ng the
categor y pane on the l eft hand si de of the Aucti on House wi ndow, you can open
a seri es of menus that can hel p refi ne your search. Once youre happy wi th the
categor y of search, hi t the Search button to return a l i st of ever ythi ng for sal e i n the
aucti on house.
There are buttons al ong the top of the search resul ts screen that al l ow you to sort
the presented l i st of i tems by Rari ty, Level requi red to use, Ti me l eft on the aucti on,
the Sel l er, and the Current Bi d. Use these to hel p narrow down your search for the
i tem that i s perfect for you.
188 189
BIDS
To make a bi d, cl i ck on the i tem you want, enter your bi d bel ow, and cl i ck Bi d button.
You wont need to stay onl i ne for your bi d to remai n acti ve. Aucti ons can l ast for a ver y
l ong ti me, so i ts a good i dea to go off and do other thi ngs. The Aucti on House mai l s
you your i tems i f you wi n the bi d, so the system i s qui te si mpl e.
The Bi ds Tab enabl es you to keep tabs on the status of these aucti ons. If you are outbi d
whi l e you are onl i ne, you recei ve a message i n your General chat l og. If youve been
offl i ne for a whi l e, check the status of these sal es by openi ng the Bi ds Tab. If someone
el se i s the hi ghest bi dder, thei r name appears i n red. Thi s gi ves you an opportuni ty to
bi d agai n i f you wi sh.
If you know exactl y what youre l ooki ng for, you can enter i ts name i n the Name fi el d at the top of the aucti on house wi ndow. Agai n, a l i st of avai l abl e i tems wi l l appear
i n the search resul ts pane. If you use your cursor to mouse over the i con for each i tem, the game wi l l return detai l ed i nformati on about the i tem, so you can confi rm i ts the
i tem you want, or can use.
There are addi ti onal fi l ters for use i n the Aucti on House wi ndow. The Level Range boxes al l ow you to fi l ter the resul ts for the l evel range you enter. For exampl e, a l evel
12 character may enter a l evel range from 10 to 12, ensuri ng they see onl y i tems they can use, and that they havent outgrown. Fi nal l y, the Useabl e Items box can be
checked, fi l teri ng search resul ts to di spl ay onl y i tems that your character can use.
BUYOUT
Usi ng the buyout opti on works the same way except that you must meet the buyout
pri ce. Li ke other onl i ne opti ons, the benefi t i s that you get the i tem ri ght away, but you
are l i kel y to pay more when usi ng thi s opti on.
Because i ts fi nal , the game asks you to confi rm payment. Cl i ck Accept. As soon as the
transacti on i s compl ete, you recei ve a mai l fl ag on your mi ni - map, i ndi cati ng that your
aucti on i tem i s al ready i n your mai l box. Retri eve i t as you woul d regul ar mai l .
AUCTIONS
To create an aucti on of your own, use the Aucti ons Tab. Start by
l eft- cl i cki ng and draggi ng the desi gnated i tem i nto the Aucti on
Item sl ot. By defaul t, the game enters a common Starti ng Pri ce
for the i tem. The gi ven starti ng pri ce may or may not work for
your purposes, so feel free to change i t. You can al so change the
durati on of the aucti on and i ncl ude a Buyout pri ce. Noti ce the
deposi t fee. Thi s goes to the aucti on house, and you cannot get
i t back. Once youve set up the parameters, cl i ck the Create
Aucti on button.
The i tem appears as an aucti on l i sti ng for your character.
Regardl ess of whether your i tem sel l s, you dont have to do
anythi ng more. If the i tem sel l s, you wi l l recei ve confi rmati on and
payment through the mai l . If your i tem doesnt sel l , the Aucti on
House mai l s the i tem back to you, mi nus thei r cut.
Neutral Aucti on Houses take a much hi gher cut of your fi nal sal e
pri ce, so theyre brutal for hi gh- end sal es. The ni ce thi ng about them i s that they al l ow for one of the onl y means of cross- facti on exchanges of i tems.
Always Sell With a Buyout Price
Its rare not to have a good reason to post items and give a buyout price. Sure, the sky is the limit
when people are bidding against each other, but who knows if their bidding war will ever have enough
time to meet the maximum value that one of the players would have paid.
Instead, figure out the best prices for your items and go for the throat. People get quite eager for the
items they want, and having instant gratification at their fingertips is worth in-game money to them.
When youre uncertain of proper pricing, use the auction house itself or research the item online to
see what its selling for elsewhere. To search locally, act as if youre shopping for the exact item that
youre about to sell. Use the Auction House to search for the item, then undercut your competition
by offering the item for a tiny bit less (a single gold, or maybe even a few silver). Either way puts your
item above theirs when players search for it!
USING THE TRADE CHANNEL
Usi ng the Trade channel to buy and sel l i s a much l ess structured way to conduct busi ness. The Trade channel i s desi gned to di scuss trade; you can get feedback about the
pri ce or avai l abi l i ty of an i tem, and maybe make a purchase or sal e.
A word of warni ng, bored pl ayers often use the Trade channel to di scuss j ust about ever y topi c under the sun, so be prepared to endure the di n of the crowd.
Use thi s command l i ne to speak i n the Trade channel and then Shi ft and l eft- cl i ck your i tem:
/Trade Want to sel l <Hol d down Shi ft and l eft- cl i ck the i tem i n questi on>That way, pl ayers can cl i ck the l i nk for detai l s. Li kewi se, i f someone posts a l i nk i n the channel ,
you can cl i ck i t to see the i tems stats. You can do thi s for any sort of i tem, i ncl udi ng one that you are seeki ng for a quest.
Most pl ayers use communi cati on shorthand for buyi ng and sel l i ng i n the Trade channel . Here are a few of the most common abbrevi ati ons:
ABBREVIATION WHAT IT MEANS
LF Looking For
WTB Want To Buy
WTS Want To Sell
LFW Looking For Work (Someone is offering their Professional services)
PST Please Send tell (Please whisper to them privately to get more information or to haggle)
190 191
A
Add
An extra monster that has joined an existing battle.
AFK
Away From Keyboard. Used to show that the player isnt at their
computer. When you see a characters name preceded by <Away>,
that person is not actively playing the game.
Aggro
A monsters aggressive attention. That Orc is aggroing on you.
Look out!
Aggro Radius
The radius around the monsters that determines their aggression. You
will be attacked if you step within their aggro radius.
AGI
Agility. A character statistic that controls defensive aspects of play
and damage for some classes.
AH
Auction House. A place where items are bought and sold
between players.
Alt
A character on your account other than your main character.
A secondary character.
AoE or AE
Area of Effect. Often used to talk about abilities that damage
enemies in groups.
Avatar
Your character and, thus, your representation in the game.
B
BG
Battleground. This is a place for organized PvP combat.
Buff
A beneficial spell cast on a player or monster.
C
Caster
A character or monster that uses spells, often at range.
Cheese
To exploit an imbalance in the game.
Combat Pets
A creature controlled by a player that assists during combat.
Creep
An older gaming term for a monster
Critters
Creatures that arent a threat to a player. These include deer,
bunnies, and other fauna that wont aggro on anyone.
Crowd Control (CC)
Any ability that temporarily removes an enemy from a battle.
Examples are Sap, Polymorph, and Hex.
D
DD
Direct Damage. This is a spell that does all of its damage in one hit
rather than spreading its damage over time.
Debuff
A negative spell cast on a unit that makes it less powerful.
Detaunt
Related to aggro. Abilities of this type throw aggro off of a
character and force it onto someone/something else.
DMG
Short for damage.
DoT
Damage Over Time. This often refers to an effect that ticks every
few seconds, applying damage each time there is a tick.
DPS
Damage Per Second. This is a concept that is used to universally
evaluate weapons and spells of different speeds.
E
Elite
Monsters with a gold dragon around their icons are elite; they
have more health, greater damage output, and sometimes have
special abilities.
Experience (XP/EXP)
A stat that rises from exploring, killing monsters, and completing
quests. Each tier of experience grants characters a higher level and,
thus, more power.
F
FH
Full Health.
FM
Full Mana.
FTL
For The Lose or For The Loss. An Internet or sports term that
implies that a strategy, concept, or action is weak.
FTW
For The Win. This means that something is powerful or useful.
G
Gank
To grossly overpower a target and exploit (or decimate) it. I was
fighting a monster and a level 85 Rogue ganked me.
GG
Good Game. Most often used after a battleground or arena match
to thank other players for contributing or when someone is about
to log off.
GM
Game Master. Someone employed by Blizzard Entertainment to
assist and help players.
Griefer
A person who purposely tries to annoy or anger other players.
Grinding
To repeat any activity to achieve a conclusion through sheer
investment of time. Ill keep fighting these Boars to grind out this
level. Or Im grinding reputation with Orgrimmar.
Group
A team of up to five characters that join together to take on a
dungeon or a particularly tricky quest.
H
HP
Hit Points or Health. This is a measure of a characters survivability.
I
Incoming (INC)
This means an attack is imminent.
Instancing
A copy of an area that is only shared by a specific group. The world
is not instanced. Dungeons, raids, Scenarios, and battlegrounds
have many copies. These are instances.
INT
Intellect. A character statistic that controls efficacy of spells.
K
Kiting
A style of combat in which a player continually stays out of the
combat range of an enemy, usually by running away from it,
while simultaneously causing damage to it.
KOS
Kill on Sight. Some NPCs will rush forward and attack players of
a different faction the moment they see them. Example: Alliance
guards toward Horde players.
KS
Kill Steal. Attempting to hit a monster and thus ensure that you
or your group gets to loot it even though another person/group
is about to attack the same target or is already attacking the
same target.
L
LFG
Looking For a Group.
LFM
Looking For More. This implies than an existing group has open
slots and wants to get more people before starting a quest/
dungeon run.
Log
When you log off; disconnect from the game.
LOL
Laughing Out Loud. An Internet term expressing humor.
LOM
Low on Mana. This is a warning from casters that they dont have
much healing or damage left to contribute to a fight.
Loot
To take the treasure from a monster that has been killed or from a
chest. The term also refers to the treasure gained in this action.
LOS
Line of Sight. Often used as a warning. Break LOS means that
you should get your character behind cover to avoid a targets
attention or attacks.
LVL
Level. A measure of a characters power.
M
MA
Main Assist. A member of a group assigned to select the target for
the damage dealers in a group to attack at the same time.
MMORPG
Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game.
Mob
An old programming acronym of Mobile Object Block. Mobs are
computer-controlled characters (usually monsters) in the game.
Mount
A summoned, rideable creature. Ground mounts are available early
in the game and can be ridden around many areas. Flying mounts
are gained at higher level, and they allow players to soar above
the world. All of these increase player speed.
MT
1) Main Tank. A member of a group that protects the others by
holding the monsters attention (their aggro).
2) Mistell. A message accidentally sent to the wrong person.
N
Named
A special monster that is usually stronger than surrounding
monsters, with possible special abilities and item drops.
NBG
Need Before Greed. This is a loot system. With this set, only
people that need an item as an upgrade will roll dice to see who
gets it.
Nerf
To downgrade, to be made softer, or make less effective.
Newb/Noob
Short for Newbie, but more often used as a pejorative.
Newbie
A new player.
Ninja
To try to loot an item without other players knowing or paying
attention. Such actions are considered extremely rude.
NP
No Problem.
NPC
An in-game person that is controlled by the server, such as a
quest giver.
O
OOM
Out of Mana. This marks the end of healing or damage output
from a caster.
P
Pat
A patrolling monster. This may be issued as a warning that said
creature is coming your way. PAT!
PC
Player-controlled Character.
Pet
A creature (NPC) controlled by a player such as a Wolf, Infernal,
and so on. Non-combat pets, like kittens or penguins, do not affect
combat but are instead summoned to add flavor to a character or
used in Pet Battles.
PK
Player Kill or a Player Killer. More of a term for open-world PvP
interactions.
POP/Repop
Contraction of Repopulation. This is a warning that monsters are
returning to an area after being slain.
Proc
An effect that is randomly triggered from time to time based on
another action taken by a character.
PST
Please Send Tell. Indicates that the person wants to hear back
regarding a certain sale or issue.
Puller
A character that pulls monsters for the party, controlling the way
a battle initiates.
Pulling
The act of heading out, getting aggro from a monster, and bringing
the fight back to a party.
PvE
Player vs. Environment. Combat between players and computer-
controlled opponents.
PvP
Player vs. Player. Competition between players that can be as
small as a duel or as large as 80 or more players.
R
Raid
A congregation of player groups that bands together for extremely
challenging content or PvP situations.
Res/Rez
Short for Resurrect. This refers to any spell or ability that can
bring a character back to life. I need a rez. I went AFK and
something killed me.
Respawn
The same as Pop/Repop. A monster can return to the
world after being killed. The act of returning is called respawning.
The creature itself may also be referred to as a respawn.
Rest
Characters accrue rested bonus while their player is out of the
game. This happens when someone logs their character out while
inside an inn or within the boundaries of a city. This adds bonus
experience during subsequent play.
Roll
This means that you should roll a random number to determine
who has the right to get an item. /roll generates a number
between 1 and 100. The highest roll would win something.
Root
To trap a target in place using a spell or ability.
RP
Role Play. To interact with the game and players as though you are
your character, as though you are in a theatre performance.
RPing
Role Playing. See RP.
S
Shard
Disenchant an item, often while in a group. Rare quality items
(which most dungeon bosses drop) are turned into shards of
different types when disenchanted. Thus, instead of saying, Ill
disenchant this item, players began saying If no one wants this
item, I can shard it.
SPI
Spirit. A character statistic that influences mana regeneration.
STA
Stamina. A character statstic that determines the health (HP) of
a character.
Stack
Stack has a few meanings. In your bags, some identical items
can placed (stacked) in a single inventory slot to conserve space.
In boss encounters, players often group up (stack) on a single spot
during a special attack from a boss.
STR
Strength. A character statistic that influences damage for many
melee characters.
T
Tank
A character that takes damage and holds monsters attention to
protect others.
Tap
The first point of damage a monster takes locks its future loot to
the character that dealt said damage. This act is called tapping.
Creatures that are tapped have their bars go grey so other people
know not to mess with them.
Taunt
Related to aggro. Abilities of this type pull aggro off of a target
and bring it back to a tank.
Threat
This measures how much a monster wants to kill each member
of a group engaged in a fight. The person with the highest threat
usually keeps the monsters aggro.
Train
Visiting your class trainer to learn new abilities.
troll/trolling
See Griefer.
Twink
A low-level character with the absolutely best gear, often because
of guild assistance or money/gear sent down by a higher-level
character played by the same person.
TY
Thank You.
U
Uber
German slang for super. This is a common gamer term for
something that is impressive.
V
Vendor Trash
An item that only a vendor/merchant would buy.
W
WoW
World of Warcraft.
WTB
Want to Buy. Shorthand for saying that someone is looking to
purchase something, often listing their intentions afterward.
WTS
Want to Sell. Shorthand for saying that someone has something to
sell, often listing their goods afterward.
Y
YW
Youre Welcome.
GLOSSARY
The fol l owi ng i s a l i st of i mportant i n- game terms and abbrevi ati ons. Not al l of these are offi ci al terms used by Bl i zzard, but theres a good chance youl l see them used by
other pl ayers fai rl y often. You dont need to memori ze thi s l i st, but i ts a handy reference i n case you encounter an unfami l i ar word or phrase.
192 193
PROFESSIONS
Professi ons are addi ti onal ski l l s for your character, most of whi ch you can l earn starti ng at l evel 5. Learni ng Professi ons i s compl etel y opti onal , but they add addi ti onal
l ayers of i nteracti on (and fun!) to your ti me i n Worl d of Warcraft. In addi ti on, pri mar y professi ons gi ve stati sti cal bonuses that can be ver y useful when youre tr yi ng to
opti mi ze your characters gear.
There are two categori es of Professi ons: pri mar y and secondar y. Each character can choose onl y two pri mar y Professi ons. You can sel ect as many secondar y Professi ons as
you l i ke. There are no cl ass or race restri cti ons when i t comes to choosi ng a Professi on, but some races enj oy advantages for certai n Professi ons.
Some pri mar y Professi ons i nvol ve your character goi ng i nto the worl d and l ooki ng for speci fi c types of l oot. These are cal l ed gatheri ng Professi ons. You mi ght be hunti ng for
metal , ani mal ski ns, or herbs. Other Professi ons use these materi al s to create i tems, and they are known as crafti ng Professi ons.
Crafti ng Professi ons al l ow characters to produce i tems for others to use. You mi ght be maki ng permanent i tems, such as armor or weapons, or you mi ght be i nvested i n
short- term goodi es, l i ke poti ons. Crafti ng Professi ons requi re a hi gher i nvestment i n money and ti me than gatheri ng Professi ons.
Secondar y Professi ons are speci fi c i n what they can do. Though more l i mi ted i n scope than pri mar y Professi ons, these are easi er to pi ck up, master, and pl ay around wi th.
PRIMARY PROFESSIONS
There are 11 pri mar y Professi ons i n the game. If youre i nterested i n a certai n Professi on after readi ng the bri ef i ntroducti ons that fol l ow, there i s more detai l about each
Professi on, starti ng on page 200.
IMPROVING PROFESSIONS
Practicing the Gathering Professions
To i ncrease your ski l l i n Herbal i sm, Mi ni ng, or Ski nni ng, you must si mpl y perform
those gatheri ng tasks agai n and agai n. Performi ng the actual task i s j ust l i ke
l ooti ng: you ri ght- cl i ck on the obj ect. Herbs are found on the ground al l over the
worl d. Mi ni ng vei ns are usual l y al ong ri dges or tucked i nto val l eys. Theyre al so
pl enti ful i nsi de caves. Ski ns are taken from many normal ani mal s or monsters.
Most ti mes you gather an i tem, your ski l l i ncreases as shown i n your General chat
l og. Eventual l y a gi ven type of obj ect greys out. Thi s means that you cant get
poi nts from them anymore (you can sti l l gather them, though). You can tel l thi s
because the tag bel ow the obj ect appears i n grey i nstead of green, yel l ow, orange,
or red.
Items shown i n red are too hi gh to use. If you tr y to har vest i t, the game l ets you
know what ski l l l evel you need to achi eve to har vest the i tem. Rai se your ski l l i n
that Professi on and they wi l l eventual l y be accessi bl e.
PROFESSION TYPE WHAT IT DOES
Alchemy Crafting Make potions/elixirs/flasks
Blacksmithing Crafting Craft mail/plate armor and weapons
Enchanting Crafting Improve equipment
Engineering Crafting Create gadgets, ranged weapons, bombs, and other toys
Inscription Crafting Make Glyphs to augment characters
Jewelcrafting Crafting Create rings, trinkets, and gems to improve gear
Leatherworking Crafting Craft leather/mail armor and armor kits
Tailoring Crafting Craft cloth armor and bags
Herbalism Gathering Gather herbs
Mining Gathering Gather ore
Skinning Gathering Gather animal skins
Practicing the Crafting Professions
To practi ce the non- gatheri ng Professi ons, cl i ck on the Professi ons i con from your Spel l book or your Acti on Bar.
Thi s opens a wi ndow that l i sts al l the reci pes you currentl y know i n that Professi on. Cl i cki ng on the i ndi vi dual reci pe
shows you al l the i ngredi ents requi red.
If you have al l of the requi red i ngredi ents, the number of ti mes you can use that reci pe wi th the materi al s you have
on hand i s i ndi cated besi de the name. To make an i tem, cl i ck on the reci pe to hi ghl i ght i t, i nput the number you
want, and cl i ck Create. If you queue mul ti pl e i tems of the same type at once, your character wi l l conti nue crafti ng
unti l they are i nterrupted or have fi ni shed the j ob, gai ni ng poi nts i n the professi on as they woul d i f maki ng onl y
one i tem at a ti me.
194 195
CRAFTING PROFESSIONS

Alchemy
Alchemists use herbs and oils to create potions, elixirs, and fasks with such effects
as healing, mana regeneration, invisibility, speed, underwater breathing, and
increased strength. The earliest focus in this profession are potions that restore
health and mana.

Inscription
Scribes create glyphs, scrolls, cards, and other paper and book items. Glyphs are
class-specifc recipes that enhance characters abilities. At beginning levels,
scribes need a Virtuoso Inking Set, herbs, and parchments. Scribes automatically
learn Milling, which turns herbs into pigements. They are then able to combine
pigments to make inks.

Blacksmithing
Blacksmithing uses metal bars to create weaponry and both mail and plate armor.
Blacksmiths need a Blacksmith Hammer and access to an anvil to create items.
Many merchants have crafting items, and any of these will sell your character a
Blacksmith Hammer for a trivial amount of money. Anvils are found in most towns
and in all cities.

Jewelcrafting
Jewelcrafting is the art of creating beautiful and powerful jewelry from metals and
gems. There are a number of nifty recipes that are only meant to be used when a
Jewelcrafter makes the items for themselves.
At higher levels of Jewelcrafting, you create gems that are slotted into higher-tier
equipment. Anything that has red, yellow, blue, or meta slots is letting you know that
there are empty spaces for gems there. Jewelcrafters take gems found with metal
veins or gained through Prospecting and cut them into fnished items that convey
various bonuses.

Leatherworking
Leatherworking uses hides and skins to create leather and mail armor, armor kits,
and a few other items. Many early Leatherworking items require you to purchase
materials from Trade vendors, but you wont need to worry about any required tools
for making items.

Tailoring
Tailoring is the weaving and sewing of cloth into armor, shirts, bags, and other items.
Cloth can be looted from slain humanoid enemies, and higher-level enemies tend
to possess more advanced varieties of cloth. Because of this, leveling the Tailoring
profession is easiest if done while leveling a character.

Engineering
Engineering uses metal and stones to create a variety of useful and fun items,
such as goggles, explosives, ranged weapon scopes, and mechanical animals.
Creating different items with Engineering requires a handful of tools, most of which
are created by the Engineer. One exception is a Blacksmithing Hammer, which is
required for the creation of many Engineering items.
Engineering is helpful for dedicated solo and PvP characters. Where many crafting
professions only affect your combat strength by passively increasing your stats,
Engineers can craft a bevy of utility items, including parachute cloaks, explosives to
stun foes, or trinkets that can summon pets to assist you in combat.

Enchanting
Enchanting uses magic recipes to permanently enhance armor and weapons with
improvements such as increased stats. Enchantments require magical ingredients
that result from Disenchanting other items. This is a rare case where a crafting
Profession is also its own gathering Profession.
Enchanting is a diffcult profession for a new player to skill up easily. Guilds often
offer the support a person needs to become a higher-level Enchanter without
crippling themselves fnancially. Tailoring is a good profession to take in addition to
Enchanting, as it doesnt require a Gathering profession to make its goods, and the
items made can then be Disenchanted.
196 197

Mining
Mining is the collection of minerals and ore from natural deposits all over Azeroth.
Metal is most often found in hilly or mountainous regions. Some enemies can be
mined once killed.

Cooking
Cooking uses many of the ingredients you receive as loot to create food for you
and your comrades. Certain recipes create food that can offer a temporary beneft
when eaten, such as the Well Fed buff which increases your characters stats.

First Aid
First Aid enables you to create bandages for restoring health and antidotes to remove
poison. First Aid is most valuable for classes without a healing ability, but everyone
benefts from First Aid. Healers can use bandages for times when theyre out of mana
or are silenced. Bandages are created from cloth drops in the game.

Fishing
With Fishing, you catch fsh and you may also catch other marine life, junk,
or treasure. Fish are found in any suffciently deep pool of water (even inside the
major cities!) and many types of fsh are often found in schools. Most fsh can be
cooked (use the cooking skill) providing them with increased restorative power and
buffs. Because of this, its best to level fshing and cooking together.

Skinning
Skinning is the act of removing leather and hides from animal corpses. Mousing over
an enemy corpse indicates whether it is skinnable. You can skin your own kills after
looting them. In addition, you can skin other peoples kills if they loot their targets and
leave. Its good to wait a second before doing this in case the other person is also a
Skinner and is planning on coming back. You dont want to steal anyone elses work!
GATHERING PROFESSIONS SECONDARY PROFESSIONS
There are four secondar y Professi ons i n the game, and you can acqui re as many
of them as you wi sh. There i s no reason not to take al l four and to rai se them
whenever you have the ti me to spare.

Herbalism
Herbalism is the harvesting of herbs from plants. Herbs also occasionally drop from
enemies and some enemies can be harvested once they are killed (usually ones that
are affliated with nature).
Archeology
Archeology allows players to recover fragments of artifacts from various parts of
the world. You turn on artifact tracking (which can be used in concert with tracking
for other gathering Professions). Look for special areas within each region and use
Surveying to uncover the fragments that are assembled into fnished pieces. Learning a Profession
To learn a Profession, you must follow a process:
Each character can l earn two maj or Professi ons and as many secondar y Professi ons as are avai l abl e i n the game. These modes of character progressi on are opti onal ; you can
avoi d them enti rel y i f you want. However, there are advantages to havi ng these ski l l s.
Many Professi ons l et you craft i tems for yoursel f and others. Maki ng your own gear can be ki nd of fun. Masteri ng vari ous ti ers of a pri mar y Professi on al so grants vari ous
bonuses, so even heavy combat characters have somethi ng to gai n.
1. Learn the Apprentice level from a Profession Trainer.
2. Learn specific recipes from the trainer.
3. Acquire any necessary tools or ingredients in the recipes.
4. Create items from the recipes, which also increases your
skill level in your chosen profession.
5. Return to #2. Repeat.
6. Every 75 points, you need to find a trainer so that your
character can advance to a new grade of that profession.
Not all trainers teach every recipe, so you may need to
search out various factions and vendors in the world as
you reach higher levels.
BECOMING AN APPRENTICE
You can recei ve Apprenti ce trai ni ng from any Professi on trai ner i n the begi nni ng regi ons of the
game. Some of them are found near or i n starti ng vi l l ages, but trai ners for ever y Professi on are
found i n each capi tal ci ty (and i f you dont know where to fi nd one, ask a guard). For most
Professi ons, you need to l earn a vari ety of reci pes. When you trai n to be an Apprenti ce, you
automati cal l y l earn several i ni ti al reci pes, patterns, or schemati cs. Each Professi on has i ts own term
for a new type of i tem, so you know what to search for i n the Aucti on House or when researchi ng
thi ngs onl i ne.
To l earn a new Professi on, ri ght- cl i ck on the trai ner that i s teachi ng the ski l l you want to l earn.
Thi s i s i denti fi ed by the tag under the Trai ners name. It mi ght say Journeyman Cook or
somethi ng to that effect. Trai n wi th that person and pay the cost associ ated wi th i t. In the
ver y begi nni ng of the game these expenses are moderate, but enti rel y affordabl e i f you put i n
some effort.
Your General Chat Log records ever ythi ng that you l earn from your trai ner. These abi l i ti es are added
to your Professi on menu. Li ke other spel l s and abi l i ti es, you can add shortcuts to one of your Acti on
Bars. You shoul d add the Professi on and any associ ated Abi l i ti es i n thi s way. The reci pes themsel ves
can be chosen from the Professi on menu when you are creati ng i tems. If you need basi c tool s as an
Apprenti ce, l ook for a trade vendor near the trai ner.
198 199
Changing Professions
The game limits you to two Primary Professions, but you arent locked
into the first two you select. You can drop a Profession and learn a new
one. The bad news is that you lose everything from your old Profession,
so this is useful only if you find that you dont like the way a Profession
progresses. When that happens, dont lament. Drop the Profession you
dislike and try something new; its better than having a slot taken up by something that you never plan on using again!
To drop a Profession, open the Spellbook (with p) and click on the Professions Tab. Look for small red symbols that look
like Do Not Enter signs. These are the unlearn buttons for each Profession. Dont click on them unless you are absolutely
sure that you know what youre doing. You lose everything as soon as you say Unlearn to the final query.
Fishing and Alchemy
Fishing is a great Profession to pick up if you plan on being an Alchemist. Some ingredients for Alchemy are obtained
through Fishing. Whats even better is that Fishing is a Secondary Profession, so youre still able to take Herbalism as your
second Primary Profession.
INCREASING YOUR SKILL LEVEL
The Apprenti ce l evel of a Professi on covers
your ski l l from 1 to 75. Usi ng your professi on
advances i t unti l i t hi ts each cap (ever y 75
poi nts). Whether youre gatheri ng materi al s or
creati ng them, the col or of the acti vi ty i s your
gui de to i ts di ffi cul ty.
Green reci pes are easy, yel l ow are moderate,
and orange are harder. The harder the reci pe,
the more l i kel y i t i s to boost your l evel .
The fol l owi ng col ors appl y to both gatheri ng
and non- gatheri ng Professi on reci pes.
As a crafter, youl l al ways have l i mi ted resources; you can onl y carr y so much metal or l eather or herbs. To get access to the next reci pe, you must rai se your Professi on
l evel . If you need to rai se your l evel , i ts i mportant to deci de what you make. Look for pi eces that requi re the l east amount of materi al components but are al most certai n
to gi ve you a poi nt (orange reci pes or those that have j ust turned yel l ow). That way, you get the most out of your materi al s.
Once you reach 75, you cannot i ncrease your poi nts unti l you trai n agai n as a Journeyman. Each profi ci ency l evel al so has a character l evel requi rement.
As your poi nts i ncrease, you can trai n i n more reci pes. Returni ng to your Professi on trai ner tel l s you when you can get more reci pes or when you can trai n a hi gher
profi ci ency. There are al so many reci pes hi dden throughout the worl d, as a reward from certai n quests, or as random drops. Check the Aucti on House for any new fi nds!
You mi ght noti ce that the ski l l poi nts for professi onal ti ers dont add up evenl y. Apprenti ces go from 1- 75, but Journeyman can start as l ow as 50. Thi s i s because you can
trai n a new ti er i n a Professi on a bi t earl y. Thats a good i dea because you dont want to hi t the cap and waste any ski l l poi nts. Trai n earl y as l ong as you have the money;
there are no downsi des i n compl eti ng your trai ni ng ahead of schedul e.
Red Your character isnt high enough in the profession to make an attempt to gather an item or learn a crafting recipe
Orange Success increases your skill points every single time you complete this activity (with the exception of Skinning)
Yellow There is a high chance of increasing your skill points
Green This activity is too easy; you arent likely to gain points from completing it
Grey There isnt a chance of gaining any skill points whether you complete this activity or not
COMPLEMENTARY PROFESSIONS
Fol l owi ng i s a l i st of Professi ons and cl asses that compl ement each other:
PROFESSION GOOD ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONS TO TAKE
Alchemy Herbalism, Fishing
Blacksmithing Mining
Enchanting Tailoring
Engineering Mining
Herbalism Alchemy or Inscription
Inscription Herbalism
PROFESSION GOOD ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONS TO TAKE
Jewelcrafting Mining
Leatherworking Skinning
Mining Blacksmithing, Engineering, or Jewelcrafting
Skinning Leatherworking
Tailoring Any gathering or Enchanting
200 201
ALCHEMY
Al chemy i s one of the easi er crafti ng professi ons to pi ck up and l earn. If you want to be sel f- suffi ci ent, pai r Al chemy wi th Herbal i sm so that you can gather your own
materi al s. The mai n components to Al chemy are herbs and vi al s, al though other i tems are requi red for speci fi c creati ons.
Al chemi sts al so l earn how to transmute certai n i tems i nto other i tems. Thi s abi l i ty often i nvol ves changi ng el ement- based i tems (such as Pri mal s and Eternal s) but al so
covers meta gems and certai n ores. A Phi l osophers Stone (a tri nket created through Al chemy) i s requi red for transmuti ng i tems. Transmuti ng an i tem someti mes l eads to
the di scover y of a new reci pe.
PRACTICING ALCHEMY
Al chemi sts dont need to be i n a speci al pl ace or to have a speci fi c i tem i n thei r i nventor y to do most of thei r work; they j ust need thei r herbs and purchasabl e vi al s.
Good Al chemi sts carr y spare vi al s around i f they pl an on maki ng any new poti ons out i n the fi el d. More extensi ve creati ons (l i ke el i xi rs and fl asks) are better to do i n town,
where you can be certai n to have what you need.
When you reach the new reci pes for Mi sts of Pandari a, the trai ner has onl y two to teach you (Al chemi sts Rej uvenati on and Master Heal i ng Poti on). You must di scover the
rest as you create Al chemy i tems.
ALCHEMY BONUSES
Upon reachi ng ski l l l evel 50, Al chemi sts gai n a bonus known as Mi xol ogy. Wi th Mi xol ogy, you recei ve an i ncreased effect and durati on when you dri nk any el i xi r or fl ask you
are abl e to make. For exampl e, when you consume an el i xi r or fl ask wi th a 1 hour durati on, you gai n the benefi t for 2 hours.
Addi ti onal l y, you are abl e to create speci al tri nkets at vari ous l evel s. There are tri nkets that appl y to ever y rol e, so theres a sol i d choi ce for ever yone.
ALCHEMY SPECIALTIES
When you reach level 68 and have an Alchemy skill of at least 325, you are given the opportunity to complete a quest that allows you to select an Alchemy specializion. Your choices are
Potion Mastery, Elixir Mastery, and Transmutation Mastery.
Poti on Master y and El i xi r Master y work the same way. When you create a poti on or a fl ask/el i xi r (dependi ng on your speci al ty), there i s a chance you wi l l create addi ti onal
poti ons or el i xi rs of the same type wi th the same number of reagents. Transmutati on Master y does the same for materi al s that are created by any reci pe tagged as a
Transmute. When you transmute any i tem, there i s a chance you wi l l create an addi ti onal i tem at no addi ti onal reagent cost.
If you wi sh to change your speci al i zati on at any ti me, speak wi th the NPC who granted you the abi l i ty, then speak wi th one of the other speci al i sts. Keep i n mi nd that there
i s a cost associ ated wi th droppi ng a speci al i zati on.
MAKING MONEY AS AN ALCHEMIST
Heal i ng and mana poti ons are a constant poi nt of sal e because peopl e go through them at a consi derabl e pace. Later on, you start to see an expandi ng market for el i xi rs
and thei r l onger- term buffs. In the l ate game, fl asks become i mportant as wel l . These products are ver y expensi ve, but thei r effects are the strongest and they l ast through
death (maki ng them essenti al tool s for rai ders focusi ng on new content or ver y di ffi cul t dungeon runs).
PROFICIENCY LEVEL NAME CHARACTER LEVEL MINIMUM SKILL LEVEL MINIMUM SKILL LEVEL MAXIMUM
Apprentice 5 0 75
Journeyman 10 50 150
Expert 20 125 225
Artisan 35 200 300
Master 50 275 375
Grand Master 65 350 450
Illustrious Grand Master 75 425 525
Zen Master 80 500 600
Goblin Bonus
Goblins have a racial abilityBetter Living Through Chemistrywhich increases their Alchemy skill by 15.
202 203
BLACKSMITHING
Bl acksmi thi ng i s the shapi ng of bars, gems, stones and trade goods i nto armor and mel ee weapons. At l ow l evel s, Bl acksmi ths al so turns stones uncovered by mi ners i nto
temporar y weapon enhancements. Many uni que weapons and armor pi eces can be created onl y by pl ayer Bl acksmi ths for thei r own use. To be a sel f- suffi ci ent Bl acksmi th,
take Mi ni ng as a second Professi on.
ENCHANTING
Enchanti ng reci pes add vari ous buffs to your weapons and armor, such as i mproved stati sti cs for your character or procs wi th random effects to your weapons. They al so
create l ow- l evel wands, and oi l s (whi ch are short term buffs to weapons).
Enchanters l earn a second abi l i ty, known as Di senchanti ng, whi ch they use to create thei r own materi al s. That sounds l i ke a great deal , ri ght? You get to make the
materi al s that you need to advance your craft. Theres a catch. You cant gather Enchanti ng materi al s wi thout destroyi ng magi cal i tems. Green, bl ue, and purpl e i tems
each have thei r own types of Enchanti ng reagents stored i nsi de them. Beyond that, you need to destroy hi gher l evel equi pment of these qual i ty l evel s to compl ete hi gher
l evel enchantments.
PRACTICING
BLACKSMITHING
Most Bl acksmi thi ng i tems requi re a Bl acksmi thi ng Hammer to be
i n your i nventor y. In addi ti on, work must be compl eted near an
anvi l . Anvi l s are found i n any town or ci ty, most often near the
Bl acksmi thi ng trai ners. Some reci pes cal l for i tems avai l abl e onl y
from a trade vendor as wel l , so dont head for the anvi l unti l youre
sure you have ever ythi ng you need for your creati on.
BLACKSMITHING BONUSES
At hi gher l evel s, Bl acksmi ths l earn how to add extra gem
sockets to thei r bracers and gl oves. Enchantments can be appl i ed
to these pi eces i n addi ti on to the gem sockets pl aced on the gl oves
and bracers.
MAKING MONEY AS
A BLACKSMITH
Bl acksmi thi ng i s a brutal professi on on your i n- game gol d. Its hard to fi nd a market for your created i tems as most of these i tems are onl y on par wi th green quest rewards.
Onl y speci fi c Bl acksmi thi ng gear at hi gh l evel s warrants the hi gher i nvestment i n ti me and materi al s.
To cut down on the pri ce, take Mi ni ng and gather your own ore. Even here you shoul d be careful . Someone j oi ni ng a gui l d i s l i kel y to have access to thei r own Bl acksmi th.
Onl y take thi s Professi on i f you know what youre getti ng i nto.
Apprentice 5 0 75
Expert 20 125 225
Artisan 35 200 300
Master 50 275 375
Apprentice 5 0 75
Expert 20 125 225
Artisan 35 200 300
Master 50 275 375
PRACTICING ENCHANTING
Cl i cki ng the Enchanti ng i con opens a menu of al l the magi c reci pes
you know. Cl i cki ng the Di senchant i con enabl es you to extract
magi cal el ements from targeted i tems by destroyi ng them forever.
To enchant any i tem, you must have the proper Enchanti ng Rod i n
your i nventor y.
Up unti l ski l l l evel 60 or so, you can get poi nts from destroyi ng
magi cal i tems. That trai l s off fai rl y soon, and then you need to
use Enchanti ng to get ski l l poi nts. Some Enchanti ng suppl i ers sel l
components necessar y for l owest l evel enchanti ng reci pes. As l ong
as you have the materi al s, you can enchant the same i tem mul ti pl e
ti mes, but an i tem can onl y retai n one Enchantment at a gi ven ti me
(you over wri te the Enchantment). There are al so vel l ums created
vi a Inscri pti on or purchased from vendors whi ch can hol d enchants
for l ater use.
ENCHANTING BONUSES
Enchanters are abl e to i mprove thei r own ri ngs wi th a number of enchantments. You can i mprove your Agi l i ty, Intel l ect, Stami na, or Strength.
204 205
Blood Elf Bonus
Blood Elves have a racial abilityArcane Affinitywhich increases their Enchanting skill by 10.
Gnome Bonus
Gnomes have a racial abilityEngineering Specializationwhich increases their Engineering skill by 15.
MAKING MONEY AS AN ENCHANTER
Enchanti ng i s i n hi gh demand as many pl ayers are al ways stri vi ng to col l ect better and better gear. Buyi ng cheap greens off of the Aucti on House i s one way to stockpi l e
materi al s, but i ts sti l l not the best way to get ever ythi ng you need. Enchanters frequentl y run dungeons to scoop up l ower l evel bl ue and green i tems. You mi ght even fi nd
an Enchanter runni ng l ower l evel dungeons by themsel ves for thi s exact purpose.
The other opti on i s to take another Professi on that creates destructabl e i tems. The best one for thi s i s Tai l ori ng; because i t doesnt have i ts own gatheri ng Professi on
(anyone can gather cl oth). You can make any number of si mpl e green cl oth armor pi eces and then Di senchant them to make your Enchanti ng i ngredi ents. Its expensi ve,
ti me consumi ng, you need to l evel up two Professi ons at the same ti me, and someti mes you wont be abl e to easi l y (or cheapl y) make the i tems you need, but i ts an
opti on for a sel f- suffi ci ent Enchanter.
Enchanters, through the use of vel l ums, have the abi l i ty to di stri bute thei r enchantments on the Aucti on House. You do not need to wai t around for other pl ayers to buy your
Enchantments, whi ch means more ti me for you to do other acti vi ti es.
ENCHANTING MATERIALS OBTAINED THROUGH DISENCHANTING
There are four types of enchanti ng materi al s: Dust, Essences, Shards, and Cr ystal s. The types of materi al s that come from Di senchanti ng i tems i s based on the i tem l evel of
the obj ect.
Essences are more commonl y obtai ned from weapons than armor of Uncommon qual i ty. Dust i s more commonl y obtai ned from armor than weapons of Uncommon
qual i ty. Essences can be ei ther Lesser or Greater. Three Lesser Essences can combi ne to become one Greater Essence, and one Greater Essence breaks down i nto three
Lesser Essences.
Shards come from Superi or qual i ty i tems, or rarel y from Uncommon qual i ty i tems. You can get ei ther Smal l or Large Shards when di senchanti ng an i tem. In most cases,
three Smal l Shards can be combi ned i nto one Large Shard, and one Large Shard can be broken down i nto three Smal l Shards.
Cr ystal s come from Epi c qual i ty i tems, and rarel y from Superi or qual i ty i tems. At hi gher ski l l l evel s, you can l earn how to convert these Cr ystal s i nto other types of
Enchanti ng materi al s.
ENGINEERING
Engi neeri ng creates a vari ety of i tems such as goggl es, expl osi ves, ranged weapon scopes, bombs, and mechani cal ani mal s. Creati ng di fferent i tems wi th Engi neeri ng
requi res a handful of tool s, most of whi ch are created by the Engi neer. Many (but not al l ) of the i tems created by Engi neers requi re the Engi neeri ng ski l l to use. One of the
fun thi ngs about bei ng an Engi neer i s that you never know when some of your creati ons wi l l mi sfi re, often l eadi ng to unexpected resul ts.
Mi ni ng i s a perfect way to make an Engi neer sel f- suffi ci ent. Pretty much ever ythi ng an Engi neer needs i s found whi l e youre out hunti ng for metal vei ns.
Apprentice 5 0 75
Expert 20 125 225
Artisan 35 200 300
Master 50 275 375
PRACTICING ENGINEERING
Cl i cki ng the Engi neeri ng i con opens a menu of al l the schemati cs you know. Engi neers have a few tool s that are needed to make vari ous i tems, so you mi ght want to carr y
them around wi th you i f you prefer crafti ng on the fl y (or j ust get a Gnomi sh Army Kni fe!). Other wi se, i ts better to work when youre back i n town, near a Bank.
ENGINEERING BONUSES
Engi neers are abl e to create speci al i zed mounts. They arent any faster than other mounts, but who cares when youre fl yi ng i n a steam- powered hel i copter!
Engi neers al so get a few Engi neeri ng- onl y tri nkets, but the bi g boost for Engi neers comes i n the form of speci al i zed enchantments for Gl oves, Bel ts, Cl oaks, and Boots.
These enchantments range from Hand- Mounted Pyro Rockets to turni ng your cl oak i nto a parachute.
ENGINEERING SPECIALTIES
When you reach an Engi neeri ng ski l l of 200, you are gi ven a choi ce to speci al i ze i n Gnomi sh Engi neeri ng or Gobl i n Engi neeri ng. For the most part, i tems created by one
speci al i zati on are usabl e by any Engi neer wi th a hi gh enough ski l l l evel . The mai n di fference i s that Gobl i n Engi nners are abl e to tel eport to Everl ook (i n Wi nterspri ng) and
Area 52 (i n Netherstorm), whi l e Gnomes can travel i nstantl y to Gadgetzan (i n Tanari s) or Toshl eys Stati on (i n Bl ades Edge Mountai ns).
You can change your speci al i zati on i f you l i ke. There i s a fee i nvol ved wi th droppi ng your speci al i zati on, so you may not want to do thi s too often.
MAKING MONEY AS AN ENGINEER
Engi neeri ng i s not the best way to go when youre tr yi ng to make gol d off your Professi on. Because many i tems created wi th Engi neeri ng requi re Engi neeri ng to use them,
your market i s reduced. However, some of an Engi neers products are vi abl e for sel l i ng. Sel l i ng vari ous expl osi ves and scopes i s a decent way to make up for the expense
of new schemati cs and materi al s. There are some bi g- ti cket i tems (such as the Mechano- hog) that provi de some ni ce i ncome; you j ust cant depend on sel l i ng these
i tems consi stentl y.
206 207
INSCRIPTION
In addi ti on to Staves and Off- hand i tems, Scri bes create Gl yphs, scrol l s, cards, and other paper and book i tems wi th paper purchased from Trade vendors, and i nks.
Scri bes automati cal l y l earn Mi l l i ng, whi ch turns herbs i nto pi gments, and other Inscri pti on abi l i ti es turn the pi gments i nto i nk. Whi l e Inscri pti on creates many i tems,
i ts best known for maki ng Gl yphs. Gl yphs are cl ass- speci fi c reci pes that enhance characters abi l i ti es. There are two types of gl yphs: Mi nor and Maj or.
Inscri pti on i s an expensi ve professi on, unl ess you take Herbal i sm as wel l . Scri bes need a Vi rtuoso Inki ng Set i n thei r i nventor y to create many of thei r goods. The set i snt
expensi ve, and i t never wears out. Keep one i n your i nventor y and your character wi l l be abl e to Inscri be anywhere i n the worl d.
JEWELCRAFTING
Ini ti al l y, Jewel crafters create the wi re and setti ngs necessar y to craft l ow l evel ri ngs and neckl aces, then start maki ng ri ngs, neckl aces, and other random i tems. A Jewel ers
Ki t i s requi red, but i t i s avai l abl e at a tri vi al cost from a Trade vendor. At hi gher ski l l l evel s, Jewel crafters l earn how to cut gems that provi de stati sti cal bonuses to socketed
equi pment. Even at hi gher ski l l l evel s, Jewel crafters conti nue to create ri ngs and neckl aces for anyone to use.
Jewel crafti ng can be an expensi ve Professi on to ski l l up, so strongl y consi der Mi ni ng as a second Professi on, to gather your own ore. Jewel crafters l earn a second abi l i ty,
cal l ed Prospecti ng, whi ch al l ows them to break down raw ore and extract di fferent mi neral s and gems that are other wi se avai l abl e onl y through mi ni ng.
Apprentice 5 0 75
Expert 20 125 225
Artisan 35 200 300
Master 50 275 375
Apprentice 5 0 75
Expert 20 125 225
Artisan 35 200 300
Master 50 275 375
PRACTICING INSCRIPTION
Cl i cki ng the Inscri pti on i con opens a menu of al l the Inscri pti on
patterns you know. Mi l l i ng turns fi ve i denti cal herbs i nto one of
two types of pi gments (most herbs have a common pi gment resul t
and an uncommon pi gment resul t). You must have fi ve of the same
herb i n order to Mi l l them for pi gments. The herbs are used up,
but you get the pi gments necessar y to create i nks. Creati ng i nk i s
a good way to ski l l up Inscri pti on each ti me you l earn a new type
of i nk.
INSCRIPTION BONUSES
One bonus for Inscri pti on i s the abi l i ty to create shoul der armor
Inscri pti ons whi ch are superi or to what i s avai l abl e to anyone el se
i n the game. There are shoul der armor Inscri pti ons for ever y rol e,
meani ng any cl ass and spec benefi t from them. There are al so epi c
Staves that bi nd to your Battl e.Net account that are el i gi bl e for
upgrades over ti me.
MAKING MONEY AS A SCRIBE
When i t comes ti me to swi tch Gl yphs, pl ayers need a steady suppl y of Tome of the Cl ear Mi nd, whi ch can be created wi th Inscri pti on. Inscri pti on i s now the onl y source for
Shoul der sl ot Enhancements. Scri bes can create and sel l Epi c off- hand i tems. Fi nal l y, the sets of Darkmoon Cards draw qui te a bi t of i nterest. The downsi de to these cards i s
the random nature of i ts creati on. You never know whi ch card youl l create. Hi t the ri ght ones and you coul d make a smal l fortune sel l i ng them to other pl ayers.
208 209
PRACTICING JEWELCRAFTING
Cl i cki ng Prospecti ng enabl es you to search fi ve ore of the same type to fi nd gems. The ore i s destroyed i n the process, but you gai n your shi ny j ewel crafti ng i ngredi ents.
Some types of ore of Uncommmon qual i ty, such as Si l ver, cannot be Prospected.
For hi gh- l evel Jewel crafti ng, you need a base set of gems to work wi th. These are then turned i nto fi ni shed cut gems that provi de bonuses when sl otted i nto equi pment.
Note that you dont gai n poi nts i n Jewel crafti ng for sl otti ng equi pment, onl y for maki ng the gems.
JEWELCRAFTING BONUSES
Jewel crafters, at many ski l l l evel s, create bi nd on pi ck up tri nkets that work for any rol e, maki ng them useful to ever y cl ass and spec. Jewel crafters al so have access
to speci al ty gems that are superi or to Epi c qual i ty gems avai l abl e to other pl ayers. There i s a l i mi t to how many of these speci al ty gems can be socketed i nto the
Jewel crafters gear.
MAKING MONEY AS A JEWELCRAFTER
After reachi ng hi gh ski l l l evel s i n thi s professi on, Jewel crafti ng turns from a maj or money si nk i nto a consi derabl e money maker. Theres constant demand for hi gh- end gems
as many pl ayers are stri vi ng to col l ect better gear.
Draenei Bonus
Draenei have a racial abilityGemcuttingwhich increases their Jewelcrafting skill by 10.
Two Special Cases: Prismatic and Meta Gems
Prismatic gems are considered Unique (meaning you can have only one socketed in all your equipment at a time), provide a
boost to all stats, and dont have a defined color. These gems count as every color when it comes to a socket bonus.
Meta gems are a special gem that provide bonuses beyond simple statistical boosts. These gems fit only into meta sockets,
and no other gem can go into a meta socket; meta sockets appear only in hats or helmets. Before you choose a meta gem,
carefully read what other gems are required for its effect to be active. Raw meta gems are created by Alchemists, then cut
by Jewelcrafters.
WHAT CUT GEM NAMES MEAN
The fol l owi ng tabl e provi des the names for the cuts for each gem of a speci fi c col or. Someti mes when you create a gem of Uncommon qual i ty, you wi l l get a Perfect cut wi th
sl i ghtl y better stats.
COLOR CUT NAME STAT(S) PROVIDED
Blue
Rigid Hit
Solid Stamina
Sparkling Spirit
Stormy PVP Power
Red
Bold Strength
Brilliant Intellect
Delicate Agility
Flashing Parry
Precise Expertise
Yellow
Fractured Mastery
Mystic PVP Resilience
Quick Haste
Smooth Critical Strike
Subtle Dodge
Green
Balanced Hit and PVP Resilience
Effulgent PVP Power and Mastery
Energized Haste and Spirit
Forceful Haste and Stamina
Jagged Critical Strike and Stamina
Lightning Hit and Haste
Misty Critical Strike and Spirit
Nimble Hit and Dodge
Piercing Critical Strike and Hit
Puissant Mastery and Stamina
Radiant Critical Strike and PvP Power
Regal Dodge and Stamina
Senseis Hit and Mastery
Shattered Haste and PVP Power
Steady PVP Resilience and Stamina
Turbid PVP Resilience and Spirit
Vivid PVP Power and PVP Resilience
Zen Spirit and Mastery
210 211
LEATHERWORKING
Leather worki ng uses l eather and hi des gathered from sl ai n beasts to create di fferent pi eces of armor, and ki ts that boost armor i n di fferent ways. There are no speci al tool s
requi red for Leather worki ng, save for the Sal t Shaker needed to cure certai n l ower l evel hi des. Some Leather worki ng patterns requi re i tems purchased from trade vendors.
Apprentice 5 0 75
Expert 20 125 225
Artisan 35 200 300
Master 50 275 375
PRACTICING
LEATHERWORKING
Its best to do your Leather worki ng near a Bank, because you need
to carr y around a huge amount of l eather as wel l as any products
that youre creati ng.
LEATHERWORKING
BONUSES
Leather workers get to appl y Fur Li ni ng to thei r wri st sl ot i tems.
There are many types of Fur Li ni ng, and theres at l east one for
each rol e. That means theres a sol i d choi ce regardl ess of your
cl ass or spec. In addi ti on, Leather workers can create ki ts for thei r
l eg armor at a greatl y reduced pri ce and at a l ower l evel than what
i s avai l abl e for non- Leather workers.
MAKING MONEY AS A
LEATHERWORKER
Leather workers dont have extensi ve sal es, but they al so dont need to i nvest as heavi l y i n thei r Professi on. Anyone wi th Leather worki ng and Ski nni ng shoul d have an easy
ti me, especi al l y due to the nature of Ski nni ng. Its easy to fi nd creatures that are ski nnabl e, so reagents are somewhat cheap and pl enti ful .
The probl em i s that Leather worki ng i s a poor money maker unti l you ski l l up to hi gh- end armor ki ts i n the expansi on areas. These are some of the few products i n
Leather worki ng that have wi despread appeal . Other wi se, thi s i s more of a ni che market.
COLOR CUT NAME STAT(S) PROVIDED
Orange
Adept Agility and Mastery
Artful Intellect and Mastery
Champions Strength and Dodge
Crafty Expertise and Critical Strike
Deadly Agility and Critical Strike
Deft Agility and Haste
Fierce Strength and Haste
Fine Parry and Mastery
Inscribed Strength and Critical Strike
Keen Expertise and Mastery
Lucent Agility and PVP Resilience
Polished Agility and Dodge
Potent Intellect and Critical Strike
Reckless Intellect and Haste
Resolute Expertise and Dodge
Resplendent Strength and PVP Resilience
Skillful Strength and Mastery
Splendid Parry and PVP Resilience
Stalwart Parry and Dodge
Tenuous Expertise and PVP Resilience
Wicked Expertise and Haste
Willful Intellect and PVP Resilience
Purple
Accurate Expertise and Hit
Defenders Parry and Stamina
Etched Strength and Hit
Glinting Agility and Hit
Guardians Expertise and Stamina
Mysterious Intellect and PvP Power
Purified Intellect and Spirit
Retaliating Parry and Hit
Shifting Agility and Stamina
Sovereign Strength and Stamina
Timeless Intellect and Stamina
Veiled Intellect and Hit
212 213
TAILORING
Tai l ori ng creates cl oth armor, shi rts, bags, and other i tems out of di fferent types of cl oth. Cl oth i s avai l abl e as drops from humanoi d and many undead enemi es, and the
si l ks dropped by spi ders are often requi red for some patterns as wel l . Tai l ors al so l earn how to i mprove vari ous types of cl oth. These i mproved pi eces of cl oth are then used
to create more powerful equi pment, i ncl udi ng speci al types of Spel l threads that act as Enchantments for l eg armor.
HERBALISM
Herbal i sm i s the har vesti ng of herbs from pl ant nodes, and from some enemi es (usual l y El emental enemi es that l ook l i ke wal ki ng vegetati on) whi ch have some affi ni ty wi th
nature. These herbs are pri mari l y used by Al chemi sts and Scri bes.
When you l earn Herbal i sm, you gai n the Fi nd Herbs ski l l . When thi s ski l l i s acti ve, herb nodes appear on your mi ni - map. Watch for these i cons whi l e hunti ng and questi ng
and you shoul d see your ski l l i ncrease rapi dl y.
When you fi nd a node, the herb sparkl es and your mouse cursor changes i nto a fl ower bl ossom. To gather, ri ght- cl i ck on the herb i n questi on. The same thi ng appl i es when
you fi nd har vestabl e enemi es. When you mouse over a corpse, your mouse cursor changes to a fl ower bl ossom i f you can har vest from i t.
Apprentice 5 0 75
Expert 20 125 225
Artisan 35 200 300
Master 50 275 375
Apprentice 1 0 75
Journeyman 1 50 150
Expert 10 125 225
Artisan 25 200 300
Master 40 275 375
PRACTICING TAILORING
Cl i ck on the Tai l ori ng i con to bri ng up your l i st of patterns.
Thi s can be done at many l ocati ons, but l i ke Leather worki ng i ts
best to do near a Bank or trade vendor because there mi ght be
addi ti onal reagents i nvol ved i n the creati on process.
TAILORING BONUSES
Tai l ors have the abi l i ty to enhance thei r own cl oaks wi th speci al i zed
embroi der y patterns. These embroi der y patterns hel p out damage
deal i ng and heal i ng specs. In Northrend, Tai l ors eventual l y l earn
the Northrend Cl oth Scavengi ng abi l i ty, whi ch al l ows them to
obtai n addi ti onal Frostweave from defeated enemi es. If youre a
fan of fl yi ng carpets, Tai l ori ng has what you want. There are three
patterns for fl yi ng carpets that onl y Tai l ors can use to fl y around
the worl d.
MAKING MONEY
WITH TAILORING
Bags are the most wi despread product from thi s Professi on. Tai l ors have a l ong- term market for these, especi al l y once they start getti ng i nto bags from the l ater game.
In addi ti on, Tai l ors can create a vari ety of shi rts and other speci al i zed cl othi ng for fun and rol e- pl ayi ng purposes. The hi gh l evel enchantment threads are al so i n hi gh
demand as pl ayers earn better and better l eg armor pi eces.
HERBALISM BONUSES
Herbal i sts gai n an abi l i ty known as Li febl ood. Li febl ood restores heal th to the
Herbal i st over ti me and al so provi des a boost to Haste. Li febl ood has a two
mi nute cool down, and i ts effects scal es wi th your ski l l i n Herbal i sm.
MAKING MONEY
WITH HERBALISM
Herbal i sm i s a good Professi on for maki ng money. Peopl e buy herbs at l ucrati ve
pri ces, even from the begi nni ng l evel s for ward. There i s al ways a market for
most of these herbs, and a new pl ayer stands to make pl enty of cash i f they sel l
herbs i n the Aucti on House.
Tauren Bonus
Taurens have a racial abilityCultivationwhich increases their Herbalism skill by 15 and allows them to harvest herbs
faster than other races.
214 215
MINING
Wi th Mi ni ng, you extract ore, gems, and (i n l ower l evel zones) stones from raw metal vei ns, deposi ts, and from some enemi es (usual l y rocky El emental creatures).
These materi al s are used pri mari l y i n Jewel crafti ng, Bl acksmi thi ng, and Engi neeri ng. Mi ners l earn a second abi l i ty, Smel ti ng, whi ch turns the ore i nto metal bars.
Mi ni ng al so i mparts the abi l i ty to Fi nd Mi neral s. When i t i s acti ve, mi neral nodes appear on your mi ni - map. When you fi nd a node, i t sparkl es and the cursor changes i nto a
pi ck axe. To mi ne, ri ght- cl i ck on the node. The same thi ng appl i es when you fi nd har vestabl e enemi es. When you mouse over a corpse, your mouse cursor changes to a pi ck
axe i f you can har vest from i t.
Another way to i ncrease your Mi ni ng ski l l l evel i s to Smel t ore. To Smel t, you need access to a forge and ore. Cl i ck on the Smel ti ng i con to see you what you can currentl y
Smel t. Gai ni ng l evel s i n Mi ni ng from Smel ti ng vari es wi l dl y wi th each new ore you l earn to Smel t. Any ti me you work wi th a new metal , Smel t as much of i t as you can as
soon as you can. The l evel s i n Mi ni ng from Smel ti ng dr y up much faster than the ski l l ups you get from mi ni ng.
SKINNING
Ski nners are abl e to har vest the l eather and hi des from sl ai n beasts. After you sl ay a beast and l oot i t
(assumi ng i ts a ski nnabl e creature) your mouse cursor changes i nto an ani mal hi de when you mouse over i t.
To ski n, ri ght- cl i ck on a ski nnabl e beast. You can al so ski n another pl ayers l ooted corpses, but i ts good form
to ask for permi ssi on fi rst unl ess the other pl ayer l eaves the area.
The l eathers and hi des are pri mari l y used by Leather workers. Ski nni ng i s faster to advance than Herbal i sm or
Mi ni ng, due to the preval ence of beasts i n the game.
When you fi rst l earn Ski nni ng, you can ski n any creature l evel 10 or l ower. For creatures from l evel s 11
through 20, your ski nni ng must be [10 x (Creatures Level - 10)], meani ng your Ski nni ng ski l l must be 20 i f you wi sh to ski n a l evel 12 beast, whi l e a l evel 20 beast cal l s
for a ski l l of 100.
For creatures from l evel s 21 through 79, your Ski nni ng ski l l must be equal to fi ve ti mes the creatures l evel to ski n i t successful l y. That means your Ski nni ng ski l l must be
at 300 to ski n l evel 60 beasts, and 350 for l evel 70 beasts. When you reach l evel 85 enemi es, use the tabl e above to determi ne what ski l l l evel you need to ski n beasts.
Apprentice 1 0 75
Journeyman 1 50 150
Expert 10 125 225
Artisan 25 200 300
Master 40 275 375
Apprentice 1 0 75
Journeyman 1 50 150
Expert 10 125 225
Artisan 25 200 300
Master 40 275 375
MINING BONUSES
Mi ners gai n extra Stami na due to Toughness. The extra
Stami na provi ded by Toughness i ncreases as your ski l l l evel i n
Mi ni ng i ncreases.
MAKING MONEY
WITH MINING
Mi ni ng can be i ncredi bl y profi tabl e. Wi th three di sti nct Professi ons
al l requi ri ng ore, you have a l arge potenti al market. Tr y sel l i ng your
metal i n both bar and ore form as some peopl e want the refi ned
bars, whi l e others (parti cul arl y Jewel crafters) want the raw ore.
SKINNING BONUSES
Ski nners gai n extra Cri ti cal Stri ke chance through Master of Anatomy. The extra Cri ti cal Stri ke chance provi ded by Master of Anatomy i ncreases as you i mprove your Ski nni ng
ski l l l evel .
MAKING MONEY WITH SKINNING
Hi des are al ways i n demand at the Aucti on House, but they dont fetch as much as the materi al s from herbal i sm and mi ni ng. Ski ns are arguabl y easi er to acqui re than ore
and herbs si nce those nodes often appear al one, and you can fi nd packs of beasts for Ski nni ng, whi ch l eads to a greater suppl y, and l ower pri ces.
Worgen Bonus
Worgen have a racial ability Flayerwhich increases their Skinning skill by 15 and allows them to skin faster than
other races.
ENEMY LEVEL SKINNING NEEDED
85 500
86 515
87 530
88 545
89 560
90 575
216 217
ARCHAEOLOGY
Archaeol ogy i s al l about expl orati on and uncoveri ng the past. There are two steps i n the Archaeol ogi cal process. Fi rst, you vi si t di gsi tes and use Sur veyi ng to l ocate and
unearth arti fact fragments of i tems from vari ous cul tures. After col l ecti ng enough pi eces, you assembl e them i nto a restored pi ece.
Unl i ke other gatheri ng ski l l s, di gsi tes are pl ayer- speci fi c. There i s no competi ti on for arti fact fragments between pl ayers. Other pl ayers searchi ng at the same di gsi te are
uncoveri ng thei r own fragments.
Apprentice 20 0 75
Expert 20 125 225
Artisan 35 200 300
Master 50 275 375
PRACTICING ARCHAEOLOGY
Open your worl d map and l ook for the smal l shovel i cons that appear around the worl d. There shoul d be up to four zones appropri ate to your characters l evel per conti nent
(Eastern Ki ngoms, Kal i mdor, Draenor, Northrend, and Pandari a) that i ncl ude acti ve di gsi tes for you. When you zoom i nto a zone wi th an acti ve di gsi te, the area shaded red
on the map provi des the exact l ocati on for you to vi si t. Theres an opti on at the bottom of the map frame to toggl e the red- shadi ng at the di g si tes.
When you reach the area, use the Sur vey abi l i ty to get di recti ons to the exact l ocati on of the fragments. The sur vey i nstrument that appears i ndi cates both the di recti on
of, and di stance to, the fragments. A red l i ght means the fragments are far away, the yel l ow l i ght i ndi cates you are getti ng cl oser and the green l i ght means you are ver y
cl ose to the fragments. When you are cl ose enough to the fragments, a contai ner of some sort appears i nstead of your sur vey tool s. Ri ght- cl i ck on the i tem to col l ect the
fragments. You dont carr y these i tems around i n your Backpack. Instead, theyre stored as currency.
Dwarf Bonus
Dwarves have a racial abilityExplorerwhich allows them to find additional fragments when looting archaeological finds
and survey faster than other archaeologists.
Cl i ck on the appropri ate Archaeol ogy crest to watch your progress. After you col l ect enough fragments, cl i ck on the Sol ve button to create the l i sted i tem. The i tem goes i nto
your backpack, you get a ski l l up, and you start on the next obj ect. Any l eftover fragments are appl i ed to the new i tem, so you dont need to worr y about wasted pi eces.
Most of the i tems uncovered wi th Archaeol ogy are not for combat purposes. There are a few speci al pi eces here and there, but mostl y thi s Professi on l eads to more
peri pheral el ements, l i ke fun pets and mounts.
TYPE/FRAGMENTS KEYSTONES MINIMUM SKILL TO GET DIGSITES
Dwarf Dwarf Rune Stone 1
Fossil N/A 1
Night Elf Highborne Scroll 1
Troll Troll Tablet 1
Draenei Draenei Tome 300
Nerubian Nerubian Obelisk 375
Orc Orc Blood Text 300
Vrykul Vrykul Rune Stick 375
TolVir Tolvir Hieroglphic 450
Mogu Mogu Statue Piece 500
Pandaren Pandaren Pottery Shard 500
218 219
COOKING
Cooki ng turns vari ous i tems (raw meat and fi sh, fl our, and spi der parts to name a few) i nto food that restores heal th and even conveys short- term buffs to vari ous stati sti cs.
Cooki ng requi res a heat source of some type, such as a stove or cooki ng fi re. Fortunatel y, when you fi rst trai n cooki ng you al so gai n the abi l i ty to create a fi re anywhere
wi th Basi c Campfi re. You dont need any tool s to create a Basi c Campfi re.
At hi gher l evel s, Cooki ng buffs go beyond Stami na i mprovements and start to provi de bonuses to di fferent stats. These are ver y ni ce, especi al l y consi deri ng the l ow cost
i nvol ved i n creati ng them. Food i snt hard to gather, and i t takes onl y a few moments to start a fi re.
Any character benefi ts from Cooki ng. Its easi est to keep up wi th when you start as soon as possi bl e and use the materi al s you get from l ooti ng enemi es. If you are al so
worki ng on Fi shi ng, there are many reci pes avai l abl e that al l ow you to cook your catches.
FIRST AID
Fi rst Ai d enabl es you to create bandages whi ch are used to restore heal th, and anti dotes to remove poi sons. Bandages are created from cl oth drops i n the game, and they
can be used outsi de of combat or even whi l e i n the mi ddl e of i t. Bandages can be used on yoursel f, other pl ayers, or pets.
Characters that are damage deal ers shoul d use Fi rst Ai d even more aggressi vel y than most. In real l y bi g team fi ghts, the tanks and heal ers get the most attenti on when i t
comes to heal i ng. Damage deal ers are l ast on the l i st, and i f there i snt enough mana to go around they are the ones that come up short. Bei ng abl e to restore some heal th
duri ng these fi ghts i s a godsend.
You shoul dnt tr y to use a bandage when an enemy i s i n the mi ddl e of attacki ng you. Thi s di srupts the process, endi ng your heal th restorati on. Bandages have a cool down
peri od, so you cant conti nual l y appl y them. Stun an enemy or other wi se get away from them for a few moments and use your Fi rst Ai d.
PROFICIENCY LEVEL NAME SKILL LEVEL MINIMUM SKILL LEVEL MAXIMUM
Apprentice 0 75
Journeyman 50 150
Expert 125 225
Artisan 200 300
Master 275 375
Grand Master 350 450
Illustrious Grand Master 425 525
Zen Master 500 600
PRACTICING COOKING
Put Cooki ng and Basi c Campfi re abi l i ti es on an Acti on Bar. Cl i cki ng Cooki ng opens a menu of al l the reci pes you know. Cl i cki ng Basi c Campfi re creates a fi re shoul d you need
a heat source. Some reci pes cal l for speci al spi ces or other i tems, but these are avai l abl e from Cooki ng vendors, and most Trade vendors.
MORE FUN WITH COOKING
There are dai l y quests avai l abl e onl y to characters wi th Cooki ng. Vi si t Shattrath Ci ty i n Outl and, Dal aran i n Northrend, and any of the Horde and Al l i ance ci ti es to obtai n
these quests. Unti l you l earn Pandaren Cooki ng, these dai l y quests reward Epi cureans Awards. When you become profi ci ent i n Pandaren Cooki ng, the quests found i n your
facti ons ci ti es award Ironpaw Tokens i nstead. There are Achi evements ti ed to these dai l y quests as wel l as uni que reci pes, whi ch cant be obtai ned i n any other way.
On a fi nal note, you cant go wrong l earni ng Cooki ng i f you pl an on rai di ng or runni ng heroi c dungeons. Cooked meal s provi de a vari ety of stati sti cal bonuses (al though
onl y one type of stati sti cal boost from cooki ng can be acti ve at a ti me), and there are even feasts you can set out for anyone i n your party to eat and reap thei r benefi ts.
Whi l e not ever yone needs to be a cook, someone needs to create and di stri bute the food to your group and onl y you know what type of food buff i s best for your character.
Pandaren Bonuses
Pandarens have two racial abilities related to Cooking. Gourmand increases their Cooking skill by 15. Epicurean doubles the statistical
benefit from food buffs.
Apprentice 1 0 75
Journeyman 1 50 150
Expert 1 125 225
Artisan 35 200 300
Master 50 275 375
PRACTICING
FIRST AID
Creati ng bandages can be done anywhere,
and al l you need are the cl oth pi eces requi red
for the speci fi c bandages, or spi der venom
gl ands to create anti - venoms.
Bandages come i n two vari eti es per type of
cl oth: regul ar and heavy. Each regul ar bandage
requi res one pi ece of cl oth. You need two pi eces
of a gi ven type of cl oth to create a heavy
bandage. Heavy Wi ndwool bandages i ni ti al l y
requi re 3 pi eces of Wi ndwool Cl oth, but when
you reach ski l l l evel 600, Heavy Wi ndwool goes
from 3 to 2 materi al cost.
220 221
FISHING
Fi shi ng al l ows you to cast your l i ne i nto any body of water deep enough and see what you bri ng up. You can catch fi sh, of course, but you may al so catch other mari ne l i fe,
j unk, or treasure.
Fi sh have many uses, i ncl udi ng Al chemy, but they are mai nl y used for food. Most types of fi sh can be eaten raw by your character or Hunter pets, but i ts better to cook the
fi sh fi rst i f you have the appropri ate Cooki ng reci pe.
The types of fi sh avai l abl e from a body of water are not determi ned by your Fi shi ng ski l l . Instead, the types of fi sh are determi ned by the area. However, i f your ski l l i snt
consi dered hi gh enough for the area, you onl y catch random trash i tems.
There are al so school s of fi sh i n the waters around the worl d. These school s enabl e you to catch speci fi c fi sh, i f your casti ng i s accurate. When you gai n the abi l i ty to track
fi sh, these school s of fi sh appear on your mi ni - map maki ng i t easy to fi nd them.
Apprentice 5 0 75
Journeyman 5 50 150
Expert 5 125 225
Artisan 5 200 300
Master 5 275 375
PRACTICING FISHING
Put Fi shi ng on one of your Acti on Bars. Cl i ck on Fi shi ng and watch your character cast a l i ne. A bobber appears on the waters surface; move your mouse cursor over the
bobber unti l i t turns i nto the fi shhook i con. Watch that careful l y unti l the bobber moves, and then qui ckl y ri ght- cl i ck the bobber. If successful , you recei ve a l oot wi ndow that
i ncl udes a fi sh or another i tem of some val ue.
There are many uni que Fi shi ng Pol es i n the game, some wi th i mproved Fi shi ng ski l l s or other buffs, such as under water breathi ng. You can al so use a vari ety of bai ts,
l ures and enchanted fi shi ng l i nes to i mprove your odds of catchi ng a fi sh.
MORE FUN WITH FISHING
There are dai l y quests avai l abl e onl y to characters wi th Fi shi ng. Vi si t your facti ons capi tal , Shattrath Ci ty i n Outl and, and Dal aran i n Northrend to obtai n these quests.
There are Achi evements ti ed to these dai l y quests as wel l as uni que pets that cant be obtai ned i n any other way.
There are al so weekl y fi shi ng contests on two conti nents. The gobl i ns of Booty Bay host an event, and the Kal uak of Northrend host another i n the ci ty of Dal aran.
There are some great rewards for the pl ayers who manage to wi n these contests.
On a fi nal note, Fi shi ng i s essenti al l y a necessi ty i f you want to create the best food avai l abl e vi a the Cooki ng Professi on. Cooked fi sh provi de a vari ety of stati sti cal boosts,
and there are even fi sh feasts you can set out for anyone i n your party to eat and reap the rewards.
222 223
PVP COMBAT
WORLD PVP: PVP SERVERS
On PvP ser vers, Horde and Al l i ance pl ayers are acti vel y
at war. Anyti me you enter neutral , contested, or enemy
terri tor y, you can be attacked by pl ayers of the opposi te
facti on. Thi s compl etel y changes the nature of the
game; whi l e you are compl eti ng quests, you must al so
l ook for and defend agai nst the enemy. Many pl ayers on
PvP ser vers pl ay wi th regul ar groups for protecti on.
PvP ki l l s of the opposi te facti on yi el d Honor. But you
never know whats ahead. Even i f you fi nd a sol o
character and ki l l them, there coul d be al l ki nds of
troubl e headi ng your way as a resul t!
PvP deaths that dont i nvol ve damage from monsters
or fal l i ng wont cost you money. There i snt a durabi l i ty
l oss as a resul t of these fi ghts. However, you must
sti l l run back and cl ai m your body or resurrect at
a graveyard.
DUELING
Duel i ng another pl ayer i s one way to practi ce your PvP ski l l s. You can duel on any
ki nd of ser ver, and you can duel pl ayers from ei ther facti on.
To start a duel , ri ght- cl i ck on a pl ayers portrai t and cl i ck Duel . A duel fl ag
appears, and your opponent can choose to accept or decl i ne. If they accept, a
countdown begi ns, i ndi cati ng when the duel wi l l start. A duel ends when one
pl ayers heal th i s reduced to 1. Anyone who runs too far away from the duel fl ag,
or types /forfei t, l oses by defaul t, so that i s another way that the match can end.
Outsi de of an achi evement, there are no tangi bl e rewards to duel i ng other pl ayers.
You cannot gai n Honor i n thi s way, nor can you l oot anythi ng from your opponents.
The person who l oses the duel doesnt actual l y di e, so they wont have to deal wi th
durabi l i ty l oss or recl ai mi ng thei r body.
PvP Combat comes i n many fl avors, and theres bound to be at l east one type youl l enj oy. Some pl ayers l i ke to test thei r ski l l s i n one- on- one duel s. Battl egrounds provi de
opportuni ti es for l arger teams to work toward obj ecti ves whi l e stoppi ng the other si de from accompl i shi ng those same obj ecti ves. Worl d PvP i s often a chaoti c affai r wi th
no guarantee of meeti ng foes of the same l evel or i n the same numbers. There are al so two types of PvP where you coul d fi nd yoursel f faci ng off agai nst your own facti on:
Arenas and Rated Battl egrounds. Arenas offer deathmatch- styl e battl es where smal l teams face off. Rated Battl egrounds use a l i mi ted sel ecti on of Battl eground maps and
requi re ful l groups of 10 to queue for them.
WORLD PVP: PVE SERVERS
If you are on a PvE ser ver, you can choose to engage i n PvP combat. Ri ght- cl i ck your own character portrai t and cl i ck
PvP- Enabl e. You can now engage i n PvP wi th other pl ayers who have turned on thei r PvP fl ags. When you cl i ck Di sabl e,
your PvP fl ag remai ns on for another 5 mi nutes.
You can tel l that another pl ayer i s fl agged for PvP because thei r col ors change. Someone fl agged (when you are not)
wi l l l ook l i ke a neutral target. As soon as you fl ag, they become red, si gnal i ng that combat can i ni ti ate at any ti me.
Honor rewards and combat dynami cs are exactl y the same on PvE and PvP ser vers. Needi ng to fl ag for combat i s the onl y
di fference between them.
If you get i n over your head, enemi es mi ght ki l l you and corpse camp your character. That means that they wai t for you
to resurrect near your body, hopi ng to ki l l you agai n. Wai t for 5 mi nutes, i f necessar y, and l et your PvP fl ag fal l . Doi ng so
al l ows you to come back to l i fe safel y.
As an al ternati ve, cal l for hel p from buddi es or from peopl e i n the regi on. Use /general chat to l et other pl ayers know that
fl agged targets are i n a certai n area. Someone mi ght show up for a free fi ght!
BATTLEGROUNDS
Battl egrounds are i nstanced PvP combat areas for pl ayers above l evel 10. Pl ayers fi ght Horde versus Al l i ance i n a structured game setti ng. You can enter a battl eground
al one or wi th a group of comrades. To get the most out of your ti me i n Battl egrounds, tr y random Battl egrounds and spend ti me i n the Battl eground Cal l to Arms duri ng the
weekends. The Battl eground Cal l to Arms changes ever y week, and the schedul e appears on the i n- game cal endar.
PvP Currency
You earn Honor Points by killing players from the opposing faction or by participating in Battlegrounds. If you accumulate
enough points, you can use them to purchase items, such as PvP gear. Honor Points are listed in the Currency tab of your
Character window. While theres no limit on how many Honor Points you earn each week, there is a limit on how many
you can store at any given time. If you hit the cap, you must spend some Honor Points and you can start earning additional
points immediately.
Conquest Points work similarly to Honor Points, but are a bit harder to obtain. Conquest Points come from participating
in Arenas, Rated Battlegrounds, taking part in random Battlegrounds or the cyclical Battleground Call to Arms. There is a
weekly cap on how many Conquest Points you can earn, and how many you can store at any given time.
When each new Arena season begins, all your Conquest Points are converted to Honor Points, and some of the Conquest
Rewards from the previous season are made available for purchase with Honor Points.
224 225
RATED BATTLEGROUNDS
Rated Battl egrounds offer a way for pl ayers who enj oy PvP, but not Arena matches, to obtai n the best gear possi bl e.
Rated Battl egrounds are 10 vs. 10 and use the fol l owi ng maps: Warsong Gul ch, Arathi Basi n, Eye of the Storm,
Si l vershard Mi nes, Templ e of Kotmogu, Battl e for Gi l neas, and Twi n Peaks.
Onl y ful l y premade groups can take part i n Rated Battl egrounds. Just as wi th Arenas, your group wi l l be matched up wi th
teams of si mi l ar ranki ng, and l evel of gear. Good Premades arent j ust goi ng to know each other. Theyre goi ng to use
voi ce chat extensi vel y, tacti cs that theyve pl ayed before, and use ever y tri ck i n the book. Theyre al most undefeatabl e i f
your team i snt si mi l arl y prepared.
Other than i mproved equi pment, rewards from parti ci pati on i n Rated Battl egrounds i ncl ude mounts, ti tl es for your character,
and Achi evements.
Ratings
You are given two different ratings if you take part in Arena fights or Rated Battlegrounds. There is a Personal Rating that
reflects your win/loss performance in Rated Battlegrounds and Arenas. There is also a Team Rating that reflects the win/loss
performance of a given Arena or Rated Battleground Team.
Team Ratings are used to match up teams in Arenas and Rated Battlegrounds. You must have a minimum Personal Rating in
order to purchase the best PvP equipment available in each current season.
ARENA
Arena combat offers deathmatch- styl e,
hi ghl y competi ti ve PvP. Teams of 2,
3, or 5 compete agai nst each other
i n a ranked seri es of tournaments.
There are seasons for thi s, and the
rewards that come from Arena are on
par wi th what you can get from Rated
Battl eground matches.
There i s no forum more competi ti ve
than the Arena. Peopl e real l y must
know al l the i ns and outs of thei r
cl ass and be abl e to use them at j ust
the ri ght moment. They must al so
fi nd partners who compl ement thei r
pl aystyl e and ski l l as wel l as possi bl e.
Tacti cs and strategi es for the Arena change constantl y, and the best way to stay on
top of thi ngs i s to read forums and vi si t websi tes dedi cated to Arena tacti cs.
WAR GAMES
War Games al l ows you to chal l enge
a speci fi c gui l d, or group of fri ends,
and face them i n a Battl eground or
Arena. There are no rewards from
War Games, other than practi ce i n a
control l ed envi ronment and braggi ng
ri ghts. War Games i gnores facti on ti es,
whi ch means you can chal l enge any
other si mi l arl y- si zed group, even i f that
group i s compri sed of other peopl e from
your gui l d! The groups can agree on a
Battl eground, or they can l et the game
pi ck one for them.
Style of Play Capture the Flag
Level Brackets 10-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39,
40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69,
70-74, 75-79, 80-84, 85
Style of Play Hold Territory
Level Brackets 10-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34,
35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59,
60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, 85
WARSONG GULCH
ARATHI BASIN
10 VS. 10
15 VS. 15
PvP Tips by Class
PvP tactics change considerably depending on the situation, and the goals of the battleground or arena in which you find
yourself. They also change constantly as new abilities and talents are introduced to the game, or existing abilities and talents
are modified. If you want to remain at the top of the PvP heap, look for active discussion boards, find the other top PvP
players on your server or battlegroup and stay current.
226 227
EYE OF THE STORM
STRAND OF THE ANCIENTS
Style of Play Hold Territory and Capture the
Flag Hybrid
Level Brackets 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59,
60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, 85
Style of Play Siege and Vehicle Combat
Level Brackets 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, 85
Style of Play Massive Siege Warfare
Level Brackets 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69,
70-74, 75-79, 80-84, 85
Style of Play Massive Siege and Vehicle Combat
Level Brackets 75-79, 80-84, 85
ALTERAC VALLEY
ISLE OF CONQUEST
40 VS. 40
228 229
ACHIEVEMENTS
TYPES OF ACHIEVEMENTS
Cl i ck on i ndi vi dual Achi evements to l earn more about them.
Most of these are qui te speci fi c, so i t i snt hard to understand what
i s requi red to earn them. Someti mes maki ng the events happen i s
the tri cki er part.
Achi evements are now account- wi de, though some are sti l l speci fi c
to each character. Account- wi de Achi evements have a bl ue header,
whi l e character- speci fi c Achi evements retai n the brown l ook fami l i ar
to most pl ayers.
Achi evements are broken down i nto di fferent categori es to make i t
easi er to fi nd whi ch Achi evements are avai l abl e to you dependi ng on
where your i nterests l i e. The Achi evement categori es are General ,
Quests, Expl orati on, Pl ayer vs. Pl ayer, Dungeons & Rai ds, Professi ons,
Scenari os, Reputati on, Worl d Events, Pet Battl es, and Feats of
Strength. Gui l d Achi evements has i ts own tab and i ncl udes the
fol l owi ng categori es: General , Quests, Pl ayer vs. Pl ayer, Dungeons &
Rai ds, Professi ons, Reputati on, and Gui l d Feats of Strength.
GENERAL
Some Achi evements dont fal l easi l y i nto other categori es,
so General i s a catchal l categor y. There are many extras avai l abl e
from these Achi evements, i ncl udi ng a tabard and a few bonus mounts
for mount col l ectors.
QUESTS
There are two Achi evements that award extras i n the Quest categor y.
When you compl ete enough quests, you earn the ti tl e The Seeker.
When you earn the Loremaster Achi evement, you get the ti tl e
Loremasterand a bonus tabard.
One change here i s that for Pandari a zones, Quest Achi evements are
often ti ed to experi enci ng the games stor yl i ne as opposed to getti ng
through a gi ven number of quests i n a zone.
EXPLORATION
Al most ever y Expl orati on Achi evement i s ti ed to uncoveri ng hi dden
nooks and di scoveri ng the out of the way pl aces found i n ever y zone.
The other type of Expl orati on Achi evement i s ti ed to fi ndi ng and ki l l i ng
one of the rare enemi es whi ch spawn i n Outl and, Northrend, and
Pandari a (the Pandaren rare spawns are consi dered champi ons of thei r race).
Expl ori ng the known worl d provi des you wi th the ti tl e Expl orer,
whi l e Brann Bronzebeard awards the characters who expl ore al l of Northrend
wi th a speci al tabard.
Achi evements are a di fferent way to show what you have accompl i shed i n Worl d of Warcraft. To see a ful l l i st of Achi evements, cl i ck on the i con i n the i nterface bar,
or press the y key. Thi s area l i sts hundreds of i n- game Achi evements. You get them for al most anythi ng you can i magi ne.
Whi l e Achi evements wont l ead to i mproved weapons or armor, they do provi de speci al ti tl es, compani on pets, and mounts. Someti mes you get a reward for getti ng a
certai n Achi evement, whi l e others requi re you to unl ock a set of Achi evements that take an enti re year to earn! Achi evements are i n the game purel y for fun. Love them
or l eave them, but these Achi evements are not supposed to make or break your day. They gi ve you an awesome way to smel l the roses whi l e expl ori ng the worl d.
231 230
PLAYER VS. PLAYER
Pl ayer vs. Pl ayer Achi evements are l i nked to battl egrounds and arenas.
Many of these Achi evements cal l for meeti ng i ncredi bl y speci fi c
condi ti ons i n a si ngl e battl eground, or for l ong- term accompl i shments
such as bei ng on the wi nni ng si de i n a battl eground 100 ti mes!
Most of the rewards for Pl ayer vs. Pl ayer Achi evements are ti tl es.
DUNGEONS & RAIDS
Many Dungeons & Rai ds Achi evements are gi ven for defeati ng the bosses
whi ch appear i n the worl d dungeons and rai ds of Worl d of Warcraft.
When you start runni ng heroi c versi ons of dungeons, there are addi ti onal
Achi evements ti ed to meeti ng speci fi c condi ti ons whi l e faci ng the bosses i n
the dungeons. There are even more Achi evements ti ed to the rai d bosses,
some requi ri ng heroi c attempts whi l e others can be done duri ng the regul ar
versi on of the boss encounter. The rewards for Achi evements i n Dungeons
& Rai ds i ncl ude ti tl es, bonus mounts, and transmogri fi abl e armor.
SCENARIOS
Scenari o Achi evements are si mi l ar to the ones found i n Dungeons &
Rai ds. Many of them are ti ed to si mpl y compl eti ng each Scenari o,
but others cal l for meeti ng speci fi c condi ti ons whi l e compl eti ng an
encounter. Perhaps the oddest Achi evement i s Scenaterday, whi ch
requi res the compl eti on of scenari os on a Saturday.
PROFESSIONS
Professi on Achi evements are more focused on the Secondar y Professi ons
(Archaeol ogy, Cooki ng, Fi rst Ai d, and Fi shi ng) si nce each character
i s l i mi ted to onl y two Pri mar y Professi ons. The change to account-
wi de Achi evements has opened the door to a few new Professi on
Achi evements, but theyre ti ed to reachi ng the maxi mum ski l l l evel i n
each Professi on.
Archaeol ogy Achi evements i ncl ude a few ti tl es, and you can become a
Chef and Master of the Ways wi th enough pati ence wi th Cooki ng.
A Fi shi ng- excl usi ve reward, a Ti tani um Seal of Dal aran, cal l s for a l i ttl e
l uck and a great deal of pati ence, as does the Sal ty ti tl e.
REPUTATION
Improvi ng your Reputati on wi th the many facti ons found i n Worl d of Warcraft has become an i ncreasi ngl y i mportant facet of the game to ever y type of pl ayer, and for many
reasons. Many facti ons are the source of i mproved equi pment, mounts, and compani on pets. The Achi evements ti ed to these i mproved Reputati ons are mai nl y new ti tl es.
WORLD EVENTS
Worl d Events are speci al dates (typi cal l y marked on the i n- game cal endar) that i ncl ude hol i days and cel ebrati ons. There are Achi evements ti ed to each date, and these
Achi evements take on many forms. Whi l e many are ti ed to compl eti ng quest l i nes, some hol i day Achi evements requi re faci ng dungeon bosses that appear onl y duri ng the
hol i day or vi si ti ng battl egrounds.
There are many ti tl es to earn from Worl d Event Achi evements, but i f you compl ete the Achi evement What A Long, Strange Tri p Its Been you earn a Vi ol et
Proto- Drake mount.
PET BATTLES
Pet Battl es Achi evements are a brand new set of Achi evements for you to earn.
To earn these Achi evements, you must col l ect pets, use them i n battl e, and i mprove
your pets to the maxi mum l evel . The rewards from thi s categor y of Achi evements
i ncl ude ti tl es, dai l y quests, and addi ti onal pets.
GUILD
Gui l d Achi evements can be unl ocked onl y whi l e you are i n a gui l d, and most of these
Achi evements requi re groups made up mai nl y of characters from the same gui l d to
work together i n vari ous ways. Many of these Achi evements mi rror those found i n
other categori es (mai nl y Dungeons & Rai ds and Pl ayer vs. Pl ayer) so you shoul d
earn an i ndi vi dual Achi evement at the same ti me as the Gui l d Achi evement.
FEATS OF STRENGTH
Feats of Strength Achi evements are general l y awarded from one- ti me occurrences,
such as l oggi ng i n duri ng an Anni versar y cel ebrati on, obtai ni ng a Col l ector Edi ti on
pet, or bei ng part of a l eadi ng Arena Team for a speci fi c season. Other Feats of
Strength are the resul t of changes to the game whi ch remove the abi l i ty to earn
some Achi evements. Recent exampl es are the changes to the way characters obtai n
weapon ski l l s. Before Catacl ysm, there were Achi evements for rai si ng your Unarmed,
or rai si ng your ski l l s i n four di fferent weapon types, to thei r maxi mum l evel s.
However, the system changed i n Catacl ysm, and characters are no l onger requi red to
l evel up weapon ski l l s.
232 233
CUSTOMIZING THE
GAME INTERFACE
After pl ayi ng the game for a whi l e, you may want to adj ust some of the opti ons i n the game i nterface to make certai n functi ons faster or more conveni ent for you.
The Worl d of Warcraft i nterface i s hi ghl y adj ustabl e, so thi s chapter doesnt tr y to cover ever y way i n whi ch you can customi ze the game. Instead, i t l i sts some commonl y
used opti ons that may be hel pful to new pl ayers.
Using Auto Loot
Instead of manual l y cl i cki ng on ever y pi ece of l oot to send i t to your Backpack,
you can auto- l oot your corpses, whi ch i s much faster:
1. Press Esc to open the Game menu.
2. Click Interface, and click Controls.
3. Change the Auto Loot options as you see fit.
4. Click Okay when youre done.
In the Auto Loot opti ons, you have several choi ces. If you check Auto Loot, you onl y
need to ri ght- cl i ck to automati cal l y send al l l oot to your Backpack. The other opti ons
are better i f youd l i ke to peruse l oot more thoroughl y before grabbi ng any of i t.
Access Action Bars
Shift+1 = Action bar 1
Once you know where your acti ons are l ocated, thi s i s much faster than swi tchi ng
through mul ti pl e Acti on Bars to get where you need. Jumpi ng from bar one to bar
fi ve i s j ust as easy to goi ng from one to two! In addi ti on, keyboard shortcuts are
al most al ways superi or to usi ng mouse commands on the i nterface.
Open & Close Bags Quickly
b = Open or close all bags simultaneously.
Shift + B = Open or close Backpack.
F12 = Open or close Backpack.
F8, F9, F10, F11 = Use to open or close other bags individually.
Change the Resolution of WoW
1. Press Esc to open the Game Menu.
2. Click System.
3. Select Graphics.
4. Under the Resolution pulldown, click the right one for your monitor.
5. Click Okay.
If the game i snt runni ng qui ckl y enough for your tastes, thi s i s the si ngl e fastest
way to i mprove your performance. Lower your resol uti on and see i f that hel ps
the si tuati on.
There are al so many other graphi cal opti ons as wel l . Tr y changi ng these to make the
game faster or more attracti ve. If you dont know what ever ythi ng el se does, pl ay
around wi th the bar i n the mi ddl e of the Graphi cs wi ndow unti l you have speeds that
sui t your i nterests. Cl i ck the Recommended button at the bottom l eft of the Graphi cs
menu to l et the game choose the setti ngs for your computer.
When i n doubt, speed i s better than graphi cal qual i ty. Ji tters, poor frame rates,
and other probl ems wi th speed are i nsi di ous. They can rui n your gami ng experi ence
wi thout i t even bei ng obvi ous that they are at faul t.
Turn Off Beginner Tutorials
2. Click Interface, and click Help.
3. Unclick Tutorials.
4. Click Okay.
Thi s ki l l s the pop- ups that domi nate the earl y experi ence wi th the game. You can turn these off i f you feel
comfortabl e wi th Worl d of Warcraft.
If the pop- ups are somethi ng you want and that youd l i ke to see agai n, you can reset them here, and the
game wi l l act l i ke youre comi ng back for the fi rst ti me.
Lock Action Bars
Thi s prevents you from acci dental l y draggi ng an i con out of an acti on bar:
2. Click Interface, and click ActionBars.
3. Check Lock ActionBars.
4. Click Okay.
When you want to reconfi gure your Acti on Bars easi l y, uncheck Lock Acti on Bars.
If youre trul y uncomfortabl e wi th keyboard hotkeys, thi s i s essenti al . It keeps you
from acci dental l y removi ng your abi l i ty i nstead of usi ng i t!
Note that i f you want to move a si ngl e abi l i ty, hol d Shi ft whi l e cl i cki ng on the i con
you want to move. If you drop i t i nto a spot whi ch al ready has an i con, cl i ck that
l ocati on but conti nue to hol d Shi ft. You automati cal l y pi ck up the now di spl aced i con
and can pl ace i t el sewhere. Thi s wi l l be on by defaul t, but you may need to change
i t or confi rm that i ts on.
Display Action Bars
Instead of accessi ng
other Acti on Bars by
pressi ng Shi ft+2,
Shi ft+3, Shi ft+4,
Shi ft+5, and Shi ft+6,
you can permanentl y
di spl ay other Acti on
Bars on your screen:
1. Press Esc to open
the Game menu.
2. Click Interface,
and click
ActionBars.
3. You have the option to display as many as four additional action bars in
different places on-screen.
4. Click Okay.
Ri ght Bar corresponds to acti on bar 3.
Ri ght Bar 2 corresponds to acti on bar 4.
Bottom Ri ght Bar corresponds to acti on bar 5.
Bottom Left Bar corresponds to acti on bar 6.
Though at fi rst your screen seems more cl uttered to have these up al l the ti me,
you soon fi nd that i ts a gi ft from the heavens. Havi ng al l your abi l i ti es onscreen
at al l ti mes ensures that you know how al l of your cool downs are goi ng! Its al so
wonderful for crafti ng; you can set your Professi on abi l i ti es off to one si de,
away from your regul ar combat abi l i ti es, but sti l l have access to them when you
need them.
Auto Self Cast
By sel ecti ng thi s, you tel l the game to cast posi ti ve spel l s on your character unl ess
you have another, al l i ed character targeted fi rst. Thus, you can heal yoursel f even
duri ng a fi ght wi thout havi ng to stop, sel ect yoursel f, and then cast the spel l or cast
the spel l and hi t F1. Thi s way i s faster than ei ther of those al ternati ves.
2. Click Interface, and click Combat.
3. Check Auto Self Cast.
4. Click Okay.
Thi s defaul ts to on, but when groupi ng, you may want to turn off thi s opti on
to avoi d mi stakes. The Sel f Cast Key defaul ts to Al t, but can be changed to Ctrl
or Shi ft.
234 235
Customize Chat Logs
There are many ti ny changes you can make to the way your chat system presents
i nformati on. Ri ght- cl i ck on your chat wi ndows tabs to begi n thi s process. You can
change the si ze of the font. You can defi ne whi ch col ors appear from any source of
i nformati on. You can al so change the background col or and i ntensi ty of the wi ndow
i tsel f. Thi s i s extremel y useful for peopl e who have troubl e readi ng the text; darken
the wi ndow to make i t cl earer al l the ti me i nstead of needi ng to hi ghl i ght i t when
you want to read.
Pl ay around wi th thi s system as much as you want. You cant real l y break anythi ng.
If the wi ndows end up bei ng too strange, si mpl y reset them from the same menu
and theyre back where they started.
Display Cast Bars for Targets
Thi s opti on shows
the channel i ng bars
for enemy casters.
Watchi ng thi s may
hel p you i nterrupt
thei r ti med spel l s
(al though i f you see
a gray shi el d on the
cast bar, you cant
i nterrupt the spel l ).
It l ets you see
when to use your
i nterrupti on abi l i ti es.
Ti me those attacks so that the enemi es waste effort on a spel l onl y to have i t
countered at the l ast possi bl e moment. Thi s i s toggl ed on by defaul t.
2. Click Interface, and click Combat.
3. Check Cast Bars On Targets.
4. Click Okay.
Combat Text Options
You can change
the Combat Text
opti ons so that you
see more onscreen
text showi ng whats
happeni ng duri ng
combat:
1. Press Esc to open
the Game Menu.
2. Click Interface,
and click Floating
Combat Text.
3. Check Damage to see the damage you deal, and check any other options you
wish to see during combat
Reactive Spells & Abilities is a good reminder for players of when
specific spells are ready.
You may need to experiment to see which features help you and which
get in your way.
4. Click Okay.
Using Key Bindings
The Key Bi ndi ngs opti on ser ves two purposes:
A remi nder of shortcut keys al ready i n the game.
You can map your own shortcut keys, i f you wi sh.
2. Click Key Bindings. A scrollable window opens, indicating all the keys that
already have shortcuts listed in white.
3. To set up a new shortcut, click the Command you want to tie to a specific
key. For example, The Talent Pane has a keyboard shortcut (n), but the
Glyphs Pane does not. Scroll down to Interface Panel Functions, and click
Toggle Glyphs.
4. Choose the key you want to bind it to. If that key is already bound, like G
is, a red notification appears at the bottom of the menu. You can always
reset the Key Bindings to default if you need to.
5. Click Okay.
These bi ndi ngs arent l i mi ted to your keyboard! You can assi gn functi ons to your
mouse or other i nput devi ces as wel l .
COMMAND EFFECT
Press X Sit or Stand
Press Z Unsheathe or Sheathe Your Weapon(s)
Shift+P Open Window for All Mounts and Pets
Press V
Show red nameplates and health bars directly over your target in
combat and nearby creatures.
Right-click a buff Remove any positive buff on self
COMMAND EFFECT
Shift+I Open Pets Spellbook
Esc Close an open window
Alt+Z Turn Off Game Interface
PrintScreen
Capture Screenshot (Screenshots are automatically saved in the World of
Warcraft/Screenshots directory.)
MACROS
The base game al ready has many opti ons to consi der, but you mi ght want even more once you understand ever ythi ng. The Macro system i s i n pl ace to hel p you fi nd the
perfect WoW experi ence.
Macros l et you tri gger abi l i ti es i n a more compl ex manner. You have access to any command i n the game through thi s, and you can even chai n mul ti pl e commands together.
Thi s system i s found i nsi de the Game menu. Hi t the Escape key and sel ect Macros to see what i ts al l about.
MAKING A MACRO
You can make character- speci fi c Macros or you can make ones that are avai l abl e to al l characters on your account. There are thousands of i deas fl oati ng around for good
Macros, so one of the best to fi nd these i s to hunt around cl ass message boards and see what other peopl e have made.
You can al so fool around on your own. Cl i ck New, sel ect an i con for your Macro and a name for i t, and then type i n commands. When youre done, drag the Macro onto a
val i d acti on bar sl ot and then you can use the Macro l i ke any normal abi l i ty.
Standard sl ash commands work j ust fi ne i n Macros. For exampl e:
/say /party /dance /flirt
However, you can al so use commands that you woul dnt normal l y type i n.
/cast i s the most common one. Thi s l ets you tri gger abi l i ti es through the Macro system!
Thi nk of the uses for thi s! Imagi ne that youre a Rogue that i s about to Sap a target. You want ever yone i n the group to know that youre doi ng thi s. Tr y the
fol l owi ng Macro.
/cast sap
/p Sapping %t
Thi s Macro uses Sap on the target you currentl y have sel ected. It then di spl ays for your group that you are Sappi ng the monster (and the actual name of that monster wi l l
be di spl ayed).
To avoi d havi ng to type i n abi l i ty names, open your Spel l book and shi ft + l eft- cl i ck the abi l i ty whi l e your Macro i s open. Thi s automati cal l y fi l l s i n the /cast part of the
Macro wi th the abi l i ty i n questi on. Its that easy.
You mi ght wonder, Wi l l thi s work wi th i tems too?
Tr y i t! Shi ft- cl i ck an i tem i n your backpack or bags whi l e the Macro system i s open. The command that appears i s /use, but, yes, thi s works j ust l i ke the cast system.
You can have a Macro tri gger your goodi es, so l ong as you have them i n your possessi on when you use the Macro.
Thi s i s onl y the ti p of the i ceberg wi th Macros. Now that you know what to l ook for, youre bound to fi nd a weal th of awesome i deas that are speci fi c to your cl ass
or pl aystyl e.
OTHER SHORTCUTS
236 237
ONLINE RESOURCES
If youre l ooki ng for more hel p, or want to know how to restri ct certai n aspects of the game so your chi l dren can pl ay, tr y the mai n websi te for Worl d of Warcraft
(us.battl e.net/wow).
From the home page, you can choose to vi si t i ts forums, check out Bl i zzards game gui de for Worl d of Warcraft, vi ew offi ci al and fan- made medi a, manage your account
(i ncl udi ng setti ng Parental Control s), vi si t the Shop, get news updates rel evant to the game i n i ts current state, and what the Worl d of Warcraft team i s worki ng on for
future patches and expansi ons.
COMMUNITY
The Communi ty page al l ows you to search for characters and gui l ds by name.
You can l ook up any acti ve characters here and see what equi pment they use,
how they spend thei r tal ent poi nts, where you can fi nd upgrades for your gear,
and so on.
The Communi ty page al so has l i nks to offi ci al soci al medi a pages, fan contri buti ons,
l eaderboards for Chal l enge Mode (by dungeon and real m), and PvP ranki ngs.
Remote Auction House
If you have fun pl ayi ng the Aucti on House, you can now access your real ms
Aucti on House from your web browser or mobi l e devi ce. Anyone can browse the
Aucti on House for free, or subscri be to the premi um ser vi ce whi ch al l ows you to bi d
on and buy out aucti ons wi th real - ti me resul ts, create aucti ons from i tems i n your
bags, bank, or mai l box, and col l ect gol d earned i n your aucti ons.
FORUMS
Forums are onl i ne bul l eti n boards where pl ayers can ask questi ons, brag, hel p other
pl ayers, and read updates from Bl i zzard staffers. Usi ng forums i s l i ke mi ni ng for
gol d: Theres a pl enty of val uabl e i nformati on i n forums, but you must wade through
many random topi cs to fi nd i t.
Some of the most hel pful forums for new pl ayers are Cl ass, Real m, Professi on
Di scussi on, and Quest Di scussi on. Wi th some pati ence, you shoul d fi nd a great deal
of assi stance.
SHOP
The Shop offers free ser vi ces, pai d ser vi ces, games and subscri pti ons, and a l i nk to the ful l Bl i zzard Store, where you can purchase a vari ety of i tems.
Free ser vi ces i ncl ude Recrui t- A- Fri end, Scrol l of Resurrecti on, and ways to i mprove your Account Securi ty. Pai d ser vi ces are covered i n more detai l bel ow.
PAID SERVICES
If you want to change somethi ng about your character (and a tri p to a barber i n one of the maj or ci ti es wont do the tri ck), Bl i zzard offers other opti ons to you. Before you
deci de to use any of the fol l owi ng ser vi ces, read the hel pful FAQs on Bl i zzards websi te for more i nformati on.

Appearance Change
Apperance Change, or Character Re- Customi ati on, i s an opti on i nherent i n Facti on
and Race Changes, but i f you want to change your character model or gender
(remember, you can change your characters l ook wi th a vi si t to the barber shop!)
wi thout changi ng your characters race, sel ect Appearance Change. Thi s ser vi ce l ets
you change your characters gender, face, hai r and ski n col or, hai rstyl e, name, and
other cosmeti c features determi ned by thei r race and gender combi nati on.

Character Transfer
There are two types of character transfers. If you start on one real m, but fi nd
that you have fri ends pl ayi ng on another real m, you have the opti on to transfer a
character to the other real m. In rare i nstances, usual l y when a real ms popul ati on
grows too l arge, you may be abl e to transfer a character at no charge. The second
type of character transfer i nvol ves a move between Worl d of Warcraft accounts.
There are many restri cti ons for thi s type of transfer.

Faction Change
If you want to see what l i fe i s l i ke on the other si de, you can change your
characters facti on from Horde to Al l i ance, or Al l i ance to Horde. As a part of the
Facti on Change, you must sel ect a new race and customi ze your characters l ook.

Name Change
Changi ng your characters name i s an opti on i ncl uded i n some of the other ser vi ces,
but i f your characters name i s the onl y thi ng you wi sh to change, thi s ser vi ce i s the
one you shoul d choose.

Race Change
If you want to tr y out a new race whi ch i s a part of your current facti on, sel ect the
Race Change opti on. The ful l range of customi zati on opti ons offered by the Character
Re- Customi zati on ser vi ce i s i ncl uded as wel l .
238 239
Find Additional Resources
BradyGames strategy gui des are a great source for i nformati on and fun i deas, but WoW i s too bi g to put i nto any si ngl e book or even a group of books. There are thousands
and thousands of si tes wi th WoW i nformati on. Beyond the mai n forums for the game there are gui l d si tes, fan si tes, and mi l l i ons of i ndi vi dual pl ayers to tal k to.
Dont pl ay thi s l i ke i ts a sol o game. It i snt! There are so many knowl edgeabl e peopl e out there who enj oy shari ng thei r i deas. Tal k to peopl e i n game. Read the forums.
Look up macros, tacti cs, questi ons, and answers as wel l . If you want to know what to craft or where to fi nd a reagent, enti re reci pe l i sts are avai l abl e. If you have troubl e
wi th a quest, dont drop i t. Fi nd out i f other peopl e have had troubl e too. Go onl i ne and search wi th the exact quest name. Pretty much ever y si ngl e quest wi l l pop up
somethi ng, and usual l y there i s i nformati on there that hel ps you get around probl ems.
Be eager i n your quest for knowl edge. None of the best pl ayers on your ser ver got there by themsel ves. Its i mpossi bl e to know ever ythi ng about ever y cl ass and si tuati on.
Even peopl e who onl y pl ay one cl ass are bound to mi ss a few i deas.
Parental Controls
Bl i zzard Entertai nment bel i eves that real - worl d pri ori ti es such as homework, chores,
and fami l y di nner shoul d take precedence over entertai nment. Thei r Parental
Control s provi de parents and guardi ans wi th easy- to- use tool s to set up rul es for
Worl d of Warcraft pl ay ti me and manage access to Bl i zzard Entertai nment games i n
a way that fi ts your fami l ys si tuati on.
You can set Pl ay- Ti me Li mi ts, a schedul e, and even have weekl y reports sent to
your e- mai l account that provi des i nformati on about the ti mes your chi l d was pl ayi ng
the game, and much more. Al l these opti ons are found on the battl e.net websi te
(www.battl e.net) under your account setti ngs.
Authenticator
If youre worri ed about your account bei ng compromi sed, Bl i zzard offers another l ayer of protecti on from unauthori zed
access. A Bl i zzard Authenti cator i s an addi ti onal l ayer of securi ty for your Battl e.net account. There are mul ti pl e types of
Authenti cators, but they al l provi de the same securi ty. The Battl e.net Authenti cator provi des you wi th a uni que code that i s
constantl y changi ng i n addi ti on to your regul ar password. For more i nformati on, check the Account Securi ty secti on i n the
Ser vi ces secti on on Worl d of Warcraft websi te.
ACCOUNT SERVICES AND SECURITY PETS & MOUNTS
The Bl i zzard Store offers a few i tems for sal e that appear i n Worl d of Warcaft. The i tems avai l abl e under the Pets & Mounts header are di gi tal i tems that are attached to
one or more of your characters. The offeri ngs are updated as addi ti onal pets and mounts are created, so keep checki ng back for new i tems.
Mounts for Sale
Pets for Sale
Swift Windsteed
Cinder Kitten
Cenarion Hatchling
Pandaren Monk
Moonking Hatchling
Lil Ragnaros
Guardian Cub
Lil K.T.
Soul of the Aspects
Lil X.T.
Celestial Steed Heart of the Aspects Winged Guardian
240
BEGINNERS GUIDE
Contri butors: Joe Branger, Mi chael Lummi s,
Forrest Wal ker, Howard Scot Hi ghes,
Kenny Si ms, and Mi chael Owen
2013 DK/BradyGAMES, a division of Penguin Group (USA). BradyGAMES is a
registered trademark of Penguin Group (USA). All rights reserved, including the right of
reproduction in whole or in part in any form.
DK/BradyGames, a di vi si on of Pengui n Group (USA)
800 East 96th Street, 3rd Fl oor
Indi anapol i s, IN 46240
2013 Bl i zzard Entertai nment, Inc. Al l ri ghts reser ved. Worl d of Warcraft,
Battl e Chest, and Bl i zzard Entertai nment are trademarks or regi stered trademarks
of Bl i zzard Entertai nment, Inc., i n the U.S. and/or other countri es.
The rati ngs i con i s a regi stered trademark of the Entertai nment Software Associ ati on.
Al l other trademarks and trade names are properti es of thei r respecti ve owners.
Pl ease be advi sed that the ESRB rati ngs i cons, EC, E, E10+, T, M, AO,
and RP are trademarks owned by the Entertai nment Software Associ ati on, and
may onl y be used wi th thei r permi ssi on and authori ty. For i nformati on regardi ng
whether a product has been rated by the ESRB, pl ease vi si t www.esrb.org.
For permi ssi on to use the rati ngs i cons, pl ease contact the ESA at
esrbl i censei nfo@theesa.com.
Printing Code: The ri ghtmost doubl e- di gi t number i s the year of the books
pri nti ng; the ri ghtmost si ngl e- di gi t number i s the number of the books pri nti ng.
For exampl e, 13- 1 shows that the fi rst pri nti ng of the book occurred i n 2013.
16 15 14 13 4 3 2 1
Pri nted i n the USA.
BradyGAMES Staff
Publisher
Mi ke Degl er
Editor-In-Chief
H. Lei gh Davi s
Licensing Manager
Chri sti an Sumner
Credits
Senior Development
Editor
Ken Schmi dt
Manuscript Editor
Matt Buchanan
Book Designer
Ti m Amrhei n
Production Designers
Jul i e Cl ark
Wi l Cruz
Blizzard Staff
Quality Assurance
Matt Browni ng
Matthew Cederqui st
Chri s Cl arke
Brett Crawford
Ryan Crow
Edgar Fl ores
Kevi n Gu
Jeff Hi cks
Bri an Inboden
Adam Z. Jackson
Scott Johnston
Ti m Jones
Davi d Ki ngsbur y
Sean Kruse
Jeramy McIntyre
Al ex Neyman
Joseph Ransom
Greg Ri ssel ada
Davi d Sanchez
George Shute
Travi s Shute
Bri an Song
Drew Strunk
Paul Sul l i van
Dani el Van Essen
Eri c Yasukochi
Rebecca Ysteboe
Creative Development
Skye Chandl er
Leanne Huynh
Licensing Team
World of Warcraft
Development team
Joe Hsu
Thomas Pi eracci
Al ex Tsang
Marketing
Kevi n B. Carter
Ryan C. Davi s
Ben Hsi eh
Neal Hubbard
Zachar y Hubert
Eri k Jensen
Ken Murayama
Steve Parker
Judy Tan
Beverl y Wi l l i ams
Operations
Rodger Shaw
Special thanks to the Blizzard European team
for their hard work and commitment!

WoW BradyGAMES EnGB Guide

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