Before you looms a gateway to an untold land, minded by towering watchers who regard you from their pedestals with malevolence. Drawn by the call of the unknown, you steel yourself and pass through the portal, ready to explore this boundless world of magic and monsters.

World of Warcraft Classic returns you to a lost era of war and exploration, where you can enjoy a dynamic, immersive world filled with kindred adventurers all seeking to overcome the challenges that face them and make names for themselves as champions of Azeroth.

Ready to play? Here are some tips to get you started.

Your Realm and You

Finding the right realm to suit your playstyle is the first step in beginning your Classic journey. While logging in and being faced with a slew of nigh-incomprehensible names might be daunting at first, understanding acronyms is key to settling on the realm you’ll call home.

• Normal: This style of realm is best for those looking to enjoy a relaxed, casual experience without the threat of enemy players attacking them. If you want to enjoy open-world PvP, you must manually flag yourself to do so.
• Player vs. Player (PvP): On PvP realms, players in contested territories (about 2/3 of the world) will automatically be flagged for player versus player combat, enabling members of the enemy faction to attack them at will.
• Roleplaying (RP): Those who wish to be more immersed in the world of Azeroth can join a roleplaying realm. Aside from the roleplaying aspect, these function similarly to Normal realms.
• Roleplaying Player vs. Player (RP-PvP): These realms combine RP and PvP playstyles.

Pledge Your Allegiance

Once you’ve selected your realm, it’s time to make the defining decision: will you join the ranks of the indomitable Horde? Or will you stand beside the steadfast Alliance? Your choice dictates which races (and, in certain cases, classes) are available to you, so choose wisely!

The Alliance

Driven by a sense of justice and a desire to illuminate the darkest corners of the world, the Alliance seek to bring order to Azeroth’s war-torn lands and emphasize honor and tradition above all else. The races that comprise the noble Alliance are:

• Humans: The resilient Humans, though one of Azeroth’s younger races, have endured despite the many challenges that have beset them in the past. As the world around them changes, Humans adapt, persistent in their resolve.
• Dwarves: Bold and adventurous, the Dwarves of Ironforge are a hardy people who relish battle and exploration. Recently, records surfaced of a god-like race said to have given the Dwarves life, fueling their desire for exploration and archaeology as they seek to unearth the mysteries of their progenitors.
• Night Elves: An ancient and mystical race, the once-immortal Night Elves have had a hand in shaping centuries of Azeroth’s history. They are bound inextricably to the natural forces around them and live a self-sufficient, reclusive lifestyle.
• Gnomes: Clever and eccentric, Gnomes are a race of tiny tinkerers, trailblazers, and technological geniuses, renowned for their intellect and radical ideas. Despite the destruction of their home city, they remain cheerful and ever-devoted to their work.

The Horde

A coalition of outcasts who have forged a union in the flames of survival, the Horde values action and strength, committed to enduring in an unforgiving land that would see it extinguished. The proud peoples of the Horde are:

• Orcs: The once-peaceful Orcs came to Azeroth from the planet Draenor after falling victim to the corruption of the demonic Burning Legion. Now, the Orcs fight to survive in a world that hates them, prizing blood and honor above all things.
• Undead: Trapped in the limbo between life and death, the sinister Undead were reanimated by the cruel Lich King to serve as mindless pawns in his war against the living. Having broken free from his thrall, they now battle to retain their newfound independence and slay those that seek to purge them from Azeroth.
• Tauren: The spiritual and peaceful Tauren cultivate a kinship with the natural world around them in the name of their goddess, the Earth Mother. They live honorable lives and value peace over the warmongering ways of their allies.
• Trolls: The Darkspear tribe of Trolls, ousted from their tropical homelands, pledged their arms and shadowy magics to the Horde after having been saved by the orcs in a time of need. Now, these fierce people seek to reclaim the former glory of their tribe.

Stay Classy

After deciding where your loyalties lie, the final step before you set foot on Azerothian soil is choosing a class. Do you enjoy charging into the fray, blade brandished? Are you the type to skulk amongst the shadows, dispatching enemies with cruel efficiency? Or do your interests lie in aiding allies from afar with benevolent magics? Whichever you prefer, there’s a class for you.

All classes are able to deal damage and adventure alone, but some can also fill the role of “tank” or “healer.”  Playing a “tank” involves shielding your allies and drawing the ire of monsters toward yourself, while playing a healer involves keeping your friends alive with restorative spells.  Groups of players are most effective when they have characters able to fill all three roles. Whatever you would like to do, you can customize your character’s skills according to your desires allowing you to focus more on a particular role or playstyle if you so choose. Some weapons and armor are restricted to certain character classes, and different classes derive different benefits from equipment found in the world.

• Druid: Druids call upon the versatility of nature to empower themselves, assuming the forms of primal beasts, summoning celestial energy, and channeling the restorative properties of the wilds to aid their allies.
  • Races: Night Elf, Tauren
  • Armor: Cloth, Leather
  • Roles: DPS, Tank, Healer
  • Specializations: Feral, Restoration, Balance
• Hunter: Drawn by the call of the wild, Hunters are survival experts whose skills are aided by their finesse with ranged weapons and kinship with fierce beasts. 
  • Races: Night Elf, Dwarf, Orc, Tauren, Troll
  • Armor: Cloth, Leather, Mail
  • Roles: DPS
  • Specializations: Survival, Marksmanship, Beast Mastery
• Mage: Mages are spellcasting savants, flinging fire, frost, and arcane sorcery at their foes from afar.  
  • Races: Human, Gnome, Undead, Troll
  • Armor: Cloth
  • Role: DPS
  • Specializations: Arcane, Fire, Frost
• Paladin: Limited to the Alliance, Paladins are bastions of divine light, meting out justice with magic and might.
  • Races: Human, Dwarf
  • Armor: All
  • Roles: DPS, Tank, Healer
  • Specializations: Holy, Protection, Retribution
• Priest: Walking the line between Shadow and Light, Priests heal allies with powerful holy magic and sling sinister spells in tandem.
  • Races: Human, Dwarf, Night Elf, Undead, Troll
  • Armor: Cloth
  • Roles: DPS, Healer
  • Specializations: Holy, Discipline, Shadow
• Rogue: Fans of knives and poisons, Rogues stalk their foes from the silent dark, always ready to slit throats and pick the pockets of the unwary.
  • Races: Dwarf, Gnome, Human, Night Elf, Orc, Undead, Troll
  • Armor: Cloth, Leather
  • Role: DPS
  • Specializations: Combat, Assassination, Subtlety
• Shaman: Limited to the Horde, Shamans commune with the chaotic elements, harnessing primal fury to enhance weapons, empower totems, and augment their own abilities.
  • Races: Orc, Troll, Tauren
  • Armor: Cloth, Leather, Mail
  • Roles: DPS, Healer
  • Specializations: Enhancement, Elemental, Restoration
• Warlock: Utilizing forbidden sorcery to wreak havoc on their enemies, Warlocks commune with dark powers that enable them to summon demons, curse foes, and channel destructive magics.
  • Races: Gnome, Human, Orc, Undead
  • Armor: Cloth
  • Role: DPS
  • Specializations: Affliction, Destruction, Demonology
• Warrior: Combining a mastery of weapons and prowess in battle, Warriors storm fearlessly into the front lines of any fight.
  • Races: All
  • Armor: All
  • Role: DPS, Tank
  • Specializations: Arms, Fury, Protection

Into the Unknown

Now that you’ve decided on your server, faction, race, and class, it’s time to give your character a stylish look, whip up a name, and hit that “Enter World” button. Though your journey has just begun, you’ll soon be ready to take on all Azeroth has to offer. Explore the world, delve into dungeons, party up with other players, and enjoy your adventures! Once you’ve dinged 60, ready yourself to descend into the depths of Blackrock Mountain and face the fearsome Nefarian in Blackwing Lair, now live on Classic servers!

New to WoW Classic? Join the discussions on the forums.