WoW: Cataclysm Classic Best Racial Synergies
Every race in WoW has a racial bonus that affects combat, professions, and quality of life features, which makes every playable race unique and powerful in its own way. Every racial passive provides a bonus to certain weapon types, like the Dwarven proficiency for guns and maces, while some allow unique interactions with the world, such as the Forsaken’s ability to devour corpses. We will be highlighting each racial passive and the classes that they best synergize with.
Table of Contents
Draenei Racials
Heroic Presence is the main passive for all Draenei. This passive initially buffed the entire team but has since been nerfed only to affect the Draenei player alone. Gift of the Naaru is a handy backup healing option once all other burst healing spells are on cooldown. So far, the classes that best work for Draenei are Death Knights, Hunter, Mage, Paladin, Priest, Shaman, and Warrior.
- Gemcutting: Jewelcrafting skill increased by 5.
- Heroic Presence: Increases crit chance for all attacks by 1%
- Shadow Resistance: Increases your resistance to harmful Shadow effects by 1, increased by character level.
- Gift of the Naaru: Heals 20% of a target’s total health for 15 seconds
Dwarf Racials
One of the original races for the Alliance, the Dwarves are notable for their Stoneform passive, making them a practical template for tank classes. Their racial bonuses allow them to work well with all classes except Druid.
- Explorer: You find additional archaeological fragments, and you can survey sites faster than normal archaeologists.
- Frost Resistance: Increases your resistance to harmful Frost effects by 1, increased by character level.
- Gun Specialization: Your critical hit chance with guns is increased by 1%.
- Mace Specialization: Gain 3 Specialization with Maces and Two-Handed Maces.
- Stoneform: Removes all poison, disease, and bleeding effects and gain 10% damage reduction for 8 seconds.
Gnome Racials
For Cataclysm, Gnomes have received a new passive called Expansive Mind, allowing them to have a place in many caster-based classes. They also have a few bonuses that best suit them for Rogues. Aside from the mentioned class, they are best paired with Death Knight, Mage, Priest Rogue, Warlock, and Warrior.
- Arcane Resistance — Increases your resistance to harmful Arcane effects by 1, increased by character level.
- Engineering Specialization: Engineering skills increased by 15.
- Expansive Mind: Mana pool increased by 5%
- Shortblade Specialization: Gain 3 Expertise for Daggers and Shortswords.
- Escape Artist: Immediately cleanse yourself of any movement debuffs or immobilization effects.
Human Racials
Humans have the Sword and Mace Specialization, making them a good choice for any melee DPS classes. They can also be suited for healers with The Human Spirit bonus, giving them more Spirit stats for healing. Humsns are best suited for Death Knight, Hunter, Mage, Paladin, Priest, Rogue, Warlock, and Warrior.
- Diplomacy: Reputation gains increased by 10%.
- The Human Spirit: Spirit increased by 3%
- Mace Specialization: Gain 3 Expertise with Maces and Two-Handed Maces
- Sword Specialization: Gain 3 Expertise with Swords and Two-Handed Swords
- Will to Survive: Cleanse yourself of all movement reduction effects and all other crowd control effects.
Night Elf Racials
Night Elves are the de facto stealth race with their Shadowmeld effect and Quickness passives. They are a good choice for Death Knight, Druid, Hunter, Mage, Priest, Rogue, and Warrior.
- Nature Resistance: Increases your resistance to harmful Nature effects by 1, increased by character level.
- Quickness: Enemy attacks and spells have a 2% chance of missing you.
- Wisp Spirit: Turn into a wisp upon death, increasing speed by 75%.
- Shadowmeld: Causes you to slip into the shadows, reducing the chance for enemies to detect you. The effect is canceled upon moving or taking any action. Any threat is restored against enemies still in combat upon cancellation of this effect.
Worgen Racials
Worgens are one of the new races added to Cataclysm, representing the Alliance. As the werewolf race, Worgens have access to Darkflight, which gives them beastlike movement speed and Viciousness, which augments their offensive capability. Worgens will do well as a Death Knight, Druid, Hunter, Mage, Priest, Rogue, Warlock, and Warrior.
- Aberration: Increases your resistance to harmful Nature and Shadow effects by 1, increased by character level.
- Enable Worgen Altered Form: Enables Worgens to switch between human and Worgen forms.
- Flayer: Skinning skill increased by 15 and gain increased skinning speed.
- Viciousness: Gain 1% increased critical strike.
- Darkflight: Activates your wolf form, increasing movement speed by an additional 40% for 10 sec.
- Running Wild: Makes your character drop to all fours to run like a wild beast. This effect counts as a mount.
Blood Elf Racials
This race has the main trait, Arcane Torrent, which allows them to silence casters, preventing them from casting any magic for a short duration. This skill is particularly effective in PvP and some instances in PvE when dealing with casters. In this regard, Blood Elf players are great as Death Knight, Hunter, Mage, Paladin, Priest, Rogue, Warlock, and Warriors.
- Arcane Affinity: Enchanting skill increased by 10.
- Arcane Resistance: Increases your resistance to harmful Arcane effects by 1, increased by character level.
- Arcane Torrent: Silence all enemies within 8 yards for 2 sec and resources. Enemy NPC spellcasting is also interrupted for 3 sec.
Goblin Racials
Goblins are the other new race introduced in Cataclysm, this time representing the Horde. They have access to some fun utility skills and other passives that make gold generation easier. Players will find the Death Knight, Hunter, Mage, Paladin, Priest, Rogue, Warlock, and Warrior classes suitable for this race.
- Best Deals Anywhere: Receive the highest possible discount, regardless of faction.
- Better Living Through Chemistry: Gain 15 points in the Alchemy profession.
- Time is Money: 1% increase in attack and casting speed.
- Pack Hobgoblin: Summons Gobber, your personal accountant, allowing you bank access for 1 minute.
- Rocket Barrage: Activate to launch your belt rockets at an enemy, dealing 171 fire damage, increased by Attack Power or Spell Power.
- Rocket Jump: Use your rocket belt to jump forward. Any other effects that slow the rate of falling are unable to be used within 10 seconds after using this ability.
Orc Racials
Orcs still remain the classic choice for Horde players, thanks to their timeless racial bonuses. They have access to Blood Fury, which gives them bonus damage on demand. Orcs synergize well with the Death Knight, Hunter, Mage, Rogue, Shaman, Warlock, and Warrior classes.
- Axe Specialization: Gain 3 Expertise in Fist weapons, Axes and Two-Handed Axes
- Command: Increases damage dealt by pets by 5%.
- Hardiness: Duration of Stun effects reduced by an additional 15%.
- Blood Fury: Increases your Attack Power or Spell Power for 15 sec.
Tauren Racials
The Tauren have no tangible benefits for their racial bonuses, with their only notable skills being Endurance and War Stomp. Taurens are suited for the Death Knight, Druid, Hunter, Paladin, Priest, Shaman, and Warrior classes.
- Cultivation: Herbalism skill increased by 15 and gain faster herb gathering speed.
- Endurance: Base Health increased by 5%.
- Nature Resistance: Increases your resistance to harmful Nature effects by 1, increased by character level.
- War Stomp: Stuns a total of 5 enemies within 8 yards for 2 seconds.
Troll Racials
Trolls have a great number of combat-related racial bonuses that help them stay longer in the fight, especially with Regeneration and Da Voodoo Shuffle giving them more longevity in battle, while Berserking grants some much-needed DPS. Trolls can do well with all classes except the Paladin class.
- Beast Slaying: Damage dealt against Beast-type enemies is increased by 5%.
- Bow Specialization: You gain a 1% critical hit chance with Bows.
- Da Voodoo Shuffle: Reduces the duration of all movement-impairing effects by 15%.
- Regeneration: Gain 10% increased health regeneration. 10% of your total Health regeneration will continue uninterrupted even while in combat.
- Throwing Specialization: Your critical hit chance with Throwing Weapons is increased by 1%.
- Berserking: Increases your attack and casting speed by 20% for 10 sec.
Undead Racials
The Undead have a few benefits in PvE and PvP, with Will of the Forsaken and Cannibalize. Will of the Forsaken is great in many PvP scenarios, while Cannibalize will allow you to consume fewer healing items. The best class options for the Undead are Death Knight, Hunter, Mage, Priest, Rogue, Warlock and Warrior.
- Shadow Resistance: Increases your resistance to harmful Shadow effects by 1, increased by character level.
- Underwater Breathing: You can stay underwater for 233% longer than other races.
- Cannibalize: When activated, devour a corpse to regenerate 7% health and mana every 2 seconds for 10 seconds. This skill only works on Humanoid or Undead corpses within 5 yrds. Taking damage and making any action or movement will cancel the effect of Cannibalize
- Will of the Forsaken: Immediately cleanse yourself of any Charm, Fear, and Sleep effect. This effect shares a 30-second cooldown with other similar effects.
