WoW Cataclysm Classic: Complete Guide to Goblins and Worgen
The Cataclysm brings changing times. Oceans rise, skies fall, and Deathwing’s madness causes the land to shift below the feet of Horde and Alliance alike. The chaos does not discriminate.
With this indiscriminate chaos comes the revival of ancient feuds. The Horde and the Alliance prepare for battle, but not without new allies arriving. The Goblins of Bilgewater Cartel join the Horde after facing the cataclysm and threats from the Alliance, showing perseverance in the face of Deathwing. The citizens of Gilneas rejoin the Alliance as Worgen, having been transformed by their curse not only in body but in mind as well.
As turmoil spreads to the ends of Azeroth, only the bravest of adventurers can save this world. Will you rise to the challenge alongside the Horde as a shifty Goblin? Can you fight the insanity overtaking Azeroth while battling the beast inside as a Worgen, a member of the Alliance once again? Well, with the help of this guide, you certainly can! In this article, the essentials of the two newly added races will be covered. Now, let’s get into it!
Table of Contents
Goblins
Wishing there was a pun or a joke to start this section off with, but nothing can beat the wit of a Goblin!
Quick Facts
- Horde exclusive
- Their racial mount is the Goblin Trike
- Sold by Kall Worthaton in Orgrimmar (36.2, 86.6)
- New Goblin players begin in Kezan and end their journey at level 15 in The Lost Isles, at which point they join the rest of the Horde
Racial Abilities
- Best Deals Anywhere
- Allows you to always get the best gold discount, regardless of your reputation with a particular faction
- Better Living Through Chemistry
- Increases your alchemy skill by a significant amount
- Pack Hobgoblin
- Ability that allows you bank access for one minute
- Rocket Jump
- A movement ability that quickly repositions you
- Rocket Barrage
- An explosively fun ability that damages enemies
- Time is Money
- Increases your attack and casting speed by 1%
Available Classes
- Death Knight
- Goblins make solid Death Knights thanks to their Rocket Jump ability
- Hunter
- While the additional attack speed is nice, there isn’t much to be said about this race/class combo
- Mage
- Arcane Mages tend to struggle with mobility, making Rocket Jump a welcome addition
- Priest
- Similarly, Rocket Jump makes playing as a Priest a lot easier
- Rogue
- Rogues benefit from extra haste, so Goblins will naturally make good Rogues
- Shaman
- This race/class combo is not all that special
- Warrior
- Warriors already have good mobility with Charge and Heroic Leap, making this race/class combo a matter of personal choice
Please note that the race/class combo you choose does not make a massive difference in your ability to tank, heal, or damage enemies.
Worgen
Cursed to forever battle the beast within, the once-humans of Gilneas find strength in their transformation.
Quick Facts
- Alliance Exclusive
- They are their own racial mount
- Running Wild grants the same benefits as a mount using just your arms and legs, providing an awesome core body workout
- New Worgen players start their journey in Gilneas as humans
Racial Abilities
- Aberration
- Increases your resistance to Nature and Shadow damage
- Darkflight
- Allows you to run very fast for 10 seconds, making it an awesome movement ability
- Flayer
- Increases your skinning skill by a significant amount and also allows you to skin faster
- Two Forms
- Allows you to take on your human or Worgen form at will
- Viciousness
- Increases your critical strike chance by 1%
Available Classes
- Death Knight
- A solid choice for Worgen players, in part because the eyes look epic
- Druid
- While Druids are already a mobile class, Darkflight provides a quick way out of tough situations
- Hunter
- Beast Mastery mains will greatly enjoy the Viciousness passive
- Mage
- Thanks to Darkflight, Arcane Mage players can appreciate playing as a Worgen
- Priest
- Worgen make excellent Priests thanks to Darkflight solving the movement problem
- Rogue
- While critical strike chance is not a huge deal for Rogues, it is still nice to have a bit extra
- Warlock
- Since damage over time abilities can now land critical strikes, Worgen make great Warlocks
- Warrior
- Warriors like critical strike, so Worgen are an excellent choice thanks to their Viciousness passive
Once again, please note that the race/class combo you choose does not make a massive difference in your ability to tank, heal, or damage enemies.
Which Should I Choose?
Now that you know about Goblins and Worgen, it’s time to decide which one to try out first. You can, of course, have one (or multiple) of each. In fact, it’s recommended that you try both of these new races out! They each have their own benefits, so it’s important to remember that one is not inherently better than the other. That said, most players will gravitate towards one of them rather than the other. This next section will help you decide on which one to try first!
Starting Zones
- Worgen
- Gilneas has a very moody vibe to it, with constant rain and a harrowing soundtrack
- Goblins
- Both Kezan and The Lost Isles carry an aura of adventure and discovery
Factions
- Worgen
- Worgen belong to the Alliance, which restricts some aspects of MMO gameplay
- Goblins
- Goblins belong to the Horde, which restricts some aspects of MMO gameplay
Playstyles/Goals
- Worgen
- Thanks to their racials, Worgen make good choices for players focusing on PvE content. Worgen are also good for leather farming, as they have the Flayer passive and can play as Druids
- Goblins
- If you want to be an alchemist, you want to be a Goblin. This is because of their Better Living Through Chemistry passive. Goblins make good bank toons as well, thanks to their ability to get vendor discounts without grinding for reputation as well as their ability to summon a bank
Aesthetics
- Worgen
- Worgen are basically werewolves, tall and fairly muscular. The old models for Worgen look absolutely feral. These old models are used in place of the modern ones, something welcomed by many players who consider the modern models to not be gnarly enough. They can turn back into their human form after completing a quest in their starting zone. When it comes to aesthetics, Worgen are a two-in-one deal
- Goblins
- Goblins are fairly short and often rock outrageous or hideously simple hairstyles. With skin tones ranging from green to brown, Goblins are fairly customizable. In Classic WoW, the old models for Goblins are being used once again. While the old Worgen models look vastly different from the modern ones, Goblins never saw such a massive change. Aesthetically, Goblins fit in well with the rest of the Horde
Closing Thoughts
The Cataclysm has transformed Azeroth’s landscape, but the dramatic changes to our surroundings are not the only differences we’ll notice. The humans of Gilneas have become beasts and now put their rage to good use with the Alliance. While, the Horde welcomes Goblins and all of their not-so-mysterious quirks. No matter which side you fight for, Deathwing must be stopped. Save our beloved world of Azeroth as a Goblin or a Worgen today!
