After Defending the Rift, players find themselves heading back to Stormwind or Orgrimmar at the Eastern or Western Earthshrines, respectively. There, players are informed of Thrall’s actions at the Maelstrom, leading players to Deepholm.

1. [81] Full Circle (optional)
2. Complete all of:
   • [81] Our Aquatic Neigh-Bors / [81] When in Vashj’ir…
   • [81] Claim Korthun’s End / [81] Secure Seabrush
   • [81] Bio-Fuel & [81] Fuel-ology 101
   • [81] Environmental Awareness & [81] The Perfect Fuel
3. [81] The Brothers Digsong / [81] Orako
4. [81] Phosphora Hunting / [81] ”Glow-Juice”
5. Complete all of:
   • [81] A Lure / [81] Here Fishie Fishie
   • [81] Coldlights Out / [81] Die Fishman Die
   • Alliance side chain: [81] Enormous Eel Egg & [81] The Brothers Digsong 2: Eel-Egg-Trick Boogaloo
   • Hode side chain: [81] I Brought You This Egg & [81] Here Fishie Fishie 2: Eel-Egg-Trick Boogaloo
6. [81] One Last Favor / [81] Orako’s Report
7. [82] Treasure Reclamation
   • [82] Sira’kess Slaying / [82] A Standard Day for Azrajar
   • [82] Those Aren’t Masks & [82] Put It On
8. [82] Gold for the Cause
9. [82] Scalding Shrooms / [82] Into the Totem
   • Side quests: [82] More Blood for the Depths, [82] Clearing the Defiled, [82] Free Wil’hai
10. [82] … It Will Come
11. [82] Unplug L’ghorek
    • [82] Fiends from the Netherworld
12. [82] Communing with the Ancient
13. [82] Runestones of Binding / [82] Ascend No More!
    • [82] Prisoners
14. [82] Twilight Extermination
15. [82] All that Rises
16. [82] Back to Darkbreak Cove / [82] Back to the Tenebrous Cavern
17. [82] Defending the Rift

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Shimmering Expanse is fairly heavily phased and is a directed questing experience. Players will be led here from Kelp’thar Forest.

Silver Tide Hollow

After The Abyssal Ride in Kelp’thar Forest:

1. [81] Across the Great Divide
2. [81] The Looming Threat
3. [81] Backed Into a Corner
4. [81] Rundown
5. [81] Silver Tide Hollow
6. [81] The Great Sambino
   • Side quests: [81] Don’t be Shellfish, [81] Slippery Threat, [81] A Distracting Scent
7. [81] Undersea Inflation
   • [81] Crabby Patrons
8. [81] Totem Modification
9. [81] Back in One Piece
10. [81] Toshe’s Vengeance
11. [81] Vortex / [81] Vengeful Heart
12. [81] Fathom-Lord Zin’jatar

Nespirah

Killing the Fathom-Lord drops the [Luminescent Pearl], which continues the chain

1. [81] A Pearl of Wisdom
2. [81] Nespirah
3. [81] Making Contact
4. [81] Slave Labor / [81] Stick it to Them
5. [81] Capture the Crab
6. [81] Breaking Through
7. [81] We Are Not Alone
8. [81] Body Blows / [81] Hopelessly Gearless / [81] Still Valuable
9. [81] Overseer Idra’kess
10. [81] Waking the Beast

Ruins of Vashj’ir

Completing Waking the Beast will send players to their first faction hub since the shipwreck:

1. Getting settled:
   • [81] Cold Welcome
   1. [81] A Powerful Need To Eat
   2. [81] Clamming Up
   3. [81] Art of Attraction / [81] Odor Coater
   4. [81] Bellies Await
   • [81] Deep Attraction
   • [81] Shelled Salvation
   • [81] Something Edible
   • [81] Crafty Crabs
2. [81] Swift Approach / [81] Caught Off-Guard / [81] A Better Vantage
   • Side quest: [81] An Occupation of Time
3. [81] Upon the Scene of Battle (during A Better Vantage)
4. [81] Visions of the Past: The Invasion of Vashj’ir
   1. [81] Reoccupation
   2. [81] The Revered Lady
   3. [81] To the Fathom-Lord’s Call / [81] Built to Last
   4. [81] Not Soon Forgotten

After the first Visions of the Past, players are sent to their faction’s forward post:

1. [81] Looking Forward
2. [81] Clear Goals / [81] Not Entirely Unprepared / [81] Properly Inspired
   • Side quest: [81] Curious Distraction
3. [81] Swift Action
4. [81] Gauging Success / [81] Fallen But Not Forgotten
5. [81] Visions of the Past: The Slaughter of Beth’mora
   1. [81] By Her Lady’s Word
      • Mandatory side quests: [81] No Trespass Forgiven, [81] Setting An Example
   2. [81] Stolen Property
   3. [81] Chosen Burden
   4. [81] The Culmination of Our Efforts

After the second Visions of the Past, players are sent back to the first faction hub:

1. [81] Losing Ground
2. [81] Desperate Plan
3. [81] Come Prepared / [81] Unfurling Plan / [81] Hostile Waters
4. [81] Honor and Privilege
5. [81] Welcome News
6. [81] Visions of the Past: Rise from the Deep
   1. [81] Devout Assembly
   2. [81] Her Lady’s Hand
   3. [81] At All Costs
   4. [81] Final Judgement
7. [81] A Breath of Fresh Air

Players are then sent to the Abyssal Depths in Full Circle.

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Kelp’thar Forest is very heavily phased and is a directed-questing experience. Following the breadcrumbs throughout the three zones of Vashj’ir is straightforward, leading to a natural storyline progression.

The other 80-82 level-up zone is Mount Hyjal. The quest chain of Mount Hyjal also starts from the Cataclysm auto-quests in Stormwind and Orgrimmar and drops players off underneath Nordrassil, the world tree.

After completing the Shimmering Expanse and Abyssal Depths portions of Vashj’ir, the next zone is Deepholm, which is started yet again at the Earthen Ring earthshrines outside of Stormwind City and Orgrimmar.

Seafarer’s Tomb/Legion’s End

From Stormwind/Orgrimmar:

1. [80] A Personal Summons
2. [80] Eye of the Storm / [80] The Eye of the Storm
3. [80] To the Depths
4. [81] Call of Duty
5. [81] Sea Legs
6. [81] Pay It Forward
7. [81] Rest For the Weary
8. [81] Buy Us Some Time / [81] Traveling on Our Stomachs
   • Side quest: [81] Once More, With Eeling
9. • [81] To Arms! / [81] Stormwind Elite Aquatic and Land Forces
   • [81] Girding Our Loins / [81] Helm’s Deep & [81] Finders, Keepers
10. [81] On Our Own Terms / [81] Bring It On!
11. [81] All or Nothing / [81] Blood and Thunder!

To Shallow’s End.

Shallow’s End and Smuggler’s Hole

1. [81] Better Late Than Dead
2. [81] The Abyssal Ride
3. [81] Good Deed Left Undone
4. [81] Gimme Shelter!
5. [81] Ain’t Too Proud to Beg
   • Side quests: [81] A Case of Crabs, [81] The Horde’s Hoard
6. [81] Can’t Start a Fire Without a Spark
   • Side quests: [81] A Girl’s Best Friend, [81] A Taste For Tail
7. [81] Ophidophobia
   • Side quests: [81] Nerve Tonic, [81] Kliklak’s Craw

To “A Desperate Plea” in the Holding Pens.

These quests contain subtle references to Rick Astley’s song “Never Gonna Give You Up”. Specifically, in A Girl’s Best friend, the quest giver mentions that she is no stranger to love, and Mack remarks in Nerve Tonic that you would not get this (his alcohol) from any other guy.

Budd’s Dig

After stealing the keg of explosives on “Can’t Start a Fire Without a Spark”, an optional side-chain opens up with Budd at Budd’s Dig.

1. [80] Oh, the Insanity!
2. [80] Dah, Nunt… Dah, Nunt…
3. [80] Shark Weak
4. [80] DUN-dun-DUN-dun-DUN-dun
5. [80] A Bone to Pick
6. [80] Decisions, Decisions

Holding Pens

After Ophidophobia in the Smuggler’s Hole:

1. [81] A Desperate Plea
2. [81] Undersea Sanctuary
3. [81] Spelunking
4. [81] Debriefing
5. [81] Wake of Destruction
6. [81] Come Hell or High Water
   • Side quests: [81] Decompression, [81] What? What? In My Gut…?, [81] How Disarming
7. [81] The Warden’s Time

To the Shimmering Expanse in Across the Great Divide

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The Vashj’ir Honor Guard are likely from here.

Unlike surface zones, zones throughout Vashj’ir have no official night cycle. At night Kelp’thar Forest, Shimmering Expanse and Abyssal Depths appear fully lit by some sort of light source.

Description from site

Map of Vashj’ir

Once a great Highborne city housing some of the most revered night elves of Kalimdor, Vashj’ir was swallowed by the Great Sea in the Sundering and thought to be lost forever. Queen Azshara, formerly a beloved leader of the Highborne, escaped death in the depths of the sea when the Well of Eternity imploded. Such salvation came at a great cost, as the queen and many of her fellow Highborne were forever transformed into the monstrous naga, doomed to wander the seas for thousands of years. Their existence mostly remains a mystery to the peoples of modern Azeroth, though the Earthen Ring has learned of Azshara’s naga seizing Vashj’ir for an unknown purpose as the cries of the elements echo across Azeroth from the Abyss.

The Sunken City

Vashj’ir is a level 80-82 zone in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm where players will be called to explore the depths of the Great Sea and stop the naga from seizing immeasurable power from the realm of Neptulon the Tidehunter. This expansive underwater zone will feature an unprecedented fight for survival against the naga overwhelming the area, several new quest hubs – including Alliance and Horde naval ships and submarines – all-new underwater travel and combat mechanics, several pocketed undersea caves free from water’s grip, a new five-player dungeon (Throne of the Tides), and the first-ever opportunity to explore the remains of the once-majestic city of Vashj’ir.

Bottled Distress Message Found Adrift at Sea

Need your help. Time is short. I’m held captive in what I hope to be a nightmare.

Enjoying the ocean air just days ago. We were determined to control key trade routes through victory at sea over the Horde. Their fleet came into our scopes. Our world became the deafening sound of battle, the smell of gunpowder, and the feeling of fear. Looking back now, though, that wasn’t real fear.

We weren’t alone in those waters. Our naval warfare attracted attention and rendered us prey. With our vessel already torn apart and taking on water, we saw a tremendous creature rise from the depths and shatter the hull, sucking us down to the sea floor. It all happened so fast. I was quick to tread the waters, hoping to regroup with any survivors I could find through a dense garden of kelp, constantly gasping for a chance breath. That’s when the onslaught began. From all directions swarms of brutal naga swept through and captured a great many of us. Beaten near to death, I awoke in agony, bound in chains.

And here I still sit. I can only describe our prison as very big and somehow very much alive. We’re in the hands of the naga now. Surviving crewmates in better condition than me are driven into slave labor.

One escaped. Thomas. He didn’t make it far before I saw him dragged back. Before being forced into labor, he spoke in a panic about some large shell protecting this living prison, expansive night elf ruins in the distance, strange naga rituals underway, and sea vrykul battling our captors. He made little sense. Could be mad. Or I could be mad to hope vrykul are fighting to free us.

Prison patrols out again. Send word to Stormwind. Sunken city far from extinct. Naga plotting something horrific. Please help.^[2]

Vashj’ir subregions

• Kelp’thar Forest
• Shimmering Expanse
• Abyssal Depths

Gallery

Videos

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Hyjal is an extremely-phased directed-questing experience. Following the breadcrumbs from point A to point B will have players explore the zone in a relatively natural progression.

The other 80-82 level-up zone is Vashj’ir. The quest chain of Vashj’ir also starts from the Hero’s Call/Warchief’s Command billboards and drops players off in Kelp’thar Forest.

After Mount Hyjal, the next zone is Deepholm, which is started at the Earthen Ring earthshrines outside of Stormwind City and Orgrimmar.

Nordrassil

1. [80] Hero’s Call: Mount Hyjal! / [80] Warchief’s Command: Mount Hyjal!
2. [81] As Hyjal Burns
   • Side chain under Nordrassil:
   1. [81] Inciting the Elements & [81] The Earth Rises
   2. [81] Flames from Above
3. [81] Protect the World Tree
4. [81] War on the Twilight’s Hammer & [81] The Flameseer’s Staff
5. [81] Flamebreaker
6. [81] The Return of Baron Geddon
7. [81] Emerald Allies
8. [81] The Captured Scout
9. [81] Twilight Captivity
10. [81] Return to Alysra
11. [81] A Prisoner of Interest
12. [81] Through the Dream
13. [81] Return to Nordrassil

Shrine of Goldrinn

1. [81] The Return of the Ancients
2. [81] End of the Supply Line
   • Side quests: [81] Harrying the Hunters, [81] In the Rear With the Gear
3. [81] The Voice of Goldrinn / [81] The Voice of Lo’Gosh
4. [81] Goldrinn’s Ferocity / [81] Howling Mad
5. [81] Lycanthoth the Corruptor
6. [81] The Shrine Reclaimed
7. [81] Cleaning House
   • Brainwashing side chain
   1. [81] From the Mouth of Madness
   2. [81] Free Your Mind, the Rest Follows
   • Eye of Twilight side chain
   1. [81] The Eye of Twilight
   2. [81] Mastering Puppets
   3. [81] Elementary!
   4. [81] Return to Duskwhisper
8. [81] Lightning in a Bottle
   • Side quest: [81] Sweeping the Shelf
9. [81] Into the Maw!
10. [81] Forged of Shadow and Flame / [81] Crushing the Cores / [81] Rage of the Wolf Ancient
11. [81] Cindermaul, the Portal Master
12. [81] Forgemaster Pyrendius
13. [81] Return from the Firelands

After Return from the Firelands, two quests open up: The Fires of Mount Hyjal and Aviana’s Legacy.

Grove of Aessina

1. [81] The Fires of Mount Hyjal (optional)
2. Complete all of:
   • Demon
   1. [81] If You’re Not Against Us…
   2. [81] Seeds of Their Demise
   3. [81] A New Master
   4. [81] The Name Never Spoken
   5. [81] Black Heart of Flame
   • Deer
   1. [81] Save the Wee Animals
   2. [81] Oh, Deer!
   • Side quests: [81] Fighting Fire With … Anything, [81] Disrupting the Rituals
3. [81] Last Stand at Whistling Grove
4. [81] The Bears Up There

Sanctuary of Malorne

1. [81] Smashing Through Ashes
2. Complete all of:
   • [81] Durable Seeds
   • [81] Firebreak & [81] Prepping the Soil
   1. [81] Fresh Bait
   2. [81] Hell’s Shells
   3. [81] Tortolla Speaks
   4. [81] Breaking the Bonds / [81] Children of Tortolla
   5. [81] An Ancient Awakens

Shrine of Aviana

1. [81] Wings Over Mount Hyjal or [81] Aviana’s Legacy
   • Aviana
   1. [81] An Offering for Aviana
   2. [81] A Plea From Beyond
   3. [81] A Prayer and a Wing
   • Harpies
   1. [81] The Wormwing Problem / [81] Scrambling for Eggs
   2. [81] A Bird in Hand
2. [81] Fact-Finding Mission
   • [81] Sethria’s Brood
   • [81] A Gap in Their Armor & [81] Disassembly
   • [81] The Codex of Shadows & [81] Egg Hunt
3. [81] Sethria’s Demise
4. [81] Return to the Shrine
5. [81] An Ancient Reborn
   • Optional side chain:
   1. [81] The Hatchery Must Burn
   2. [81] Flight in the Firelands
   3. [81] Wave One
   4. [81] Wave Two
   5. [81] Egg Wave
   6. [81] Return to Aviana

Scorched Plain

After Aessina’s Miracle

1. [81] The Last Living Lorekeeper
2. [81] Firefight
3. [81] Aessina’s Miracle
4. [81] Tortolla’s Revenge
5. [81] The Hammer and the Key
   • Side chain: [81] Lost Wardens & [81] Pressing the Advantage
   • Side quests: [81] Breakthrough, [81] Hyjal Recycling Program
6. [81] The Third Flamegate
7. [81] The Strength of Tortolla
   • Side quest: [81] The Time for Mercy Has Passed
8. [81] Finish Nemesis
9. [81] Tortolla’s Triumph
10. [81] The Ancients are With Us

Darkwhisper Gorge

1. [81] Commander Jarod Shadowsong
2. [81] Signed in Blood
3. [81] Your New Identity
4. [81] Trial By Fire / [81] In Bloom / [81] Waste of Flesh
5. [81] Twilight Training
6. Complete all of:
   • Mylva’s quests:
   1. [81] Physical Training: Forced Labor
   2. [81] Agility Training: Run Like Hell!
   3. [81] Mental Training: Speaking the Truth to Power
   4. [81] Spiritual Training: Mercy is for the Weak
      • [81] The Defector
   5. [81] The Greater of Two Evils / [81] Twilight Territory
   • Devoran’s quests:
   1. [81] Walking the Dog
   2. [81] A Champion’s Collar
   3. [81] Grudge Match
   • Ortell’s quests:
   1. [81] Gather the Intelligence
   2. [81] Seeds of Discord
7. [81] Speech Writing for Dummies
8. [81] Head of the Class
9. [81] Graduation Speech
10. [81] Twilight Riot
11. [81] Slash and Burn
12. Three-way fork:
    • Jarod’s quests
    1. [81] Might of the Firelord
    2. [82] The Sanctum of the Prophets
    3. [82] Magma Monarch
    • Aronus’ quests
    1. [82] The Twilight Egg
    2. [82] Brood of Evil
    3. [82] Death to the Broodmother
    • Cenarius’ quests
    1. [81] Secrets of the Flame
    2. [82] The Gatekeeper
    3. [82] The Firelord
    4. [82] The Battle Is Won, The War Goes On

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Zone usage before Cataclysm

Before World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, two versions of the Hyjal zone were present in the game. The first one in terms of lore-chronology is the map used for the Caverns of Time instance “Battle for Mount Hyjal”. This map, however, was a retouched version of the zone which was present in the game from the very beginning but inaccessible via normal means. Nevertheless, it used to be possible to access pre-Cataclysm Hyjal via Winterspring with some skillful rock climbing, or a glitch that allowed you to die close to the zone’s entry gate then resurrect on the other side. However, after Patch 2.1.2, Blizzard implemented a “No Man’s Land” teleport that removes you from the zone. It is still possible for a shaman to chain-cast Far Sight from neighboring zones such as Winterspring to see inside the existing Hyjal zone.

The ruins of the Alliance and Horde bases from the Battle of Mount Hyjal do not appear to be present in the Cataclysm-era Hyjal.

Hyjal as it appeared during the Caverns of Time instance “Battle for Mount Hyjal”.

Hyjal as it appeared as part of Kalimdor until World of Warcraft: Cataclysm.

Description from official site

For years, Mount Hyjal and the wounded World Tree, Nordrassil, have remained cut off from the rest of Azeroth. Sealed away within a protective field of dense foliage by Malfurion Stormrage, Nordrassil has been slowly recovering from the devastation of the Third War, when Malfurion called upon the tree’s power to destroy the archdemon Archimonde and repel the forces of the Burning Legion and Scourge. Now, with the impending cataclysm, the World Tree’s well-being is threatened once more. From the Firelands within the Elemental Plane, Ragnaros and his minions prepare to burst into Hyjal and set Nordrassil ablaze — and the conflagration would endanger all life on Azeroth.

In World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, players will have the opportunity to explore the newly reopened Mount Hyjal as Azeroth’s heroes, with the help of Ysera, Malfurion Stormrage and Hamuul Runetotem, are called upon to push back the armies of the Firelord, banish Ragnaros to the Elemental Plane and lay waste to the twilight dragon stronghold in nearby Darkwhisper Gorge. This all-new level 78-82 zone will feature multiple quest hubs, phased terrain and quest lines, portals to micro-zones within the Firelands, an all-new raid dungeon, and much more.

The World Tree

Underneath Nordrassil

Players will be able to enter Hyjal by way of Moonglade, to take on a series of high-stakes quests in a historic location alongside some of Azeroth’s most renowned heroes. With a longstanding rivalry among the night elf leadership threatening to undermine the campaign against Deathwing, players will quickly discover the task of defending Nordrassil is more daunting than they had anticipated. In order to succeed, they must seek out the help of extremely powerful allies: the Ancients.

The Ancients

To protect Nordrassil and heal the devastation the invading fire elementals are causing across Mount Hyjal, players must first recapture the shrine of the wolf god Goldrinn. The ogres surrounding the shrine will not leave peacefully, but seizing the shrine will allow players their first opportunity to infiltrate the Firelands and shut down a key Twilight portal, slowing the advance of the nearby Twilight’s Hammer in Hyjal. With the first portal dismantled, players will soon be sought by the wilderness spirit Aessina to assist in cleansing and healing the nearby forest, ultimately returning the land to its former splendor. This small victory, however, isn’t enough to deter the Twilight Remnants from attempting to scorch the forest once more. As you struggle to keep these foes at bay, you’ll also need to help the Guardians of Hyjal — a new neutral faction of druids and worshipers of the Ancients — repopulate the forest with animal life. It’s even rumored that Malorne has been spotted in the wilderness. Perhaps further investigation is necessary…. Amid the chaos, the Druids of the Talon will need players’ assistance to resurrect the goddess of winged creatures. Players begin the process by helping to slay a group of black dragons and closing a second Firelands portal from within. Just when you think things might be heating up, you’ll need to fight through a burning night elf town to shut down the third and final portal with the assistance of the turtle god Tortolla.

Darkwhisper Gorge

Your successes in Hyjal will ultimately lead you to the assembly of the Ancients, who have set a plan in motion to bring a powerful ally and demigod back into this realm. Before that can happen, however, you will need to infiltrate Darkwhisper Gorge disguised as a follower of the Twilight’s Hammer, acting quickly to sow discord within the entrenched faction, weakening it for the coming struggle. Only time will tell if the Ancients’ plan is a success — but you’ll need to do your part if there’s any hope of saving Mount Hyjal from the twilight dragons, Ragnaros, and his minions of the Elemental Plane.

Geography

Maps and subregions

Map of Hyjal

Dungeons

Firelands (NYI) 85+

Cataclysm quests

Zone map after Aessina’s Miracle

The quest line in Hyjal is intensively phased and takes players from Nordrassil to the four shrines to Darkwhisper Gorge and finally to Sulfuron Spire. Hyjal is one of the few non-starting-experience zones that has a phased zone map as well as phased terrain, unlocked halfway through the storyline.

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In some other games, such as Everquest, the hunter is a ranged/melee hybrid that can rely on both, when the need arises. In World of Warcraft, this is generally not the case. The survival tree offers some enhancement to melee ability, but the class’s damage mitigation is poor compared to most pure melee classes and its melee abilities are generally considered too limited to be a practical source of DPS. For this reason, a hunter’s melee attack is typically a last resort used only when his pet cannot keep threat on itself.

Overview

• Hunters tame the wild beasts of Kalimdor, Eastern Kingdoms, Outland and Northrend, training them to fight at their side. Hunters are one of five classes that can have controllable combat pets, however, they are the only ones that can name, feed, and assign talent points to their pets. Hunters would do well to pay attention to their pets’ happiness.
• Hunters excel in outdoor survival skills, such as tracking and laying traps.
• Hunters can wear cloth, leather and mail armor. They are unable to use shields or plate armor.
• Hunters can equip all weapons except wands, thrown, maces, and two-handed maces.
• Hunters use many shots that either deal damage or apply a status effect that costs focus to use. Most other abilities are free to use such as Mend Pet or their Trap abilities.
• Hunters can take on various Animal Aspects that grant special abilities, such as improved run speed, or additional nature resistance.
• Hunters are arguably the most fun and versatile class for world-leveling, especially on a PvP server. Want to go somewhere, but worried about enemy players? Use Eagle Eye. Need to scout somewhere too specific to be pinpointed by Eagle Eye? Use Eyes of the Beast instead. Stuck in one of those mob-heavy places, where if there was too much distance between you and your pet, you would pull more than you could handle? No problem, you have a few melee abilities for when it’s absolutely necessary to use them.

Background

The hunter is a stalker in the wilds, living on his knowledge of survival and skill with a bow or rifle. He is deeply in tune with nature, and some of its mightiest beasts are his allies. Of Azeroth’s many creatures, few can resist the hunter’s call, and fewer can survive his fury. Hunters are as varied as the world’s many climates, but they are universally renowned for their amazing abilities to find their prey and bring it down. They come from any race (players are restricted to seven races, see below), though certain races naturally excel at the hunter’s profession. Most hunters seek to aid the balance of nature along with their druidic allies. Elven rangers are not alone in their mastery of the wilderness. While an elven ranger prefers the bow, the hunter would rather get up close. A hunter is skilled in stealth, slipping through the woods like a ghost. Orcs of the Horde first learned the ways of the hunter from forest trolls on Lordaeron and tauren have been masters of the hunt since the dawn of the world. Like the shaman of the Horde, hunters call upon the spirits of the land, wind, and fire to aid them in their hunts and tasks. Their spells focus on the elements and the land.

The hunter is one of the oldest classes in history. They represent a deep connection between man and beast, and the hunters of Warcraft are not merely individuals who track animals and slay them for food, but custodians of balance. They understand the natural circle of life and death, and the part they must play in maintaining it not simply as researchers, but as active participants. The “Hunt” is venerated, and the prey they choose to stalk is given as much respect as the predators hunters choose to learn from and embody. All hunters create lifelong friendships with animal companions, who are also often their best and only friends, if the stereotype of the reclusive huntsman is to be believed. Hunters come in all shapes, forms, sizes and specialties, but in World of Warcraft, all hunters specialize to be marksmen (however, not all hunters choose to specialize in the marksmanship talent tree). Hunters are a curious mix of mysticism and rough wilderness know-how. They can learn to mystically align themselves with the aspects of various animals to assist them: the spryness of a monkey, the sharp eyes of a hawk, and the swiftness of a cheetah; they gift themselves with a higher resistance against the dangers of the most important thing of all in the rites of a hunter — the very Wilds he and his prey live in. Hunters also derive a system of hand-to-hand combat inspired by the attacks and counterattacks of various animals, and use magically empowered traps to maim and snare their prey. They have various shots imbued with magic or explosives to snare, poison, handicap and disorient their targets. They can even hold their breath and slow their heartbeat to a highly infrequent, inconsequential tap to give their pursuers the impression that they are dead.

The hunter is the choice of life for those who reject societies that oppress the natural role as prey and hunter, and also reject the druidic stance that we should be healers and observers rather than active participants in the “Great Hunt”. They follow a life of reverence for nature complimenting their tradition and willingness to use man-made tools. We are all tool-using creatures after all, and it is only natural to use that advantage afforded by nature to be better hunters, though there are also many hunters who prefer a more direct approach to tracking and hunting.

Racial abilities

These are some relevant racial traits to hunters:

• Blood elves — Have the racial ability Arcane Torrent. It provides a 2 second, area of effect silence as well as refilling focus.
• Draenei — Heroic Presence improves hit by 1% (~33 rating at level 80) for the hunter, their pet, and everyone in their party. Does NOT stack. Their Gift of the Naaru ability also gives hunters a heal over time.
• Dwarves — Gun Specialization increases critical strike chance with guns by 1%.
• Night elves — Shadowmeld Provides the hunter with a second aggro-dump (for when Feign Death is resisted. Also allows the hunter to enter a stealth state (which breaks on movement); can be very useful for surprising unsuspecting PvPers (especially with a Cat)
• Orcs — Command increases pet damage by 5%. Blood Fury acts as an extra trinket (boosting your attack power).
• Trolls — Bow Specialization increases chance to critically hit with bows by 1%. Berserking acts as an extra trinket (boosting your attack speed).
• Tauren — War Stomp Causes a short area-of-effect stun around the hunter, useful for getting out of melee range.

Other racial attributes can also be useful, but may not be specifically relevant to hunters as a class. As always, research into all the racial traits of each race will make a player’s decision better informed.

Talents and abilities

Hunters have a vast range of talents and abilities. These can be roughly categorized into the following:

Ranged fighting

A blood elf hunter in Vengeful Gladiator’s Pursuit armor (the Arena season 3 hunter set), wielding the Vengeful Gladiator’s Longbow.

Ranged fighting requires a choice between a gun, bow, or a crossbow. When starting, this will depend on your race. Dwarves and tauren are given guns, draenei start with crossbows, and the other races get bows. Later on, you can train to use the ranged weapons that aren’t inherent to your race. In general, crossbows are relatively slow, but hit harder and are favored for increasing burst damage, while guns are relatively fast and good for steady grinding. Bows have moderate attack speed and are favored for sustained DPS. Initially, weapon speed will be inconsequential since the only available abilities consist of Auto-Shot and various instant casts. Guns can be crafted by engineers, but there are no craftable bows or crossbows, so most ranged upgrades will come from mob drops and quest rewards.

For further information see the hunter tactics page.

Stings

Hunters have stings, which are specialized debuffs they can apply to targets to help them address specific situations. Only one sting per hunter can be active on any one target. Scorpid Sting is by far the most useful utility in PvE, capable of debuffing even a raid boss’s hit chance. However, Scorpid Stings from multiple hunters overwrite instead of stacking. Serpent Sting is common for high DPS shot rotations along with Steady Shot, especially when used in conjunction with Glyph of Steady Shot. Viper Sting was removed in 4.0.1.

Shots

A night elf hunter in art.

Hunters also make heavy use of special shots to supplement their DPS and provide utility to their groups. The bulk of a hunter’s damage and utility will come from the use of these shots. Since Explosive Shot and Arcane Shot share cooldowns, as do Multi-Shot and Aimed Shot, the shots the hunter uses depend on his spec. Survival hunters use Explosive Shot, while beast masters and marksmen use Arcane Shot, while Aimed Shot is used if available. Steady Shot is used whenever all other shots are on cooldown. Regardless of their spec, any hunter not getting at least a third of his/her damage from Steady Shot after level 50 is most likely not using it enough.

In the past, the hunter could not fire his or her Auto Shot if he or she was casting another spell at the same time. The Auto Shot swing timer was still counting but would not fire over another shot. This was called “clipping Auto Shot” and would greatly reduce DPS. However, this doesn’t happen anymore, and Auto Shot would fire regardless of other spells being cast, but only if the hunter is standing. Moving still prevents firing.

Due to clipping consideration, weapon speed used to be crucial to maximizing dps with shot rotation, and a hunter should choose a ranged weapon of an appropriate speed (2.7 for beast masters, 3-3.1 for survivalists and marksmen). That is, if your crossbow is 3.2 second cast time, your Arcane Shot is at normal 6 second and your Steady Shot is at 2 second cool down, you should fire Arcane Shot -> Auto Shot -> Steady Shot -> Auto Shot -> Steady Shot -> Arcane Shot. Fire Arcane Shot when ever it is ready and allow a Auto Shot between Steady Shots. These days, however, all weapons have the same speed, and since shot rotations are not used, you should use the weapon with best dps and stats, regardless of speed.

Melee fighting

While hunters are primarily a ranged class, they do possess some melee abilities. They are nowhere near as powerful as the abilities of a true melee class such as a rogue, but they are still useful in situations where the target is too close to be hit with ranged attacks. (Note: There used to be an 8-yard zone immediately beyond the hunter’s melee range where range weapons couldn’t be used. This “Dead Zone” was done away with in Patch 2.3, much to the dismay of PvP clothies.) The general goal in using these moves is to continue inflicting damage while attempting to open distance, hence these abilities have limited uses, cooldowns, or some kind of movement impairment effect.

Combat pets

Pets are the most important tools in the hands of a hunter. They serve as aggro-management, additional DPS, and as tanks. The pet is essential to all specs, dealing anywhere from 10% of total damage for a marksman to 50% for a beast master. Formerly, pets had anemic damage potential and weak AI that often made them more of a danger to a raid than an asset. But improved AI – pets now always attack from the back of a monster – and an innate 90% damage avoidance has made this no longer a concern.

Many beast-type mobs can be tamed, and each offer a set of unique active skills (there are special abilities just for wolves, just for cats, etc). In addition, certain pet types are tanking-oriented (such as bears and turtles), and others are DPS-oriented (such as cats and owls). Combined with the diversity of armor, stamina and resistance buffs, pets are allowed a great deal of customization. Many hunters have dedicated pets for specific instances, PvP, tanking, and so on. Combat pets can be trained to enhance their abilities.

A troll hunter is crouching with his white wolf.

Hunters start with a pet at level 1 and can tame pets at level 10 by completing a short series of quests. They are able to control the pet through various commands. Although hunters can have only one active pet at a time, they have immediate access to 4 additional pets using Call pet and they can house up to 20 pets in the stable.

Traps

Hunters have five different types of traps available for use. Some traps are a type of Crowd Control; others are a source of damage. Traps exist for 1 minute, and have separate 30 second cooldown categories: Fire (Immolation Trap, Explosive Trap and Black Arrow), Frost (Freezing Trap, Frost Trap) and Nature Snake Trap. A hunter can have one trap of each category placed at one time. Traps are within the domain of the survival sub-school, and although the basic traps are trainable by hunters of any spec, the survival tree contains numerous talents to enhance their use.

Aspects

Hunters have five aspects at their disposal (4 pre-Cataclysm). Only one aspect may be active at a time. Aspects will only affect the hunter, except Aspect of the Pack which allows for the entire party to increase movement speed by 30%. The beast mastery talent tree includes talents which can enhance certain aspects.

Tracking

Hunters can track eight different types of units. Currently hunters are able to track all types at the same time, which includes the tracking for mining veins, herbs, fish, etc.

Hunter talents

Talents are a way to specialize your character by enhancing your skills and/or learning new skills. Starting at level 10, you will receive a talent point every time you gain a level.

There are three categories for hunter talents:

• Beast mastery
• Marksmanship
• Survival

For further information see hunter talents, hunter talent discussion. Talent calculators can be found at Official Blizzard Talent Calculator or Wowhead Talent Calculator.

Gear

Armor

Hunters can use cloth and leather initially. At level 40 they can train to use mail. See hunter sets for a list of hunter armor sets.

Weapons

Hunters can use bows, guns, crossbows, weapons, daggers, axes, fist weapons, swords, polearms, staves, two-handed axes, and two-handed swords. The only weapons they cannot use are wands, one-handed and two-handed maces and thrown. They were able to wield shields in the beta.

Upon reaching level 20, hunters can learn the Dual Wield skill. This allows them to wield two one-handed weapons at the same time.

See hunter weapon for an explanation of the value of the various stat bonuses and a list of melee weapons suitable for hunters.

Cataclysm changes

General preview

Cataclysm Class Preview: Hunter | 2010-04-09 09:00| Nethaera

With the upcoming World of Warcraft: Cataclysm many game elements will be changing, and each class will be receiving a number of tweaks. Here, we will explore the changes that are being made to the gun-wielding, pet-training hunter. The information you’re about to read is certainly not complete, and is only meant to act as a preview of some of the exciting new things to come. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the new hunter abilities!

New Hunter Abilities

[Cobra Shot] (level 81): A new shot that deals Nature damage instead of Physical damage. This ability will share a cooldown with [Steady Shot]. This will give hunters an alternative to Steady Shot on heavily-armored targets, and we will have talent incentives in the Beast Mastery tree to make this a signature shot.

[Trap Launcher] (level 83): When used, the next trap can be shot to a location within 40 yards. This provides the current [Freezing Arrow] treatment to all traps and, as a result, we will be removing the current ability Freezing Arrow. 1-minute cooldown. No global cooldown.

[Camouflage] (level 85): The hunter enters an obscured state that prevents him or her from taking ranged damage. The character would still be subject to melee or area-of-effect attacks, and dealing or taking damage will break the Camouflage effect. The hunter can move and set traps when under Camouflage, and will receive a damage bonus when attacking while under Camouflage (which will then break the effect).

Resource Mechanic Change

Here we come to the meat of the upcoming hunter changes.

• Hunters will no longer use mana; instead the class will use Focus. Focus generates much like Energy, by building up. It will not be affected by Intellect at all. Haste will improve its generation. Hunters will generate roughly 6 Focus per second, slightly less than rogues’ Energy generation rate of around 10 Energy per second. Below, we have listed some examples of how we intend Focus costs to operate:
  • [Steady Shot]/[Cobra Shot]: No cost. Generates 9 Focus per shot (or 12 per second instead of 6).
  • [Arcane Shot]/[Chimera Shot]/[Explosive Shot]: 45 Focus.
  • [Aimed Shot]/[Multi-Shot]: 60 Focus.
  • [Concussive Shot]/[Tranquilizing Shot]: 35 Focus.
  • [Rapid Fire]/[Master’s Call]^{ω τ α}/[Disengage]: 30 Focus.

Changes to Abilities and Mechanics

In addition to the resource change and new abilities listed above, we intend to make adjustments to some of the other abilities and mechanics you already know well. This list and the summary of talent changes below it are by no means comprehensive, but they should give you a good sense of what we’re going for with each spec.

• A major change coming for the hunter is the removal of ammunition. Guns, bows, and crossbows will now do damage without consuming ammunition at all. There will be no more ammo slot on the hunter’s character display. Any ammunition that a hunter has at the time of the change will become gray sellable items. Existing quivers will be converted into large bags—though each hunter can only have one and non-hunters will not benefit from this change—and we will not be making any additional quivers.
• Pet management will also change. Hunters will now have two types of attainable pets: active pets and stored pets. Hunters will be able to have up to three active pets (perhaps five for Beast Mastery specialized players) and will have the ability to switch among these pets any time they are out of combat, without going to town. They will also be able to have a large number of pets in storage at the stables. In order to swap a pet from active to passive, a hunter will still need to visit their local Stable Master. However, this should afford ample storage for the many Spirit Beasts wandering the lands of Azeroth.
• Additionally, hunters will now start with a race-appropriate pet at level 1 and will be able to tame a different pet at level 10. We are also changing many pet family abilities to provide important buffs and debuffs. The intention is to allow the hunter to be able to swap pets and fill a position if a certain role is missing from the group. The goal is to have all pets provide a damage increase that is very similar and no greater than any other pet. Some examples of the changes we are making to the pet families are listed below:
  • Wind Serpents: Will provide a debuff that increases the amount of spell damage taken by an enemy (similar to a weaker version of the warlock ability [Curse of Elements]).
  • Ravagers: Will provide a debuff that will increase an enemy’s Physical damage vulnerability (similar to a weaker version of the warrior ability [Blood Frenzy]).
  • Hyenas: Will provide bleed damage (similar to a weaker version of the druid ability [Mangle]}).
• Stings and other periodic effects will now benefit from haste and critical strike ratings. Hasted damage-over-time abilities do not lose duration, but instead add additional damage ticks.
• [Viper Sting] will now restore 9 Focus every 3 seconds.
• We are reinforcing hunters as a ranged class. To this end, the class will now start with ranged abilities at level 1, and we will be removing some melee abilities, such as [Mongoose Bite].

New Talents and Talent Changes

• Beast Mastery hunters will have a new talent called [Careful Aim], which increases the damage of the next Steady Shot or Cobra Shot, but also increases the cast time of these abilities. The intention is to make the combination of spells into a decent damage opener, especially in conjunction with the new ability Camouflage.
• Beast Mastery hunters will also have talents that make Cobra Shot superior to Steady Shot, such as [Longevity] reducing the cast time of Cobra Shot to 1.5 seconds.
• [Rapid Recuperation] will cause Rapid Fire to give 20/40/60 Focus immediately and will cause Rapid Killing to generate 3 Focus per second.
• [Efficiency] will reduce the Focus cost of Chimera Shot, Aimed Shot, and Arcane Shot.
• [Thrill of the Hunt] grants Focus when you land a critical strike.
• [Hunter vs. Wild] increases the hunter’s Focus generation when his or her pet is snared, stunned, or rooted.

Mastery Passive Talent Tree Bonuses

Beast Mastery

1. Ranged Damage
2. Haste
3. Pet Damage: Many of the passive benefits to pet damage will no longer be available in the Beast Mastery talent tree. However, these will be provided through the new Mastery mechanic.

Marksmanship

1. Ranged Damage
2. Armor Penetration
3. Double Shot: The hunter will have a chance to launch a free attack off of the global cooldown for 50% damage.

Survival

1. Ranged Damage
2. Ranged Critical Damage
3. Elemental Damage: Hunter abilities such as traps, Black Arrow, and Explosive Shot will do elemental damage of the following types: Improves the Arcane, Fire, Frost, Nature or Shadow damage of abilities like traps, Black Arrow and Explosive Shot.

We hope you enjoyed this preview, and ask that you provide your initial thoughts and feedback on what was presented here. Please keep in mind that what you’ve just reviewed is a work in progress and as we move closer to the Cataclysm beta, you’ll see these planned changes as well as others continue to develop in response to feedback and testing.

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End-game expectations

A hunter’s primary responsibility in nearly all raid encounters is to sustainably generate high DPS. They should know when to use Feign Death to get rid of aggro before they gain more aggro than the raid’s primary tank, and then continue dealing damage. They will also need to monitor their focus usage and regen and make sure that they have enough focus to use their primary shot (using either Steady Shot ir Aspect of the Fox).

You will almost never be asked to trap during raids, but you might be asked during 5man groups and heroics. Trapping is a form of Crowd Control. This is typically done by laying down a Freezing Trap in front of you before the pull, using Distracting Shot to steal aggro after tank pulls, thus making the mob run at you and into the Freezing Trap. Hitting the Mob with a Concussive Shot as it comes to the trap is a good way to buy cool down time, making it easier to re-trap. The highest rank of Freezing Trap gained at level 60 will freeze the enemy for 20 seconds, effectively taking it out of the battle for that short time. The generally accepted raid symbol for this is a blue square, although it is very important to confirm this beforehand. The tank or off-tank will usually be responsible for taking aggro off of you when the group is ready to deal with the mob. A skilled hunter of any spec should be able to keep at least one target controlled indefinitely. For beast masters, the pet stun Intimidation is helpful, and for survival Scatter Shot helps kill time between trap cool downs. All specs can use Concussive Shot, pet tanking/Misdirection/sacrificing and Wing Clip to buy time while keeping a mob occupied.

A trap that hasn’t been tripped will exist for 30 seconds, but comes off of cooldown after only 30 seconds. With the new wrath patch, hunters are able to drop three types of trap at one time(snake,ice,dps), but it is possible to lay a trap before the pull, wait 30 seconds to let the cooldown, trap a mob, and then move away a small distance and lay another trap. Whenever the first trap’s effect wears off, the mob will usually run for you, and right into another freeze trap. This is called chain-trapping a mob. The 2-piece set bonus of Beast Lord Armor reduces the cooldown on your traps by 4 seconds, and some raiders gain only two pieces and equip them only for special boss fights were it is highly important Crowd Control, such as the Moroes fight in Karazhan.

When trapping in anything heroic level and beyond, if you know Misdirection will not be required on a tank in the next 30 seconds, it can be very useful to trap casters (such as the Spell Shades in Karazhan). This is accomplished by posting the pet out of line of sight or far enough away that a trap can be placed such that the caster will have to run into it before the pet is in its range. Once the mob is trapped, the pet can be sent into combat and a new trap placed on the other side. This is also very useful, such as with the spell shades, when dealing with mobs that constantly resist traps, as the pet will already be tanking the mob (most likely dying in the process). Still, this is much better than the hunter having initial aggro when things go wrong.

In some cases you will be asked to Kite one or more creatures that either cannot or should not be killed during a specific encounter, allowing the rest of the raid to focus on other needs in order defeat the objective. Kiting is a skill that is best accomplished by hunters because of their Aspect of the Cheetah, pets, and armor rating (mages are quite skilled at snare/root kiting, but few instances require such a technique and is intense in its use of mana) and requires a lot of practice). While kiting, you will need to shoot your target with instant abilities, and often use speed boosts (such as the movement speed enchantment for foot gear, speed potions, and/or using Aspect of the Cheetah). Kiting, for most hunters, is the hardest skill to learn, yet is considered by many to be the most important skill.

PvP

Hunters wishing to participate in end-game PvP will find any of the talent trees help them towards their goals of massive player destruction! In beast mastery, a PvP hunter will find the skills of Intimidation, Bestial Wrath (to include The Beast Within), and a deadly pet worthy of causing constant havoc (especially to casters); a beast mastery hunter would be considered ill-equipped in PvP without them. Bestial Wrath primarily enables beast mastery to be the hunter’s primary anti-caster spec, although it can have more difficulty against the melee classes (warrior, rogue, paladin).

The marksman tree skills of Improved Concussive Shot, Mortal Shots, Barrage, Improved Barrage, Concussive Barrage are all excellent in a PvP setting, with the skills of Lethal Shots, and Silencing Shot being considered “must haves” within the tree. These talents in the tree enables the hunter to inflict immense Burst damage. In terms of targets, marksmanship can to some extent deal with either casters or melee equally well, but does not specialise against either.

Finally, the survival hunter has many tricks that allow them to escape the deadzone (Note: The deadzone was done away with in Patch 2.3, much to the dismay of mages using Frost Nova.) as well as dish out the pain, with such skill as Humanoid Slaying, Savage Strikes, Deterrence & Counterattack, and Master Tactician, followed by the “can’t do without” skills of Hawk Eye, Improved Wing Clip, Entrapment, Survivalist, Killer Instinct, Wyvern Sting and Scatter Shot. As beast mastery is designed to deal most effectively with the caster classes, so survival is specialised, conversely, towards the melee classes, and likewise also has somewhat more difficulty against casters.

Some of these skills are considered universal abilities that should be in any PvP hunter talent build, no matter which tree you put the majority of your points into. These include Hawk Eye, which allows you to do damage from farther away, as well as Entrapment, which used with Frost Trap, can turn the tide of an entire battle if used strategically, and Lethal Shots, which provides a sizable increase to your critical hit rate for only 5 points into marksmanship.

Hunters excel at taking out soft targets like warlocks, priests, and mages from a distance, and should do so before moving on to hard targets such as warriors and paladins, though if a rogue is observed it is the hunter who is best equipped to track and expose the rogue by marking him with Hunter’s Mark. Hunter’s pets can also break an unseen rogue’s stealth if he is close and the pet is on aggressive.

You may also want to look at getting a lot of stamina enchants so you will have more health to face a warrior or carry a flag in Warsong Gulch.

WoW Cataclysm – Hunter (Class changes and pet locations), part 1

WoW Cataclysm – Hunter (Class changes and pet locations), part 2

WoW Cataclysm – Hunter DPS: Beast mastery

WoW Cataclysm – Hunter DPS: Marksmanship

WoW Cataclysm – Hunter DPS: Survival

Available under attribution-share alike 3.0 unported. attr: wow pedia

A number of trade princes rule over the various goblin holdings around the world. Though the trade princes all live in the goblin city of Undermine on the Isle of Kezan, they each control their own private armies and trade fleets. In turn, each controls rings of trade, mining, deforestation, slave rings, and poaching.

Overview

Epic tinker

Female goblin in WoW

Goblin sapper concept art

Goblins are small humanoids, crafty and shrewd, bearing an overwhelming interest in commerce and a strong curiosity about mechanical things. Goblin society is fragmented, defined chiefly by commerce and trade. The ultimate schemers and con artists, goblins are always in search of a better deal. Despite their seemingly chaotic natures, they exist in a fairly strict and straightforward hierarchy. Other races universally view goblins as inventors, merchants and, without exception, maniacs. Goblins value technology as a useful aspect of commerce. Some say that their advantage — and their curse — is to be the primary users of technology in a world governed by magic. While dwarves and gnomes share a similar gift, goblin technology is more far-reaching and sinister and makes a larger impact on the natural world.

They employ vast teams of engineers who expand on current technology and produce gadgets to suit a wide array of applications. They constantly build and repair machines and work on new ideas. Unfortunately, goblins alternate passionate genius with wandering focus. Their lack of discipline means that many creations end up half finished as something else catches their attention. Goblin workmanship has a partially deserved reputation for unreliability, and a goblin device may explode simply because its creator forgot to add a vital release valve. Goblins are envious of the Ironforge dwarves’ invention of firearms, both from a commercial and a technological standpoint. Goblins recognize that firearms represent a new source of power, and he who controls the source controls the gold — which is, to goblins, the ultimate power. Fortunately for the rest of the world, goblin firearm experimentation suffers from the race’s normal laxity — and improperly tended gunpowder experiments continue to end the careers of many aspiring goblin tinkers. However, goblin ingenuity has paid off a few times; goblin gunpowder weapons tend to be inelegant and violently explosive (land mines, rockets and the like).

A number of trade princes rule over Azeroth’s various goblin holdings. Though the trade princes all live in the goblin island city of Undermine far from Kalimdor and the eastern continents, each controls his own private army and trade fleet. Each trade prince has his own specialty, monopolizing trade in a certain area, such as mining, deforestation, slavery or poaching. The trade princes are the most cunning of their race and stop at nothing to amass their fortunes and power, whether through legitimate means or via black markets and treachery. Goblins encountered on Kalimdor and the eastern continents are freelancers, privateers or agents of Undermine’s trade princes. Goblins are tenacious fighters. They attack from range with crossbows or firearms (making individual modifications to dwarf-made weapons) and use maces, short swords or bizarre, home-brewed steam weaponry in melee. When attacked in their warrens, they fight with tools as well. Goblins have a good grasp of tactics and strategy, and are masters of siege warfare. Their love of large machines makes them ideal mercenaries for attacking fortifications.

Goblins are shrewd in business, and clients who believe they walked away with the upper hand are almost always sorely mistaken. “To cheat a goblin” is a dwarven idiom meaning “to do what is practically impossible.” (“Gamgi cheated a goblin when he escaped that cave-in!”) Goblins are also consummate tricksters and con artists. Their mission in the world is to create incredible new inventions, accrue the resulting wealth, and cause as much subtle mischief as possible along the way.

Old friends, the goblins fought with the Horde in the Second War, but broke off when they realized that it’s more profitable to work both sides. However, many goblins remember the fun of the Horde and are willing to lower mercenary prices to Thrall and his people. Goblins offer almost exclusive transport services for the Horde, whether in their steamboats or zeppelins. You’re more likely to find a team of goblin sappers, who take great pleasure in the chaos the Horde creates, meshed into Horde forces than those of the Alliance. Perhaps with enough persuasion, the goblins could be convinced to rejoin the Horde for the first time since the Second War (although that could be just as harmful as helpful, knowing the goblins).

History

First appearances

Goblins first appeared in Warcraft II published by Blizzard Entertainment in December 1995, and have appeared or been referenced in many sources since.

Their earliest appearance chronologically was in the War of the Ancients trilogy; Neltharion created the Demon Soul before the War of the Ancients with the help of goblin artificers — hinting that the goblins may be an ancient race. The Faceless of the Deep also mentions remembering when they were created, potentially hinting the involvement of the Old Gods, or at least the longevity of their servants.

Early history

Goblins have been around for a long time, but the creatures were reclusive. Long ago, the goblins were a native race of the Isle of Kezan, and didn’t have a fraction of their current intelligence. There, the race lived as slaves to the jungle trolls, mining the subterranean tunnels where the trolls didn’t like going. However, soon the goblins unearthed a mineral known as kaja’mite (a strange mineral named after Mount Kajaro). The trolls valued the mineral, using it in voodoo rituals, and forced the subterranean goblins to continue mining the mineral. The goblins soon came to sense at some basic level that the mineral held enchantments unknown to the trolls. The goblins hoarded the mineral, using it to fashion crude objects of power deep within Undermine’s twisting tunnels. However, the mineral had some unexpected side effects, it causes the goblins to grow in intelligence. Soon, goblins developed technology, if just crude weapons and armor.

With their increased intelligence, goblin cunning rose, and soon the race enacted a plan to free themselves from the trolls. In little time, the goblins owned the Isle of Kezan, and declared Undermine their capital. Goblins rapidly expanded their knowledge of technology. Goblins created Azeroth’s first steam technologies. Rumors are that goblin technology back then was far more advanced than current dwarven technology. Goblins established themselves as master technicians, selling their goods on the open market. However, the power within the kaja’mite artifacts were finite, and soon dwindled, needing to be replaced. Eventually, kaja’mite ran out altogether. Desperate, goblins spread out into the world, attempting to find any pockets of kaja’mite they might have missed. Unfortunately, over the next few thousand years, up until roughly five hundred years before the First War, the goblins could find no further deposits of kaja’mite and goblin intelligence peaked. Without kaja’mite to strengthen their minds, goblins were unable to reproduce their brilliant technology or properly maintain it, and their works rapidly devolved into the crude juryrigged machines of today. The world began to fear the volatile machines, and sales dropped considerably. Goblins always had a love of money, however. With the loss of their intelligence and slow degradation of their technology, goblins embraced commerce. About two hundred years before the First War, the beginnings of Trade Fleets sailed out of Kezan and into the world.

A goblin from the Warcraft II manual.

First and Second Wars

Goblins chose war as the perfect opportunity to cash in some gold, and began building their trade empire during the First War. By the Second War, the goblins had established themselves as the traders of the world. Then, they became exclusive partners with the Horde. A Horde ambassador ventured forth and met with a single trade prince (rumored to be the Steamwheedle Cartel, perhaps Trade Prince Steamwheedle), asking for the goblins to provide machines and technology to the orcs, in exchange for spoils and gold. In the beginning, the arrangement seemed perfect. The goblin trade prince believed that the orcs would win the war, so he found it natural to join the winning side. As the profits flooded Undermine’s coffers, the goblins expanded their slave markets. However, other goblins disagreed and remained neutral; thus, only this single trade prince and his subordinates joined the Horde. In the end, the trade prince realized his mistake and left the Horde, and the goblin race remembers the mistake and remains neutral to this day. The goblin race as a whole, in fact, is neutral. They discovered it was more profitable to play both sides against each other.

Cataclysm

Goblins after the Cataclysm

This section concerns content exclusive to Cataclysm.

After the cataclysm reawakened a volcano on their home island one of the goblins’ trade princes realized that there was good money to be made in offering panicked goblins a ticket to safety on his ship, taking their life savings – and then selling them into slavery. A clever plan, until it (and the ship) fell apart in a naval crossfire between an Alliance fleet and a lone Horde ship. The shipwreck’s survivors washed ashore on the Lost Isles off the coast of Kalimdor, where they discover that the island’s dense jungles harbor many mysteries and more than a few unpleasant surprises.

There, the goblins of Kezan have found a new enemy in the Alliance – unexpected and unprofitable encounters with this faction have driven certain trade princes from their comfortable neutrality. Reforging old pacts with their one-time allies, the goblins have been welcomed into the Horde with open arms.

Culture

Technology

Tinker

See also: Goblins versus gnomes

Though once nothing but fodder for more taproom banter, goblin inventions have shown their worth in recent years. They’re particularly fond of tinkering with mechanical things, alchemy, and explosives. Their love of mechanics often places them into direct competition with gnomes who enjoy similar devices. The “competition” between goblins and gnomes seems to be friendly, an example of this is in the shimmering flats where the two races are constantly competing (by racing) with one another. Whether clockwork “shredders” that allow a single goblin to do as much harvesting as 10 field hands or zeppelin-like “airships” that can ferry troops over otherwise impassable terrain, the goblins’ inventions have become legendary. Such technological ingenuity is as central to the goblins’ rise among the races as any trading prowess.

Even with the malfunctions and explosions that occur (not as frequent as tavern chatter suggests, but far from rare), goblin technology is proving to be of a quality that rivals the dwarves and their firearms. If they possessed physical strength and mystic power to match their inventiveness and cunning, they would be a force of some significance. Of course, the goblins claim that they are already — if not for their frail physical forms, goblins would rule the world. Then they laugh and say they prefer a challenge and offer to buy the taproom guests the next round.

Role in the Second and Third Wars

Goblins came to dubious fame in the Second War for the suicide missions they undertook for the Horde, strapping explosives to themselves and floating behind enemy lines with the aid of an inflated sheep’s bladder. In the aftermath of conflict, the goblins established that they had no political orientation. Their only real interest was trade: if you had the coin for their goods, they were your friends. Such neutrality gives them as broad a trading basis as possible for their wares, from magic items to mundane goods to their own mechanical inventions. It is rumored that they joined during the Second War either because the orcs paid or intimidated them.

On the whole, the Alliance and the Horde respect the goblins’ new power, taking advantage of the trade princes’ ability to produce or procure otherwise difficult-to-acquire items. Rumors have emerged of goblins engaging in massive strip mining and deforestation operations to harvest the raw materials, however, which cause the nature-loving night elves and tauren great concern. Since the tales have surfaced, the trade princes have suffered guerrilla attacks on their supply trains and sabotage of their factories. The goblins are clever enough to know the list of suspects is a short one, and they appear undaunted by the threat. They have amassed enough wealth to hire additional security for their mercantile concerns.

Trade

Goblin Shop

At some point after the Second War, the goblins apparently grew tired of carrying explosives for the Horde and decided that they needed to take control of their own destinies. Surprisingly, they proved smart enough to know that building an army of their own would be an even bloodier choice for their race than sapping and planting mines. So they chose a different path.

The goblins have taken to the role of merchant with a vengeance, and now it’s hard to travel for more than a day or two without stumbling across a goblin shop of some size. Goblin zeppelins fly across the continent, delivering goods, supplies, messages and passengers from one shop to another, and I’ve heard more than one goblin brag that if it isn’t in his shop, he can have it on the shelves within a week. One joker challenged that claim and ordered a dozen shredders, only to find them waiting outside his cottage two days later.

Goblin shops can be found nearly anywhere on Azeroth, seemingly regardless of whether or not there are towns nearby and heedless of dangers such as the Scourge. The goblins will sell anything to anyone, at only slightly inflated prices.

Apparently, the proprietor of each goblin shop determines how to protect his business from theft. Some of the solutions employed include the hiring of mercenary fighters as security guards; complicated, tinker-built security systems; and, most notoriously, enormous bombs on a dead man’s switch that can be detonated on a moment’s notice if a goblin merchant feels threatened. After news spread of thieves and bullies entering shops that were replaced moments later by smoking craters, few have found the nerve to probe how a given shop might be protected.

Though many shops remain Independent, a growing number of them have signs declaring that they are owned and operated by the Venture Company, which the proprietors claim is headquartered in a faraway city ruled by goblins where the streets are paved with gold.

The goblins are also legendary for the sheer variety of trade in which they are willing to indulge and for their tenacity in bargaining. Goblins rarely let an item slip from their shelves for a single copper less than it is worth. The industrious goblins have established shacks and minor trading towns across much of Kalimdor in an impressively brief span of time. These outposts may vary in size and location, but all have a similarly impressive array of goods. The outposts get regular supply shipments (or as regular as possible, given the hazards of travel across Kalimdor), all coordinated by the goblin trade princes.

The trade princes are the most cunning of their race and will stop at nothing to amass their fortunes and power, whether through legitimate means or via black markets and treachery. Goblins encountered on Kalimdor or the Eastern Kingdoms are either privateers or agents of the various trade princes of Undermine.

Goblins are not purely mercenary. They are known to form strong bonds with individuals of other races. Their small forms and odd behavior make other races — elves in particular — ill at ease, but goblins do not seem to care much for the impression they make. They judge by deeds, befriending those who treat them as friends and standing apart from those who would offer them abuse.

Steam warrior

Military tactics and forces

Goblin forces are terrifying to behold. The Trade Fleets are outfitted with the most fanatical and destructive creatures on Azeroth. The average person wonders why the trade princes require such powerful armies, if they are holding to their neutrality stance. It certainly seems excessive.

The simple truth is, the forces are not excessive. The life of those living on the South Seas is harsh, due to attacks from everything from pirates to rogue magical beasts. Conflict exists everywhere, and a trade prince is always in peril of death. Every day, a trade prince must test his food on three different people. There is only one way to become a trade prince, and that’s to take out the competition. Thus, to prevent rivals from taking their thrones and to ensure that business may be conducted as normal, each trade prince enlists a hefty force of warriors. It’s absolutely necessary to keep order in the goblin world.

The Trade Fleets also require extreme guards. Undermine’s goods sail everywhere, especially into hostile or desolate territories to make a coin. Simply put, goblins go to dangerous places. Without strong guards, there would be no trade, because there would be only dead traders.

Despite appearances, goblins maintain rigid procedures and formations for battle. They only look disorganized. Goblins are intelligent, and they use their brains in battle. Confuse the enemy, and the enemy leaves blind spots. Slip in between the cracks and break the forces open from the inside. Many battles during the Second War were lost when Alliance forces underestimated goblin tactics.

Not surprisingly, all goblin forces use a wide and dizzying array of technological weaponry. From the simplest firearms to the largest steam-driven war instruments, goblin technology dominates war fields. Even magic has a difficult time creating as much destruction and havoc as goblin war machines.

When goblins fought in the Second War, they created three units especially for the war effort. Goblin zeppelins rode high above the terrain to scout out the area, and occasionally transported warriors. Goblins also lent their services as sappers, using explosives to take out enemy fortifications. Often the goblins went with the explosives, but this was of little consequence. Sappers were a copper a dozen.

Furthermore, during the war, goblins fought from all angles, especially the sea. The Stormreaver clan captured giant sea turtles native to the southern seas. Pacified by potent spells of control, these lumbering monstrosities were fitted with watertight canopies strapped onto the backs of their shells and used as submersible orcish craft. By submerging under the waves, the giant turtles could steal upon unsuspecting enemy craft and report their position to the Horde fleet. They were visible solely to towers, creatures of the air, and other submersible vessels. The daring goblins who controlled them were dedicated to destroying enemy ships by launching hazardous, steam-driven canisters containing highly volatile liquids that shredded even the strongest armor.

During the Third War, goblins also fielded shredders to anyone who paid well enough. The pilots cared little about the actual war, preferring to chop down forests for their pay. However, when push came to shove, goblin shredders proved lethal in battle. The pilot’s inexperience with battle was evened out by the shredder’s armor and powerful steamsaw, which cut down enemies as easily as trees. Goblins hired themselves to anyone with the gold, and alongside shredders, the goblins fielded sappers and zeppelins once again in battle. Even tinkers and alchemists joined the fight, granting explosive and chemical warfare to the highest bidder.

Faith

Goblins place their faith in themselves and in gold. They raise eyebrows at insubstantial concepts such as shamanism and the Holy Light, preferring gods they can see, weigh, and spend.

This section concerns content exclusive to Cataclysm.

However playabe goblins can be both priests and shaman.

Breeding

According to the comment made by one of the Warcraft RPG developers (and Gaxim Rustfizzle), goblins “breed like rabbits”, which accounts for them quickly outnumbering and, eventually, destroying any other races in the areas they settle around.

Such is the case with Tanaris, where goblins outnumber the native Sandfury trolls, as well as the Isle of Kezan, where they also pushed the native trolls out of the majority of the land. The only reason that the goblins don’t outmatch the Horde and Alliance in population is because goblins often blow themselves up.

Cooking

Several goblins are also renown for their skills as chefs. Cooking recipes such as Goblin Deviled Clams and Undermine Clam Chowder are a staple of the trade pioneered by the spindly green race. Adventurers in Azeroth wishing to advance their skill in the culinary arts to the Artisan level are directed to assist Dirge Quikcleave, the master chef of Gadgetzan, in his creation of the succulent new dish, Clamlette Surprise. Another renown goblin chef, Legassi, who is stranded in Hellfire Peninsula after a zeppelin crash, directs players in the creation of several new tantalizing dishes as well.

Languages

Goblins speak Goblin, Orcish, and Common. Goblins know myriad languages in order to trade with as many races as possible.

Notable goblins

• Gazlowe
• Baron Revilgaz
• Marin Noggenfogger
• Mogul Razdunk
• Kryll
• Landro Longshot
• Trade Prince Gallywix
• Boss Mida

Appearance

Goblin heads

The male goblin’s face.

Goblins are slight and wiry, averaging 3 feet in height and weighing between 30 and 50 pounds. They have long, sharp noses, chins and ears, and green skin. Their arms are long and slender and their fingers deft. They tend to wear leather clothing, often cut into aprons to protect against caustic fluids. Goggles usually cover their eyes, and various technological devices are strapped across their bodies. Goblins that have hair often have it as Mohawks, ponytails, or spiky. They are commonly heard speaking with a Brooklyn or New Jersey-style accent.

Currently in World of Warcraft most male and female goblins use a male dwarf animation skeleton with unique meshes (and a few unique animations). In World of Warcraft: Cataclysm they will receive entirely new models and animations.

Relations

Northrend vendor

Goblins are a wily, cunning race of traders and tinkers whom adventurers typically encounter as parts of trading envoys or on pirate raids. Goblin ships frequent the seas, ferrying or seeking riches, slaves or exotic wares. Kalimdor’s main goblin port is the party town of Ratchet, a harbor city located on the eastern shore of the Barrens directly between Durotar and Theramore. Goblin trade outposts are found everywhere, including all major cities and such inhospitable realms as Northrend and Stranglethorn Vale. Their zeppelins run a wealthy business ferrying passengers across kingdoms and continents. Goblins tolerate carrying armed passengers in their zeppelins, however, they don’t transport cannons or heavy artillery in their zeppelins because that could compromise their neutrality.

Goblins are neutral and take pains to make sure their nearby customers play nice with each other. Goblin guards patrol Ratchet and a few of the other goblin settlements, keeping tabs on the various Horde and Alliance visitors. Despite these enforcers however, the goblins’ neutral settlements can still be dangerous places, as members of either faction will often still attack each other in the belief that they can evade the guards. With the exception of Ratchet, their settlements generally have a consistent appearance and construction.

Traveling goblin merchants employ bodyguards to protect them and their wares. Goblins are independent. Goblins hired themselves out to the Horde in the Second War, but now they belong only to themselves and whoever pays them. Constantly building and inventing requires massive resources, both for creating the machines themselves and maintaining those that actually work. Cannibalizing old machines only partially sustains this fervent activity of creation, so goblins rely on trade with as many races and cultures as possible. They are the quintessential merchants, peddling all manner of exotic goods for the highest possible prices.

Goblin mechanical and mercantile pursuits are not always (or even often) performed within the bounds of polite society. Though not evil, goblins are willing to embark on shady business ventures — slavery, deforestation, poaching, smuggling and oil drilling, for example — to accomplish their goals. They are opportunists to the core and revel in bartering the better deal at every turn. Goblins try to get along with all other races. Doing so is part of their business. Nevertheless, everyone views goblins with justified suspicion. Night elves in particular dislike the goblins because the little creatures have no respect for nature or natural resources.

Goblins are a capitalistic bunch and most buy or sell anything to make a profit. Goblin merchants love to haggle, have excellent wares and are too smart to be cheated — or so they claim. Most big cities have at least one stationary goblin merchant shop, managed by a goblin family. The heads of the family run the shop while the younger goblins travel the land to find, buy or steal the inventory. They sell to anyone: Alliance, Horde, or Independent. Some even deal with demons if the price is right. Some goblins drive their carts from town to town, buying and selling as they go. These carts look rickety and secondhand, but the appearance is likely a diversion. A goblin’s cart is usually in perfect driving condition; the goblin never knows when he may have to leave town quickly or outrun an enraged customer. These merchants are often less than reputable and more likely to have items that they cannot identify themselves. Goblin merchant houses are not necessarily places to avoid, however. Often a hero can discover hard-to-find items, even rare or magic items, within the walls. As long as the hero is able to spot a bad deal, it should be safe for him to enter.

The goblins are an unbending bunch, refusing any sort of barter and demanding to be paid only in gold. There is a saying around Ratchet: If a traveling goblin merchant were starving to death and someone offered to trade food for the goblin’s merchandise, he’d starve before he accepted anything but gold. A customer who enters a goblin shop intending to barter finds himself laughed out into the street. The goblins do not even allow their employees to receive discounts or work for merchandise. Goblins deal only in gold. The merchants accept gold in any form and have precise scales to aid their customers. Goblins accept recently mined nuggets, panned dust or defaced Alliance gold coins that would be refused in other areas. They are grumpier about accepting silver, but do so.

Horde and Alliance

Gibzz Sparklighter

The goblins care little for the Alliance and Horde conflicts; what concerns them, as usual, is the effect these events have on their cash flow. The goblins do not, as a rule, like the Scourge, as the undead threatened to wipe out the entire populations of the Alliance and Horde, leaving the goblins with no customers. War is profitable for the goblins; annihilation is not. Once they served as suicide mercenaries for the Horde; now the goblins have made their place as the strongest merchant race in the world. If one wants to purchase something, whether it is supplies, equipment, weapons, magic items or even slaves, the goblins either have it or know where to get it. All that matters in their eyes is the price.

The goblins like a balance of power. Military conflicts make money for the goblins as the combatants purchase supplies, and if the two sides are evenly matched, conflicts could go on for generations. This promises fat purse bags for the goblins for years to come. The goblins helped out the Horde for years because of this, but now they feel the Horde has come to match the Alliance in power, and they rest in the neutral middle, satisfied to play mercenary and merchant to either side.

The goblins understand the Alliance better than they understand the neutral races, as they have a long history of dealings with the Alliance. As merchants, they are frequently found in Theramore, and as mercenaries, they may even be found among the Alliance armies. True business entrepreneurs, goblins understand their customers very well and almost always know what they want. Their favorite Alliance customers are the high elves, who jump at the chance to buy magical items. Although many in the Alliance consider the goblin mercenaries to be war profiteers, they are not above using them. If they have no tinkers, or their tinkers have died in a previous battle, they sometimes have to go to the goblins for repairs or supplies. And the goblins are always ready to help a customer, for the right price. The goblins’ skills certainly don’t stop at trade. Although not as talented at the invention of firearms as the Ironforge dwarves, the goblins have refined their inventing talents to create a handful of very useful tools that are, of course, for sale. Since the latest conflicts, the goblins have modified their marketing tactics to focus on pushing their deforestation operations to the night elves, of all races, to help clear out the cursed Felwood Forest. They also sell their zeppelins to the night elves, so that these customers can spot and put an end to deforestation. They made a great deal of money selling items to help the Alliance fight Illidan and his army of blood elves and naga, and constantly remind the Alliance members who travel through Ratchet that Illidan is still out there and supplies are always needed. Some merchants are able to mask the tone of glee in their voices while saying this, but most don’t bother.

The Horde and the goblins get along fairly well, as the orcs remember the (well-paid) sacrifice of the goblins for their cause in earlier wars. They still purchase zeppelins and other goblin services. The goblins often enjoy the company of the orcs, and the war veterans from both races will get together and drink if offered the opportunity. Old friends, the goblins fought with the Horde in the Second War, but broke off when they realized that it’s more profitable to work both sides. However, many goblins remember the fun of the Horde and are willing to lower mercenary prices to Thrall and his people. Goblins offer almost exclusive transport services for the Horde, whether in their steamboats or zeppelins. You’re more likely to find a team of goblin sappers, who take great pleasure in the chaos the Horde creates, meshed into Horde forces than those of the Alliance. Perhaps with enough persuasion, the goblins could be convinced to rejoin the Horde for the first time since the Second War (although that could be just as harmful as helpful, knowing the goblins).

Goblin zeppelin

Perhaps the only remaining goblin scruple is that they will not betray a customer. While they understand each side of the war very well, if the Alliance is paying them for services, merchant or mercenaries, they will not act as double agents for the Horde. This is as close to honor as the goblins usually get.

Goblins don’t like gnomes much, as they are the two races that are best at engineering. They often combat in engineering, like at the Mirage Raceway in Shimmering Flats. It is hard to say who is the best at engineering, the goblins or gnomes.

After the Cataclysm however, the goblins of Kezan are forced to join the Horde when they encounter the Alliance in the Lost Isles.

Allegiance

There appear to be some goblins still working with the Horde found in Ashenvale, Orgrimmar, Camp Mojache, and Thousand Needles; even then, goblins working for the Horde run the zeppelin system. Recently goblins have joined the Warsong Offensive, some even displaying the Horde symbol on their tabard and fighting on the front lines. Also, there are a handful that seem to be in the pay of the Alliance, such as the SI:7 agent Renzik “The Shiv”.

Other goblins are found in the employ of the Burning Blade, and the Black Dragonflight.

Other goblin races

• Hobgoblin
• Gilgoblin
• In Manual of Monsters Appendix Three, two other kind of goblins are mentioned: Coal Goblin and Spider-Eye Goblin, however the validity of this source is disputed.

Inspirations

It is a widely supported, yet unproven theory that the main inspirations for the goblins were the Gremlins of their destructive nature and looks, as well as the Ferengi of Star Trek, for their industrialized society where one’s worth is equal to the belongings he can gather and hold, though this trait seemed to only develop after the Second War.

Goblin playable race

Originally the slaves of jungle trolls on the Isle of Kezan, the goblin race was forced to mine kaja’mite ore out of the volcanic bowels of Mount Kajaro.

The trolls used this potent mineral for their voodoo rituals, but it had an unexpected effect on the slaves who were in constant contact with it: kaja’mite generated a startling new cunning and intelligence in the goblins. Crafting their own powerful artifacts of engineering and alchemy in secret, the goblins soon overthrew their oppressors and claimed Kezan for their homeland. The mines that had been their prison, their slave camp, and the base of their rebellion now became the city of Undermine. Weaving through the heart of the island in a dizzying network of tunnels, vaults, and lava tubes, Undermine epitomizes the goblins’ complex, unpredictable mindset.

The goblins’ natural greed soon lifted them to prominence as masters of mercantilism. Trade princes arose during the First War as the cleverest goblins learned to take advantage of the strife. Great fortunes were amassed, and the Isle of Kezan became a hub for fleets of goblin trading ships. One of the trade princes agreed to lend his faction’s services to the Horde in the Second War. Following the Horde’s defeat, the goblins learned from their colleague’s failed example, and soon they realized that their profits could double if they weren’t stuck in such a restrictive relationship. By the end of the Third War, goblins were providing weaponry, vehicles, and devious services to both the Horde and the Alliance. This wouldn’t last forever…

Recently, the goblins of Kezan have found a new enemy in the Alliance – unexpected and unprofitable encounters with this faction have driven certain trade princes from their comfortable neutrality. Reforging old pacts with their one-time allies, the goblins have been welcomed into the Horde with open arms.

Induction to the Horde

The Cataclysm expansion introduces the goblin race to the Horde. Goblin players will be able to choose between playing a death knight, hunter, mage, priest, rogue, shaman, warlock or warrior.

Your Character

When starting a Goblin character, the first six levels are played on the island of Kezan, where you go through the last days of the island before the Second Sundering. After escaping, the ship you are traveling on will sink, leaving you floating on a plank from the shipwreck to the Lost Isles. Near-death, a goblin sits next to you, not knowing you are the goblin that saved the goblins from death. Another goblin uses goblin jumper cables and ressurects you.

Racial Abilities

Hobgoblin servant and his master.

Rocket Jump (2 min cooldown, shared with Rocket Barrage)
Activates your rocket belt to jump forward.
Rocket Barrage (2 min cooldown, shared with Rocket Jump)
Launches your belt rockets at an enemy, dealing X-Y fire damage (24-30 at level 1; 1654-2020 at level 80). This ability is off the global cooldown.
Time is Money (passive)
Cash in on a 1% increase to attack and casting speed.
Best Deals Anywhere (passive)
Always receive the best discount regardless of faction standing.
Pack Hobgoblin (30 min cooldown)
Calls in your personal servant, allowing you bank access for 1 min.
Better Living through Chemistry (passive)
Alchemy skill increased by 15.

Jokes

The following can be triggered with the /silly command.

Male Goblins

• “Oooooh, I got it. What if we were to ORGANIZE crime.”
• “She told me to tie her up and do whatever I wanted to her. So I took her stereo.”
• “When in doubt, blow it up.”
• “I dabbled in gold farming, but I couldn’t get the coins to sprout.”
• “Skip to step three: Profit!”
• “One word: Plastics.”

Female Goblins

• “Out of the way you nub Goblin.”
• “Yes, I’m a gold digger. And copper, and silver.”
• “I’m a free spirit, I don’t like to be tied down. Oh, you mean that literally. I’m totally into that.”
• “Skip to step three: Profit!”
• “You have to keep up. Everything these days is now, now, now; me, me, me; murder, murder, murder.”
• “If at first you don’t succeed, blow it up again.”
• “With the right bribes ANYTHING is street legal.”
• “I don’t make jokes, I make money.”

Gallery

Concept art	A concept for the goblin racial mount	Similar type of hot rod at Cataclysm quest in Kezan.	Horde Goblins
Superstylin’ Goblin!	Male and Female Goblin Death Knights	Concept art	Concept art
Goblin creation screen.

Videos

Available under attribution-share alike 3.0 unported. attr: wow pedia

These creatures are thoroughly evil, delighting in torturing and devouring intelligent creatures. They enjoy hearing the screams of their victims as they tear them apart piece by piece. Worgen never show mercy or remorse. They may seem savage, but they are fairly intelligent and possess a cruel bestial cunning that can come as a surprise to the unprepared.

Worgen society is patriarchal, with the eldest male leading the pack. Worgen never challenge leadership; the patriarch leads until he is physically incapable of doing so any longer, at which point his younger kin devour him. The worgen see this not as cruelty, but a great honor — they consume the bodies of their fallen as well as their victims. They believe the flesh and blood of their own kind improves their strength and cunning.

Worgen look like humanoid wolves. They dwell in simple huts and usually wear cured leather scraps as rudimentary armor. Worgen do not use weapons, preferring to tear foes apart with their claws. They stand 6 feet tall, except when loping along on all fours, and weigh around 250 pounds. They speak their own language, made up of a variety of growls, barks, and howls.

These sources, however, have been proven incorrect. The worgen in fact derive from an ancient druidic sect known as the Druids of the Scythe who worshiped the wolf Ancient Goldrinn. The chosen shapeshift form of these druids was the worgen form, but these druids lost themselves to the form’s savage nature and descended into feral behaviour.

Most worgen keep their wolf-like forms at all times, but experiments by the mage Arugal have resulted in human/worgen “hybrids” who only appear as worgen under the light of the moon. They carry with them a dark, corrupting malaise that grows wherever they infest, making the surrounding area dark and gloomy.

Worgen are among the few humanoids that can be skinned.

With the news of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, the Greymane Worgen, who have developed a partial cure to the curse which allows them to retain their sanity even while transformed, have been announced as the sixth Alliance race.

Description

Resembling a cross between human and dire wolf, the hunched over creature is roughly humanoid. Its body is covered in coarse, grayish-black fur with twitching claws and snarling teeth. The creature’s eyes are mottled yellow in colour, unblinking and devoid of any discernible emotion other than hunger.

Cursed beings from another dimension, worgen only appear in Azeroth as the result of magical mishaps. True aberrations, they are accidentally drawn through temporary rift tunnels and deposited in this world with no apparent way of returning. Nothing is known about the worgen’s home realm, or even precisely how to spawn the rift tunnels through which they come. Worgen are usually encountered in small packs near sites of recent intense magical activity.

Fiercely territorial creatures, they rarely stray from the general vicinity of the place in which they first appeared. Fearless beasts, they brazenly prowl near both villages and monster lairs. Although worgen display an apparent fondness for nighttime and its darkness, they can perform equally well in the daytime.

Pure killing beasts, worgen tend to attack any creatures that they encounter, regardless of whether animal, humanoid, Scourge or something even more fearsome. Strangely, however, worgen refuse to feed on the remains of their victims, preferring to shred and tear the corpses and then to return immediately to prowling. Rumors suggest that worgen somehow receive sustenance continually from their native dimension… as well as guidance from a distant force.

Worgen are usually encountered in small packs near sites of recent intense magical activity. A pack may contain four to twelve individuals. A worgen tribe may contain between twenty and two hundred individuals.

Actually cursed druids from Azeroth’s ancient past, the worgen were released from their prison in the Blackwald by several tamperers over the recent years. Unfortunately the methods of removing them from their prison do not appear to be reversible, leaving the insane druids unfettered and unrestrained. For a long time, the worgens’ origins remained a mystery, and their home was thought to be another dimension, or another world.

The worgen are not from another dimension, as they originate on Azeroth, but they discrepancy may be interpreted as referring to the Emerald Dream.

The reason for the worgen refusing to devour most of their victims may be some lingering vestige of sanity in the worgen’s minds.

Combat

Worgen prefer to hide in shadows before leaping great distances upon their foes. They attack with feral tenacity, slashing with their deadly claws and biting with sharp, infectious fangs. Worgen are nearly fearless and typically fight to the death, relying on their regeneration to save them.

Worgen love nothing more than to pounce on an opponent and tear him to ribbons. If a foe is helpless, the worgen delivers a coup de grace before moving on to another target, unless the fight is well in hand. Then it turns to torture (or “playtime”) — and the unfortunate victim is almost certain to wish he had died.

The saliva of a worgen carries a dangerous infection that can prove deadly against those who are bitten.

History

Ur, a mage of Dalaran, did research on worgen but never summoned them. He found out that the worgen seemed to hail from a dark and treacherous world, from which there was no corner which was truly safe. Velinde saw the worgen battle an unflinching enemy in a vicious war; the Lords of the Emerald Flame.

Frustrated by the destruction of Dalaran by the Scourge and against the advice of his peers, Archmage Arugal elected to summon an army of the extra-dimensional entities by using Ur’s research. The summoned worgen fought against the undead armies, but quickly turned on the wizards themselves. Driven mad with guilt, Arugal adopted the worgen as his children and retreated to the newly dubbed Shadowfang Keep, where he then cursed the village people of Pyrewood to turn into worgen whenever the sun went down.

At approximately the same time, the night elf Sentinel Velinde Starsong was given the task of clearing Felwood of demons. She prayed to Elune and was granted a magical scythe which could summon worgen. Using the Scythe of Elune, she summoned a very large number of the creatures to fight at her side against the demons. Later Velinde began to notice that some of her force were unaccounted for. It was as though the Scythe of Elune no longer required her presence to perform the summoning process. Perplexed by this development, she ordered the remaining worgen to remain at the Shrine of Mel’Thandris in Ashenvale and began to search for Archmage Arugal, whom she had heard also summoned worgen. From that point on her fate became a mystery, but it was rumored that she was killed in Duskwood and lost the Scythe of Elune. Black Riders from Deadwind Pass came to Duskwood looking for the Scythe and murdered a family of farmers in the search to find it.

It is also known that the dark mage Morganth was searching for the Scythe of Elune, and stole Ur’s Treatise on Shadow Magic as well.

This section concerns content exclusive to Wrath of the Lich King.

In World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, Arthas has discovered Arugal’s activities and has brought him back from the dead to work for him. This also means that there are a lot of worgen allied with the Scourge in Northrend and in particular, the Grizzly Hills.

This section concerns content exclusive to Cataclysm.

In World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, it is revealed that the worgen curse has spread into secluded kingdom of Gilneas, transforming its inhabitants into the worgen. More recent evidence suggests that their true origin has a connection to the night elves and a secretive druidic order from Kalimdor’s distant past. At the starting point of the worgen starting experience, many Gilneans believe that a treatment for the worgen curse may exist, although others have nearly given up, fearful that if the barricades should fall, their humanity will be lost forever.

The curse originated from the druidic order who followed Goldrinn, known as Druids of the Scythe. They shapeshifted into the feral worgen and eventually lost their minds to its violent nature. The other Druids agreed that they must be locked away, and thus put them into eternal slumber deep beneath a tree… until the days Arugal utilized Ur’s research, and Velinde Starsong used the Scythe of Elune. It was the night elves, after all, who created the curse in the first place. Obliged to help their newfound allies, they re-introduce them to the Alliance.

Worgen groups

Alliance

• Greymane – Playable race found in various areas of the world, homeland in Gilneas
• Bloodfang – Found in Gilneas and Silverpine Forest, supporters of the Gilneas Liberation Front

Scourge

• Wolfcult/Bloodmoon – Found in the Grizzly Hills

Independent/Hostile

• Brashwater Crew – A group of worgen pirates
• Lycanthoth – Found in Mount Hyjal
• Nightbane – Found in Duskwood
• Moonrage – Found in Silverpine Forest
• Shadowfang – Found in Shadowfang Keep
• Terrowulf – Found in Ashenvale Forest



The worgen are a race of feral wolf-beasts whose very name inspires fear.

Records indicate that the worgen existed for a time in Kalimdor. In fact, more recent evidence suggested that their true origin might have a connection to the night elves and a secretive druidic order from Kalimdor’s distant past. This proved to be correct as the curse originated from a druidic sect who followed Goldrinn, known as Druids of the Scythe. They shapeshifted into the feral worgen and eventually lost their minds to its violent nature. The other Druids agreed that they must be locked away, and thus put them into eternal slumber deep beneath a tree… until the day Arugal and Velinde Starsong tampered with the Scythe of Elune. It was the night elves, after all, who created the curse in the first place. Obliged to help their newfound allies, they re-introduce them to the Alliance.

The worgen’s first verified appearance in the Eastern Kingdoms has been traced back to the Third War, when the archmage Arugal utilized the wolf-beasts as a weapon against the Scourge. Arugal’s weapons soon turned against him, however, as the curse of the worgen rapidly spread among the human population, transforming ordinary men and women into ravenous, feral creatures.

Arugal adopted many of the worgen as his own and retreated to the former mansion of Baron Silverlaine, the estate now known as Shadowfang Keep. The curse, however, was not contained. It persisted in the lands of Silverpine and extended even into the fabled walled nation of Gilneas, where the curse rapidly reached pandemic levels.

The citizens of Gilneas found themselves trapped, with no hope of escape. They retreated deeper within the isolated domain, and there they survived, fearful of the savage presence that lurked just outside the barricades.

Tensions among the displaced citizens escalated over time, resulting in a civil war that now threatens to destabilize the embattled nation even more.

There are those among the Gilneans, however, who cling to hope. Many believe that a cure for the worgen curse may exist, although others have nearly given up, fearful that if the barricades should fall, their humanity will be lost forever.

Induction to the Alliance

Worgen are the new playable Alliance race introduced in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm and will be able to choose a class from death knight, druid, warrior, hunter, mage, priest, rogue, or warlock. Outside of combat, worgen can appear in either their human form or their worgen form. They immediately turn into their worgen form when entering combat or activating their Darkflight racial ability.

Recently the Greymane Wall was shattered by the Cataclysm. Setting their sights on the now-vulnerable country of Gilneas, the vile Forsaken have started an invasion of the kingdom. In their hour of greatest need, the worgen of Gilneas called out for their old allies’ aid. The Gilneans are now back in the Alliance, and with their new allies by their side they aren’t giving up their home without a fight.

Your character

When starting a worgen character, the first 5-6 levels are played as a human fighting in the Gilneas civil war at the beginning of the worgen invasion of Gilneas City. After finishing the questline in Gilneas City, during which the player becomes a worgen, the player is moved to Duskhaven, prior to the Forsaken invasion of Gilneas.

When creating a worgen character, a human stands in the background displaying the worgen’s human form.

Lore reasons for classes

Druid

As stated above the worgen curse was created by night elf druids, and that the night elves feel somewhat responsible and are helping the worgen fight for their city. During this time the night elves have taught the worgen the terms of magic that led to their creation, druidism.

Mage, warlock, priest, rogue, warrior and hunter

The worgen have retained the skills they had as human citizens and choose to continue using them after their transformation.

Death knights

Worgen death knights are former slaves of Arugal. These former Gilnean citizens of Pyrewood Village managed to escape the wizard’s control only to fall prey to the Lich King. During the Death Knight starting quests, you learn how Worgen death knights came to be.

Lord Harford says: Come to finish the job, have you?

Lord Harford says: You’ll look me in the eyes when…

Lord Harford says: <Name>?

Lord Harford says: <Name>, I’d recognize that face anywhere… What… What have they done to you, <name>?

Lord Harford says says: You don’t remember me? We were both servants of Arugal back in Silverpine Forest. We put up with his merciless torture for ages. It was you who saved me on that fateful night when we escaped Shadowfang Keep.

Lord Harford says: Without you I would have died. YOU! The most noble worgen I ever knew.

Lord Harford says: What have they done to you, <name>? How could this have happened?

Lord Harford says: Remember the worgen you once were, <brother/sister>! You were our savior! Fight this!

Lord Harford says: Listen to me <name>. You must fight against the Lich King’s control. He is a monster that wants to see this world – our world – in ruin.

Lord Harford says: Don’t let him use you to accomplish his goals. You were once a hero and you can be again.

Lord Harford says: Fight, damn you! Fight his control!

Knight Commander Plaguefist yells: What’s going on in there? What’s taking so long, <name>?

Lord Harford says: There… There’s no more time for me. I’m done for. Finish me off, <name>. Do it or they’ll kill us both. <Name>… Remember Gilneas, our beloved home. This world is worth saving.

Lord Harford says: Do it, <name>! Put me out of my misery!

Darkflight (3 min cooldown)
Activates your true form, increasing movement speed by 70% for 10 sec.
Viciousness (passive)
Increases critical strike chance by 1%.
Aberration (passive)
Increases your resistance to harmful Nature and Shadow effects by 1.
Flayer (passive)
Skinning skill increased by 15 and allows you to skin 0.5 seconds faster.
Two Forms (1.5 sec cooldown)
Transforms you between human and worgen forms. You will revert to worgen form in combat.
Running Wild (1.5 sec cooldown)
Drop to all fours to run as fast as a wild animal.

Mounts

Worgen will not have a racial mount, but will instead have Running Wild, in which they take to all fours and travel at mount speed. This is a different mechanic than the removed tauren Plainsrunning ability.

Available under attribution-share alike 3.0 unported. attr: wow pedia

Neltharion originally was the mighty black wyrm chosen by Khaz’goroth and given dominion over the earth and the deep places of the world. He was empowered by the titans as one of the five Dragon Aspects. In peaceful times, Neltharion’s wisdom and power were renowned, and he was known as Neltharion the Earth-Warder, a great protector of the land. Malygos the Spell-Weaver, the Aspect of magic, was his closest friend.

Then came the madness that destroyed Neltharion’s mind, which changed him and his kind forever. The ultimate cause of his fall into madness was the item of great power known as the Dragon Soul, later known as the Demon Soul. The inner-voices of the Old Gods convinced him that he could have power beyond his imagination if he served them. The voices made him paranoid of even his black dragonflight. Neltharion began to want a world where only he and his dragonflight and some servants that yield to him could exist — a world where all the other dragonflights no longer existed and where Ysera and Alexstrasza would be his petty slaves for mating.

The Old Gods convinced Neltharion to create the Dragon Soul. With the help of goblins, Neltharion created a simple golden disc made of his blood and forged in the goblin’s cauldrons and anvils deep beneath the earth. Empowered by Neltharion’s magic, the simple golden disc was shielded magically so that the other Dragon Aspects couldn’t see within the disc. There was an evil within the disc, some taint of the Old Gods, though what exactly it is not known.

War of the Ancients

Neltharion, the Dragon Aspects and their dragonflights flew toward Zin-Azshari where the night elves held the demons at bay. The dragons awaited Neltharion’s first attack. He grabbed the Dragon Soul and by channeling his destructive power through it destroyed thousands of demons with one swing of radiant magic. The Dragon Aspects watched in horror as Neltharion also killed hundreds of night elves and other allies along with the demons.

Neltharion revealed the depths of his betrayal at last. Now with the disc at his command he wanted all races and the demons to see his power and to bow to him. The Dragon Aspects attacked Neltharion in an attempt to take the Dragon Soul from him and to reason with him in hopes of determining the cause of his perfidy. Malygos’ blue dragonflight surrounded Neltharion, but with a swing of the Dragon Soul, most of the blue dragons perished. The next swing of the Dragon Soul paralyzed all dragonflights and the Dragon Aspects in mid-air, rendering them unable to move or speak. Neltharion then struck out at the Dragon Aspects and their dragonflights, destroying many and scattering them far across the land.

Neltharion’s betrayal struck a great blow to the Aspects, and their fear of being destroyed like the blue dragonflight kept them in seclusion. In desperation, the Aspects shielded themselves and hid to become undetected even by each other.

Rise of the Destroyer

The growing corruption in Neltharion’s heart warped his body, as the angelic dragon began taking a more demonic appearance, similar to how Sargeras changed to a more demonic form after his corruption. Neltharion’s body cracked open, revealing his molten heart, and magma and fire flowed off his chest. His eyes became aflame in red, demonstrating the magnitude of his power and the depths of his evil. Thus was Deathwing the Destroyer born, and the Dragon Soul was renamed: the Demon Soul.

Deathwing returned to his lair beneath a mountain. His proximity to the Demon Soul was ripping his body apart, so the goblins forged an armor of adamantium to serve as a vessel to contain Deathwing’s raging powers and keep them in check. Only the adamantium plates kept the power from destroying his body.

The Old Gods had manipulated Deathwing into creating the Demon Soul, but their true intention was that the demons would inform their lord Sargeras of the great power of the weapon used against them. Sargeras would no doubt want the Demon Soul to power the gateway that would let him enter Azeroth. By using the Demon Soul to amplify the gateway, the three Old Gods hoped to escape their prison beneath the planet.

However, Malfurion Stormrage used the Emerald Dream to find Deathwing’s lair and stole the Demon Soul from the black dragon, who tried to pursue the thief in vain. Illidan and Varo’then captured Malfurion and took the Demon Soul back to Zin-Azshari, to Mannoroth the Destructor, the general of the Legion’s armies. It was used to power up the portal that would allow Sargeras to enter Azeroth.

Deathwing tried one last time to recover the disk, when it was being used by both Sargeras and the Old Gods, and actually succeeded in reaching it. Deathwing was almost destroyed in the attempt, but after he got the Demon Soul, an enormous surge of power made him lose his grip on the disk, and sent him spiralling far away from the portal.

After the Burning Legion was defeated, the Dragon Aspects sealed the Demon Soul with their energies, so that Deathwing should never be able to manipulate the Demon Soul. The artifact was hidden in an undisclosed location by Malfurion at the request of the Dragon Aspects. No longer in possession of the artifact and now unable to use it, Deathwing vowed to destroy most life and to wreak havoc on the planet. With his powers over earth, Neltharion caused volcanoes to rise along with the destruction already caused by the Well of Eternity’s implosion, sinking most of Kalimdor below the ocean.

When he succumbed, Neltharion ceased to exist, taking up a new name and a bitter purpose. He became Deathwing and his subjects were placed beneath the iron rule of a tyrant. Upon his irrevocable shift to evil, he turned against his destiny, and his mind unwound, causing suffering wherever he could. He himself chose Deathwing as his title, to better show his contempt and intentions for the lesser creatures around him.

Certain legends surrounding Deathwing claim that as the Earth-Warder, Deathwing shaped the land so the races would not go to war over land and resources. When he went mad, Deathwing lowered the mountains and allowed the races to intermingle. He ruined fertile land and destroyed other terrain so that the races would be forced to fight for food. Deathwing’s efforts gave birth to an occupation that has remained with all races since then: war.

Second War

Ten thousand years later, during the Second War, Deathwing discovered the Demon Soul’s location. Although he couldn’t wield its power because of the enchantment placed upon it by the Dragon Aspects, he realized that he could manipulate someone else to do so. Eventually, he found the perfect pawns: the orcs of the Dragonmaw clan. Through visions, Deathwing led the chieftain of the clan, Zuluhed the Whacked, to find the Demon Soul. Zuluhed in turn gave the Demon Soul to the warlock Nekros Skullcrusher. Nekros had no clue as to the power he was wielding, but was able to tap into enough of its power to capture and enslave Alexstrasza and her consorts in order to breed dragons for the Horde.

Kryll, a goblin servant of Deathwing, was sent to infiltrate the Dragonmaw clan and to serve Nekros Skullcrusher. Nekros ended up being manipulated by Kryll into doing Deathwing’s bidding. The goblin served as an “advisor” to Nekros, whispering ideas to the orc in order to further Deathwing’s aims.

After Ner’zhul reopened the portal to Azeroth, his forces were approached by Deathwing. He offered his own children for assistance in exchange for safe passage to Draenor. They agreed and Deathwing helped them prepare for several key battles to steal two artifacts from the Alliance in order for Ner’zhul’s newly reformed Horde to create new portals to other worlds. They then fled back to the Dark Portal to Draenor. Deathwing believed the world would be a relatively safe haven for his offspring and secreted away a cache of black dragon eggs there. While at his great mountain lair, he was attacked by the forces of the Alliance Expedition, who destroyed several of his eggs. Deathwing was temporarily defeated but survived.

Having escaped back to Azeroth, Deathwing ended up in a fight with some of the archmagi of Dalaran and feigned defeat, falling into the sea, where most of the council assumed at the time that he died. He was not dead, however, and he took a human guise, pretending to be a heroic noble named Lord Prestor in an effort to be declared king of Alterac, where he could manipulate the Alliance from within.

Soon after Ner’zhul recklessly opened multiple portals on Draenor, the magical stress tore the planet apart. The energies released in this catastrophe altered Deathwing’s eggs, resulting in the nether drakes: partially corporeal and partially ethereal dragons who possess the ability to shift between the astral and physical planes. Without Deathwing’s guidance, these otherworldly nether drakes are just now finding their own way among the blasted ruins of Outland.

Lord Prestor and the battle of Grim Batol

Main article: Lord Daval Prestor

Deathwing, posing as Lord Prestor, managed to make himself popular with King Terenas and the kings of the Alliance nations, and for a while had strong influence in the decisions of state. Using subtle magic, he was able to ensnare the minds of the human leaders and forced them to grant him the title of king of Alterac. He also managed to trick King Terenas into giving him the hand of his daughter, Calia Menethil. His ultimate goal was to obtain a high level of power and influence within the Alliance, so he could destroy it from within.

Deathwing began his campaign against the Alliance by pitting the kingdoms of Lordaeron, Stromgarde, Gilneas and Kul Tiras against the Kirin Tor of Dalaran – who Deathwing considered threats to his new identity. The only one to ever fully uncover the truth about his identity was the dragon mage Krasus, the mortal form of Korialstrasz. However, the Kirin Tor were able to discern that he was a powerful being hiding in a human form, and tried to devise a way to stop him.

The orcs of the Dragonmaw clan at Grim Batol kept their hold over Alexstrasza, even though the bulk of the Horde had already been defeated. Deathwing tried to frighten the Dragonmaw orcs into believing that the humans were attacking Grim Batol, so that they would move Alexstrasza and her eggs north to Dun Algaz; this left her eggs vulnerable. Deathwing hoped to steal Alextrasza’s latest cache for himself to create a new dragonflight; though bearing the crimson scales of the Dragonqueen, they would be raised by Deathwing and carry his hatred for the mortal races.

Deathwing used his pawns to manipulate the mage Rhonin, who had been sent to Grim Batol by Krasus, as part of a plan to free Alexstrasza. He saved the young mage several times, and helped him reach Grim Batol, hoping that his appearance inside the mountain fortress would further convince Nekros to flee from it. Though the orcs were convinced and began leaving Grim Batol, Deathwing’s attack on the caravan, however, failed. Nekros tried to use the Demon Soul on Deathwing, but was unsuccessful due to the disk having no power over the black dragon. He then sent Tyranastrasz, old and sick, to stop the Deathwing, but he failed and was killed.

At the behest of Krasus, the three remaining free aspects, Malygos, Ysera and Nozdormu, grudgingly decided to come out of their lairs and attack Deathwing. However, due to the power they had given to the Demon Soul, they were no match for the black leviathan. But Rhonin was able to steal the Demon Soul from Nekros, freeing Alexstrasza in the process. Furthermore, he discovered its weakness and destroyed it, releasing all the powers of the dragons who had given their power ten thousand years earlier. Deathwing was sent retreating with four very angry, fully-empowered Dragon Aspects on his heels, though he managed to elude them in the end. Lord Prestor vanished when Deathwing was forced to go into hiding, and Deathwing’s influence over the nobles disappeared along with him.

Onyxia and Nefarian, offspring of Deathwing and masters of the black dragonflight in the absence of their father, have tried to control the world. Onyxia followed in her father’s footsteps by taking the Prestor name to attempt to manipulate the Alliance. She posed as a human counselor named Katrana Prestor for the new child King of Stormwind. Nefarian, meanwhile, poses as a human named Lord Victor Nefarius, Lord of the Blackrock Mountain in the Burning Steppes. He was able to enslave the Blackrock Clan orcs who now serve him on the top of the mountain, the Blackrock Spire.

In World of Warcraft

Wrath of the Lich King

This section concerns content exclusive to Wrath of the Lich King.

Deathwing first made his debut in World of Warcraft as a cameo appearance during the battle against the Old God Yogg-Saron, inside Ulduar. He appears in human form and under his original name of Neltharion, and is featured along with all the other Aspects in a flashback that depicts the creation of the Dragon Soul, ten thousand years earlier.

This was Deathwing’s first official appearance in a Warcraft game since Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal.

Cataclysm

This section concerns content exclusive to Cataclysm.

Deathwing will finally appear within World of Warcraft as the final boss encounter of its third expansion, Cataclysm, which will mark his formal entry into World of Warcraft’s present era. Deathwing will be the last of the Dragon Aspects to appear in dragon form in the game, and will be the second one that can be confronted by raids (the first being Malygos).

Deepholm

Hidden away inside the Temple of Earth is the Stonecore, locked in the heart of Deepholm. It was here inside this mysterious domain that the corrupted Dragon Aspect Deathwing waited, recovering from the wounds of his last battle against Azeroth. As he bided his time until he could reforge the world in molten fire, the Twilight’s Hammer toiled over him, forging a new armor of elementium plates that were then hammered to the Dragon Aspect’s skin to hold his tormented body together.

Awakening

In recent years, the whisperings of the Old Gods have gotten worse; the Old Ones’ dread power steadily increased as C’Thun and Yogg-Saron stirred from their ancient slumbers, and the growing influence of the Old Gods has magnified Deathwing’s power ten-fold. From within his lair in the elemental plane of Deepholm, Deathwing has awoken from his slumber and literally erupted into the world. His explosion into Azeroth was so powerful that it tore a rift between the Elemental Plane and Azeroth and caused earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and floods, reshaping the very face of the world. No region has remained untouched in the wake of the devastating Shattering.

Following his explosive escape from Deepholm, Deathwing casted a deadly shadow over the people of Azeroth as he wreaks indiscriminate havoc across the land, Deathwing randomly choosed territories to attack each day until his ruinous reign was brought to an end. A blackened sky was the only warning before every living creature caught in his approach was consumed by his terrible fire.

The Badlands

The main storyline quest of the Badlands in Cataclysm is centered around Rheastrasza and her research of the black dragonflight and of a way of purifying them. She has captured the black dragon, Nyxondra, and forces her to lay eggs for the experiments. She feels pity for the black dragon, but knows it is for the greater good. After succeeding in creating a purified black dragon egg, she constantly moves around to avoid being found by agents of the black dragonflight, who want to destroy the egg. In the quest Rheastrasza’s Gift, she is killed by Deathwing, who was after the egg. The egg he destroyed, however, was not the purified one, but Rheastrasza’s own egg.

Mount Hyjal

At the beginning of the storyline, Deathwing summons the Firelord, Ragnaros along with his fire elemental servants into the world of Azeroth, aided by his mortal followers, the Twilight’s Hammer clan with the ultimate goal of destroying Nordrassil.

Uldum

During the Uldum storyline it is revealed that Deathwing enlisted the aid of Al’Akir and his air elemental minions to do his bidding. The Tol’vir, native residents of Uldum have joined his ranks as well, seduced by the promises of power and removal of the Curse of Flesh. He also sent his mortal minions, led by Commander Schnottz to gain control of the Maker’s Terrace and reconfigure it into a weapon of mass destruction.

The Twilight Highlands

His work with the twilight dragonflight will also be expanded upon in the Twilight Highlands that surround Grim Batol.

Personality

While Deathwing was once a benevolent entity, he is now completely evil. He hates all mortal races, and wishes to kill them all. He’s also utterly insane, most notably shown when he had the Demon Soul. Deathwing was attached to it, such that even when warned by the goblin alchemists who made his first armor that the Demon Soul’s energies would kill him if he kept it with him too long, it wasn’t enough for him to let go of it, and was only willing to part with, temporarily, when reminded that it would likely be stolen from him if he was dead.

In spite of his insanity, Deathwing does display a degree of cunning. Although he hates mortals, he is apparently willing to tolerate them if it can prove of any help in his plans, though inevitably he will do away with them when they have outlived their usefulness.

Despite Deathwing’s overall loathing of mortals, he has respect for, and perhaps even a fear of, Medivh, stating in Day of the Dragon, that he would never willingly face Medivh in combat, though this might have technically been fear of the portion of Sargeras that was locked inside Medivh.

Description

The massive monstrosity before you rises up like a black, crag-covered mountain of scales and hide. The head is a spade-like terror spiked with cruel red eyes that shine with a frightening malevolence. Rivulets of lava and magma are visible beneath the great wyrm’s scorched scales.

Combat

Deathwing is a terrifying opponent who is as cruel as he is vicious. He cares nothing for honor or nobility, striking with whatever weapons and cunning he has at his disposal, reveling in causing earthquakes and ripping open volcanic fissures. He often sends his minions into combat while he surveys the battlefield, striking at whatever weaknesses he discovers.

Names and title

He is usually referred to as “Deathwing” by the majority of beings. Only a few mages, night elves and dragons still call him “Neltharion”. However, over the years Deathwing has been given many names, including, but not limited to:

• Neltharion the Earth-Warder
• Neltharion the Betrayer
• Deathwing the Black
• Deathwing the Destroyer
• Deathwing the Worldbreaker
• Xaxas (used by the night elves; “chaos”, “fury” “elemental fury” in Darnassian).
• Blood’s Shadow (used by the orcs)
• Lord Daval Prestor/King Prestor the First, ruler of Alterac. (human disguise)
• The Black Scourge (used by the other Dragon Aspects)
• The Dark One
• Death Aspect/Aspect of Death
• Blackwing Greatfather (used by the gronn)

Memorable quotes

War of Ancient Trilogy

• “You will learn to show respect. You are in the presence of my glorious self, I, Neltharion. I am the Earth-Warder. You will treat me with the reverence I deserve.”
• “You know me… but I do not know you. You would speak against me… make the others see me as you do… you would have them distrust their comrade of old… their brother… You will not be allowed to spread any of your malicious falsehoods…”
• “For it to be as it must, yes.” (responding to Ysera question about the Dragon Soul’s glow)
• “It is done! All that which must be given has been given, I now seal the Dragon Soul forever!”
• “Yes, and you will press him time and time again with it, will you not?” (in a discussion about whether Nozdormu should be granted more time for his choirs or not)
• “No! I will say what will be done from here on! I, not you, Alexstrasza! Be silent!”
• “After I have slain all of you, I shall take your eggs, Alexstrasza, and create my perfect world!”

Beyond the Dark Portal

• “My children! My children, murdered! Come forward, disgusting, cowardly wretches, murderers of defenseless infants, and know torment and madness before I devour you whole! Who will be the first to be blasted to ashes?” (yelling at the gronn)
• “Puny mortals! I have had many names throughout history, all of them spoken with dread: Neltharion, Xaxas, and many more. Yet you shall know me best as Deathwing, for so I am! I am the bane of life, the darkness within history, the lord of death, the master of destruction. And I tell you now, and so it is true, that this world is mine!”
• “You may have won this battle, I give you that. But hear this, and hear it well. I have seen you, mage.“

Day of the Dragon

• “I am power incarnate! You are nothing but shadows of the past!”
• “Have you not been through enough? Will you continue to fight what you cannot defeat?”
• “What are they to me – or, for that matter, even you? I will never understand that!”
• Deathwing: I have faced the ravages of time, the curse of nightmares, and the mists of sorcery, thanks to the others! What weapons do you bring?
  Alexstrasza: Life… hope… and what they bring with them…
  Deathwing: Then you’re as good as dead already!

Night of the Dragon

• “The Day of The Dragon is over, its night is almost upon Azeroth…and after the night has swept away the old fights…there shall come new dawn… the dawn of my new world…”

Cataclysm Cinematic

Deathwing narrates the Cataclysm cinematic as his armor is reforged in Deepholm. As it nears completion, various areas of Azeroth began to tremble, until Deathwing explodes from Deepholm causing the Shattering. Deathwing flies around the world to Stormwind City where the cinematic ends.

Pain. Agony. My hatred burns through the cavernous deeps. The world heaves with my torment. Its wretched kingdoms quake beneath my rage. But at last, the whole of Azeroth will break! And all will burn beneath the shadow of my wings!

Cataclysm

• “The sun has set on this mortal world, fools. Make peace with your end, for the hour of Twilight falls!”
• Alexstrasza: I see the hollow metal shell of a once great ally, and the precious gift of the Titans wasted!
  Deathwing: Then witness my new gifts, bestowed by this world’s true masters!

Videos

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