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It appears that I may have achieved the impossible. This accomplishment is up there with Columbus discovering America, Mendeleev formulating the periodic table, and Costanza solving the roommate switch dilemma. A pinnacle of human achievement. A shining example of perseverance against all odds. What have I done? I have convinced my wife to play World of Warcraft. Yes, my friends, I have done it. (Oh and by “up there with” I meant “completely inferior to.” But you knew that).

My wife has viewed my WoW playing with an attitude ranging from bemused tolerance to, at times, outright annoyance (depending on how much stuff she wants me to get done at the time). But I’ve always been of the opinion that if she were to sit down and play it at some point then she would enjoy it. So, the other day, when I brought up the idea of her playing again (and told her that it would be a great idea for a blog storyline), she enthusiastically agreed to give it a try. Oh wait… I believe I said “enthusiastically”… I meant “somewhat reluctantly.” Oh well, close enough.

So here’s the deal. She said that I needed to write a few articles to introduce her to the game basics and the different classes available and then she’ll read them and select a character to play. I will also choose a new character to roll and then we’ll head out as grand adventurers and seek our fortune. There’s currently no guarantee as to how long the fortune seeking will go on, but I’m suspecting roughly as long as my wife’s patience lasts.

So this article is going to introduce each of the nine different classes and give my perspective on them both as a solo artist and how they perform in a group. I’ve also included the in-game description for each one to help you understand Blizzard’s basic philosophy for each class.

Warrior – Warriors train constantly and strive for perfection in armed combat. Though they come from all walks of life, they are united by their singular commitment to engage in glorious battle. Many warriors serve as mercenary soldiers while others become adventurers and danger-seeking fortune hunters. A typical warrior is strong, tough and exceptionally violent.

General Info – Warriors do physical, melee damage. They have access to the most protective armor in the game as they start out in mail and gain the ability to wear plate at level 40. They can also equip shields for additional armor.

Solo Experience – Playing a warrior solo can be quite frustrating at times, especially when you are just starting out. A lack of healing, no crowd control, only moderate damage, and a number of playstyle options (one-hander and shield vs. two-hander vs. dual-wielding) can all add up to a rather confusing and sometimes exasperating beginning experience. Expect to die a lot as you figure out how to play a warrior well.

However, warriors really come into their own in the mid to upper levels and become very fun to play once gear and talent specs start to make a difference (around level 45 or so). Properly geared and spec’ed upper level warriors can do awesome amounts of damage and can also be an excellent PvP class. Additionally, the lack of healing can be alleviated by learning First Aid and/or Cooking (I recommend both).

Group Experience – Grouping as a warrior is a unique and interesting experience and, unfortunately, there are lots of people that are not very good at it. The warrior’s role in virtually every group is to be the meat-shield, the punching bag, the tank. Keeping aggro is to be done at all times, even at the cost of the warrior’s own DPS. This is an oftentimes difficult job and I found it to be somewhat nerve wracking and almost stressful at times, especially if I was not familiar with the dungeon we were running. It’s for this reason that I don’t recommend newbies roll a warrior as their first class. There’s enough to learn about the game as a whole and grouping in particular without having to learn about tanking as well. That being said, if you are new to WoW and determined make a warrior, do yourself (and your future groupmates) a favor and do some reading on how to tank.

Coolness Factor – High. Warriors are a pretty awesome class - they possess the ability to (potentially) deal a high level of damage and they are one of only two classes that can wear plate.

What else I should know? Warriors are probably the most gear-dependent class in the game. That is to say, much of what makes a warrior unique (survivability, damage potential) is dependent on the quality of their gear. A naked mage can do everything a clothed one can, just to a lesser extent. A naked warrior is dead. If you play a warrior, expect to spend a fair bit of money to keep your warrior’s gear current.

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Rogue – Rogues are most successful when their deeds never come to light. Fond of poisons and silent projectile weapons, rogues rely on a blend of stealth and minor mysticism. Usually in the employ of nobles or local governments, the rogue redistributes wealth or eliminates designated targets. A rogue’s allegiance lasts only as long as the latest contract.

General Info – Rogues do physical, melee damage and they wear leather armor. As they cannot use any two-handed weapons, rogues dual-wield and they learn this ability at level 10. They are also the only class to be able to use poisons and can learn this ability at level 20

Solo Experience – Rogues are a pretty awesome class, both for solo and group work. They are the premier damage dealing class (on a single target) and can take down mobs super fast. They also have the ability to stealth and thus walk around without being seen by their enemies. They do suffer from a slight lack of survivability, as they are only able wear leather armor, but decent gear and a good knowledge of the class can overcome that fairly easily. I’ve always thoroughly enjoyed playing a rogue.

Group Experience – Your job in a group is to kill things. Kill them fast, kill them dead. You do have to keep an eye on aggro and make sure that you are not pulling the mobs from the tank, but this is usually not a difficult job to do if you have a decent tank with you.

Coolness Factor – Super High. Are you kidding me? What could be cooler than skulking around while invisible, sneaking up behind your target and killing him before he knows you’re there? Rogues are awesome.

What else should I know? If you are going to play a rogue, please spell it correctly. Rogue is the super awesome damage dealing class. Rouge is makeup.

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Mage – Magi are wizards of immense knowledge and skill. Their obvious physical frailty is deceptive, for they can call on the cosmic energies of the Twisting Nether. Rarely do magi engage in melee combat. Instead they choose to attack from a distance, hurling powerful bolts of frost and flame at their unsuspecting enemies.

General Info – Mages deal ranged, magical damage and they wear cloth armor, which provides the least amount of protection. Mages are unique in that they can summon food and water, for themselves and their allies, to replenish their health and mana.

Solo Experience – Playing a mage requires a bit of a delicate touch. They can deal tremendous amounts of damage, but essentially wear Kleenex for armor. If a mob gets within melee range, the mage may find herself in trouble quickly. Luckily, mages have several skills designed specifically to keep mobs at bay. Mages are also kings of AoE damage, and if you get tired of grinding or have run out of quests to do, then AoE grinding can be a fun and exciting diversion.

Group Experience – A mage’s primary role in a group is to do damage. They will usually only be out-done by rogues in this effort, and if the dungeon calls for a lot of AoE, the mage may come out ahead. However, it is rather easy for a trigger-happy mage to pull aggro from the tank, so they do have to be careful with who they nuke. Aside from damage, a mage will also help her group by providing buffs, handing out food and water and applying crowd control.

Coolness Factor – Medium. Although I have a lot of respect for the damage that mages can do, I’ve never really been awed by the class the way that I have been by others.

What else should I know? As you level, large amounts of random people will ask you to take time from your busy schedule and make them some water. Be prepared. Tell them to go watch this.

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Warlock – Warlocks are the bane of all life. Empowered by demonic blood, they can inflict great torment on their foes. To replenish the dreadful energy their spells expend, warlocks drain vitality from their victims. The warlock can also summon and control terrifying demonic entities. Still, warlocks are feared above all else for their singular wickedness and cruelty.

General Info – Warlocks deal ranged, magical damage and wear cloth armor. They are also one of only two classes that get to use pets — in this case, demons — that they can summon to assist them, and their party, in combat. They also get a free mount at level 40 and a discounted epic mount through a quest line at level 60.

Solo Experience – Compared to several of the other classes, warlocks have a relatively pleasant and frustration-free leveling experience. Having the use of a demon minion to either tank or supplement his own damage, a warlock is often able to overcome challenges that other classes could not accomplish solo. Add to this several spells designed specifically to add to the warlock’s vitality, and one finds that warlocks are rarely caught with their proverbial pants down.

Group Experience – A warlock’s primary role in a group is to deal damage, and while they fill that role quite well, this alone is really an incomplete view of the class. With several pets to choose from, a warlock can complement his group in several ways ranging from an impressive stamina buff, to a decent off-tank, to crowd control and increased damage. Additionally, warlocks can place a Soulstone on the group’s rezzer, thus helping the group recover after a wipe.

Coolness Factor – High. A dangerous PvP opponent, cool pets, and, of course, the ability to drain people’s soul add up to a pretty awesome class.

What else should I know? One of the negatives of being a warlock is the somewhat cumbersome soul shard system that is in place. On the plus side, we have Death Coil. All in all, I think we came out ahead.

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Paladins – Paladins are champions who call upon the Light to heal wounds and combat evil. The draenei employed such holy warriors for millennia before arriving on Azeroth to find like-minded souls among the Alliance. Recently blood elves, too, began wielding paladin abilities. Yet these elves, having little in common with their counterpart, must bend the light to their will.

General Info – Paladins are a melee class and, although they have spells that augment their DPS, they deal primarily physical damage. They, along with the warrior, have access to the most protective armor (mail to start and plate at level 40) and they can also equip a shield to further raise their armor count. Until the release of The Burning Crusade, paladins were only available to the Alliance. They also get a free mount at level 40 and a discounted epic mount through a quest line at level 60.

Solo Experience – Paladins are an interesting class to play solo. Competent at healing and wearing the best armor available, a paladin’s strategy in a fight is often to simply outlast his opponent(s). Contrasted with a rogue, where the usual strategy is to end the fight as quickly as possible, a paladin’s goal is usually to simply be the last man standing. Their damage potential is only moderate, especially at the lower levels, and because of this, their leveling experience is often remarked to be slow but steady. Higher level paladins, however, with the correct spec and gear, have the potential to deal a fairly high level of damage.

Group Experience – Well played paladins are a superb complement to any group, as they combine an off-healer, an off-tank and several excellent buffs in one class. Additionally, depending on how they are spec’ed, paladins can become a competent main healer or tank for a group, but with this additional utility comes a loss of capability in other areas. It definitely takes some time and practice to learn how you like to play as a paladin and therefore what spec complements your playstyle the most.

Coolness Factor – Medium, borderline high. Although I love grouping with paladins, I’ve never been deeply intrigued by the class like I have been by others. However, Blood Elf paladins might change that for me, as they have obtained their powers by holding a captive naaru hostage in Silvermoon City and draining his power from him. Man, that’s just evil.

What else should I know? I have, on occasion, grouped with paladins who seemed unaware that they, in fact, have the ability to heal. If you play a paladin, please remember that you are a healing class and you may, at times, actually be asked to heal. If this is unacceptable, please do everyone in WoW a big favor, and roll another class. Thank you.

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Priest – Priests guide the spiritual destiny of their people. Through their unique insight into the mind, they are able to shape an individual’s beliefs, whether to inspire or terrify, soothe or dominate, heal or harm. Just as the heart can hold both light and darkness, priests wield powers of creation and devastation by channeling the potent forces underlying faith.

General Info – Priests do ranged, magical damage and they wear cloth armor. They are usually considered to be the best overall healing class in the game.

Solo Experience – How a priest chooses to spec will have a very large impact on their leveling experience. The Holy talent tree provides for the most capability in healing but leaves a priest somewhat lacking in the killing things department. The Shadow tree, on the other hand, has the killing things routine down pat, but at a cost to healing. Regardless of spec, however, priests are one of the harder classes to level solo and it is advisable to group up as much as possible.

Group Experience – Priests usually have only one role in groups: Heal. The other healing classes are sometimes able to play a different role in a group, if they choose, but priests are nearly always expected to be the main healer, regardless of their spec. If you are planning on leveling a priest, accepting this fact now can save you a lot of heartache in the future. Aside from healing, priests also support their group with several excellent buffs and can provide crowd control against undead mobs.

Coolness Factor – High. Difficulties in leveling aside, having matched up against Shadow priests in PvP on several occasions, I can testify to the fact that they are an excellent DPS class. Additionally, priests learn the spell Mind Control at level 30, which not only allows them to control humanoids in PvE, but in PvP as well. Taking over your opponent’s character, blowing all of their long cooldown abilities and forcing them to attack their allies? That’s just awesome!

What else should I know? Ahem…. I have grouped with a number of priests who seemed unaware that they, in fact, have the ability to heal. If you play a priest, please remember that you are a healing class and you may, on occasion, actually be asked to heal. If this is unacceptable, please do everyone in WoW a big favor, and roll another class. Thank you.

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Hunter – Hunters know the uncharted places of the world. Gifted with a deep empathy for all life, they have an uncanny knack for befriending wild animals and taming them as pets. In addition, hunters can use their finely honed senses to become master trackers. Wherever hunters go, they fight back the ravages of sickness, exploitation, and industrialization.

General Info – Hunters are unique in WoW in that they do ranged, physical damage through the use of bows and guns. Additionally, they can tame wild animals and keep them as pets to assist them in combat. Hunters start out wearing leather armor and gain the ability to wear mail at level 40.

Solo Experience – Hunters are the unmatched, unparalleled masters of solo questing and leveling in WoW. Combining a tank and DPS class in one character (with the use of their pet), plus the survivability of mail armor, hunters level quickly and comparatively easily without much downtime at all. Along with warlocks, hunters are also able to tackle many challenges solo that other classes would not be able to do.

Group Experience – A hunter’s primary role in a group is to provide damage and assist in killing mobs. However, hunters can also provide some crowd control, through the use of their traps, and a capable off-tank with their pet. This is useful in cases when the healer (or another cloth-wearer) pulls aggro and gets attacked.

Coolness Factor – High, borderline super-high. I don’t know how exactly to explain the attraction, but something about the hunter class is pretty awesome. Maybe the ability to tame wild animals and keep them as your pet? Maybe people like shooting things with bows? Maybe it’s their high survivability? Whatever it may be, the hunter is a fun class to play.

What else should I know? Hunters, as a class, have gotten a reputation for being rather immature, lacking in playing ability and general noobishness . I believe that this is an unfair label, as you can find noobish behavior by any class, but because of the high number of hunters, many WoW players have become somewhat prejudiced against hunters. There is nothing you can do about someone having a preformed opinion of you based on your class, but you can do everything in your power to dispel the hunter’s bad rep. As you level your hunter, take the time to do some reading on how the class works and what you can do to improve as a player. If you do this consistently and behave yourself in the company of others, you should have no trouble finding groups to quest with.

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Druid – Druids live in a state of unparalleled union with nature. Tightly bound to the plant and animal kingdoms, they are natural shapeshifters, and so they know firsthand the abuse visited on their wild brethren. In consequence, despite their numbers, druids tend to be wary, reclusive and difficult to spot. Few outsiders have plumbed the depths of their secrets.

General Info – Druids, depending on their playstyle and spec, can do either physical, melee damage or ranged, magical damage. Druids also have the unique ability to shapeshift and can change into various animal forms to fit the situation at hand. For instance, they can assume a bear form and tank like a warrior or they can assume a cat form and DPS like a rogue. There are five animal forms available before level 60 to all druids and an additional two that are talent-specific (Moonkin and Tree of Life). Furthermore, in the Burning Crusade, druids can learn a flight form at level 68, two levels before any other class can buy a flying mount (and at a savings of 540G), and they can also complete a quest line for an epic flight form at level 70. Lastly, druids wear leather armor.

Solo Experience – Druids are the jack of all trades of the WoW classes. They can be played as a melee rogue-type, as a melee warrior-type, as a ranged mage-type caster or they can specialize in healing like a Holy Priest. Therefore, one druid’s experience can, and often will, be completely different from another druid’s. Because of the variety of playstyles available, the druid is a difficult class to master, but the flip side of this is that druids will never lack for utility. Druids often start out slow but begin to level more quickly as the player becomes more comfortable in her playing style.

Group Experience – Druids are excellent group members as they can capably fill many different roles. As noted earlier, they can tank, DPS as a rogue or as a caster and they can heal. Additionally, they have one of the best all-around buffs in the game and can provide crowd control against beasts.

Coolness Factor – Medium, borderline High. Being able to change into different animals is very cool, but for some reason, druids are one of the least played classes. This may be because, while they are Jack of all trades, they are master of none, and there is always another class that can fill each particular niche more effectively.

What else should I know? If you plan on playing a druid, make sure to have adequate bag space. You will need to have two (perhaps three) complete sets of armor for tanking, DPS and/or healing.

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Shaman – Shaman commune directly with the elements. Their combination of wisdom and resilience makes them ideal as tribal advisors and leaders. In battle the shaman use totems and spells to manipulate the elements and provoke other fighters to untold heights of rage and might. Shaman exemplify the primal bond between the savage races and their environment.

General Info – Until the release of The Burning Crusade, shaman were the Horde counterpart of the paladin and they are similar in many ways. Both classes can heal, both can resurrect other players, and both do a combination of physical and magical damage. Shaman, however, are more balanced in their offensive abilities and can often do as much damage by casting spells as they can in melee. Shaman start out wearing leather armor and gain the ability to wear mail at level 40. They can also equip shields for more armor.

Solo Experience – Like many of the hybrid classes, leveling a shaman is generally an easy and mostly pain free experience. With a potent offense consisting of spells and buffs combined with decent melee ability, shaman rarely have difficulty in killing mobs and completing quests. Their weakness is in their defense, wearing only leather armor to start, and their staying power in a fight is somewhat lacking. Their healing abilities alleviate this problem to some extent; however, expect some downtime as you level to recharge.

Group Experience – Shaman are an excellent support class for just about any group, as they can DPS, heal and buff their party all at the same time. The DPS increase that shaman bring to a group through their buffs can be a significant help. Additionally, they can act as a decent off-tank and can even manage to main tank in a pinch (although it would need to be an otherwise strong group).

Coolness Factor – Medium. Shaman can be an excellent class to play as you quest and level up; however, some say this changes at the level cap. Many shaman feel that, of all the hybrid classes, shaman have the least clearly defined role at 70 and are sometimes seen as a poor man’s druid. Hopefully Blizzard will address this as they have other classes’ problems in the past.

What else should I know? Shaman excel in many PvP situations, as they specialize in burst DPS and staying power is usually not a factor in most of these fights. Additionally, their ghost wolf form, learned at level 20, allows them to be an excellent flag carrier and interceptor.

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Part Two of the Newbie’s Guide to WoW - Choosing Your Race — can be found here.

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