Character Basics

[Artega]

An introductory guide to the various details of your character, including statistics, derived (secondary) statistics, and racial bonuses. Any and all corrections and/or advice are greatly appreciated, as this is very much a work in progress :)

MOST RECENT UPDATE: 07 December, 2004; to those who have helped correct the incorrect or add more information to this, your name will be in [brackets] as a way of crediting you :)

Attributes

Strength (STR)

The primary attribute of Warriors, and important to the Rogue, Hunter, and two hybrid classes (Shaman and Paladin.) For Warriors (and possibly for Paladins and Shaman - someone verify?), Strength is directly added to Power, and a percentage of it (fifty percent?) is added to Power for Rogues and Hunters, with Agility making up the other portion. Strength is also responsible for affecting how much damage you can Block, combined with the shield's Block rating. Of all of the classes, Warriors have the highest Strength progression.

Derived Statistics: Power (PWR), which determines Damage (per second; combination of Power and Weapon Damage)

Agility (AGI)

The primary attribute of Rogues, and important for Hunters and any class that wants to be proficient with ranged (wands included?) weaponry. Agility is added directly to your Armor (100% for all classes?), and is used in determining your base chance to Dodge. It also affects your chance for a critical strike (200% damage) with melee and ranged weapons. It does not affect your attack speed. Rogues have the highest Agility progression of any class.

Derived Statistics: Dodge, Critical Hit (Weapons), Armor (AMR; plus Armor on your equipment, of course)

Stamina (STA)

A very important attribute for all classes, Stamina affects your total Health, and so is very important for melee classes, and any class that wants to be able to survive aggro. Warriors have the highest Stamina progression of any class.

Derived Statistics: Health (HP), +11/point (verify?)

Intelligence (INT)

The primary attribute of Mages, Intelligence determines your maximum Mana and your chance for scoring a critical hit with spells. Because it determines your maximum Mana, it's also important to any caster class (Priest, Druid, Mage, as well as the hybrids.) Mages have the highest Intelligence progression of any class.

Derived Statistics: Mana (MP)

Spirit (SPR)

Like Stamina, Spirit is not the primary attribute of any class (someone verify?), but because it determines Health and Mana regeneration rates, it's vital to spellcasters, and important for other classes. When choosing which mental attribute (Spirit or Intelligence) you want to focus on for your caster, keep in mind that although INT will fortify your maximum Mana and chance for critical hits, SPR will allow you to regenerate your Mana much faster.

Races

Humans (Alliance)
Start Location: Elwynn Forest, Eastern Kingdoms
Capitol City: Stormwind, Eastern Kingdoms
Classes: Warlock, Warrior, Mage, Paladin, Rogue, Priest

Traits

Perception (Active Skill) - Increases Stealth-detection radius by ten yards. Lasts 20 seconds, 3-minute cooldown.

The Human Spirit (Passive Skill) - Increases your total Spirit score by five percent.

Diplomacy (Passive Skill) - Grants a ten percent increase on all faction point gains.

Sword Specialization/Mace Specialization (Passive Skill) - +5 to Swords and Two-Handed Swords. They also get a +5 bonus to Maces and Two-Handed Maces [stabby.]

Stats: STR 23, AGI 20, STA 22, INT 20, SPR 21

Humans are the most balanced race on the Alliance side, and can play as nearly any class. Their racial traits are something of a mixed bag - Perception is useful if you don't have any other alternatives to stealth-detection, and The Human Spirit gives them an advantage as spellcasters (allowing them to drop a little +SPR in exchange for +INT.) Diplomacy isn't really bad OR good, but it's useful to have just the same. Sword Specialization, like all +X to Skill Y traits, is mostly pointless, but it fits the theme.

Night Elves (Alliance)
Start Location: Teldrassil, Kalimdor
Capitol City: Darnassus, Kalimdor
Classes: Rogue, Warrior, Druid, Hunter, Priest

Traits

Shadowmeld (Active Skill) - Become invisible (at night) for an indefinite period of time, assuming you remain totally immobile. No cooldown.

Quickness (Passive Skill) - Adds a one percent bonus to your base chance to Dodge.

Wisp Spirit (Passive Skill) - Become a Wisp (you know, those annoying little shiny things that you always saw taped to trees in War3) on death, allowing you to move at 150% footspeed (compared to 125% for Ghost form.)

Nature Resistance (Passive Skill) - +10 to Nature Resistance. Be sure to point and laugh at Thorns.

Stats: 20 STR, 25 AGI, 21 STA, 20 INT, 20 SPR

Night Elves, besides having the (arguably) sexiest women of any race, have a very high starting Agility, making them predisposed to being Hunters and Rogues, along with having a nice chance to Dodge and crit with weapons. It should be noted that they are one of two races that can be Druids (Tauren being the other race), so expect to see a lot of Night Elves deciding to be Druids. Their racial mounts are Nightsaber panthers.

Dwarves (Alliance)
Starting Location: Dun Morogh, Eastern Kingdoms
Capitol City: Ironforge, Eastern Kingdoms
Classes: Rogue, Warrior, Paladin, Hunter, Priest

Traits

Stoneform (Active Skill) - Gain immunity to poison, disease, and bleed (Rend, Deep Wounds, and so on) effects for twenty seconds. Three minute cooldown.

Gun Specialization (Passive Skill) - Dwarves are cowards who fear melee combat, so they get +5 to Guns. I swear I'm not biased against them. No, really, I'm not.

Frost Resistance (Passive Skill) - +10 to Frost Resistance.

Treasure Finding (Detection Skill) - Treasure chests show up on your minimap. Like any Detection skill (Find Herbs, Find Minerals, Track Beasts, and so on), this can't be active while another Detection skill is active.

Stats: 25 STR, 16 AGI, 25 STA, 19 INT, 19 SPR

Dwarves are the annoying, short drunkards of the Alliance, which means they have the highest STR and STA scores, making them good (but not as good as Orcs or Tauren) Warriors or other frontliners. Stoneform is pretty useful, since Diseases and Poisons can get really nasty late-game, but I'd still rather take a Priest with me instead of rely on a skill. Treasure Finding is useful, but since chests are really easy to find anyway, it's not really necessary. Gun Specialization is as useless as any skill bonus trait is. Dwarves mount Rams, so be sure to point and laugh at them.

Gnomes (Alliance)
Start Location: Dun Morogh, Eastern Kingdoms
Capitol City: Ironforge, Eastern Kingdoms
Classes: Warrior, Mage, Warlock, Rogue

Traits

Escape Artist (Active Skill) - Escape from root or snare effects. 1.5s casting time, 1 minute cooldown.

Expansive Mind (Passive Skill) - Increases your total Intelligence score by five percent.

Arcane Resistance (Passive Skill) - +10 to Arcane Resistance.

Technologist (Passive Skill) - +15 to Engineering.

Stats: 18 STR, 23 AGI, 21 STA, 24 INT, 20 SPR

Apparently the Alliance decided that the Dwarves weren't annoying enough, and that the High Elves didn't help enough, so they added the Gnomes. Having a high INT score, along with the lovely Expansive Mind trait (the opposite side of the coin to the Humans' The Human Spirit) means that Gnomes should be casters, which is good, because nothing is squishier than a Gnomish caster. Very unlike skill bonuses, Technologist is actually very useful since it's to a production skill, and not a combat or gathering skill, which means you'll be making more advanced items sooner than other races might. Gnomes get to ride Mechano-Striders, which are actually pretty cool, but not as cool as Kodo or Wolves.

Orcs (Horde)
Starting Location: Durotar, Kalimdor
Capitol City: Orgrimmar, Kalimdor
Classes: Warlock, Shaman, Rogue, Warrior, Hunter

Traits

Blood Fury (Active Skill) - Grants a 25% bonus to Strength for twenty seconds, but causes 5% of your (maximum?) HP to be taken every three seconds. Two minute cooldown.

Hardiness (Passive Skill) - 25% resistance to Stun and Knockout effects.

Command (Passive Skill) - Increases pet melee damage by five percent.

Axe Specialization (Passive Skill) - +5 to Axes and Two-Handed Axes.

Stats: 26 STR, 17 AGI, 24 STA, 17 INT, 23 SPR

With their incredible Strength and Stamina scores, combined with their Blood Fury and Hardiness abilities, Orcs possess the ability to be the most dangerous melee fighters in the game, dealing ludicrous damage and becoming highly resistant to stun effects. Command is nice to have, but somewhat pointless, and Axe Specialization is as useless as any skill bonus. Orcs get dire Wolf mounts that look just like bigger versions of Worgs.

Tauren (Horde)
Starting Location: Mulgore
Capitol City: Thunder Bluff
Classes: Warrior, Hunter, Druid, Shaman

Traits

War Stomp (Active Skill) - Stun all enemies with five yards for two seconds. 0.5s cast, 2 minute cooldown.

Endurance (Passive Skill) - Increases your total HP by 5%.

Cultivation (Passive Skill) - +15 to Herbalism.

Nature Resistance (Passive Skill) - +10 to Nature Resistance. Be sure to point and laugh at Thorns.

Stats: 28 STR, 15 AGI, 24 STA, 15 INT, 22 SPR

Tauren are the strongest of any of the races, meaning they hit very hard in melee combat, though not quite as hard as an Orc under the effects of Blood Fury. They also have an incredibly powerful racial skill with War Stomp, which is great for stopping spellcasters or buying a second or two to start casting a spell. Because the radius is only five yards, however, it's rare to stun more than one or two opponents, and it's entirely possible to miss entirely. Endurance becomes downright uber in the lategame, especially with Warriors, as five percent of a couple thousand HP amounts to quite a nice increase over other Warriors. Like all skill bonuses, Cultivation is pointless. Tauren get Kodo mounts, instead of their original Plainsrunning ability.

Undead (Horde)
Starting Location: Tirisfal Glades, Eastern Kingdoms
Capitol City: Undercity, Eastern Kingdoms
Classes: Warlock, Mage, Priest, Rogue, Warrior

Traits

Will of the Forsaken (Active Skill) - Gain immunity to Fear, Charm, and Sleep effects for twenty seconds. Three minute cooldown.

Cannibalize (Active Skill) - Triple HP regeneration while consuming a corpse (Humanoid/Undead only?) Lasts fifteen seconds with a three minute cooldown.

Underwater Breathing (Passive Skill) - Quadruples the amount of time you can spend underwater.

Shadow Resistance (Passive Skill) - +10 to Shadow Resistance.

Stats: 22 STR, 18 AGI, 23 STA, 18 INT, 25 SPR

What's not to like about the Undead? They have amazing stats (look at that Spirit!), access to some of the most fun classes in the game (so they're missing Hunters and Shaman - who cares!?), and they have the best racial traits in the game, bar none. Will of the Forsaken is essentially Mage-immunity, meaning you can't be Sheeped (UD Priests are great in PvP combat because of this), Slept, or Feared, and Shadow Resistance just means that there's a chance that Shadow Word: Pain or Shadow Bolt won't work on you. Underwater Breathing means you'll never need a potion or spell for that effect, and Cannibalize is better than some pansy skill bonus. Their only drawback (besides looking even stupider than the Orcs) is that their Undead Steed mounts look even dumber than the Dwarves' Rams and the Trolls' Raptors.

Trolls (Horde)
Starting Location: Durotar, Kalimdor
Capitol City: Orgrimmar, Kalimdor
Classes: Shaman, Rogue, Priest, Mage, Hunter, Warrior

Traits

Berserking (Active Skill) - Activate when "wounded" (at 20% HP or less [NuurAbSaal]) to increase melee attack speed and spellcasting speeds by 25%. Lasts twenty seconds, two minute cooldown.

Regeneration (Passive Skill) - 110% HP regeneration, 10% of which is active during combat.

Beast Slaying (Passive Skill) - 105% damage (spells, too?) vs. Beasts.

Throwing Weapon Specialization (Passive Skill) - Just like Dwarves, Trolls are afraid to fight in melee. +5 to Throwing skill.

Stats: 24 STR, 22 AGI, 23 STA, 16 INT, 21 SPR

Trolls have the most balanced stats of the Horde races, and also have a large selection of classes to choose from. Their traits are relatively midline, with the exception of Regeneration, which is basically Combat Endurance for free. Their racial mount is the Raptor, and not the cool-looking Suntail Scytheclaw ones, either.

Regarding +skill traits: stabby raised an interesting point - +5 to a weaponskill is, in effect a free level, so it will help you hit more often when fighting higher-leveled mobs. Something to consider.

[Arnath]

... a percentage of it (fifty percent?) is added to Power for Rogues and Hunters, with Agility making up the other portion

How exactly does this whole 50% strength, 50% agility thing for rogues work out? If a rogue and a warrior both wear the same +30 str item, will their power go up by the same amount? How about if the rogue has a +15 str +15 agil item? Specifically, does the same number of overall stat points result in an equal increase in power?

Arnath

[Artega]

How exactly does this whole 50% strength, 50% agility thing for rogues work out? If a rogue and a warrior both wear the same +30 str item, will their power go up by the same amount? How about if the rogue has a +15 str +15 agil item? Specifically, does the same number of overall stat points result in an equal increase in power?

Arnath
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That's the reason that's a question. The manual and website say that a portion is Strength, and a portion is Agility, but give no specifics. If it's fifty percent, wouldn't it require a +30 STR and +30 AGI item to get the same effect as a +30 STR item (since you'd only get 15 from the STR, and only 7.5 from a +15)?

[NuurAbSaal]

Berserking (Active Skill) - Activate when "wounded" (under Rend effect?)

I believe "wounded" (in this context) means at 20% health or less.

Greetings

Nuur

[Chaerophon]

Dwarves mount Rams, so be sure to point and laugh at them.

:D

Nice work! Haven't played the game yet, so I don't have much productive to say, but that looks like a good start. :)

[crayhorse]

Does mana regenerate at a fixed rate (e.g. 10 points per second) or as a percentage of your total mana (e.g. 5% per second), as it did in Diablo II? If the later, then increasing your total mana would also increase your mana regeneration rate. (In Diablo II, the best way to increase your mana regeneration rate was to increase your total mana.)

[stabby]

Regarding humans: they also get Mace specialization, which does the same exact thing as sword specialization does.

Also, I have to debate the relative uselessness of the various non-throwing weapon specializations. 5 points of weaponskill is effectively an additional level, when it comes to trying to hit things. For me (human warrior) it seems to make enough of a difference for me when fighting things higher than my level, and serves to somewhat mitigate the missing problems that warriors have to live with. I hope to test this further in the future, when I happen across a decent program for parsing combat statistics.

Does mana regenerate at a fixed rate (e.g. 10 points per second) or as a percentage of your total mana (e.g. 5% per second), as it did in Diablo II?  If the later, then increasing your total mana would also increase your mana regeneration rate.  (In Diablo II, the best way to increase your mana regeneration rate was to increase your total mana.)
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Mana regeneration proceeds at a fixed rate based on your spirit.

[Arnath]

If it's fifty percent, wouldn't it require a +30 STR and +30 AGI item to get the same effect as a +30 STR item (since you'd only get 15 from the STR, and only 7.5 from a +15)?

This was what it sounds like it does, but that seems wrong because it leaves rogues/hunters at a distinct disadvantage for gaining power from stat points. Requiring double the amount of stats for the same gain in power doesn't make sense. Need to look into this at some point.

Arnath