If you are any kind of World of Warcraft fan, you know by know that two exciting events have just taken place. Just in case you are living under some prehistoric rock and don't know what those two exciting events are, let me fill you in. Yesterday, Blizzard confirmed that Alpha testing for Warlords of Draenor has begun. Huzzah! Equally as exciting, the (rather lengthy) patch notes for Patch 6.0 were released, giving us the first written look at the changes coming in the newest expansion.

Included in the patch notes was a rather interesting section detailing the changes coming to the various race's racial traits. Some changes were big, some small, and others changed not at all. What was the reasoning behind the changes and how do they stack up against the current racial traits? Read on to find out:

All Races Created Equal

You might be wondering why the big change to racial traits is happening in Warlords of Draenor? However, the question we really should be asking is why hasn't it been done before this? Blizzard has always made it a point to tell players that no race is better than another. That no race was better than another and players should choose whichever they desired, regardless of racial abilities.

Of course, this has not always been the case. A great example of this is given in the patch notes referencing the Trolls' Berserking ability. It was extremely powerful and thus, desirable to players. This ability was enough to make some players choose Troll over any other race, even if that wasn't the race they really wanted to play in game.

In Warlords of Draenor, Blizzard plans to fix all that. Finally players will be able to choose the race they want, without fear of missing out on an epic racial trait. This new expansion may be the first one where all races are created equal.

Before and After

Now that we know the why of the changes, the only thing left to do is look at what the changes actually are. Blizzard has provided us with a list of the updated racial traits in the Patch 6.0 patch notes, however, it is difficult to see how they stack up against the current version. Some traits have minor changes, while others are totally reformed. Others have been totally removed from the game, while some have remained the same.So, to make things a bit easier, I have put together both old and new racial traits side by side for simple comparison at a glance. The first list of traits is how they appear in game to us today, the second list is how your racial traits will appear in Warlords of Draenor, with all changes and removals included. So check the first list and then the second to see if a particular trait has changed or has been totally removed (if the trait you are looking for doesn't appear on the second list, it has been removed) from the game. Enjoy!

Blood Elf

Current Racial Traits:

  • Arcane Affinity – Enchanting skill increased by 10.
  • Arcane Torrent – Silence all enemies within 8 yards for 2 seconds and restores X of your resource.
  • Arcane Resistance – Reduces Arcane damage taken by 1%.

Warlords of Draenor Racial Traits:

  • Arcane Acuity - Increases Critical Strike Chance by 1%.
  • Arcane Affinity - Enchanting skill increased by 10.
  • Arcane Torrent - Restores 20 Runic Power for Death Knights, 1 Holy Power for Paladins, or 3% of mana for Mages, Priests, Warlocks.
  • Arcane Resistance - Reduces Arcane damage taken by 1%.

Draenei

Current Racial Traits:

  • Gift of the Naaru – Heals the target for 20% of their total health over 15 seconds. 3 minute cooldown.
  • Heroic Presence – Increases chance to hit with all spells and attacks by 1%.
  • Gemcutting – Increases Jewelcrafting skill by 10.
  • Shadow Resistance – Shadow damage taken reduced by 1%.

Warlords of Draenor Racial Traits:

  • Gift of the Naaru - Heals the target for 20% of their total health of 5 seconds. 3 minute cooldown.
  • Heroic Presence – Increase Strength, Agility, and Intellect, scaling with character level.
  • Gemcutting - Increases Jewelcrafting skill by 10.
  • Shadow Resistance - Shadow damage taken reduced by 1%.

Dwarf

Current Racial Traits:

  • Crack Shot – Expertise with ranged weapons increased by 1%.
  • Mace Specialization – Increases expertise with mace and two-handed maces by 1%.
  • Stoneform – Removes poison, disease, and bleed effects and reduces damage taken by 10% for 8 seconds.
  • Frost Resistance – Frost damage taken reduced by 1%.
  • Explorer – Additional fragments found when looking archaeological finds, surveying ability is faster.

Warlords of Draenor Racial Traits:

  • Frost Resistance - Frost damage taken reduced by 1%.
  • Might of the Mountain – Increases Critical Strike bonus damage and healing by 2%.
  • Stoneform – Removes magic and curse effects in addition to poison, disease, and bleed effects, along with reducing damage taken by 10% for 8 seconds.
  • Exploerer - Additional fragments found when looking for archaeological finds, surveying ability is faster.

Gnome

Current Racial Traits:

  • Expansive Mind – Increases mana pool by 5%.
  • Escape Artist – Remove the effects of any immobilization or movement speed reduction effect. 1.5 minute cooldown.
  • Shorblade Specialization – Expertise with Daggers and One-Handed Swords increased by 1%.
  • Engineering Specialist – Increased Engineering skill by 15 points.
  • Arcane Resistance – Reduces Arcane damage taken by 1%.

Warlords of Draenor Racial Traits:

  • Expansive Mind – Increases maximum mana, energy, rage, and Runic Power by 5%.
  • Escape Artist – Remove the effects of any immobilization or movement speed reduction effect. 1 minute cooldown.
  • Engineering Specialist - Increased Engineering skill by 15 points.
  • Nimble Fingers – Increases Haste by 1%.
  • Arcane Resistance - Reduces Arcane damage taken by 1%.

Goblin

Current Racial Traits:

  • Time is Money – 1% increase to attack and casting speed.
  • Rocket Jump – Activates your rocket belt to jump forward.
  • Rocket Barrage – Launches belt rockets at an enemy.
  • Best Deals Anywhere – Always receive the biggest discount, regardless of faction standing.
  • Pack Hobgoblin – Calls Gobbler, allowing you bank access for 1 minute.
  • Better Living Through Chemistry – Alchemy skill increased by 15.

Warlords of Draenor Racial Traits:

  • Time is Money – 1% increase to Haste.
  • Rocket Jump – Activates your rocket belt to jump forward.
  • Rocket Barrage – Launches belt rockets at an enemy.
  • Best Deals Anywhere – Always receive the biggest discount, regardless of faction standing.
  • Pack Hobgoblin – Calls Gobbler, allowing you bank access for 1 minute.
  • Better Living Through Chemistry – Alchemy skill increased by 15.

Human

Current Racial Traits:

  • Mace Specialization – Increases expertise with mace and two-handed maces by 1%.
  • Sword Specialization – Increases expertise with swords and two-handed swords by 1%.
  • The Human Spirit – Increases Spirit by 3%.
  • Every Man for Himself – Removes all movement impairing effects and all effects that cause the loss of control of the character.
  • Diplomacy – Reputation gain increased by 3%.

Warlords of Draenor Racial Traits:

  • The Human Spirit – Increases 2 secondary stats by an amount scaling with character level.
  • Every Man for Himself – Removes all movement impairing effects and all effects that cause the loss ofcontrol of the character.
  • Diplomacy – Reputation gain increased by 3%.

Night Elf

Current Racial Traits:

  • Quickness – Increased chance to dodge melee and ranged attacks by 2%.
  • Wisp Spirit – Transform into a wisp upon death, increasing speed by 75%.
  • Shadowmeld – Slip into the shadows, reducing the chance of enemies to detect your presence.
  • Elusiveness – Reduces the chance enemies have to detect you while using Shadowmeld.
  • Nature Resistance – Reduces Nature damage taken by 1%.

Warlords of Draenor Racial Traits:

  • Quickness – Increases movement speed by 2% and increases Dodge chance by 2%.
  • Wisp Spirit – Transform into a wisp upon death, increasing speed by 75%.
  • Shadowmeld – Slip into the shadows, reducing the chance of enemies to detect your presence.
  • Elusiveness – Reduces the chance enemies have to detect you while using Shadowmeld.
  • Nature Resistance – Reduces Nature damage taken by 1%.
  • Touch of Elune - Increases Haste by 1% at night, and Critical Strike chance by 1% during the day.
Orc

Current Racial Traits:

  • Axe Specialization – Expertise with Fist Weapons, One and two-handed Axes increased by 1%.
  • Command – Damage done by pets increased by 2%
  • Hardiness – Reduces duration of Stun effects by 15%.
  • Blood Fury – Activate to increase Attack Power and Spell Power based on your level and class for 15 seconds.

Warlords of Draenor Racial Traits:

  • Command – Increases pet damage by 1%.
  • Hardiness – Reduces the duration of Stun effects by 10%.
  • Blood Fury – Activate to increase Attack Power and Spell Power based on your level and class for 15 seconds.

Tauren

Current Racial Traits:

  • Endurance – Base health increased by 5%.
  • War Stomp – Stuns opponents.
  • Cultivation – Herbalism skill increased by 15 points, gathering herb speed increased.
  • Nature Resistance – Nature damage taken reduced by 1%.

Warlords of Draenor Racial Traits:

  • Endurance – Increases Stamina by an amount scaling with character level. .
  • War Stomp – Stuns opponents.
  • Cultivation – Herbalism skill increased by 15 points, gathering herb speed increased.
  • Nature Resistance – Nature damage taken reduced by 1%.
  • Brawn - Increase Critical Strike bonus damage and healing done by 2%.

Troll

Current Racial Traits:

  • Berserking – Increases Attack and Casting speed by 20% for 10 seconds. 3 minute cooldown.
  • Beast Slaying – Damage increased by 5% when fighting Beasts.
  • Dead Eye – Expertise with ranged weapons increased by 1%.
  • Regeneration – Increased health regeneration by 10%.
  • Da Voodoo Shuffle – Reduces the duration of all movement impairing effects by 15%.

Warlords of Draenor Racial Traits:

  • Berserking – Increases Hastes by 15%.. 3 minute cooldown.
  • Beast Slaying – Increases XP earned from killing Beasts by 20%.
  • Regeneration – Increased health regeneration by 10%.
  • Da Voodoo Shuffle – Reduces the duration of all movement impairing effects by 15%.

Undead

Current Racial Traits:

  • Will of the Forsaken – Remove any Charm, Fear, and Sleep effect. 2 minute cooldown.
  • Cannibalize – Regenerates a percentage of total health and mana every 2 seconds for 10 seconds.
  • Touch of the Grave – Attacks and damaging spells have a chance to drain the target, dealing Shadow damage and healing you for that amount.
  • Shadow Resistance – Reduces Shadow damage taken by 1%.
  • Underwater Breathing – Can breathe underwater for an infinite amount of time.

Warlords of Draenor Racial Traits:

  • Will of the Forsaken – Remove any Charm, Fear, and Sleep effect. 3 minute cooldown.
  • Cannibalize – Regenerates a percentage of total health and mana every 2 seconds for 10 seconds.
  • Touch of the Grave – Attacks and damaging spells have a chance to drain the target, dealing Shadowdamage and healing you for that amount.
  • Shadow Resistance – Reduces Shadow damage taken by 1%.

Wrap Up

Glancing over the changes coming to racial abilities in Warlords of Draenor, I think it is safe to say that most are not that bad. While there will surely be players upset over these changes, I am all for any and all modifications that put all races on the same level as the others. We should also keep in mind that this is just the first version of changes, until Warlords is actually released, anything can happen. So keep your head up and roll with the punches, with a new expansion on the horizon there will be plenty of them.

What do you think about the changes to racial abilities in Warlords of Draenor? Do these chances make the races equal or does more need to be done? Which abilities do you think still need a revamp? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below!


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Last Updated: Mar 18, 2016

About The Author

Amunet, also fondly known as Memtron, is an organic life form best known for its ongoing obsession with Blizzard Entertainment's numerous properties. To that end, Amu has authored hundreds (thousands?) of the most popular World of Warcraft guides, editorials, and Top 10 lists on the planet. When not gaming and writing, Amu is busy chasing after her three children in a perpetual loop of ongoing disaster.

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