Best race/class to experience most of the story?

[Wangming]

They key first step is whether you want to be made the villain or hero of your story. Because that decided whether you play Horde or Alliance.

Well if only the villain knows the full story, I'm fine with being the villain. God I miss Katrana Prestor. She was responsible for all the good storylines on Alliance side.

[Soon-TM]

Okay guys, here's the deal. It is a question I have been wondering about for a long time. Let us pretend you can only have one WoW character. Just one. You have all the classes and allied races unlocked. If you decided on story, and story alone, which race/class combo would you pick? Priest because Xal'atath becomes important post-Legion? Draenei, cause they are important in TBC, WoD and Legion? Night Elves to really feel the effect of Teldrassil? Rogue cause it explains what happened in Stormwind during the Legion invasion and to be the first to get introduced to Wrathion? Worgen Druid for the poetic justice of wielding the Scythe of Elune? Pandaren for the rich culture and the Shado-Pan involvement in three different Class Orders? What would you pick?

It really depends which part of the lore interests you the most imo. I personally prefer my BE paladin, due to their story from WC3 and many interesting bits from BC, which was my most played xpac ever. I loved their characterization as "evil pallies" back then, and how they forced the Light to serve them instead of "deserving" its powers like Ally pallies. Too bad that it didn't last long

[themaelstorm]

I really don't think paladin is the most fitting. We don't always do "paladin-y" stuff, and when you are so strongly flavored as paladin, other strongly flavored concepts feel off (for example doing very druid-y stuff.)

[Wangming]

It really depends which part of the lore interests you the most imo. I personally prefer my BE paladin, due to their story from WC3 and many interesting bits from BC, which was my most played xpac ever. I loved their characterization as "evil pallies" back then, and how they forced the Light to serve them instead of "deserving" its powers like Ally pallies. Too bad that it didn't last long

Yeah Blood Knight lore was pretty interesting while it lasted. I have several favorites in lore.

I love the origin of the Worgen and all the mistery with the Scythe of Elune.

I'm a disgusting weeb so I like Pandaren culture. Especially how well developed and rich it is.

In terms of classes while it is certainly not my favorite to play I really like the rogue stories and the dive into the shady underbelly and behind the scenes intrigue of Azeroth.


But looking at BfA it seems you are either a Horde Shadow Priest or you miss out on key events. Like where Knaifu comes from or who is behind Bwomsamdi or Sylvanas.

[Nathasil]

Everything important that ever happened in WoW was in some way related to the War of the Ancients. Night Elves really are the only important race for the "bigger" story of Warcraft. Of course, that means they have absolutely no place in the faction conflict (excluding the clusterfuck that is BFA, which damaged the lore beyond repair) - so if you are interested in the actual greater story of the universe, Night Elf is the way to go...class does not matter much, imho, but you will probably feel most at home as a druid, because those always get even more Night Elf background while the other classes suffer somewhat from that regard.

If you don't give a fuck about the universe and only care for red vs blue...Orc or Human are a safe bet.

[Varodoc]

Since the next expansion has a 50% chance of being Void-themed (it's either that or the Shadowlands), I can't stress enough the potential that a void elf character has in the story right now.

[Wangming]

Everything important that ever happened in WoW was in some way related to the War of the Ancients.

That's pretty accurate actually.

Since the next expansion has a 50% chance of being Void-themed (it's either that or the Shadowlands), I can't stress enough the potential that a void elf character has in the story right now.

Yeah it's gonna be Void or death.

[Nize]

Human Mage.

A) The most sensible class when it comes to being in many places at once.

B) Human mages, in general, also have ties to a lot of Azeroth, which appear in many expansions, such as Kirin Tor, Khadgar, Jaina, and the Blue dragonflight. Just those 4 alone cover every expansion.

Khadgar was found in BC. Kalec involved there too.
Wrath was somewhat spearheaded by the Kirin Tor. Malygos dealt with primarily by Kirin Tor agents.
Kalecgos and the dragonflights were a big part of Cataclysm
Kirin Tor Offensive/Jaina in MoP
Kirin Tor/Khadgar in WoD
Everything but Jaina in Legion
Jaina/Dragonflights in BfA

[Wangming]

B) Human mages, in general, also have ties to a lot of Azeroth, which appear in many expansions, such as Kirin Tor, Khadgar, Jaina, and the Blue dragonflight. Just those 4 alone cover every expansion.

That's a great point and now I feel slightly dumb. Add Azshara and Medivh and mages shaped history.

[Maxilian]

Well if is for the quantity of lore you can see with those races i will go with any Allied Race (as they have unique quest compared to other base races -well at least for the moment, until all the base races get their heritage armor, then it will only depend on who gets the most relevant heritage armor questline), class i would assume DKs (but first would have to pick another class for the first 55 lvls)

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Human Mage.

A) The most sensible class when it comes to being in many places at once.

B) Human mages, in general, also have ties to a lot of Azeroth, which appear in many expansions, such as Kirin Tor, Khadgar, Jaina, and the Blue dragonflight. Just those 4 alone cover every expansion.

Khadgar was found in BC. Kalec involved there too.
Wrath was somewhat spearheaded by the Kirin Tor. Malygos dealt with primarily by Kirin Tor agents.
Kalecgos and the dragonflights were a big part of Cataclysm
Kirin Tor Offensive/Jaina in MoP
Kirin Tor/Khadgar in WoD
Everything but Jaina in Legion
Jaina/Dragonflights in BfA

In the Horde side, you could go with BE Mage, as you have a lot of content that is relevant for them, in Vanilla, any Scourge infected areas, in BC, anything to do with Illidan (mainly Kaelthas side) and then the whole Sunwell Plateaou area and questline, in Wrath the whole campaign against the Lich King is quite relevant for the race, and we also have the separation of Dalaran between the Sunreavers and the Silver Conclave, in MoP Sunreavers vs Kirin Tor Offensive and the Purge of Dalaran, WoD Khadgar, in Legion the class campaign and the whole Nightborne storyline, in BFA most of Sylvanas campaign and Azshara's patch.

[Dellis0991]

A human paladin or a orc warrior simply because you are there at most conflicts and you see everything unfold. You are damn near there for everything and called up for everything.

[Kyphael]

Human paladins and warriors seemed involved in almost everything but rogue affairs, so one of those I guess.

[cparle87]

Most expansions treat you like an outsider regardless of race. So it can get a little weird if you're playing a draenei in WoD where the draenei act like you're not a draenei in a few parts.

Yeah, but you're not one of them. It would be like if the Genedar split in half and Velen and half the draenei settled on Draenor, while you're one of the draenei who eventually settled somewhere else. Biologically you're the same race, but you're treated as an outsider, a stranger, with different beliefs and motivations that just happen to coincide.

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I really don't think paladin is the most fitting. We don't always do "paladin-y" stuff, and when you are so strongly flavored as paladin, other strongly flavored concepts feel off (for example doing very druid-y stuff.)

Not really. Part of people lawful good is being respectful of your allies beliefs, so long as your allies are good too. Nothing says respect more than a Light-wielding paladin respectfully taking part in a druidic or shamanistic ritual to help heal the world and form bonds.

[Powerogue]

Alts, fam. Especially for class halls, which are huge if you want those sweet class questlines.

When in doubt, watch Nobbel87 videos.

[Mehrunes]

Obviously a human Priest. That way you create a personal connection with Azeroth's spiritual liege and gain sight beyond sights unavailable to inferior Class/Race combinations.

[Garymorilix]

So here's the thing. By your description of "living the story" we need to imagine WoW as a big movie where now we have to choose a main character. They can be alliance or horde, it doesn't matter.

So firstly, our main character needs to be both a competent physical fighter AND be able to control some form of magic so it makes sense that we deal with regular and world ending threats at the same time.

Also, our main character has to be a fairly average fellow, not from some rare and hyper powerful group or organization.

Our main character also has to be from a race that is generally "fitting" when it comes to the situations and locations that he/she visits during the story. He/she also needs to be able to represent his/her faction by us simply looking at him/her so we as the audience can connect with the cause and background.

So when I look at these criterias I can come up with the following (in a ranking of most appropiate:
ALLIANCE:
1) Human Paladin - The most generic fantasy hero character that can fit any narrative and use both physical and magical powers.
2) Dwarf Paladin - A less generic version of a human paladin.

These are the only truly fitting combinations when it comes to an authentic story. Other classes don't have the fighter + magic user capabilities in them, and we need an original Alliance race that comes from the EK to represent the core alliance vibes. So no Nelves, Draenei or allied races. A gilnean COULD work, but I think the beast look doesn't really represent "good alliance guy" on first glance.

HORDE:
1) Orc 'enhancement' shaman - Basically the old Thrall with armor + Doomhammer type of character (without being OP af). It fits the basic horde ideals, yet provides a less blood-thirsty version of an orc, someone who is truly 'good' and wants the best for the world. Basically a tribal version of a paladin.
2) Troll shadow hunter - Now this is cheating a bit, cuz no such class exists (could use shaman here too), but this would be the only other acceptable horde hero.

The problem with most horde races is that they are very isolated. Tauren keep to themselves, the forsaken are too morally grey to be heroes, goblins are too money centered and blood elves don't give out core horde vibes. Allied races are off limits.

My two cents.

[Stelio Kontos]

Female Gnome warrior.

With pink pigtails.

That is the only correct option.

[Frontenac]

Since the next expansion has a 50% chance of being Void-themed (it's either that or the Shadowlands), I can't stress enough the potential that a void elf character has in the story right now.

Who says Void says Light. Lightforged Draenei or any Light-based culture (Draenei, Humans) or class (paladin, some priests) would be in a good place.

That being said, I don't believe it matters much. I mean you could take a race/class combo and it will fit... until it doesn't. Because the leveling experience is pretty much incoherent storywise (all these "time travels" skipping backward and forward). Therefore, take the class with the least lore and flavour (warrior, rogue, hunter, maybe priest and mage), make it a human or an orc and it will always fit. But I don't believe there is much profit there.

[Wangming]

you could take a race/class combo and it will fit... until it doesn't. Because the leveling experience is pretty much incoherent storywise

Yeah, that is the question, isn't it? What is the race and perhaps class which fits the incoherent mess the most? With which you feel like an outsider the least ammount of time. You are out of luck with Outland and Draenor cause unless you are an orc or draenei, that is two expansions minus. Worgen and Goblins by default lose TBC and WotLK unless they roll a Death Knight. Night Elf demon hunters are the best for Legion, but lose everything before that.

[Stelio Kontos]

Human paladin, orc warrior, night elf druid.

Anything forsaken if you want to experience it as a bad guy/Dr Mengele-wannabe