Most iconic lore-wise race/class combinations?

[Rune B]

Title pretty much spells it out. What do you think are the most iconic classes for each of the races? Which ones come to mind? Demon Hunters are the ultimately example here, I suppose.

Humans - Paladins?
Forsaken - Warlocks?
Orcs - Shamans?

And so forth.

[Rune B]

Night Elves - Priests? Druids?

[Tamurello]

Classic:

Orc Warrior
Forsaken Rogue
Human Paladin
Night Elf Druid

[spalernTJ]

Male - Night Elf - Druid
Female - Night Elf - Warrior
Female - Night Elf - Priest
Male - Human - Mage
Male - Tauren - Warrior
Draenei / LF Draenei - Paladin

[Thage]

Human: Paladin, Warrior, Mage, Rogue, Priest
Dwarf: Paladin, Hunter, Warrior
Gnome: Rogue, Mage, Hunter (I know the last was only recently added to the playable options in Legion, however, many gnomish troops are shown using rifles, including the numerous S.A.F.E. agents spread throughout New Tinkertown)
Night Elf: Druid, Priest, Hunter, Demon Hunter
High Elf/Void Elf: Mage, Priest, Hunter
Worgen: Warrior, Priest, Hunter
Draenei: Paladin, Priest, Shaman
Lightforged Draenei: Paladin, Priest
Dark Iron Dwarf: Warrior, Paladin, Shaman, Rogue
Kul'Tiran: Warrior, Mage, Druid, Rogue
Mechagnome: Hunter, Warrior, Rogue

Orc: Warrior, Shaman, Warlock
Troll: Hunter, Shaman, Priest
Tauren: Warrior, Hunter, Shaman, Druid
Highmountain Tauren: Warrior, Hunter, Shaman
Zandalari Troll: Warrior, Paladin, Hunter, Priest
Undead: Warrior, Rogue, Mage, Warlock
Blood Elf: Paladin, Hunter, Priest, Demon Hunter
Mag'har Orc: Warrior, Hunter, Shaman
Nightborne: Mage, Hunter, Warlock
Vulpera: Rogue, Hunter, Shaman

Pandaren: Monk, Rogue, Shaman, Priest

[Varodoc]

For void elves it would be Shadow Priest and Arcane Mage.

[cocomen2]

Its time for some "iconic" panda DK to become next leader of the Horde. or even new Lich King.

[Soon-TM]

Title pretty much spells it out. What do you think are the most iconic classes for each of the races? Which ones come to mind? Demon Hunters are the ultimately example here, I suppose.

Humans - Paladins?
Forsaken - Warlocks?
Orcs - Shamans?

And so forth.

• Orc/Dwarf warrior.
• Human/BE paladin or DK.
• NE druid.
• Tauren shaman.
• NE/Tauren hunter.
• Goblin/Human rogue. KTs are also cool af in Outlaw spec
• Draenei/BE holy priest.
• VE/Forsaken shadow priest.
• Orc/Human warlock.
• Panda monk.
• BE/Draenei mage.

[Kallor]

Going by WC3, it's actually kind of sad that so many iconic race-class combo's aren't playable in the game. For example, the most iconic dwarven class is definitely Mountain King. One of the most iconic Night elf class is Priestess of the Moon. One of the most iconic Orc class is Blademaster.

[Saltysquidoon]

Going by WC3, it's actually kind of sad that so many iconic race-class combo's aren't playable in the game. For example, the most iconic dwarven class is definitely Mountain King. One of the most iconic Night elf class is Priestess of the Moon. One of the most iconic Orc class is Blademaster.

Mountian king and blade master are warriors, blade masters are specifically all arms warriors in-game. You could also make the argument Mountain King's are fury warriors who can use thunder clap.

[Selastan]

Orc Warrior
Troll Priest
Undead Priest
Tauren Shaman

Human Paladin
Dwarf Hunter
Night Elf Druid
Gnome Rogue

Blood Elf Mage
Draenai Paladin

Goblin Rogue
Worgen Warrior

Pandaren Monk

Highmountain Hunter
Nightborne Mage

Void Elf Priest
Lightforged Paladin

Zandalari Druid
Vulpera Warrior
Mag'har Hunter

Kul'Tiran Rogue
Dark Iron Warlock
Mechagnome Warrior

[enigma77]

Orc Warlock

[Magnagarde]

Draenei paladin and priest

Night elf hunter, druid and demon hunter

Blood elf hunter and mage

Human death knight and paladin

Orc warrior, warlock and shaman

[Melusine]

I'm of the opinion that there should be a few classes that have 4 specs in them. The catch, certain races cannot be all 4 of them. Example: Void elves and undead being holy priests. That's a terrible idea. It's as bad as draenei or lightforged draenei being shadow priests, though, draenei have a caste of soulbinders, so, maybe just lightforged. Another example, which applies to gnomes, mechagnomes, vulpera and goblins, a 4th warrior spec, similar to fury, but works around single minded fury, because, due to their size limiting their physical strength, fury and arms are out of the question for all of them. I'd say the same could be reasonably applied to DK's, since we haven't been able to tank in any spec since Wrath of the Lich King, but essentially would just be a meshing between frost dual wielding and blood for the tanking aspect. I'd call it the Rime spec, but that's not important.

I understand why none of that was done. Thinking out the logistics of a game of the premise World of Warcraft has would create all sorts of issues where it might just be less a pain in the ass to just make things like they are, and not bother with realism, at least in the suspension of disbelief area.

[Razion]

Human - Warrior, DK, Paladin, Priest, Mage
Dwarf - Warrior, Hunter, Paladin, Priest
Gnome - Tinker, Warlock, Mage, Rogue
Night Elf - Druid, Priest, Hunter, Demon Hunter
Orc - Warrior, Shaman, Warlock, DK
Undead - Rogue, Priest, Mage, Warlock
Troll - Shaman, Hunter, Priest, Warrior
Tauren - Druid, Shaman, Warrior, Hunter
Draenei - Paladin, Shaman, Priest, Warlock
Blood Elf - Paladin, Mage, Warlock, Hunter
Worgen - Warrior, Rogue, Hunter, Druid
Goblin - Rogue, Tinker, Warrior, Shaman
Pandaren - Monk, Rogue, Warrior, Hunter
Void Elf - Priest, Mage, Hunter, Warlock
Light Forged - Paladin, Priest, Warrior, Hunter
Dark Iron - Mage, Warlock, Shaman, Warrior
Kul Tiran - Warrior, Shaman, Druid, Rogue
Mechagnome - Tinker, Rogue, Warrior, Hunter
Nightborne - Mage, Warlock, Rogue, Warrior
Highmountain - Shaman, Hunter, Druid, Warrior
Mag'har - Warrior, Shaman, Hunter, Priest
Zandalari - Priest, Shaman, Druid, Paladin
Vulpera - Rogue, Hunter, Warrior, Shaman

[Skytotem]

Title pretty much spells it out. What do you think are the most iconic classes for each of the races? Which ones come to mind?

Orc-Warrior
Troll-Priest(Shadow)
Forsaken-DeathKnight
Tauren-Shaman
Goblin-Hunter (Marksman)
Blood Elf-Warlock
Vulpera-Rogue
Highmountain-Druid
Nightborne-Mage
Zandalari-Paladin

Pandaren-Monk

Human-Warrior
Dwarf-Hunter (Marksman)
Gnome-Mage
NightElf-Druid
Worgen-DeathKnight
Kul'tiran-Shaman
Mechagnome-Rogue
Draenei-Priest(Holy)
Lightforged-Paladin
DarkIron-Warlock

[Dancaris]

Orc - warrior and less for the shaman(ench)
Tauren - shaman, druid, less for hunter
Troll - hunter, shaman
Forsaken - warlock, priest(shadow/disc), rogue
BE - Mage, Paladin, DH
Goblin - rogue, warlock
Highmountain - hunter, less for shaman
Mag'har - warrior, hunter
Nightborne - mage
Zandalari - druid - because natural affinity and loa
Vulpera - rogue - scavengers, stealthy

Human - paladin, less for mage
Dwarf - warrior, hunter
Gnome - rogue, mage
NE - hunter, druid
Draenei - priest
Kultirans - warrior
DID - shaman - lava spells, fire elemental, earth. Just most right class for them
Lightforged - paladin. They are basically only zealots, that cant touch void, so priest dont match
VE - again, all race of shadow priests at some degree
Mechagnome - rogue, warrior(lol).

[Kallor]

Mountian king and blade master are warriors, blade masters are specifically all arms warriors in-game. You could also make the argument Mountain King's are fury warriors who can use thunder clap.

They're similar, but not really the same. Mountain King and Blademaster are hero classes, like Death Knight and Demon Hunter. "Warrior" is a generic class, but Mountain King and Blademasters have a cultural history, and are specific to a race. Giving fury warriors thunder clap was as silly lorewise as giving Warlocks Death coil (which they later realised after adding Death Knight).

[Saltysquidoon]

They're similar, but not really the same. Mountain King and Blademaster are hero classes, like Death Knight and Demon Hunter. "Warrior" is a generic class, but Mountain King and Blademasters have a cultural history, and are specific to a race. Giving fury warriors thunder clap was as silly lorewise as giving Warlocks Death coil (which they later realised after adding Death Knight).

The hero class thing is essentially meaningless because paladins, for example, were basic units in WCII then a hero class in WCIII then a 'normal' class again in WoW.

I do agree it's more ambiguous with the Mountain King because their skills go split up but blade masters are unironically arms warriors. Every blade master in wow is an arms warrior.
I get you're trying to argue there is a racial and cultural component, which is true. But RP stuff doesn't reflect the mechanical reality of WoW, there is effectively no game design space for mountain king or blademaster when the warrior class exists.

[ravenmoon]

Human: Paladin, Warrior, Mage, Rogue, Priest Death Knight
Dwarf: Paladin, Hunter, Warrior, Shaman if Wildhammer
Gnome: Tinker, Rogue [Deleted Mage]
Night Elf: Druid, Priest, Hunter, Demon Hunter, Mage -if Highborne or Moonguard], Rogue as Warden
High Elf/Void Elf: Mage, Priest, Hunter
Worgen: rogue [deleted priest and warrior], Hunter
Draenei: Paladin, Priest Deleted Shaman
Lightforged Draenei: Paladin, Priest
Dark Iron Dwarf: Warrior, Deleted Paladin, Shaman Rogue
Kul'Tiran: Tidesage (shaman), Outlaw Rogue as a sailor [Deleted: Warrior, Mage, Druid]
Mechagnome: Tinker [Deleted: Hunter, Warrior, Rogue]

Orc: Warrior, Shaman, Warlock, Hunter
Troll: Hunter, Shaman, Loa Priest Warrior
Tauren: Warrior, Hunter, Shaman, [Deleted Druid]
Highmountain Tauren: Warrior, Hunter, Shaman
Goblin: Alchemist, Tinker, Rogue
Zandalari Troll: Warrior, Hunter, Priest [Query Paladin]
Undead: Rogue, Mage, Shadow Priest, Alchemist [Deleted Warrior, Warlock]
Blood Elf: Mage, Paladin, Hunter, Demon Hunter Deleted Priest
Mag'har Orc: Warrior, Hunter, Shaman, Shadow Priest from Shadowmoon clan
Nightborne: Mage - deleted the others
Vulpera: Rogue, Hunter [Deleted Shaman]

Pandaren: Monk, Deleted Rogue, Shaman, Priest]

• Human: Added Death knight, while it seems every Death knight is roughly the same regardless of race, Arthas and the majority of them being human makes the list for humans - yes it's a lot of classes they're iconic as, but WoW is human centric.
• Dwarf: Added shaman if wildhammer - since you can now play one via customisation in Shadowlands.
• Gnome: Added Tinker, b/c that's what they're most famous for, Rogue and mage ..meh, the intellect goes towards engineering, not the arcane, we just use them for mages because it boosts the mage class, they're not notorious in lore for mages
• Night Elf: Added the Highborne mage because they are the world's most famous mage caste and the Moonguard legendary battle mages, both are night elves and they're their own faction like Demon hunters. People often forget night elves are great mages because the night elf faction is so heavily druid and priest sentinel focused. But mage is up there, but as another group. Night elf are also notorious as stealthy spies, and the warden seems like a special kind of rogue, so it makes the list.
• Worgen: added rogue because it was highlighted in wolfheart and we see many worgen assassins, in fact they are more notorious as rogues than anything else. Not heard anything on worgen priests. Nothing out of the ordinary for warriors which while powerful, it is the rogue/hunter classes that make best use off this form.
• Draenei: Deleted shaman because while they can be shaman, they're not notoriously known for it.
• Dark Iron : deleted shaman, because really it's their fire mage flamecasters that you have lots of in BRD, and it's not exactly shaman you are fighting, it's more mage who also wield elementals, so while they are shaman, it's not really what they're famous for. I wasn't even aware they could be paladins, I know no famous Dark Iron paladins - although you fight one in BFD raid in 8.1, now Dark Iron rogues, demolitionists yes, the tunnel machines too.
• Kul'tiran - only Jaina is famous as a mage, not kul'tirans in general. also their warriors are pretty standard, Sailor is famous, the closest class to that is an Outlaw rogue which is a combat /piratey type but will also do for sailors. Tidesage is the other famous thing and they're been implemented as shaman. I removed druids because while the Drust are certainly unique, it's remote, their druids aren't famous or shown as powerful either.
• Mechagnome: Tinker is added, while not a playable class, it is a class nonetheless - they're pretty standard at everything else, engineering is their forte

.

• Orcs: Added hunter, the beastmaster spec is named after the Orc, even though it employs night elven nature magic and fits their animal love - however the way orcs and Nelves do beastmastery would be like polar opposites, even their methods of command, one is through brutal training other likely through a little of nature magic. But orcs are definitely famous hunters.
• Troll: Warrior dude, the first thing about trolls is a warrior race, brutal and viscious, they love to fight, and they extend that to the various habitats they 're most prolific in. We could endlessly debate if Trolls are more warrior than orcs.
• Tauren: Deleted druid - druidism is not that big amongst Tauren, it's big in our minds because they were the only druids hordes could play, but when you think about it, Tauren druidism shows up as minor part of their culture, Hammul explains to the player in Thunderbluff the challenges of the Tauren accepting druidism and him. And most Tauren who become druids are off in night elf forested areas, so I wouldn't class it as iconic.
• Highmountain: Although the Highmountain are so because of nature enhancement by Cenarius, we didn't see any druidic practice amongst them.
• Goblin: You forgot goblin, I added them, Alchemist while not a class of its own is employed heavily in goblins and is class status amongst them, so is the Tinker. Rogue makes most sense because you see lots of goblins either as pirates, cheats, scammers, fast handed peeps- that all fits the rogue. Other classes like shamanism are too low, so are priests, mages, warriors - the bruisers are basically like Mafia muscle than real warriors.
• Zandalari - not sure about paladin, i was going to remove it, but then I thought hmm, are most of their warriors instead loa warriors which in a sense means paladin? But the query is because you don't see them wielding light although it could be one of those "game mechanic things" when it's actually not a paladin but we'll not bother to change the paladin class abilities for this.. not sure.
• Undead: Had to add shadow priest, it's the most iconic thing alongside their alchemists. I would have removed rogue except they use rogues a lot for npc mobs and ofc Lillian Voss. Mage is carry over from human, while they can be warlocks, I don't see them notorious for it. Warrior is out too, because they seem to be more fodder that struggle to keep it together on the harder fight clashes, besides not one forsaken member is known famously as a warrior. And no emphasis in the group.
• Blood elf: Mage is an iconic core of the Blood elf, just because there isn't current focus much on them doesn't mean they're no longer blood elven. Priest is out too, most blood elf priests seem to operate in the Paladin department as the race became more martial after the 3rd war scourge invasion, weaponising the Light, we see very few blood elf priests in NPCs or heroes and none are known famously for it after the High elf era where it was prolific.
• Mag'har: Added priest from the Shadowmoon clan, because while Orcs don't have a priesthood, the Shadowmoon wield the void heavily.
• Nightborne: Deleted Hunter and Warlock - I get they can be good, but they'are so arcane focused, hunting only started after the shield came down, and most of the warlocks started after the Legion's return and Felborne were wiped out. Now Nightborne would make talented warlocks, but it would be low amongst them, the victors were all legion haters, that usually transfers over to hating warlocks.
• Vulpera: While they do have shaman, it's very rare if I recal, and they seem to employ totems from other races, so I won't put much stock in their capability. They however are excellent thieves and hunters. So rogue/ hunter is fitting.

Pandaren - not sure why rogue, shaman and priest are there.. but most of the pandaren stuff stems from the Monk, it's just that their monks can stealth and wield elements as well, but that's all done through the discipline that dominates them. Not sure where priest comes from.. I know about the Augustine celestials but not really heard of a famous priest order even if they do have some form of a priesthood. the temples are all Monk monastaries, their priesthood is Monk based.