Horde and Alliance Racial Abilities and Traits

Please note, the following list of racial abilities and traits are updated based upon new WotLK Racial Changes. Priest players may also want to check out the recent priest racial changes.

Horde Racial Abilities

Orc Racials:

• Blood Fury: Activate to increase attack power and spell damage/healing by an amount based on level/class for 15 seconds, decreasing healing done to the user by 50% for the duration. 2 minute cooldown.
• Hardiness: Reduces duration of stun effects by 15%.
• Command: Damage done by Death Knight, Hunter and Warlock pets increased by 5%.
• Axe Specialization: Expertise with One- and Two-handed Axes increased by 5.

Tauren Racials

• War Stomp: Activate to stun opponents - Stuns up to 5 enemies within 8 yards for 2 seconds. 2 minute cooldown.
• Endurance: Hitpoints increased by 5%. (now scales based on base health, to be tuned to approximately a 5% heath increase if the player were wearing green quality gear)
• Cultivation: 15 point skill bonus to Herbalism (note, this also raises the cap by 15 at each level of herbalism).
• Nature Resistance: Reduces the chance to be hit by Nature spells by 2%

Troll Racials

• Berserking: Activate to increase attack and casting speed for 10 seconds. Speed is raised by 10% at full health, increasing as health is lost to a maximum bonus of 30%. 3 minute cooldown. No longer requires energy, mana, runes, rage, etc.
• Regeneration: Increase health regeneration bonus by 10%. Also allows 10% of normal health regen during combat.
• Beast Slaying: 5% damage bonus when fighting against Beasts.
• Throwing Specialization: Increases chance to critically hit with Throwing Weapon by 1%.
• Bow Specialization: Increase Bow critical strike chance by 1%.
• The Voodoo Shuffle: Reduces the duration of all movement impairing effects by 15%. Trolls be flippin’ out mon! (passive)

Undead Racials

• Will of the Forsaken: Removes any fear, sleep, or charm effect (no longer has a lasting immunity).
• Cannibalize: When activated, regenerates 7% of total health every 2 seconds for 10 seconds. Only works on Humanoid or Undead corpses within 5 yards. Any movement, action, or damage taken while Cannibalizing will cancel the effect.
• Underwater Breathing: Underwater breath increased by 300%.
• Shadow Resistance: Reduces the chance to be hit by Shadow spells by 1% (yes, this is lower than the other resistance racials)

Blood Elf

• Mana Tap: Activate to reduce target’s mana by (50 + Level) and charge you with arcane energy for 10 min. This effect stacks up to 3 times. 30 yd range - Instant - 30 sec cooldown.
• Arcane Torrent: Activate to silence all enemies within 8 yards for 2 seconds. In addition, you gain 10 Energy, 10 Runic Power or (5 + Level) Mana for each charge of Mana Tap currently affecting you. 2 min. cooldown.
• Arcane Affinity: 10 point skill bonus to Enchanting (note, this also raises the cap by 10 at each level of enchanting).
• Magic Resistance: Reduces the chance to be hit by spells by 2%

Alliance Racial Abilities

Dwarf Racials

• Stoneform: Activate to gain immunity to poison, disease, and bleed (will also remove these types of debuffs); +10% Armor; Lasts 8 seconds. 3 minute cooldown.
• Gun Specialization: increases chance to critically hit with Guns by 1% as of Patch 2.3 (was increase Gun Skill by 5).
• Frost Resistance: Reduces the chance to be hit by Frost spells by 2%
• Find Treasure: Activate to see treasure chests on mini map - lasts until canceled - no cooldown.
• Mace Specialization: Expertise with Maces and Two-Handed Maces increased by 5.

Gnome Racials

• Escape Artist: Escape the effects of any immobilization or movement speed reduction effect. Instant cast. 1 min, 45 sec cooldown, cannot be resisted.
• Expansive Mind: Increase Intellect by 5%.
• Arcane Resistance: Reduces the chance to be hit by Arcane spells by 2%
• Engineering Specialist: 15 point skill bonus to Engineering (note, this also raises the cap by 15 at each level of Engineering).

Human Racials

• Perception: Changed to a passive, now grants one character level of passive stealth detection
• The Human Spirit: Increase spirit by 5%.
• Diplomacy: 10% bonus to faction point gain.
• Sword Specialization: Increases expertise with swords, and two-handed swords by 5.
• Mace Specialization: Increases expertise with maces, two-handed maces by 5.
• Human Supremacy: The dominance of Humanity is evidenced by having one more racial bonus than normal. Actually, make that two counting this one. (just a tooltip, no actual functionality)
• Every man for Himself: Removes all movement impairing efefcts and all effects which cause loss of control of your character. This effect shares a cooldown with other similar effects.

Night Elf Racials

• Shadowmeld: Activate to slip into the shadows, reducing the chance for enemies to detect your presence. Lasts until cancelled or upon moving. Any threat is restored versus enemies still in combat upon cancellation of this effect.
  Passively boosts stealth mode of rogues and druids.
• Quickness: Reduces the chance to be hit by melee or ranged attacks by 2%
• Wisp Spirit: Become a wisp when dead with 50% movement speed increase.
• Nature Resistance: Reduces the chance to be hit by Nature spells by 3%

Draenei Racials

• Gift of the Naaru : Activate to heal your target for 35 + 15 per Level over 15 sec - 40 yd range - 1.5 sec cast - 3 min cooldown. (now scales based on the higher of either the caster’s Attack Power or Spell Power)
• Heroic Presence : Increases chance to hit by 1% for you and all party members within 30 yards. (Warriors, Paladins, and Hunters)
• Inspiring Presence : Increases chance to hit with spells by 1% for you and all party members within 30 yards. (Priests, Mages, and Shaman)
• Gemcutting : 5 point skill bonus to Jewelcrafting (note, this also raises the cap by 5 at each level of jewelcrafting).
• Shadow Resistance : Reduces the chance to be hit by Shadow spells by 2%

Updated Mounts and Mount Achievement for WOTLK

Now THAT is what I call a money-sink. A few new mounts in WOTLK have been revealed, one of them being the Reins of the Grand Caravan Mammoth. This is a 3-person mount that also carries vendors. That’s right – you no longer would have to go back to a vendor to sell things, since you have your own personal vendor on your mount. Now, the extent of what these vendors sell is unknown, but personally I’m hoping you can pick and choose which type of vendor you want. How nice would it be to have a reagent vendor at your beckon call? Or even your own personal repairer?  Although at 15,000g it seems like nigh impossible for anyone to get, that’s what everyone said about epic fliers.
In other news, a new achievement has been released for WOTLK. The reward of the Albino Drake is obtained by amassing a ridiculous 75 unique mounts. Yes, you heard right. I said 75. Personally, this seems absolutely ridiculous, although I know I’ll be personally shooting for it (eventually….). All I know is that this mount better be the coolest thing in the world, because it will be one of the rarest in the world.

Another interesting development has been brought up by users of the WOTLK Beta Forums. According to Solerius, it is impossible for Tauren to reach the 75 mount mark. Although, to be fair, I have heard from various sources that they plan to implement some sort of way for tauren to obtain this mount, although at this time these plans are unknown.

All in all, this just adds to the hype of WOTLK. With these kinds of money sinks and achievements, gamers all over the world will just have more and more things to obsess over and spend time trying to obtain. I’m especially excited for the Caravan Mammoth, it’s awesome that you will be able to transport low-leveled players around. Who knows, I may start charging for taxi rides all over Azeroth!

Commentary courtesy of Menagus of the Zug Gaming forums. Image from worldofraids.com.