Draenei

The Seat of the Naaru's soaring energies inspired inner peace from the most bloodthirsty of warrior pilgrims, awe from even the most jaded of Azeroth's inhabitants. The figure floating before the Seat had long taken comfort from this column of Light. Velen looked out from his meditation chamber, seeking insight... in all the connections, great and small, where he might perceive the lines of the future. For the past several months, those lines had increasingly felt fragmented.

As the Prophet of the draenei meditated—his legs crossed beneath him, his hands resting on his ancient knees—the crystals that reflected his energies glowed and pulsed and swirled around him, not in patterns but in chaos. And the visions, the endless possibilities of tomorrows, assaulted him.

—Marc Hutcheson, Velen: Prophet's Lesson

Chosen of the Naaru

The naaru are dimension-traveling beings of pure energy, connected to the Holy Light of Creation that divine magic draws from. During their struggle against the Burning Legion, the draenei were given a great blessing by the naaru.

In addition to aiding in their escape from Argus with the help of a dimensional ship, the naaru infused the draenei people with holy energy to aid in future battles against the demonic hordes. All draenei, even those that turn their backs on the Light, retain some amount of the naaru's protection.

With indomitable spirit, unshakable faith, and a mastery of arcane engineering beyond that of any younger race, the proud draenei have proven time and time again to be invaluable allies to those who fight for what is just and righteous.

Draenei Traits

Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2, and your Strength score increases by 1.

Size. Digitigrade legs make the draenei quite tall, averaging between 7 and 8 feet in height. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Gift of the Naaru. You can cast healing word as a 1st-level spell. Wisdom is your spellcasting modifier for this ability.

After using this ability, you can't use it again until you complete a long rest.

Gemcutting. You are proficient in the use of artisan's tools (jeweler's tools).

Over a short rest, you can cut gems that you have found during your adventures in order to increase their value. You may add 3 times your proficiency bonus with jeweler's tools to the value of 1 gem per hour of downtime. This activity does not count as strenuous, and you may expend hit dice to regain lost hit points as normal.

You can increase the value of any one gem only once.

Heroic Presence. You exude an aura of safety and confidence to your allies. Allies within 30 feet of you add your proficiency bonus to saving throws against fear that don't already include their proficiency bonus.

Prophet's Wisdom. You do not bend divine magic to your will with the strength of your convictions. Instead, your power comes from your connection to the naaru and your understanding of the Holy Light of Creation.

Paladin class features that use your Charisma modifier instead use your Wisdom modifier. Wisdom is your spellcasting modifier for spells on the Paladin spell list.

Shadow Resistance. You are resistant to necrotic damage.

Dwarf

The sky above Aerie Peak beckoned Kurdran Wildhammer like the distant glow of a campfire on a frigid winter night. After twenty long years trapped on the hellish world now known as Outland, he was home. Never once had he regretted joining the Alliance expedition to battle the orcish Horde on its homeworld, but over the harsh years there the longing to see this sky had burned in his heart.

His gryphon, Sky’ree, glided above him with three of her kin, as vibrant as she had ever been over the last two decades. He craved to be up there with her and feel the mountain air rushing against his face. Fate had ordained that he would walk the earth on two legs, but the sky was where he felt free. That was Sky’ree’s greatest gift to him. More than her ferocity during war or her friendship during peace, it was flight. For now, though, he would let her soar in the sky on her own.

Resilient Explorers

The bold and courageous dwarves are an ancient race descended from the earthen—beings of living stone created by the titans when the world was young. Due to a strange malady known as the Curse of Flesh, the dwarves’ earthen progenitors underwent a transformation that turned their rocky hides into soft skin. Ultimately, these creatures of flesh and blood dubbed themselves dwarves and carved out the mighty city of Ironforge in the snowy peaks of Khaz Modan.

Dwarf Traits

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2.

Size. Dwarves are stout creatures, averaging between 4 and 5 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet. Your speed is not reduced for wearing heavy armor.

Dwarven Combat Training. You are proficient with the battleaxe, handaxe, light hammer, and warhammer.

Frost Resistance. You are resistant to cold damage.

Stoneform. As a bonus action on your turn, you can transform your body into living stone. You gain a +2 bonus to AC until the end of your next turn.

After using this ability, you can't use it again until you complete a long rest.

Clan. In addition to the above, you are a member of a dwarven clan which grants you additional abilities.

Bronzebeard

The sons and daughters of Ironforge, the Bronzebeard clan is home to some of the fiercest warriors in Azeroth.

Hardy. Your Strength score increases by 2.

The Great Forge. You are proficient in the use of artisan's tools (smith's tools).

When crafting armor or weapons made of metal, your crafting rate becomes 5 + your proficiency bonus gold per day. Any progress made on the last day above the item's value is doubled and added to its final value.

Dark Iron

Making their home deep within Blackrock Mountain, the Dark Irons have only recently rejoined dwarf society.

Cunning. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.

Flamescarred. You are resistant to fire damage; this replaces your Frost Resistance trait.

Sorcerous Ancestry. You gain the use of one cantrip from the sorcerer or wizard spell lists. Intelligence is your spellcasting modifier for this spell.

Wildhammer

Denizens of Aerie Peak, the Wildhammer clan trained the first gryphons ever flown in battle.

Hinterlander. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Beneath the Aerie. You are proficient in the Animal Handling skill. Whenever you make a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check related to gryphons, you add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.

Gnome

High Tinker Gelbin Mekkatorque sighed, pushed his glasses back onto his forehead, and slid his forefinger and thumb down along the sides of his own prominent nose. These new glasses hurt, and adjusting them was first on a list of thousands of tasks he planned to tackle when this engagement was through. He hadn't slept the night before, and the flesh where his lenses had perched was feeling raw and tender. Retaking Gnomeregan was turning out to be much more than a simple military action.

Take this stench, for instance. One of the problems with a vast subterranean mechanical city—one of hundreds, actually—was ventilation. At full capacity, the network of fans, vents, and filters had required a team of fifteen technicians working shifts around the clock to keep Gnomeregan smelling fresh and clean.

Curious Tinkerers

The clever, spunky, and oftentimes eccentric gnomes present a unique paradox among the civilized races of Azeroth. Brilliant inventors with an irrepressibly cheerful disposition, this race has suffered treachery, displacement, and near-genocide. It is their remarkable optimism in the face of such calamity that symbolizes the truly unshakable spirit of the gnomes.

Gnome Traits

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.

Size. Gnomes are small creatures, averaging between 3 and 4 feet tall. Your size is Small.

Speed. Despite their stature, gnomes are extremely quick. Your base walking speed is 35 feet.

Arcane Resistance. You have advantage on saving throws against spells from the evocation school.

Escape Artist. You have advantage on skill checks and saving throws against the grappled and restrained conditions.

Expansive Mind. You are proficient in a skill of your choice: Arcana, History, Nature, or Religion. Whenever you make a check using that skill, you add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.

Tinkerer. You are proficient in the use of artisan's tools (tinker's tools).

If you spend one hour and 10 gold worth of supplies, and have access to tinker's tools, you can build a small mechanical device (AC 5, 1 hp) that recreates the effects of a light or minor illusion cantrip, or a detect magic spell. You decide on the effect when you activate the device.

The device has 4 charges and expend 1d4 charges at the end of its effect. Once all charges have been depleted, the device fails brilliantly (catastrophically) and must be rebuilt from scratch.

You may only have one such device at a time.

Human

Varian tried to hide his disappointment by looking out the keep's windows to the courtyard below. It was a sea of people, with flags and streamers waving in the air, children dressed as their favorite heroes of old, and food and mead flowing with laughter. Remembrance Day was part memorial, part celebration, yet Varian himself could never find mirth in this event.

As he watched, the throng slowly moved toward the Valley of Heroes, heading for the statues of the great champions of humanity that lined the entrance to Stormwind City. The stage for the Honor Ceremony had been set up in the shadow of these impressive leaders, and today they would be acknowledged with respect and thanks for their great deeds.

The king gazed through the jagged hole at his damaged city; his plate glove creaked as he squeezed the dragon's armor in silent rage. Below him, Stormwind's great harbor was a vast forest of ship masts. The port was full of hulls in every color, shape, and size. Remembrance Day always brought a host of pilgrims to honor and celebrate humanity's heroes, but this was like nothing even he had seen before.

Defenders of the Kingdom

Recent discoveries have shown that humans are descended from the barbaric vrykul, half-giant warriors who live in Northrend. Early humans were primarily a scattered and tribal people for several millennia, until the rising strength of the troll empire forced their strategic unification. Thus the nation of Arathor was formed, along with its capital, the city-state of Strom.

Human Traits

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2, and two other ability scores of your choice increase by 1.

Size. Humans average between 5 and 6 feet in height. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Cultured. Human cities are massive cultural melting pots, but a few races always stuck out as your favorite.

Choose a favored race, one with which your character has dealt extensively. You learn their racial language (even if that language is exotic), and you have advantage on Charisma skill checks made towards them.

You gain an additional favored race at 6th, 11th, and 16th level.

Varied Apprenticeship. In your youth, you spent many summers in service to masters from different lands, cultures, and walks of life, all of whom came to human settlements in search of fresh minds to teach. You are proficient in any combination of three skills or tools of your choice.

Variant Human

This human is meant to capture the spirit of the humans in World of Warcraft by focusing on their Diplomacy racial passive.

However, both the standard and variant human in the Player's Handbook are viable substitutes. Consider this human "variant the second" rather than a definitive Warcraft human.

Night Elf

She could have been asleep. The night elf's features were perfectly relaxed except for her mouth, which frowned slightly as though her dreams were not pleasant ones. There was bloody kelp in the dead woman's hair and she reeked of the sea and slow rot. Dead several days. She had probably been one of the first victims of the Cataclysm, swept away by the flood. No priestess of Elune could bring her back now.

"Tyrande!" The high priestess's head snapped up as the voice of one of her closest confidants, Merende, rang through the air. Searching the shores along Rut'theran Village, she saw Merende comforting a younger priestess who sobbed into her white robes. Walking over, Tyrande began to understand why. The tangled body of a young night elf girl lay before them.

Her sister, Merende mouthed silently, indicating the grief-stricken priestess. Tyrande nodded and motioned for them to move away. When the area was clear, she turned her gaze to the corpse. She knew right away that there was no hope—the limbs were twisted at sickening angles and the wounds had been drained bloodless—but the night elves did not abandon their dead. The body would be cleansed, the injuries hidden, and the broken joints set right, before being committed back to the earth.

Venerable Guardians

The ancient and reclusive night elves have played a pivotal role in shaping Azeroth’s fate. The night elves of today still remember the War of the Ancients over ten thousand years ago, when they halted the Burning Legion’s first invasion of Azeroth. When the Legion’s remnants rallied together with the vile satyrs centuries later, the night elves again opposed the threat, ultimately vanquishing the forces that set out to wreak havoc on their world.

Night Elf Traits

<p style="text-indent:12px";>Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases
by 2.

Size. Adult Night Elves average about 7 feet in height. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Kaldorei Combat Training. You are proficient with the shortsword, longsword, shortbow, and longbow.

Shadowmeld. You gain advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made when in dim light or darkness and not moving.

Enclave. In addition to the above, you gain additional features based on your training with a specific enclave.

Cenarion Teachings

You trained under druids of the Cenarion Circle, seeking better understanding and respect for nature.

Blessing of Cenarius. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Forest Scout. You are proficient in the Nature skill. Whenever you make an Intelligence (Nature) check related to forests, you add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.

Sentinel Training

You were trained in the art of battle by a Sentinel Huntress, an elite warrior of the Kaldorei.

Field Training. Your Constitution score increases by 1.

Elven Accuracy. Whenever you roll damage for a weapon listed under Kaldorei Combat Training, you treat any 1 on a damage die as a 2.

Nightsaber Handling. You are proficient in the Animal Handling skill. Whenever you make a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check related to nightsabers, you add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.

Highborne Apprenticeship

The Highborne have returned to night elf society, bringing with them their vast knowledge of the arcane.

Ancient Tomes. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.

Arcane Knowledge. You gain access to one cantrip from the wizard spell list, using Intelligence as your spellcasting modifier.

Worgen

“Never take a man’s hand, Son…” King Archibald Greymane said, his strong frame now a muddied silhouette against the fading glow of twilight. “’Tis always better to stand tall on your own. It is what separates the great from the meek.”

His son, Genn, all of seven years old, pulled his outstretched hand back. He was sitting cross-legged on the cool stones of the recently built fortifications. The ramparts were impressive testaments to the power of the nation, but to Genn, perhaps not nearly as impressive as the man standing in front of him.

“When I was a young prince, as you are today, my father would not have dreamed of this! But I did dream, and I struck out on my own, and look at us now…. All of it done without taking the hands of those in Stormwind or begging for aid from those in Lordaeron. And we certainly did not grovel to the long-eared arrogance of those demi-humans in Quel’Thalas.”

Genn had heard the stories of Gilneas in the time before Archibald had taken the crown. It certainly was a nation of nowhere near the power it would rise to.

“Now get up, boy. Get up, and don’t ask me to help you again. Because all of this will be yours, and when it is, you must be ready.”

Cursed Recluses

Behind the formidable Greymane Wall, a terrible curse transformed some of the stalwart citizens of the isolated kingdom of Gilneas into nightmarish lupine beasts known as worgen. Human scholars intensely debated the origins of the curse, until it was revealed that the original worgen were not—as previously believed—nightmares from another dimension, but cursed night elf druids.

Worgen Traits

<p style="text-indent:12px";>Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases
by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.

Size. Worgen average about 7 feet in height. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Bloodhound. Whenever you make a Wisdom (Survival) related to tracking, you are considered proficient in Survival and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.

Darkflight. Whenever you take the Dash action, you add 20 feet to the movement speed total.

Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Frenzy. Whenever you roll maximum damage on a weapon die, you may bite an opponent as a bonus action before the end of your turn.

Your bite is considered a melee weapon with finesse that deals 1d6 piercing damage, and with which you are proficient.

Your bite's damage increases to 1d8 at 6th level, 1d10 at 11th level, and 1d12 at 16th level.

Twin Forms. In addition to your bestial worgen form, you also possess a human form that you can take on at will.

As a bonus action on your turn, you may switch between your human and worgen forms. Your human form cannot benefit from the Darkflight or Frenzy traits.

While in your human form, combat or significant stress may cause you to shift against your will. Resisting this change requires you to make a Wisdom saving throw. The DC for this saving throw is equal to 10 or the amount of damage you took, whichever is higher.

If you succeed, you maintain your human form and do not have to make the save for the next minute; otherwise, you revert instantly to your worgen form.

Blood Elf

"Did Modera send you with a statement before you left, Aethas? Your words drip of her false diplomacy. At least she dares not set foot here herself. I suppose I should be grateful for small mercies."

"Modera agrees with me on these matters," Aethas answered stiffly, not rising to Rommath's bait.

"She agrees with you," Rommath mused, "or, rather, you agree with her, for I doubt they would send you here to speak on their behalf had you half a mind of your own."

"Damn it, Rommath." Aethas's patience snapped. "Do you have anything useful to say, besides personal insults?"

"You are blind," Rommath replied evenly, assuredly. "They bit off more than they can chew, and now they find themselves facing both Malygos and Arthas. They are afraid, as they should be. They need aid beyond their own capacity—and to whom have they always turned regarding matters of the arcane? Oh, yes, to us. The members of the Kirin Tor will swear up and down that you are indispensable to them, that your skills are invaluable. The moment you become inconvenient, you will be discarded." He cocked his head to the side, one long ear twitching almost imperceptibly as his eyes slid first to Halduron, then to Lor'themar. "Ask them. They know. But not as well as I."

Vengeful Outsiders

For nearly 7,000 years, high elven society centered on the sacred Sunwell, a magical fount that was created using a vial of pure arcane energy from the first Well of Eternity. Nourished and strengthened by the Sunwell’s potent energies, the high elves’ enchanted kingdom of Quel’Thalas prospered within the verdant forests north of Lordaeron.

Blood Elf Traits

<p style="text-indent:12px";>Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases
by 1.

Size. Blood elves are between 5 and 6 feet in height. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Arcane Acuity. Whenever you roll damage for a spell of the evocation school, you treat any 1 on a damage die as a 2.

Arcane Resistance. You have advantage on saving throws against spells from the evocation school.

Mana Shaping. When crafting magic items, your crafting rate becomes 25 + your proficiency bonus gold per day. Any progress made on the last day above the item's value is doubled and added to its final value.

Enclave. In addition to the above, you gain additional features based on your training with a specific enclave.

The Blood Knights

The Blood Knights are sin'dorei paladins who draw their divine power from the restored Sunwell.

Unyielding. Your Strength score increases by 2.

Expert Riding. You are proficient in the Animal Handling skill. Whenever you make a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check related to hawkstriders, you add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.

The Farstriders

Fierce rangers, the Farstriders are committed to keeping the forests Quel'thalas safe from invasion by outside forces.

Windrunner's Legacy. Your Dexterity score increases by 2.

Enchanted Forests. You are proficient in the Nature skill. While in a forest, you can sense magic as if under the effects of a detect magic spell at all times.

The Magistrate

Magisters are the elite spellcasters of the sin'dorei, and are among the strongest casters in Azeroth.

Lessons of the Past. Your Intelligence score increases
by 1, and your Constitution score increases by 1.

Arcane Affinity. You gain the use of one cantrip from the wizard spell list. If a class grants you the Spellcasting or Pact Magic feature, you gain 1 additional 1st-level spell slot.

Forsaken

As if in a dream, the heart of Lordaeron's undead army crashed forward. Shouted commands were strangely muted. The heavy cavalry poured through the breach, skeletal hooves somehow finding purchase on the wrecked remains of the wall. The Forsaken struggled to squeeze through, the gap sometimes as narrow as four abreast.

Then the defenders' artillery fired with a dull, echoing crack. Man and horse burst into dust and gore where the shells landed. Musketfire erupted like the tapping of distant drums: row after row went down. But these veterans had lived through the horrors of Icecrown. They poured through, unrelenting, in order to give fight to the defenders beyond. The second wave arrived, hurling grapples to the walltop as oil poured down. All at once, the front burst into flame. Still the gunfire peppered them; still the Forsaken charged.

Some reached the walltop, only to be cut down. The defenders weren't human. Those rabid, lupine animals that had been lurking around Silverpine had actually been organized into a fighting force. Where guns and swords failed, tooth and claw tore into the undead army.

The Forsaken surged again, weapons spattered with blood and awash in rainwater. The figures who fought were gray in the mist, their cries somehow silent echoes as they were hacked apart. By now, even the defenders were reeling. They had killed so many: could anything be left?

Cadaverous Endurers

Death offered no escape for the scores of humans killed during the Lich King’s campaign to scour the living from Lordaeron. Instead, the kingdom’s fallen were risen into undeath as Scourge minions and forced to wage an unholy war against everything… and everyone… that they once held dear.

Forsaken Traits

<p style="text-indent:12px";>Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases
by 2, and another ability score of your choice increases by 1.

Size. Forsaken stand between 5 and 6 feet in height. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Aberration. You are vulnerable to radiant damage, and resistant to necrotic damage.

Cannibalism. You can spend one minute cannibalizing the corpse of a humanoid or beast that died within the last hour in order to regain hit points. Roll your hit die, and add your Constitution modifier to the roll. You regain hit points equal to the total.

After using this ability, you can't use it again until you complete a long rest.

Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Death's Repose. You have advantage on Charisma (Performance) checks made to appear dead.

Restless Undead. Forsaken do not require sleep. Instead of sleeping, they may enter a trance-like state for four hours, during which necromantic energies set to work repairing their bodies. This grants the same benefits as a long rest.

Unending Breath. You do not need to breathe.

Will of the Forsaken. You have advantage on saving throws against charm and fear effects, and magic can't put you to sleep.

Goblin

Hey, pal. Trade Prince Gallywix here. You’re holding this book in your hands because you wanna be like me. Who wouldn’t? There ain’t a goblin alive more powerful and dangerous than me. I can give you everything you need to succeed.

But first, a friendly legally binding warning just for you.

If you’re reading this and haven’t bought the book yet, that’s stealing. You think that browsing is a victimless crime? You think it’s your right as a customer? You’d be dead wrong, deadbeat! It’s freeloaders like you who drove down my profit margin last year and kept me from adding an edible furniture wing onto my mansion. Now, instead of the chocolate couches with funnel cake pillows I deserve, I have furniture made of silk. Have you ever tried to eat silk? You even know where that stuff comes from? A worm’s cakehole, that’s where! You need to fix this. Buy my book, or my exploding assassins will hunt you down like the thieving bilge rat you are.

Don’t bother looking around. You won’t see them. Stop wasting my time and risking your life. Twenty thousand gold is a cheap price to pay for my life story. And if you read past this sentence without buying the book, I’ll devote every inch of my empire to destroying you. Do you understand me?

Good. Now, pay the damn salesman.

Covetous Schemers

Originally the slaves of jungle trolls on the Isle of Kezan, goblins were forced to mine kaja’mite ore out of the volcanic bowels of Mount Kajaro. The trolls used this potent mineral for their voodoo rituals, but it had an unexpected effect on the slaves who were in constant contact with it: kaja’mite generated new cunning and intelligence in the goblin race.

Goblin Traits

<p style="text-indent:12px";>Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases
by 2, and your Intelligence score increases by 1.

Size. Goblins are similar in size to gnomes, between 3 and 4 feet in height. Your size is Small.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

Best Deals Anywhere. When purchasing an item that costs 25 gold or more, you can subtract your Charisma (Persuasion) skill bonus from the price.

Kaja'cola Scholar. You add half your proficiency bonus, rounded down, to Arcana, History, Nature, and Religion checks you make that don't already include your proficiency bonus.

Rocket Belt. You have a goblin-engineered rocket belt that can be activated on your turn to produce one of two effects. After using this ability, you can't use it again until you com-plete a short or long rest while your belt recharges.

Rocket Barrage. As an action, you launch a cluster of rockets

from your belt at a target location within 30 feet. Creatures

within a 5 foot radius must make a Dexterity saving throw.

The DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your

Intelligence modifier. A target takes 1d6 fire damage on a

failed save, or half as much on a successful one. The

damage of this ability increases to 2d6 at 6th level, 3d6 at

11th level, and 4d6 at 16th level.

Rocket Jump. As a bonus action, a directed explosion sends

you flying to a space within 15 feet. This movement does

not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Variant Trait

Better Living Through Alchemy. You gain proficiency in artisan's tools (alchemist's supplies).

If you spend 1 hour and 10 gold in magic ingredients, and have acess to alchemist's supplies, you can brew a single-use potion that mimics the effects of an acid splash, fire bolt, poison spray, or ray of frost cantrip. As an action on your turn, you can agitate the potion, casting the cantrip at a creature you can see within 30 feet. Intellect is your spellcasting modifier for this ability.

This replaces the Rocket Belt trait.

Orc

Orgrimmar. The first time he had seen it, the sight nearly stopped him dead in his tracks. They had not long since left Razorwind Canyon behind, emerging from between its tall sandstone walls into Durotar’s unforgiving sun. Before them the red plain stretched endlessly and the horizon vanished into shimmers of heat that distorted the distance. This was a far cry from the rolling green hills of Nagrand.

“There! Can you see it?” Thrall halted his mount and pointed toward the northern horizon. Garrosh pulled up next to him and squinted. Behind them their entourage slowed and milled about.

In the distance he saw a tall gate, a wall of sharpened wood pylons, towers roofed in red…. No, his eyes played tricks. He started in surprise. Orgrimmar could not possibly be that large. He glanced over to see Thrall watching him intently, the barest of smiles on his face. Clearly he waited eagerly for Garrosh’s reaction. Garrosh felt his cheeks burn. Garadar might not be particularly imposing, but he was the chieftain. He was his father’s son.

“Impressive,” he grunted. “If it’s as big as it looks.”

Thrall laughed. “Just wait,” he said, grinning.

Fierce Conquerors

Unlike the other races of the Horde, orcs are not native to Azeroth. Initially, they lived as shamanic clans on the lush world of Draenor. They abandoned their peaceful culture when Kil’jaeden, a demon lord of the Burning Legion, corrupted the orcs and used them in his vengeful plot against the draenei, who were exiles from Kil’jaeden’s homeworld.

Orc Traits

<p style="text-indent:12px";>Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases
by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.

Size. Orcs stand slightly taller than humans, between 5 and over 6 feet in height. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Blood Fury. As a bonus action on your turn, you can enter a Blood Fury for 3 rounds. During this time, your attacks and spells deal 2 additional points of damage.

After using this ability, you can't use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

Hardiness. You have advantage on saving throws against the incapacitated and stunned conditions.

Orcish Combat Training. You have proficiency with the handaxe, greataxe, and hide armor.

Strength and Honor. You are proficient in the Intimidation skill.

Tauren

The next day, the Longwalker approached Baine in his old quarters. "I have an update on the quilboar situation, High Chieftain."

Baine looked hopeful. "Any good news to report, perhaps?"

"We have tried communicating with them in every way possible, but our envoys are attacked on sight. After every attempt, they return covered in blood not their own." The scout saw the disappointment in Baine's eyes. He added quickly, "But casualties were kept to a minimum. They only fought as necessary while retreating."

Baine sighed. "Very well. Suspend attempts at negotiations for now. I need to find out the source of their aggression if we are to solve this problem without undue bloodshed."

One of Baine's advisors spoke up. "With all due respect, High Chieftain, I'm sure a small force could sneak in undetected and assassinate their leader. Throwing them into disarray would make it easier for us to eradicate them."

"Absolutely not. I know that somehow a peace can be reached. We will not fall victim to the lure of militaristic action. That is Garrosh's way, not mine."

He turned his attention back to the Longwalker waiting patiently. "Go, give them my message, and add that no one is to move into quilboar territory without my express permission. I will find an answer to this new threat."

Honorable Conservationists

The peaceful tauren—known in their own tongue as the shu’halo—have long dwelled in Kalimdor, striving to preserve the balance of nature at the behest of their goddess, the Earth Mother. Until recently, the tauren lived as nomads scattered throughout the Barrens, hunting the great kodo beasts native to the arid region.

Tauren Traits

<p style="text-indent:12px";>Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases
by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Size. Tauren are towering creatures, measuring between 9 and 10 feet in height. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Cultivation. You are proficient in the use of herbalism kits.

Endurance. Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level.

Plainsrunning. While in open plains, your travel speed doubles.

War Stomp. As an action on your turn, you can shake the ground around you with a thundering stomp of your hooves. Creatures within 5 feet of you must make a Constitution saving throw. The DC of this throw is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier. On a failed save, a target takes 2d6 damage, has their movement speed halved, and cannot take reactions for one round. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and suffers no other ill effects..

After using this ability, you can't use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

Troll

He stopped in a clearing. He could see bits of the sky through the canopy here—darker splotches against the softer dome of the jungle. Gradually, like waking from a deep sleep, he became aware of a heat on his back.

He spun—the loa was behind him, inches away. So close he could see the movement and play of shining tentacles within its surface. The loa’s glow expanded to fill his vision.

He found himself in a cave, a tunnel of some kind, and the path ahead forked. In each branch of the path there was a vision of himself.

In one he sat upon a throne of purest gold. There were giant roasts wrapped in palm leaves, drafts of the finest jungle brew all around him, troll females dancing for his pleasure. He looked healthy and happy. A tiny golden chain stretched from one ankle to a leg of the throne. In the other vision, he was wounded and bleeding, haggard and surrounded by enemies. The view was cloudy and shifted continually, but he was always fighting, always struggling. Sometimes he led other Darkspears; sometimes he fought alone; but the message was clear: a life of constant struggle and strife, no rest, always more slaughter.

Vol’jin laughed. “Is dis supposed to be a test, mighty loa? Dis be easy. I take freedom. I fight and strive, an’ maybe I never find happiness, but I take freedom.”

Mystical Conspirators

The savage trolls of Azeroth are infamous for their cruelty, dark mysticism, and seething hatred for all other races. Yet one exception among the trolls is the Darkspear tribe and its cunning leader, Vol’jin. Plagued by a history of subservience and exile, this proud tribe was on the brink of extinction when Warchief Thrall and his mighty Horde forces were driven to the trolls’ remote island home in the South Seas during a violent storm.

Troll Traits

<p style="text-indent:12px";>Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases
by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.

Size. When standing fully upright, trolls measure upwards of 9 or 10 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Berserking. As a free action on your turn, you can launch into a frenzy for 2 rounds. During your frenzy, you can use your bonus action to make an additional attack or cast a cantrip with a casting time of one action.

After using this ability, you can't use it again until you complete a long rest.

Beast Slaying. Your attacks and spells deal 1 additional point of damage to beasts.

Da Voodoo Shuffle. You cannot be brought below half your base movement speed by movement impairing effects, unless they set your movement speed to 0.

Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Regeneration. Whenever you expend a hit die to heal during a short or long rest, you add double your Constitution modifier to the roll, instead of your normal Constitution modifier.

Pandaren

"Life is an adventure."

That's what Uncle Chen wrote in a letter to me once. It's sage advice, but my pop, Chon Po, doesn't think so. He says I spend too much time dreaming about the outside world, and that I ignore all the beauty and wonder of the Wandering Isle. He couldn't be more wrong—I do love where I'm from.

That's the point of this journal. I figure if I'm ever going to be a great explorer like Uncle Chen, I need to start writing about my own adventures, just like he does. Why not begin at home? Maybe my book will end up in the Great Library, tucked alongside Uncle Chen's missives. Better yet, someday folks in other faraway lands might read this and learn about my kin, our culture, and what makes this place so great!

First things first: an introduction. I was born on the Great Turtle, Shen-zin Su, also known as the Wandering Isle. Nowadays, many of the pandaren here just sit around on their butts, telling the same old stories, but it wasn't always like that. Our ancestors had adventure in their blood. To them, every day on the isle was a chance to see new things and make new stories!

As I write this, Uncle Chen is carrying on that tradition somewhere out in the world, but he's not the only one. The Traveler's Path has called to me too, right here at home, and it's time I finally answered!

My name is Li Li Stormstout, and this is the Wandering Isle.

Harmonious Nomads

Couched in myth and legend, rarely seen and even more rarely understood, the enigmatic pandaren have long been a mystery to the other races of Azeroth. The noble history of the pandaren people stretches back thousands of years, well before the empires of man and before even the sundering of the world.

<p style="text-indent:12px";>Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases
by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.

Size. Pandaren are comparable in height to humans, averaging between 5 and 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet. Slow down, life is to be savored!

Bouncy. You have resistance to damage caused by falling great distances.

Gourmand. You are proficient in the use of artisan's tools (cook's utensils), and whenever you make a skill check involving cooking or food, you add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.

If you spend 15 gold in quality ingredients and 1 hour cooking, and have access to cook's utensils, you can create a meal that you and up to 6 others can enjoy together. Those who partake of your food over a short rest gain temporary hit points equal to twice your proficiency bonus, which last until they are expended, and a +1 bonus to all skill checks made within the next 24 hours.

The skill bonus increases to +2 at 7th level and +3 at 14th level.

Inner Peace. The time it takes for you to learn a new skill, tool proficiency, or language is halved.

Quaking Palm. As an action on your turn, you can attempt to disable an opponent with a lightning-fast strike.

Make an unarmed strike against an opponent. If successful, you deal damage as normal and the creature becomes incapacitated for 1 turn.

This ability has no effect on undead or constructs.

After using this ability, you can't use it again until you complete a short or long rest.