Gnome: a guide for new players
Updated · ForeverDB
New to WoW Forever as a Gnome? Your racials from the game client and what they're good for, which classes you can play and why, your languages, professions, and where you start.
Written for the WoW Forever beta, for your first 10 levels. Where each person stands comes from what players recorded in WoW Forever wherever we have it. Anything else is marked: "Classic data" means the spot comes from the original game and may have moved in Forever.
In short
Gnomes are small, clever inventors. They share Ironforge with the Dwarves since their own city was lost. Their racials help them slip away from danger and get more out of their gadgets.
- Faction: Alliance.
- You start in: Coldridge Valley, in Dun Morogh.
- Home city: Ironforge.
- Classes: Mage, Priest, Rogue, Warlock, Warrior.
- Languages: Common and Gnomish (from the game client).
Racials
Racials are abilities and bonuses that only your race has. You have them from level 1. Here they are with the words the WoW Forever game client uses, and what they're good for.
| Racial | What it does | Good for | Compared with Classic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering Specialization | Your gnomish ingenuity reduces the rate of engineering devices failing or backfiring when you use them by 20%. | Your Engineering gadgets fail less often. | Changed. In Classic: Engineering skill increased by 15. |
| Escape Artist | Instantly escape the effects of any movement impairing effect and gain immunity to those effects for 3 sec. | Frees you from roots and slows. Great for anyone who needs to keep their distance. | Changed. In Classic: Escape the effects of any immobilization or movement speed reduction effect. |
| Eureka! | Your non-periodic damaging abilities have their Energy cost reduced by 10% and deal 10% more damage for 8 sec. | Some of your attacks cost less and hit harder. | New in Forever |
| Expansive Mind | Maximum Mana increased by 5%. | More maximum mana, so you can cast longer. | Changed. In Classic: Intelligence increased by 5%. |
Classes
A Gnome can be any of these classes. Every pick is a fine pick: choose the one that sounds fun. Each link opens a guide for your first 10 levels with that class.
| Class | Why it fits | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Mage | Expansive Mind adds 5% Mana, and Escape Artist frees you from snares and roots. | Gnome Mage |
| Priest | Expansive Mind adds 5% Mana, and Escape Artist frees you from snares and roots. | Gnome Priest |
| Rogue | Eureka! makes your next 3 damaging abilities cost 10% less Energy and deal 10% more damage, and Escape Artist frees you from snares and roots. | Gnome Rogue |
| Warlock | Expansive Mind adds 5% Mana, and Escape Artist frees you from snares and roots. | Gnome Warlock |
| Warrior | Helpful racials: Eureka!. | Gnome Warrior |
Tip: Not sure which class to play? Take the class quiz: twelve quick questions.
Professions
Your race has a racial for a profession: Engineering Specialization. Your Engineering gadgets fail less often. In Classic it was a straight skill bonus; in Forever it works differently, as the table above shows.
The best pair depends on your class: see the best professions for each class.
Where you start
Every Gnome starts in Coldridge Valley. Our Coldridge Valley guide shows where everything is, with map pins and walking routes, and the quests in order up to level 10.
Checked against WoW Forever beta build 1.60.1.70658.