Warriors
The soldiers of Azeroth. Every race and both factions have warriors, and in Forever's Year 1, after three wars in living memory, there is no shortage of people who have learned to fight.
Who can be one, and where they learn
Alliance: Human, Dwarf, Night Elf, Gnome, High Order Skyborne (new in Forever). Horde: Orc, Undead, Tauren, Troll, Windshaper Skyborne (new in Forever).
Trainers (Classic's data) in Darnassus, Ironforge, Stormwind City, Orgrimmar, Thunder Bluff, Undercity.
Class quests: Path of Defense (level 10, teaches Defensive Stance, Classic's quest); The Affray (level 30, teaches Berserker Stance, Classic's quest).
The client's character-creation text: Warriors train constantly and strive for perfection in armed combat. Though they come from all walks of life, they are united by their singular commitment to engage in glorious battle. Many warriors serve as mercenary soldiers, while others become adventurers and danger-seeking fortune hunters. A typical warrior is strong, tough, and exceptionally violent.
Who they are
A warrior is defined by training, not birth: a farm boy with a sword, a clan champion, a Sentinel, a dwarven guard, a Forsaken who still remembers drill. The client's description is refreshingly honest about what that means.
Many warriors serve as mercenary soldiers, while others become adventurers and danger-seeking fortune hunters. A typical warrior is strong, tough, and exceptionally violent.
From the game client: Warrior, the class description in the WoW Forever client
Their place in Azeroth now
Year 1 is a soldier's world. Stormwind is rebuilding its army under a child king; Lordaeron's veterans are scattered or dead; the orcs' clans are proud warrior cultures; night elf Sentinels hold Ashenvale; dwarves guard Ironforge's passes. Battlegrounds such as Alterac Valley and Warsong Gulch give warriors of both factions a war to join, and Forever adds the Darkspear Islands to them. Mercenary work is everywhere, from the Riverglades frontier to the Steamwheedle ports.
Warcraft background: Human warriors trace their tradition to the knights and footmen of the Alliance of Lordaeron; orc warriors to the clan champions of Draenor and the gladiator pits Thrall came from; night elf warriors to the Sentinels, an army of women led by Tyrande Whisperwind. Every city has its warrior trainers, and many orders (city guards, battleground warbands, mercenary companies) take warriors of any background.
In WoW Forever
In WoW Forever: The Skyborne of both orders can be warriors, which makes the warrior the one class every playable race can choose. Warriors' abilities and talents have been reworked in places; see what changed.
RP hooks and character ideas
- A veteran of the Third War who still wakes at night to the sound of the Scourge.
- A Brotherhood of the Horse rider who lost their commission and now sells their sword in the Riverglades.
- An orc gladiator who fought for masters and now fights for honour.
- A Skyborne warrior who has never fought anything bigger than a Zephras Isle bandit and is about to meet the Scourge.
- A Frostwolf or Stormpike soldier who's been in Alterac Valley so long they've forgotten why.
- A dwarf guard of the Hall of Thanes who knows what's down there.