History Videogame / WorldofWarcraft

** ''Midnight'', the eleventh expansion and second part of the saga.

* Hunter -- A melee OR ranged DPS class that [[FluffyTamer tames beasts]] to use as pets in combat. The Hunter can specialize in [[TheBeastmaster improving their pet]] or their [[ArcherArchetype ranged]] [[TheGunslinger combat]] [[ImprobableAimingSkills skills]], and can give up their gun for the hunting spear and [[TrapMaster trap mastery]]. Notably, the only class that can use a ranged weapon and deal physical ranged damage, but can choose to be a [[TheBeastmaster beastmaster]] that fights in melee alongside their pet.

* Druid -- [[NatureHero Servants of nature]], Druids are the most versatile class, relying on talents and [[VoluntaryShapeshifting shapeshifting]] to specialize in [[PantheraAwesome melee DPS (cat)]], [[MixAndMatchCritter ranged DPS (Moonkin)]], [[BearsAreBadNews tank (bear)]], or [[PlantPerson healer (tree)]]. Additional forms allow them to breathe underwater and swim faster, increase foot traveling speed, and fly without a mount. Bears use Rage, Cats use Energy, and while all druids have a mana pool, only the other two specializations rely on it. Balance druids also use [[StarPower Astral Power]]. Restoration druids are most well known for their healing-over-time spells such as Rejuvenation. At the launch of ''Mists of Pandaria'', the Feral specialization was later split up into the Guardian spec (focusing on tanking as a bear) and Feral Combat, focusing on dealing melee damage as a [[MasterOfStealth prowling cat]], with mechanics similar to the ''Rogue'' class. Therefore, the Druid is the only class in the game with four specializations, [[JackOfAllTrades able to fit ''any'' role]]. This split was necessary because of changes to how specializations work and assigning one role to each specialization, to prevent new players from unintentionally building [[TooDumbToLive nonsensical]] or [[MasterOfNone subpar 'hybrid' specializations.]]

* Demon Hunter (added in ''Legion'') -- Based on the demon hunters of Warcraft lore, they utilize demonic magics and transform into demon-like forms to fight in melee. They are the second "hero class" after Death Knights. Unlike other classes, they only have two specializations: Vengeance for tanking, and Havoc for damage. For lore reasons, they are the most restricted class in terms of race; they are only available to Night Elves and Blood Elves.
* Druid -- [[NatureHero Servants of nature]], Druids are the most versatile class, relying on talents and [[VoluntaryShapeshifting shapeshifting]] to specialize in [[PantheraAwesome melee DPS (cat)]], [[MixAndMatchCritter ranged DPS (Moonkin)]], [[BearsAreBadNews tank (bear)]], or [[PlantPerson healer (tree)]]. Additional forms allow them to breathe underwater and swim faster, increase foot traveling speed, and fly without a mount. Bears use Rage, Cats use Energy, and while all druids have a mana pool, only the other two specializations rely on it. Balance druids also use [[StarPower Astral Power]]. Restoration druids are most well known for their healing-over-time spells such as Rejuvenation.
* Evoker (added in ''Dragonflight'') -- A class themed around the five Dragonflights, mixing each flight's powers as well as [[BreathWeapon natural]] [[NaturalWeapon draconic]] [[PowerGivesYouWings advantages]] to decimate enemies or heal their allies. It has two specializations -- Devastation which uses Red and Blue dragon magic offensively (It's also ''World of Warcraft'''s first new ranged damage-dealing spec since the game's release), and Preservation, a healer who uses Green and Bronze magic. Their racial options are even more restricted than Demon Hunter due to the fact that draconic biology is worked into the class; Evokers are only available to the Dracthyr race, and Dracthyr can only be Evokers.

* The ninth expansion is ''Dragonflight'', released in November 2022. It adds a new continent -- the Dragon Isles, a new race -- the Dracthyr (shapeshifting dragons with draconic and humanoid forms), a new class -- the Evoker (a spellcaster only available to the Dracthyr race), and a new feature -- Dragon Riding (flight on a dragon's back, which is much faster and has many more flight-related abilities than mere flying mounts). The level cap is raised once again to 70. This time around the conflict concerns the Primalists, a faction led by ancient shapeshifting proto-drakes who intend to claim their lost supremacy over the Dragonflights of Azeroth.

* Paladin -- A hybrid melee class that can specialize as tank, melee DPS, or healer. They were formerly only available to the Alliance, but are now also open to the Blood Elves and the Sunwalker Tauren. [[{{Paladin}} Paladins]] wield their faith in the [[LightEmUp Light]] (Except the Tauren, who call it ThePowerOfTheSun) as sword, shield, and bandage and are something of a Warrior/Priest hybrid. Despite their use of Mana, their most important resource since ''Cataclysm'' is Holy Power. They possess both melee and a few ranged attacks, but can be seriously inconvenienced by silencing spells.

* The fourth expansion, ''Mists of Pandaria'', was released in September 2012. It raised the level cap to 90, opened up the continent of Pandaria for exploration and introduced timed "Challenge Modes" for dungeons (an early version of the now-ubiquitous Mythic+ system), and flexible raid sizes (starting with the expansion's final raid). It featured the Pandaren as a playable race for both the Alliance and Horde, a new class in the form of the Monk, and more focus on [=PvP=] content. Additional features included [[{{Mons}} pet battles]], [=PvE=] scenarios, and several systems becoming account-wide. The final dungeon was Orgrimmar itself, with Garrosh Hellscream channeling the powers of an Old God in an attempt to take over the world for his New Horde.

* The fourth expansion, ''Mists of Pandaria'', was released in September 2012. It raised the level cap to 90, opened up the continent of Pandaria for exploration and introduced the Mythic difficulty level for dungeons (at the start of the expansion) and raids (starting with the expansion's final raid). It featured the Pandaren as a playable race for both the Alliance and Horde, a new class in the form of the Monk, and more focus on [=PvP=] content. Additional features included [[{{Mons}} pet battles]], [=PvE=] scenarios, and Challenge Mode dungeons. The final dungeon was Orgrimmar itself, with Garrosh Hellscream channeling the powers of an Old God in an attempt to take over the world for his New Horde.
* The fifth expansion, released in November 2014, is ''Warlords of Draenor''. Raised the level cap to 100 and sent players to an AlternateTimeline version of Draenor in which Garrosh Hellscream travels through time to stop the Old Horde from drinking the blood of Mannoroth. His Iron Horde, equipped with modern technology, now threatens to storm through the Dark Portal to conquer present-day Azeroth. While exploring Draenor, players build and customize their own Garrisons and interact with legendary characters such as Grommash Hellscream and Ner'zhul. The expansion also featured redesigned models for all the classic character races. The final dungeon was Hellfire Citadel, where players must defeat Archimonde.

** ''The War Within'', the tenth expansion and first part of the saga, announced for 2024. The World-Soul of Azeroth is crying out after Sargeras damaged her at the end of ''Legion'', and adventurers must delve into the depths of the planet to save her. Major features from the expansion include the first neutral allied race, the Earthen; a new form of PVE content called Delves where 1-5 players embark on adventures; and Warbands, a system that allows a player's alts to share things like banks, reputation, and transmogs between each other.

** Re-released in August 2019 as ''World of Warcraft: Classic'', a version of the game running with the entire structure of the game as it was up until the release of ''The Burning Crusade'' (save for a couple of minor patches, shorter release schedules for the raids and some under-the-hood improvements).

The game's playable races. There are [[MassiveRaceSelection twenty-four of them]][[note]]Pandaren and Dracthyr are common to both factions. Pandaren players start off as neutral then choose either an Alliance or Horde alignment, while the alignment for the Dracthyr has to be chosen upon the player character's creation[[/note]] as of ''Dragonflight''. For more details on them, see the [[Characters/{{Warcraft}} character pages]].

** Tushui Pandaren (added in ''Mists of Pandaria'')

** Dracthyr (added in ''Dragonflight'')
** Earthen (coming in ''The War Within'')

** Huojin Pandaren (added in ''Mists of Pandaria'')
** Nightborne Elves (added at the end of ''Legion'')

** Earthen (coming in ''The War Within'')

** ''The War Within'', the tenth expansion and first part of the saga, announced for 2024.

** ''The World Within'', the tenth expansion and first part of the saga, announced for 2024.

** Earthen (coming in ''The World Within'')

** Earthen (coming in ''The World Within'')

* The tenth expansion is ''The World Within'', announced for 2024. It is the first part of the "Worldsoul Saga".
* The eleventh expansion is ''Midnight''. It is the second part of the "Worldsoul Saga".
* The twelfth expansion is ''The Last Titan''. It is the finale of the "Worldsoul Saga".

[[caption-width-right:350:A world of swords, sorcery, [[OddLastItemIndex and spaceships.]]]]

[[caption-width-right:350:A world of swords, sorcery, [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers and spaceships.]]]]

** Re-released in June 2021 as ''World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade Classic'', a version of the game running with the entire structure of the game as it was up until the release of ''Wrath of the Lich King''.