Human

Humans are the youngest of Azeroth's major races and the backbone of the Alliance. In Classic they rule the kingdom of Stormwind, start their adventures in Northshire Valley in Elwynn Forest, and bring a set of racial traits built around versatility: better Spirit, faster reputation gains, weapon skill bonuses and the ability to spot stealthed enemies. They are the default Alliance race for many new players, and one of the strongest choices for rogues and warriors who want to fight other players.

History

Humans descend from tribes of the ancient Arathi, who united under the city-state of Strom and later spread into seven kingdoms across the Eastern Kingdoms: Stormwind, Lordaeron, Gilneas, Alterac, Kul Tiras, Stromgarde and Dalaran. Their history is one of war. Stormwind was burned by the orcish Horde in the First War, the kingdoms banded together as the Alliance of Lordaeron to win the Second War, and in the Third War the plague and the Scourge destroyed Lordaeron itself, led by its own prince, Arthas Menethil.

By the time of Classic, Stormwind is the last great human kingdom standing. It has been rebuilt by the stonemasons who would later become the Defias Brotherhood, after the nobles refused to pay them. King Varian Wrynn has disappeared on a diplomatic voyage, so his young son, Prince Anduin, sits on the throne while Highlord Bolvar Fordragon rules as regent. At Bolvar's side stands Lady Katrana Prestor (Lady Katrana Prestor), a noblewoman who is secretly the black dragon Onyxia.

Homeland and starting zone

A new human appears outside Northshire Abbey, a monastery tucked into a valley at the northeast corner of Elwynn Forest. The first quests come from Marshal McBride, who sends players out against the kobolds in the vineyard and the Echo Ridge Mine, and against Defias thieves who have moved into the valley. After level 5 or so the road leads down to Goldshire, the town with the Lion's Pride Inn, then out to the farms, mines and woods of the rest of Elwynn.

From level 10 the usual path runs west into Westfall, where the Defias have taken over the farmland, or east into Redridge Mountains, then south to Duskwood. Humans can also take the Deeprun Tram or the road through Dun Morogh to visit the dwarves of Ironforge, and many travel to Darkshore by boat from Menethil Harbor in the Wetlands.

Capital

Stormwind City is the largest Alliance capital in Classic. It holds trainers for every class a human can be, plus the Mage Quarter, the Cathedral of Light, the Dwarven District with its forges, and Stormwind Keep, where Anduin and Bolvar hold court. The Stockade, a prison overrun by rioting inmates, is a low-level dungeon inside the city walls. Humans buy their mounts, horses, from the stables at Eastvale Logging Camp in Elwynn Forest.

Racial traits

In patch 1.12 humans have five racial abilities:

The weapon skill bonuses are the most important in practice. In Classic, a character attacking a level 63 raid boss misses more and loses damage to glancing blows unless their weapon skill is above the default 300. Five extra points of sword or mace skill reduce both, so human rogues and warriors who use swords or maces deal noticeably more damage in raids than other races with the same gear. This made human the favorite race of serious Alliance rogues and a common pick for warriors.

Diplomacy speeds up every reputation grind, from the Argent Dawn to the Timbermaw Hold, and The Human Spirit adds a little mana regeneration for healers and casters.

Classes

Humans can be warriors, paladins, rogues, priests, mages and warlocks, six of the nine classes and the most of any Alliance race. Paladins are open only to humans and dwarves in Classic, since the Horde has shamans instead.

Human priests learn two race-only spells: Desperate Prayer, an instant self-heal, and Feedback, which burns the mana of enemy casters who hit the priest with spells. Desperate Prayer is shared with dwarves and is one of the reasons human and dwarf priests were favored for healing.

How humans play

Perception is the trait that defines human player-versus-player play. Rogues and feral druids in stealth are hard to see until they are close; with Perception active, a human can spot them from much farther away. A human rogue uses it to find an enemy rogue before being opened on, and a human mage or priest can use it when they suspect an ambush. Its three-minute cooldown means it has to be timed, usually when a rogue is known to be near a flag carrier or a guarded node.

In raids, the sword and mace bonuses keep human warriors and rogues near the top of damage meters, especially with weapons such as Thunderfury, the Brutality Blade, or Ironfoe. Humans have no fear or stun breaker, which they feel in fights against Horde warlocks and warriors; the PvP trinket from the honor system fills that gap for both factions.

Notable humans

Many of Warcraft's best-known characters are human. Uther the Lightbringer founded the paladin order of the Knights of the Silver Hand; Tirion Fordring was exiled for defending an orc; Jaina Proudmoore founded Theramore; Varian Wrynn is the missing king; and Edwin VanCleef leads the Defias. Players also meet more humble humans: Hogger's victims in Elwynn, the marshals of Goldshire and Westfall, and the zealots of the Scarlet Crusade.

Later history

Later expansions brought Varian back to Stormwind, made Anduin a central hero of the Alliance, and added Gilneas's worgen, humans afflicted with a curse, as a separate race.

Sources

• Human on Warcraft Wiki
• Racial traits on Warcraft Wiki