Sign inUndead
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The Undead are the playable form of The Forsaken: humans and elves of Lordaeron who died in the plague, rose as servants of the Lich King, and then broke free to reclaim their minds. In Classic they rule the Undercity beneath the ruined capital of Lordaeron and begin in Deathknell in Tirisfal Glades. They are the Horde's most sinister race, and their trait Will of the Forsaken made them one of the strongest races in player-versus-player combat.
History
During the Third War, a plague spread by the Cult of the Damned killed much of the population of Lordaeron, and the dead rose as part of The Scourge, the army of the Lich King. Prince Arthas Menethil joined the Scourge, murdered his father and killed the high elf ranger-general Sylvanas Windrunner, whom he raised as a banshee.
When the Lich King's power weakened, many undead regained their free will. Sylvanas led them in a rebellion, took the ruins of Lordaeron with the help of the dreadlord Varimathras, and named her people the Forsaken. Hated by the living and hunted by the Scourge, the Forsaken joined the Horde out of need rather than friendship. In Classic their Royal Apothecary Society works on a new plague, supposedly meant for the Scourge, which gives many Undead quests an unsettling edge.
Homeland and starting zone
An Undead character climbs out of a crypt in Deathknell, a ruined village in western Tirisfal Glades. Shadow Priest Sarvis explains what has happened in Rude Awakening and sends the new Forsaken to fight the Mindless Ones, freshly risen dead who never regained their minds, and then the Scourge and the Scarlet Crusade, who have camps nearby.
From Deathknell the path leads to Brill, the Forsaken town in the middle of Tirisfal, then south into Silverpine Forest and on to Hillsbrad Foothills. A zeppelin tower outside the Undercity connects Tirisfal to Orgrimmar in Durotar and to Grom'gol Base Camp in Stranglethorn Vale, so Undead players often finish their early levels in The Barrens.
Capital
Undercity is built in the catacombs and sewers beneath the ruined Lordaeron capital, a ring of districts around the Royal Quarter where Sylvanas and Varimathras hold court. Green slime fills its canals, and the Apothecarium works on its plague in one wing. The city has trainers for every Undead class, an auction house, and a bank, and its elevators lead up to the empty throne room above. Undead ride skeletal horses, bought from Zachariah Post in Brill.
Racial traits
| Trait | Effect |
|---|---|
| Will of the Forsaken | Active: immunity to charm, fear and sleep for 5 seconds, and can be used while already afflicted; 2-minute cooldown |
| Cannibalize | Active: eat a nearby humanoid or undead corpse to regenerate 7% of total health every 2 seconds |
| Underwater Breathing | Underwater breath lasts 300% longer |
| Shadow Resistance | Shadow resistance increased by 10 |
Cannibalize is a fast way to heal between fights, since nearly every corpse in a battleground counts, though it is broken by moving or taking damage. Underwater Breathing makes long swims easy, and Shadow Resistance helps against warlocks and shadow priests.
Classes
Undead can be warriors, rogues, priests, mages and warlocks. They cannot be hunters, shamans, paladins or druids.
Undead priests learn Touch of Weakness, which damages and weakens the next enemy to strike them in melee, and Devouring Plague, a disease that deals shadow damage over time and heals the priest. Devouring Plague is one of the strongest race-specific spells in Classic, and Undead shadow priests use it to great effect in player-versus-player combat.
How Undead play
Will of the Forsaken is the trait that matters. Fear is everywhere in Classic player-versus-player fights: warlocks have Fear and Howl of Terror, priests have Psychic Scream, and warriors have Intimidating Shout. A feared character runs helplessly and is often killed, so a racial that breaks or prevents fear on demand is enormous. Undead warlocks can stay in control of a duel with another warlock, Undead priests can shrug off a Psychic Scream, and Undead rogues ignore a warrior's shout. Because it also breaks charms such as a priest's Mind Control, Undead rogues, mages and warlocks are among the strongest player-versus-player combinations in Classic.
In raids, Will of the Forsaken lets an Undead tank or healer ignore some fears, though its short duration and long cooldown keep it from replacing a dwarf's Fear Ward. Undead mages and warlocks are also common raiders.
Notable Undead
Sylvanas Windrunner, the Banshee Queen, leads the Forsaken from the Royal Quarter. Her lieutenant Varimathras is a dreadlord, a demon rather than an undead, and his loyalty is in doubt. Beyond their capital, Undead players meet the apothecaries of the Royal Apothecary Society, the Deathstalkers who scout for Sylvanas, and their enemies: The Scourge, Kel'Thuzad in Naxxramas, Baron Rivendare in Stratholme, and the zealots of the Scarlet Crusade who hunt all undead.
Later history
The Forsaken's plague was finally unleashed at the Wrathgate in Wrath of the Lich King, and Sylvanas went on to become warchief of the Horde before leaving it. Later Undead characters gained new customization options and the ability to be hunters, monks and other classes.
Sources
Categories: Races