Classese Death Knight Demon Hunter Druid Hunter Mage Monk Paladin Priest Rogue Shaman Warlock Warrior

Alliance Alliance


Originally, humans were taught the ways of the arcane by the high elves in exchange for their help in defeating the trolls during the Troll Wars. However, after the war, the human magi who were taught by the elves started to pass their knowledge and powers onto the younger generations who had no concept of responsibility that the original human magi had. They started to delve further into the arts for their own personal gain rather than the advancement of their race and eventually started to penetrate the darker aspects of the arcane. Eventually the agents of the then banished Burning Legion were drawn to this increasingly reckless use of magic and demons started to appear in Azeroth, especially around the new magic capital of Dalaran where the huge amount of wielded magic caused the fabric of reality to weaken.

The Kirin Tor tried to cover it up but the local populace started to become suspicious of their mage leaders. Eventually the elves intervened and decided to tell these human mages about the dark demonic past and their narrow escape from oblivion during the collapse of the Well of Eternity. They formed a secret pact with the humans which aimed in protecting the world from demonic influence. This secret organization was called the Order of Tirisfal. They chose powerful magi to become Guardians and act as the right hand of the Order. These Guardians wielded powerful magic against the encroaching demons. However, publicly, anyone found still using these dark energies were thrown of out the Kirin Tor and ejected from society.

Many of the human warlocks pledged their lives and services to the Lich King just prior to the invasion of his undead Scourge. In the Lich King's service many of these warlocks became skilled necromancers. In addition, the Lich King granted many of his undead servants limited warlock abilities as well. When the portal to the Twisting Nether was finally opened and the demons began pouring through, it seemed that the heyday of the warlocks was at hand. However, many of the human warlocks after the third war are former mages, fresh from the destruction of the Violet Citadel, who seek revenge, embracing the path of the warlock in order to turn the fel energies of the Legion against itself.


The clever, spunky, and oftentimes eccentric gnomes present a unique paradox among the civilized races of Azeroth. Brilliant inventors with an irrepressibly cheerful disposition, this race has suffered treachery, displacement, and near-genocide. It is their remarkable optimism in the face of such calamity that symbolizes the truly unshakable spirit of the gnomes. Gnomes have a natural resistance to Arcane magic and are brilliant, creative, and curious.[1] These traits seem to serve gnome warlocks well in their pursuit of possessing true mastery over fel magic.

A knack for all things mechanical flows through the blood of every gnome[2] and perhaps some—if not all—gnomes find that wielding fel magic is like fixing a machine.


Dwarf warlocks have emerged since the Cataclysm.[3] Ironforge dwarves were likely influenced to become warlocks by the newly indoctrinated Dark Iron Clan. They were also likely taught by their gnomish and human allies.[citation needed] Warlocks were previously outlawed in Ironforge, and may still be. With the desperation and gloom in Cataclysm, perhaps the dwarves decide that they need their demonic friends more than they first thought.


The humans of Gilneas were likely to have had warlocks amongst them, who remained the same class after becoming worgen. It is also possible that some mages decided to follow a darker path after being cursed, so they could bring about the same amount of pain and suffering on to their enemies that was brought on to them or even barter with dark forces to retain sanity of some kind.

Horde Horde


If the energies of this world can be used for destruction, then the energies of the underworld could destroy Azeroth. It is this destructive power that the Orcish Warlocks use in their incantations and rituals. As the most powerful of the Orcish sects, these dark brethren of Hades go where none others dare in search of ultimate power. Their Towers hold the keys to unleashing the very essence of evil upon those they see as a threat to their devious plans. Spells that channel the fire and brimstone of hell through their bodies, or can summon forth great creatures - even daemons- are theirs to use.[4]

Orcs, while chronologically not the first to use this magic, were perhaps the first modern (playable) race to be given the power of warlocks from the masters of it in the Burning Legion. Some of the most powerful mortal warlocks in history were orcs.

Gul'dan, the most powerful mortal warlock in history.

During the First and Second Wars, the formerly shamanistic orcs were transformed into a warlike juggernaut of destruction by their demon-influenced shaman leader Ner'zhul and later, the orcish warlock Gul'dan -- Master of the Inner Circle of the Shadow Council and Destroyer of Dreams. The Horde soon added warlocks in various forms to their armies, and orcish and ogre warlocks came to be feared within the ranks of the Alliance.

The first orc warlocks were the apprentices of the elder shaman Ner'zhul as Kil'jaeden's pawn, but were ultimately loyal to the elder shaman himself and not the Burning Legion. The second generation, created and led by Gul'dan, were more successful. They succeeded in turning the orcs against the draenei and poisoning the orcish race by tricking the chieftains into drinking the blood of Mannoroth. In order to police the clans, the Warlocks formed the Shadow Council. Only six of the 25 major clans resisted (the Frostwolves, the Shadowmoon, the Thunderlords, the Laughing Skull, the Bonechewers and the Shattered Hand). Despite the Council, civil war wiped out all but 12.

Gul'dan was later contacted by Medivh, and the two worked together to bring the Horde into Azeroth. (Sargeras, at the time controlling Medivh's will, was aware that Kil'jaeden had enslaved the orcs and it was easier to bring the orcs than the Legion.) Gul'dan led 7 of the remaining clans of orcs (Stormreaver, Twilight's Hammer, Bleeding Hollow, Blackrock, Dragonmaw, Burning Blade, and Frostwolf) through the Dark Portal. The warlocks continued to operate normally until Doomhammer seized power and had them exterminated.

In modern times, the orc warlocks still exist on the outskirts of the new Horde, headed by Thrall. While they are looked down upon for their hand in handing their race over to the demons, they are still allowed more or less within the society as they have pledged to use their powers against the Legion and vowed never to succumb to its corruption.


Undead warlocks seem to be an anomaly. They have no life and so they can't draw life from themselves in order to give the destructive fel magic the initial fuel it needs to drain the lives of others. These undead spellcasters are most likely fel necromancers who use necromantic powers to gain life then use that life to fuel fel magic. The origin of the Forsaken warlocks resides in Dalaran, where the mages there were slaughtered and resurrected by the Scourge as undead warlocks and necromancers. When the Forsaken emerged, the Banshee Queen tried to get as many of these undead spellcasters on her side as possible. The fact that these dark magisters can use their powers to free undead is the main reason warlocks are not shunned in Forsaken culture.

Many Forsaken priests, after losing touch with the Light, began to use demonic energies instead. It was a double blow to the few compassionate human priests still alive in Lorderaon; to see their brethren not only suffer undeath and to lose touch with the light, but to metaphorically spit on the religion of the Holy Light, abandoning its teachings for a more dark power.

Undead warlocks are most likely one of the best class/race combinations for PvP, due to their racials of Cannibalize and Will of the Forsaken, which make the Undead in general excellent for most PvP roles.


Blood elf

There is not much lore behind blood elf warlocks, save that the blood mages of the elves used magic that is very similar to the spells that warlocks use, such as draining mana and banishing enemies. Also, since Prince Kael'thas has allied with the Burning Legion in order to feed his people's addiction to magic, it is acceptable that several blood elves may have adopted their new allies' form of magic, though it is worth noting that most blood elves on Azeroth do not know of his alliance with the Legion. In addition, since the blood elves use enslaved demons as a source for magic, it is logical that they would begin manipulating the fel energies they harvest.


Troll warlocks have revealed their presence after the Cataclysm.[3] Trolls have a long history of summoning dark entities and whispering hexes and curses. Their blood rituals are not a far cry from that of warlock rituals. With the presence of magi in troll society, there is also inevitably a group of dark casters hidden amongst them. Trolls were, for a long time, the only race magi who did not fall to the dark path. It looks like a decade of lore has changed that fact.


Not much is none about the origin of Goblin warlocks, but it is presumed that these impish spellcasters have the ability to get the best deals with the demons they consort with.[citation needed]

Goblins are proficient spellcasters and this has of course lead many goblins to choose the darker side of magic, which they may see as being more profitable. Goblin warlocks very much enjoy making deals with demons and using the destructive fire magic side of their skill set.

Other Races


The Earthen (the precursor to the Dwarvish race) seem to take after their titanic creators, especially the earthen warlocks. The Titans are godlike beings composed of the primordial matter from which the universe was born[5] and their spirits—known as world-souls—[6] can be so vast that it draws in and consumes much of Spirit,[7] a life-giving force. Without this primordial force to create balance, elemental spirits can descend into chaos,[8] and the titans of the Pantheon would "pacify" the world's raging elemental populations.[9] In that regard, the titans are similar to warlocks who would draw Spirit (or life force) from the earth, causing the elemental spirits to fall into chaos, and then bend the elemental spirits to their will.


Warlocks are born of the eredar race. Under the eredar Archimonde, warlocks serve as the Legion's tacticians and strategists. Kil'jaeden taught the secret of warlock magics to the orcs, but they could never master the powers of entropy and destruction as well as the wicked eredar.

High elf

Some high elves turned to this path after their glorious home of Quel'Thalas was destroyed in the Third War. This new breed of warlock seeks to control the powers that ravaged their homeland and use them for vengeance.[10] These few remaining high elves who are warlocks have long since become blood elves.[11]

Starting attributes

Race Strength Agility Stamina Intellect Spirit Armor Health Mana
Alliance GnomeGnome Gnome 15 22 21 26 22 44 53 200
Alliance HumanHuman Human 20 20 21 22 22 40 53 140
Alliance WorgenWorgen Worgen World of Warcraft: Cataclysm 23 22 21 18 21 ? ? ?
Alliance DwarfDwarf Dwarf World of Warcraft: Cataclysm[12] 22 16 24 21 21 ? ? ?
Horde Blood elfBlood elf Blood elf World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade 17 22 19 26 21 44 53 185
Horde ForsakenForsaken Forsaken 19 18 21 20 27 36 53 110
Horde GoblinGoblin Goblin World of Warcraft: Cataclysm 17 22 21 25 20 33 53 -
Horde OrcOrc Orc 23 17 22 19 24 34 63 109
Horde TrollTroll Troll World of Warcraft: Cataclysm[13] 21 22 22 18 23 ? ? ?

