Races or species are terms used in World of Warcraft to split various unique creatures into separate groups. Numerous races populate Azeroth including elves, trolls, human, orcs, gnomes, scorpids and murlocs, among many others. Many species can interbreed including humans, high elves, night elves, ogres, orcs, and draenei — producing offspring often called half-breeds.
The Warcraft universe is inhabited by many sentient and sapient beings. These races speak many different languages, have different homelands and racial traits, and can pursue different classes.
Though most races are native to the world of Azeroth, some have arrived from other worlds, such as Draenor. The armies of the Burning Legion are culled from many worlds throughout the Twisting Nether.
Definition
In World of Warcraft, Blizzard interchanges the terms species and race, giving them roughly the same meaning.[1]
Unfortunately, Blizzard is not always consistent on how they use the terms. Sometimes they use the term '"race" when they mean the biological definition of "species". This has led to conflicts between sources, where one source says blood elves and high elves are the same "biological race" ("biological species" would have been a more proper use of words in that syntax), while most sources say they are separate races (culturally and biologically).
In the Warcraft universe, races like elves, dwarves, humans, orcs, draenei, ogres, goblins, tauren, etc are considered separate species[2][3] and separate races.
Known lore sapient "species"
This is a list of sapient "species" established in lore. Additionally, each grouping within the same group, such as various types of dwarves, elves, or trolls, are considered separate species/race or subspecies/subrace depending on the source.
- Annihilan[citation needed]
- Dragon[4]
- Ered'ruin[citation needed]
- Eredar
- Furbolg[5]
- Gryphon[citation needed]
- Hippogryph[citation needed]
- Kobold[citation needed]
- Mo'arg[citation needed]
- Quilboar[6]
- Sayaad[citation needed]
- Shivarra[citation needed]
In the RPG
In Warcraft lore, race often has the same definition as species.[7] Occasionally, within a race/species are groups called subspecies/subraces[8][9][10] Note that use of race may not always denote seperate species however (and may refer to ethnicities/subraces/subspecies within species)[citation needed] .
"Subraces"
Subraces (aka subspecies)[9] are generally considered lesser groups within a main race/species. However, even these subgroups can be considered separate races or species themselves in some cases.
- Dwarf sub-races can include Wildhammer, Ironforge, or Dark Iron dwarves.[11]
- The various types of trolls are usually considered separate subraces, though occasionally separate races.[11][12][13][14] The terms appear to be interchangeable to Blizzard.
- Aesir and vanir are considered two of the Giant's various subraces.[15]
See also
Lists
- Creatures - all species (including non-sapient)
- Factions
- Languages
- Racial traits
- Mounts
- Small Pets
References
- ^ High Elves and Blood Elves. World of Warcraft Encyclopedia > Mortal Races. Blizzard Entertainment.
- ^ The Dark Portal and the Fall of Stormwind
- ^ Rise of the Horde, pg. 251
- ^ Blizzard Entertainment. Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos Manual, 80.
- ^ Blizzard Entertainment. Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos Manual, 54.
- ^ Blizzard Entertainment. Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos Manual, 54.
- ^ Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, 38
- ^ Alliance & Horde Compendium, 22
- ^ a b World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, 50
- ^ Horde Player's Guide, 10
- ^ a b Alliance Player's Guide, 82, 86
- ^ The Last Guardian, ??
- ^ Manual of Monsters, ??
- ^ Horde Player's Guide, 143
- ^ Tribunal of Ages, 107
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