I wrote this as a comment, and realised it was WAY too much work just for that. So, I am posting it here so more people can potentially get use out of it.
This is an informative sumamrization of the most important things to know when first setting up your character.
Table of Contents:
Types of Worlds
-Normal
-Role-Playing
-Player versus Player
-Role-Palying Player versus Player
The Factions
-The Alliance
-The Horde
The Classes
Tradeskills
At a Glance
Things I Wish Someone Told Me Sooner
The Worlds
There are four different types of worlds in World of Warcraft (WoW), they are Normal, Role-Playing, Player versus Player and Role-Playing Player versus Player.
Normal
Normal severs are just what they say, Normal. They have the most basic systems and sets of rules. You can only be attacked by other players if you enter their city or attack one of their gaurds.
Role-Playing
These servers have rules that require characters to stay "in character." With the exception of the normal channels, you cannot say something like, "Dude, I just had a Burger King burger and I feel gross." In fact, that would be frowned upon in the public channels as well. When speaking in /say, /group or /yell, everything must be said from your character's perspective. Blizzard has rules governing RP worlds.
Player versus Player
Abbreviated as PvP, these servers have "Contested Zones," which, when entered, automaitcally flag you for PvP. You can and will be attacked at any time. There are additional rules on this server for PvP. You cannot have both factions of characters on this server.
Role-Playing Player versus Player
This server is jut a combination of the RP and PvP servers. It has the most rules out of all the servers, but can be extremely fun if you are in to both of those aspects.
The Factions:
The Alliance, if you haven't played previous WoW games, started out as the 'good guy' side. They were originally made up of Humans and Dwarves, with occasional, situational help from the Gnomes and Night Elves. They also used to contain the High Elves, who later became the Blood Elves (in the majority). In WCIII, the Alliance became another side as the Horde escaped its demonic corruption. The Gnomes, Dwarves, Humans and Night Elves are its playable races.
The Horde, was, for lack of a better word, the 'evil side.' It originally consisted of the orcs who had been corrupted by the Burning Legion. Then, they employed the trolls, promising to defeat their sworn enemy, the High Elves. In WCIII, the Horde escaped its demonic corruption and set out on a course of shamanistic tradition and peace. This was aided by the nature-loving Tauren. The Undead Forsaken, because neither they or the horde could handle any more enemies, also joined forces. The playable races are the Orcs, Darkspear Trolls, Tauren and the Undead Forsaken.
The Alliance:
The Humans of Stormwind excel at magic in all its forms. They can become excellent Mages, Priests or Warlocks. They are also talented in combat, making excellent Rogues and Warriors. They also make an excellent hybrid--the Paladin, an Alliance only class which is a mixture of a priest and a warrior. Humans gain a passive bonus to reputation, sword skills, an ability to raise their stealth detection and a passive 5% bonus to their spirit--the stat that affects mana/health regeneration.
The Dwarves of Ironforge are a lot like humans with two exceptions. Instead of Warlocks, they get Hunters, a ranged class. They cannot be mages. These are the only other class which can currently be paladins. Dwarves have a special ability to find treasure, a bonus to their gun skills, the ability to take on a stoneform, temporarily increasing defense and making them immune to poison effects and a bonus to their ice resists.
The Gnomes of Gnomeregan are also human-like in class selection. They cannot, however, become Paladins. You will often find the Gnomes are associated with engineering, the proffesion that allows you to build devices and bombs. That is not to say that they cannot do anything else, however. The Gnomes recieve a passive bonus to intellect- which raises mana and a spell's critical strike chance, a "jump start" with engineering and an ability to break out of traps and other movement impairing affects.
The Night Elves of Darnassus are, truthfully, the most-played race in the game. They can be Priests, Warriors, Rogues, Hunters and Druids. The Druid is only available to two races in the game, one per faction. Night Elves gain an ability to Shadowmeld, allowing them to stealth until they move, a bonus to their dodge chance, a passive bonus to nature resiistance and the ability to become a wisp upon death, which increases their movement speed to 50% (Other races get a 25% boost.)
The Horde:
The Orcs hail from the newly erected city of Orgrimmar. They are a very strong race, making good Warriors, Rogues and Hunters. For the magically inclined, they can be Warlocks or, the Horde's factional class, the Shaman. Shaman, like the Paladin, are a hybrid. They are like a mixture of a warrior, a priest and a mage. The Orcs get a pet-damage bonus (+5% damage increase, I believe), an increased skill with axes, a passive bonus to their stun resist and the ability to use Blood Fury, which will temporarily increase their strength at the cost of health.
The Tauren of Thunderbluff are another Horde race. They can be Warriors, Hunters, Druids and Shaman. The Tauren are currently the only class who cannot be rogues. They have the ability to War Stomp, causing an Area Stun affect, a "jump start" on their herbalism skills, a passive increase to health and a passive bonus to nature resistance.
The Trolls reside in Sen'jin Village, a short distance outside of Orgrimmar. They can be Warriors, Hunters, Shaman, Mages and Priests. They have a passive bonus to throwing and bow skills, an increase to damage against beasts, a health regen bonus and the ability to go berserk when severely damaged, quickening attack/csting speed and attack power.
The final Horde race is the Undead Forsaken of Undercity. They can become Rogues, Warriors, Priests, Warlocks and Mages (all the classes of the Humans except the Paladin.) The Forsaken have a passive boost to underwater breathing time, an ability to break out of fear affects, an ability to eat humanoid corpses for quicker health regeneration and a passive increase to shadow resistance.
-This is a quiz I made, it may help you figure out which race you would like to play:
-http://quizilla.com/users/gaialivestrue/quizzes/The%20races%20of%20World%20of%20Warcraft/
The Classes:
The Warrior
The Warrior is the best tank in World of Warcraft. Then can use any weapons but wands and wear every type of armor (Plate is available after level 40). They use rage to execute their abilities, which is accumulated through specific abilities or events (hitting an enemy, taking damage, drinking a rage potion.) They dont have any spells and cannot heal themselves efficiently without the use of food. They have three different "stances" they can fight in, which allows the use of different abilites and allows different bonuses. They are the Battle Stance, Berserker Stance and the Defensive Stance.
The Rogue
The Rogue is the melee damage dealer of World of Warcraft. They excel at using daggers, maces or swords. When using daggers, they have the ability to use certain high damage attacks, which compensates for their naturally low dps. Swords and Maces can, through talents, get a bonus such as chance for an extra attack or stun, respectively. The rogues have the ability to stealth to avoid detection and vanish in the midst of battle for a quick escape. They use energy to use their abilities, which replenishes itself over time. They cannot wear chain or plate armor or use shields. They can dual wield weapons.
The Hunter
The Hunter is a ranged, melee class. It uses bows, crossbows (which are farely rare) and guns. They have the ability to tame a companion pet, which will gain expirience and abilities as the Hunter fights. The Hunter uses mana for its abilities, which will replenish over time. They have the ability to track different types of pray (or a specific target using the Hunter's Mark ability). They can "sting" the target for different affects (you can only have one active at a time PER HUNTER). The Hunter cannot use plate armor but it may use mail after level 40. It may use dual wield.
The Paladin
The Paladin is an Alliance only class that has very high defensive capabilities. The Paladin can wear all types of armor and is the only class, besides Warrior and Shaman, who may use a shield. It has few damaging attacks, but may use a variety of "auras." These auras have different affects on the Paladin and his party, and only one may be used PER PALADIN. The Paladin has three different "shield" abilities, which make it immune for a certain amount of time. They also may bestow a variety of blessings on another player (one per Paladin) and use seals on themselves, one at a time. They can also judge these seals for a special affect on the enemy. At higher levels, Paladins may earn their mount, allowing them to travel around faster. Paladins, though similar to Warriors and Priests, play VERY differently from both classes.
The Shaman
The Shaman is the Horde only class. It can wear up to mail (after level 40) and has a variety of potential weapons and may use shields. The Shaman uses nature based abilities to accomplish various attacks. It has different, instant "shock" attacks which are a favorite among its players and hated by their enemies. Shaman may also drop up to four totems (one for Fire, Water, Earth and Air.) These totems may either buff/heal friendly units or damage/taunt/snare enemies within their Area of Effect. They may also turn into a ghost wolf, which increases movement speed or instantly return to their "home." The Shaman, though similar to a Priest, Warrior and Mage, plays VERY differently from those mentioned.
*Agilestatue added that Shaman may also use shields, I was originally incorrect about that.*
The Mage
Mages are your classic Magical Damage Dealer, using mana to inflict damage. They command the forces of Fire and Ice, as well as Arcane Magics. They can create various shields with these forces and conjure food or water for themselves or friends. The Mage has the strongest Area of Effect attacks in the game. They are very fragile and may only wear cloth armor. Fire spells offer high damage bursts with continued damage over time and ice offers decent damage with an attached "slow" effect.
The Warlock
Warlocks are like mages, but with a few major differences. Warlocks use shadow and fire spells. These spells often come in the form of Damage Over Time spells, which are mana efficient but take time to work. The Warlock may summon a demonic minion to help them (only one at a time) and will learn a new summon roughly every 10 levels. They require Soul Shards for most of their abilities, which are acquired from monsters who yield expirience and die under the affect of their Drain Soul Spell. They can only wear cloth and their spells require mana. At higher levels, they may summon a demonic mount to travel around faster.
*Player-vs-Enemy Warlocks may find that they play like a hunter, using the pet to tank and damaging from afar. (Thanks to Felicite for adding this information!)*
*Warlocks, unlike Hunters, must worry about hate-management more. (Thank you capitolg)*
The Priest
Priests are the most effective healers in the game. They use mana for two tpyes of magic. Holy Magic is used to heal a variety of different status effects, heal and buff their friends. They can also use Shadow Magic to damage and frighten their opponents. Priests are one of the most in demand classes in the game for most instances and raids, as well as a lot of normal partying. They may only use cloth armor and tend to excel with staves or one-handed maces.
The Druid
Druids, like Shaman, use Nature Magic and mana (usually) to carry out their deeds. They also have a few Arcane Magic spells. The Druid's most renowned talent is their ability to shapeshift, or become another form. These are Bear, Cat, Aquatic, Travel and Dire Bear. Bear and Dire Bear (its higher counterpart) are defensive in nature, adding slightly to attack power and health while boosting armor by 180% and 360%, respectively. These forms, like Warriors, use rage. The Cat form acts as a rogue, allowing the druid to stealth and use high damaging attacks. This form uses energy and boosts a druids attack power. Both Aquatic and Travel forms allow druids to travel faster in the sea and land. Both may attack, but only for your base damage. The Aquatic Form has no need to breathe (which is Ironic as it is a sealion). Druids cannot wear any armor above leather. Another Shapeshifting form that is uncommon is the Moonkin form, which is gained by putting 31 points into a specific talent tree. This form increases attack power by 360% and spell damage, but you may not use any restorative spells.
*Thanks to Saboruto The Silent for information about Druids attack in Travel/Aquatic Form.*
*Thanks to Baron Von Srolyat for info on a druid's arcane abilities as well.*
Tradeskills
For more information about Tradeskills, please visit LockeColeMA's Trade Skills Sticky, whihc can be found here:
http://wow.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=69;mid=1131559767260411772;num=16;page=1
At a Glance:
Healer Classes: Druid, Shaman, Paladin, Priest
Damage Dealers: Mage, Hunter, Rogue, Warlock, Warrior, Druid (not Bear)
Tanks: Druid (Bear form), Warrior, Paladin (situational)
Hybrids: Shaman, Paladin, Druid
Pet Users: Hunters, Warlocks
Magic Users: Mage, Warlock, Priest, Shaman, Druid, Paladin
Pure Melee: Rogue, Hunter, Warrior.
Human: Warrior, Rogue, Mage, Priest, Warlock, Paladin
Dwarf: Warrior, Rogue, Priest, Hunter, Paladin
Gnome: Warrior, Rogue, Mage, Warlock
Night Elf: Warrior, Rogue, Priest, Hunter, Druid
Orc: Warrior, Rogue, Shaman, Warlock, Hunter
Troll: Warrior, Rogue, Shaman, Priest, Mage, Hunter
Tauren: Warrior, Shaman, Hunter, Druid
Forsaken: Warrior, Rogue, Mage, Priest, Warlock
Mana: Mage, Priest, Warlock, Paladin, Druid, Shaman, Paladin, Demons
Rage: Warrior, Druid
Energy: Rogue, Druid
Focus: Hunter Pets.
*Thanks to Baron von srolyat for alerting me to the missing Night Elves and the Druids in this section.*
Things I Wish Someone Told Me Sooner
-You cannot name Demonic pets.
-You can name Hunter pets.
-Any class can solo.
-Warlocks require you to pay attention.
-Rogues dont...always.
-Mobs dont want to be tamed.
-You cannot create two of a different faction on a pvp server.
-There are stickies on almost all the wow.allakhazam.com forums, if not all.
-Gnomes are amazing.
-There is an endless supply of Night Elf and Undead Rogues.
-Spell Rogue "rouge" and someone WILL kill you with blush.
-This game can be fun and destressing.
-You must let it be so.
-Warcraft is proven to be more addictive than Heroin.
Enjoy!
Edited, Jun 27th 2006 at 6:29pm EDT by idiggory
Edited, Jun 29th 2006 at 10:33am EDT by idiggory