World of Warcraft Classes

Wow has nine character classes that you can choose from. However each race does  not have access to every class. Each class has a set of unique abilities and talents. Abilities are general skills and spells available to the entire class, while talents allow players to specialize their character and further refine their role. Each class has a set of talent trees split into 3. Using these trees and depending on what class you have chosen you can build your talent tree for damage dealing (this is also known as DPS - damage per second), tanking (warriors chiefly do this as can druids and rouges) or a combination of them. The hybrid classes can choose different roles depending on what is required in their group or situation they are in while on solo quests. 

The following are the 9 classes availbable in  World of Warcraft :

• Druid: Hybrid class. Nature oriented, this is a class that is able of taking on the role of damage dealer, tank, or even healer. The druid can shape-shift into several forms to increase its combat or movement abilities. This includes a bear (excellent for tanking), a "moonkin" (to deal magical damage long range), cat form (for melee combat), a tree (for healing), and a seal (to travel in water).
• Hunter: Damage class. A combination of a marksman/archer. This is the animal specialist, Ranged damage is what a hunter is specialist at using bows, crossbows, or guns with an animal pet as help. The hunter also employs a series of traps for damaging or disabling enemies with added abilities to track them.
• Mage: Damage class. This is the wizard like class that deals long range damage with spells. Mages use spells of the "arcane", fire, and frost elements. Mages are also able conjure food and water to replenish group members, and are able to transport themselves and others to most major cities.
• Paladin: Hybrid class. A heavily armored holy warrior.Same as the druids, paladins can specialize to fill  the three major roles in World of Warcraft. 
• Priest: Healer/damage class. A class that is not highly armored and able to both ehals and protect alles using "holy" spells as well as dealing damage and harm to enemies using Shadow spells. 
• Rogue: Damage class. An assassin class that is specialized in "stealth manoeuvres" which allows them to hide easily from enemies. They have as weapons dual-wielding small melee weapons, and can lock pick, pick pockets and are adept at using poison..
• Shaman: Hybrid class. Though they are hybrid like the paladins and druids the totem wielding shamans are not really good at tanking. But they are very good healers and damage dealers when using their melee weapons and spells.
• Warlock: Damage class. You could say they are an hybrid class combining the best features of the hunter and mage. They can issue magical damage as Mage can and have pets in the form of demons (known as minions). You can both specialize in spells that have "damage over time" properties giving slow damage but long term. Or you can specialize in dealing more direct damage all at once damage like the Mage or Shaman are able to do.
• Warrior: Tank/damage class. The most armored class in wow, warriors are general melee fighters able to use any weapon that does not have magical properties. Warriors can specialize as either tanks or damage dealers.

With the release of the Burning Crusade,  the Paladins and Shaman classes are available to both factions in Wow. Now Blood Elves (Horde) can become Paladins and Draenei (Alliance) can be Shamans. Thus these classes have no longer the class exclusivity they once had.When the next expansion comes along in the second half of 2008 in the form of the Wrath of The Lich King, there will be a tenth class available that is called the "Death Knight". This is to be the first of Hero Classes to come our way, paving a very exciting time ahead for this very exctiing RPG game.