Summary
World of Warcraftcontinues to dominate the world of MMOs, offering players Classic and Hardcore servers along with the modern retail version. There are many roles for various classes, depending on the talent and gear, as is the RPG tradition, but few are as beloved or long-standing as theHunter.
This is one of the game’s most popular DPS classes and has been part ofWorld of Warcraftsince the beginning, but some races are better suited to be Hunters than others. While choices between races are usually minor, they can still make a big difference in building a new character for either a beginner or a veteran players looking for a new type of challenge and story.
Updated March 18th, 2025, by Kristy Ambrose:More roles and racescontinue the marvelous lorebuilt around the vast land of Azeroth, including more likely Hunter candidates. Classes like the Hunter have many different options when it comes to builds and gear, and this class can wear and use virtually anything. Each race has different strengths and weaknesses associated with taking on the role, and some of the racial traits are great for every character in general, along with being ideal for Hunters.
14Highmountain Tauren
Speak To Baine Bloodhoof In The Orgrimmar Embassy
A race that has both the abilities and the feel of being a Hunter race, theHighmountain Taurenare a nomadic people who are huge and imposing in any kind of armor. They look great as Hunters, the lore and their world-building suits the role perfectly, and players love starting with the classic eagle pet they get.
Additionally, the Bull Rush racial ability is one of the best tools in all ofWorld of Warcraftfor quickly closing on enemies, which can be a big bonus for Hunters. The Mountaineering passive ability also increases their versatility, which is a huge help for Hunters, who need to be skilled in many different areas to be effective.
13Forsaken
One Of The Original Classic Races
TheForsaken, colloquially known as the Undead, have been one of the core races ofWarcraftsince the RTS games and were one of the eight choices introduced with the game’s debut in 2004. Their leader is a Ranger, which is essentially a Hunter, but the class wasn’t open to this race until the Cataclysm expansion.
The race has other natural abilities related to their living-impaired status, like Unending Breath and an increase in resistance to Shadow Damage, which are equally useful for leveling as they are with endgame content. They’ve always had the overpowered buffs of Will of the Forsaken, and when this is combined with unique Hunter Traits like Feign Death, Hunters have battle plans and escape routes that other classes don’t even consider.
12Dark Iron Dwarf
Speak To Moira Bronzebeard In The Stormwind Embassy
A race of Dwarves whoare different in several ways, theDark Iron Dwarvescome with the racial trait Fire Blood, which takes away bleeds, poisons, and magical debuffs. It also increases the player’s primary stat by an amount dependent on the number of debuffs it has cured. This increases the capabilities of any class but is particularly important for Hunters to keep them in the fight as long as possible.
Debuffs are a huge danger, particularly in the case of Hunters, who are vulnerable characters if enemies start to focus their attention on them for a longer period. Fire Blood can also be used before a series of attacks to give the player the chance to do maximum damage to their opponents, which can be hugely important for Hunters and the way they deal damage.
11Draenei
Introduced In The Burning Crusade Expansion
Draeneiare often seen as Paladins, Priests, or Shamen, but their ability scores also make them ideal Hunters. Their racial abilities buff the ability scores that are most important to Hunters, and Gift of the Naaru is great for any class. The unique starting area of the Azuremyst Isles also offers some creative prospects when players are just learning how to find and tame the perfect pet.
Shadoe Resistance is another universal skill, and Hunters who also want to be Jewelcrafters get a skill increase. This class is also versatile when it comes to professions, and when paired with Mining as a gathering skill, this is also a fine way to earn gold, which all players need for gear and training.
10Mag’har Orc
Speak To Eitrigg In The Orgrimmar Embassy
These are the Orcs that were uncorrupted by the demon blood and lived in the relative peace of Outland until the Burning Legion rose again. TheMag’har Orcsare one of the Allied races, which means that a player has to finish a questline to gain their friendship. That journey begins at the Orgrimmar Embassy.
Sympathetic Vigor is a passive ability that increases the health of the character’s pet, and it’s one of the few class-specific racial buffs. Ancestral Call lets the player call upon the power of their ancestors. Open Skies gives the Mag’har Orc and their mount better speed, and Savage Blood lessens the damage caused by poison, diseases, or curses.
9Dwarf
TheDwarvesmake for great Hunters for a number of reasons. The main focus for any hunter’s damage is on hitting critical strikes, and the Dwarven passive Might of the Mountain boosts critical hit damage, which is a huge deal for Hunter builds inWorld of Warcraft. They additionally have a great amount of lore and history in Azeroth that makes them a great choice for a new character.
Besides that,Dwarven Hunters have other advantagesin their abilities that help them like Stone flesh, which removes poisons and other negative effects that can take a Hunter out of combat for a period of time. Removing these is hugely valuable for any combatant who can’t afford to leave the fight in a hurry.
8Worgen
Introduced In The Cataclysm Expansion
TheWorgenare a fascinating race inWorld of Warcraft. Appearing similar to werewolves that walk upright, these creatures have great lore behind them, and their appearance would make them perfect for becoming Hunters. Additionally, they come with some of the best perks and abilities for hunting work in the game.
The Worgen have a racial ability called Darkflight, which gives a huge 40% buff to movement speed for ten seconds. This makes it incredibly hard for prey to escape a Hunter, or for enemies to keep up when a Hunter has to back away from a dangerous situation. Additionally, Worgen can skin prey faster and have higher chances for critical hits due to their abilities.
7Troll
TheTrollfaction is another Horde onethat has a long history in Azeroth. They make for great Hunters because kiting is hugely important to this class. They need to always be ready to move quickly, particularly in a PvP situation, as it can be a complete death sentence if a Hunter is trapped and unable to move away at speed.
So, the Da Voodoo Shuffle ability of Trolls becomes worth its weight in gold for Hunters, reducing the duration of effects that can hold them back. Trolls also have Berserking, which boosts haste and gives players the perfect chance to get more combinations off before they need to back away further. Hunters are generally more useful at the ranged attack format, so getting more attacks off quickly before enemies can close is vital.
6Gnome
Gnomesused to be the Alliance race for magic users, often appearing in the game as Mages and Warlocks, but they’ve evolved in recent years and can now rain down the DPS as Hunters too. Escape Artist is one of the best racial buffs in the game, allowing Gnomes to escape from tarps and other movement-impairing effects. It’s been in the game since the very beginning, and it’s handy for any class.
Engineering is a great profession choice for a Hunter, and Gnomes have a buff thanks to Engineering Specialization. Expansive Mind gives them better character stats overall and Nimble Fingers gives them improved Haste for better DPS.
5Orc
TheOrcsare one of the major factionsinWorld of Warcraft, the origins of the Alliance and Horde factions being based on the long-standing conflict between Humans and Orcs. Being heavy-set and bulky, the Orcs are a race built for war and combat, and they are excellent at taking on roles like that of the Hunter.
This is due to their racial traits like Hardiness, which is excellent for PvP due to it reducing stuns that have been set on the player. Orcs have generally strong stats for Hunting builds, but their ability to avoid taking long stuns is a vital one to keeping them in the fight and dealing as much damage as possible.
