All Races Available in Patch 5.0.4

I've seen some confusion about when pandaren character creation will be accessible.

Just to be clear on the announcement, we're making it possible for people to create a character of any race, regardless of what expansions you've purchased. So if you only have the original game (which now has The Burning Crusade included), when patch 5.0.4 hits you'll be able to create goblin and worgen characters as well. And, once Mists of Pandaria is released, you'll be able to create pandaren characters, regardless of whether or not you own Mists of Pandaria.

08/16/2012 10:54 AMPosted by Novagosa

So it says all races, what about though all classes? Just because Pandaren become available for play regardless if you have MoP or not, does this include the new monk class?

No, you'll need to upgrade your World of Warcraft license to Mists of Pandaria in order to unlock the monk class. The same is true for leveling from 85-90 and gaining access to the continent of Pandaria.

08/16/2012 11:07 AMPosted by Essayl

This is great but how will starting areas be handled?

The starting areas will be accessible as well. For example, you'll be able to adventure on the Wandering Isle as a pandaren when Mists of Pandaria is released, but you won't be able to visit Pandaria. They're separate locations.

08/16/2012 11:11 AMPosted by Rehvin

You're specifically talking about character creation. How will this affect paid race changes? Will I be able to race change to Pandaren on my existing shaman on August 28th or do I have to wait until September 25th?

Pandaren characters will be locked until Mists of Pandaria is released. You won't be able to create one. You won't be able to change an existing character into one.

08/16/2012 11:44 AMPosted by Stoutlager

Hey Zarhym, question for ya since you seem to be monitoring this thread. If I preorder my race change, then change to a Panda on the 25th, will that disqualify me for every realm first? Or just Realm first Pandaren? Or will it even disqualify me?

I think they removed racial realm firsts.

Correct. There are no realm first achievements for races.

So, lemme get this straight. Without purchasing the upgrade to MoP

I can - Roll any race, after the patch update on Aug. 28th, EXCEPT a Pandaren
I can - Roll a Pandaren beginning Sept. 25th
I can - level a Pandaren to the highest level of my currently subscribed content (Cata for me)
I can - Have all of my mounts account-wide

I cannot - Access Pandaria
I cannot - Level skills beyond my currently subscribed content
I cannot - enter raids, dungeons, or battlegrounds beyond my currently subscribed content
I cannot - level a monk
I cannot - Participate in the Pet Battle system

The roll any race kind of has no bearing on players with Cata subs, they just have to wait until MoP launch date of Sept. 25th to roll a Pandaren.

This all looks correct except for pet battles. Those, like pandaren character creation, will unlock on September 25 and be available to everyone. ;)

08/17/2012 07:34 AMPosted by Aahze

Not that it really affects ME per se, but this also works for Trial accounts? If I manage to find a friend who HASN'T played, can they try out gobs or pandas?

08/17/2012 11:24 AMPosted by Indyana

Does this change include the Starter Edition you get from RAF? Just wondering if I send an RAF to my friend if they can roll a Panda with me to level with on the day MoP comes out.

Since all of the races are being rolled into the original "brown box" -- meaning you don't need to unlock them by purchasing a specific expansion -- yes, you should be able to try out any race using a trial account.

08/17/2012 04:20 PMPosted by Layuth

"With the release of patch 5.0.4, we’re making all the races of Azeroth playable by anyone, no matter which version or expansion of World of Warcraft they own.

Unless you are a Druid and are limited to the same crappy couple of races because God knows in a make belief World few races can handle being Druids.

I sense sarcasm, though it's probably more true than you realize. :p