WoW Dracthyr Evoker Lore
Neltharion, the former leader of the Black Aspect of Dragonflights, made them ideal soldiers. Combining the power of the Dragonflight with the ingenuity of mortals, they could learn and evoke the capabilities of all aspects of their dragon side. Neltharion set the Forbidden Reach as their training grounds, all to prepare for a war he felt was coming. When Raszageth and his Primal Incarnates attacked, the relic used to control the WoW Dracthyr was destroyed in battle. Their leader and creator deemed them a risk with direct control, so he had them sealed away in the creches of the Forbidden Reach. They remained sealed for 20,000 years until Primalists thought to set that old enemy free. The resulting magical pulse blasted through the Forbidden Reach, breaking the seal on the Dracthyr. They woke, but their memories muddled with the passing of years. With Raszageth awake and enraged, the leaderless army evacuated the only home they knew. The army broke apart, dividing into 5 factions (or weyrns).
The Obsidian Warders, protectors of the Black Dragonflight, joined the Alliance. The Dark Talons, the sneaky shadowy arm of the army, allied with the Horde. The Healing Wings, the medics of the Dracthyr, returned to the Dragon Isles. The Ebon Scales defected from the army and renamed themselves the Sundered Flame. Beyond that, their whereabouts are unknown. The Adamant Vigil, the army’s eyes and ears, were destroyed by the Primalists during the Dracthyr’s escape from the Forbidden Reach.
The WoW Dracthyr as a Playable Character
They are a race and class combo, which means they have only one class: the Evoker. They can’t be anything else. Dracthyr can use a few unique abilities. First, they can switch between two forms, a draconic and a humanoid (Visage). They usually use the former in battle, leading us to two other abilities: a Wing Buffet and a Tail Swipe. It can also be used to Soar (launch into the air to cover distances faster) or Glide to safety when falling. These skills do not, however, replace flying WoW mounts or the Dragonriding ability. Their passives are:
Awakened (+2.5% Mastery) Discerning Eye (+50 Perception) Familiar Skies (20% flying speed on continents fully explored) Principles of Soaring (pointing at a direction lets the character turn to that direction, even downward or upward. It also allows two other skills to be used: Surge Forward and Skyward Ascent)
Lastly, they can ‘charge up’ their spells, making them more powerful. Charging lasts up to 3 seconds, after which the magic will be fired automatically. With the right timing, this can help with aiming or having to hit the spell after protection wears off. As an Evoker, they have access to all aspects of Dragonflights. The five divisions are separated into Destruction (Red, Blue, Black*) and Preservation (Green and Bronze). As can be implied, the first focuses on damaging skills to defeat enemies. The second allows them to recover and restore their allies’ health and energy. Players can mix and match, focusing on either side or mixing the two. *Some documentation mentions this being used by Dracthyr, but others only say four.
How to Play as a WoW Dracthyr Evoker
First, you must have a copy of the Dragonflight expansion. After that, you can create your first Dracthyr in any realm. Customize their looks in both draconic form and Visage. You can also choose their faction from the Character Creation Screen. As a Heroic Class, they start at level 58 with the Forbidden Reach as their location of origin. Playing through the beginning quests should explain more about their background and then be able to explore the Isles at will afterwards. You can only create one Dracthyr per realm. If you want to make more, it must be on different servers. It’s also a requirement to have a level 50+ character in that world before you can have another. They’re released in the second pre-patch update for the Dragonflight expansion on November 15. With the latter officially going live on November 28, 2022, it’s more than enough time to get used to the new mechanics and features of the race and class combo. Although they have only one class, it’s flexible and versatile enough to fill any role you want at a party. While tanking isn’t an obvious choice, picking the right skills should let you do it passably. It’s also interesting that you can switch between the two forms mid-combat! The applications of this still need to be clarified, but if there’s something to exploit about it, players will find out.
