Blizzard's response at BlizzCon, the features announced alongside it, and what the news meant for Evoker players at the time are all covered below.
A screenshot circulating ahead of BlizzCon 2023 showed what appeared to be a Dracthyr character at level 13 wearing Leather armour. Both details stood out immediately to veteran players: Dracthyr could only be Evokers, a class that starts at level 58 in their own dedicated starting zone, and Evokers wear Mail armour — not Leather.
The image originated from an early look at the Warband Character Select Screen, a new interface system planned for The War Within that allows players to manage multiple characters across a shared account roster. The combination of an unusual level and the wrong armour type led many to conclude that Dracthyr might be gaining access to a second playable class.
During the WoW Deep Dive panel at BlizzCon 2023, Blizzard Entertainment addressed the speculation directly. The screenshot was described as an internal mockup, not a representation of any planned feature. At that stage of development, there were no additional class options planned for Dracthyr in the upcoming expansion.
The clarification drew a clear line between what players hoped to see and what was actually in development. Dracthyr Evokers would continue as a single-class race into The War Within, at least at the time of that announcement.
Although the announcement confirmed Dracthyr would not expand to new classes at launch, Blizzard introduced a separate system designed to deepen the gameplay experience for every class: Hero Talents. Reaching the right character level unlocks a Hero Talent tree that adds a third branch of specialisation on top of the existing two.
For Evokers, this meant greater ability to shape their playstyle within the class rather than switching to a different one. Hero Talents were intended to reinforce class identity and give long-time players a meaningful new goal to work toward in The War Within.
The War Within expanded the roster of playable races with the Earthen — Dwarf-like beings made of living stone. Unlike most Allied Races that are locked to a single faction, the Earthen were available to both the Alliance and the Horde, a point Blizzard highlighted as part of the expansion's broader theme of factions working together.
The Earthen brought their own racial abilities and cultural ties to the game's lore, which became relevant as players ventured into Khaz Algar, the underground continent at the heart of the expansion's story.
Beyond the Dracthyr question, BlizzCon 2023 outlined several features coming with the expansion:
The expansion also introduced four new zones beneath Khaz Algar, eight new dungeons, and the Nerub'ar Palace as the first raid tier — a sprawling underground fortress tied to the Nerubian enemies at the centre of the story.
Last reviewed 2026-06-16 against Patch 11.0 The War Within — Maintained by WowCarry's WoW team.
A screenshot showing a Dracthyr character at level 13 wearing Leather armour circulated online before BlizzCon 2023. Both details — the level and the armour type — were impossible for Dracthyr Evokers under the rules at the time, leading players to speculate that the race would expand to a second class.
Blizzard clarified during the WoW Deep Dive panel that the screenshot came from an internal mockup of the Warband Character Select Screen, not from any planned feature. At that point in development, Dracthyr were not scheduled to receive additional class options in The War Within.
The Warband Character Select Screen is a new interface introduced in The War Within that lets players view and manage multiple characters together under a shared account identity. Warbands also introduced account-wide renown, shared cosmetics, and other cross-character progression systems.
Hero Talents are a third layer of talent customisation unlocked at higher character levels. Each class and specialisation has its own Hero Talent tree, designed to amplify a specific fantasy or playstyle. For Evokers, the system offered ways to push deeper into either the Devastation (ranged DPS) or Preservation (healer) identity without changing the base class.
The Earthen are a new Allied Race added in The War Within — stone-skinned beings related to the Dwarves, native to the underground continent of Khaz Algar. Unlike most Allied Races, they are available to both Alliance and Horde players. Their racial abilities reflect their stony nature, including passive bonuses tied to armour and health.
Prior to The War Within, Dracthyr Evokers began at level 58 in the Forbidden Reach, a dedicated starting zone separate from the standard Exile's Reach experience. The War Within announcement confirmed that a new Evoker option would start at level 10, giving players access to the class through the regular levelling path.
