Pandaren The enigmatic pandaren are one of the most elusive races of Azeroth . Native to the land of Pandaria , they are a strong and hearty people with a universal attachment to nature and a passion for all it offers . Many Pandaren are also expert brewers , and few members of their race possess anything less than a love affair with strong ales and alcohols . The Pandaren are originally from central Kalimdor , where they established the Pandaren Empire . They were allies of the night elves until they saw their obsession with magic getting out of control . The clans severed ties and left Kalimdor behind , eventually establishing a new home on an island they named Pandaria . After the Sundering , some pandaren returned to the " new " Kalimdor to explore it . " Where once the pandaren were a mighty empire , standing proud beside their night elf allies , now they are a simple people who want only peace and a safe home . " Since the Third War , more pandaren have come to visit Kalimdor . Hailing from their own secret empire , the pandaren are a race of humanoids resembling pandas . This appearance leads some to underestimate these noble creatures , thinking them harmless and " cute " . They may be cute , but they are not harmless . Pandaren have a long tradition of mystic warfare and are exceedingly strong and agile . The traditional pandaren fighting style focuses upon mobility , speed and precision , as well as stunning acrobatic tricks . Many pandaren are skilled at fighting bare - handed . Only the pandaren know the intricacies of their society , but alcohol is a central feature . All pandaren are connoisseurs of ale and stronger drink , leading to a unique kinship with Ironforge dwarves . A caste of wandering pandaren warriors called Brewmaster s is highly respected in their culture . A few Brewmasters have been spotted in Kalimdor , searching for new beverages to sample and ingredients to add to their own brews . Pandaren are affable and noble , trained in battle but always seeking peace . Pandaren philosophy centers on a harmony of opposites — male and female , calm and chaos , existence and non - existence . Pandaren feel a strong link to the natural world and seek to maintain a peace between all races and nature . Very few pandaren ever leave their hidden island homeland of Pandaria , although there is a place called Pandaren Settlement within the Stonetalon Mountains , but those that do have proved themselves to be strong warriors specializing in Drunken Brawling with great command of the elements . The most famous of these warriors is Chen Stormstout , who assisted the half - orc Rexxar and the Horde after the fall of the Burning Legion . No one knows what became of him afterwards , but several of his empty kegs have been found scattered around the Barrens . Though Chen assisted Rexxar , they do not seem to be specifically affiliated with either the Alliance or the Horde . Even unaligned races such as pandaren live defined by the conflicts among and around them . In a world constantly on the brink of war , the need for peacemakers is as great as the need for warrior s . Many of Azeroth ' s denizens do not owe fealty to the Alliance or Horde . Some races , such as pandaren , are independent . Appearance . Pandaren resemble a cross between panda bears and humans ; they are not dissimilar in appearance to furbolgs , though they are less feral . Pandaren average 5 1 / 2 feet in height , and make assured and precise movements . Pandaren smile . The humanoid looks vaguely similar to a bear , with a stocky build and blunt ursine face . Its short - furred pelt is white with black markings around its eyes , although some have red and white markings whilst others have brown and white . As they age Pandaren usually lose their red / brown / black fur and it becomes grey . They wear a loose , embroidered silk robe . They can run on either two or four " legs " . Homelands . Pandaren hail from distant island Empire of Pandaria , which no non - pandaren has ever seen . A splinter group of pandaren arrived on Kalimdor in the aftermath of the Third War and has established itself in the Stonetalon region of the Barrens . Pandaren have arrived only recently in the west . There was also an in - game secret in " Warcraft III : Reign of Chaos " where Arthas discovers a Pandaren Relaxation Area in Andorhal before finding King Terenas ' remains . Culture . Pandaren society . Each pandaren belongs to a shao ’ din , which is their word for “ clan ” . Pandaren society has changed from its origins . Where once the pandaren were a mighty empire , standing proud beside their night elf allies , now they are a simple people who want only peace and a safe home . Yet the world is a dangerous place , and only through an acceptance of the violence that comes with life can the pandaren continue to prosper . Pandaren society is , in many ways , compartmentalized . At their core , the pandaren treasure peace and creativity . Most pandaren are poets and singers , and the craftsmen of their culture are truly revered . The danger of their lives , however , has necessitated the evolution of a class of warriors to defend those ideals — it is these warriors , from the simplest pikeman to the great shado - pan s , who ensure that pandaren culture survives . Most Pandaren don ' t belong to one specific clan . Most of the Pandaren at the academy are regular with special gifts for fighting . Faith . Pandaren have a fierce and deep belief in the connection of the material and spiritual worlds . In many ways their faith mirrors the ancient beliefs of the night elves , and the tribal beliefs of the tauren , troll , and orc races . However , pandaren veil their beliefs in the trappings of a mystical and ancient method called geomancy . Geomancy teaches that the land is a reflection of the spirits , but that spirits are also a reflection of the land . Like the furbolgs , tauren , and Wildhammer dwarves , the pandaren follow a shamanistic faith , worshipping the Earth Mother and giving passage to their dead . They are true geomancer s , drawing their holy power directly from the Earth Mother . They also follow a new philosophy ( new to the other residents of Kalimdor , of course ) ; they are a society that reacts , instead of acting first . They claim to be the water that flows around a rock : The water does not push the rock out of the way , it merely goes around it . They use this uncomplicated way of thinking in their everyday life . If they set their minds to a task , and they fail , then they believe they went about it the wrong way and try again . They do not mourn for failures , believing that they simply have mapped out improper ways to do things and they will know better next time . This philosophy seems simple , but the pandaren apply it to every aspect of their lives , from brewing beer to adventuring . They are calm , affable types who will extend the hand of friendship to a stranger on the road — but if the stranger is hostile , the hand of friendship can quickly turn into an excruciating joint lock . In addition to both shamanistic and nature - based spiritualism , the pandaren also seem to practice and have an understanding of the Holy Light that is used by the dwarves , humans , blood elves , and so on . They , like some practitioners of the faith , believe in peaceful resolutions at all times . Their clerics emphasize the control of negative emotions like fear , sorrow , anger , fury , or any other form of emotional turmoil . The clerics of this race do in fact refer to the power they wield as " the Light , " using it in both greetings and goodbyes as evident by the NPC Yalia Sagewhisper of the Shado - Pan . She often uses terms such as " May the Light guide you . " and " Be blessed by the Light . " Whether or not the Pandaren have quickly inherited and taken to the Light by way of its introduction by the Horde and Alliance , or if it was a part of their society ages before the mists had lifted has yet to be determined . , upon joining the Alliance , poses questions that suggest the pandaren of the Wandering Isle are unfamiliar with the Light . Acupressure . Pandaren are known for their art of acupressure . Acupressure points such as the one in the right arm , can quicken the heart rate and cause the muscles to contract . Other points on the left arm can calm a user down if needed . Brewing . What may surprise those who encounter the pandaren most , however , is their unabashed love for beer . Most religious and meditative people on Kalimdor consider alcohol a drink for the masses , a drink whose properties cloud the mind and block contemplation of the gods . The pandaren laugh at this notion . The ideal day for a pandaren begins with meditation and ends with a good drink with a better friend . They love encountering folk who live life to the fullest ; they enjoy adventuring ; and they are happiest in a tavern swapping stories and buying rounds for the house . Those lucky enough to meet a pandaren and share in his ale will undoubtedly find it to be the best beer they have ever tasted . The down side to this , of course , is that they will no longer enjoy Kalimdor - brewed beer as much . The pandaren are an old and refined culture with many traditions and arts important to their way of life , none of which have influenced the pandaren so thoroughly as the art of brewing . Drink is in every aspect of pandaren life ; and because of the craft involved , a tradition of brewing potent fluids has become a cultural institution for the gentle people of Pandaria . The pandaren brewmaster s travel the world for new and exotic ingredients and recipes . These affable yet deadly warriors practice a unique combination of healing arts and martial skill . With their knowledge of alchemy , potion - making and brewery , the pandaren have created superb ales and liquors that have become a welcome drink at any adventurers table either before , during or after a battle . The brews hold magical properties , as plants , berries and fungi that harbor powerful spirits are often included as ingredients in whiskeys , ales and other alcoholic beverages . Distilling these ingredients focuses potent magic . Little is more revered in the pandaren culture than brewing . These refined soldiers consider brewing as important to their culture as art and traditional ritual . In fact , many of their society ’ s arts and rituals would suffer if not for the brewing . Although various kinds of alcohol are in every part of life for the pandaren , they are far from a drunken society . Because of the love of drink , the tradition of brewing is considered one of the noblest pursuits , and they revere their brewmasters like other societies honor their priest s . The brews , for the most part , carry the hallowed names of the original brewmasters who created them . Chou Ling Sing , Hong Liu , and the brewmaster known only as Xiang are the three most revered brewmasters , and they had a frequent and friendly rivalry . Chou and Hong put their names on their brews , whilst Xiang preferred hers to go anonymous — if she named none of them , she could claim all that did not bear the other two ’ s names . With these masters long dead , their present day protégés carry on the traditions . Pandaren brewmasters go on long quests in order to find new and exotic ingredients for their drinks , looking for herbs and ingredients to create new recipes . The brewmasters are affable and kind , yet deadly soldiers if crossed . They are proficient in both healing arts and their own form of martial arts . With their knowledge of alchemy , potion - making and brewing , pandaren have created superb ales and spirits that have become a welcome drink at any adventurer ’ s table . Rarely a pandaren overimbibes , and suffers the next day . Hangovers can happen , and a pandaren cannot afford to be knocked down with a pounding head and a queasy stomach . There is beer to brew and questing to do and martial arts to practice , none of which are easy when suffering . Pandaren parables say that if someone pulls you , instead of resisting , you should push . So in the same light , instead of fighting the hangovers , pandaren drink the Chou ’ s Hair of the Dog Ale , a deep red amber ale that has a light taste and leaves the head feeling clear and sharp . While beer is treasured in pandaren culture , whiskey is revered . It represents health and good fortitude and even luck . Pandaren brewmaster philosophy says that the best whiskey can make a pandaren strong enough to face an army . The particular vintage named Wounded Warrior Whiskey has amazing healing properties , plus causes the wounded warrior to become as strong as a lion after drinking . Martial artists . They take the same stance regarding their martial arts as they do every other part of their lives . They use what works , perfecting it with terrifying results , and they don ' t use what doesn ' t work . If an injured leg won ' t allow the pandaren to kick very high , he gives up that kind of kick and perfects another . If up against a massive opponent , the pandaren will not waste time trying to match strength with strength , as the opponent represents the rock in the river to them . They find a clever way to best their opponent while expending the least strength necessary . They are formidable monks , following their philosophies to the letter and perfecting their martial arts as they see fit . Even the lowliest pandaren is capable of defending himself , using the fangs and stubby but needle - like claws that are a natural part of his body . All pandaren can use these natural weapons to fight and hunt , as pandaren grow up playing rough and tumble games meant to hone their abilities while learning the admonishments of their elders that such things are a last resort . In general , pandaren prefer to use the weapons they craft , feeling that their natural weapons hearken back to a primal time . Pandaren are bipedal creatures , but their pseudo - ursine forms allow them to move at tremendous speed on four limbs . When a pandaren drops down to all fours , his speed increases greatly . He must have nothing in his hands to use quadrupedal movement . Pandaren relations . All of the races that reside on Kalimdor view the pandaren with interest . Claiming to come from an island named Pandaria , which no one has ever visited , these gentle beings bring their love for beer , their quiet contemplations and their formidable fighting techniques to Kalimdor to experience life on the continent . The pandaren are the smallest of the bestial races and seem positively tiny next to the hulking bulk of the furbolgs . However , they seem much less like beasts than their apparent cousins . They value honor , discipline and friendship above all else . Gain the companionship and trust of a pandaren , they say , and you have a friend and protector for life . The pandaren are an independent race and any encountered outside the Barrens are wanderers and travelers , belonging to no affiliation . Their outlook meshes well with the Alliance , and most pandaren in Kalimdor are found in the company of Alliance races . Pandaren are eccentric , however , and some feel more at home around the Horde . In any case , they rarely stay in one place for long . Pandaren friendliness and combat prowess make them good allies and honorable enemies . Pandaren are on good terms with all non - evil races . Although they have been on Kalimdor a short time , the pandaren have already developed a special bond with the Ironforge dwarves . The dwarves are a race that appreciates good ale and a good story , and they have many tell of their own . The pandaren have enjoyed their stops at Bael Modan and the things they have learned of the Alliance , the Horde and the Scourge there . Being a race that honors their ancestors as well , they aid the dwarves in their search for titan artifacts when they can . They believe knowing where one comes from is an important aspect to living a full life . They have also made friends in the half - elves they have encountered , as the half - elves are beginning to adopt the same life - accepting philosophies as the pandaren , and they find them to be ideal traveling partners . Most pandaren have recently arrived on Kalimdor , but there are some that fought in the recent conflicts surrounding Illidan . A number of pandaren were visiting the dwarves of Bael Modan when the call came to the Alliance to prevent the blood elf and naga army traveling to Northrend . To honor their hosts , the pandaren visitors joined the fight . It was during this battle that they formed most of their opinions regarding the other races . The pandaren have liked most of the other independent races they have met . Deciding to remain neutral themselves , they appreciate the other races ' reasons for standing safely in the middle . They , understandingly , identify more with the races that they have philosophies in common with . Some pandaren spent many months recently with the furbolgs , learning of their simple life in Ashenvale Forest . They sympathize with the half - orcs they have met , and simply do not understand the goblins . They , like the other races of the continent , do not care for the blood elves and naga ( there are exceptions as one was last seen fighting alongside the sin ' dorei ) . The trolls are puzzling , as they practice divine magic , but for evil purposes , which doesn ' t coincide with the pandaren philosophy . Military tactics . Pandaren rely on a well - regimented system of battle that uses infantry , archers , and cavalry , with elite units and spellcasters to bolster their forces . Pandaren are strict adherents to the practice of equipping each soldier with the best possible equipment and arms . Even the lowliest foot soldier has a jug of pandaren brew at his side to aid him in combat , and most units use the more powerful magic drinks before a battle . Pandaren are courageous and fearless , and thus their armies have amazing durability and cohesion . A unit of infantry serves under a wardancer , with a host of wardancers serving under a shado - pan . Each shado - pan from a shao ' din has a host of warriors and wardancers at his command . Pandaren infantry are armed with pan - spears , round bamboo helms , thick lamellar - style armor made from woven bambus reed , and sometimes bear shields made of the same material . Using the spears to fight in regimented ranks , the pandaren infantry use a variety of tactics that involve engulfing , flanking , and leading enemies into a charge . Pandaren archers often rest just beyond the infantry , using long supple bambus bows capable of taking the eye out of an orc at hundreds of yards . Pandaren archers are equipped with their bows and a variety of arrows with varying heads ( broad , leaf - shaped heads for unarmored infantry , sharp , piercing heads for heavily armored opponents , and unusual “ U ” or “ V ” shaped arrowheads for dealing maximum damage at close range ) ; they often carry short curved swords similar to shaktani warblades . Pandaren archers are skilled at long - range marksmanship and sniping , although the size of their bows prohibits their use from concealment , for they are almost as tall as a standing pandaren . Pandaren cavalry is almost entirely composed of wardancers riding combat - trained horses . The wardancers wear bambus armor reinforced with metal chain and buckling . Wielding shaktani warblades , the wardancers cut down anyone in their path . Recently introduced to the pandaren are firearms , which are beginning to take a more important role in the way the pandaren wage war . While only a few of the shao ’ dins have rifle regiments , pandaren have taken to the rifle like a dwarf to ale . Some pandaren riflemen even go so far as to travel abroad to learn the shooting techniques of other races , and bring best techniques back to Pandaria . These riflemen mark a new evolution in the way the pandaren wage war , a change to traditions that most likely have not altered in millennia . Notable Pandaren . Others : Mojo Dark - Ale , Sinjo Honeybrew , Kesha Wildbarley , Tatsa Sweetbarrow , Mushi Ale - Hearth , Jinto Reedwine , Masha Storm - Stout , and Polo Barrel - keg . Some are pandaren brewmaster names from " Warcraft III " . Although , several of the names are referenced in " Dark Factions " . Names . Pandaren naming practices are similar to those of humans : each pandaren has a given name and a surname . The names themselves , of course , are different . The Mists of Pandaria expansion added many other possibilities for naming . Language . They mainly speak Pandaren . Many have also learned Common , Darnassian , Dwarven , Taurahe , and Thalassian in their travels . Pandaren equipment . The clever pandaren craftsmen have learned to make the most of the sparse building materials found in their environs . Steel is a rare commodity ; in fact , most of what steel they have is left from bygone days in central Kalimdor , reforged and reshaped by craftsmen . The rest of what they have is usually taken from the weapons of enemies . As such , the pandaren have developed weapons and armors that rely on very little steel . In fact , only the shaktani warblades are made wholly of steel . Lore and RPG classes . Pandaren classes were not defined in the same way as those of the other mortal races of Azeroth , due to their distinct culture and practices . Nevertheless , there are certain roles within pandaren society that are often defined thus : Pandaren and Furbolgs . Pandaren are distantly related to furbolgs . In fact , a race of more feral looking pandaren live in Northrend and appear to be in league with the Wendigos there . A few of the more bestial - appearing pandaren were in the command of a pandaren brewmaster , under Garithos ' Elite Guard , to try to stop the blood elves & naga from fleeing to Outland . These pandaren are referenced in Alliance & Horde Compendium as having joined up with dwarves of Bael Modan in order to stop the blood elves and naga . A history of rumors . The pandaren started as a creation of the Blizzard artist Samwise Didier and an April Fool ' s joke , but they got a massive response from " Warcraft " fans . In the first BlizzCast episode launched on Jan . 10 , 2008 , Samwise recalled the process to the creation of the Pandaren April Fool ' s page : " But so we put that up in there and everyone was like “ Oh my God ! A PANDA RACE ? That ’ s kind of cool ! ” And I ’ m like “ Are you kidding me , really ? You want to see pandas in " Warcraft III " or whatever ? ” " Soon , they were included in the " Warcraft III " expansion and Chris Metzen began to write them into the game lore . Due to this popularity , pandaren were rumored to be the new playable Alliance race to be introduced in the " Burning Crusade " expansion . Their possible appearance in WoW has been hinted at multiple times by Blizzard . Katricia : " Maybe they will be found in the beta or retail version of the game and maybe they will be granted a special place in an expansion . Just imagine how exciting it will be to find one ! " and " pandaren will not be a playable race . . . at this time . Will they make cameo appearances in the game as NPCs ? Some things are best left unanswered I think : ) " Supposedly , a gaming magazine was brought to Blizzard ' s offices in the fall of 2005 to view the " Burning Crusade " expansion pack for the first time . There were dozens of posters and artwork depicting the pandaren as the new Alliance race . This rumor goes on to suggest the race was then canceled for reasons concerning " pandas being a sacred animal " in China , or with the " political problems [ associated with a ] Japanese / Chinese hybrid " , in WC3 beta , pandaren wore samurai armor , but this was soon fixed . Other gaming sources stated that when " mentioning the ex - April - Fool ' s - joke Pandaren Empire to Blizzard staff got a surprisingly cagey response . . . " Blizzard has yet to confirm or deny these rumors directly . In any case , Blizzard revealed in May 2006 that the new Alliance race for the expansion was to be the draenei , thus rendering most rumors incorrect . Nevertheless , Katricia ' s comments still leave some possibility for a future appearance in " World of Warcraft " . Another persistent rumor regarding their non - inclusion in the game is that there is a law in China prohibiting any depiction of violence against pandas , even anthropomorphic pandas , even in a video game . This rumor is , in fact , baseless . Not only does such a law not exist , but there is at least one Chinese MMO that does feature both PvP and a playable race of pandas . During the discussion panel at Blizzcon 2009 , it was stated that the Pandaren have not had an increased presence in the game due to legal issues with China . Mists of Pandaria . Pandaren were announced as the new playable race for the Mists of Pandaria expansion at BlizzCon 2011 . Pandaren can choose between Horde and Alliance after their " training " ends upon the Wandering Isle .