Dark ranger Dark rangers are elven ranger s with a different focus . The dark ranger is a cunning hero , adept at manipulating opponents . Forcibly raised from the dead , the former ranger s of Quel ' Thalas enjoy nothing more than sowing dissension and hatred within the enemy ranks . Background . When Sylvanas Windrunner , Banshee Queen of the Forsaken , regained her physical body , she realized that the natural world would never respond to her wishes again . Angered by this development , she turned to the arts that were becoming more and more natural to her : Necromancy . She altered her elven ranger teachings into a new form . Thus , the dark rangers were born . When the Lich King ' s power began to wane , his mental domination was weakened , and many of his undead became free of will again . Many undead elves including the dark ranger Sylvanas , found themselves free of will , and Sylvanas rebelled against Arthas , turning her banshees against their former king . After gaining control of the Tirisfal Glades , Sylvanas proclaimed herself Queen of the Banshees and leader of the Forsaken ( the free - willed undead ) . Many dark rangers are former banshees , however , this does not mean all of them are . The main difference is dark rangers have regained their physical bodies and gained greater powers . Races . Nearly all dark rangers are undead high elves found only among the Forsaken . No other faction has the elves ' history coupled with the personal knowledge of shadows to learn the arts of a dark ranger . In fact , many dark rangers refuse to teach their arts to anyone who wasn ' t a former elf . While these rangers have slackened their restrictions some , most ( nearly all ) dark rangers were once elves . Currently , there has been only one recording of a human ranger and subsequent dark ranger : Nathanos Blightcaller ' s resurrection as one of the Forsaken and service to the Dark Lady has earned him the rank of Champion of the Banshee Queen . Having once resided at Marris Stead in the Eastern Plaguelands , he is now a hunter trainer located in the War Quarter of the Undercity . Abilities . In RPG . Dark rangers are similar to their high elven cousins , but focus on shadowcraft more than nature . Dark rangers are silent and invisible stalkers of the shadows , felling unsuspecting opponents with a single arrow . Dark rangers still favor the bow as the ultimate weapon , using the same arts that Quel ' Thalas taught for millennia . Their spells work with manipulating the essences of life and death , as well as various horrible curses and mind - enslaving abilities . Dark rangers ' senses grow sharper than even those of other Forsaken . The dark ranger learns how to fade into dark conditions , wrapping herself with shadows . The skilled dark ranger can notice the tiny movements of her enemies along with other visual and auditory cues that allow her to react more quickly in combat . While they no longer study nature , dark rangers remain some of the best trackers in the world . Naturally , most dark rangers hail from the scout class , but many newer rangers are former rogues , who use their stealth abilities to act as silent and near - invisible slayers for the Dark Lady . Relations . Once fully trained , Sylvanas ' s dark rangers once again assumed their roles as guardians and hunters , now working for the Forsaken . Some undead , especially former elves , view rangers as a necessary force , and trust them implicitly . Other Forsaken view these shadow killers as relics of an old past , with an inability to move along with the times . Dark Rangers serve as generals for Forsaken armies , as well as elite scout s and assassin s . Like most Forsaken , dark rangers remain in the back lines , performing precision attacks and curses . Conversion from elven to dark . The blood - red eye glow and inhumanely pale skin are what distinguish dark rangers from their former high elvish selves . It may be a necromantic side - effect . An elven ranger who dies and returns as a Forsaken undergoes a great shock . She can no longer cast elven ranger spells , and loses her woodland stride ability . While some may choose to let things be , most immediately seek out a dark ranger to relearn their arts . An elven ranger seeking to convert to a dark ranger must , of course , have died , returned as a Forsaken , and seek to learn the arts of the shadow rather than the wild . This ordeal is difficult , as the dark ranger must twist everything she was taught about nature to start learning her darker trade . Then comes the hard part . A dark ranger - to - be must undergo a lengthy trial , where she unlearns everything she was taught as an elf and learns the new arts of a Forsaken . Faith . A recent movement among the Forsaken has taken hold of dark rangers . The Cult of Forgotten Shadow moves like wildfire among the undead , and the dark rangers are no exception to the obsession with the faith . To fill the void left by the " loss of their druidism , " the dark rangers latched onto the Forgotten Shadow . Most dark rangers sympathize with the origins of the Forgotten Shadow and perhaps understand the Shadow more than any other undead in Lordaeron . While this movement disturbs Lady Sylvanas , she allows it to continue . Appearance in Warcraft III . In The Frozen Throne , Sylvanas Windrunner — after being raised as a Banshee by Arthas — regained her physical body and became the first dark ranger . Dark Rangers are a playable random hero . Hero names . The random heroes in WCIII are named Anya Eversong , Nara Pathstrider , Anthis Sunbow , Clea Deathstrider , Cyndia Hawkspear , Mira Shadewither , Amora Eagleye , Siren Ghostsong , and Somand Wayfinder . Comparisons to dark elves . Sylvanas ' dark ranger form has been compared with dark elves by some fans , a race thought to have been the basis of her physical form , however , this is unconfirmed . Though it ' s partially implied in " Horde Player ' s Guide " , where dark rangers are considered cousins to high elves , and the idea of converting to " dark " is given . Dark elves were first mentioned in " Day of the Dragon " , but to date have not appeared in other sources , though Ul ' haik Hadanot is an example that the potential for a similar race evolving from high elves is possible . In Burning Crusade , there is a new wretched elven type which has darkened grey skin and a gaunt appearance and who are enemies of the blood elves in Quel ' Thalas , often living as bandits , thieves , and urchins . Some are undead , while others are humanoid . Many are aligned with the Scourge . Night elves have also been said to have been inspired by dark elves as well , however , they are benevolent compared to most other stories . In " Horde Player ' s Guide " they are a prestige class though , and not a race . Another distinction between dark rangers and dark elves would be that dark rangers were former elven rangers who have died , become Forsaken , and then learned the " arts of the shadow " and unlearn the " arts of the wild " rather than dark elves , who would be living elves . April Fools joke . On the 1st April 2013 there was a new page on the World of Warcraft website , which listed Dark Rangers as being a playable class in the Shadows of Sargeras expansion . This was however , an April Fool ' s joke .