Orc
Blood Fury is a big damage cooldown, and Command adds 5% pet damage for Hunters and Warlocks.
Best races for PvE and PvP
Every race ranked by its racial package, separately for PvE and PvP. Your class matters too: a lower ranked race can still be the best pick for a specific build.
Best races for PvE
SBest damage
Troll
Berserking gives 10% speed on demand, and its regeneration cuts downtime.
Night Elf
Elune's Light adds 10% crit for 15 sec, one of the best burst windows.
AStrong
Skyborne
2% Haste that is always on, plus faster regeneration from leylines.
Human
1% crit with everything, 10% more Spirit and a stun break for dangerous pulls.
BGood
Gnome
Eureka! and 5% more resource help burst and longer fights.
Dwarf
1% hit that is always on, and Stoneform removes poisons and bleeds.
Undead
Touch of the Grave adds damage and sustain over time.
CUtility
Tauren
5% more health and an AoE stun, but little extra damage.
Best races for PvP
SBest for PvP
Human
Will to Survive breaks any stun, the most valuable PvP racial.
Undead
Will of the Forsaken breaks fear, charm and sleep.
Gnome
Escape Artist frees you from roots and slows, and Eureka! adds burst.
AStrong
Orc
Blood Fury burst, shorter stuns and Shatter Curse against casters.
Dwarf
Stoneform shrugs off bleeds and poisons and cuts physical damage.
Tauren
War Stomp is a free AoE stun to set up a kill or escape.
BGood
Night Elf
Elune's Light burst and Shadowmeld to reset a fight.
Troll
Berserking burst and fast healing between fights.
CNo escapes
Skyborne
Great passive Haste, but no crowd control break or defensive racial.