WoW Forever Hunter

Which Hunter spec is best in WoW Forever?

You fight from range with a bow, gun or crossbow while your pet keeps enemies busy up close. You level quickly and safely on your own, and traps and Feign Death get you out of bad spots. You also look after ammo, pet food and a small dead zone right next to you where you can neither shoot nor strike.

Best to level: Beast MasteryYour pet holds every enemy while you shoot, it grows with your own stats, and Deadly Aspects plus Pathfinding make you faster in and out of fights. Also good: Marksmanship.

Beast Mastery

Damage

Your pet deals much of your damage and tanks for you, and from level 25 Summon Hawk sends up to two hawks at your target. It is the smoothest way to level a Hunter.

• LevelingBest pick
• DungeonsGood
• PvPBest pick

Ready builds

LevelingBeast Mastery 39Marksmanship 12Survival 0DungeonsBeast Mastery 31Marksmanship 20Survival 0PvPBeast Mastery 32Marksmanship 19Survival 0

Talent CalculatorTalent Path

Marksmanship

Damage

You focus on your own shots with Aimed Shot, crit talents and the Sniper Shot capstone. Lone Wolf gives you extra damage when you fight without a pet, which suits dungeon groups.

• LevelingGood
• DungeonsBest pick
• PvPBest pick

Ready builds

LevelingBeast Mastery 5Marksmanship 41Survival 5DungeonsBeast Mastery 0Marksmanship 38Survival 13PvPBeast Mastery 0Marksmanship 31Survival 20

Talent CalculatorTalent Path

Survival

Damage

Survival turns you into a melee fighter with two weapons, traps and bleeds from Mongoose Bite. Its key talents come late, so it is a weak leveling pick before about level 30.

• LevelingNiche
• DungeonsGood
• PvPBest pick

Ready builds

LevelingBeast Mastery 7Marksmanship 10Survival 34DungeonsBeast Mastery 7Marksmanship 13Survival 31PvPBeast Mastery 0Marksmanship 21Survival 30

Talent CalculatorTalent Path

Your road to 60 as a Hunter

Drag to your level: the talent to take now, your newest abilities and the dungeons that fit.

Beast MasteryRecommendedMarksmanshipSurvival

Level20

Drag me

1020305060

Take now

New abilities

Dungeons for you

Class quests10Taming the Beast → Tame Beast and Beast Training

Your Talent Path 10–60The right talent at every level, with new abilities and tips1010203040506060

Races for the Hunter

These races can play a Hunter. Hover a racial icon for the details.

Human

Alliance

Ruthless adds 1% crit to every shot, and The Human Spirit adds 10% Spirit, which fills your Mana bar faster between fights. Perception spots stealthed enemies and Will to Survive breaks any stun, both useful when a rogue jumps you.

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DwarfTop Alliance pick

Alliance

Big Game Hunter adds 5% damage against Beasts, a Hunter racial in all but name since so many early targets and dungeon bosses are Beasts. Artisan's Precision adds 1% hit to every shot, and Stoneform clears bleeds, poisons and diseases and cuts physical damage taken by 10%.

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Night Elf

Alliance

Shadowmeld lets you slip out of a fight gone wrong and reappear at range. Quickness adds a little dodge and movement speed that now stacks with your other speed boosts, and Wisp Spirit gets you back to your body fast after a death.

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Skyborne

Both factionsNew in Forever

The new race, on both sides. Wind Blessed adds 2% Haste to your shots, and Walk on Air lets you glide down safely after Disengage or a bad fall.

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OrcTop Horde pick

Horde

The best Horde pick now. Command is back and makes your pet deal 5% more damage all the time, Blood Fury adds 10% Attack Power for 15 sec every 2 min, a clean burst for your shot rotation, and Hardiness shortens stuns by 20% so melee attackers hold you less.

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TaurenTop PvP pick

Horde

War Stomp stuns up to 5 enemies around you for 2 sec every 90 sec, a great opener for your pet and a lifesaver in PvP, and Endurance adds 5% health.

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Troll

Horde

Beast Slaying adds 5% damage against Beasts, matching the Dwarf racial on the other faction, and Berserking adds 10% attack and cast speed for 15 sec whenever you need a burst window.

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Best race for a Hunter compared

What weapons can the Hunter use in WoW Forever?

The Hunter can use bows, crossbows, guns, thrown weapons, daggers, fist weapons, one-handed axes, one-handed swords, two-handed axes, two-handed swords, polearms and staves. Weapon skills you do not have yet you buy from a Weapon Master in a capital, and the skill goes up as you fight with the weapon. Your class trainer teaches new abilities and ranks and resets your talents, and a second talent set opens at level 40.

Undercity has no hunter trainer. Human hunters, new in Forever, start with Tordrin Sternblade in Northshire Valley and get their taming quest from Josephine Carson in Goldshire.

All Hunter trainers on the World Map

As of Oct 10, 2026. NPCs and places from the beta database, we check them again in the live game.

Hunter abilities by level and what the trainer charges

Your trainer teaches 121 abilities and ranks from level 1 to 60. In the beta that came to 203g 82s, at launch the whole training from 1 to 60 costs about 206–207 gold for every class. New ranks come on every even level, so drop by every two levels. Of these, 10 are new in Forever. 1 was a talent in Classic.

Beta dataFrom the trainer lists of the Forever beta, as of Oct 24, 2026. The prices per rank are still the beta ones, the launch evened them out.

Hunter class quests step by step

Every class quest that brings you an ability, a form or a class item, quest by quest: who gives it and where, what you need and what you get.

Beta dataQuest steps from the Forever beta database, as of Oct 21, 2026. The quest texts you read in the game.

Popular Hunter builds at 60

The builds players plan for level 60, under the names you hear in chat. One click opens the full build in the talent calculator.

Damage·Solo leveling from 10 to 60

Beast Mastery Leveling

Beast Mastery 39Marksmanship 12Survival 0

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Deadly Aspects procs extra attack speed, your pet tanks with Frenzy and Bestial Discipline behind it, and Bestial Wrath plus Summon Hawk give you a burst window whenever a fight runs long.

Talent CalculatorRotation Trainer

Damage·Dungeon groups, your pet holds the pack while you hit several enemies

Beast Cleave

Beast Mastery 31Marksmanship 20Survival 0

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Trueshot Aura shares Attack Power with the whole group, Frenzy and Ferocity keep your pet swinging fast, and Careful Aim turns your Intellect into attack power.

Talent CalculatorRotation Trainer

Damage·Dungeon and raid damage without a pet

Aimed Shot Marksmanship

Beast Mastery 0Marksmanship 38Survival 13

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Lone Wolf adds damage while you fight without a pet, Mortal Shots makes your crits hit harder, Barrage adds damage to Multi-Shot, Aimed Shot and Volley, and Sniper Shot at the bottom of the tree is a 45 yard shot that also adds 10 yards to your next 3 shots.

Talent CalculatorRotation Trainer

Damage·Battlegrounds and world PvP, keeping melee attackers at range

Trapper Marksmanship

Beast Mastery 0Marksmanship 31Survival 20

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Scatter Shot disorients your target to open, Entrapment roots anything that sets off your traps, and Deterrence plus Counterattack turn a melee rush into your own opening.

Talent CalculatorRotation Trainer

Damage·Dungeon groups, ranged damage with extra trap control

Ranged Survival

Beast Mastery 0Marksmanship 21Survival 30

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• 2/2
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• 2/2
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This build still shoots from range: Mortal Shots from Marksmanship makes your crits hit harder, while Survivalist's Discipline, Resourcefulness and Lightning Reflexes from the Survival tree round out your damage and control.

Talent CalculatorRotation Trainer

Damage·PvP against melee attackers, slows and stuns keep them off you

Survival PvP

Beast Mastery 0Marksmanship 21Survival 30

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Improved Wing Clip and Clever Traps make your slows and traps last longer, Deterrence and Counterattack punish anyone who closes in, and Survivalist's Discipline keeps you shooting through the fight.

Talent CalculatorRotation Trainer

The beta stopped at level 30, so these level 60 builds are plans from the Forever talent data. Since launch we check them in the live game. Builds as published on wowforeverbuilds.com.

Hunter BiS at level 60: the best gear by slot before the raids

Our pick for every slot at level 60 from the gear the Forever data holds: dungeon drops, dungeon quests, Dungeon Set 2 and crafted items. The raids open on December 9, until then this is the gear to farm.

EditorialThe item stats come from the Forever client. The order is our call by the stats each spec wants, because the beta stopped at level 30 and nobody has tested level 60. Set bonuses are not counted. Stats and hit cap.

One list for all three specs: Beast Mastery, Marksmanship and Survival

What countsAgility, hit and crit first, then ranged Attack Power and Intellect. The melee weapon only carries stats.

Slot	Our pick	Where it comes from	Also good
Head	Beastmaster's CapiLvl 60 · +22 Agility · 1% hit · +12 Intellect · +21 Stamina	Dungeon Set 2: Saving the Best for Last	Darkmantle CapBeaststalker's Cap
Shoulder	Shadowcraft SpauldersiLvl 60 · +22 Agility · 0.2% hit · +9 Stamina	Cannon Master Willey · Stratholme: Main Gate	Darkmantle SpauldersDark Warder's Pauldrons
Back	Cape of the Black BaroniLvl 63 · +15 Agility · +20 Attack Power	Baron Rivendare · Stratholme: Service Gate	Stoneskin Gargoyle Cape
Chest	Darkmantle TuniciLvl 60 · +31 Agility · 2% hit · +15 Stamina	Dungeon Set 2: Saving the Best for Last	Beastmaster's TunicShadowcraft Tunic
Wrist	Beastmaster's BindingsiLvl 65 · +16 Agility · +5 Intellect · +7 Stamina	Dungeon Set 2: An Earnest Proposition	Shadowcraft BracersDarkmantle Bracers
Hands	Devilsaur GauntletsiLvl 58 · 1% crit · +28 Attack Power · +9 Stamina	Leatherworking 290, pattern from a vendor	Darkmantle GlovesBeastmaster's Gloves
Waist	Beastmaster's BeltiLvl 65 · +16 Agility · +10 Intellect · +16 Stamina	Dungeon Set 2: Just Compensation	Darkmantle BeltHeavy Timbermaw Belt
Legs	Beastmaster's PantsiLvl 66 · +28 Agility · +9 Intellect · +14 Stamina	Dungeon Set 2: Anthion's Parting Words	Devilsaur LeggingsBeaststalker's Pants
Feet	Shadowcraft BootsiLvl 59 · +21 Agility · 0.3% hit · +9 Stamina	Rattlegore · Scholomance	Darkmantle BootsBeastmaster's Boots
Two-hand	Legionite GlaiveiLvl 63 · +54 Attack Power · +16 Agility · 1% hit	Blacksmithing 320, plans from a vendor	Arcanite Reaper
Ranged	BlackcrowiLvl 59 · 0.9% hit · +3 Agility	Shadow Hunter Vosh'gajin · Lower Blackrock Spire	Flawless Arcanite RifleDark Iron Rifle

The Forever data has no item from level 50 for neck, finger and trinket yet. We add them once the dungeons are run at level 60 in the live game.

Raid gear, PvP rank gear and battleground rewards are not in this list, PvP has its own page: PvP gear.

Dungeon loot for your Hunter

Rare and epic armor (Leather, Mail from 40) and weapons you can use, dungeon by dungeon by level. Armor and weapon types as in Classic. Getting to 60 takes many evenings of quests and dungeons. If you would rather spend yours elsewhere, a WoW Forever leveling boost for your Hunter takes over those levels.

13–18Hall of ThanesMap

• Flamefist GripsHands
• Fang of MagmatusMain Hand
• Golemheart StaveTwo-Hand
• Durgen's Crescent AxeMain Hand
• Direhammer LeggingsLegs

13–18Ragefire ChasmMap

• Bone KnucklesMain Hand
• Barbaric CrossbowRanged
• Cursed FelbladeMain Hand
• Chanting BladeOne-Hand
• Searing DaggerMain Hand
• Chasm WalkersFeet

15–20Ruins of LordaeronMap

• Haunting BladeTwo-Hand
• Coldspire StaffTwo-Hand
• Bloodied ChestwrapsChest
• Vileblood ScimitarOne-Hand
• Corpse ChopperTwo-Hand
• Meathook SlicerOne-Hand
• Witherbite BracersWrist
• Segmented Spider LegTwo-Hand
• +2 more

17–24Wailing CavernsMap

• VenomstrikeRanged
• Serpent's ShouldersShoulder
• Armor of the FangChest
• Living RootTwo-Hand
• Leggings of the FangLegs
• Tail SpikeOne-Hand
• Footpads of the FangFeet
• Belt of the FangWaist
• +2 more

17–26The DeadminesMap

• Cruel BarbOne-Hand
• RockslicerTwo-Hand
• Taskmaster AxeTwo-Hand
• Buzz SawOne-Hand
• Thief's BladeOne-Hand
• Smite's ReaverOne-Hand
• Emberstone StaffTwo-Hand
• Impaling HarpoonTwo-Hand
• Blackened Defias BeltWaist
• Blackened Defias ArmorChest
• Buzzer BladeMain Hand
• Dull SawbladeThrown
• Smelting PantsLegs
• +7 more

22–30Shadowfang KeepMap

• Meteor ShardOne-Hand
• Black Wolf BracersWrist
• Haunting BladeTwo-Hand
• Blade of SilverlaineMain Hand
• Arced War AxeTwo-Hand
• Odo's Ley StaffTwo-Hand
• Girdle of the BlindwatcherWaist
• Worgpelt LeggingsLegs
• Butcher's CleaverOne-Hand
• Butcher's SlicerOne-Hand
• Cell Keeper's ClawsMain Hand
• Rugged SpauldersShoulder
• +6 more

24–29Excavation Site: WetlandsMap

• Golemsight Long GunRanged
• Supple Bellyskin LeggingsLegs
• Garb of Florid FeathersChest

24–32Blackfathom DeepsMap

• Strike of the HydraTwo-Hand
• Moss CinchWaist
• Rod of the SleepwalkerTwo-Hand
• Fallenroot LongbowRanged
• Bite of Serra'kisOne-Hand
• Darkwater TalwarMain Hand
• Naga Battle GlovesHands
• Naga HeartpiercerRanged
• Reef AxeTwo-Hand
• Bands of Serra'kisWrist
• +4 more

24–32The StockadeMap

• Defias JailbreakersHands
• Debt CollectorMain Hand
• Concealed Hand CrossbowRanged
• Hamhock's CleaverMain Hand
• Kam's Walking StickTwo-Hand
• Demolition GirdleWaist
• BoneslicerTwo-Hand
• Prison ShankOne-Hand
• Iron KnucklesOne-Hand
• Executioner MantleShoulder
• Blackrock HarnessChest
• +5 more

28–33City of DalaranMap

• Garb of Fallen FelbarkChest
• Felbough ArmTwo-Hand
• Slitherwrap GirdleWaist
• Spine of the DevourerTwo-Hand
• Unstable Crystalline ShoulderpadsShoulder
• Guardian's DualbladeTwo-Hand
• Cartilage ShapersHands
• Tendonscraper DaggerMain Hand
• Gravespike RepeaterRanged
• +3 more

29–38GnomereganMap

• Emissary CuffsWrist
• Glass ShooterRanged
• Electrocutioner LegMain Hand
• Gnomebot Operating BootsFeet
• HydrocaneTwo-Hand
• Toxic RevengerOne-Hand

29–38Razorfen KraulMap

• Quilrager Throwing AxeThrown
• Swinetusk ShankMain Hand
• Pronged ReaverOne-Hand
• CorpsemakerTwo-Hand
• Ferine LeggingsLegs
• Nightstalker BowRanged
• Whisperwind HeaddressHead
• Wind Spirit StaffTwo-Hand
• ThornspikeOne-Hand
• Thorncursed GripsHands
• Death Prophet SpineTwo-Hand
• Geomancer HeaddressHead
• +6 more

30–38Scarlet Monastery: GraveyardMap

• Morbid DawnTwo-Hand
• Ebon ViseHands
• Torturing PokerOne-Hand
• Bloody Brass KnucklesOne-Hand

33–41Scarlet Monastery: LibraryMap

• Illusionary RodTwo-Hand
• Hypnotic BladeMain Hand
• Loksey's Training StickTwo-Hand
• Dog Training GlovesHands

36–44Scarlet Monastery: ArmoryMap

• RavagerTwo-Hand

37–46Razorfen DownsMap

• Coldrage DaggerOne-Hand
• BonefingersHands
• Glutton's CleaverOne-Hand
• Fleshhide ShouldersShoulder

38–46Scarlet Monastery: CathedralMap

• Branded Leather BracersWrist

41–51UldamanMap

• Grimlok's ChargeTwo-Hand
• Rockshard PauldronsShoulder
• Revelosh's SpauldersShoulder

44–54Zul'FarrakMap

• Sang'thraze the DeflectorOne-Hand
• The Chief's EnforcerTwo-Hand
• Jang'thraze the ProtectorMain Hand
• Diabolic SkiverTwo-Hand
• Zum'rah's Vexing CaneTwo-Hand
• Gahz'rilla FangOne-Hand
• Gahz'rilla Scale ArmorChest
• +1 more

46–55MaraudonMap

• Charstone DirkMain Hand
• Bracers of the Stone PrincessWrist
• Megashot RifleRanged
• Inventor's Focal SwordMain Hand
• Gatorbite AxeTwo-Hand
• Claw of CelebrasOff Hand

50–60Sunken TempleMap

• Horns of EranikusHead
• Spire of HakkarTwo-Hand
• Smoldering ClawTwo-Hand
• HeadspikeTwo-Hand

52–60Blackrock DepthsMap

• Savage Gladiator ChainChest
• Pyremail WristguardsWrist
• Savage Gladiator GripsHands
• Savage Gladiator LeggingsLegs
• Savage Gladiator GreavesFeet
• Savage Gladiator HelmHead
• Verek's LeashWaist
• Lord General's SwordMain Hand
• Greaves of Withering DespairFeet
• Fleetfoot GreavesFeet
• Houndmaster's BowRanged
• Searingscale LeggingsLegs
• Kindling StaveTwo-Hand
• +7 more

55–60Lower Blackrock SpireMap

• Beaststalker's MantleShoulder
• Boots of ElementsFeet
• BlackcrowRanged
• Beaststalker's GlovesHands

58–60ScholomanceMap

• Coif of ElementsHead
• Beaststalker's CapHead

58–60Stratholme: Main GateMap

• Foresight GirdleWaist
• Timmy's GaloshesFeet

58–60Stratholme: Service GateMap

• Kilt of ElementsLegs
• Beaststalker's PantsLegs
• Beaststalker's BootsFeet

59–60Upper Blackrock SpireMap

• Vest of ElementsChest
• Beaststalker's TunicChest
• Pauldrons of ElementsShoulder
• Gauntlets of ElementsHands

Show all 27 dungeons

Hunter pets

Your pet: the best family for every job

18 families and 648 tameable beasts. Here is the pick for each job, the rest is in the hunter pet guide.

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  Solo leveling

  Boar−10% · +9% · +4%

  A pet that holds the target and survives while you shoot. Armor, health and an easy diet matter more than damage.

  BearTurtle

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  Most damage

  Cat+10% · 0 · −2%

  The highest damage bonus of all families. For you when you kite or keep threat yourself.

  RaptorWind Serpent

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  Group support

  Carrion Bird0 · +5% · 0

  Abilities that help the whole group: fewer hits taken or more damage for melee.

  WolfGorilla

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  PvP

  Crocolisk0 · +10% · −5%

  The new family abilities are built to slow, hold or weaken players.

  SpiderCrabHyena

Hunter changes in WoW Forever: what is new

Seen in the beta, unless it says otherwise.

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  Aimed Shot is trained at level 20 by every Hunter instead of being a talent, and it shares its cooldown with Multi-Shot.

• Your other shots no longer delay Auto Shot, so you do not have to time your buttons around it. Since October 16 you stand still for half a second before Auto Shot fires, as in early WoW, but it keeps firing while you cast Aimed Shot or Sniper Shot. A new setting called Auto Attack/Auto Shot switches between auto attack and Auto Shot for you, and it works with a gamepad too.

• Pets now grow stronger with your own stats and gear, player buffs that raise stats no longer work on them, and they learn new family abilities such as Web, Pinch and Dismember. Since October 16 pets also gain from Expertise and take your higher crit chance, melee or ranged.

• Traps can be set during combat, and since launch all traps share one 30 sec cooldown. One Fire and one Frost trap can be out at the same time, and Fire traps grow with your attack power. Scorpid Sting now lowers the target's hit chance by 2% instead of its Strength and Agility.

• New talents give each spec its own style: Summon Hawk for Beast Mastery, Lone Wolf and Sniper Shot for Marksmanship, and a melee Survival tree with Strider Kick and Lacerating Strikes.

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  Sniper Shot, the Marksmanship capstone, now reaches 45 yards and adds 10 yards to the range of your next 3 shots within 10 sec. Deflection in Survival gives 1–5% Parry over its five ranks (was 2–10%), and your pet has Aggressive mode again in the pet tab of your spellbook. Trueshot Aura now reaches your whole raid.

• Hunter's Mark at its level 58 rank adds 143 Ranged Attack Power for everyone who shoots the marked target, up from 71. The lower ranks stay as they were.

• Some things stay the same: you still use Mana, buy ammo, feed your pet and have a dead zone right next to you.

• At launch your shots hit harder: Aimed Shot has about 110% more bonus damage, Arcane Shot about 30% more base damage and a bigger share of your attack power, Serpent Sting about 20% more per tick and Sniper Shot twice its bonus. Aspect of the Hawk gives 20, 35, 50, 70, 90 and 110 Ranged Attack Power over ranks 1 to 6, and Trueshot Aura 20, 35, 50, 75 and 100. Barrage gives 5, 10 or 15% more damage, Lightning Reflexes up to 15% Agility, and Tame Beast no longer works on beasts above your level.

15 of 50 talents are new

Beast Mastery2 new, 11 changed, 16 in total

Marksmanship5 new, 9 changed, 16 in total

Survival8 new, 6 changed, 18 in total

See every Hunter talent in the talent calculator

Every change from Classic Era, for each class and beyond the talents, is in WoW Forever vs Classic, and what Blizzard's patches changed for the Hunter in the patch notes.

More for your Hunter

• Tier listWhere your specs rank right now. Best spot: Beast Mastery, tier S (Leveling 1 to 20).
• Legacy CalculatorYour 16 Legacy Points planned, with the ready build and the tip for the Hunter.
• Races and racialsThe racials of the 7 races that can be a Hunter, with what the beta build of October 16 changed.
• Stats and hit capHit cap, crit, expertise and weapon skill in Forever, and what changed from Classic.
• MacrosStarter macros for the Hunter, the macro rules of Forever and every command.
• Gear PlannerYour level 60 gear as a Hunter, planned slot by slot.
• Addons and built-in UIBuilt in for you: Cooldown Manager and Swing Timer. Plus 6 addons for the Hunter, each with its Forever status.
• Hunter pets18 families, 648 tameable beasts with their spawns on the map, plus a tame finder for your level, a rank finder and a training point planner.
• PvP gearOne spec line (Pursuit), each with a Rare Premier set and its Epic upgrade for Alliance and Horde.
• Sets and transmogBeaststalker Armor and Beastmaster Armor from the dungeons, 1 new Tier 1 set and the Classic raid sets in the client, every piece with its source.

FAQ

Other classes

WarriorPaladinRoguePriestShamanMageWarlockDruid

As of Nov 6, 2026. Values from the beta and the launch client, hotfixes can still change them. Talent tree data: talentsforever.com (CC BY 4.0)