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WoW Forever has nine playable races. Humans, Dwarves, Night Elves and Gnomes fight for the Alliance, Orcs, Undead, Tauren and Trolls for the Horde, and the new Skyborne pick a side when you create them. Every race brings four racials, and the old weapon racials are gone: Humans get 1% crit from Ruthless, Dwarves 1% hit from Artisan's Precision, and Orcs got Command back for Hunter and Warlock pets. Together the races make 56 race and class pairs, 16 of them new.
| Race | Faction | Classes | Starting zone |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Alliance |        | Elwynn Forest |
 | Alliance |  | Dun Morogh |
 | Alliance |  | Teldrassil |
 | Alliance | | Dun Morogh |
 | Horde | | Durotar |
 | Horde | | Tirisfal Glades |
 | Horde | | Mulgore |
 | Horde | | Durotar |
 | Alliance or Horde | Alliance | Zephras Isle |
new in ForeverConfirmedBlizzard news: races and classesStarting zonesBeta
Values from the launch client (build 1.60.1.70707). Hover or tap a racial for its tooltip. Where Forever changed it, the line below says how, with its status and source. Beta data
Alliance
Breaks every stun on you.
You spot stealthed enemies much more easily for 20 sec.
1% crit chance with all spells and attacks.
ConfirmedReplaces Sword Specialization since the beta build of October 16. Since the racial changes of October 26 it gives 1% instead of 2%. Blizzard, Oct 26
10% more Spirit.
ConfirmedUp from 5% since the racial changes of October 26. Blizzard, Oct 26
Our top pick for
Alliance
1% hit chance with all spells and attacks.
ConfirmedSince the racial changes of October 26 it replaces Earth Fury (2% more critical damage and healing), which had replaced Mace Specialization. Blizzard, Oct 26
5% more damage against Beasts.
Clears every Bleed, Poison and Disease, keeps you immune to them and cuts Physical damage taken by 10% for 8 sec.
Shows nearby treasure on your minimap until you turn it off.
Beta dataSince the beta build of October 16 it also finds extra items in most chests. The chance is not stated. Client 70707
Our top pick for
Alliance
10% crit chance with spells and attacks for 15 sec.
You slip into the shadows until you move. In combat enemies are less likely to attack you, and the cooldown grows to 2 min (Rogue version).
1% dodge and 2% movement speed. Night Elf Rogues and Druids are also harder to spot in Stealth.
ConfirmedStacks with other movement speed bonuses since the October 15 notes. Blizzard notes
You turn into a wisp when you die and move 75% faster.
Our top pick for
Alliance
For 8 sec your abilities that are not effects over time cost 10% less Mana, Rage or Energy and are 10% stronger. Channeled spells count.
ConfirmedSince the October 15 notes it lasts 8 sec without charges and also helps Power Word: Shield. Blizzard notes
5% more maximum Mana, Rage or Energy, depending on your class.
Frees you from every slow and root and keeps you immune to them for 3 sec.
Your Engineering gadgets fail or backfire 20% less often.
Our top pick for
Horde
10% more Attack Power and Spell Power for 15 sec.
ConfirmedGrants Spell Power as well in Forever, and since the racial changes of October 26 its cooldown is 2 min instead of 3. Blizzard, Oct 26
Hunter and Warlock pets deal 5% more damage. Other classes get nothing from it.
ConfirmedBack from Classic since the racial changes of October 26. It replaces Savage, which gave 1% crit in the beta. Blizzard, Oct 26
Stuns on you last 20% shorter.
Removes every Curse and Bane and cuts magic damage taken by 5% for 8 sec.
Beta dataThe beta build of October 16 took away its immunity and cut the damage reduction from 15% to 5%. Client 70707
Horde
Breaks Charm, Fear and Sleep on you.
Beta dataSince the beta build of October 16 you cannot use it while Scatter Shot holds you. Client 70707
Eat a Humanoid or Undead corpse within 5 yd to regain 7% of your Health and Mana every 2 sec for 10 sec. Moving, acting or taking damage stops it.
You hold your breath 300% longer underwater.
Your spells and attacks can drain Health from the target, up to 5% of your maximum Health.
ConfirmedSince the racial changes of October 26 it can trigger at most once every 15 sec instead of every 25 sec, with a 30% chance for Priests, Mages and Warlocks and 20% for Paladins, Rogues and Warriors. Blizzard, Oct 26
Our top pick for
Horde
A 0.5 sec cast that stuns up to 5 enemies within 8 yd for 2 sec.
Beta dataCooldown 90 sec since the beta build of October 16. Client 70707
5% more Health.
ConfirmedHealth only since the racial changes of October 26. The 2% critical damage and healing of the beta build of October 16 and the 1% hit before it are gone. Blizzard, Oct 26
Outdoors and out of combat you run faster the longer you keep running, 2% per stack up to 60%. Standing still or taking damage wears it down again.
ConfirmedSince the racial changes of October 26 each stack gives 2% instead of 1% and the cap is 60% instead of 30%, and it no longer adds mounted speed. Blizzard, Oct 26
Grows a copy of a nearby herb that you can pick without Herbalism. Each herb works once.
Our top pick for
Horde
10% cast and attack speed for 15 sec.
ConfirmedLasts 15 sec instead of 10 since the racial changes of October 26. Blizzard, Oct 26
5% more damage against Beasts.
Health regeneration up by 20%, and 20% of it keeps running in combat.
Beta dataUp from 10% in the beta build of October 16. Client 70707
Channel for 6 sec to regain 50% of your maximum Health. Moving, acting or taking damage stops it.
Our top pick for
Alliance or Horde
Glide down through the air for 10 sec and steer where you go.
Beta dataCooldown 90 sec since the beta build of October 16. Client 70707
A 0.5 sec cast for 15% more run and mount speed for 15 sec. Cast it at an elemental convergence and you stay Charged for 1 hour, which doubles it to 30%. Charged lasts through death and ends when you enter a raid.
ConfirmedSince the racial changes of October 26 it gives 15% instead of 10%, and the 1 hour Charged replaces the 15 min near a convergence. Blizzard, Oct 26
5% more damage against Elementals.
2% Haste for spells, melee and ranged attacks.
ConfirmedThe beta build of October 16 raised it from 1% to 3%, and since the racial changes of October 26 it gives 2%. Blizzard, Oct 26
A 0.5 sec cast that raises your Health and Mana regeneration by 50% for 15 sec. Cast it at a leyline and you stay Attuned for 1 hour, which doubles it to 100%. Attuned lasts through death and ends when you enter a raid.
ConfirmedSince the racial changes of October 26 the base effect is 50% instead of 100%, the 1 hour Attuned replaces the 15 min near a leyline, and you cannot use it while Innervate is on you. Blizzard, Oct 26
Our top pick for
What sets the Skyborne apart
Forever launch client, build 1.60.1.70707Beta data
Every racial: what it does, its cooldown and its German name, read in the Wowhead Forever tooltips and the client tables on wago.tools. The changes of October 16.
Blizzard: racial changes of October 26, amended October 27Confirmed
The last racial pass before launch: Humans, Dwarves, Tauren, Orcs, Trolls, Undead and Skyborne.
Blizzard: Beta Development Notes, updated October 15Confirmed
Eureka!, Quickness and the new leyline and convergence spots.
Blizzard news: races and classesConfirmed
Which race plays which class and the 16 new pairs, matched with the client.
Blizzard: Pre-Purchase World of Warcraft: Forever UpgradesAnnounced
The Skyborne come with the upgrade packs.
Race tier listEditorial
The top pick per class is our verdict from the race tier list, with the reasons for every class.
These are the values of the launch client 1.60.1.70707 with the racial changes of October 26. We check every racial again with every patch.
Racials are the abilities your race gives you on top of your class. Every race has four. One Skyborne racial depends on the side, Read Leyline for the Alliance or Skysight for the Horde, which makes 37 in all. Some are cooldowns like Will to Survive, Stoneform or Berserking, the rest are passives like Ruthless or Wind Blessed.
Nine. The Alliance plays Humans, Dwarves, Night Elves and Gnomes, the Horde Orcs, Undead, Tauren and Trolls, and the new Skyborne join either side. Every old race starts in its Classic starting zone, the Skyborne on Zephras Isle.
The weapon racials are gone. Ruthless gives Humans 1% crit, Artisan's Precision gives Dwarves 1% hit, and Orcs got Command back, 5% more damage for Hunter and Warlock pets, with Blood Fury every 2 min. Tauren Endurance is 5% health only, while Plainsrunning builds up to 60% run speed out of combat, though not in a battleground's preparation phase or while you carry a flag. Troll Berserking lasts 15 sec, Undead Touch of the Grave can trigger every 15 sec and Skyborne Wind Blessed gives 2% Haste. Since the October 15 notes Eureka! lasts 8 sec without charges. These are the values of the launch client. How crit and hit work in Forever.
16 of the 56 pairs are new. The old races add 6: Gnome Priest, Human Hunter, Dwarf Shaman, Orc Mage, Troll Warlock and Undead Paladin. The Skyborne add 10, 5 on each side. Every pair in the race tier list.
Warrior, Hunter, Rogue and Druid on both sides, plus Mage for the Alliance and Shaman for the Horde. They start on Zephras Isle and come only with one of the three upgrade packs: Skyborne Heroic Pack, Skyborne Epic Pack and Warcraft Forever Collection.
Yes. On top of the racials every Priest race learns two Priest spells of its own from class quests at levels 10 and 20, the new Gnome Priest included. The spells per race in the Priest guide.
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Page history
Updated
Plainsrunning no longer builds up in a battleground's preparation phase or while you carry a flag.
Orc is now the best Horde race for Hunters: Command adds 5% pet damage.
Read Leyline and Skysight: 1 hour Attuned and Charged at leylines and convergences.
First published Every change on the guides
