Community roundup: the Riverglades, capital-city fixes, the apple exploit and a Mage talent change, checked against the client

2026-10-20 · ForeverDB

The Comeback Kids react to Blizzard's leveling video (the Riverglades, Mount Hyjal and the Barrow Deeps raid) plus capital-city tweaks, the apple XP exploit, the racials policy, world PvP and snowstorms. We check the names against the Forever beta client, which has the zones and factions but not the live-world and server details. The one class claim, a change to the Mage talent Elemental Precision, does not match our datamined build.

This write-up checks a community video from The Comeback Kids against the Forever beta client (build 1.60.1.70450). Blizzard's story points come from its official leveling video as the creator relays them; the numbers for abilities and talents come from the client. Beta data can change before the November 4, 2026 launch.

The video is a news roundup. It reacts to Blizzard's new leveling video, covers a few capital-city changes, an experience exploit that was fixed, a clarification on racials, a single Mage talent change, world PvP and new snow weather. Most of it is story, live-world observation and server matters that the datamined client can't show. Here is what the client does hold, and where a number or a name differs.

The short version

• Blizzard's leveling video shows two new zones: the Riverglades (Alliance meet the Brotherhood of the Horse, Horde the Bolder'ok ogres) and Mount Hyjal, ending in the 10-player Barrow Deeps raid. All of this is in the client.
• Playable ogres, the "curious crow" being Aegwynn, and a death-knight-looking character are the creator's own theories. Nothing in the client confirms them.
• Capital-city tweaks (a Darnassus mailbox, the Stormwind wall gone, new barber shops), the apple XP exploit fix and the racials policy are live-world and server matters, not things in the datamined data.
• The Mage talent Elemental Precision: the video says it now gives 2/4/6% hit over three points. Our datamined build still shows the older five-rank version (up to 5%), so the change is newer than our extract.
• Snowstorms and organic world PvP are design and visuals, not in the client.
• Further down we also list what the video skipped: the other class changes the client holds.

Claim by claim

One row per place, faction, character, raid, change or system the video names, checked against the client.

The Riverglades and Mount Hyjal

Most of the video reacts to Blizzard's leveling video, which we already checked name by name. Here is the short version against the client.

• The Riverglades is a new zone in the client (map 2548). Alliance players meet the Brotherhood of the Horse, a faction already in the client: outcast riders of Stormwind's cavalry.
• The Horde ogre clan the captions call "Baldderock" is the Bolder'ok Clan in the client, former Twilight's Hammer who broke away.
• Mount Hyjal is the climax of leveling, ending in the Barrow Deeps, a 10-player raid. The client has the Barrow Deeps and a 10 Player raid difficulty.

For the full name-by-name check of Blizzard's leveling video, see our earlier write-up and the Riverglades lore.

Playable ogres, a crow and a death knight

Speculation. The playable ogres, the crow being Aegwynn and the death-knight-looking character are the creator's theories drawn from the video's art and story, not statements from Blizzard or anything in the client. Treat them as guesses until Blizzard says more, or beta players reach the Riverglades and Mount Hyjal, which the level 30 cap keeps everyone out of for now.

Capital cities, the apple exploit and racials

• Darnassus now has a mailbox by the auction house, Stormwind's invisible wall near the barber shop is gone, and there are new barber shops in Darnassus and Thunder Bluff. These are world and interface changes; our datamined data doesn't record object placement, so we can't verify them, but players saw them in game.
• Players found an apple turn-in that gave repeatable experience; the creator cites dev Johnny Cash saying it is fixed. That's a server and quest fix, nothing in the client files.
• On racials, the creator quotes dev Zirene clarifying that racials shouldn't need touching after launch, but can still be changed if one is broken. The client has a Racial Abilities screen but no policy to check.

The Mage change: Elemental Precision

The one class claim in the video is a Mage talent change the creator spotted after a talent reset.

Elemental Precision is now giving 2, four, and 6% hit chance for fire and frost spells across three points compared to the previous five point investment for 5%. The Comeback Kids, WoW Forever’s Beta Plans Just Changed & Blizzard Revealed WHAT?! (13:20)

In our datamined build 1.60.1.70450, Elemental Precision is still Frost tier 1, learned at level 10, with five ranks giving 1/2/3/4/5% hit with Frost and Fire spells. That matches the version the video calls the old one (five points for 5%), not the new 2/4/6% over three points. So our client extract is older than the beta change the video describes. Classic Era's talent had three ranks and reduced the target's resist chance by 6% instead, so moving it to flat hit chance is itself a Forever change. See the Mage talent calculator, Mage changes and the Frost Mage simulator.

World PvP and weather

The video also covers Blizzard wanting organic world PvP over valuable resources at level 60, and new snowstorms with reduced visibility in the beta. Both are design aims and visual effects; neither is in the datamined client data, so there is nothing to measure yet.

Where the client and Blizzard differ

• Elemental Precision Elemental Precision: the video says three ranks for 2/4/6% hit; our build 1.60.1.70450 still shows five ranks for 1 to 5% hit. Our extract predates the change.
• The ogre clan's name: the captions say "Baldderock"; the client calls them the Bolder'ok Clan.
• The crow, the death knight and playable ogres are the creator's theories, not in the client as facts.

What we have, and what we don't

The client has the Riverglades (map 2548), the Brotherhood of the Horse and Bolder'ok Clan factions, Mount Hyjal and the Barrow Deeps raid, and a 10 Player raid difficulty. It does not have zone level ranges, quests, NPCs or drops for these places, because Forever keeps those on its servers, and it has no weather effects or capital-city object placement. Nobody can test any of it yet: the beta's level cap is 30, and both zones sit well above it. When the cap rises, ForeverDB addon users questing there will fill the gaps.

What the video didn't mention

Warrior

Fury

• Lingering Rage (Fury tier 2, level 15, in Classic's Improved Demoralizing Shout slot): Rank 5 holds your Rage from decaying for 10 extra sec after leaving combat.
• Furious Precision (Fury tier 3, level 20): Rank 3 adds 10% hit with off-hand attacks.
• Raging Blows (Fury tier 4, level 25): Rank 1 cuts the Rage cost of Cleave and Whirlwind by 3.
• Battle Shout Battle Shout: Rank 7 gives 139 attack power instead of 232, but lasts 3 min instead of 2.
• Demoralizing Shout Demoralizing Shout: Rank 5 now −196 attack power instead of −140, for 45 sec instead of 30.
• Slam Slam: new Rank 1 at level 20, now on an 18 sec cooldown.
• Gore Drinker Gore Drinker (Fury tier 6, level 35, above the cap).

Protection

• Master of Defense (Protection tier 3, level 20, in Classic's Improved Shield Block slot): Rank 2 gives a 100% chance to make 5 Rage when you dodge or parry with a shield.
• Vanguard (Protection tier 4, level 25): lets you Charge in Defensive Stance.
• Focused Rage Focused Rage (Protection tier 5, level 30): Rank 3 cuts the Rage cost of offensive abilities by 3.
• Shield Block Shield Block: now lasts 7 sec and blocks 2 attacks, instead of 5 sec and 1.
• Revenge Revenge: Rank 6 hits for 138–168 instead of 81–99.
• Taunt Taunt: 8 sec cooldown instead of 10.
• Thunder Clap Thunder Clap: 6 sec cooldown instead of 4, and usable in Defensive Stance too.

Arms

• Spearing Strike Spearing Strike (Arms tier 4, level 25): 40% weapon damage, double against Giants, Dragonkin and mounted targets, which it also dismounts.
• Tactical Mastery Tactical Mastery: now a trainer ability at level 14 (it was a talent in Classic).
• Victory Rush Victory Rush: a Season of Discovery rune made a class ability, learned at level 20 on a 30 sec cooldown.
• Bloodthrill Bloodthrill (Arms tier 5, level 30): Rank 5 gives main-hand hits on a Rend target a 20% chance to enable Overpower.
• Weaponmaster Weaponmaster (Arms tier 5, level 30): a bonus that depends on your weapon type.
• Retaliation Retaliation: 15 min cooldown instead of 30.

Gone from Forever: Improved Battle Shout Improved Battle Shout, Improved Taunt Improved Taunt and Toughness Toughness.

All 71 Warrior changes, rank by rank →

Paladin

Holy

• Voice of Truth Voice of Truth (Holy tier 3, level 20): 6 sec immunity to Silence and Interrupt.
• Reverence Reverence (Holy tier 3, level 20): Rank 3 keeps 30% of your mana regen going while casting.
• Divine Precision Divine Precision (Holy tier 5, level 30): Rank 3 adds 18% Holy hit.
• Infusion of Light Infusion of Light (Holy tier 4, level 25): Holy Shock and Flash of Light crits speed up your next Holy Light.
• Light's Vigil Light's Vigil (Holy tier 7, level 40, above the cap).

Protection

• Seal of Fury Seal of Fury: a new ability at level 10.
• Sacred Duty Sacred Duty (Protection tier 3, level 20): Rank 2 adds 4% Stamina and cuts 60 sec off Divine Shield, Divine Protection and Templar's Bulwark.
• Templar's Bulwark Templar's Bulwark (Protection tier 5, level 30, in Classic's Blessing of Sanctuary slot): an 8 sec shield worth 100% of your health.
• Swift Judgement Swift Judgement (Protection tier 4, level 25): resets Judgement and makes the next one free.
• Judgement of Fury Judgement of Fury and Revoke Revoke: new abilities at levels 25 and 26.

Retribution

• Holy Strike Holy Strike: a new melee ability from level 6.
• Holy Conduit Holy Conduit (Retribution tier 2, level 15, in Classic's Improved Seal of the Crusader slot): Rank 2 cuts the mana cost of Consecration, Holy Wrath, Exorcism and Hammer of Wrath by 40%.
• Sanctified Judgement Sanctified Judgement (Retribution tier 3, level 20): Judgement returns 60% of the seal's mana.
• Sacred Arbiter Sacred Arbiter (Retribution tier 4, level 25): Holy Strike hits 20% harder and refreshes Judgements.
• Champion of the Light Champion of the Light and Twist of Light Twist of Light (tiers 6 and 7, levels 35 and 40, above the cap).

Gone from Forever: Summon Warhorse Summon Warhorse and Sanctity Aura Sanctity Aura.

All 95 Paladin changes, rank by rank →

Rogue

Assassination

• Mutilate Mutilate (Assassination tier 5, level 30): hits with both weapons for 75% weapon damage plus 17 each, 20% more on Poisoned targets, and gives 2 combo points.
• Coup de Grace Coup de Grace: a new ability at level 30.
• Expose Armor Expose Armor: Rank 5 strips 450 armour per combo point instead of 340.
• Rupture Rupture: Rank 6 deals 105 over 6 sec instead of 180.
• Malice Malice: Rank 5 now 5% crit with all attacks and Poisons.
• Venom Venom (Assassination tier 7, level 40, above the cap).

Combat

• Puncturing Wounds Puncturing Wounds (Combat tier 2, level 15, in Classic's Improved Backstab slot): +30% Backstab crit, +15% Mutilate crit, and a 45% chance for an extra combo point.
• Flawless Execution Flawless Execution (Combat tier 4, level 25): Eviscerate costs 10 less Energy.
• Improved Eviscerate Improved Eviscerate: moved to Combat tier 1 and now +20% instead of +15%.

Subtlety

• Dirty Tricks Dirty Tricks (Subtlety tier 2, level 15): Sap and Blind cost 50% less Energy.
• Improved Distract Improved Distract (Subtlety tier 3, level 20).
• Camouflage Camouflage: moved to Subtlety tier 1.
• Distract Distract: now lasts 10 sec.
• Quietus Quietus and Thousand Cuts Thousand Cuts (tiers 6 and 7, levels 35 and 40, above the cap).

Gone from Forever: Improved Sap Improved Sap and Sleight of Hand Sleight of Hand.

All 56 Rogue changes, rank by rank →

Priest

Discipline

• Power in Light Power in Light (Discipline tier 1, level 10): Rank 5 makes Smite and Penance hit 10% harder on your Holy Fire or Shadow Word: Pain targets.
• Twin Disciplines Twin Disciplines (Discipline tier 1, level 10): +5% to instant spell damage and healing.
• Holy Precision Holy Precision (Discipline tier 2, level 15): Rank 3 adds 18% Holy hit.
• Soul Warding Soul Warding (Discipline tier 4, level 25): Power Word: Shield −4 sec cooldown and −15% mana.
• Penance Penance (Discipline tier 5, level 30): a new short channelled heal or nuke.
• Confounding Flash Confounding Flash and Contingency Plan Contingency Plan: new abilities at levels 10 and 20.

Holy

• Divine Grace Divine Grace and Chastise Chastise: new abilities at levels 10 and 20.
• Litany of Light Litany of Light (Holy tier 5, level 30, in Classic's Improved Prayer of Healing slot).
• Smite Smite: Rank 8 now 160–180 instead of 371–415, and usable in Shadowform.
• Power Word: Fortitude Power Word: Fortitude: Rank 6 gives 70 Stamina instead of 54 and lasts 1 hour.

Shadow

• Improved Mind Flay Improved Mind Flay (Shadow tier 3, level 20): each Mind Flay tick hits 20% harder than the last.
• Dark Inspiration Dark Inspiration (Shadow tier 4, level 25): Mind Blast and full Mind Flay raise your party's Spirit.
• Devouring Contagion Devouring Contagion (Shadow tier 5, level 30): Devouring Plague costs 50% less and spreads on death.
• Dark Sacrifice Dark Sacrifice: a new ability at level 20.
• Shadow Word: Death Shadow Word: Death (a Season of Discovery rune, now a class ability at level 32, above the cap).

Gone from Forever: Unbreakable Will Unbreakable Will and Shadow Affinity Shadow Affinity.

All 86 Priest changes, rank by rank →

Shaman

Elemental

• Earthbound Earthbound (Elemental tier 4, level 25): Earthbind Totem roots nearby targets for 5 sec when cast.
• Lava Burst Lava Burst (Elemental tier 5, level 30): a Season of Discovery spell, 20% more damage on a Flame Shock target.
• Lightning Overload Lightning Overload (Elemental tier 5, level 30): 10% chance for a free half-damage copy of Lightning Bolt or Chain Lightning.
• Fire Nova Fire Nova (a Season of Discovery spell, now a class ability at level 12).
• Call of the Elements Call of the Elements and Totemic Recall Totemic Recall: new totem abilities at level 20.
• Call of the Spirits Call of the Spirits (new ability, level 40, above the cap).

Enhancement

• Mental Dexterity Mental Dexterity (Enhancement tier 2, level 15): Rank 3 adds attack power equal to your Intellect.
• Shamanistic Focus Shamanistic Focus (Enhancement tier 3, level 20): Shock and Lightning Shield cost 45% less mana.
• Improved Stormstrike Improved Stormstrike (Enhancement tier 5, level 30).
• Mental Quickness Mental Quickness (Enhancement tier 5, level 30): up to 30% of Intellect as spell power.
• Dual Wield: can't be learned in Forever (Classic had it from level 1).

Restoration

• Mindfulness Mindfulness (Restoration tier 2, level 15): Rank 3 keeps 50% of mana regen going while casting.
• Water Shield Water Shield (Restoration tier 3, level 20, in Classic's Totemic Mastery slot).
• Healing Wave Healing Wave: Rank 10 heals 1508–1722 instead of 1620–1850.
• Riptide Riptide (Restoration tier 7, level 40, above the cap).

Gone from Forever: Nature's Guidance Nature's Guidance, plus the Fire Nova Totem and Tranquil Air Totem.

All 86 Shaman changes, rank by rank →

Mage

Frost

• Ice Lance Ice Lance (Frost tier 3, level 20): a Season of Discovery spell, 200% more damage on frozen targets.
• Fingers of Frost Fingers of Frost (Frost tier 5, level 30): your Chill effects can make your next 2 spells treat the target as frozen.
• Frost Blast Frost Blast: a new ability at level 24.
• Frostbolt Frostbolt: Rank 11 does 457–493 instead of 515–555, though low ranks scale better with spell power.

Fire

• Heating Up Heating Up (Fire tier 4, level 25): fire crits speed up your next Pyroblast.
• Fireball Fireball: Rank 12 does 425–541 instead of 596–760.
• Fire Blast Fire Blast: Rank 7 does 402–474 instead of 431–509.
• Frostfire Bolt Frostfire Bolt (a Season of Discovery spell, now a class ability at level 40, above the cap).

Arcane

• Missile Barrage Missile Barrage (Arcane tier 1, level 10): a chance to make your next Arcane Missiles instant and free.
• Arcane Blast Arcane Blast (Arcane tier 3, level 20): a Season of Discovery spell, stacking spell power and mana cost.
• Arcane Wrath Arcane Wrath: a new ability at level 25.
• Arcane Intellect Arcane Intellect: now lasts 1 hour instead of 30 min.
• Dampen Magic Dampen Magic: Rank 5 blocks 135 spell damage instead of 90.
• Teleport: Dalaran Teleport: Dalaran (new ability, level 50, above the cap).

Gone from Forever: Detect Magic.

All 71 Mage changes, rank by rank →

Warlock

Affliction

• Improved Drains Improved Drains (Affliction tier 2, level 15): +20% to Drain Life, Drain Soul and Wrack.
• Soul Harvest Soul Harvest (Affliction tier 2, level 15, in Classic's Improved Drain Soul slot).
• Pandemic Pandemic (Affliction tier 3, level 20): +100% crit damage on your damage-over-time curses.
• Malevolence Malevolence (Affliction tier 4, level 25): +5% Shadow crit.
• Wrack Wrack (Affliction tier 7, level 40, above the cap).

Demonology

• Demonic Aegis Demonic Aegis (Demonology tier 2, level 15): +30% to Demon Skin and Demon Armor.
• Demonic Energies Demonic Energies (Demonology tier 2, level 15): heals your pet for 15% of your spell damage.
• Demonic Brand Demonic Brand and Decimation Decimation (Demonology tier 4, level 25).
• Demonic Knowledge Demonic Knowledge (Demonology tier 5, level 30): more spell damage with a demon out.
• Improved Felhunter Improved Felhunter (Demonology tier 5, level 30).

Destruction

• Molten Skin Molten Skin (Destruction tier 2, level 15): Rank 5 cuts all damage taken by 10%.
• Bane of Havoc Bane of Havoc (Destruction tier 5, level 30, in Classic's Improved Immolate slot): copies 15% of your damage to a second target.
• Fire and Brimstone Fire and Brimstone (Destruction tier 5, level 30): +25% Conflagrate crit.
• Shadow and Flame Shadow and Flame (Destruction tier 6, level 35, above the cap).
• Incinerate Incinerate (a Season of Discovery spell, now a class ability at level 40, above the cap).

Gone from Forever: Devastation Devastation and Improved Curse of Weakness Improved Curse of Weakness.

All 92 Warlock changes, rank by rank →

Druid

Balance

• Genesis Genesis (Balance tier 1, level 10): +5% periodic damage and healing.
• Nature's Majesty Nature's Majesty (Balance tier 2, level 15, in Classic's Natural Weapons slot): +4% crit.
• Nature's Splendor Nature's Splendor (Balance tier 3, level 20): longer Moonfire, Rejuvenation, Regrowth and Insect Swarm.
• Eclipse Eclipse (Balance tier 5, level 30): Wrath speeds up your next Starfires.
• Wrath Wrath: Rank 8 does 86–96 instead of 236–264, but costs less mana and scales better early.

Feral Combat

• Primal Bite Primal Bite (Feral Combat tier 4, level 25): a bite for 100% damage plus 26 and high threat.
• Shifting Power Shifting Power (Feral Combat tier 4, level 25): turns mana into energy.
• Natural Instinct Natural Instinct (Feral Combat tier 5, level 30): +20% melee crit damage.
• Rend and Tear Rend and Tear (Feral Combat tier 6, level 35, above the cap).
• Lacerate Lacerate (a Season of Discovery spell, now a class ability at level 42, above the cap).

Restoration

• Gift of the Earthmother Gift of the Earthmother (Restoration tier 3, level 20): −0.5 sec global cooldown on Rejuvenation, Swiftmend and Wild Growth.
• Living Spirit Living Spirit (Restoration tier 5, level 30): +15% Spirit.
• Revive Revive: a new out-of-combat resurrection at level 12.
• Healing Touch Healing Touch: Rank 11 heals 2139–2525 instead of 2267–2677.
• Mark of the Wild Mark of the Wild: Rank 7 gives 385 armour instead of 285 and lasts 1 hour.
• Wild Growth Wild Growth (Restoration tier 7, level 40, above the cap).

Gone from Forever: Improved Mark of the Wild Improved Mark of the Wild and Feral Aggression Feral Aggression.

All 90 Druid changes, rank by rank →

Sources

• WoW Forever’s Beta Plans Just Changed & Blizzard Revealed WHAT?! (The Comeback Kids, YouTube)
• Riverglades lore (ForeverDB)
• Brotherhood of the Horse reputation (ForeverDB)
• Mage: changes from Classic Era (ForeverDB, from the client)