Class Highlights Part 3: what the client shows for Druid, Warlock and Priest in WoW Forever

2026-10-06 · ForeverDB

Blizzard's final Class Highlights video covers Druid, Warlock and Priest. We checked every ability and talent it names against the WoW Forever beta client. Most line up, a few add detail the video skips, and three claims do not match the client.

This is an official Blizzard video, so its words are the source for what Blizzard said. The ability names, numbers, levels and talent positions come from the WoW Forever beta client (build 1.60.1.70205), compared with the Classic Era client. Beta data can still change, and several spells shown sit above the beta's level 30 cap, so you cannot test them in the beta yet. Rage, Energy and mana-regen formulas live on the server, not in the client, so we mark those 'can't check yet'.

Part 3 of Blizzard's Class Highlights series runs through Druids, Warlocks and Priests. It is an overview, not a patch note, so it names spells without numbers. The client has the numbers, the levels and the talent slots, so this is where the two meet and where they part. We go claim by claim, then list the changes the video did not name.

The short version

• Druids get the biggest tanking change: your equipped weapon, enchants and combat procs now work in Bear Form, and you can use consumables while shapeshifted. The client confirms the Bear Form tooltip changed, but the weapon, enchant and consumable rules are worked out by the server, so the detail can't be checked yet.
• Feral gets Berserk (level 40, above the cap) and Feral Charge usable in Cat Form (level 20). Balance gets a simplified Eclipse (level 30) and Nature's Splendor (level 20).
• Warlock Affliction builds toward Wrack, a new level 40 talent; Destruction gets Incinerate at level 40; Demonology gets Decimation at level 25 and the Demonic Pact rework at level 40.
• Priest Discipline gets Penance at level 30; Holy gets Prayer of Mending at level 40; Shadow gets Devouring Plague for every race at level 20 and Devouring Contagion at level 30.
• Several headline spells sit at level 40, above the beta's level 30 cap, so beta players cannot test them yet.
• We also list, spec by spec, the changes the video did not name.

Claim by claim

Named spells from the video, checked against the WoW Forever client. Classic Era numbers are the 'before' comparison only.

Druid

The video frames Druids as tanks who finally get their gear and consumables working in form.

In World of Warcraft: Forever, your equipped weapon now directly improves your melee damage in Bear Form. Blizzard, Class Highlights - Part 3: Druid, Warlock, Priest | World of Warcraft: Forever (0:29)

The client's Bear Form Bear Form has a new tooltip but the same numbers, so the weapon, enchant and proc change is real but worked out on the server. The same is true for drinking potions in form. We can't verify the detail from the client yet.

Feral

Berserk now increases crit chance on combo abilities by 100% in Cat Form Blizzard, Class Highlights - Part 3: Druid, Warlock, Priest | World of Warcraft: Forever (1:22)

• Shred Shred does less, not more: rank 5 is 155% weapon damage + 80 (Classic 225% + 80). Rake Rake and Claw Claw do hit harder, so the video is right about two of the three.
• Berserk Berserk is a new level 40 talent, above the beta cap: +100% crit on combo-point abilities for 15 sec, and Primal Bite hits up to 3 targets.
• Feral Charge Feral Charge sits at level 20; the charge needs Bear or Dire Bear Form and the Cat Form version leaps behind the enemy.
• Feral Swiftness Feral Swiftness (renamed from Feline Swiftness) drops the 'outdoors' wording, so Cat Form speed works everywhere: +30% speed and +4% dodge at rank 2, from level 15.
• Lacerate Lacerate is new at level 42 (above the cap): a bleed for 50 over 15 sec plus 10% weapon damage per stack, up to 5 stacks.

Balance and Restoration

• Eclipse Eclipse is new at level 30: Wrath cuts the cast time of your next 2 Starfire by 0.17 to 0.50 sec, storing 4 charges for 15 sec.
• Nature's Splendor Nature's Splendor is new at level 20: +3 sec Moonfire and Rejuvenation, +6 sec Regrowth, +2 sec Insect Swarm. The video lists Rejuvenation, Regrowth and Insect Swarm; the client adds Moonfire.
• Overgrowth Overgrowth (renamed from Improved Nature's Grasp) lets Entangling Roots hold +1 or +2 targets, from level 30, so up to 3 at once.
• Wrath Wrath costs less mana at every rank: 120 instead of 180 at rank 8 (it also does less damage).
• Wild Growth Wild Growth is new at level 40 (above the cap): heals a party for 280 over 7 sec.

Warlock

The video calls the Warlock changes huge, and the client backs that up: three reworked specs with new capstones.

Affliction

Wrack; their new thirty-one point talent is a channel Drain effect that deals damage and increases the damage taken by the target from the Warlock’s other Shadow spells. Blizzard, Class Highlights - Part 3: Druid, Warlock, Priest | World of Warcraft: Forever (3:28)

• Improved Drains Improved Drains is new at level 15: +7/13/20% to Drain Life, Drain Soul and Wrack.
• Wrack Wrack is a new level 40 talent, above the cap. The client makes it a damage-over-time spell (36 Shadow damage every 1 sec for 6 sec) that adds 10% to your other Shadow DoT damage, not the 'channel Drain' the video describes.

Destruction

• Incinerate Incinerate is new at the foot of the tree, level 40 (above the cap): 90 to 104 Fire damage, +25% if Immolate is on the target.
• Immolate Immolate is the DoT you keep up; rank 1 burns for 8 then 15 over 15 sec.

Demonology

Decimation gives Demo Locks a new way to execute low health enemies. Blizzard, Class Highlights - Part 3: Druid, Warlock, Priest | World of Warcraft: Forever (5:05)

• Demonic Sacrifice Demonic Sacrifice (level 20) sacrifices your demon for 2 hours: Imp +15% Shadow, Succubus or Incubus +15% Fire, Voidwalker mana, Felhunter health.
• Demonic Pact Demonic Pact is the capstone, new at level 40 (above the cap): Demonic Sacrifice no longer ends when you summon a different demon. Resummoning the sacrificed one still ends it.
• Decimation Decimation (level 25) is the execute: on an enemy below 35% health, Soul Fire costs no Soul Shards and casts 20% (rank 1) or 40% (rank 2) faster, with a 45%/90% shorter cooldown.
• Soul Fire Soul Fire itself is a level 48 spell (above the cap): rank 2 does 383 to 479 (Classic 703 to 881).

Priest

Priests get Discipline shields, Holy's Prayer of Mending, and a Shadow spec built for damage.

Discipline

Halfway down the Discipline tree is Penance. It launches a volley of holy light at your target, healing your ally over time. Blizzard, Class Highlights - Part 3: Druid, Warlock, Priest | World of Warcraft: Forever (5:39)

• Penance Penance sits in tier 5 at level 30: 81 Holy damage to an enemy or 184 healing to an ally, instant then every 1 sec for 2 sec, 12 sec cooldown, 100 mana.
• Meditation Meditation (level 20) lets 17/33/50% of your mana regen carry on while casting; Shadow builds into it for mana.

Holy

• Prayer of Mending Prayer of Mending is new at level 40 (above the cap): it heals 172 the next time the target takes damage, then jumps within 20 yards, up to 5 times, over 30 sec.

Shadow

In World of Warcraft: Forever, Devouring Plague becomes a baseline spell available to all Priests, regardless of race or faction. Blizzard, Class Highlights - Part 3: Druid, Warlock, Priest | World of Warcraft: Forever (6:28)

• Devouring Plague Devouring Plague is a trainer spell at level 20 for every race now (Classic: Undead only): 128 Shadow over 24 sec that heals you, with its cooldown down to 1 min from 3.
• Vampiric Embrace Vampiric Embrace (level 25) heals the party for 20% of your Shadow damage for 30 sec.
• Spirit Tap Spirit Tap (level 10) now also triggers when a Vampiric Embrace target dies, keeping 50% of your mana regen going while casting.
• Devouring Contagion Devouring Contagion is new at level 30: it cuts Devouring Plague's mana cost 25% (rank 1) or 50% (rank 2), and spreads the disease to a nearby enemy when a target dies.

Where the client and Blizzard differ

• Shred: Blizzard lists 'increased damage for Shred, Rake, and Claw'. Rake and Claw do hit harder, but Shred's rank 5 drops to 155% weapon damage + 80 from Classic's 225% + 80, so Shred does less, not more.
• Wrack: Blizzard calls it 'a channel Drain effect'. The client's Wrack is a damage-over-time spell (36 Shadow damage every 1 sec for 6 sec), not a channel and not a Drain.
• Devouring Contagion: Blizzard says it 'cuts the mana cost of Devouring Plague in half'. The client cuts it 25% at rank 1 and 50% only at rank 2, and it spreads when a target dies, not freely to nearby enemies.
• 'Works indoors': the client confirms Feral Swiftness dropped the 'outdoors' wording and Nature's Grasp is usable in any form, but whether Entangling Roots can be cast indoors is a server rule the client doesn't record, so we can't confirm it yet.
• 'In Cat Form': Berserk and Feral Charge are listed for Bear and Dire Bear Form too. Feral Charge's charge needs Bear or Dire Bear Form; its Cat Form version is a leap behind the enemy.

What the video didn't mention

Druid

Balance

• Genesis Genesis (new, level 10): rank 5 adds 5% to your periodic damage and healing.
• Nature's Majesty Nature's Majesty (new, level 15): rank 2 adds 4% crit with spells and melee, in place of Natural Weapons.
• Moonfire Moonfire (level 4): rank 10 does 124 to 146 plus 240 over 12 sec instead of 189 to 221 plus 384.
• Improved Entangling Roots Improved Entangling Roots (level 20, reworked): rank 3 adds 75% damage and lets the root take 75% more damage before breaking.
• Moonglow Moonglow (level 15, moved): rank 3 cuts the mana cost of all your damaging spells by 25%.
• Improved Starfire Improved Starfire (level 25): rank 5 cuts Starfire's cast by 0.5 sec with a 15% stun chance.

Feral Combat

• Heart of the Wild Heart of the Wild (level 10, moved up from the top of the tree): rank 5 gives +10% Intellect, +20% Stamina in Bear and +10% Strength in Cat.
• Primal Bite Primal Bite (new, level 25): a bite that deals normal damage plus 26 with high threat.
• Shredding Attacks Shredding Attacks (level 20, renamed from Improved Shred): rank 3 cuts Shred's cost by 18 Energy and Lacerate's by 3 Rage.
• Savage Fury Savage Fury (level 20): rank 2 adds 10% damage to Claw, Rake, Shred, Maul and Swipe.
• Predatory Instincts Predatory Instincts (new, level 30): rank 2 adds 20% crit damage to your melee abilities.
• Predatory Strikes Predatory Strikes (level 25): rank 3 gives melee attack power worth 150% of your level in forms.
• Natural Reaction Natural Reaction (new, level 35, above the cap): rank 5 adds 5% dodge and 5 Rage whenever you dodge.
• Rend and Tear Rend and Tear (new, level 35, above the cap): rank 5 adds 10% melee damage to bleeding targets.

Restoration

• Gift of the Earthmother Gift of the Earthmother (new, level 20): rank 1 trims 0.5 sec off the global cooldown of Rejuvenation, Swiftmend and Wild Growth.
• Living Spirit Living Spirit (new, level 30): rank 3 adds 15% Spirit.
• Revive Revive (new ability, level 12): brings a dead player back with 70 health and 135 mana out of combat.
• Healing Touch Healing Touch (level 1): rank 11 heals 2139 to 2525 instead of 2267 to 2677.
• Mark of the Wild Mark of the Wild (level 1): rank 7 adds 385 armor instead of 285 and now lasts 1 hour.
• Tranquility Tranquility (level 30): rank 4 heals 1425 over 10 sec instead of 1470.
• Naturalist Naturalist (level 15, reworked): rank 5 also adds 5% to all your damage.
• Reflection Reflection (level 20, reworked): rank 3 keeps 50% of your mana regen going while casting, up from 15%.

All 91 Druid changes, rank by rank →

Warlock

Affliction

• Malediction Malediction (new, level 15): rank 5 adds 5% to all your periodic damage, in place of Improved Curse of Weakness.
• Malevolence Malevolence (new, level 25): rank 5 adds 5% crit to your Shadow spells, in place of Grim Reach.
• Corruption Corruption (level 4): rank 7 does 438 over 18 sec instead of 822.
• Bane of Agony Bane of Agony (level 8, renamed from Curse of Agony): rank 6 does 552 over 24 sec instead of 1044.
• Drain Life Drain Life (level 14): rank 6 transfers 255 over 5 sec instead of 355.
• Siphon Life Siphon Life (level 30): rank 4 does 410 over 30 sec instead of 450.

Demonology

• Demonic Aegis Demonic Aegis (new, level 15): rank 2 adds 30% to Demon Skin and Demon Armor.
• Demonic Brand Demonic Brand (new, level 25): rank 3 makes Searing Pain generate 50% less threat and brands the target so your pet's next 6 hits deal 20 to 23 extra Fire or Shadow damage.
• Improved Felhunter Improved Felhunter (new, level 30): rank 3 adds 30% to your Felhunter's abilities and cuts Spell Lock's cooldown by 6 sec.
• Create Healthstone Create Healthstone (level 10): now one ranked spell; the Major Healthstone restores 1440 instead of 1200.
• Health Funnel Health Funnel (level 12): rank 7 gives 153 health a second and now adds a heal over time on top.

Destruction

• Molten Skin Molten Skin (new, level 15): rank 5 cuts all damage taken by 10%.
• Bane of Havoc Bane of Havoc (new, level 30): rank 1 makes 15% of the damage you deal to others also hit the cursed target for 5 min, in place of Improved Immolate.
• Fire and Brimstone Fire and Brimstone (new, level 30): rank 3 adds 25% crit to Conflagrate.
• Conflagrate Conflagrate (level 25, moved down from the top of the tree): rank 1 deals 84 to 106 Fire damage and consumes your Immolate, with new ranks at 25 and 32.
• Shadowburn Shadowburn (level 20): rank 6 does 251 to 281 instead of 450 to 502, now at 30 yd instead of 20.
• Devastation Devastation is gone: Classic's +5% Destruction spell crit.
• Shadow and Flame Shadow and Flame (new, level 35, above the cap): rank 5 lets Conflagrate boost your Shadow damage 10% and Shadowburn boost your Fire damage 10%, in place of Emberstorm.

All 91 Warlock changes, rank by rank →

Priest

Discipline

• Twin Disciplines Twin Disciplines (new, level 10): rank 5 adds 5% damage and healing to your instant-cast spells.
• Power in Light Power in Light (new, level 10): rank 5 makes Smite and Penance hit 10% harder on targets with your Holy Fire.
• Soul Warding Soul Warding (new, level 25): Power Word: Shield costs 15% less mana and its cooldown drops 4 sec.
• Renewed Hope Renewed Hope (new, level 30): rank 5 gives your heals +10% crit on targets with Weakened Soul and cuts its duration by 5 sec.
• Power Word: Shield Power Word: Shield (level 6): rank 10 absorbs 928 instead of 942, a touch less.
• Elune's Grace Elune's Grace (level 20): now one rank, reduces your chance to be hit by melee and ranged attacks by 50% for 15 sec (Classic cut ranged damage by 21).
• Divine Aegis Divine Aegis (new, level 35, above the cap): rank 3 turns 15% of your critical heals into a shield for 12 sec.

Holy

• Divine Grace Divine Grace (new ability, level 10): a brand-new Holy spell.
• Chastise Chastise (new ability, level 20): a brand-new Holy spell.
• Binding Heal Binding Heal (new talent, level 25): rank 1 heals the target and you for 223 to 271, with new ranks at 32 and 38.
• Litany of Light Litany of Light (new, level 30): rank 2 refunds mana equal to 10% of a heal's base cost when your previous heal was a different spell.
• Smite Smite (level 1): rank 8 does 160 to 180 instead of 371 to 415, and you can cast it in Shadowform now.
• Flash Heal Flash Heal (level 20): rank 7 heals 757 to 893 instead of 812 to 958.
• Prayer of Healing Prayer of Healing (level 30): rank 5 heals 631 to 667 instead of 1041 to 1099, now with 40 yd range.

Shadow

• Improved Mind Flay Improved Mind Flay (new, level 20): rank 2 makes Mind Flay hit 20% harder with +10 yards range and a 20% slow.
• Mind Blast Mind Blast (level 10): rank 9 does 472 to 498 instead of 503 to 531.
• Shadow Word: Pain Shadow Word: Pain (level 4): rank 8 does 762 over 18 sec instead of 852.
• Mind Flay Mind Flay (level 20): rank 1 does 63 over 3 sec instead of 75.
• Fade Fade (level 8): drops threat far harder, rank 6 at -4100 instead of -820.
• Shadow Word: Death Shadow Word: Death (level 32, above the cap): a Season of Discovery rune now taught as a class spell.
• Early Demise Early Demise (new, level 35, above the cap): rank 2 adds 30% crit to Shadow Word: Death on targets at or below 20% health.

All 85 Priest changes, rank by rank →

Sources

• Class Highlights - Part 3: Druid, Warlock, Priest | World of Warcraft: Forever (World of Warcraft, YouTube)
• Druid: changes from Classic Era (ForeverDB, from the client)
• Warlock: changes from Classic Era (ForeverDB, from the client)
• Priest: changes from Classic Era (ForeverDB, from the client)
• World of Warcraft: Forever (Blizzard)