Which race should you play in WoW Forever?
Pick the race whose racials suit your class, and the faction your friends play: below are our picks for each class, Alliance and Horde, from the racials in the WoW Forever client.
Forever changed most racials from Classic, and adds the Skyborne, a new race that can join either faction and starts on Zephras Isle at levels 1-12 (Blizzard, 22 Sep 2026). Playing a Skyborne needs one of the upgrade editions (price and editions).
Our picks for each class
These are ForeverDB's picks from the racials' tooltips in the game client, not Blizzard's. Every race and racial is on the races page.
- Warrior (Alliance): Human: Sword Specialization adds 2% critical strike chance while you hold a sword or two-handed sword, a Warrior's most common weapons, and Will to Survive breaks every stun. Night Elf: Elune's Light adds 10% critical strike chance for 15 sec, a strong burst, and Quickness's extra 1% dodge helps a tank. Dwarf: Stoneform clears bleeds, poisons and diseases and cuts Physical damage taken by 10% for 8 sec, a tank's emergency button. Mace Specialization adds 1% critical strike chance with a mace.
- Warrior (Horde): Orc: Blood Fury raises Attack Power by 10% for 15 sec, Axe Specialization adds 1% critical strike chance with an axe, and Hardiness shortens stuns by 20%. Tauren: Endurance adds 5% Health and 1% hit chance, good for tanking and for landing more hits, and War Stomp stuns up to 5 enemies. Troll: Berserking raises attack speed by 10%, and Regeneration keeps some Health regeneration going in combat.
- Paladin (Alliance): Human: Sword Specialization adds 2% critical strike chance to your spells and attacks while you hold a sword, which helps Holy and Retribution alike. The Human Spirit means more Spirit, and Will to Survive breaks stuns. Dwarf: Mace Specialization adds 1% critical strike chance to spells and attacks with a mace, a common Paladin weapon, and Stoneform is a strong defensive button for tanks.
- Paladin (Horde): Undead: The only Horde Paladin. Will of the Forsaken breaks Charm, Fear and Sleep, and Touch of the Grave drains a little Health back with your attacks and spells.
- Hunter (Alliance): Night Elf: Elune's Light adds 10% critical strike chance for 15 sec, and Shadowmeld lets you slip out of a fight. Dwarf: Big Game Hunter adds 5% damage against Beasts, which you fight a lot while leveling, and Stoneform clears poisons and bleeds. Human: Sword Specialization's tooltip covers all attacks while a sword is equipped, so a Hunter carrying a sword gets 2% more critical strike chance. Will to Survive breaks stuns. High Order Skyborne: Wind Blessed adds 1% haste to your shots, and Skysight speeds up your travel.
- Hunter (Horde): Orc: Blood Fury raises Attack Power by 10% for 15 sec, and Axe Specialization adds 1% critical strike chance with an axe in hand. Troll: Berserking raises attack speed by 10%, and Beast Slaying adds 5% damage against Beasts. Tauren: Endurance adds 1% hit chance and 5% Health, and War Stomp buys time when something reaches you. Windshaper Skyborne: Wind Blessed adds 1% haste to your shots, and Skysight speeds up your travel.
- Rogue (Alliance): Human: Sword Specialization adds 2% critical strike chance with a sword, the Combat Rogue's weapon, Will to Survive breaks stuns, and Perception helps you spot other Rogues. Night Elf: Quickness makes you harder to spot in Stealth and adds 1% dodge, Elune's Light adds 10% critical strike chance for 15 sec, and Shadowmeld is a second way to vanish. Gnome: Eureka! makes your next 3 damaging abilities cost 10% less Energy and deal 10% more damage, and Escape Artist frees you from snares and roots.
- Rogue (Horde): Orc: Blood Fury raises Attack Power by 10% for 15 sec, Hardiness shortens stuns by 20%, and Axe Specialization adds 1% critical strike chance with an axe, which Rogues can use in Forever. Undead: Will of the Forsaken breaks Charm, Fear and Sleep, and Touch of the Grave drains a little Health back as you hit. Troll: Berserking raises attack speed by 10%, and Rapid Regeneration brings back half your Health between fights.
- Priest (Alliance): Human: The Human Spirit adds 5% Spirit, which means faster Mana regeneration, and Will to Survive breaks stuns. Dwarf: Mace Specialization adds 1% critical strike chance to your spells while you hold a mace, and Stoneform clears poisons, diseases and bleeds. Night Elf: Elune's Light adds 10% critical strike chance to your spells for 15 sec, and Shadowmeld helps you slip out of trouble. Gnome: Expansive Mind adds 5% Mana, and Escape Artist frees you from snares and roots.
- Priest (Horde): Undead: Will of the Forsaken breaks Charm, Fear and Sleep, and Touch of the Grave drains a little Health back as you cast. Troll: Berserking raises casting speed by 10%, and Rapid Regeneration brings back half your Health between fights.
- Shaman (Alliance): Dwarf: The only Alliance Shaman. Mace Specialization adds 1% critical strike chance to spells and attacks with a mace, and Stoneform is a strong defensive button.
- Shaman (Horde): Orc: Blood Fury raises Attack Power and Spell Power by 10% for 15 sec, good for every spec, and Axe Specialization adds 1% critical strike chance with an axe. Troll: Berserking raises casting and attack speed by 10%. Tauren: Endurance adds 5% Health and 1% hit chance, and War Stomp stuns up to 5 enemies. Windshaper Skyborne: Wind Blessed adds 1% haste, and Read Ley Line doubles your Health and Mana regeneration, for 15 min if you find a ley line.
- Mage (Alliance): Human: Sword Specialization adds 2% critical strike chance to your spells while you hold a sword, and Mages can use one-handed swords. The Human Spirit adds Spirit. Gnome: Expansive Mind adds 5% Mana, and Escape Artist frees you from snares and roots. High Order Skyborne: Wind Blessed adds 1% haste, and Read Ley Line doubles your Mana regeneration, for 15 min if you find a ley line.
- Mage (Horde): Orc: Blood Fury raises Spell Power by 10% for 15 sec, and Shatter Curse clears curses and cuts Magic damage taken by 15%. Troll: Berserking raises casting speed by 10%. Undead: Will of the Forsaken breaks Charm, Fear and Sleep.
- Warlock (Alliance): Human: Sword Specialization adds 2% critical strike chance to your spells while you hold a sword, and Will to Survive breaks stuns. Gnome: Expansive Mind adds 5% Mana, and Escape Artist frees you from snares and roots.
- Warlock (Horde): Orc: Blood Fury raises Spell Power by 10% for 15 sec, and Shatter Curse clears curses and cuts Magic damage taken by 15%. Undead: Will of the Forsaken breaks Charm, Fear and Sleep, and Touch of the Grave drains a little Health back as you cast. Troll: Berserking raises casting speed by 10%.
- Druid (Alliance): Night Elf: Quickness makes your Stealth harder to spot and adds 1% dodge, and Elune's Light adds 10% critical strike chance for 15 sec. High Order Skyborne: Wind Blessed adds 1% haste, and Skysight speeds up your travel.
- Druid (Horde): Tauren: Endurance adds 5% Health and 1% hit chance, and War Stomp stuns up to 5 enemies. Windshaper Skyborne: Wind Blessed adds 1% haste, and Skysight speeds up your travel.
Tip: Racials matter most in PvP and at the top end of raiding. For leveling, pick the race and starting zone you like the look of.
Questions and answers
What is the Skyborne race in WoW Forever?
A new playable race, also called the shen'dorei, that can join the Horde or the Alliance and starts on Zephras Isle, a level 1-12 starting zone.
Do racials matter in WoW Forever?
Most of all in PvP and raiding. Forever changed most racials from Classic, so check them on the races page.
Sources
- WoW: Forever Meet the New Skyborne (Blizzard, 22 September 2026)
- Create the Hero You Want to Be in World of Warcraft: Forever (Blizzard, 22 September 2026)