Races in WoW Forever

Both factions side by side. Pick a faction at the top to see only yours. Our tiers are recommendations across PvE, open-world PvP and leveling; each class page ranks the races for that class.

Tiers: Recommendation

Alliance

Dwarf

Stoneform cuts the physical damage you take and makes you immune to bleeds, poisons and diseases for 8 sec. Mace Specialization adds 1% crit, and Big Game Hunter and Find Treasure come on top. First for every tank and physical class, second for Priest, and the only Alliance Shaman race.

Classes: Hunter, Paladin, Priest, Rogue, Shaman (new), Warrior
Active: Stoneform — immune to bleeds, poisons and diseases, and less physical damage taken, for 8 sec · Find Treasure — tracks nearby treasure chests
Passive: Mace Specialization — +1% spell and ability crit with maces · Big Game Hunter — +5% damage to Beasts

Sourced: Blizzard news · 22 Sep

Human

Will to Survive breaks stuns, the racial that matters most on a PvP server. Perception finds stealthed enemies, Sword Specialization adds 2% crit, and The Human Spirit gives casters and healers 5% more Spirit. First for Priest and Rogue on a PvP server.

Classes

Hunter (new), Mage, Paladin, Priest, Rogue, Warlock, Warrior

Active

Will to Survive — removes stuns · Perception — see stealthed enemies for 20 sec

Passive

Sword Specialization — +2% spell and ability crit with swords · The Human Spirit — +5% Spirit

Changes

Will to Survive now looks like Dispel Magic, no longer like Will of the Forsaken (visual only). Sourced: Dev notes · 24 Sep

Sourced: Blizzard news · 22 Sep

Gnome

Eureka! makes your next 3 spells or abilities 10% cheaper and 10% stronger, though not periodic effects since 1 Oct. Expansive Mind adds 5% to max mana, rage or energy, and Escape Artist gives a short immunity to roots and snares. First for Mage and Warlock.

Classes

Mage, Priest (new), Rogue, Warlock, Warrior

Active

Escape Artist — brief immunity to roots and snares · Eureka! — your next 3 spells or abilities cost less and do 10% more damage or healing

Passive

Expansive Mind — +5% max mana, rage or energy · Engineering Specialization — engineering devices are more reliable

Changes

Eureka!: the cost cut is 10% on mana, rage or energy abilities, for every class. Sourced: Dev notes · 24 Sep
Eureka! no longer works on periodic effects. Channelled spells don't count as periodic. Sourced: Dev notes · 1 Oct

Sourced: Blizzard news · 22 Sep

Night Elf

Elune's Light adds 10% crit chance for 15 sec, a real damage cooldown. Shadowmeld hides you, and Quickness adds 1% dodge and 2% run speed. The only Alliance Druid race you don't have to buy, and second for Hunter and Rogue.

Classes: Druid, Hunter, Priest, Rogue, Warrior
Active: Elune's Light — +10% crit chance for 15 sec · Shadowmeld — stealth while you stand still
Passive: Quickness — +1% dodge and +2% run speed · Wisp Spirit — +75% run speed while dead

Sourced: Blizzard news · 22 Sep

High Order Skyborne

Paid race

Wind Blessed adds 1% haste to everything, Read Ley Line gives 100% more health and mana regeneration, and Walk on Air lets you glide. Good regeneration for Restoration Druids and Mages, but nothing defensive.

Classes: Druid, Hunter, Mage, Rogue, Warrior
Access: Comes with the Skyborne Heroic Pack, the Skyborne Epic Pack or the Warcraft Forever Collection.
Active: Walk on Air — glide down for 10 sec · Read Ley Line — +100% health and mana regeneration
Passive: Wind Blessed — +1% melee, ranged and spell haste · Elemental Insight — +5% damage to Elementals

Sourced: Blizzard news · 22 Sep, Blizzard news · 12 Sep

Horde

Orc

Blood Fury adds 10% attack power and spell power for 15 sec, and Hardiness makes stuns on you 20% shorter. Axe Specialization adds 1% crit with axes. First for Warrior, Hunter, Shaman and Warlock.

Classes: Hunter, Mage (new), Rogue, Shaman, Warlock, Warrior
Active: Blood Fury — +10% attack power and spell power for 15 sec · Shatter Curse — immune to curses and banes, and less magic damage taken, for 8 sec
Passive: Axe Specialization — +1% spell and ability crit with axes · Hardiness — stuns on you last 20% shorter

Sourced: Blizzard news · 22 Sep

Undead

Will of the Forsaken removes charm, fear and sleep: the answer to Priest and Warlock fears. First for Paladin, Rogue, Priest and Mage, and the only Horde Paladin race.

Classes

Mage, Paladin (new), Priest, Rogue, Warlock, Warrior

Active

Will of the Forsaken — removes charm, fear and sleep · Cannibalize — eat a corpse to regain 35% of health and mana over time

Passive

Underwater Breathing — breath lasts 300% longer underwater · Touch of the Grave — your attacks sometimes drain health

Changes

Touch of the Grave only triggers from spells and abilities that deal damage, and no longer breaks crowd control. Sourced: Dev notes · 24 Sep
Cannibalize can't be used while you're immune to physical damage. Sourced: Dev notes · 1 Oct

Sourced: Blizzard news · 22 Sep

Troll

Berserking adds 10% casting and attack speed for 10 sec, and Beast Slaying adds 5% damage against Beasts.

Classes: Hunter, Mage, Priest, Rogue, Shaman, Warlock (new), Warrior
Active: Berserking — +10% casting and attack speed for 10 sec · Rapid Regeneration — regain 50% of max health over time
Passive: Beast Slaying — +5% damage to Beasts · Regeneration — 10% of your health regeneration keeps going in combat

Sourced: Blizzard news · 22 Sep

Tauren

War Stomp stuns the enemies around you for 2 sec, and Endurance adds 5% health and 1% hit.

Classes

Druid, Hunter, Shaman, Warrior

Active

War Stomp — stuns nearby enemies for 2 sec · Cultivation — grow extra herbs that you gather without Herbalism

Passive

Plainsrunning — run faster the longer you keep moving · Endurance — +5% total health and +1% hit chance

Changes

Cultivation: each herb needs a player level, the herb's Herbalism skill divided by 5. Herbs above 300 skill need level 60. Sourced: Dev notes · 24 Sep

Sourced: Blizzard news · 22 Sep

Windshaper Skyborne

Paid race

Wind Blessed adds 1% haste and Skysight 10% run speed, and Elemental Insight adds 5% damage against Elementals. Nothing defensive.

Classes: Druid, Hunter, Rogue, Shaman, Warrior
Access: Comes with the Skyborne Heroic Pack, the Skyborne Epic Pack or the Warcraft Forever Collection.
Active: Walk on Air — glide down for 10 sec · Skysight — an elemental blessing: +10% run speed
Passive: Wind Blessed — +1% melee, ranged and spell haste · Elemental Insight — +5% damage to Elementals

Sourced: Blizzard news · 22 Sep, Blizzard news · 12 Sep