Race guide
Best Race for Every Class in WoW Forever
Nobody has raided or fought battlegrounds in WoW Forever yet, so no one can rank its races with data. What we can do is show why each race was picked in Classic 1.12, and which of those reasons survive the racial rework and the new race and class combinations.
Each class section has three parts: the races that can play it in WoW Forever, the Classic reference picks, and our early read of the new racials, which is analysis of BlizzCon demo tooltips, not tested gameplay.
Best race for Warrior
Warrior races in WoW Forever
- Alliance: Human (calculator) · Dwarf (calculator) · Night Elf (calculator) · Gnome (calculator) · Skyborne New (calculator)
- Horde: Orc (calculator) · Undead (calculator) · Tauren (calculator) · Troll (calculator) · Skyborne New (calculator)
Classic reference picks
UnconfirmedClassic 1.12 reference — may change in WoW Forever.
| Use | Race | Why it was picked in Classic |
|---|---|---|
| PvE, Alliance | Human | +5 sword and mace skill cut glancing-blow penalties and misses, the biggest raid DPS racial in Classic. |
| PvE, Horde | Orc | Axe Specialization plus Blood Fury made Orc the top Horde raid warrior; Troll Berserking was the close second. |
| PvP, Alliance | Gnome | Escape Artist frees a warrior from Frost Nova and Hamstring, which decides many duels. Humans were the other choice for Perception. |
| PvP, Horde | Orc | Hardiness shrugs off stuns a quarter of the time; Undead with Will of the Forsaken was just as popular. |
What changes in WoW Forever
Our early read: Weapon skill is gone from racials, so the Human edge in Classic raids becomes 2% crit with swords, while Dwarf and Orc get 1% with maces and axes. Will to Survive gives Human warriors a stun break that Classic warriors only got from a PvP trinket.
Best race for Paladin
Paladin races in WoW Forever
- Alliance: Human (calculator) · Dwarf (calculator)
- Horde: Undead New (calculator)
Classic reference picks
UnconfirmedClassic 1.12 reference — may change in WoW Forever.
| Use | Race | Why it was picked in Classic |
|---|---|---|
| PvE (Holy) | Human | 5% Spirit helps mana regeneration between casts; Humans were the default healing paladin. |
| PvE (Retribution) | Human | Sword and mace skill mattered for a melee class whose best weapons were two-handed swords and maces. |
| PvP | Dwarf | Stoneform removed Rogue poisons, Warrior bleeds and diseases, and Frost Resistance blunted Mages. |
What changes in WoW Forever
- Official Undead Paladin is a new class and race combination. Blizzard Entertainment
Our early read: Paladins are no longer Alliance-only. An Undead Paladin brings Will of the Forsaken and Cannibalize with Mana, which Blizzard itself named as useful for Paladins. On the Alliance side the choice is still Human against Dwarf.
Best race for Hunter
Hunter races in WoW Forever
- Alliance: Human New (calculator) · Dwarf (calculator) · Night Elf (calculator) · Skyborne New (calculator)
- Horde: Orc (calculator) · Tauren (calculator) · Troll (calculator) · Skyborne New (calculator)
Classic reference picks
UnconfirmedClassic 1.12 reference — may change in WoW Forever.
| Use | Race | Why it was picked in Classic |
|---|---|---|
| PvE, Alliance | Dwarf | Gun Specialization added +5 ranged skill with guns, the Alliance hunter's best raid racial. |
| PvE, Horde | Troll | Bow Specialization plus Berserking, and Beast Slaying for beast-heavy content. |
| PvP, Alliance | Night Elf | Shadowmeld after Feign Death let hunters drop out of fights and reset. |
| PvP, Horde | Orc | Command's +5% pet damage and Hardiness against stuns. |
What changes in WoW Forever
- Official Human Hunter is a new class and race combination. Blizzard Entertainment
Our early read: Three of those four reasons are gone: Gun Specialization, Bow Specialization and Command are not among the Forever racials. Humans can now be Hunters, and Skyborne hunters on both factions get 1% haste.
Best race for Rogue
Rogue races in WoW Forever
- Alliance: Human (calculator) · Dwarf (calculator) · Night Elf (calculator) · Gnome (calculator) · Skyborne New (calculator)
- Horde: Orc (calculator) · Undead (calculator) · Troll (calculator) · Skyborne New (calculator)
Classic reference picks
UnconfirmedClassic 1.12 reference — may change in WoW Forever.
| Use | Race | Why it was picked in Classic |
|---|---|---|
| PvE, Alliance | Human | +5 sword and mace skill on a class that raided with swords. |
| PvE, Horde | Troll | Berserking was a free attack speed cooldown; Orc Blood Fury was equally common. |
| PvP, Alliance | Gnome | Escape Artist to reach kiting casters; Night Elf Shadowmeld and Human Perception were close. |
| PvP, Horde | Undead | Will of the Forsaken against Fear, Seduction and Sleep effects. |
What changes in WoW Forever
Our early read: Human Sword Specialization still favors sword rogues, and Gnome Eureka! adds a burst window on top of Escape Artist. Undead lose the 5-second immunity after Will of the Forsaken, so chain fears can follow the break.
Best race for Priest
Priest races in WoW Forever
- Alliance: Human (calculator) · Dwarf (calculator) · Night Elf (calculator) · Gnome New (calculator)
- Horde: Undead (calculator) · Troll (calculator)
Classic reference picks
UnconfirmedClassic 1.12 reference — may change in WoW Forever.
| Use | Race | Why it was picked in Classic |
|---|---|---|
| PvE, Alliance | Dwarf | Fear Ward was a Dwarf-only priest spell and a raid requirement for fear-heavy bosses. |
| PvE, Horde | Troll | Berserking sped up healing in emergencies; Shadowguard helped Shadow priests. |
| PvP, Alliance | Human | Feedback burned attacking casters' Mana, and Perception caught Rogues. |
| PvP, Horde | Undead | Will of the Forsaken and Devouring Plague. |
What changes in WoW Forever
- Official Gnome Priest is a new class and race combination. Blizzard Entertainment
- Community verified Fear Ward appears to be baseline for all Priests, and every Priest race except Skyborne has two race-specific spells. Warcraft Tavern
Our early read: With Fear Ward baseline, the Dwarf lock on raid priests goes away and the choice comes down to each race's priest spells and general racials. Gnome is new and brings a group crowd control (Confounding Flash) and an ally ward (Contingency Plan).
Best race for Shaman
Shaman races in WoW Forever
- Alliance: Dwarf New (calculator)
- Horde: Orc (calculator) · Tauren (calculator) · Troll (calculator) · Skyborne New (calculator)
Classic reference picks
UnconfirmedClassic 1.12 reference — may change in WoW Forever.
| Use | Race | Why it was picked in Classic |
|---|---|---|
| PvE (Enhancement) | Orc | Blood Fury and Axe Specialization for two-handed axes. |
| PvE (Elemental, Restoration) | Troll | Berserking as a free casting speed cooldown. |
| PvP | Tauren | War Stomp to interrupt and 5% extra health; Orc Hardiness was the alternative. |
What changes in WoW Forever
- Official Dwarf Shaman is a new class and race combination. Blizzard Entertainment
- Official Horde-aligned Skyborne can be Shamans. Blizzard News
Our early read: Shamans are no longer Horde-only. Dwarf Shamans bring Stoneform and Mace Specialization to the Alliance, and Horde Skyborne shamans get 1% haste and 5% damage against Elementals.
Best race for Mage
Mage races in WoW Forever
- Alliance: Human (calculator) · Gnome (calculator) · Skyborne New (calculator)
- Horde: Orc New (calculator) · Undead (calculator) · Troll (calculator)
Classic reference picks
UnconfirmedClassic 1.12 reference — may change in WoW Forever.
| Use | Race | Why it was picked in Classic |
|---|---|---|
| PvE, Alliance | Gnome | Expansive Mind's 5% Intelligence meant more Mana and spell crit. |
| PvE, Horde | Troll | Berserking as a casting speed cooldown. |
| PvP, Alliance | Gnome | Escape Artist out of Hamstring, Frost Nova and other roots and snares. |
| PvP, Horde | Undead | Will of the Forsaken against Fear and Seduce. |
What changes in WoW Forever
- Official Orc Mage is a new class and race combination. Blizzard Entertainment
- Official Alliance-aligned Skyborne can be Mages. Blizzard News
Our early read: Orc Mages get Blood Fury's Spell Power and shorter stuns, a strong PvP pairing on paper. Expansive Mind now raises maximum Mana rather than Intelligence, so Gnomes lose the spell crit part of their Classic edge. Alliance Skyborne mages add 1% haste.
Best race for Warlock
Warlock races in WoW Forever
- Alliance: Human (calculator) · Gnome (calculator)
- Horde: Orc (calculator) · Undead (calculator) · Troll New (calculator)
Classic reference picks
UnconfirmedClassic 1.12 reference — may change in WoW Forever.
| Use | Race | Why it was picked in Classic |
|---|---|---|
| PvE, Alliance | Gnome | 5% Intelligence for a Mana-hungry class. |
| PvE, Horde | Orc | Command added 5% pet damage for pet-heavy builds; Undead was the other common pick. |
| PvP, Alliance | Human | Perception against Rogues; Gnome Escape Artist was the other pick. |
| PvP, Horde | Undead | Will of the Forsaken, plus Cannibalize between fights. |
What changes in WoW Forever
- Official Troll Warlock is a new class and race combination. Blizzard Entertainment
Our early read: Command is not among the Forever Orc racials, but Blood Fury now adds Spell Power. Undead Cannibalize restores Mana, which Blizzard named as useful for Warlocks. Trolls can now be Warlocks and bring Berserking haste.
Best race for Druid
Druid races in WoW Forever
- Alliance: Night Elf (calculator) · Skyborne New (calculator)
- Horde: Tauren (calculator) · Skyborne New (calculator)
Classic reference picks
UnconfirmedClassic 1.12 reference — may change in WoW Forever.
| Use | Race | Why it was picked in Classic |
|---|---|---|
| PvE, Alliance (Feral tank) | Night Elf | Quickness added 1% dodge, the only Alliance druid race. |
| PvE, Horde (Feral tank) | Tauren | Endurance's 5% health for tanking. |
| PvP, Horde | Tauren | War Stomp is an instant area stun usable in caster form. |
| PvP, Alliance | Night Elf | Shadowmeld to drink or reset; the only Alliance option. |
What changes in WoW Forever
- Official Skyborne on both factions can be Druids, with druid forms created for the race. Blizzard News
Our early read: Druids get a third race on each side: the Skyborne, with their own shapeshift forms and 1% haste. Tauren Endurance now adds 1% hit, which also helps Balance and Feral damage.
Race pages
Human · Dwarf · Night Elf · Gnome · Orc · Undead · Tauren · Troll · Skyborne · All WoW Forever races