Will to Survive
Removes all Stun effects.
Classic Era: Not in Classic.
WoW Forever racials
How Forever changed racials
Four racials per race, rebalanced
The Forever preview keeps the Classic racial model — a couple of Active buttons with cooldowns plus Passive bonuses — but retunes nearly all of it. 26 of the 40 racials below carry a Classic Era comparison line, so you can see exactly what your race lost or gained before you commit during character creation.
Weapon skill is out, critical strike is in
The +5 weapon skill racials that defined Classic race picks (Human, Dwarf, Orc) now grant critical strike chance with the matching weapon type instead — the same philosophy that removed the weapon-specialization talents from the trees.
Pick by class, not just by racial
Race choice is gated by class in Forever, and the matrix loosened: six brand-new combinations exist this time. Check your class's calculator page to see which races can actually play it.
Alliance races
Human, Dwarf, Night Elf, Gnome and the new Skyborne High Order.
Human
AllianceClasses: Warrior · Hunter · Mage · Rogue · Priest · Warlock · Paladin
Perception
Dramatically increases stealth detection for 20 sec.
Sword Specialization
Increases your critical strike chance with all spells and attacks by 2% while a sword or two-handed sword is equipped.
Classic Era: Classic granted +5 weapon skill instead.
The Human Spirit
Increases your Spirit by 5%.
Dwarf
AllianceClasses: Warrior · Hunter · Rogue · Priest · Paladin · Shaman
Stoneform
Removes and grants immunity to all Bleed, Poison and Disease effects, and reduces all Physical damage taken by 10% for 8 sec.
Classic Era: Classic increased armor by 10% instead of reducing damage taken.
Find Treasure
Senses nearby treasure and shows it on the minimap. Lasts until cancelled.
Mace Specialization
Increases your critical strike chance with all spells and attacks by 1% while a mace or two-handed mace is equipped.
Classic Era: Classic granted +5 weapon skill instead.
Big Game Hunter
Increases damage dealt to Beasts by 5%.
Classic Era: Classic gave Dwarves +1% critical strike chance with guns instead.
Night Elf
AllianceClasses: Warrior · Hunter · Rogue · Priest · Druid
Elune's Light
Increases your critical strike chance with all spells and attacks by 10% for 15 sec.
Classic Era: Not in Classic.
Shadowmeld
Slip into the shadows until you move. Usable in combat, where enemies are discouraged from attacking you, but the cooldown becomes 2 min.
Classic Era: Classic Shadowmeld could not be used in combat.
Quickness
Increases your Dodge chance by 1% and your movement speed by 2%. Night Elf Rogues and Druids stealth as if 1 level higher.
Classic Era: Classic granted the 1% Dodge only.
Wisp Spirit
Increases your movement speed by 75% while dead.
Classic Era: Classic: 50%.
Gnome
AllianceClasses: Warrior · Mage · Rogue · Priest · Warlock
Escape Artist
Escapes any movement impairing effect and grants immunity to them for 3 sec.
Classic Era: Classic had no immunity window.
Eureka!
Your next 3 damaging abilities cost 10% less Mana, Rage or Energy and deal 10% more damage. For healers, the next 3 damaging or healing abilities cost 10% less Mana and deal 10% more damage or healing.
Classic Era: Not in Classic.
Expansive Mind
Increases your Mana, Rage and Energy by 5%.
Classic Era: Classic increased Intellect by 5%.
Engineering Specialization
Reduces the chance that your engineering devices fail or backfire by 20%.
Classic Era: Classic granted +15 Engineering skill.
Skyborne (High Order)
AllianceClasses: Warrior · Hunter · Mage · Rogue · Druid
Walk on Air
Glide downward through the air for 10 sec while controlling your direction of travel.
Read Ley Line
Taps a nearby ley line for +100% Health and Mana regeneration: 15 sec if no ley line is nearby, 15 min if one is found.
Elemental Insight
Increases damage dealt to Elementals by 5%.
Wind Blessed
Increases your melee, ranged and spellcasting Haste by 1%.
Horde races
Orc, Undead, Tauren, Troll and the new Skyborne Windshaper.
Orc
HordeClasses: Warrior · Hunter · Mage · Rogue · Warlock · Shaman
Blood Fury
Increases Attack Power and Spell Power by 10% for 15 sec.
Classic Era: Classic increased base melee attack power by 25% for 15 sec and reduced healing on you by 50%.
Shatter Curse
Removes and grants immunity to all Curses and Banes, and reduces all Magical damage taken by 15% for 8 sec.
Classic Era: Not in Classic.
Axe Specialization
Increases your critical strike chance with all spells and abilities by 1% while an axe or two-handed axe is equipped.
Classic Era: Classic granted +5 weapon skill instead.
Hardiness
Reduces the duration of Stun effects on you by 20%.
Classic Era: Classic granted an extra 25% chance to resist stuns.
Undead
HordeClasses: Warrior · Mage · Rogue · Priest · Warlock · Paladin
Will of the Forsaken
Removes all Charm, Fear and Sleep effects.
Classic Era: Classic also granted immunity while the effect lasted.
Cannibalize
5 yd 2 min Regenerates 7% of total Health and 7% of total Mana every 2 sec for 10 sec from a Humanoid or Undead corpse; moving, acting or taking damage cancels it.
Classic Era: Classic restored Health only.
Underwater Breathing
Underwater breath lasts 300% longer.
Touch of the Grave
Damaging spells and attacks have a chance to drain Health from the target, up to 5% of your maximum Health: 10% chance for casters, 5% for melee, with a 1 sec internal cooldown. This does not break crowd control.
Classic Era: Not in Classic.
Tauren
HordeClasses: Warrior · Hunter · Druid · Shaman
War Stomp
Stuns up to 5 enemies within 8 yds for 2 sec.
Cultivation
1 hour Cultivate a nearby herb, growing a duplicate you can harvest without Herbalism. Each herb may only be cultivated once.
Classic Era: Classic granted +15 Herbalism skill.
Plainsrunning
Gain 1% movement speed every 5 sec spent moving, up to 30%. Taking damage or standing still reduces this effect.
Classic Era: Not in Classic.
Endurance
Increases total Health by 5% and Hit Chance by 1%.
Classic Era: Classic increased base Health by 5% only.
Troll
HordeClasses: Warrior · Hunter · Mage · Rogue · Priest · Warlock · Shaman
Berserking
Increases your spellcasting and attack speed by 10% for 10 sec.
Classic Era: Classic scaled from 10% to 30% depending on missing health.
Rapid Regeneration
Channeled 3 min Regenerates 50% of your maximum Health over 6 sec; any movement, action or damage taken cancels it.
Classic Era: Not in Classic.
Beast Slaying
Increases damage dealt to Beasts by 5%.
Regeneration
Increases your Health regeneration rate by 10%. In addition, 10% of your Health regeneration continues during combat.
Classic Era: Classic already granted both the 10% regeneration rate and the in-combat portion.
Skyborne (Windshaper)
HordeClasses: Warrior · Hunter · Rogue · Druid · Shaman
Walk on Air
Glide downward through the air for 10 sec while controlling your direction of travel.
Skysight
Draws power from a convergence of elements: +10% movement and mounted speed for 30 sec, or 15 min if a convergence is nearby.
Elemental Insight
Increases damage dealt to Elementals by 5%.
Wind Blessed
Increases your melee, ranged and spellcasting Haste by 1%.
New race and class combinations
Six combinations that were impossible in Classic Era — plus the new Skyborne race on both factions.
Undead Paladin — Paladins exist on the Horde for the first timeDwarf Shaman — Shamans exist on the Alliance for the first timeHuman Hunter — new in the Forever previewGnome Priest — new in the Forever previewOrc Mage — new in the Forever previewTroll Warlock — new in the Forever preview
Priest racials in WoW Forever
Fear Ward and Devouring Plague became baseline for every Priest. Each Priest race keeps two signature spells of its own:
Divine Grace New
Heals a friendly target below 50% health for 1285 to 1513 and removes Weakened Soul from them. Cannot be cast on yourself.
Feedback
For 15 sec, any spell that hits you burns 105 of the attacker's mana and deals 1 Shadow damage per point burned.
Chastise New
Deals 272 to 306 Holy damage and roots the target for up to 2 sec. Humanoids only; causes very low threat.
Desperate Prayer
Heals you for 1285 to 1513.
Elune's Grace Changed
Reduces the chance you will be hit by melee and ranged attacks by 50% for 15 sec or until you are missed 3 times.
Classic Era: Classic covered ranged attacks only, added Dodge and had a 3 min cooldown.
Starshards Changed
Rains starshards on the target for 1800 Arcane damage over 6 sec.
Classic Era: Classic had no cooldown and far lower damage.
Confounding Flash New
Confuses up to 5 enemies within 8 yds for 3 sec. Any damage breaks the effect.
Contingency Plan New
Places a Holy ward on an ally for 30 sec; the next hit that drops them below 35% health grants an absorb of 926 and heals for 670 over 15 sec. One ward per target.
Dark Sacrifice New
Consumes 1600 of your own health over 15 sec to gain 1600 mana.
Touch of Weakness
The next melee attack against you deals 56 Shadow damage to the attacker and reduces their melee attack power by 204 for 2 min.
Classic Era: Classic reduced the attacker's damage dealt rather than attack power.
Hex of Weakness Changed
Reduces the target's melee attack power by 204 and the effectiveness of healing on it by 20% for 2 min.
Classic Era: Classic reduced flat melee damage rather than attack power.
Shadowguard
Surrounds you with shadows for 10 min (3 charges). When a spell, melee or ranged attack hits you, the attacker takes 96 Shadow damage, at most once every few seconds. This damage causes no threat.
Classic Era: Classic Shadowguard was a 3-charge shield that struck attackers.
Questions about WoW Forever racials
How many racials does each race have in WoW Forever? +
Every race has exactly 4 racials — 40 across the 10 races, split between Active abilities with a cast time and cooldown, and Passive bonuses. Each card below lists the type, cast, cooldown and the full effect text.
Which WoW Forever racials changed from Classic? +
26 of the 40 racials carry a Classic comparison on this page. The biggest theme: +5 weapon skill racials are gone — Human Sword Specialization and Dwarf Mace Specialization now grant critical strike chance with that weapon type instead, and Orc Axe Specialization moved into the talent trees' old weapon-spec slots. Active racials like Stoneform also changed what they do, not just their numbers.
What are the new race and class combinations in WoW Forever? +
Six combos impossible in Classic opened up: Undead Paladin, Dwarf Shaman, Human Hunter, Gnome Priest, Orc Mage and Troll Warlock — plus the new Skyborne race can be 8 of the 9 classes. See the Skyborne page for the new race itself.
What happened to Priest racial spells? +
Fear Ward and Devouring Plague became baseline for every Priest. On top of that, every Priest race kept or gained two race-specific spells — 5 of the 12 listed below are brand-new, from Human Divine Grace to Gnome Confounding Flash.