Races in WoW Forever

Your race in WoW Forever decides your faction, your look and your four racial traits, and it narrows which classes you can play. Pick one that feels like you, then read its guide.

Compare racial traits

Alliance

Kingdoms of stone and forest, bound by old alliances.

Human
Stubborn, adaptable and at home in almost any class.
Classes: Hunter, Mage, Paladin, Priest, Rogue, Warlock, Warrior,
Dwarf
Beards, rifles and stone skin, now with Shamans of their own.
Classes: Hunter, Paladin, Priest, Rogue, Shaman, Warrior,
Gnome
Small, brilliant and only a little bit explosive.
Classes: Mage, Priest, Rogue, Warlock, Warrior,
Night Elf
Ancient guardians of the forest who slip into the shadows.
Classes: Druid, Hunter, Priest, Rogue, Warrior,
High Order
Needs the Skyborne Heroic Pack
Skyborne scholars who came to reclaim lost arcane knowledge.
Classes: Druid, Hunter, Mage, Rogue, Warrior,

Horde

Outcasts and survivors who made a home together.

Orc
Fierce, proud and loyal to the clan above all.
Classes: Hunter, Mage, Rogue, Shaman, Warlock, Warrior,
Tauren
Gentle giants who walk with the Earth Mother.
Classes: Druid, Hunter, Shaman, Warrior,
Troll
Easygoing and cunning, with a voodoo trick for every wound.
Classes: Hunter, Mage, Priest, Rogue, Shaman, Warlock, Warrior,
Undead
Free of the Lich King, bitter about it and hard to kill.
Classes: Mage, Paladin, Priest, Rogue, Warlock, Warrior,
Windshaper
Needs the Skyborne Heroic Pack
Skyborne who hold fast to the elemental ways of the wind.
Classes: Druid, Hunter, Rogue, Shaman, Warrior,

Racial traits side by side

From Blizzard’s announcement and development notes. The two Skyborne races share three of their four.

Alliance

Human
Active
- Will to Survive
  Will to Survive
  Replaces Diplomacy, which gave 10% more reputation.
  Removes stuns.
- PerceptionDetect stealthed enemies for 20 seconds.
Passive
- Ruthless
  Ruthless
  Replaces Sword and Mace Specialization, which gave 5 extra weapon skill with swords and maces.
  1% increased critical strike chance.
- The Human Spirit
  The Human Spirit
  Up from 5%.
  10% increased Spirit.
Dwarf
Active
- Stoneform
  Stoneform
  It reduces physical damage taken instead of adding 10% armor.
  Immunity to bleeds, poisons and diseases, and 10% less physical damage taken, for 8 seconds.
- Find Treasure
  Find Treasure
  The extra items are new.
  Track nearby treasure chests, with a chance to find extra items in most chests.
Passive
- Artisan’s Precision
  Artisan’s Precision
  Replaces Gun Specialization, which gave 5 extra skill with guns.
  1% increased chance to hit with spells and attacks.
- Big Game Hunter
  Big Game Hunter
  Replaces Frost Resistance.
  Damage to Beasts increased by 5%.
Gnome
Active
- Escape Artist
  Escape Artist
  The immunity is new, and the cooldown is 2 minutes (was 1).
  Escape roots and snares, and become immune to them for 3 seconds.
- Eureka!
  Eureka!
  Replaces Arcane Resistance.
  For 8 seconds, your Mana, Rage or Energy abilities cost 10% less and deal 10% more direct damage or healing, and Power Word: Shield absorbs more.
Passive
- Expansive Mind
  Expansive Mind
  It used to give 5% more Intellect.
  Maximum Mana, Rage or Energy increased by 5%.
- Engineering Specialization
  Engineering Specialization
  It used to give 15 extra Engineering skill.
  Engineering devices fail or backfire 20% less often.
Night Elf
Active
- Elune’s Light
  Elune’s Light
  Replaces Nature Resistance.
  Increases critical chance by 10% for 15 seconds.
- Shadowmeld
  Shadowmeld
  The use in combat is new.
  Gain stealth while standing still. Used in combat, it makes enemies less likely to attack you, but the cooldown becomes 2 minutes.
Passive
- Quickness
  Quickness
  The run speed is new.
  1% increased dodge chance and 2% increased run speed, which adds to other speed bonuses.
- Wisp Spirit
  Wisp Spirit
  Up from 50%.
  75% increased run speed while dead.
High Order
Active
- Walk on AirGlide downward through the air for 10 seconds. 90-second cooldown.
- Read LeylineHealth and Mana regeneration increased by 50% for 15 seconds, and you can use it while moving. Used at a ley line, it also makes you Attuned for 1 hour, which raises the bonus to 100%. Attuned lasts through death but ends when you enter a raid. Innervate replaces it while active.
Passive
- Wind Blessed2% increased melee, ranged and spellcasting haste.
- Elemental InsightDamage to Elementals increased by 5%.

Horde

Orc
Active
- Blood Fury
  Blood Fury
  It now raises spell power too and no longer reduces healing on you.
  Increases attack power and spell power by 10% for 15 seconds.
- Shatter Curse
  Shatter Curse
  Replaces Axe Specialization, which gave 5 extra skill with axes.
  Removes curses and banes, and reduces magical damage taken by 5% for 8 seconds.
Passive
- CommandDamage dealt by Hunter and Warlock pets increased by 5%.
- Hardiness
  Hardiness
  It used to give a 25% chance to resist stuns.
  Stuns on you last 20% shorter.
Tauren
Active
- War Stomp
  War Stomp
  The cooldown is 90 seconds (was 2 minutes).
  Stuns nearby enemies for 2 seconds.
- Cultivation
  Cultivation
  It used to give 15 extra Herbalism skill.
  Grow bonus herbs that don’t need Herbalism to gather. Each herb needs a character level equal to the Herbalism skill it takes to pick, divided by 5. 15-minute cooldown.
Passive
- Plainsrunning
  Plainsrunning
  Replaces Nature Resistance.
  Move 2% faster for every 5 seconds you keep moving, up to 60%. Taking damage or standing still wears it down. It doesn’t affect mounted speed.
- EnduranceTotal Health increased by 5%.
Troll
Active
- Berserking
  Berserking
  Always 10%, and it lasts 15 seconds instead of 10. It used to give 10 to 30%, more the lower your health.
  Increases casting and attack speed by 10% for 15 seconds.
- Rapid Regeneration
  Rapid Regeneration
  Replaces Bow and Throwing Specialization, which gave 5 extra weapon skill with bows and thrown weapons.
  Regenerate 50% of your maximum Health over 6 seconds. Moving, acting or taking damage ends it.
Passive
- Beast SlayingDamage to Beasts increased by 5%.
- Regeneration
  Regeneration
  Up from 10%.
  Health regeneration increased by 20%, and 20% of it continues in combat.
Undead
Active
- Will of the Forsaken
  Will of the Forsaken
  It no longer makes you immune to charm, fear and sleep for 5 seconds.
  Removes charm, fear and sleep.
- Cannibalize
  Cannibalize
  It restores Mana too.
  Consume a corpse to regenerate 35% of your Health and Mana over time.
Passive
- Underwater BreathingBreathe 300% longer underwater.
- Touch of the Grave
  Touch of the Grave
  Replaces Shadow Resistance.
  Your damaging spells and abilities sometimes drain health from the target, up to 5% of your maximum Health. It never breaks crowd control.
Windshaper
Active
- Walk on AirGlide downward through the air for 10 seconds. 90-second cooldown.
- SkysightMovement and mounted speed increased by 15% for 30 seconds, and you can use it while moving. Used at an elemental convergence, it also makes you Charged for 1 hour, which raises the bonus to 30%. Charged lasts through death but ends when you enter a raid.
Passive
- Wind Blessed2% increased melee, ranged and spellcasting haste.
- Elemental InsightDamage to Elementals increased by 5%.

Alliance

Horde

Racial traits side by side

Alliance

Horde

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