WoW Forever Classes and Races: What Blizzard Has Confirmed
Verified November 6, 2026 · Status: released
World of Warcraft: Forever uses the nine original WoW classes alongside the race lineup from Classic WoW — plus the new Skyborne race introduced with Forever, and new race-class combinations highlighted at BlizzCon 2026 (Forsaken Paladins, Dwarf Shamans) that were covered in panels rather than the launch post. Blizzard’s main announcement focuses on Skyborne as the race story and refers to the broader BlizzCon 2026 panels for class and combo breakdowns. This page separates what Blizzard has officially confirmed from what panels covered but Blizzard hasn’t yet consolidated. Verified on 6 November 2026.
Primary sources: Blizzard — Carve a New Path with World of Warcraft: Forever; Wikipedia — World of Warcraft: Forever (BlizzCon 2026 content summary).
The nine Forever classes
Forever uses the nine original Classic WoW classes:
- Warrior. Tank or melee DPS. The baseline melee class.
- Paladin. Hybrid — tank, healer, or melee DPS depending on spec.
- Hunter. Ranged physical DPS with pet.
- Rogue. Stealth melee DPS.
- Priest. Healer or shadow DPS.
- Shaman. Hybrid — healer, melee DPS, or ranged elemental DPS.
- Mage. Ranged magic DPS.
- Warlock. Ranged magic DPS with pet.
- Druid. Hybrid — tank, healer, melee DPS, or ranged DPS.
Each class has a classic three-talent-tree system (announced — Classic-style talents, three trees of seven rows retained).
The playable races
Forever uses the original WoW race roster plus the new Skyborne race:
Alliance races (base):
- Human
- Dwarf
- Night Elf
- Gnome
Horde races (base):
- Orc
- Undead (Forsaken)
- Tauren
- Troll
New with Forever:
- Skyborne. The new playable race, starting on Zephras Isle. Unlocked via Skyborne Heroic Pack or higher.
New race-class combinations (BlizzCon panels)
BlizzCon 2026 panels highlighted new race-class combinations for Forever. Specific additions cited in post-BlizzCon coverage:
- Forsaken Paladins. Not available in Classic WoW. Announced for Forever via BlizzCon 2026 panel content.
- Dwarf Shamans. Not available in Classic WoW. Announced for Forever via BlizzCon 2026 panel content.
These additions are announced through Wikipedia’s and secondary-coverage summaries of BlizzCon 2026 panels, but Blizzard has not yet published a consolidated news post listing every race-class combination for Forever. The exact full combo matrix is not yet confirmed in a single Blizzard source.
Classic-style talent system
Blizzard confirmed Forever retains the Classic WoW talent system:
- Three talent trees per class.
- Seven rows per tree.
- Points earned as the character levels, spent in trees to specialize into a role.
This differs from modern WoW’s talent tree system (overhauled for Dragonflight and refined in The War Within). Forever’s talents resemble pre-Cataclysm WoW’s structure, giving players the classic specialization feel.
Racial abilities
Each race has its own passive and active racial abilities. Forever retains the Classic-era racials for base races (e.g., Humans get Perception bonus, Night Elves get Shadowmeld, Dwarves get Stoneform). Skyborne’s specific racial abilities are detailed in BlizzCon 2026 Skyborne panels but not yet consolidated into Blizzard’s main launch post.
Compared to WoW Classic’s race-class roster
| Class | Classic availability | Forever additions |
|---|---|---|
| Warrior | All races except Night Elf shortly after launch | Classic baseline + Skyborne (if confirmed) |
| Paladin | Alliance: Human, Dwarf | + Forsaken Paladins (per BlizzCon) |
| Hunter | Alliance: Dwarf, Night Elf. Horde: Orc, Tauren, Troll | Classic baseline + Skyborne (TBC) |
| Rogue | Multiple races | Classic baseline + Skyborne (TBC) |
| Priest | Multiple races | Classic baseline + Skyborne (TBC) |
| Shaman | Horde only (Orc, Tauren, Troll) | + Dwarf Shamans (per BlizzCon) |
| Mage | Multiple races | Classic baseline + Skyborne (TBC) |
| Warlock | Multiple races | Classic baseline + Skyborne (TBC) |
| Druid | Alliance: Night Elf. Horde: Tauren | Classic baseline + Skyborne (TBC) |
(TBC = to be confirmed by Blizzard in a consolidated post.)
Level cap and progression
Forever’s level cap is 60 (announced — same as original WoW’s launch cap).
Progression mechanics Blizzard confirmed:
- Characters level 1-60 through quests, dungeons, and world content.
- Story, abilities, and equipment drive post-level-60 progression (no infinite XP grind).
- Endgame content includes dungeons, raids, PvP, and new systems detailed per-patch.
FAQ
How many classes does WoW Forever have?
Nine — the original WoW classes: warrior, paladin, hunter, rogue, priest, shaman, mage, warlock, druid. No new classes were added with Forever.
What race additions did Forever bring?
One new race (Skyborne) at launch, plus new race-class combinations announced at BlizzCon 2026 panels: Forsaken Paladins and Dwarf Shamans. The full combo matrix hasn’t been consolidated into a single Blizzard news post yet.
Does Forever use the Classic-style talent system?
Yes. Three talent trees per class, seven rows per tree. Points earned per level, spent to specialize. Unlike modern WoW’s overhauled talent system, Forever retains the Classic feel.
Can Forsaken be Paladins in Forever?
Announced yes, via BlizzCon 2026 panel coverage. Not available in Classic WoW. Blizzard hasn’t yet published a single consolidated post confirming every new race-class combo in Forever.
Can Dwarves be Shamans in Forever?
Announced yes, via BlizzCon 2026 panel coverage. Not available in Classic WoW. Same consolidation status as Forsaken Paladins — covered in panels, not yet in a single news post.
What level cap does Forever use?
60 — the original WoW level cap. Progression at 60 comes from stories, abilities, and equipment rather than infinite XP grinding.
What classes can Skyborne play?
Not yet confirmed in a single Blizzard launch post. The class pool is the nine Forever classes; specific Skyborne-class availability is in BlizzCon 2026 Skyborne panels, which Blizzard hasn’t consolidated into a news post yet.
Related guides
