WoW Forever Racials Compared

All races compared

Names, values and cooldowns are from the beta client (build 1.60.1) and may still change before launch. from game data

“new in WoW Forever”: the ability has a new spell ID in the game data that did not exist in Classic.

According to the developers, some announced racial changes have been rolled back, so we only show what is in the beta game data. per fan sites

Sorted by effect

The racials sorted by effect, based on their tooltip texts: our assessment

• Against crowd control: Will of the Forsaken (Undead), Will to Survive (Human), Escape Artist (Gnome), Stoneform (Dwarf), Shatter Curse (Orc), Hardiness (Orc)
• Combat cooldowns: Blood Fury (Orc), Berserking (Troll), Elune's Light (Night Elf), Eureka! (Gnome), War Stomp (Tauren)
• Weapon specializations: Ruthless (Human), Earth Fury (Dwarf), Savage (Orc)
• Regeneration and survival: Cannibalize (Undead), Rapid Regeneration (Troll), Regeneration (Troll), Endurance (Tauren), Read Leyline (Skyborne · High Order)
• Movement and stealth: Quickness (Night Elf), Plainsrunning (Tauren), Wisp Spirit (Night Elf), Shadowmeld (Night Elf), Perception (Human), Walk on Air (Skyborne), Skysight (Skyborne · Windshapers)
• Stats and resources: The Human Spirit (Human), Expansive Mind (Gnome), Touch of the Grave (Undead), Wind Blessed (Skyborne)
• More damage against certain enemies: Beast Slaying (Troll), Big Game Hunter (Dwarf), Elemental Insight (Skyborne)
• Gathering, exploring and professions: Cultivation (Tauren), Find Treasure (Dwarf), Engineering Specialization (Gnome), Underwater Breathing (Undead)

Which racials suit which class?

Which racials suit which class? We only list what follows directly from the ability texts: class-specific versions, weapon specializations for weapons that race and class can use, and texts that name a class explicitly. All other racials work the same for every class. We deliberately do not give a ranking. our assessment

Warrior

• Human: Ruthless (Increases your critical strike chance with all spells and attacks by 2%.). According to the game data, this combination can use Swords.
• Dwarf: Earth Fury (Increases your critical strike bonus to damage and healing by 2%.). According to the game data, this combination can use Maces.
• Gnome: for this class, Eureka! does the following: Your non-periodic damaging abilities have their Rage cost reduced by 10% and deal 10% more damage.
• Gnome: for this class, Expansive Mind does the following: Maximum Rage increased by 5%.
• Orc: Savage (Increases your critical strike chance with all spells and abilities by 1%.). According to the game data, this combination can use Axes.
• Undead: for this class, Touch of the Grave does the following: Your spells and attacks have a 20% chance to drain Health from the target, up to 5% of your maximum Health.

Paladin

• Human: Ruthless (Increases your critical strike chance with all spells and attacks by 2%.). According to the game data, this combination can use Swords.
• Dwarf: Earth Fury (Increases your critical strike bonus to damage and healing by 2%.). According to the game data, this combination can use Maces.
• Undead: for this class, Touch of the Grave does the following: Your spells and attacks have a 20% chance to drain Health from the target, up to 5% of your maximum Health.

Hunter

• Human: Ruthless (Increases your critical strike chance with all spells and attacks by 2%.). According to the game data, this combination can use Swords.
• Orc: Savage (Increases your critical strike chance with all spells and abilities by 1%.). According to the game data, this combination can use Axes.

Rogue

• Human: Ruthless (Increases your critical strike chance with all spells and attacks by 2%.). According to the game data, this combination can use Swords.
• Dwarf: Earth Fury (Increases your critical strike bonus to damage and healing by 2%.). According to the game data, this combination can use Maces.
• Night Elf: Quickness. The tooltip mentions this class explicitly: Dodge chance increased by 1% and movement speed increased by 2%. Night Elf Rogues and Druids are harder to detect in Stealth as if they were 1 level higher.
• Gnome: for this class, Eureka! does the following: Your non-periodic damaging abilities have their Energy cost reduced by 10% and deal 10% more damage.
• Gnome: for this class, Expansive Mind does the following: Maximum Energy increased by 5%.
• Orc: Savage (Increases your critical strike chance with all spells and abilities by 1%.). According to the game data, this combination can use Axes.
• Undead: for this class, Touch of the Grave does the following: Your spells and attacks have a 20% chance to drain Health from the target, up to 5% of your maximum Health.

Priest

• Dwarf: Earth Fury (Increases your critical strike bonus to damage and healing by 2%.). According to the game data, this combination can use Maces.
• Gnome: for this class, Eureka! does the following: Your non-periodic damaging or healing abilities have their Mana cost reduced by 10% and deal 10% more damage or healing.
• Gnome: for this class, Expansive Mind does the following: Maximum Mana increased by 5%.
• Undead: for this class, Touch of the Grave does the following: Your spells and attacks have a 30% chance to drain Health from the target, up to 5% of your maximum Health.

Shaman

• Dwarf: Earth Fury (Increases your critical strike bonus to damage and healing by 2%.). According to the game data, this combination can use Maces.
• Orc: Savage (Increases your critical strike chance with all spells and abilities by 1%.). According to the game data, this combination can use Axes.

Mage

• Human: Ruthless (Increases your critical strike chance with all spells and attacks by 2%.). According to the game data, this combination can use Swords.
• Gnome: for this class, Eureka! does the following: Your damaging abilities have their Mana cost reduced by 10% and deal 10% more damage.
• Gnome: for this class, Expansive Mind does the following: Maximum Mana increased by 5%.
• Undead: for this class, Touch of the Grave does the following: Your spells and attacks have a 30% chance to drain Health from the target, up to 5% of your maximum Health.

Warlock

• Human: Ruthless (Increases your critical strike chance with all spells and attacks by 2%.). According to the game data, this combination can use Swords.
• Gnome: for this class, Eureka! does the following: Your non-periodic damaging abilities have their Mana cost reduced by 10% and deal 10% more damage.
• Gnome: for this class, Expansive Mind does the following: Maximum Mana increased by 5%.
• Undead: for this class, Touch of the Grave does the following: Your spells and attacks have a 30% chance to drain Health from the target, up to 5% of your maximum Health.

Druid

• Night Elf: Quickness. The tooltip mentions this class explicitly: Dodge chance increased by 1% and movement speed increased by 2%. Night Elf Rogues and Druids are harder to detect in Stealth as if they were 1 level higher.

All race pages

• Human
• Dwarf
• Night Elf
• Gnome
• Orc
• Undead
• Tauren
• Troll
• Skyborne
• Best race per class

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