If this is your first time in World of Warcraft, or your first in a long while, class is the decision that weighs the most: it changes how you fight, what you do in a group and how you level from 1 to 60. This guide won't tell you which one is "the best". All nine reach 60, all nine have a place in dungeons and raids, and Blizzard has said it wants each one to feel distinct, not for one to beat the rest. What we do is explain what each one is, what it asks of you and who it's for, so you can rule out options quickly.
Everything here comes from what Blizzard has said in its class deep dives and from the beta client (level 30). It may change before November 4.
Quick answer
Answer this and you'll have two or three candidates:
| If you want to… | Look at these classes |
|---|---|
| Take the hits and protect the group (tank) | Warrior, Paladin, Druid |
| Heal others (healer) | Priest, Paladin, Shaman, Druid |
| Fight in melee | Warrior, Rogue, Paladin, Shaman (Enhancement), Druid (cat), Hunter (Survival) |
| Attack from range | Mage, Warlock, Hunter, Priest (Shadow), Shaman (Elemental), Druid (Balance) |
| A pet by your side | Hunter (beast) and Warlock (demon) |
| To do a bit of everything with one character | Druid (all four roles), Paladin and Shaman |
| To move around unseen | Rogue (stealth) and Druid (in cat form) |
Would you rather be told? The quiz "Which WoW Forever class fits you?" is eleven questions about your tastes and gives you the three that look most like you, with the reasons.
The nine at a glance
| Class | Roles | Range | Armor | Resource | What it asks of you |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warrior | Tank, damage | Melee | Mail and, later, plate | Rage | Medium |
| Paladin | Tank, healer, damage | Melee | Mail until 40, plate from 40 | Mana | Low for leveling; more as a healer or tank |
| Hunter | Damage | Ranged (or melee in Survival) | Leather and, later, mail | Mana; the pet uses focus | Low |
| Rogue | Damage | Melee | Leather | Energy and combo points | Medium |
| Priest | Healer, damage | Ranged | Cloth | Mana | Medium as a healer; low as Shadow |
| Shaman | Healer, damage | Ranged or melee | Leather and, later, mail | Mana | Medium-high |
| Mage | Damage | Ranged | Cloth | Mana | Medium |
| Warlock | Damage | Ranged, with a demon | Cloth | Mana (and health, which you turn into mana) | Medium |
| Druid | Tank, healer, damage | Both, depending on form | Leather | Mana, rage (bear) or energy (cat) | Medium-high |
"What it asks of you" isn't difficulty at winning, it's how many things you have to watch at once. A class that asks more doesn't deal more damage: it just has more buttons.
Choose by what you want to do
Tanking
The tank stands in front, soaks up the hits and sets the pace for the group. It's the role most sought after in dungeons, and the one with the most responsibility: if you don't know the way, the group notices.
- Warrior: the classic tank, with a shield and Defensive Stance. Rage comes from taking hits, so the more they hit you, the more you do.
- Paladin: plate, shield and Righteous Fury to draw enemies. Holds up against big packs and heals itself.
- Druid: in Bear Form, no shield but lots of armor. Can switch to cat or healer if the group needs it.
Blizzard has said the Hunter doesn't tank, and the Shaman isn't built for it.
Healing
The healer keeps everyone alive. A group always needs one and rarely has too many.
- Priest: the most classic healer, with two healing branches (Discipline, which prevents damage with shields, and Holy, which heals what has already landed).
- Paladin: direct heals and plenty of armor on top, so it holds up well if an enemy slips past the tank.
- Shaman: heals that jump between allies and totems that help the whole group.
- Druid: heals that work over time, several of them instant.
All four also have a damage branch for leveling solo.
Dealing damage in melee
- Warrior: big weapons and lots of strength; shines when it has good gear.
- Rogue: stealth, poisons and finishers with combo points. You choose when the fight starts.
- Paladin (Retribution): two-handed weapon, seal and Judgement. Steady and very hard to kill.
- Shaman (Enhancement): two-handed weapon and Stormstrike, with totems and its own heals.
- Druid (cat): combo points like the Rogue, with stealth in cat form.
- Hunter (Survival): the Hunter that hits up close, with traps.
Dealing damage at range
- Mage: lots of damage and lots of control (freezing, polymorph). Conjures its own food and water.
- Warlock: effects that kill over time and a demon at its side.
- Hunter: shots, with a pet that takes the hits for you.
- Priest (Shadow), Shaman (Elemental) and Druid (Balance): the damage branch of three classes that also heal.
Leveling solo, comfortably
All of them level up, but some hit fewer pauses. The Hunter and Warlock have a pet that takes the hits; the Paladin and Druid heal themselves and rarely die; the Enhancement Shaman and Shadow Priest also manage well. The Warrior and Rogue depend more on gear and on eating between fights, though the Warrior has Victory Rush, which heals after each kill. For the rest, see the leveling route and What should I do at my level?.
Playing with friends
If you'll always go together, split the roles: a tank and a healer make everything go faster. For a duo, a class that heals (Paladin, Priest, Shaman or Druid) with any other works well. To plan a group of five, there's the group planner.
PvP
Every class has a place in PvP. What changes is how it plays: the Rogue and Druid choose when to start thanks to stealth, the Mage and Warlock control from range, the Warrior and Paladin hold on and push, and the healers keep the team alive in the battlegrounds. If it interests you, also see the guide to open-world PvP.
The nine, one by one
Each has its own full guide, with an "is it for you?" section at the start: what you'll like, what maybe not, what it asks of you and how it levels.
Warrior
Front line, big weapons and a resource, rage, that goes up when you hit and when you're hit. In Forever rage is no longer lost by wearing plate and crits do double. It's for anyone who enjoys watching their character grow with every piece of gear. Warrior guide: is it for you?
Paladin
Plate, its own heals, blessings for the group and Divine Shield to get out of a jam. It can heal, tank or hit with a two-handed weapon. In Forever it reaches the Horde with the Undead. It's for anyone who wants a character that's very hard to kill. Paladin guide: is it for you?
Hunter
A pet at your side at all times, shots from a distance and traps. It only deals damage, but it levels solo very comfortably. It's for anyone who wants to explore the world and tame beasts. Hunter guide: is it for you?
Rogue
Stealth, poisons, combo points and lots of control (stun, blind, sap). It only deals damage, in melee and in leather. It's for anyone who wants to choose when the fight begins. Rogue guide: is it for you?
Priest
The healer you know, with a damage branch (Shadow) for leveling solo. In Forever each race has two priest spells of its own. It's for anyone who enjoys looking after the group. Priest guide: is it for you?
Shaman
Totems, shocks, weapon enchantments, heals and resurrection: tools for everything. It can heal, hit with a two-handed weapon or throw lightning. In Forever both factions play it (the Dwarf on the Alliance side). It's for anyone who isn't overwhelmed by lots of buttons. Shaman guide: is it for you?
Mage
Lots of ranged damage, crowd control, and food and water for the whole group. In cloth, if they reach you, you go down fast. It's for anyone who enjoys positioning well. Mage guide: is it for you?
Warlock
A demon at your command, curses and effects that kill slowly. It turns health into mana and almost never has to stop. It's for anyone who wants the dark side and to level solo at a calm pace. Warlock guide: is it for you?
Druid
All four roles in one class: bear to tank, cat to hit, caster or healer. In Forever shifting forms punishes you less than in Classic. It's for anyone who wants to be able to do everything. Druid guide: is it for you?
Which races can be each class
Not every race can be every class. If you already have a race in mind, see here which classes are left for you (and the other way round). The detail on each race, its racials and its starting zone is in Which race should you pick?.
| Class | Alliance | Horde |
|---|---|---|
| Warrior | Human, Dwarf, Night Elf, Gnome, Skyborne (High Order) | Orc, Undead (Forsaken), Tauren, Troll, Skyborne (Windshapers) |
| Paladin | Human, Dwarf | Undead (Forsaken) |
| Hunter | Human, Dwarf, Night Elf, Skyborne (High Order) | Orc, Tauren, Troll, Skyborne (Windshapers) |
| Rogue | Human, Dwarf, Night Elf, Gnome, Skyborne (High Order) | Orc, Undead (Forsaken), Troll, Skyborne (Windshapers) |
| Priest | Human, Dwarf, Night Elf, Gnome | Undead (Forsaken), Troll |
| Shaman | Dwarf | Orc, Tauren, Troll, Skyborne (Windshapers) |
| Mage | Human, Gnome, Skyborne (High Order) | Orc, Undead (Forsaken), Troll |
| Warlock | Human, Gnome | Orc, Undead (Forsaken), Troll |
| Druid | Night Elf, Skyborne (High Order) | Tauren, Skyborne (Windshapers) |
If you're coming from Classic
The classes are the same, but not identical. What stands out most when choosing:
- The Paladin reaches the Horde (Undead) and the Shaman reaches the Alliance (Dwarf).
- The Skyborne are a new race, on both sides, with their own classes.
- The three talent trees of each class have been largely rebuilt: many branches that were barely played in Classic now have a clear way to play. See it in changes vs Classic.
- Some Classic annoyances have been softened: the Druid drinks potions without leaving form, the Warrior doesn't lose rage from wearing plate, the Shaman places totems four at a time.
If you're still unsure
- Take the quiz "Which class fits you?": it gives you three classes and tells you why.
- Let the randomizer decide. With "Choose between…" you can leave only the two or three classes that tempt you.
- Open the talent calculator for the class you like and see what appeals to you in each branch.
- Watch someone play that class in the live streams.
And remember you can have several characters: many players try two or three classes up to level 10 or 15 before settling on one. With Legacy, later characters level faster.
What can still change
The beta goes up to level 30 and Blizzard keeps tuning the classes every week. What the guides say here holds for choosing; the exact numbers (talents, damage, costs) may move before November 4. We keep it up to date in the patch notes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest class to start with in WoW Forever?
If you've never played, the Hunter and Paladin ask the least of you at the start: the Hunter has a pet that takes the hits, and the Paladin heals itself and is very hard to kill. That doesn't make them stronger; they're just easier to handle while you learn. Any class is learned by playing.
Which classes can tank and which can heal?
The Warrior, Paladin and Druid tank. The Priest, Paladin, Shaman and Druid heal. The Hunter, Rogue, Mage and Warlock only deal damage.
Can I change class later?
No: the class is tied to the character. If you want another one, you make another character. What you can change is your talent branch with your class trainer, and Blizzard has announced dual specialization (today, at level 40).
Which class should I pick if I'm playing with a friend?
The most comfortable setup is for one of you to be able to heal (Paladin, Priest, Shaman or Druid). That way you barely need to stop to eat and you can run dungeons more easily.
Is there a class that's better than the rest in WoW Forever?
We don't do tier lists. Blizzard has said it wants every class to have a place, and all nine reach 60 and get into dungeons and raids. Pick the one you enjoy: it's the one you'll play for hundreds of hours.
