WoW Forever introduces new race and class combinations that give players more freedom when creating characters. Some familiar races can now learn classes they couldn’t access in Classic, including Dwarf Shamans, Undead Paladins, and Human Hunters.
In this guide, I’ll cover every available race and class combination for the Alliance and Horde, explain which options are new, and go over the special restrictions for the Skyborne. Whether you’re starting a new character or planning your next build, this should help you choose a race that fits your preferred class.
The good news is that the six new combinations for the original races are included in the base game. The Skyborne are a separate playable race and require a paid upgrade, so I’ll explain that distinction as well.
WoW Forever Race and Class Combinations Guide
The table below lists the available classes for each race. A star (⭐) marks a new combination introduced in WoW Forever.
| Race | Druid | Hunter | Mage | Paladin | Priest | Rogue | Shaman | Warlock | Warrior |
|—|—|—|—|—|—|—|—|—|
| Human | — | ⭐ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dwarf | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ⭐ | ✓ |
| Night Elf | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| Gnome | — | — | ✓ | — | ⭐ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Orc | — | ✓ | ⭐ | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Undead | — | — | ✓ | ⭐ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tauren | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Troll | — | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ | ⭐ | ✓ |
| Skyborne | ⭐ | ⭐ | ⭐ (Alliance only) | — | — | ⭐ | ⭐ (Horde only) | ⭐ |
Key: ✓ = available in the original class lineup; ⭐ = new in WoW Forever; — = unavailable.
The Skyborne class options depend on which faction-aligned variant you choose. Alliance Skyborne can be Mages, while Horde Skyborne can be Shamans.
New Race and Class Combinations
WoW Forever adds six combinations to the original races. These are included in the base game and do not require the Skyborne upgrade.
| New combination | Faction | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| Human Hunter | Alliance | Gives Humans access to the Hunter class |
| Dwarf Shaman | Alliance | Gives the Alliance its first Shaman option |
| Gnome Priest | Alliance | Adds Priest to the Gnome class list |
| Orc Mage | Horde | Adds Mage to the Orc class list |
| Troll Warlock | Horde | Adds Warlock to the Troll class list |
| Undead Paladin | Horde | Gives the Horde its first Paladin option |
The two biggest faction changes are Dwarf Shaman and Undead Paladin. In original Classic, Shamans were exclusive to the Horde and Paladins were exclusive to the Alliance. WoW Forever opens both classes to the opposite faction through these new combinations.
Alliance Race and Class Combinations
The Alliance has five race options, including the paid Skyborne race.
| Race | Available classes |
|---|---|
| Human | Warrior, Paladin, Hunter, Rogue, Priest, Mage, Warlock |
| Dwarf | Warrior, Paladin, Hunter, Rogue, Priest, Shaman |
| Gnome | Warrior, Rogue, Priest, Mage, Warlock |
| Night Elf | Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, Priest, Druid |
| Skyborne (High Order) | Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, Druid, Mage |
Human
Humans can play Warrior, Paladin, Hunter, Rogue, Priest, Mage, and Warlock. Human Hunter is the new addition, giving Human characters another ranged damage option.
Dwarf
Dwarves can play Warrior, Paladin, Hunter, Rogue, Priest, and Shaman. Dwarf Shaman is particularly notable because it brings the Shaman class to the Alliance.
Gnome
Gnomes can play Warrior, Rogue, Priest, Mage, and Warlock. Priest is their new class option in WoW Forever.
Night Elf
Night Elves can play Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, Priest, and Druid. Their class options remain the same as in original Classic.
Skyborne (High Order)
Alliance-aligned Skyborne can play Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, Druid, and Mage. The Mage option is exclusive to the High Order variant.
Horde Race and Class Combinations
The Horde also has five race options, including its own faction-aligned Skyborne variant.
| Race | Available classes |
|---|---|
| Orc | Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, Shaman, Warlock, Mage |
| Tauren | Warrior, Hunter, Shaman, Druid |
| Troll | Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, Priest, Mage, Shaman, Warlock |
| Undead | Warrior, Rogue, Priest, Mage, Warlock, Paladin |
| Skyborne (Windshaper) | Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, Druid, Shaman |
Orc
Orcs can play Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, Shaman, Warlock, and Mage. Mage is the new addition, expanding the Orc class lineup.
Tauren
Tauren can play Warrior, Hunter, Shaman, and Druid. Their available classes remain unchanged from original Classic.
Troll
Trolls can play Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, Priest, Mage, Shaman, and Warlock. Warlock is their new class option.
Undead
Undead can play Warrior, Rogue, Priest, Mage, Warlock, and Paladin. Undead Paladin is a major addition, giving the Horde access to Paladins for the first time.
Skyborne (Windshaper)
Horde-aligned Skyborne can play Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, Druid, and Shaman. Shaman is exclusive to the Windshaper variant.
Skyborne Class Restrictions
Skyborne are available to both factions, but you must choose your faction alignment when creating your character:
- High Order (Alliance): Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, Druid, Mage
- Windshaper (Horde): Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, Druid, Shaman
Both variants share Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, and Druid. Neither variant can become a Paladin, and the Mage and Shaman options are faction-specific.
Unlike the six new combinations for the original races, the Skyborne race requires the Skyborne Heroic Pack ($29.99) or a higher upgrade edition. A subscription alone does not unlock this race.
WoW Forever’s expanded race and class options make character creation more flexible than it was in Classic. The six new combinations are especially useful for players who wanted to try a class on a different race or bring a traditionally faction-exclusive class to the other side.
If you’re choosing a new character, check the class list first and consider whether you want one of the new combinations or a Skyborne character with faction-specific restrictions.