Quick answer: In World of Warcraft: Forever, Night Elf (Alliance) and Orc (Horde) are the best races for most damage dealers. Human, Gnome, Dwarf, Troll, Tauren, Undead and Skyborne take specific classes and roles.
Each pick comes down to the racial ability that does the most for that class’s job. For damage dealers, that means a damage cooldown or extra crit, haste or hit. Tanks get damage reduction and Health. Healers get Spirit, Mana and casting speed. If two races are close, the difference in WoW Forever is small, so the race you like is a fine choice.
| Class | Best Alliance race | Best Horde race |
|---|---|---|
| Warrior | Night Elf (Elune's Light: 10% critical chance for 15 sec); tanks: Dwarf (Stoneform: 10% less Physical damage for 8 sec) | Orc (Blood Fury: 10% Attack Power for 15 sec, Hardiness: 20% shorter stuns); tanks: Tauren (Endurance: 5% Health, War Stomp) |
| Paladin | Human (The Human Spirit: 10% Spirit, Will to Survive: removes stuns); tanks: Dwarf (Stoneform) | Undead (the only Horde Paladin race; Will of the Forsaken removes Charm, Fear and Sleep) |
| Hunter | Night Elf (Elune's Light: 10% critical chance for 15 sec); Dwarf close behind (1% hit, 5% damage to Beasts) | Orc (Blood Fury: 10% Attack Power, Command: pets deal 5% more damage) |
| Rogue | Night Elf (Elune's Light, Shadowmeld, 1% Dodge); Human for Perception and stun removal | Orc (Blood Fury: 10% Attack Power, Hardiness: 20% shorter stuns) |
| Priest | Human (The Human Spirit: 10% Spirit for healing, Will to Survive); Gnome for 5% more Mana | Troll (Berserking: 10% casting speed for 10 sec); Undead for Will of the Forsaken |
| Mage | Gnome (Eureka!: reduced cost and 10% more damage for 8 sec, Expansive Mind: 5% Mana) | Orc (Blood Fury: 10% Spell Power for 15 sec); Troll (Berserking) a close second |
| Warlock | Gnome (Eureka!, Expansive Mind: 5% Mana) | Orc (Blood Fury: 10% Spell Power, Command: demons deal 5% more damage) |
| Shaman | Dwarf (the only Alliance Shaman race; Stoneform, 1% hit) | Orc for Elemental and Enhancement (Blood Fury); Troll for Restoration (Berserking: 10% casting speed) |
| Druid | Night Elf for Feral and Balance damage (Elune's Light); High Order Skyborne for Restoration (Read Leyline: 50% Mana regeneration for 15 sec, 2% Haste) | Tauren for Feral tanking (Endurance: 5% Health, War Stomp); Windshaper Skyborne for Balance and Restoration (2% Haste) |
Best Warrior race
On Alliance, pick Night Elf. Elune’s Light raises critical chance by 10% for 15 sec. Alliance tanks should go Dwarf instead, since Stoneform cuts Physical damage taken by 10% for 8 sec. On Horde, Orc’s Blood Fury adds 10% Attack Power for 15 sec and Hardiness makes stuns 20% shorter. Horde tanks should pick Tauren for Endurance’s 5% Health and War Stomp.
Best Paladin race
Paladins may choose Human, Dwarf, or Undead. For the Alliance, Human is the strongest pick: The Human Spirit grants 10% Spirit, while Will to Survive removes stuns. Tanks should favor Dwarf for Stoneform. Horde players have no choice of race: Undead is the sole option for Horde Paladins, and Will of the Forsaken clears Charm, Fear, and Sleep.
Best Hunter race
Alliance Hunters should take Night Elf for the 10% critical chance that Elune’s Light grants for 15 sec. Dwarf is close behind, with 1% hit from Artisan’s Precision and 5% damage to Beasts from Big Game Hunter. On Horde, Orc is the pick. Blood Fury adds 10% Attack Power, and Command makes pets deal 5% more damage.
Best Rogue race
Alliance Rogues get three useful abilities from Night Elf: Elune’s Light, Shadowmeld, which grants Stealth while standing still, and Quickness’s 1% Dodge. Human is a good alternative for Perception and Will to Survive, which removes stuns. Horde Rogues should choose Orc: Blood Fury grants 10% Attack Power, and Hardiness cuts stun duration by 20%.
Best Priest race
Human is the Alliance pick, because The Human Spirit’s 10% Spirit feeds healing and Will to Survive handles stuns. Gnome is the alternative for 5% more Mana. On Horde, Troll wins with Berserking, which raises casting speed by 10% for 10 sec. Pick Undead instead if you want Will of the Forsaken.
Best Mage race
Alliance Mages should be Gnome. For 8 sec, Eureka! lowers spell costs and adds 10% damage, and Expansive Mind adds 5% Mana. On Horde, Orc’s Blood Fury adds 10% Spell Power for 15 sec. Troll and its Berserking are a close second.
Best Warlock race
Gnome is the Alliance pick for the same reasons as on a Mage: Eureka! and Expansive Mind’s 5% Mana. On Horde, Orc pulls ahead. Blood Fury adds 10% Spell Power, and Command makes demons deal 5% more damage.
Best Shaman race
Shamans can be Orc, Dwarf, Tauren, Troll or Windshaper Skyborne. Dwarf is the only Alliance option, and it brings Stoneform and 1% hit. On Horde, Elemental and Enhancement Shamans should pick Orc for Blood Fury. Restoration Shamans should go Troll for Berserking’s 10% casting speed.
Best Druid race
Druids can be Night Elf, Tauren or either Skyborne race, and Skyborne requires a Skyborne pack. On Alliance, Night Elf suits Feral and Balance damage through Elune’s Light. Restoration is better on High Order Skyborne, whose Read Leyline adds 50% Mana regeneration for 15 sec on top of 2% Haste. On Horde, Tauren tanks best as Feral with Endurance’s 5% Health and War Stomp, while Windshaper Skyborne’s 2% Haste fits Balance and Restoration.
WoW Forever race FAQ
Does race matter much in WoW Forever?
Only a little. Class and talents matter far more, so when two races are close, pick the one you like.
What is the best Alliance race overall?
For most Alliance damage dealers, Night Elf is the top choice: Elune’s Light raises critical chance by 10% for 15 sec.
What is the best Horde race overall?
Horde damage dealers are best served by Orc; Blood Fury boosts Attack Power and Spell Power by 10% for 15 sec.
Is Skyborne worth it?
Every class available to Skyborne benefits from its 2% Haste. Read Leyline is particularly strong for High Order Skyborne healers. Playing either Skyborne race requires a Skyborne pack.
