Best Race for a Mage
Race matters less than the talents you pick, but the racials below are free and permanent, so pick the one that fits how you play. Verdicts are short on purpose; the racial text under each one is exactly what the Forever beta client says. Open any race in the calculator to see your full level-60 stat sheet.
Quick verdict
| Race | Faction | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Human | Alliance | PvE DPS. 2% spell crit feeds Ignite, Shatter and Arcane Instability. |
| Gnome | Alliance | PvE DPS. 5% more mana and Eureka, a cheaper, harder-hitting 8 seconds every 2 minutes. |
| Skyborne (High Order) | Alliance | PvE DPS. 3% spell haste and Read Leyline for mana between pulls. |
| Orc | Horde | PvE DPS. Blood Fury now adds 10% spell power, and Hardiness helps against melee. |
| Undead | Horde | PvP. Will of the Forsaken breaks fear and Touch of the Grave drains while you cast. |
| Troll | Horde | PvE DPS. Berserking is spell haste on a 3-minute cooldown. |
Level-60 base stats by race
Naked, before gear, buffs and talents (CMaNGOS 1.12 database values that Forever inherits). Races marked — are new to Forever and not in that database yet.
| Race | Strength | Agility | Stamina | Intellect | Spirit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Human | 30 | 35 | 45 | 125 | 126 |
| Gnome | 25 | 38 | 44 | 133 | 120 |
| Skyborne (High Order) | — | ||||
| Orc | — | ||||
| Undead | 29 | 33 | 46 | 123 | 125 |
| Troll | 31 | 37 | 46 | 121 | 121 |
Every racial, race by race
Human Alliance
Best for: PvE DPS. 2% spell crit feeds Ignite, Shatter and Arcane Instability.
Ruthless
Increases your critical strike chance with all spells and attacks by 2%.
Increases your critical strike chance with all spells and attacks by 2%.
The Human Spirit
Spirit increased by 5%.
Spirit increased by 5%.
Perception
Instant, 3 min cooldown. Dramatically increases stealth detection for 20 sec.
Instant, 3 min cooldown. Dramatically increases stealth detection for 20 sec.
Will to Survive
Instant, 3 min cooldown. Instantly removes all Stun effects.
Instant, 3 min cooldown. Instantly removes all Stun effects.
Gnome Alliance
Best for: PvE DPS. 5% more mana and Eureka, a cheaper, harder-hitting 8 seconds every 2 minutes.
Escape Artist
Instant, 2 min cooldown. Instantly escape the effects of any movement impairing effect and gain immunity to those effects for 3 sec.
Instant, 2 min cooldown. Instantly escape the effects of any movement impairing effect and gain immunity to those effects for 3 sec.
Expansive Mind
Maximum Mana, Rage or Energy increased by 5%, whichever your class uses.
Maximum Mana, Rage or Energy increased by 5%, whichever your class uses.
Engineering Specialization
Your gnomish ingenuity reduces the rate of engineering devices failing or backfiring when you use them by 20%.
Your gnomish ingenuity reduces the rate of engineering devices failing or backfiring when you use them by 20%.
Eureka!
Instant, 2 min cooldown. For 8 sec, your non-periodic damaging abilities cost 10% less (Mana, Rage or Energy) and deal 10% more damage. For Priests, your non-periodic damaging or healing abilities cost 10% less Mana and do 10% more damage or healing. Periodic effects get nothing from it; a channeled spell is not periodic. The Mage's own tooltip is the one that leaves out non-periodic.
Instant, 2 min cooldown. For 8 sec, your non-periodic damaging abilities cost 10% less (Mana, Rage or Energy) and deal 10% more damage. For Priests, your non-periodic damaging or healing abilities cost 10% less Mana and do 10% more damage or healing. Periodic effects get nothing from it; a channeled spell is not periodic. The Mage's own tooltip is the one that leaves out non-periodic.
Skyborne (High Order) Alliance
Best for: PvE DPS. 3% spell haste and Read Leyline for mana between pulls.
Walk on Air
Instant, 1.5 min cooldown. Glide downward through the air for 10 sec while controlling your direction of travel.
Instant, 1.5 min cooldown. Glide downward through the air for 10 sec while controlling your direction of travel.
Read Leyline
2 sec cast, 2 min cooldown. Attempt to tap into the power of a nearby leyline, increasing your Health and Mana regeneration by 100%. Lasts 30 sec if no leyline is nearby, and 15 min if one is found.
2 sec cast, 2 min cooldown. Attempt to tap into the power of a nearby leyline, increasing your Health and Mana regeneration by 100%. Lasts 30 sec if no leyline is nearby, and 15 min if one is found.
Elemental Insight
Damage dealt versus Elementals increased by 5%.
Damage dealt versus Elementals increased by 5%.
Wind Blessed
Increases your spellcasting, melee, and ranged Haste by 3%.
Increases your spellcasting, melee, and ranged Haste by 3%.
Orc Horde
Best for: PvE DPS. Blood Fury now adds 10% spell power, and Hardiness helps against melee.
Blood Fury
Instant, 3 min cooldown. Increases Attack Power and Spell Power by 10% for 15 sec.
Instant, 3 min cooldown. Increases Attack Power and Spell Power by 10% for 15 sec.
Hardiness
Duration of Stun effects on you reduced by 20%.
Duration of Stun effects on you reduced by 20%.
Savage
Increases your critical strike chance with all spells and abilities by 1%.
Increases your critical strike chance with all spells and abilities by 1%.
Shatter Curse
Instant, 3 min cooldown. Instantly removes all Curses and Banes, and reduces all Magical damage taken by 5% for 8 sec.
Instant, 3 min cooldown. Instantly removes all Curses and Banes, and reduces all Magical damage taken by 5% for 8 sec.
Undead Horde
Best for: PvP. Will of the Forsaken breaks fear and Touch of the Grave drains while you cast.
Underwater Breathing
Underwater breath lasts 300% longer than normal.
Underwater breath lasts 300% longer than normal.
Will of the Forsaken
Instant, 2 min cooldown. Instantly removes all Charm, Fear and Sleep effects.
Instant, 2 min cooldown. Instantly removes all Charm, Fear and Sleep effects.
Cannibalize
5 yd range, Instant, 2 min cooldown. When activated, regenerates 7% of total Health and 7% of total Mana every 2 sec for 10 sec. Only works on Humanoid or Undead corpses within 5 yds. Any movement, action, or damage taken while Cannibalizing will cancel the effect.
5 yd range, Instant, 2 min cooldown. When activated, regenerates 7% of total Health and 7% of total Mana every 2 sec for 10 sec. Only works on Humanoid or Undead corpses within 5 yds. Any movement, action, or damage taken while Cannibalizing will cancel the effect.
Touch of the Grave
Your spells and attacks with a damage part have a chance (30% for casters, 20% for Paladins, Rogues and Warriors) to drain Health from the target, up to 5% of your maximum Health. 25 sec internal cooldown. Does not break crowd control.
Your spells and attacks with a damage part have a chance (30% for casters, 20% for Paladins, Rogues and Warriors) to drain Health from the target, up to 5% of your maximum Health. 25 sec internal cooldown. Does not break crowd control.
Troll Horde
Best for: PvE DPS. Berserking is spell haste on a 3-minute cooldown.
Berserking
Instant, 3 min cooldown. Increases your spellcasting and attack speed by 10% for 10 sec.
Instant, 3 min cooldown. Increases your spellcasting and attack speed by 10% for 10 sec.
Regeneration
Health regeneration rate increased by 20%. In addition, 20% of total Health regeneration will continue during combat.
Health regeneration rate increased by 20%. In addition, 20% of total Health regeneration will continue during combat.
Beast Slaying
Damage dealt versus Beasts increased by 5%.
Damage dealt versus Beasts increased by 5%.
Rapid Regeneration
Channeled, 3 min cooldown. Regenerate 50% of your maximum Health over 6 sec. Any movement, action, or damage taken will cancel the effect.
Channeled, 3 min cooldown. Regenerate 50% of your maximum Health over 6 sec. Any movement, action, or damage taken will cancel the effect.
Next
Mage leveling guideSpec, spells by level, zonesStarter buildsAll 27 specsWarriorBest racePaladinBest raceHunterBest raceRogueBest racePriestBest raceShamanBest raceWarlockBest raceDruidBest race
Racial text is from the beta client. The quick verdicts are editorial. Data from talentsforever.com (CC BY 4.0), read from the WoW Forever beta client, build 1.60.1.70425. Updated 2026-10-24. World of Warcraft is a trademark of Blizzard Entertainment; this is a fan site.