Best Race for Every Class
Forever changed the race list: Skyborne joined both factions, Undead can be Paladins and Dwarves can be Shamans, and several racials were rewritten (Human crit, Orc spell power, Troll regeneration). Pick your class for the full comparison.
Warrior10 races comparedPaladin3 races comparedHunter8 races comparedRogue9 races comparedPriest6 races comparedShaman5 races comparedMage6 races comparedWarlock5 races comparedDruid4 races compared
All races at a glance
Human Alliance
Classes: Warrior, Paladin, Hunter, Rogue, Priest, Mage, Warlock
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.
Dwarf Alliance
Classes: Warrior, Paladin, Hunter, Rogue, Priest, Shaman
Find Treasure
Instant. Allows the dwarf to sense nearby treasure, making it appear on the minimap. Lasts until canceled.
Instant. Allows the dwarf to sense nearby treasure, making it appear on the minimap. Lasts until canceled.
Stoneform
Instant, 3 min cooldown. Instantly removes and grants immunity to all Bleed, Poison, and Disease effects, and reduces all Physical damage taken by 10% for 8 sec.
Instant, 3 min cooldown. Instantly removes and grants immunity to all Bleed, Poison, and Disease effects, and reduces all Physical damage taken by 10% for 8 sec.
Earth Fury
Increases your critical strike bonus to damage and healing by 2%.
Increases your critical strike bonus to damage and healing by 2%.
Big Game Hunter
Damage dealt versus Beasts increased by 5%.
Damage dealt versus Beasts increased by 5%.
Night Elf Alliance
Classes: Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, Priest, Druid
Shadowmeld
Instant, 10 sec cooldown. Activate to slip into the shadows, reducing the chance for enemies to detect your presence. Lasts until cancelled or upon moving. Using this ability in combat discourages enemies from attacking you, but increases the cooldown to 2 min.
Instant, 10 sec cooldown. Activate to slip into the shadows, reducing the chance for enemies to detect your presence. Lasts until cancelled or upon moving. Using this ability in combat discourages enemies from attacking you, but increases the cooldown to 2 min.
Quickness
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.
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.
Wisp Spirit
Transform into a wisp upon death, increasing movement speed by 75%.
Transform into a wisp upon death, increasing movement speed by 75%.
Elune's Light
Instant, 3 min cooldown. Increases your critical strike chance with all spells and attacks by 10% for 15 sec.
Instant, 3 min cooldown. Increases your critical strike chance with all spells and attacks by 10% for 15 sec.
Gnome Alliance
Classes: Warrior, Rogue, Priest, Mage, Warlock
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
Classes: Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, Mage, Druid
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
Classes: Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, Shaman, Mage, Warlock
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
Classes: Warrior, Paladin, Rogue, Priest, Mage, Warlock
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.
Tauren Horde
Classes: Warrior, Hunter, Shaman, Druid
War Stomp
0.5 sec cast, 1.5 min cooldown. Stuns up to 5 enemies within 8 yds for 2 sec.
0.5 sec cast, 1.5 min cooldown. Stuns up to 5 enemies within 8 yds for 2 sec.
Endurance
Total Health increased by 5% and critical strike bonus to damage and healing increased by 2%.
Total Health increased by 5% and critical strike bonus to damage and healing increased by 2%.
Cultivation
Instant. Cultivate a nearby herb, growing a duplicate you can harvest without requiring Herbalism skill. Each herb may only be cultivated once. In play it goes on a 15 min cooldown, though its tooltip shows none.
Instant. Cultivate a nearby herb, growing a duplicate you can harvest without requiring Herbalism skill. Each herb may only be cultivated once. In play it goes on a 15 min cooldown, though its tooltip shows none.
Plainsrunning
Gain 1% increased movement speed every 5 sec spent moving, up to a maximum of 30% increase. Taking damage or standing still will reduce this effect. In addition, you move 3% faster while mounted.
Gain 1% increased movement speed every 5 sec spent moving, up to a maximum of 30% increase. Taking damage or standing still will reduce this effect. In addition, you move 3% faster while mounted.
Troll Horde
Classes: Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, Priest, Shaman, Mage, Warlock
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.
Skyborne (Windshaper) Horde
Classes: Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, Shaman, Druid
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.
Skysight
0.5 sec cast, 2 min cooldown. Attempt to draw power from a convergence of elements and receive its blessing, increasing your movement and mounted movement speeds by 10%. Lasts 30 sec if no elemental convergence is nearby, and 15 min if one is found.
0.5 sec cast, 2 min cooldown. Attempt to draw power from a convergence of elements and receive its blessing, increasing your movement and mounted movement speeds by 10%. Lasts 30 sec if no elemental convergence 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%.
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.