How to choose a race and class for Forever

QUICK ANSWER

Blizzard explicitly names Forsaken Paladins and Dwarf Shamans and introduces the Skyborne race. It also announces class and specialization updates. A complete playable race/class matrix and reliable performance rankings are not verified yet.

Before you start

Decide whether your priority is role, faction, character fantasy or playing with friends.

Confirmed examples, not a complete matrix

Choice	What is established	What still needs checking
Forsaken Paladin	Named on Blizzard’s Forever page	Racial traits, tuning and talent details
Dwarf Shaman	Named on Blizzard’s Forever page	Racial traits, tuning and talent details
Skyborne	New race; pack-linked access	Complete class list and detailed racial abilities

Sources for this section

Blizzard: World of Warcraft: Forever ↗Official · Read September 12, 2026
Battle.net: Forever editions and product terms ↗Official · Read September 12, 2026

Build a useful shortlist

These are planning steps, not class rankings. Without tested talent trees and encounter data, a “best class” list would give false precision.

Choose the role you want to spend most of your time playing: tank, healer or damage.
Agree on faction preferences with your group before choosing a race.
Keep two class options if a specific talent or mechanic is essential to your enjoyment.
Use beta to compare the actual available abilities and resource flow before choosing a leveling build.

Sources for this section