THE WOW FOREVER COLLECTION · FIELD GUIDE · DATA CHECKED SEPTEMBER 17, 2026
Blizzard's Deep Dive recap confirmed six new race and class combinations at launch, "with more planned for future updates." One of them, the Undead Paladin, fronted the reveal trailer. The other five got a bullet point. All six are playable in the beta from level 1, so here is what each one gets from its reworked racials, ranked by how much the combo changes the class rather than by how cool the model is.
Racial numbers come from the BlizzCon demo via our racials page and will move in beta. The full picks for every class, old combos included, are on the best race page.
1. Orc Mage
The best of the six on paper, and it is not close. Blood Fury was reworked to give 10% Attack Power and 10% Spell Power for 15 seconds on a 2 minute cooldown, which makes it the strongest caster racial in the game and puts Orc ahead of Troll (Berserking is 10% cast speed for 10 seconds on 3 minutes) for Horde Mages. Shatter Curse removes Curses and Banes and cuts magic damage taken by 15% for 8 seconds, a PvP tool against Warlocks. Hardiness cuts stun duration by 20%, which is the difference between living and dying to a Rogue opener as a cloth caster. Axe Specialization is wasted. The rest is not.
2. Undead Paladin
The trailer star, and reportedly the only combo with its own story: a unique start at Banderian Keep in Tirisfal at level 10 and a themed steed at 60, with the Summon Forsaken Charger mount already datamined. As a class pick it is solid rather than dominant. Will of the Forsaken breaks Charm, Fear and Sleep on a 2 minute cooldown (it is a break now, not an immunity), Cannibalize restores 7% health and 7% mana every 2 seconds for 10 seconds off a corpse, which is a free drink for a Holy Paladin, and Touch of the Grave gives 5% of spells and attacks a health drain. It is also the only Horde Paladin, so for Horde the ranking is moot. The forum thread titled "Undead Paladin Is Stupid" has 579 replies, which tells you it has already won. Blizzard answered the lore objection on October 26 with Unbowed, a free short story about a Scarlet Crusader raised as Forsaken who finds the Light still answers him and burns him every time. We read it here.
3. Dwarf Shaman
The only Alliance Shaman, and the one that lifts a faction lock that lasted twenty years. Stoneform was reworked into a real cooldown: removes and grants immunity to Bleed, Poison and Disease and cuts physical damage taken by 10% for 8 seconds on 3 minutes. Mace Specialization is 1% crit with all spells and attacks while a mace is equipped, which every Shaman spec can use. Big Game Hunter is 5% damage against Beasts for leveling. Alliance raids finally get Windfury Totem. That matters more than any racial.
4. Troll Warlock
Berserking is 10% casting speed for 10 seconds, Regeneration keeps 10% of health regen going in combat, which Life Tap appreciates, and Rapid Regeneration channels back 50% of your health over 6 seconds on a 3 minute cooldown. Beast Slaying is 5% against Beasts. It is a good Warlock, not the best Horde Warlock: Orc's 10% Spell Power beats it for damage and Undead's Fear break beats it in PvP. Pick it for the haste and because Troll Warlock finally exists.
5. Gnome Priest
The healer's pick on the Alliance. Expansive Mind is 5% mana, Eureka! makes your next three non-periodic healing or damaging abilities cost 10% less and do 10% more on a 2 minute cooldown (it was 50% off in the demo; the October 1 beta build cut it, see our level 30 build notes), and Escape Artist breaks any movement impairing effect with 3 seconds of immunity. The Gnome Priest class racial read off the demo is Contingency Plan: a 10 minute cooldown ward on an ally that, when they drop below 35% health, absorbs and heals over 15 seconds. That is a proactive cooldown no other Priest race has. Ranked fifth only because Priest already had strong Alliance races; as a healer it is our top pick.
6. Human Hunter
The least changed combo. Human racials were rebuilt around melee and stealth: Sword Specialization became Ruthless, a flat 1% crit after the October 26 racial pass, so a Hunter finally gets it; Perception counters stealthers; Will to Survive breaks stuns; The Human Spirit is 10% Spirit. None of that is bad for a Hunter and none of it is Night Elf's 10% crit for 15 seconds from Elune's Light or Dwarf's 5% against Beasts. Roll it because you want a Human with a gun, not because it is better.
The one that is missing
Every one of these combos was also on the community wishlist for years, except the one the wishlist wanted most. There is no Ogre, no High Elf, no Goblin. There is the Skyborne, a neutral elf race that costs $29.99, and a 433-reply forum thread calculating 59% disapproval for it. Blizzard has said more combos are coming; it has not said which.
Sources: Blizzard's Deep Dive recap; racial text from the BlizzCon demo via talentsforever.com (CC BY 4.0); Warcraft Tavern's Undead Paladin guide and datamined mounts; the WoW Forever forum weekly top.