For a beginner or solo player, Hunter is the easiest class to play in WoW Forever: your pet takes the hits while you shoot from a distance. If you prefer magic, choose Warlock. After level 10, it is almost as self-sufficient. These assessments only cover levels 1–30 on the beta, however, and balance may still change before the November 4 launch. A class you enjoy matters more than any tier list.
Which WoW Forever class should a beginner choose?
Choose Hunter. Your pet holds enemies, Hunters have the longest range of any class, and Forever lets you place traps in combat. Guide sites recommend Hunter most often. Even the games.gg writer who spent more than 30 beta hours playing Paladin points beginners toward Hunter.
A class that levels well alone matters more now than it did in Classic. Dungeon leveling was weakened on the beta: on October 1, bonus experience from dungeon quests was halved. There is no automatic group finder, only a group listing board. Solo questing is the main route to 30; see our quests or dungeons comparison.
Blizzard has not officially recommended a class for beginners. Everything below summarizes guides and feedback from beta 1.60.1, where the level cap is currently 30.
Solo leveling tier list for levels 1–30
Hunter leads, followed by Warlock, Mage, and Paladin. Shaman and Rogue sit in the middle, while Warrior, Druid, and Priest level more slowly than the others early on.
| Class | Solo 1–30 | What helps | What gets in the way |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hunter | Easy | A tanking pet, the longest range, and traps in combat | No pet until level 10, an 8-yard dead zone, and a pet that needs feeding |
| Warlock | Easy after level 10 | Voidwalker, Fear, and Life Tap | Levels 6–10 are rough, and Soul Shards do not stack |
| Mage | Fast but risky | Strong damage, Polymorph, and conjured food and water | Very fragile in melee, with weaker area-of-effect farming |
| Paladin | Reliable but unhurried | A simple rotation, plate armor, and baseline Consecration at level 20 | Limited mobility, no interrupt, and no slow |
| Shaman | Average | Mail armor and a shield, with faster totem placement | No strong crowd control; testers criticize Enhancement before level 25 |
| Rogue | Average | Stealth lets you choose your fights | Testers report that enemies detect you sooner; poisons need refreshing |
| Warrior | A slow start | More Rage than in Classic, and Victory Rush at level 20 | Hard to recover after heavy damage; Rage is still being adjusted |
| Druid | A slow start | Can fill any role and use potions while shapeshifted | Only Wrath before level 10; shapeshifting costs mana |
| Priest | Slow | A shield and self-healing | Cloth armor, few escape options, and heavy mana use before Shadowform |
Hunter or Warlock: which should you play solo?
If you want less fuss, choose Hunter: it is stronger over the first 10 levels and easier to manage. If curses and demons appeal to you, choose Warlock. It takes longer to get going but eventually spends little time resting between fights too.
Hunter. Method and Icy Veins recommend leveling as Beast Mastery: the pet both tanks and deals most of the damage. Hunter becomes much stronger at level 10 when it gains a pet; until then, you will need to shoot and kite. In Forever, Aimed Shot is available to every Hunter from level 20, and you can no longer tame a beast above your own level.
Warlock. Testers on Blizzard's forum describe levels 6–10 as the hardest: mana runs dry, and your wand carries you until you get a Voidwalker. Once you have it, the demon holds enemies while Life Tap converts health into mana, reducing downtime. In Forever, demons inherit stats from their Warlock, and Drain Soul is guaranteed to produce a shard eventually.
Which class to choose if you play 1–2 hours in the evening
Again, Hunter or Warlock: log in and start fighting, with little preparation or downtime. This is our assessment; the sources do not make a direct comparison. Rogues need to maintain poisons, Mages need to conjure water, and Hunters still have to feed their pets.
According to Blizzard, beta players take an average of 20.5 hours to reach level 20, almost the same as Classic's 20.4. At 1–2 hours a night, that is roughly 10–20 evenings. These bonuses help any class:
- most meals give +5% experience, so Cooking pays off;
- a Leatherworking tent grants rested experience worth up to 5% of a level;
- the Well Rested Legacy perk increases rested experience accumulation by 4% and its cap by 4%. A new account starts with 0 Legacy points, however.
New race and class combinations in WoW Forever
There are still nine classes, all from Classic, but there are six new race and class combinations and the new Skyborne race. Yes, Undead can now be Paladins.
Undead cannot be Hunters, Druids, or Shamans. For a Horde Hunter, choose Orc, Tauren, Troll, or Skyborne. Race itself has little impact on a class's strength: racial resistances were removed, and on October 8 Blizzard promised to revisit racial abilities, especially Orc and Troll active abilities. The changes arrived on October 15, but the balance may still change before release.
- Horde: Undead Paladin, Orc Mage, and Troll Warlock;
- Alliance: Human Hunter, Dwarf Shaman, and Gnome Priest;
- Horde Skyborne (Windshaper): Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, Druid, and Shaman;
- Alliance Skyborne (High Order): Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, Druid, and Mage. The race is paid, starting with the $29.99 Heroic Pack.
Can a beginner level as a tank or healer?
Yes, but it is slower alone. Guide sites do not recommend tank or healer specializations for beginners leveling solo, and the games.gg writer describes solo leveling as a healer as painfully slow.
Classes that can tank or heal are useful to a group in any role, but pay for that flexibility with damage. Podcast summaries describe these hybrids as dealing roughly 5% less damage than the pure damage classes: Hunter, Mage, Rogue, and Warlock. Blizzard has not officially published that figure.
Do not choose solely by what is strongest today. Testers report Protection Paladins holding 9 enemies at once, and forum users are already asking for nerfs. Talent resets are available only from class trainers in a capital: they cost 1 silver on the beta and will cost more at launch, though the amount has not been announced. Dual specialization unlocks at level 40. For other decisions to make beforehand, see the pre-launch guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest class in WoW Forever?
Beast Mastery Hunter. Your pet holds enemies and deals most of the damage while you shoot from a safe distance. The first 10 levels without a pet will be slower; after that, things become noticeably easier.
Should a beginner choose Rogue?
You can if you like the playstyle: Stealth lets you choose fights and skip unnecessary enemies. Beta testers complain that enemies detect Rogues earlier than in Classic, however, and Rogue is near the bottom for damage at level 30. We already have an Undead Rogue 1–30 leveling guide (Russian) and a Rogue class page.
Can you play an Undead Paladin in WoW Forever?
Yes. It is one of the six new race and class combinations. Undead are the Horde's only Paladins, and the beta census lists Paladin as the Horde's most popular class. Paladin is durable but kills more slowly than Hunter or Mage.
Which classes can Skyborne play?
Horde Skyborne (Windshaper) can be Warriors, Hunters, Rogues, Druids, and Shamans. Alliance Skyborne (High Order) have the same choices, with Mage replacing Shaman. You choose your faction during character creation. The race is sold separately, starting with the $29.99 Heroic Pack.
Will class balance change before release?
Most likely. Every Blizzard class deep dive notes that abilities and talents may still change during the beta, and testing currently covers only levels 1–30. Choose a class for its playstyle rather than its current damage.