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7 races can be a Hunter in WoW Forever: Human, Dwarf, Night Elf and Skyborne (Alliance) in the Alliance and Orc, Tauren, Troll and Skyborne (Horde) in the Horde. The Skyborne, the new race in Forever, are in both factions and count as one race. New combination in Forever: Human Hunter. There is no official "best race": what sets them apart is their racials, so the choice depends on what you are after.
For PvE, the weapon racials Hunters can use are Sword Specialization (Human) and Axe Specialization (Orc), and the active racials that raise damage or healing are Elune's Light (Night Elf), Blood Fury (Orc) and Berserking (Troll). For PvP, the ones that remove or shorten loss-of-control effects are Will to Survive (Human) and Hardiness (Orc). And if what matters to you is the faction, the starting zone or the looks, that is further down too.
Races that can be a Hunter
These are the races that can be a Hunter in the Forever client. The ones marked "new combination" or "new race" could not be one in Classic.
Skyborne. New playable race that chooses Horde or Alliance at character creation. Starts on Zephras Isle with its own level 1 to 12 adventure. Requires the Skyborne Heroic Pack or higher. Like every race in Forever, it has two active and two passive racials.
Skyborne Heroic Pack: $29.99. Price and editions
What to pick for what you want
No ranking: races follow the game's order and each racial shows the effect it has for a Hunter according to the beta client (build 1.60.1.70205).
PvE: dungeons and raids
Active racials that raise damage, healing or survival, passive bonuses and weapon specializations a Hunter can use.
Sword Specialization PassiveIncreases your critical strike chance with all spells and attacks by 2% while you have a sword or two-handed sword equipped.
Hunters can use one- and two-handed swords.
In the site's BiS lists, a sword is the top main-hand or off-hand weapon in 4 of 15 lists (3 specializations, levels 20 to 60).
The Human Spirit PassiveSpirit increased by 5%.
Stoneform ActiveInstantly removes and grants immunity to all Bleed, Poison, and Disease effects, and reduces all Physical damage taken by 10% for 8 sec.
Big Game Hunter PassiveDamage dealt versus Beasts increased by 5%.
Elune's Light ActiveIncreases your critical strike chance with all spells and attacks by 10% for 15 sec.
Quickness PassiveDodge 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.
The stealth part only affects Rogues and Druids.
Blood Fury ActiveIncreases Attack Power and Spell Power by 10% for 15 sec.
Shatter Curse ActiveInstantly removes and grants immunity to all Curses and Banes, and reduces all Magical damage taken by 15% for 8 sec.
Axe Specialization PassiveIncreases your critical strike chance with all spells and abilities by 1% while you have an axe or a two-handed axe equipped.
Hunters can use one- and two-handed axes.
In the site's BiS lists, an axe is the top main-hand or off-hand weapon in 3 of 15 lists (3 specializations, levels 20 to 60).
Endurance PassiveTotal Health increased by 5% and chance to hit increased by 1%.
Berserking ActiveIncreases your spellcasting and attack speed by 10% for 10 sec.
Beast Slaying PassiveDamage dealt versus Beasts increased by 5%.
Elemental Insight PassiveDamage dealt versus Elementals increased by 5%.
Wind Blessed PassiveIncreases your spellcasting, melee, and ranged Haste by 1%.
PvP: control and defense
Racials that remove or shorten loss-of-control effects, reduce damage taken, stun enemies or have to do with stealth (spotting it or hiding).
Perception ActiveDramatically increases stealth detection for 20 sec.
Will to Survive ActiveInstantly removes all Stun effects.
- Stoneform Active
Instantly removes and grants immunity to all Bleed, Poison, and Disease effects, and reduces all Physical damage taken by 10% for 8 sec.
Shadowmeld ActiveActivate 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.
- Shatter Curse Active
Instantly removes and grants immunity to all Curses and Banes, and reduces all Magical damage taken by 15% for 8 sec.
Hardiness PassiveDuration of Stun effects on you reduced by 20%.
War Stomp ActiveStuns up to 5 enemies within 8 yds for 2 sec.
Leveling, travel and professions
Out-of-combat regeneration, movement speed and profession perks.
Find Treasure ActiveAllows the dwarf to sense nearby treasure, making it appear on the minimap. Lasts until cancelled.
- Quickness Passive
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.
The stealth part only affects Rogues and Druids.
Wisp Spirit PassiveTransform into a wisp upon death, increasing movement speed by 75%.
Cultivation ActiveCultivate a nearby herb, growing a duplicate you can harvest without requiring Herbalism skill. Each herb may only be cultivated once.
Plainsrunning PassiveGain 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.
Rapid Regeneration ActiveRegenerate 50% of your maximum Health over 6 sec. Any movement, action, or damage taken will cancel the effect.
Regeneration PassiveHealth regeneration rate increased by 10%. In addition, 10% of total Health regeneration will continue during combat.
Read Ley Line ActiveAlliance onlyAttempt to tap into the power of a nearby ley line, increasing your Health and Mana regeneration by 100%. Lasts 15 sec if no ley line is nearby, and 15 min if one is found.
Walk on Air ActiveGlide downward through the air for 10 sec while controlling your direction of travel.
Skysight ActiveHorde onlyAttempt 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.
Faction, starting zone and looks
If performance does not matter to you, pick by looks, faction or where the race starts (every starting zone is listed in Races that can be a Hunter).
- H
HumanAlliance - D
DwarfAlliance - N
Night ElfAlliance - O
OrcHorde - T
TaurenHorde - T
TrollHorde - SSkyborne (Alliance)Alliance
- SSkyborne (Horde)Horde
What is special about the new race and the new combinations
- HumanAlliance
New combination in Forever: in Classic a Human could not be a Hunter.
New race in Forever: needs the Skyborne Heroic Pack or a higher edition.
What does nothing for a Hunter
Racials of these races that a Hunter cannot make use of.
Mace Specialization DwarfHunters cannot use maces, so this racial does nothing for them.
Racials of each race
The four racials of each race with their effect in Forever: open a race to see them. New in Forever is a racial that did not exist in Classic, Changed one that works differently and Same as Classic one that did not change. Struck through, the Classic racials that race no longer has.
New in ForeverChangedSame as Classic
Human
AllianceNew combinationPerceptionWill to SurviveSword SpecializationThe Human Spirit
- PerceptionActiveSame as Classic
Dramatically increases stealth detection for 20 sec.
- Will to SurviveActiveNew in Forever
Instantly removes all Stun effects.
- Sword SpecializationPassiveChanged
Increases your critical strike chance with all spells and attacks by 2% while you have a sword or two-handed sword equipped.
- The Human SpiritPassiveSame as Classic
Spirit increased by 5%.
No longer has: Diplomacy, Mace Specialization
Dwarf
AllianceFind TreasureStoneformBig Game HunterMace Specialization
- Find TreasureActiveSame as Classic
Allows the dwarf to sense nearby treasure, making it appear on the minimap. Lasts until cancelled.
- StoneformActiveChanged
Instantly removes and grants immunity to all Bleed, Poison, and Disease effects, and reduces all Physical damage taken by 10% for 8 sec.
- Big Game HunterPassiveNew in Forever
Damage dealt versus Beasts increased by 5%.
- Mace SpecializationPassiveNew in Forever
Increases your critical strike chance with all spells and attacks by 1% while you have a mace or two-handed mace equipped.
No longer has: Frost Resistance, Gun Specialization
Night Elf
AllianceElune's LightShadowmeldQuicknessWisp Spirit
- Elune's LightActiveNew in Forever
Increases your critical strike chance with all spells and attacks by 10% for 15 sec.
- ShadowmeldActiveChanged
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.
- QuicknessPassiveChanged
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 SpiritPassiveChanged
Transform into a wisp upon death, increasing movement speed by 75%.
No longer has: Nature Resistance
Orc
HordeBlood FuryShatter CurseAxe SpecializationHardiness
- Blood FuryActiveChanged
Increases Attack Power and Spell Power by 10% for 15 sec.
- Shatter CurseActiveNew in Forever
Instantly removes and grants immunity to all Curses and Banes, and reduces all Magical damage taken by 15% for 8 sec.
- Axe SpecializationPassiveChanged
Increases your critical strike chance with all spells and abilities by 1% while you have an axe or a two-handed axe equipped.
- HardinessPassiveChanged
Duration of Stun effects on you reduced by 20%.
No longer has: Command
Tauren
HordeCultivationWar StompEndurancePlainsrunning
- CultivationActiveChanged
Cultivate a nearby herb, growing a duplicate you can harvest without requiring Herbalism skill. Each herb may only be cultivated once.
- War StompActiveSame as Classic
Stuns up to 5 enemies within 8 yds for 2 sec.
- EndurancePassiveChanged
Total Health increased by 5% and chance to hit increased by 1%.
- PlainsrunningPassiveNew in Forever
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.
No longer has: Nature Resistance
Troll
HordeBerserkingRapid RegenerationBeast SlayingRegeneration
- BerserkingActiveChanged
Increases your spellcasting and attack speed by 10% for 10 sec.
- Rapid RegenerationActiveNew in Forever
Regenerate 50% of your maximum Health over 6 sec. Any movement, action, or damage taken will cancel the effect.
- Beast SlayingPassiveSame as Classic
Damage dealt versus Beasts increased by 5%.
- RegenerationPassiveChanged
Health regeneration rate increased by 10%. In addition, 10% of total Health regeneration will continue during combat.
No longer has: Bow Specialization, Throwing Specialization
Skyborne (Alliance)
AllianceNew raceRead Ley LineWalk on AirElemental InsightWind Blessed
- Read Ley LineActiveNew in Forever
Attempt to tap into the power of a nearby ley line, increasing your Health and Mana regeneration by 100%. Lasts 15 sec if no ley line is nearby, and 15 min if one is found.
- Walk on AirActiveNew in Forever
Glide downward through the air for 10 sec while controlling your direction of travel.
- Elemental InsightPassiveNew in Forever
Damage dealt versus Elementals increased by 5%.
- Wind BlessedPassiveNew in Forever
Increases your spellcasting, melee, and ranged Haste by 1%.
Skyborne (Horde)
HordeNew raceSkysightWalk on AirElemental InsightWind Blessed
- SkysightActiveNew in Forever
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.
- Walk on AirActiveNew in Forever
Glide downward through the air for 10 sec while controlling your direction of travel.
- Elemental InsightPassiveNew in Forever
Damage dealt versus Elementals increased by 5%.
- Wind BlessedPassiveNew in Forever
Increases your spellcasting, melee, and ranged Haste by 1%.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best race for a Hunter in WoW Forever?
For PvE, the weapon racials Hunters can use are Sword Specialization (Human) and Axe Specialization (Orc), and the active racials that raise damage or healing are Elune's Light (Night Elf), Blood Fury (Orc) and Berserking (Troll). For PvP, the ones that remove or shorten loss-of-control effects are Will to Survive (Human) and Hardiness (Orc). There is no official ranking, so the best race is the one that fits what you are after: performance, PvP, faction or looks.
Which races can be a Hunter in WoW Forever?
7: Human, Dwarf, Night Elf and Skyborne (Alliance) in the Alliance and Orc, Tauren, Troll and Skyborne (Horde) in the Horde. The Skyborne, the new race in Forever, are in both factions and count as one race. New combination in Forever: Human Hunter.
Can the Skyborne be Hunters?
Yes, in both factions: Skyborne (Alliance) in the Alliance and Skyborne (Horde) in the Horde. You need the Skyborne Heroic Pack or a higher edition.
Can a Human be a Hunter in WoW Forever?
Yes. It is one of the new race and class combinations in Forever: it did not exist in Classic.
Do racials change in WoW Forever?
Yes. Of the 29 racials of the races that can be a Hunter, 12 are new, 12 work differently and 5 are the same as in Classic. Gone: Diplomacy (Human), Mace Specialization (Human), Frost Resistance (Dwarf), Gun Specialization (Dwarf), Nature Resistance (Night Elf), Command (Orc), Nature Resistance (Tauren), Bow Specialization (Troll) and Throwing Specialization (Troll).
See also
Hunter changesEverything that changes for the Hunter in Forever compared with Classic.
Hunter guideSpecializations, leveling, stats and gear.
Talent calculatorThe Hunter trees with the Forever talents.
Hunter BiSThe best pieces by specialization and level.
Which race to pickEvery race with its racials, classes and starting zone.
Races and racialsWhich race can be each class and the racial changes.Best race for other classes
Mage
Rogue
Priest
Warlock
Paladin
Druid
ShamanA The Forever Era guide. Anything specific to Forever comes from Blizzard's official announcements or the beta client; general Classic knowledge is marked as such. We never invent numbers or rankings, and the guide is reviewed with every build.