WRITTEN ARTICLE · BLIZZARD INTERVIEW
WoW Forever interview: classes, respec costs, summoning stones and new races
What Blizzard told TechRadar about WoW Forever classes, expensive respecs, dual spec, balance patches, Summoning Stones and modern races, and what it means for your leveling plan.
What did Blizzard say in the interview?
TechRadar Gaming published three articles from one interview with the WoW Forever team between October 9 and 11. The team covered classes, talents, travel and races. Its main message is that Forever keeps its Classic foundations and adds a change only when it fits four design pillars.
The headline answers:
- Classes will not be modernized, but some classes that were too simple gained mechanics.
- Respecs will not be cheap at launch. The price will climb quickly and fall only once a week.
- Dual spec is learned at level 40 for a cost, with no plans to go further.
- Class changes will arrive in batches, with balance changes planned weekly at first.
- There will be no Summoning Stones.
- There are no plans to add races from later expansions.
In this article
Game screenshot © Blizzard Entertainment.
Will WoW Forever modernize classes?
No. Blizzard told TechRadar it wants to stay close to the Classic experience and err toward simpler classes with engaging depth. In its view, some Classic classes were too simple, so those classes gained a few mechanics.
The team also said some classes and specs had wild power swings or uninteresting gameplay. It wants to fix that without speeding up combat or making classes hard to learn. It described the complexity of the beta classes as a sign of its intentions.
For leveling, that means the amount of class complexity you see in the beta is roughly what Blizzard plans to ship, even while the numbers keep changing. Our class guide compares the classes with the beta changes so far.
Will respecs be cheap in WoW Forever?
No. Blizzard told TechRadar, “We do not want to have cheap respecs.” It wants talent decisions to feel meaningful. In the beta, the first respec each hour is temporarily cheap. At launch, the price will climb quickly and decrease only once per week.
The current beta rules show the temporary version. Since September 24, resetting class talents costs 1 silver if you have not changed them recently. The October 8 notes set the same 1 silver minimum for Legacy talents, with the cost dropping by one respec per hour. Blizzard describes both as beta-only.
Blizzard left one door open. It said Legacy talents might get more respec flexibility in the future, but gave no timing or details.
Dual spec at level 40
Blizzard confirmed that Dual Specialization can be learned at level 40 for a cost. It said there are no plans to go past two specs.
The interview describes the level 40 unlock and does not give a price. Our dual spec guide covers what else has been said about the unlock level.
How class changes will roll out
Blizzard said it plans a lot of class changes during the beta. They will be batched so they land together rather than trickling in.
After launch on November 4, Blizzard expects frequent balance changes for the first six months while it gathers class performance data. It said the plan is weekly at first. It aims to make very few design changes once the game is live.
Balance changes adjust numbers, while design changes alter how a class plays. If you are choosing a main for launch, expect the numbers to move for months. How the class plays should stay much closer to what you see in the beta.
Why WoW Forever has no Summoning Stones
Blizzard told TechRadar that Forever will not have Summoning Stones, the stones that let players summon friends to a dungeon or raid entrance in later versions of WoW.
Its reasoning is that easy teleports make the world smaller and take away part of the Warlock’s identity. In Blizzard’s view, that fails two of its pillars: Nurture and Protect Social Experiences, and World as the Main Character. The team said it has 22 years of data on how convenience features affected the game’s social side.
For leveling, plan dungeon trips with travel time included. Form the group near the entrance where you can, and expect a Warlock’s summon to stay a real reason to bring one.
Will WoW Forever add Goblins or Vulpera?
Not on current plans. Blizzard said it has no plans to add races from WoW’s expansions at this time, so races such as Vulpera, Goblins and Haranir are not coming.
Blizzard said Forever builds on the foundational lore of Warcraft, starting with the real-time strategy games, and exists in its own continuity. Its stories will stay grounded, and your character will be a hero rather than the hero.
Skyborne is the new race added for Forever. Our race and class guide shows which classes each Skyborne faction can play.
Blizzard’s four design pillars
Blizzard keeps returning to the same four pillars when it explains a decision. A change has to pass them before it goes in, which is why a convenience feature can be turned down even when some players want it.
- Nurture and Protect Social Experiences
- Approachable and Familiar
- World as the Main Character
- Journey before destination
What this means for your leveling plan
Three answers affect how you level. Respecs will cost more at launch, travel will stay slow, and classes keep a familiar shape with the beta changes on top. Our advice:
- Settle on a talent order before launch and test it in the beta while respecs are cheap.
- Plan dungeon runs around where you already are rather than counting on a summon.
- Check the class quest guide for the class quests Blizzard has added or moved.
Related reading and guides
Sources and review notes
- TechRadar Gaming: WoW Forever’s classes won’t be modernized, October 10
- TechRadar Gaming: why WoW Forever won’t have Summoning Stones, October 9
- TechRadar Gaming: no plans for modern WoW races in Forever, October 11
- Blizzard: September 24 beta development notes
- Blizzard: October 8 beta development notes
Written October 13 from three TechRadar Gaming articles, published October 9 to 11, that report one interview with the WoW Forever team. Beta respec prices come from Blizzard’s September 24 and October 8 beta development notes. The interview describes plans, not patch notes, so launch details can still change.
