WoW Forever Beta Overhauls Racial Abilities: Orcs, Humans, Dwarves Lose Weapon Bonuses

What if your race choice in WoW: Forever no longer locked you into a specific weapon? That's exactly what Blizzard is doing with its latest beta update, which ends October 21. The developer has overhauled racial abilities in a big way, and it could change how you pick your character when the game launches November 4.

In WoW Classic, racials mattered a lot. Orcs favored axes, humans swords and maces, and dwarves guns. Those weapon specializations gave increased weapon skill, which meant better hit chance and more damage. But in Forever's beta, Blizzard removed those weapon-based passives entirely. Instead, orcs now get a flat 1% crit chance, humans get 2% crit chance, and dwarves deal 2% increased critical damage and healing at all times. No specific weapon required. That's a huge shift toward player freedom.

Other racials got some love too. Tauren's Plainsrunning, which used to be useful only while leveling, now also grants a 3% mounted movement speed buff that stacks with other mount buffs. Their Cultivation herb-gathering cooldown dropped from 60 minutes to 15 minutes, and War Stomp's cooldown was reduced. Dwarves' Find Treasure now gives a chance to find extra items in chests, which is great news given how important gold is in this version. Skyborne, the newest race, saw their Haste bonus jump from 1% to 3%, and they can now cast Skysight and Read Leyline while moving. More leylines were added to Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms, too.

Not every change is a buff. Orcs took some hits: Blood Fury's cooldown increased by a full minute, and Shatter Curse now dispels Curses and Banes instead of granting immunity, with magic damage reduction lowered from 15% to just 5%. Undead's Touch of the Grave got a more consistent proc chance and cooldown. Gnomes' Eureka is now an eight-second buff with no charges. Trolls' Regeneration got a health regen boost, and night elves' Quickness now stacks with other movement speed buffs.

Tauren also saw a tweak to Endurance, which now grants 2% increased critical damage and healing instead of 1% hit chance. And Plainsrunning now requires you to move a minimum distance per second to keep the effect—so stutter-stepping won't cut it anymore. Blizzard also added a new tutorial experience, improved lighting options, and an auto attack/auto shot setting for hunters, now supported on gamepad.

These are some of the biggest racial changes in WoW history, and they'll definitely influence which race you roll at launch. With the beta wrapping up on October 21 and launch on November 4, now's the time to think about your main. Will you stick with your favorite or switch it up? Let us know in the comments!