Overview
A brand-new playable race that picks Horde or Alliance at character creation and starts on Zephras Isle. They are the only race that can join either the Horde or the Alliance, and their class list changes with that choice.
Factions & Classes
Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, and Druid are open on both sides. Horde-aligned Skyborne add Shaman; Alliance-aligned Skyborne add Mage.
Warrior
Hunter
Rogue
Druid
Shaman
MageRacial Abilities
Skyborne share one active and two passives across factions, plus a faction-specific active.
Walk on AirActive
Read Ley LineActive · Alliance
SkysightActive · Horde
Wind BlessedPassive
Elemental InsightPassive
Racial names follow Blizzard's preview and may be refined during Beta.
Zephras Isle
Every Skyborne starts on Zephras Isle, a dedicated starting experience that covers levels 1–12. Once you finish it, you head into the wider world with your chosen faction. See all Forever zones for where to go next.
How to Unlock the Skyborne
Base access to WoW Forever is included with an active World of Warcraft subscription or Game Time. The Skyborne race and the Zephras Isle starting experience come with the optional Skyborne Heroic Pack.
- Beta begins September 17, 2026 and runs through October 21, 2026.
- WoW Forever launches November 4, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. PST.
Details: Blizzard's pre-purchase announcement.
Is Skyborne Worth It?
Pick Skyborne if you want a fresh race story with its own starting zone, or you want a Druid or Shaman on the Alliance-friendly side of your friend group without committing to a faction first.
Skip it if you only care about damage numbers. Forever tunes every race's racials to similar offensive value, so a classic race can serve you just as well on the same class.
