WoW Forever Beginner Guide: Presets, Rulesets and First Steps
November 9, 2026 · 8 min read
On this page
- Before you start
- Step 1: Pick an experience preset
- Step 2: Choose a ruleset
- Step 3: Create your character
- Step 4: Your first levels
- Questing
- Combat and abilities
- Dying
- Gear and bags
- Getting around
- Step 5: Learn professions
- Camping in WoW Forever
- Group up and try dungeons
- Quick tips
- Frequently asked questions
- Should I pick Classic or Enhanced in WoW Forever?
- Which ruleset should I choose in WoW Forever?
- Can you change rulesets in WoW Forever?
- How do I play WoW Forever with friends?
- How many professions can you have in WoW Forever?
- Do I need to buy anything to play WoW Forever?
New to WoW Forever, or coming back after years away? This guide covers the choices you make before you ever fight a monster, plus the basics of questing, gear, professions and grouping in the first levels. If you're not sure what Forever is yet, start with What is WoW Forever?
Last checked: November 9, 2026.
Before you start
You need three things:
- A Battle.net account, ideally with two-factor authentication.
- An active WoW subscription or Game Time. Forever is included with it, and the same subscription also covers modern WoW and WoW Classic.
- The Battle.net desktop app on Windows or Mac.
To install, open the Battle.net app, select World of Warcraft, choose WoW: Forever in the Game Version menu and click Install. If you have more than one WoW account on your Battle.net login, a second dropdown lets you choose which one to use.
Coming back after a long break and can't log in? Blizzard's account recovery page can reset your password or remove an old authenticator.
Step 1: Pick an experience preset
The first time you log in, the game asks you to choose a preset. It only sets your starting options and doesn't affect your ruleset, your character or gameplay rules.
| Setting | Classic preset | Enhanced preset |
|---|---|---|
| Character models | Standard definition | High definition |
| Quest markers and objective areas on the map | Off | On |
| All bags shown as one | Off | On |
| Transmog | Off | On |
| Default movement keys | Turn the camera | Strafe |
| Screen layout | Classic | Centered |
Which should you pick? Blizzard suggests Enhanced if you're unsure, and it's the easier choice for new players because quest markers show you where to go. Pick Classic if you want the 2004 feel and like reading quest text to find things. You only see this screen once, but every option can be changed later in the game's Options menu.
Step 2: Choose a ruleset
Forever has no realm list. You choose a ruleset, and everyone on it shares one large community.
| Ruleset | What it means |
|---|---|
| Normal | PvP only when you choose it. Both factions allowed. |
| PvP | Enemy players can attack you in most of the open world. One faction per account on this ruleset. |
| Roleplay | Like Normal, with strict naming and behavior rules for roleplayers. |
| Roleplay-PvP | Like PvP, with the same roleplay rules. |
| Hardcore | Coming later. Death is permanent. |
Some rules to know before you click:
- Play with friends on the same ruleset and faction. You can't group, share a guild, run dungeons or raid across rulesets, and Horde and Alliance can't group at all.
- You can't move a character to another ruleset. To switch, you make a new character there.
- PvP locks your faction. Once you make an Alliance character on the PvP ruleset, you can't make a Horde one there, and vice versa.
- Battlegrounds mix rulesets, except Hardcore.
If you're new and unsure, Normal is the safest start. You can also set a preferred online language in the Options menu under Languages and Social, so you meet players who speak it. The setting applies to your whole account and can only be changed once every 24 hours.
Step 3: Create your character
Faction decides your cities, allies and who you can group with. Race decides your look, starting zone and racial abilities. Class decides how you fight.
Both factions can play all nine classes in Forever, thanks to new combinations like the Dwarf Shaman and the Undead Paladin. The new Skyborne race needs the Skyborne Heroic Pack or a bigger upgrade, but every other race is available with a normal subscription. The full chart is in our WoW Forever races and classes guide.
Two more choices on this screen:
- HD or SD models. You choose this for each character. It only changes how the character looks, and you can switch later in the Options menu or at a Barbershop.
- A two-part name. Every character has a main name and a secondary name, like a first name and a surname. The full combination must be unique in your region, so a popular first name can still work with a different second name. You can hide your secondary name above your head under Options, Nameplates, My Secondary Name, but it still shows in chat.
Step 4: Your first levels
Questing
Characters with an exclamation point have a quest for you, and a question mark means a quest is ready to turn in. Press L for your quest log, where you can read the story, track or untrack quests, or abandon ones you don't want. Press M for the world map. If you picked Enhanced, quest areas are highlighted there.
Read quest text when you can. It often tells you exactly where to go, which matters more with the Classic preset.
Combat and abilities
Press P for your spellbook and drag abilities onto your action bar. Visit your class trainer as you level to learn new abilities. Fight one enemy at a time at first, and eat or drink between fights to get health and mana back. Innkeepers sell both.
Dying
When you die, release your spirit and you appear at a graveyard. Run back to your body, following the marker on your minimap, and choose Resurrect. You can also ask the Spirit Healer at the graveyard to revive you on the spot. That costs equipment durability and may give you Resurrection Sickness, which weakens you for a while.
Gear and bags
Hover over an item to compare it with what you're wearing. A higher-quality color isn't always better, so check the armor type and the stats your class uses. Press C to see your equipped gear.
Gray items are junk, so sell them to any vendor. If you sell something by mistake, check the vendor's Buyback tab. Vendors with an anvil icon repair gear.
Getting around
Talk to an innkeeper to set your Hearthstone there, and use it to return quickly. Stop at every flight master you pass to learn the flight path, because it makes later travel much faster.
Step 5: Learn professions
Each character can learn two primary professions and all three secondary ones.
| Type | Professions |
|---|---|
| Gathering (primary) | Herbalism, Mining, Skinning |
| Crafting (primary) | Alchemy, Blacksmithing, Enchanting, Engineering, Leatherworking, Tailoring |
| Secondary | Cooking, Fishing, First Aid |
Profession trainers in starting areas and major cities teach you the basics. Press K to open your professions. Ranks go from Apprentice to Journeyman, Expert and Artisan. To drop a profession, click the X next to its name.
A simple first pick is one gathering profession and the crafting profession that uses it, such as Mining with Blacksmithing or Herbalism with Alchemy.
Camping in WoW Forever
Camping is new in Forever. Cooking lets you place a Basic Campfire, and nearby players can each add one camp feature from their professions, up to three per campfire. Sit or craft at the campsite for at least one minute to get the bonuses. Profession camp items start at skill level 20, and all camp features share a one-hour cooldown.
| Profession | Camp feature | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| First Aid | First Aid Kit | More Stamina |
| Fishing | Fishing Bowl | 8% more stats |
| Blacksmithing | Sharpening Wheel | More Strength |
| Herbalism | Incense Candle | More Intellect |
| Leatherworking | Camp Tent | Rested XP up to 5% of a level |
| Engineering | Reagent Bot | Buy reagents at camp |
These bonuses don't stack with the matching class buff, so a Fishing Bowl and a Paladin's Blessing of Kings won't both apply. On the PvP rulesets, a campfire can draw enemy players to you, so pick your spot with care.
Group up and try dungeons
A dungeon group has five players: a tank who holds the enemies' attention, a healer, and three damage dealers (DPS). Forever's first new dungeons start early, with Hall of Thanes at levels 13 to 18 and the Ruins of Lordaeron at 15 to 20. Our WoW Forever dungeons guide lists all nine.
Once your first character reaches level 25, you'll usually unlock the Legacy System, which gives account-wide perks. See our Legacy System guide for what to spend points on.
Quick tips
- Save money for training, bags and travel, and repair often.
- Ask in chat or invite nearby players when a quest is too hard.
- Join a guild, or Blizzard's official WoW Portal Room server on Discord, to find people to play with.
- If your class doesn't feel right after a few levels, try another one. The Legacy System rewards leveling different classes.
Frequently asked questions
Should I pick Classic or Enhanced in WoW Forever?
Pick Enhanced if you're new or unsure, because it turns on quest markers, a combined bag and HD models. Pick Classic if you want the original look and feel. It's only a starting point, and you can change each setting later in Options.
Which ruleset should I choose in WoW Forever?
Normal is the best start for most players, because nobody can attack you unless you choose to fight. Choose PvP if you want open-world fights with the other faction, and a Roleplay ruleset if you plan to roleplay. Above all, choose the same ruleset and faction as your friends.
Can you change rulesets in WoW Forever?
No. You can't move a character to another ruleset, so you'd have to create a new character there. The exception is Hardcore, which isn't out yet: a Hardcore character that dies can move to another ruleset.
How do I play WoW Forever with friends?
Create your characters on the same ruleset and the same faction. Only then can you group, join one guild, run dungeons and raid together. Battlegrounds are the exception, because they can mix players from different rulesets.
How many professions can you have in WoW Forever?
You can have two primary professions, such as Mining and Blacksmithing, plus all three secondary professions: Cooking, Fishing and First Aid. Trainers in starting areas and cities teach them.
Do I need to buy anything to play WoW Forever?
Only a WoW subscription or Game Time. The upgrade packs are optional and mainly add the Skyborne race and cosmetics.
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