Horde or Alliance in WoW Forever? How to Choose Your Faction
Horde or Alliance in WoW Forever: no cross-faction grouping, the new race and class combos, faction balance on PvP, and how each side levels.
EnlargeHorde or Alliance in WoW Forever? The answer has changed from Classic. Both factions now have Paladins and Shamans, the new Skyborne race plays on both sides, and Blizzard promises faction-balance systems on the PvP ruleset. So the choice comes down to three things: who you play with, which race fits your class, and which leveling route you like.
The rule that matters most: no cross-faction grouping
Blizzard's Deep Dive recap is clear: "Factions remain separate, so Horde and Alliance players still cannot group together." You can't share dungeons, raids, quests or guilds with the other faction. If your friends or guild already have a faction, join them. Also check that you all pick the same ruleset (rulesets explained).
Classes no longer decide your faction
In Classic, Paladin meant Alliance and Shaman meant Horde. Forever adds six new race and class combinations (Wowhead):
| New combination | Faction |
|---|---|
| Human Hunter | Alliance |
| Dwarf Shaman | Alliance |
| Gnome Priest | Alliance |
| Orc Mage | Horde |
| Troll Warlock | Horde |
| Undead (Forsaken) Paladin | Horde |
The Skyborne choose a side at creation. High Order Skyborne are Alliance and can also be Mages. Windshaper Skyborne are Horde and can also be Shamans. Both can be Warriors, Hunters, Rogues and Druids, and they share a starting zone, Zephras Isle.
Racials changed too. The Deep Dive says each race now has two active and two passive abilities, tuned to similar offensive power, and the November 2 notes made another pass. Compare them in our races and racials guide.
Faction balance on the PvP ruleset
The same recap says: "For the PvP ruleset, faction balance remains an important consideration, and World of Warcraft: Forever will include systems intended to support Horde and Alliance balance similar to the approach introduced in Season of Discovery." Blizzard hasn't detailed those systems for Forever. On the Normal ruleset, faction matters only for who you group and trade with. Blizzard has not published population data, so be careful with claims that one side is "dead".
How each faction levels
Both factions get new zones and dungeons. The difference is where they sit on your route (Blizzard's dungeon overview):
| Horde | Alliance | |
|---|---|---|
| Closest new dungeons | Ruins of Lordaeron, the Drowned City off Grom'gol | Hall of Thanes, the Excavation Site |
| Shared new content | City of Dalaran, the Riverglades, Mount Hyjal | City of Dalaran, the Riverglades, Mount Hyjal |
| Riverglades base | Rog'mar | Farholde Keep |
| Faction guide | Horde leveling guide | Alliance leveling guide |
The Riverglades bases come from the game client (WoW Forever DB). Neither faction has been shown to level faster. Read about the new zones in our Riverglades guide and Mount Hyjal guide.
Quick decision guide
- Friends or guild already chose? Go with them.
- Want a specific class and race? Pick the faction that has it. Undead Paladin and Troll Warlock are Horde. Dwarf Shaman and Human Hunter are Alliance.
- Playing PvP? Faction balance systems are promised, so play the side you like.
- Still unsure? Read both leveling guides and pick the route that sounds more fun, then see the best leveling class.
More: our RestedXP review and the RestedXP discount.
Frequently asked questions
Should I play Horde or Alliance in WoW Forever?
Play the faction your friends play, because Horde and Alliance still can't group. If you have no group, choose by race and class. Both factions now have Paladins and Shamans, and the Skyborne are on both sides, so class choice no longer decides faction. Then pick by leveling route: Horde has the Ruins of Lordaeron and the Drowned City close to home, and Alliance has the Hall of Thanes and the Excavation Site.
Can Horde and Alliance play together in WoW Forever?
No. Blizzard's Deep Dive recap says factions remain separate, so Horde and Alliance players still can't group together. That includes dungeons and raids.
Can Alliance be Shaman and Horde be Paladin in WoW Forever?
Yes. Forever adds Dwarf Shamans for the Alliance and Undead (Forsaken) Paladins for the Horde, along with Human Hunter, Gnome Priest, Orc Mage and Troll Warlock.
Which faction is more popular in WoW Forever?
Blizzard hasn't published population numbers. On the PvP ruleset Blizzard promises faction-balance systems similar to Season of Discovery's, so a lopsided realm should be less of a problem there.
Is Horde or Alliance faster to level in WoW Forever?
No data shows either faction is faster. Both get new zones and dungeons, and RestedXP sells Speedrun and Dungeon routes for each. Choose by the route you prefer and the race that fits your class.
Sources
- Blizzard: WoW Forever Deep Dive panel recap (no cross-faction grouping, PvP faction balance)
- Blizzard: Meet the new Skyborne
- Blizzard: Explore the new dungeons of WoW Forever
- Blizzard: WoW Forever Beta Development Notes – Updated November 2 (racials)
- Wowhead: WoW Forever new race and class combinations
- WoW Forever DB: Riverglades flight masters (Rog'mar and Farholde Keep)
Faction separation and PvP faction balance are quoted from Blizzard's Deep Dive recap. The race and class combinations come from Blizzard's Skyborne article and Wowhead's guide. Dungeon locations come from Blizzard's dungeon article and our faction leveling guides. Blizzard has not published population data, and this page doesn't guess. Checked 4 November 2026.
How we research our guides