WoW: Forever introduces the Skyborne, a new playable race

Quick Facts

Blizzard has announced the Skyborne, also known as the shen'dorei or hidden people, a new playable race in World of Warcraft: Forever. Their story begins on Zephras Isle, a level 1-12 starting experience that blends classic Warcraft aesthetics with elemental architecture. At character creation, players choose whether their Skyborne joins the Horde or the Alliance.

The two factions come with different class lists, and the race includes its own unique /dance emote.

• Home and starting location: Zephras Isle
• Level range: 1-12
• Faction: Horde (Windshaper Skyborne) or Alliance (High Order Skyborne)
• Windshaper Skyborne classes: Druid, Hunter, Rogue, Shaman, Warrior
• High Order Skyborne classes: Druid, Hunter, Mage, Rogue, Warrior
• Unique /dance emote

Begin Your Journey on Zephras Isle

Thousands of years ago, a group of Highborne exiles forged a pact with elemental wind spirits and built a civilization within Skywall, one of the elemental planes. When players arrive on Zephras Isle, that civilization is in crisis. The air spirits that once protected the island have vanished, ancient structures are failing, communities are becoming isolated, and the Skyborne are divided over what comes next.

Zephras Isle serves as a new level 1-12 starting experience, blending classic Warcraft aesthetics with elemental architecture.

Choose Horde or Alliance at Character Creation

The faction choice is made at character creation and reflects a people with shared ancestry but different visions for the future. Horde-aligned Skyborne embrace elemental traditions and gain access to the Shaman class, while Alliance-aligned Skyborne pursue the arcane legacy of their ancestors and gain access to the Mage class.

Both factions can also become Warriors, Hunters, Rogues, and Druids, including new Skyborne druid forms created specifically for the race. The race also ships with new racials, customizations, voices, dances, and visual options.

Racial Abilities

Windshaper Skyborne are the descendants of the first shen'dorei high elves to receive the wind spirits' gift of elemental skysight. A new generation is called to Azeroth from Skywall to solve the mystery of their missing elemental mentors and restore the wind spirits.

High Order Skyborne descend from the ancient Highborne scholars of Eldre'Thalas. When the wind spirits disappeared from Zephras Isle, the High Order concluded that dependence on elemental patrons had left the Skyborne vulnerable. A new generation now returns to Azeroth to reclaim lost arcane knowledge and secure the shen'dorei's self-reliance.

• Windshaper: Walk on Air, glide downward through the air for 10 seconds
• Windshaper: Skysight, an Elemental Blessing increasing run speed by 10%
• Windshaper: Wind Blessed passive, 1% increased melee, ranged, and spellcasting Haste
• Windshaper: Elemental Insight passive, damage to Elementals increased by 5%
• High Order: Walk on Air, glide downward through the air for 10 seconds
• High Order: Read Ley Line, activate a ley line to gain 100% increased Health and Mana regeneration
• High Order: Wind Blessed passive, 1% increased melee, ranged, and spellcasting Haste
• High Order: Elemental Insight passive, damage to Elementals increased by 5%

Visual Appearance and Customization Options

Body Type 1 options include ten faces, nine skin colors ranging from sky blue to light peach and darker tones, twenty-one hair styles, eleven hair colors, three ear lengths, and four eyebrow styles. Closer options include thirteen facial hair choices, eyesight choices, feather colors that can be added to hair, four face tattoo options with two colors, and two body tattoo options, Zephyr and Wayfinder, each in two colors.

Body Type 2 options include ten faces, the same skin colors as Body Type 1, twenty-five hair styles, ten hair colors, nine eye colors, three ear lengths, and four eyebrow styles. This body type also has six earring styles, two jewelry colors in silver or gold, eyesight options, feather colors for hair, and the same face and body tattoo options in two colors.

Blizzard states there are thousands of possible combinations. Changes can later be made at a barber shop in cities for a cost in gold. New druid forms created specifically for the race add further ways to connect a character to Zephras Isle and the Skyborne story.

Get a Little Emote-ional with New Emotes

The Skyborne come with a variety of emotes reflecting their culture, including a new /dance that Blizzard suggests for celebrating victories. These are some of the emotes available, with more beyond them.

• /dance
• /laugh
• /flirt
• /silly
• /applaud
• /bye
• /hello
• /cackle
• /bow
• /cry
• /no

Begin a New Story Among the Skyborne

Whether players embrace elemental tradition with the Horde or pursue arcane legacy with the Alliance, the Skyborne offer a new way to begin an adventure in World of Warcraft: Forever. Blizzard closes by noting that Zephras Isle is waiting and that the story among the clouds is each player's to shape.