WoW Forever Class Video Covers Hunter, Mage and Paladin

World of Warcraft Forever wants players to know their class before they log in.

The second part of the game's Class Highlights video series has arrived. This time, three classes that have very little in common share the spotlight: the Hunter, the Mage, and the Paladin. One fights at range with or without a beast at its side. One bends ice and fire to its will. The third wears heavy armour and calls on holy power. A single video covering all three is an odd mix, but the purpose is clear. Forever launches next month, and the team wants players to understand the changes before they roll a character.

This instalment follows our earlier look at the class deep dive on Priests and Warriors. The format stays the same: a quick tour of the key changes to each class, with no long lore segments or slow cinematics. What follows is a summary of what was shown, and why some of it matters more than it might first appear.

Hunters: Sharper Shots, Optional Pets

Hunters get a handful of improved abilities. The headline addition is a sniper shot, which should please anyone who likes picking off targets from a long way off.

The more interesting change is about playstyle. Hunters in Forever can go "lone wolf" and fight without a pet. For years the Hunter's animal companion has been a core part of the class, so letting players drop it entirely is a real choice rather than a cosmetic one. Some players love managing a pet. Others find it a chore. Now both groups have a path.

Then there's Survival. Each WoW class splits into specialisations, usually shortened to "specs", that focus on different strengths. The video makes a point of saying that Survival Hunters are viable DPS in this version of the game. DPS stands for damage per second and, in MMO terms, refers to characters whose main job in a group is dealing damage. The fact that the developers felt they had to say "yes, Survival works" suggests they know some players doubted it. Whether that promise holds up in real groups is something only launch will show.

Mages: Ice Lance and a Bit of Both Elements

Mages get three notable changes. The first is ice lance, a new tool in the frost arsenal. The second is a hybrid attack that mixes ice and fire, which is a fun idea for a class whose specs have traditionally kept those elements in separate boxes. The third is a stronger arcane blast.

Taken together, these changes touch all three schools of Mage magic: frost, fire, and arcane. That looks deliberate. Rather than favouring one spec, the developers appear to be spreading the upgrades around so that no Mage player feels left out. The hybrid ice and fire attack is the one to keep an eye on. Mixed-element abilities can open up new rotations, which is the order in which players cast spells to get the most out of them. They can also be tricky to balance.

Paladins: Taunts and Consecration for Everyone

Paladins may get the most practical changes of the three. The class can now work properly as a tank, the role in a group that soaks up enemy attacks and keeps them away from more fragile allies. To help with that, Paladins get a new taunt, an ability that forces enemies to focus their attacks on the Paladin.

Consecration, which damages enemies standing on holy ground around the Paladin, is also now given to every spec at level 20. That's a meaningful choice. A key ability unlocked early and shared across all specs makes the class feel more consistent while levelling, no matter which path a player picks. It also fits with the attention Forever has already given the class, including the earlier video that put the undead Paladin in the spotlight.

The video covers more changes than the ones listed here. The ones above are the highlights, and they show a clear direction: more options for each class, and fewer specs left behind.

Our Take

The most important word in this video may be "viable". Survival Hunters, tanking Paladins, Mages who can lean on all three schools: each change seems aimed at the same goal. Forever appears to be trying to make more of its specs worth playing. This suggests the team is thinking about something many MMO players care deeply about. Is the build you actually want to play allowed to be good?

For our readers, the timing matters too. With launch next month, these videos are effectively a guide for choosing a main. If you were planning to roll a Hunter but never liked dealing with pets, or wanted a Paladin who could hold aggro in dungeons, the case for those choices just got stronger. They also add to what we already know from the beta, which recently raised the level cap to 30. That makes level-20 unlocks like Paladin consecration something testers can already experience in practice.

Still, a promise in a video is not the same as a balanced game. It is worth watching whether Survival Hunters actually show up in group content after launch, and whether the hybrid Mage attack ends up too strong or too weak. It will also be interesting to see whether the Class Highlights series continues with the remaining classes before Forever goes live. If it does, players will have a full picture of the game's class design before day one. That is more than many MMO launches offer.