Guide 02 · Classes

Best class for returning players

The best WoW: Forever class for returning players, and why we picked it.

Our one recommendation

Play a Hunter.

A Hunter does fine on its own, so you don't have to wait around for a group. Your pet tanks while you shoot from the longest range of any class, and you start fights at a distance. That makes it a forgiving class to relearn the game on, and easy to put down and pick back up. Blizzard says outright that Hunters can use their pet as a tank in solo and small-group play.

The facts behind the pick

  • "Hunters only have one combat role, damage, but can utilize their pet as a tank in solo and small group play." [source]
  • Hunters have "the longest range of any class." [source]
  • Traps can now be used in combat (with a 30-second cooldown), and Aimed Shot is a basic ability at level 20. [source]
  • Pets now get stats from the Hunter's gear [source], so upgrading yourself also upgrades your tank.
  • Every pet family now has its own unique ability, and Foxes are a new pet family. [source]

The catches (so you're not surprised)

  • You can't shoot within 8 yards of an enemy (the "dead zone"), and Hunters can't stun or interrupt. [source]
  • Talents and abilities may still change during the beta. [source]

If a Hunter really isn't for you

A Warlock is the closest match: its demon pet now scales with your stats [source], and Affliction can heal itself through draining spells. [source] The trade-off: Warlocks are "still physically weak themselves." [source]

Unverified Not confirmed: which class levels fastest. Blizzard hasn't published leveling-speed numbers, and we won't make them up. Our pick is about doing well alone and being easy to pick back up, not raw speed.
Related: Pair your Hunter with a profession you won't regret and addons that work. Have a pack and want a new race? Skyborne can be Hunters on either faction. For video takes on every class, see creators worth following.

Sources

Last checked against these sources: October 21, 2026. WoW: Forever is in beta, and Blizzard says classes and talents may still change.

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