WoW Forever Skyborne Guide

What Are the Skyborne in WoW Forever?

The Skyborne are the new playable race introduced with World of Warcraft: Forever.

Their journey begins on Zephras Isle, a dedicated starting zone covering approximately levels 1-12. After finishing the opening experience, Skyborne characters continue through the wider Azeroth leveling journey toward the permanent level 60 cap.

Unlike a neutral race that chooses a faction later, Skyborne select Horde or Alliance at character creation. That decision affects faction allegiance, one available class, and one faction-specific racial ability.

Players who want to take the new race directly to the cap can use Skyborne 1-60 Leveling.

Where Do Skyborne Start?

Skyborne begin on Zephras Isle.

The starting experience covers approximately levels 1-12 and combines Classic Warcraft aesthetics with architecture inspired by Skywall.

According to developer interview details, the island exists within the elemental realm of Skywall and has begun losing its former stability after the elementals that supported it departed. This provides part of the motivation for the Skyborne to seek new alliances in Azeroth.

The opening storyline introduces the race, its background, and the different paths represented by Horde and Alliance.

When Do Skyborne Choose a Faction?

Skyborne choose Horde or Alliance during character creation rather than at the end of their starting zone.

That decision affects:

• your faction;

• access to Mage or Shaman;

• one faction-specific racial;

• your later progression through Azeroth.

Two Skyborne characters using the same shared class can therefore continue their journeys on opposite factions.

What Classes Can Skyborne Play?

Four classes are available to both factions:

• Warrior;

• Hunter;

• Rogue;

• Druid.

In addition:

• Horde Skyborne can play Shaman;

• Alliance Skyborne can play Mage.

That creates six total class options, although Mage and Shaman are faction-specific.

Skyborne Druids Get Unique Forms

Druid is available to both Horde and Alliance Skyborne.

Blizzard has confirmed new Skyborne Druid forms created specifically for the race. Skyborne also receive their own customization options, voices, dances, and other visual features.

This gives the race a distinct identity even when playing an existing class.

Skyborne Racial Abilities

Skyborne racials are partly shared and partly determined by faction.

Walk on Air

Walk on Air allows the character to glide downward for 10 seconds.

The ability fits the race's air-element theme and can provide useful movement across vertical terrain.

Wind Blessed

Wind Blessed is a passive racial providing 1% increased melee, ranged, and spellcasting Haste.

It benefits all available Skyborne classes.

Elemental Insight

Elemental Insight provides 5% increased damage against Elementals.

This racial is closely connected to the Skyborne's elemental background.

Horde Skyborne Racials

Horde-aligned Skyborne are known as Windshapers.

Their additional racial is Skysight, which grants an Elemental Blessing that increases movement speed by 10%.

This can be useful during leveling, gathering, and general open-world travel.

Horde Skyborne are also the only version that can choose Shaman.

Alliance Skyborne Racials

Alliance-aligned characters are known as High Order Skyborne.

Their additional racial, Read Ley Line, activates a ley line to provide 100% increased Health and Mana regeneration.

This can reduce downtime between encounters during longer leveling sessions.

Alliance Skyborne are the only version that can choose Mage.

Horde or Alliance - Which Skyborne Should You Choose?

The most important difference is class access:

• choose Horde if you want a Skyborne Shaman;

• choose Alliance if you want a Skyborne Mage;

• Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, and Druid are available on either faction.

After that, consider the faction racial. Horde receives additional movement speed through Skysight, while Alliance receives enhanced recovery through Read Ley Line.

For the four shared classes, your preferred faction and community will often matter more than the class list itself.

Skyborne Leveling From 1 to 12

The first part of Skyborne leveling takes place entirely on Zephras Isle.

The zone is designed to carry a new character from approximately level 1 to level 12 while introducing the race and its story.

After completing the starting experience, the character joins the broader Forever leveling journey.

Players targeting individual stories can also use Questline Completion.

Where Do You Go After Zephras Isle?

At around level 12, the dedicated Skyborne starting path gives way to the wider level 1-60 journey.

Your exact route depends on faction and the zones you choose. Forever adds more than 1,000 quests alongside new and reimagined areas, giving Skyborne the same wider progression options available to other characters.

Players who need broader world completion can also use Zone Completion.

New Zones for Skyborne Leveling

As the character grows, Skyborne can enter the same new regions as other races.

Riverglades

Riverglades covers much of the level 35-45 range and contains more than 150 new quests.

Shen'Dralas

Shen'Dralas is located between Mulgore and Desolace and expands the stories of the Shen'dralar, Eldre'Thalas, Dire Maul, and local centaur tribes.

Mount Hyjal

Mount Hyjal is a high-level region exploring the aftermath of Archimonde's defeat and the future of the recovering land.

The race therefore receives a unique opening but eventually joins the shared Forever world progression.

Dungeons During Skyborne Leveling

Skyborne can use Forever's new dungeons throughout the journey to level 60.

The earliest new instances become appropriate shortly after leaving Zephras Isle, including Hall of Thanes and Ruins of Lordaeron.

Dungeon progression can provide experience, quests, and opportunities for gear upgrades alongside open-world leveling.

Players targeting multiple instances can use WoW Forever All Dungeons.

Best Professions for Skyborne

There are currently no professions announced as exclusive to Skyborne.

Profession choice should therefore depend on your class and character goals.

Crafting professions can support gear and consumables, while gathering skills fit naturally into the leveling journey. Forever also adds more than 600 new recipes and connects professions with Camping, dungeons, and Legacy progression.

Players who want to develop trade skills can use Profession Leveling.

Skyborne and the Legacy System

A Skyborne character can also contribute toward Legacy progression.

Legacy Challenges encourage players to develop different classes, professions, and other parts of Forever. A new Skyborne can therefore work toward both ordinary level progression and broader Legacy objectives.

Players targeting the system directly can use Legacy Challenges and Legacy Points.

Do You Need an Upgrade Pack for Skyborne?

WoW Forever itself is included with a World of Warcraft subscription or Game Time, but access to the Skyborne race and Zephras Isle starting experience is included with optional upgrade editions.

The confirmed entry option is the Skyborne Heroic Pack, which includes the race and its starting experience. The Skyborne Epic Pack contains everything in Heroic and adds benefits including beta access.

Players who specifically want to create a Skyborne should therefore account for race access in addition to the normal WoW subscription.

What Is Included in the Skyborne Heroic Pack?

Blizzard lists the following among the Heroic Pack benefits:

• Skyborne race access;

• Zephras Isle starting experience;

• Early Name Reservation;

• Cerulean Prideclaw ground mount;

• cosmetics;

• housing decor;

• one Invite-A-Friend Launch Code.

The ground mount still requires the appropriate in-game riding skill before it can be used.

Heroic Pack vs Epic Pack

The Skyborne Epic Pack includes everything from Heroic and adds:

• beta access;

• 30 days of World of Warcraft Game Time from launch;

• additional cosmetics;

• pets;

• tabards;

• additional Invite-A-Friend Launch Codes.

You do not need the Epic Pack solely for the race, because Skyborne access is already included in Heroic.

Which Skyborne Class Should You Play?

There is no single best option for every player.

Warrior offers direct melee combat, Hunter works well for independent world progression, Rogue focuses on stealth and control, while Druid provides several roles and unique Skyborne forms.

Faction becomes essential if you specifically want Shaman or Mage: Shaman requires Horde, while Mage requires Alliance.

Choose the class first, then decide whether the faction-specific option matters for your character.

What Happens at Level 60?

At level 60, Skyborne join the same major progression paths as every other character:

• dungeons;

• raids;

• gearing;

• professions;

• reputations;

• PvP;

• Legacy progression.

The race is not restricted to its own separate content after leaving Zephras Isle.

Players who want a ready maximum-level character can use Skyborne 1-60 Leveling.