In short
- Talents start at level 10 and keep the Classic trees, with a new milestone at 16 points.
- You respec at a class trainer; dual specialization arrives at level 40, although Blizzard is considering an earlier level.
- Several talents boost spells from other trees, opening the door to hybrid builds.
- Builds have their own page: level 30 duel builds are up, and leveling builds come at launch.
How talents work in Forever
- Talents
- From level 10. One-point milestone talents at 11, 21 and 31 points, plus a new 16-point milestone.
- Points at level 60
- 51, if it keeps one point per level from 10 as in Classic.
- Respec
- At a class trainer in a major city (Legacy talents too).
- Dual specialization
- From level 40 for now. Blizzard is considering an earlier level (level 30 was mentioned). Cost not published.
- Legacy system
- Account-wide points each character spends in three trees (Professions, Adventure, Resourcefulness). Capped at 16 at launch. It gives no extra class talent points, but the Talented perk moves the first one as early as level 5 (the maximum stays at 51).
Milestone talents are one-point talents unlocked by spending a number of points in a tree. Classic had them at 11, 21 and 31 points; Forever adds one at 16 points. Official: Published by Blizzard in a source we have read.
The three trees
- Arcane
Amplifies the rest of your toolkit: set up and empower the next cast. Official: Published by Blizzard in a source we have read.
New in Forever
Milestones (11 · 16 · 21 · 31)
Arcane Blast → Missile Barrage → Presence of Mind → Arcane Power
- Fire
Rewards critical strikes and good timing. Official: Published by Blizzard in a source we have read.
New in Forever
Milestones (11 · 16 · 21 · 31)
Pyroblast → unconfirmed → Blast Wave → Combustion
- Frost
Layered control, now with new links to the rest of the class. Official: Published by Blizzard in a source we have read.
New in Forever
Milestones (11 · 16 · 21 · 31)
Ice Lance → Ice Block → Cold Snap → Ice Barrier
Hybrid builds: talents that cross schools
Blizzard wants “more room for cross-school builds”. These official changes make it possible: Official: Published by Blizzard in a source we have read.
| Talent | Tree | What it crosses |
|---|---|---|
| Incineration | Fire (row 1) | Also raises the crit chance of Ice Lance and Arcane Blast |
| Improved Fireball | Fire | Also speeds up Frostfire Bolt |
| Missile Barrage | Arcane (16-point milestone) | Triggers from Fireball, Frostbolt and Frostfire Bolt |
| Heating Up | Fire (row 4) | Fed by Frostfire Bolt crits |
| Frostfire Bolt | Baseline (level 40) | Benefits from most Fire and Frost talents at once |
With 51 points and row-1 talents as cheap as Incineration, combinations such as Frost with a dip into Fire, or Arcane with a dip into Fire, look reasonable. Analysis: Our reading of official mechanics. Not tested in game. We do not recommend them yet because nobody has been able to test them above level 30.
Recommended builds
Builds have their own page, with filters by use and tree, the calculator view and an explanation of how to play each one. The level 30 duel builds are up; leveling and level 60 builds will follow once they can be tested in game. See the builds.
To make your own, use the Wowhead Forever talent calculator. Community: Published by the community or press; we have not read the official original.