How do servers work in WoW Forever?

There is no realm list. When you create a character you pick a ruleset, and that choice decides who you can play with. Each ruleset behaves like one very large realm, and the game tries to keep you with players and guild mates you already know.

Ruleset Available What it means
Normal At launch Player-vs-player combat only when you choose it
PvP At launch Open-world PvP; one faction per account on this ruleset
Roleplaying (RP) At launch Normal rules with a roleplaying community
Hardcore After launch (reported: winter) One life; see below

These details come from official announcements and reporting on the September 17 live Q&A; they may still change before launch.

Who can I play with?

Grouping, dungeons and raids only work within the same ruleset and faction. Alliance and Horde still cannot group. Battlegrounds are reported to be shared across rulesets.

That makes the ruleset the most important choice to agree on with friends — more important than race or class. Decide it before name reservation opens on October 27, because reserved names are tied to the characters you create.

How does Hardcore work?

Hardcore turns on permanent death. When a Hardcore character dies it cannot return to Hardcore play — spirit healers, resurrections and Soulstones do not bring it back. Reporting on Blizzard’s plans says a dead Hardcore character can be moved to another ruleset and keep playing, and that Legacy progress earned in Hardcore stays useful.

Hardcore characters only group with other Hardcore characters. It opens after launch; we will add a full Hardcore guide before it does.

Which ruleset should I choose?

  • Playing with friends: whatever they pick — you cannot group across rulesets.
  • New to WoW: Normal. You can still fight other players when you want to.
  • Want world PvP: PvP, but remember you are locked to one faction on that ruleset.
  • Want the classic challenge: wait for Hardcore, or start on Normal and try Hardcore when it opens.

Plan your character with the class chooser and race matrix, and check the release date for your time zone.