Could you tank as a Shaman in World of Warcraft: Forever? Several Enhancement talents suggest the class could have tools for the job, including stronger defenses and increased threat generation. That is not confirmation of a fully supported tank role, but it gives you something specific to investigate when the beta opens on September 17.
Which talents suggest a tanking role?
The clearest clue is Spirit Weapons. It gives Shamans a chance to parry attacks and increases threat generation while Rockbiter Weapon is active. Alongside it, two other Enhancement talents improve survivability:
- Anticipation grants up to 6% increased dodge chance.
- Toughness provides up to 10% increased Stamina.
- Spirit Weapons combines parrying with additional threat while using Rockbiter Weapon.
Shamans also have defensive support through Stoneskin and Windfall Totem, with Guardian Totems further improving their resistance values. Together, those tools suggest potential for taking hits and keeping enemies focused on you rather than your teammates.
What remains unconfirmed is whether Forever will support Shaman tanking as a complete role. A dedicated taunt or additional support through item sets would be possible ways to expand that toolkit, but neither is established by the information available. Defensive talents alone do not settle whether you can reliably fill a group’s tank slot.
Forever has room to expand the vanilla formula
Blizzard has announced World of Warcraft: Forever as a version of vanilla-era WoW with new content and long-term horizontal progression. The level cap will stay at 60 rather than increase with future progression.
The announced additions include more than 1,000 new quests, new Dungeons and Raids, a realmless structure, and the new Skyborne Elf race. New race and class combinations will also give both factions access to Paladins and Shamans:
- Horde: Undead Paladins, Orc Mages, Troll Warlocks, and Skyborne Shamans.
- Alliance: Gnome Priests, Human Hunters, Dwarf Shamans, and Skyborne Mages.
Shaman tanking would not be unprecedented: WoW Classic’s Season of Discovery already explored that role. However, its presence there does not confirm the same implementation in Forever. Blizzard has also said Forever will be community-driven, but that is not a promise that any particular requested feature will arrive.
Beta dates and access requirements
The beta runs from September 17 through October 21, ahead of Forever’s November 4 launch. If you want to test the Shaman toolkit yourself during that period, beta access is included with either of these purchases:
- Skyborne Epic Pack: $59.99.
- Warcraft Forever Collection: $79.99.
The base Skyborne Pack does not include beta access. It includes early name reservation, the Skyborne race, and its starting zone, so make sure you distinguish it from the Epic Pack before buying for the beta.
For now, treat Shaman tanking as a possibility rather than a confirmed feature. The beta should provide an opportunity to examine how the listed talents work together and whether additional tanking tools are present.
For more RPG playtest coverage, you can read our article on the Dungeons & Dragons Underdark subclasses and species playtest. You can also browse our gaming articles archive for other coverage.
FAQ
No. Enhancement talents provide defensive bonuses and increased threat generation, but a fully supported Shaman tank role has not been confirmed.
The beta runs from September 17 through October 21, 2026. The game’s launch is scheduled for November 4.
The Skyborne Epic Pack costs $59.99 and the Warcraft Forever Collection costs $79.99; both include beta access. The base Skyborne Pack does not.
No. Blizzard’s announced plan is to keep the level cap at 60 and support the game through horizontal progression and new content.