WoW Forever launch-week checklist for guild officers

WoW Forever launches globally on November 4, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. PST, according to Blizzard's What's Next panel recap. That is 23:00 UTC. The first new raids open on December 9.

Launch week sets the tone for the next month. Members who find a leveling group and a clear plan in the first few days tend to stay. This checklist is ordered by when each task matters.

Before launch day

Pick one ruleset and announce it. Forever does not use realms. Players choose a ruleset instead: Normal, PvP or Roleplaying, with Hardcore arriving after launch day. Players cannot group across rulesets, and Horde and Alliance still cannot group. The Deep Dive panel recap has the details. A guild split across rulesets is two guilds.

Pick a faction. Faction choice now affects class options for the new Skyborne race. Horde Skyborne can be Shamans and Alliance Skyborne can be Mages. Both can be Warriors, Hunters, Rogues and Druids.

Collect full character names. Names have two parts and are unique per region. Ask members to post their intended full name and a backup, so officers can send invites quickly.

Agree on the launch-night plan. Post when the guild will form, who sends invites, and which Discord channel people should join. Convert 3:00 p.m. PST into your members' time zones in the announcement.

Publish the loot rule now. Pick your system before anyone gets attached to an item. See our guild loot systems guide.

Ask for talent plans. Have members link a build from the WoW Forever talent calculator and note their main role. It gives you an early picture of tanks and healers.

Launch day, November 4

• Create the guild as soon as the founding officer can, and post its exact name in Discord.
• Assign at least two officers who can invite, so invites do not stall if one person disconnects.
• Pin the ruleset, faction, loot rule and Discord link in the guild message of the day.
• Remind Skyborne players that they start on Zephras Isle, which covers levels 1 to 12, so they will join the rest of the guild later.

The first three days

Form leveling groups. Forever adds more than a thousand new quests on the way to 60, and Blizzard says there is no level scaling. Members who level together stay in range for each other's dungeons. Group people by play schedule, not only by friendship.

Plan dungeon nights by level band. Forever adds nine new dungeons, including Hall of Thanes, Ruins of Lordaeron, City of Dalaran, Blackmaw Hold, Drowned City, Krol'dok Stronghold, Alcaz Prison and Shaper's Terrace. Blizzard has not published level ranges for all of them yet, so post dungeon nights once members see them in game.

Coordinate professions for camping. Campfires are now a group feature. Per the Deep Dive recap:

• Each basic campfire holds up to three crafted objects, one per player.
• Blacksmiths add a Sharpening Wheel for attack power, Tailors a Faction Banner for Spirit, and Herbalists an Incense Candle for Intellect.
• The first objects unlock at profession skill 20. Advanced ones come from Blueprint recipes dropped by dungeon bosses.
• Cooks get upgraded campfires that hold more objects.

Spread these professions across your leveling groups so each group can build a useful camp.

Explain Legacy Points. Legacy Points come from Legacy Challenges and are shared across a player's characters, but each character spends them separately. At launch, each character can spend up to 16 points. Point new players to the Adventure tree's Well Rested talent if they plan to level in short sessions.

End of week one

Review who is still playing. Some members who signed up will not log in. Update the roster before you plan raids around them.

Check level spread. If half the guild is well ahead, organize catch-up dungeon runs so the raid roster arrives at 60 together.

Plan the respec costs. Talent changes, including Legacy talents, happen at a class trainer in a major city, and dual specialization unlocks at level 40. Remind tanks and healers who level as damage that they will need a trip to the trainer.

Weeks two to five: getting raid ready

• Draft rosters for the 10-player Barrow Deeps and the 20-player Hyjal Summit. Our raid sizes and roster planning guide covers role splits and Forever's buff changes.
• Confirm the raid night schedule and post it at least two weeks before December 9.
• Identify backup tanks and healers, including dual specialization options.
• Run a short test of your loot rule in a dungeon so people know how it works.

Run launch week in GuildManager

GuildManager lets you record your guild's faction and region, list members and characters, and schedule activities with tank, healer and damage roles. The desktop app's addon syncs your in-game guild roster so classes and levels stay current without manual updates. Start from the WoW Forever page or read about the addon.

Related guides

• Moving a Classic Era guild to WoW Forever
• WoW Forever raid sizes and roster planning
• WoW Forever guild loot systems

Sources

Checked October 14, 2026.

• World of Warcraft: Forever What's Next panel recap. Blizzard. Launch time, raid unlock date and sizes, Skyborne class options, quests, dungeons, no level scaling.
• World of Warcraft: Forever Deep Dive panel recap. Blizzard. Rulesets, grouping, character names, camping, Legacy Points.
• Class Deep Dives: Priest and Warrior. Blizzard. Respec at class trainers and dual specialization at level 40.