Guide ·
Best Horde Hunter Race in WoW Forever: Orc, Troll or Tauren?
Four Horde races can be Hunters in World of Warcraft: Forever (WoW Forever): Orc, Troll, Tauren and the Windshaper Skyborne, and the guides do not agree on one best: most name the Orc, Icy Veins' November 4 Survival guide names the Tauren, and its earlier race table names the Troll. Blizzard changed several Horde racials before launch, so older picks may be out of date, as of November 6, 2026.
Quick answer: GamerBlurb and mein-mmo name the Orc, and RankedBoost grades Orc and Troll equally at S. Icy Veins names the Troll in its table and the Tauren in its Survival guide. Mobalytics calls the Orc the only option on Horde in its Survival guide. Undead cannot be Hunters.
This page covers the Horde only. For both factions, see best race for Hunter, the Hunter guide and racials explained.
Key facts
- Horde Hunter races: Orc, Tauren, Troll, Windshaper Skyborne (Blizzard's race and class table, mein-mmo); Undead cannot
- Skyborne: needs Heroic Pack or higher (Blizzard Shop)
- Orc: Command now adds 5% Hunter pet damage; Savage was removed (Blizzard development notes)
- Tauren: Plainsrunning now 2% per stack, up to 60% (Blizzard development notes)
What do guides say is the best Horde Hunter race?
- RankedBoost (graded September 24): Orc, Troll and Night Elf share S grade; Tauren is A, Windshaper Skyborne C. It says Horde Hunters choose between Orc and Troll.
- GamerBlurb (October 18): Orc is the best Horde choice, with Troll the main offensive alternative and Tauren for PvP.
- mein-mmo (October 28): Orc and Skyborne for Horde PvE, Orc for PvP.
- Mobalytics, Survival Hunter (Feor, November 2): Orc is "the only option on Horde in my opinion" and, for maximum raid damage, "DO NOT PLAY TAUREN."
- Icy Veins, race table (before beta): Troll for Horde Hunters, "likely" to change.
- Icy Veins, Survival Hunter (Veramos, November 4): Tauren, "the single strongest choice out of any race across both factions", citing leveling.
- Warcraft Tavern (before launch): Orcs and Trolls remain strong; Tauren and Skyborne are useful if raiding is not the main goal.
What did Blizzard change for Horde races?
Blizzard's development notes, posted before launch and quoted on Wowhead, changed several racials the older guides still describe:
- Orc: Savage (1% crit) removed; Command re-added, raising Warlock and Hunter pet damage by 5%; Blood Fury cooldown cut to 2 minutes.
- Troll: Berserking lasts 15 seconds, up from 10.
- Tauren: Plainsrunning gives 2% movement speed per stack, up to 60%, and no longer affects mounted speed; Endurance now gives only 5% health.
- Skyborne: Wind Blessed haste is 2%, down from 3%.
GamerBlurb's and RankedBoost's Orc entries still mention Savage, and Icy Veins' Survival guide still says 30% for Plainsrunning, so those passages predate the notes. Treat the picks as slightly stale.
Why do the guides disagree?
They weigh different jobs. Orc is picked for Blood Fury and, since the change, pet damage. Troll is picked for Berserking. Tauren is praised for leveling speed (Icy Veins) and warned against for raiding (Mobalytics). A November 5 hotfix also stops Plainsrunning stacking in a battleground's preparation phase and cancels stacks while you carry a flag, per Blizzard.
Does it matter much?
mein-mmo says racial bonuses are very small and suggests choosing for looks unless you are an absolute min-maxer. See Alliance vs Horde if faction is still undecided.
What is not confirmed yet
- Real level 60 performance: the beta ended at level 30, so all raid claims are projections.
- Whether racial values stay final: later changes are possible.
- Skyborne Hunter value: RankedBoost grades it C; others call it interesting. No one has tested it at level 60.
Can the Lore Forever add-on and Willo help with this?
The free Lore Forever add-on gives zone and quest stories, which suits a Tauren running across Mulgore or an Orc in Durotar. Willo is a separate companion app for Windows 10 or 11 and Apple Silicon Macs (macOS 12 or later), per her page; her FAQ and the Lore Forever FAQ say Windows and Mac, though CurseForge still calls her a Windows app. Ask her out loud which Horde race to pick and she answers from what she knows. She is free to start with 50 answers a day, can be wrong, and is not official. The add-on has no internet access and uses generated voices. Both are fan-made, not affiliated with Blizzard.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Horde Hunter race in WoW Forever?
Guides split: Orc (RankedBoost, GamerBlurb, mein-mmo, Mobalytics), Troll (Icy Veins table), Tauren (Icy Veins Survival guide).
Can Undead be Hunters in WoW Forever?
No. Orc, Tauren, Troll and Windshaper Skyborne can, per Blizzard's race and class table and mein-mmo.
Did Blizzard change Orc racials?
Yes: Savage removed, Command added for 5% Hunter pet damage.
Is Tauren good for Hunters?
Icy Veins praises its leveling speed; Mobalytics advises against it for raid damage.
Do Skyborne need a pack?
Yes, Heroic Pack or higher, per Blizzard's Shop.
Sources
Reviewed November 6, 2026. Lore Forever and Willo are fan-made and are not affiliated with Blizzard Entertainment.