WoW Forever: 4 Server Types Explained, December 9 Raid Release & Layering Issues

WoW Forever is neither a Classic clone nor a simplified Retail. This guide covers rule set selection, raids and difficulty, beta leftovers, and a pre-launch checklist so you can make the right call on November 4. If you'd rather skip the early economy grind, you can buy WoW Forever Gold safely, so you can afford mounts, consumables, and auction house gear without spending your first weeks farming.

1. Rule Sets: Four Options, RP-PvP Added at the Last Minute

This was the most important change at the end of the beta. Blizzard originally planned only PvE, PvP, and RP rule sets — RP-PvP was added to launch after community feedback. The official blue post said they "carefully evaluated what it would take to add RP-PvP and decided to move forward," confirming it will be selectable on November 4.

Launch rule sets: PvE, PvP, RP, RP-PvP. Hardcore will be added at some point after launch.

Recommendation: If you have no real interest in RP, don't pick RP-PvP just because it might be "busier." Historically, Season of Discovery's RP-PvP server was retagged as standard PvP because there wasn't much RP happening. Also, two PvP rule sets mean you can roll Horde on one and Alliance on the other (you can't have both factions on the same PvP rule set) — which may lead some players to treat RP-PvP as a "second PvP server."

Name reservation: Opens October 27 through November 3. Players who purchased any upgrade package can reserve character names.

2. Raid Schedule and Difficulty: Beer and Pretzels

Raids are not available at launch. The three launch raids unlock on December 9, giving players roughly a month to hit level 60 and prepare.

Difficulty positioning: Lead encounter designer Michael Nuthals repeatedly used the phrase "beer and pretzels" in the podcast — bring your friends, don't worry too much about whether you can clear. Raid difficulty is close to original vanilla, not Retail Mythic. Each fight has a few key mechanics, but as long as everyone "presses at least a few buttons," most content is clearable. Consumable stacking makes things significantly easier, but isn't required.

Design process: Build it → put it in front of QA and players → collect feedback → iterate → test again, until difficulty and fun are balanced. Nuthals stressed that mechanics still require coordination — not pure tank-and-spank, but not so complex that it's prohibitive.

Boss mechanics teased:

Barrow Deeps has a boss where you manage a buff for higher damage, but using it carries a cost (risk vs. reward).

Barrow Deeps has a pair of spider bosses.

Hyjal Summit has an undead crocolisk Wild God boss where the possessing spirit pops out; you alternate between damaging the husk and the ghost.

Molten Core will return, but it won't be the same Molten Core. Blizzard used the word "revamped" at BlizzCon, hinting that Golemagg won't be a pure tank-and-spank. Details remain under wraps.

3. Beta Leftovers: Layering/Sharding May Still Be Rough at Launch

This is the biggest uncertainty you should mentally prepare for.

Layering/sharding issues persisted throughout the beta and seemed worse toward the end. Player reports included: party members vanishing at zone boundaries; inviting someone causing the whole party to switch layers and the mob being fought to disappear; seeing players on other layers attacking nonexistent monsters; being attacked in PvP by enemies you can't see.

Blizzard's stance: Mentioned in nearly every podcast, acknowledged as high priority, but "not a simple fix" under the mega-server architecture. After the beta ended, Blizzard said it would "focus on priority issues and the servers themselves to be ready for November 4." The next podcast will be dedicated to the technical side and fix plans, but no confirmed fix timeline was given in this episode.

Stress test went well: Servers came up about an hour late, but once live there was no login queue, and mass tagging of the same quest mobs wasn't too bad. If launch is as smooth as the stress test, November 4 should be fine.

Realistic assessment: The beta is over; large fixes may not make launch. Layering issues are likely to occur at launch — the question is frequency, not whether.

4. Levels 1–30: Blizzard Deliberately Hid a Lot During Beta

Blizzard intentionally disabled content during the beta, saving it for launch: gear drops, recipe drops, collectibles, special items (like the Night Watchman's Torch). The torch was in the game from the start, disabled for beta, then enabled early to test the new lighting effects — having many players carry torches did cause performance issues, which Blizzard fixed. Expect more of these items and effects in November, and not just in unreleased zones — you'll encounter some before level 30.

Blizzard said in the podcast: "There are definitely secrets and stuff we had turned off. There's going to be things to discover that we didn't surface." Specifics weren't revealed because "it wouldn't be much of a secret if we told you."

5. Pre-Launch Checklist

Before November 4:

Starting October 27: If you bought an upgrade package, complete name reservations (up to 3 characters).

Decide your rule set. Don't pick RP-PvP for "busyness" unless you'll actually engage in RP.

Don't stress about raids. They don't open until December 9 — you have plenty of time to level.

After November 4:

Focus on 1–30 content; hidden drops, recipes, torches, and more will surface progressively.

If you care about raid prep, start stockpiling consumables early — stacking significantly lowers difficulty.

Be patient with layering issues. If party members or mobs vanish, try regrouping or changing zones before blaming a server crash.

Watch for the next podcast on layering fix plans.

Before December 9:

Hit level 60 and complete the Onyxia's Lair attunement questline (requires the Drakefire Amulet; Alliance and Horde have separate chains, both involving multiple high-level dungeon runs).

6. Quick Verdict: Is WoW Forever for You?

WoW Forever's launch will likely be smooth overall, but layering issues won't vanish on day one. Raids don't arrive until December, giving you time to decide whether to commit — and if you want to be raid-ready by then, MMOEXP offers WoW Forever Gold for sale safely, so you can stock consumables and mount costs without the early grind. See you on November 4.