Choosing a ruleset

Rulesets replace realms

There is no realm list in WoW: Forever. When you make a character you pick a ruleset instead.
Each ruleset is its own big community for grouping, dungeons, raids and the economy.
You can't move a character to a different ruleset later. To play on another ruleset you make a new character.
Since there are no realms to keep names apart, characters have two names instead of one.

The four rulesets

Ruleset	Who it's for	Key rules
Normal	Most players	PvP only if you turn it on with /pvp. Characters on both factions allowed.
PvP	Players who want world PvP	You're flagged in contested and enemy zones (any zone above level 15). One faction per account. Faction balance limits may pause new characters on a busy side.
Roleplaying	Players who want to stay in character	PvP is opt-in like Normal. Both factions allowed.
Hardcore	Players who want one life	Arrives after launch. Death is permanent on Hardcore. Fully separate from the other rulesets.

What you share across rulesets

Collections and Legacy points are shared across Normal, PvP and Roleplaying. See Legacy points explained.
Battlegrounds can mix players from Normal, PvP and Roleplaying, but not Hardcore.
Dungeons, raids, trading and grouping stay inside your ruleset. You can't group with a friend on another ruleset.
Horde and Alliance still can't group together on any ruleset.

Hardcore

Hardcore is not in the beta and comes after launch. Details can change.

Hardcore is a closed world: your progress there counts for your account, but progress from other rulesets doesn't go into Hardcore.
If a Hardcore character dies, it can move to another ruleset, PvP included, and keep playing there.
Both factions are allowed on Hardcore.

How to pick

Playing with friends or a guild: ask them first. This matters more than anything else, because you can't group across rulesets.
Want to level in peace: Normal. You can still fight players with /pvp and in battlegrounds.
Love world PvP and don't mind being ganked: PvP. Pick your faction carefully, since your whole account is locked to it there.
Want an in-character community: Roleplaying.
Want a one-life challenge: wait for Hardcore, or level a Normal character while you wait.

Tips

You can set your preferred language for the community in Game Menu, Options, Languages and Social. It has a 24-hour cooldown between changes.
Not sure which ruleset Olympus is on? Ask in ONN chat before you make your main.

Sources

Written by ONN from the WoW: Forever beta and Blizzard's notes, last checked October 6, 2026. The beta is still changing, so details may be different at launch on November 4. Something wrong? Tell us in #help.

Type	Getting started
Rulesets	Normal, PvP, Roleplaying, Hardcore (after launch)
Can you change later?	No, pick it when you make the character
Faction	Both
Time	About 4 minutes to read