Yes. In World of Warcraft: Forever you change your character’s look after creation at a barber shop in one of the capital cities, and it costs gold, not real money. Blizzard said so before launch: “if you decide you want to change things up later, you can visit a barber shop within the cities. It will cost a little bit of your hard-earned coin, but the option will be there if you want it.”
The barber is not the only tool. Whether your character uses the new HD models or the original SD look can be switched in the options at no cost, and your gear’s appearance is handled at a transmogrifier. What Blizzard has not announced for WoW Forever is any service that changes your race or faction. Below is each one, checked against Blizzard’s WoW Forever articles and development notes as of November 5, the day after launch.
What You Can Change, and Where
| What you want to change | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Your character’s customization options | A barber shop in a capital city | Gold |
| HD or SD character model | Options menu, or a barber shop | Free in the Options menu |
| How your gear looks, including hiding your helm or cloak | A transmogrifier | See our transmog guide |
| Race or faction | Blizzard has not announced a service | Not available as of November 5 |
The Barber Shop
Barber shops are in the capital cities. During the beta, Blizzard’s development notes added barber shops to Darnassus and Thunder Bluff, put barbers to work in every barber shop, and made city guards give directions to them. That last change is the quickest way to find one: ask any guard in a capital city for directions to the barber shop.
- Travel to a capital city of your faction.
- Ask a city guard for directions to the barber shop.
- Pick the changes you want and check the price.
- Confirm to pay the gold.
Blizzard has not published a full list of which options a WoW Forever barber can change, or a price list, so the barber shop itself is where to check. In Darnassus the barber is Teuren Vineshade, at about 58.5, 50.1 on the city map, who greets you with “Welcome to my barbershop! We offer cuts, colorings, and more.” Sitting in his chair on our Night Elf Hunter opened options for Skin Color, Face, Hair Style, Hair Color and Eyebrows, plus a High-Definition Models box. Its promise about barbers came in its Skyborne article, and our Skyborne unlock guide covers that race.
HD or SD Models
Every WoW Forever character picks High Definition (HD) or Standard Definition (SD) models at creation. Blizzard’s starter guide says HD uses higher-detail models and updated visuals, SD offers the original look of World of Warcraft, and “you can change it later in the Options Menu or by visiting a Barbershop in game.” It is a per-character choice that affects appearance only, not abilities or progression.
If you only want the classic look back, or the new one, the Options menu is the fast way: press Escape, open Options and change it there, with no trip to a city.
Your Gear’s Appearance
How your armor and weapons look is not a barber job. WoW Forever has transmog, and a transmogrifier changes the look of your gear slots, including hiding your helm or cloak. Our transmog guide covers where to find one and how appearances are collected.
Race and Faction
As of November 5, Blizzard has not announced a race change or faction change for WoW Forever. Blizzard’s starter guide says your race determines your appearance, starting location and racial abilities, and every race except the Skyborne, who pick Horde or Alliance at creation, also sets your faction. Choose with that in mind:
- On PvP rulesets, your first character locks your faction for that ruleset, as our guide to playing Alliance and Horde explains.
- You cannot move a character to another ruleset, per our ruleset change guide.
If you made a character you do not like, the only option today is a new one. Our best race and class combos guide helps you get it right the second time.
Names Are Not Appearance
A barber does not change names. If it is your secondary name you would rather nobody saw, you can stop it showing over your character in the options, though it still appears in chat, as our guide to hiding your last name explains. Every other guide is on our World of Warcraft hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you change your appearance in WoW Forever? Yes. Visit a barber shop in a capital city and pay with gold. Blizzard confirmed the option before launch.
Where is the barber shop in WoW Forever? In the capital cities. Ask any city guard for directions, which Blizzard added during the beta.
Does changing your appearance cost real money? No. Blizzard says the barber shop costs gold you earn in game. Blizzard has not announced a paid appearance change for WoW Forever.
Can I switch between HD and SD models later? Yes. Change it in the Options menu or at a barber shop. It only affects how your character looks.
Can you change your race or faction in WoW Forever? Not as of November 5. Blizzard has not announced a race or faction change service, so a different race means a new character.