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Can campfires kill you in WoW Forever? Yes, in the beta, and Blizzard says it will take another look
Campfires killed players in the WoW Forever beta, some built on new characters in the starting zones. Blizzard will revisit how campfires hurt you without making them harmless. What it means for Hardcore players.
Oct 22, 2026Checked against build 1.60.1.704501 min read
Yes, in the beta a campfire could kill you. Blizzard said so on its Oct 22 podcast: players found unfriendly ways to use campfires, and one dev was there “when the campfire was being placed in starting zones. Those poor newbies.”
▶ 1:01:16 ▶ 1:02:15What Blizzard will change
The team will “revisit how the campfires work with your health.” It doesn’t want campfires to do no damage at all, because fire should still be fire. It hasn’t said what the change is or when it lands, so treat campfires as able to hurt you at launch. ▶ 1:01:16
Why it matters for Hardcore
Campfires are everywhere in WoW Forever, because they’re the center of camping. Anyone with Cooking can build one: the Basic Campfire holds 3 camp features, the Journeyman 5 and the Expert 10, and sitting or crafting nearby for a minute gives the buffs. So at launch you’ll find fires by quest hubs, flight masters and dungeon doors, built by strangers.
On a Hardcore character, one death is the end, and the Hardcore ruleset comes after launch. Until Blizzard’s change is in the notes:
- don’t fight next to a campfire you didn’t build;
- after a pull, check where you’re standing before you sit down to eat;
- in a starting zone, step away if someone builds a fire on top of you;
- take the buffs from a fire’s edge: you only need to be near it.
The rest of camping
What each camp feature gives at your level, which buffs don’t stack with class buffs, and what every profession builds are on WoW Forever camping. The full podcast is in our podcast 5 recap. The BoF Guide, Bind on Forever’s free WoW Forever in-game leveling guide, warns you on the step before the pulls that kill characters on the way to 30.
Questions
Can a campfire kill you in WoW Forever?
It could in the beta. Blizzard said on Oct 22 that campfires killed players, some built on new characters in the starting zones, and that it will revisit how campfires affect your health.
Will Blizzard remove campfire damage in WoW Forever?
Not entirely. Blizzard said it wants to keep the flavor of fire, not make campfires do zero damage. It hasn't said what the change will be or when.
Who can build a campfire in WoW Forever?
Anyone with Cooking. The Basic Campfire holds 3 camp features, the Journeyman Campfire 5 and the Expert Campfire 10. Sitting or crafting near one for a minute gives the camp's buffs.