No. WoW Forever's Legacy system lets one character earn up to 29 points, while launch spending is capped at 16 points per character. Blizzard says alts are not required to unlock the system's character advantages.

The September 23 Legacy breakdown lists 65 challenges across six categories, with each completion granting one Legacy Point. These points are shared across your Battle.net account's non-Hardcore characters. Each character spends that pool independently, so choosing perks on your main does not dictate an alt's choices.

Your first point opens Legacy

Most players will unlock the system by reaching level 25. Reaching 150 in a non-gathering primary tradeskill or exploring the entire world map can also supply that first point. The default menu hotkey is Y.

Perks divide into Professions, Adventure and Resourcefulness. Adventure includes cheaper, faster flights and Talented, which can unlock talent points up to five levels earlier. Different characters can prioritize different activities within the 16-point launch limit.

Alliance adventurers overlook a city and mountains in official WoW Forever artwork
Official WoW Forever artwork. Legacy Points are shared across non-Hardcore characters, while each character chooses perks independently.Blizzard Entertainment

Account-wide accumulated points also unlock cosmetic rewards. Blizzard lists a toy rifle, Spectral Bear Cub pet, Spectral Bear Tabard and Spectral Bear mount at launch, without giving their thresholds in this announcement.

Hardcore has separate challenge credit

Hardcore will arrive after launch. Challenges completed outside Hardcore will not count there, but completing a challenge in Hardcore will grant it across other rulesets. Blizzard plans 12 Hardcore-specific challenges to replace the PvP options.

There is no Hardcore opening date in this notice. For launch planning, choose useful perks for your first character; you do not need to create alts just to reach the spending cap.