The WoW Forever leveling guide comes down to three rules. Zones have fixed level ranges, so you move zone to zone as you go. The new content sits at specific points along the 1-60 climb: Zephras Isle covers 1-12, the Riverglades covers the mid-30s to mid-40s, and nine new dungeons run from level 13 to 60. Dungeons now give more XP for kills but less for their quests. WoW: Forever goes live on November 4 at 3:00 p.m. PST (23:00 UTC), and the level cap is 60.
Blizzard has not published a full zone-by-zone list for Forever, and the public beta was capped at level 30. So this guide marks which ranges are official Forever numbers and which come from the original game’s zones. Expect a few of the original ranges to shift.
- Level cap: 60, with “more than 1,000 new quests across the level 1-60 journey” (Blizzard launch post).
- Official Forever ranges: Zephras Isle 1-12 (Skyborne only), Riverglades mid-30s to mid-40s with 150+ quests, nine new dungeons at 13-60, Mount Hyjal at 60.
- Dungeon XP: about 20% more XP from dungeon kills, but 50% less bonus XP from dungeon quests (beta notes, Oct 1 and Oct 8 builds).
- Grouping: you can only group with players on the same ruleset and faction. Agree on both with your friends before you create a character.
- Legacy points: your first one usually comes at level 25. Each class gives points at 25, 45 and 60.
Table of Contents
What Blizzard has confirmed about leveling in WoW Forever
Forever is set in the original 1-60 world and expands it instead of replacing it. The table pulls every official leveling number from Blizzard’s launch post, its New Player’s Starter Guide, the dungeon overview and the Legacy System article.
| Item | Official detail |
|---|---|
| Level cap | 60 |
| New quests | 1,000+ across levels 1-60 |
| Zephras Isle | Levels 1-12, the Skyborne starting zone (needs the Heroic Pack or higher) |
| Riverglades | 150+ new quests across “much of the mid-30s to mid-40s” |
| Shen’dralas | New zone between Mulgore and Desolace; no level range published |
| Mount Hyjal | Level 60 area; Hyjal Summit and Barrow Deeps raids open December 9 |
| New dungeons | Nine, from level 13 to 60 |
| Darkspear Islands | New 15v15 battleground for levels 30-60 |
| Legacy System | Unlocks with your first Legacy Point, usually when your first character reaches level 25 |
| Ordinary enemy | About 10-15 seconds to defeat when solo, according to the Deep Dive recap |
Two design rules shape your route. According to the Warcraft Wiki’s summary of Blizzard’s interviews, Forever has no level scaling and no flying mounts. Zones also keep fixed level ranges. If you arrive under-leveled, enemies hit harder and spot you sooner. If you stay too long, quests turn green and pay less XP.
Duskwood's Darkshire with WoW: Forever's new lighting; the zone stays a classic 18-30 stop. Image: Blizzard Entertainment
WoW Forever leveling zones by level
This is the route we put together from those sources. The Forever zones and dungeons use Blizzard’s numbers. The original zones use the WoW Classic ranges listed on the Warcraft Wiki, because Blizzard hasn’t published a Forever-specific list. The beta notes already show some changes. Blizzard raised the level of the quests and creatures around Shadowvale and Bandarion Keep in Tirisfal Glades, and the new Gelkis and Magram quests in Desolace now start at level 35 (was 30).
| Levels | Alliance | Horde | Forever additions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-10 | Elwynn Forest, Dun Morogh, Teldrassil | Durotar, Mulgore, Tirisfal Glades | Zephras Isle 1-12 (Skyborne, both factions) |
| 10-20 | Westfall, Loch Modan, Darkshore | The Barrens (10-25), Silverpine Forest | Hall of Thanes 13-18, Ruins of Lordaeron 15-20 |
| 15-30 | Redridge (15-25), Duskwood (18-30), Wetlands (20-30), Ashenvale (18-30) | Stonetalon (15-27), Ashenvale (18-30), Hillsbrad Foothills (20-35) | Excavation Site 24-29 (Wetlands) |
| 25-40 | Thousand Needles (25-35), Alterac Mountains, Arathi Highlands, Desolace (all 30-40), Stranglethorn Vale (30-45) | City of Dalaran 28-33 (Alterac), The Drowned City 35-40 (off Stranglethorn) | |
| 35-45 | Dustwallow Marsh, Badlands, Swamp of Sorrows (all 35-45) | Riverglades (mid-30s to mid-40s), Krol’dok Stronghold 40-45 | |
| 40-55 | Feralas, The Hinterlands, Tanaris (40-50), Searing Gorge (45-50), Azshara, Blasted Lands (45-55), Un’Goro Crater, Felwood (48-55) | Alcaz Prison 48-53 (Dustwallow), Shen’dralas (range not announced) | |
| 50-60 | Burning Steppes (50-58), Western Plaguelands (51-58), Eastern Plaguelands, Winterspring (53-60), Silithus (55-60) | Blackmaw Hold 55-60 (Azshara), Shaper’s Terrace 58-60 (Un’Goro) | |
| 60 | Endgame | Mount Hyjal; raids from December 9 | |
Alliance leveling route (1-30)
- 1-10: Finish your race’s starting zone: Elwynn Forest (Humans), Dun Morogh (Dwarves and Gnomes) or Teldrassil (Night Elves).
- 10-20: Westfall, Loch Modan or Darkshore, whichever is nearest. Hall of Thanes (13-18) sits beneath Ironforge, so it’s the easiest new dungeon for the Alliance to reach.
- 18-30: Redridge, then Duskwood and Wetlands. Run Excavation Site (24-29) while you’re in Wetlands. Its entrance is above Whelgar’s Excavation.
- 28-33: The City of Dalaran dungeon needs an attunement. The Alliance version starts with “An Alarming Request” from Emissary Jacques in Southshore.
Horde leveling route (1-30)
- 1-10: Durotar (Orcs and Trolls), Mulgore (Tauren) or Tirisfal Glades (Undead).
- 10-20: The Barrens or Silverpine Forest. Ruins of Lordaeron (15-20) is right above the Undercity. Its quests now consistently need level 15, per Blizzard’s November 3 notes.
- 18-30: Stonetalon Mountains, Ashenvale and Hillsbrad Foothills.
- 28-33: The Horde attunement for Dalaran starts with “Key to the City” and “Prison Break-In” from Magus Wordeen Voidglare in Tarren Mill.
Skyborne: both factions start on Zephras Isle and quest there through level 12. The Warcraft Wiki lists airships from Valanaar to Dalaran in the Alterac Mountains (Alliance) and to Skywatcher Plateau in Mulgore (Horde), which lead into the normal routes above. For which race and class combinations are allowed, see our WoW Forever races and classes guide.
Krol'dok Stronghold (40-45), the dungeon of the new Riverglades zone. Image: Blizzard Entertainment
30-60: the shared route
From the 30s on, both factions quest in the same contested zones. A useful order:
- 30-40: Arathi Highlands, Desolace, Stranglethorn Vale and Thousand Needles. The Drowned City (35-40) is off the Stranglethorn coast, west of Grom’gol. You find the entrance by diving underwater.
- 35-45: The Riverglades. It lies east of the Badlands and Burning Steppes, according to the Warcraft Wiki. With 150+ quests, it’s Forever’s biggest single answer to the old late-30s slowdown. Arrive close to 35 so its quests still give full XP. Krol’dok Stronghold (40-45) is the zone’s dungeon.
- 40-50: Feralas, The Hinterlands and Tanaris, then Alcaz Prison (48-53) in Dustwallow Marsh.
- 50-60: Un’Goro, Felwood, Burning Steppes, the Plaguelands, Winterspring and Silithus. Finish with Blackmaw Hold (55-60) and Shaper’s Terrace (58-60). Shaper’s Terrace uses power crystals you collect in Un’Goro.
Shen’dralas has no published level range yet. Outlets disagree on whether it’s a 40s or a low-50s zone, so check the enemy levels in-game before you build your route around it.
New WoW Forever dungeons by level
Every range below comes from Blizzard’s dungeon overview. The original dungeons (Deadmines, Wailing Caverns, Scarlet Monastery and the rest) are still in the game too.
| Dungeon | Levels | Location | Easiest access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hall of Thanes | 13-18 | Beneath Ironforge, Dun Morogh | Alliance |
| Ruins of Lordaeron | 15-20 | Above the Undercity, Tirisfal Glades | Horde |
| Excavation Site | 24-29 | Above Whelgar’s Excavation, Wetlands | Both |
| City of Dalaran | 28-33 | Alterac Mountains (attunement) | Both |
| The Drowned City | 35-40 | Off the coast of Stranglethorn Vale | Both |
| Krol’dok Stronghold | 40-45 | Riverglades | Both |
| Alcaz Prison | 48-53 | Alcaz Island, Dustwallow Marsh | Both |
| Blackmaw Hold | 55-60 | Azshara | Both |
| Shaper’s Terrace | 58-60 | Un’Goro Crater | Both |
XP changes that affect how fast you level
Blizzard’s beta development notes list several changes to how XP works:
| Change | Build | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Dungeon quests give 50% less bonus XP beyond normal quest values | Oct 1 | Dungeons help your questing, but they won’t replace it |
| XP from dungeon kills up about 20% | Oct 8 | Full clears are worth more than before |
| Party XP penalty uses each player’s own level again (Classic Era rule) | Oct 8 | A higher-level friend no longer cuts everyone’s XP, unless they’re far above the enemies, in which case nobody gets XP |
| Faster respawns, fastest in starting zones | Nov 3 notes | Less competition for quest mobs during the launch rush. Blizzard will slow the rates once the rush settles |
| XP values and level requirements adjusted on various quests | Nov 3 notes | Smoother progression between zones; Blizzard didn’t list the exact quests |
The notes also explain a few class changes aimed at leveling. Warrior Rage gains were rebalanced for questing armor values instead of tank armor. Fire Mage Wake of Fire now lasts 30 seconds (was 20), so it survives the drink breaks between pulls. Paladin Holy Strike does more damage at every stage of leveling. Per the Deep Dive, Paladins also get Holy Strike at level 6 and Consecration at level 20.
The Drowned City (35-40): dive below the water off Stranglethorn to find the entrance. Image: Blizzard Entertainment
Rested XP, camping and Legacy perks
- Camp Tent (Leatherworking, skill 20): players sitting nearby gain rested XP worth 5% of a level. It does nothing if you already have more rested XP than that. Every camp feature needs a nearby campfire, and you have to sit or craft there for at least one minute (camping article).
- Food: crafted food in Forever can give a small XP bonus as well as stats, according to the Deep Dive.
- Legacy perks (Legacy System article): Well Rested raises the rested XP cap and makes rested XP build faster. Talented unlocks talent points up to 5 levels early. Frequent Flier makes flights cheaper and faster. Thrill of Adventure restores some health and mana after each kill that isn’t trivial. Each character can spend up to 16 points at launch.
- Legacy points from leveling: each class pays 1 point at level 25, 45 and 60 (27 in total across the nine classes). Points are shared across your account, so your second character can buy Well Rested with points your first one earned.
Before you start: ruleset and faction
Pick your ruleset before you pick a character: Normal, PvP, Roleplay or Roleplay-PvP. Hardcore comes later. You can only group, run dungeons and raid with players on the same ruleset and faction. On the PvP ruleset, you can only make characters for one faction. Launch times by region are in our WoW Forever release time guide. If you reserved names, our name reservation explainer covers how the two-part names work.
FAQ
What is the max level in WoW Forever?
Level 60. Blizzard calls it “an adventure to level 60” in its launch post.
Does WoW Forever have level scaling?
No. The Warcraft Wiki cites Blizzard’s design goals: no level scaling and no flying mounts. Zones keep fixed ranges, which is why the order you visit them in matters.
What level is the Riverglades?
Blizzard describes it as covering “much of the mid-30s to mid-40s experience” with more than 150 new quests. The Warcraft Wiki lists it as 35-45, and its dungeon, Krol’dok Stronghold, is level 40-45.
Is dungeon leveling worth it in WoW Forever?
Yes, alongside questing. Blizzard cut the bonus XP from dungeon quests by 50% but raised kill XP inside dungeons by about 20%. Run a dungeon when you have its quests and you’re in its level range.
Can Alliance and Horde level together?
No. Factions can’t group in WoW: Forever, even on the same ruleset.
Sources: Blizzard: WoW Forever Goes Live Globally November 4, New Player’s Starter Guide, Explore the New Dungeons, Legacy System, Camping, Deep Dive recap, Return to Azeroth, Beta Development Notes (Kaivax), Warcraft Wiki (Classic zones by level, WoW: Forever, Riverglades, Zephras Isle). Checked November 3, 2026, 04:40 UTC.
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