WoW Forever Leveling Guide: 1–60 Zones, Dungeons and Milestones

World of Warcraft: Forever takes every character from level 1 to 60 across the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor, with more than 1,000 new quests, nine new five-player dungeons and new zones such as Zephras Isle, the Riverglades and Mount Hyjal. This guide sets out the whole journey by level bracket for both factions: where to quest, which new dungeon fits each bracket, and the milestones (talents, mount, Legacy Points) that change how you play.

This page is the 1–60 route plan: which zones and dungeons fit each level bracket. For how the leveling and Legacy systems work, read our leveling and Legacy explainer.

Scope and checking. Checked November 1, 2026, three days before the November 4 launch. Blizzard's announcements are the basis for zones, dungeons and systems. The beta capped characters at level 20 and later at level 30, so nothing above level 30 has been played by the public. Zone ranges above 30 are planning guidance, not a tested route. We will update this page after launch week.

The short version

• 1–12: Your race's starting zone. Skyborne start on Zephras Isle.
• 10–20: The usual second zones (Westfall, Loch Modan, Darkshore, The Barrens, Silverpine Forest), plus the first new dungeons: Hall of Thanes (13–18) and Ruins of Lordaeron (15–20).
• 20–30: Redridge, Duskwood, Wetlands, Hillsbrad, Stonetalon, Ashenvale and Thousand Needles, with Excavation Site (24–29) and City of Dalaran (28–33).
• 30–45: Arathi, Stranglethorn, Desolace and Dustwallow, then the new Riverglades, which Blizzard says covers "much of the mid-30s to mid-40s". Krol'dok Stronghold (40–45) sits inside it.
• 45–60: Tanaris, Feralas, The Hinterlands, Un'Goro, Felwood, the Plaguelands, Winterspring and Mount Hyjal, with Alcaz Prison (48–53), Blackmaw Hold (55–60) and Shaper's Terrace (58–60).
• Milestones: talents from 10, Legacy Points at 25, 45 and 60, riding at 40, Dual Specialization at 40.

For every zone with its level range and faction, see WoW Forever zones by level.

How RestedXP handles this: the bracket list above is the plan; RestedXP turns it into an in-game step list with an arrow, so you are not choosing the next hub yourself. Forever routes cover levels 1–35 now and RestedXP releases 35–60 after launch; levels 1–20 are free. See what is free in RestedXP and how the 10% discount works, or compare it with the free route addons in the table near the end of this guide.

What is different about leveling in Forever

Forever looks familiar if you have played Classic, but several rules changed. Others did not, and both matter for planning.

Topic	In WoW Forever	What it means for leveling
Experience required	Same as Classic. Wowhead retracted an early report of a reduced curve after Blizzard clarified the values.	Budget the same total XP as Classic. Speed comes from routing, not a shorter curve.
Quests	1,000+ new quests across 1–60	Old routes from Classic Era miss new quests and some changed ones.
Dungeons	Nine new five-player dungeons from 13 to 60	More dungeon options in brackets that were thin in Classic, especially 13–20 and 40–60.
World rules	No level scaling, no flying mounts	Your level decides where you can quest. Ground routes and boats matter.
Combat pace	Blizzard targets roughly 10–15 seconds to kill an ordinary creature solo	Pulls are deliberate. Downtime and pull size decide speed more than burst damage does.
Talents	From level 10. Milestones at 11, 16, 21 and 31 points.	Classic talent builds don't carry over unchanged.
Riding	Burning Crusade-style: the gold goes into training and you get a mount when you learn it	Beta players reported Apprentice Riding at level 40 for 100 gold. Blizzard has not published a price table.
Legacy	Account-wide points from challenges such as level 25, 45 and 60 per class	Your first character unlocks perks that make alts faster.
Camping	A Basic Campfire can hold up to three profession-crafted objects, one per player. Sit by it for a few moments to gain one-hour buffs.	A quick stop at a player camp can be worth the time. Crafted food can also give a small XP bonus.
Travel	New boats, including Stormwind Harbor ↔ Auberdine and a Tanaris ↔ Riverglades route	Some classic long runs can now be shortened.

For the systems themselves, see our leveling and Legacy overview, leveling zones guide and camping guide. Class-by-class plans are in our leveling guides: Hunter, Warlock, Mage, Warrior, Paladin, Rogue, Priest, Shaman, Druid.

Before level 1: faction, ruleset and class

Three choices at character creation decide your route.

1. Ruleset. Forever replaces realms with rulesets: Normal, PvP, Roleplay and Roleplay PvP at launch, with Hardcore arriving later. You can only group, run dungeons and raid with players on the same ruleset, so agree on it with friends first.
2. Faction. Horde and Alliance still cannot group together. Some new dungeons sit deep in one faction's territory. Hall of Thanes is beneath Ironforge and Ruins of Lordaeron is above the Undercity, so the other faction has to travel through hostile ground to reach them.
3. Race and class. Forever adds six new combinations: Gnome Priest, Human Hunter, Dwarf Shaman, Orc Mage, Troll Warlock and Undead Paladin. The Skyborne race needs the Skyborne Heroic Pack or a higher edition. Our best leveling class guide compares solo speed, and the Forever classes overview covers the toolkit changes.

Levels 1–12: starting zones

Every race except the Skyborne starts in its familiar homeland, but the quests have changed. RestedXP's October 9 update, for example, counted 13 new quests in Durotar, 14 in Tirisfal Glades (plus 8 Paladin-only) and 11 in Teldrassil, so expect new steps even in zones you know well.

Race	Faction	Starting zone	Next zone (typical)
Human	Alliance	Northshire / Elwynn Forest	Westfall
Dwarf, Gnome	Alliance	Dun Morogh	Loch Modan
Night Elf	Alliance	Teldrassil	Darkshore
High Order Skyborne	Alliance	Zephras Isle (1–12)	Leaves via Dalaran. RestedXP's route continues to Westfall.
Orc, Troll	Horde	Durotar	The Barrens
Tauren	Horde	Mulgore	The Barrens
Undead	Horde	Tirisfal Glades	Silverpine Forest
Windshaper Skyborne	Horde	Zephras Isle (1–12)	Arrives at Skywatcher Plateau (Mulgore). RestedXP's route continues to Silverpine Forest or The Barrens.

Skyborne have their own start, covered step by step in our Skyborne leveling guide.

Tip: Talents start at level 10, and several classes get their key leveling tool around then (Hunter pets and the Warlock Voidwalker, for example). Don't judge your class on levels 1–9.

Zone order by faction, 1–60

Want a specific order rather than brackets? The free Wowdee addon publishes its full 1–60 chapter list for both factions. We've grouped its chapters below. It's one published route, not the only good one: RestedXP's paid routes, for example, take Night Elves through Loch Modan in their teens.

Alliance

Levels	Zones, in order
1–15	Your starting zone. Humans: Elwynn Forest, Loch Modan, Westfall. Dwarves and Gnomes: Dun Morogh, Elwynn Forest, Loch Modan, Westfall. Night Elves: Teldrassil (to 13). Skyborne: Zephras Isle, then Westfall.
14–21	Darkshore, Redridge Mountains, back to Darkshore
21–30	Ashenvale, Wetlands, Duskwood, Wetlands again, Ashenvale again
29–35*	Duskwood, Hillsbrad Foothills, Thousand Needles, Stranglethorn Vale
35–43*	Desolace, Stranglethorn, Swamp of Sorrows, Arathi Highlands, Dustwallow Marsh, Desolace, Badlands, Stranglethorn
43–50*	Tanaris, Feralas, The Hinterlands, Tanaris, Stranglethorn
50–60*	Searing Gorge, Blasted Lands, Ironforge, Felwood, Feralas, Azshara, Un'Goro Crater, Felwood, Winterspring, Burning Steppes, Western Plaguelands, Silithus, Winterspring

Horde

Levels	Zones, in order
1–14	Your starting zone. Orcs and Trolls: Durotar, then via the Undercity to Silverpine Forest. Tauren: Mulgore (to 12). Undead: Tirisfal Glades, then Silverpine Forest. Skyborne: Zephras Isle, then Silverpine Forest.
12–26	The Barrens, Hillsbrad Foothills, back to the Barrens
26–34	Ashenvale, Thousand Needles, Hillsbrad Foothills, Thousand Needles
34–41*	Desolace, Stranglethorn Vale, Dustwallow Marsh, Arathi Highlands, Badlands, Stranglethorn, Swamp of Sorrows, Desolace
41–50*	Tanaris, Feralas, Stranglethorn, Swamp of Sorrows, Tanaris, The Hinterlands, Feralas
50–60*	Blasted Lands, Searing Gorge, Azshara, Felwood, Un'Goro Crater, Felwood, Eastern Plaguelands, Silithus, Felwood

* Unconfirmed above level 30. The beta stopped at 30, so these ranges are a published plan, not a tested route. Wowdee itself warns that levels are "the guide's plan, not a promise." Its chapter list doesn't include the new Riverglades or Mount Hyjal, so treat those as alternatives in the 30s–40s and late 50s until launch routes are tested. For one faction at a time, with Forever's new quests and dungeons slotted in, see the Alliance leveling guide and the Horde leveling guide.

Levels 10–20: second zones and the first new dungeons

Alliance: Westfall, Loch Modan and Darkshore carry the early teens, then Redridge Mountains from the high teens. RestedXP adds Loch Modan (14–16) to its Night Elf route to bridge an XP gap in Darkshore and pick up flight paths. That shows how a cross-continent detour can pay off. RestedXP's 3 November update reworked the Alliance Night Elf and Hunter routing across Teldrassil, Darkshore, Loch Modan, Duskwood, Redridge and Ashenvale, and adjusted both factions' routes to the 40-quest log limit.

Horde: The Barrens is the main hub for Orcs, Trolls and Tauren, and Silverpine Forest for the Undead. Horde players in the Barrens should expect to stay there into their twenties, as in Classic.

New dungeons in this bracket:

• Hall of Thanes (13–18), beneath Ironforge in Dun Morogh. Blizzard describes intruders, suspected Dark Iron dwarves, breaking into the resting place of the dwarven kings.
• Ruins of Lordaeron (15–20), above the Undercity in Tirisfal Glades, where the Forsaken try to reclaim the ruins.

Both sit before the classic early dungeons (Ragefire Chasm, Wailing Caverns, Deadmines) in level terms. They give each faction a new "home" dungeon close to its capital.

Levels 20–30: the busiest bracket

This is the bracket the beta tested most, and it is where routes differ the most between players.

Alliance: Redridge Mountains, Duskwood, Wetlands, Ashenvale and Stonetalon Mountains. RestedXP's update lists new Alliance quests in Duskwood (6), Wetlands (10) and Redridge (4), so these zones have more to do than in Classic.

Horde: Hillsbrad Foothills, Stonetalon Mountains, Ashenvale and Thousand Needles. RestedXP's Horde Speedrun chapters for 22–30 run from Hillsbrad to Thousand Needles.

New dungeons in this bracket:

• Excavation Site (24–29), above Whelgar's Excavation in the Wetlands.
• City of Dalaran (28–33), in the Alterac Mountains. Blizzard says it needs an attunement. Alliance players start with "An Alarming Request" from Emissary Jacques in Southshore. Horde players start with "Key to the City" and "Prison Break-In" from Magus Wordeen Voidglare in Tarren Mill. Pick these up in your 20s so the dungeon is open when you reach 28.

Levels 30–45: Riverglades and the new mid-game

Classic's thirties often felt thin. Forever's answer is the Riverglades, a frontier of rivers and grasslands that Blizzard says holds more than 150 new quests across "much of the mid-30s to mid-40s experience." It is open to both factions. Fan coverage of Blizzard's October 19 zone video names the Brotherhood of the Horse and the Bolder'ok ogres among its factions. The same coverage reports the zone listed as 33–54 in the Group Finder, a wider band than Blizzard's own wording.

Level	Alliance	Horde	Dungeon
30–35	Arathi Highlands, Stranglethorn Vale, Desolace	Arathi Highlands, Stranglethorn Vale, Desolace	Scarlet Monastery wings (Classic)
35–40	Stranglethorn, Dustwallow Marsh, Riverglades	Stranglethorn, Dustwallow Marsh, Riverglades	The Drowned City (35–40), off the coast of Stranglethorn
40–45	Riverglades, Badlands, Tanaris	Riverglades, Badlands, Tanaris	Krol'dok Stronghold (40–45), inside the Riverglades

These are Classic-era quest ranges plus Blizzard's announced Forever additions. Exact quest levels in Forever can differ, and none of this bracket was playable in the public beta.

Shen'dralas, a new area between Mulgore and Desolace tied to the Shen'dralar and Dire Maul, has no published level range yet. Look for its quest leads rather than assuming a bracket. Beta data puts its quests at levels 38–43, reached through the Valley of Bones; our Shen'dralas guide covers the Gelkis and Magram chains.

Level 40: your mount

Blizzard confirmed the Burning Crusade model: the up-front cost moves into riding training, and you get a mount when you learn the skill. Beta players and several fan databases report Apprentice Riding at level 40 for 100 gold, which includes a basic mount of your race. They also report Journeyman Riding at 60 for 1,000 gold. Blizzard has not published these prices, so plan for about 100 gold by 40 and check the trainer at launch. Paladins and Warlocks still have class mount quests. Dual Specialization also unlocks at 40.

Levels 45–60: the long finish

Level	Zones (both factions unless noted)	Dungeon
45–50	Tanaris, Feralas, The Hinterlands, Azshara	Alcaz Prison (48–53), Alcaz Island, Dustwallow Marsh
50–55	Un'Goro Crater, Felwood, Burning Steppes, Western Plaguelands	Classic dungeons such as Blackrock Depths
55–60	Eastern Plaguelands, Winterspring, Mount Hyjal	Blackmaw Hold (55–60), Azshara · Shaper's Terrace (58–60), Un'Goro Crater

Mount Hyjal is the headline new zone of the late game. Blizzard describes it as a recovering land after Archimonde's defeat, with Darkwhisper Gorge among its areas. Fan coverage of Blizzard's October 19 video reports it as the 55–60 zone and the climax of leveling. Treat the exact range as unconfirmed until launch.

Neutral travel matters here. Method's travel guide lists a new Steamwheedle Port (Tanaris) ↔ Riverglades boat alongside the classic Ratchet ↔ Booty Bay route.

At 60, the first raids (Barrow Deeps, Hyjal Summit and Onyxia's Lair) open on December 9, so there is no rush to hit 60 on day one unless you want to.

All nine new dungeons by level

Dungeon	Levels	Location	Faction note
Hall of Thanes	13–18	Beneath Ironforge, Dun Morogh	Easy for Alliance; Horde must cross Alliance land
Ruins of Lordaeron	15–20	Above the Undercity, Tirisfal Glades	Easy for Horde; Alliance must cross Horde land
Excavation Site	24–29	Above Whelgar's Excavation, Wetlands (near Thelgen Rock and Dun Algaz)	Closer to Alliance routes
City of Dalaran	28–33	Alterac Mountains	Attunement: Southshore (Alliance) or Tarren Mill (Horde)
The Drowned City	35–40	Off Stranglethorn's coast, west of Grom'gol	Entrance is underwater
Krol'dok Stronghold	40–45	Riverglades	Neutral zone
Alcaz Prison	48–53	Alcaz Island, Dustwallow Marsh	Near Theramore
Blackmaw Hold	55–60	Azshara	Neutral
Shaper's Terrace	58–60	Northern hills of Un'Goro Crater	Bring Un'Goro power crystals

Level ranges and locations are from Blizzard's dungeon overview. Boss counts and loot were not public when we checked. One practical note from Blizzard: Shaper's Terrace uses power crystals gathered around Un'Goro at consoles inside, so pick them up while you quest there. For grouping rules, see our Forever dungeons guide.

Questing or dungeons?

The best routes mix both, and the dungeon rules changed twice during the beta:

• October 1: dungeon quest bonus halved. Blizzard's notes say dungeon quests "now reward 50% less extra experience beyond normal quest values." They still pay more than ordinary quests, so collect a dungeon's quests before you queue or travel.
• October 8: dungeon kills buffed. Experience from killing creatures in dungeons went up by about 20%. Blizzard also fixed party XP so each player's kill XP depends on their own level, as in Classic Era, rather than the highest-level party member. If anyone in the party is far above the enemy's level, nobody gets XP.
• Run each dungeon once, at the right level. Blizzard says the two October 8 changes should "dramatically increase experience earned in dungeons", but its stated aim is for you to run each dungeon with its quests and then head back into the world, not to farm the same dungeon. One run with every quest is the sweet spot.

Solo players should quest and add dungeons when a group forms; fixed groups can lean on dungeons more. Leveling with a friend? See our duo leveling guide. Mages can also pull several mobs at once with our Mage AoE leveling guide. For the full comparison, including what Blizzard's designers said and launch-week respawns, see dungeons vs questing.

How long does 1–60 take?

Nobody has timed it yet: Blizzard says beta players averaged 20.5 hours to level 20, about the same as Classic, and planning estimates put 1–60 at roughly 100–180 hours played. Our WoW Forever leveling time guide breaks down the XP curve and what that means in calendar days.

Legacy milestones along the way

Legacy Points are account-wide, but each character spends them separately, up to 16 per character at launch. The leveling milestones are:

Milestone	Points
Reach level 25 for the first time on a class	1 per class
Reach level 45 for the first time on a class	1 per class
Reach level 60 for the first time on a class	1 per class
Alternative first unlocks: 150 skill in a non-gathering primary profession, or exploring the whole world map	1 each

Blizzard expects level 25 to be most players' first point. Earning it opens the Legacy window (default key Y). The Adventure tree's Well Rested perk increases rested XP gains and raises the rested cap, which makes it the obvious leveling pick for alts. Spend 5 points in Adventure (Well Rested at full rank) and Talented opens: each of its five ranks starts your talent points one level earlier, down to level 5 at rank 5, though you still can't exceed 51 (Warcraft Tavern, from beta data). Details are in our Legacy overview and the fastest way to level guide.

RestedXP vs Questie vs free route addons

You don't need an addon to follow this guide, but one saves a lot of map checking. Here's how the main options compare:

Tool	Price	What it does	Forever coverage (checked November 1)	Best for
RestedXP	Free addon; Forever guides are paid (10% off through our link)	Ordered, step-by-step route with an on-screen arrow; Speedrun and Dungeon Leveling routes	Forever routes for 1–35 are live; 35–60 arrive after launch (Era routes fill the gap)	Players who want the fastest guided route with no planning
Questie	Free	Shows quest givers, objectives and turn-ins on your map, but doesn't choose the order	Forever quest data, tested during the beta	Players who plan their own route and want to see every quest
Wowdee	Free (alpha addon)	A 1–60 chapter route for both factions with an arrow, inside the Wowdee addon	Full chapter list to 60; levels above 30 couldn't be tested in the beta	Players who want a free full route and accept an early alpha
4Ever Leveling	Free (CurseForge)	A route window with the current step, quest status and navigation, plus a Dungeon Atlas	Some destinations are labeled as approximate Classic locations	Players who want a free step list and don't mind checking locations

Our honest take: Questie is the best free quest map, and the free route addons are worth trying first. RestedXP is the most complete and best-tested ordered route for Forever right now, and it works alongside Questie. If you only play a few hours a week, the free tools may be all you need. Read our RestedXP vs Questie comparison for the details.

Before you buy: RestedXP has no coupon code to hunt for, because our RestedXP discount link takes 10% off automatically. Levels 1–20 are free (what's free in RestedXP), and our RestedXP review covers what the paid routes do well and where they fall short. For prices and packages, see RestedXP for WoW Forever. Comparing options first? Read our guide to the best leveling addon for WoW Forever.

Launch prep: the launch week checklist covers rulesets, names, presets and addons before you log in. For installing any of these, see our RestedXP setup guide and Questie for WoW Forever.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to level 1–60 in WoW Forever?

Nobody has timed it yet, because the beta stopped at level 30. Blizzard said beta players averaged 20.5 hours to reach level 20, almost exactly Classic's 20.4 hours, and the XP curve is unchanged. Third-party planning estimates put 1–60 at roughly 100–180 hours played, depending on experience and route.

What level is the Riverglades in WoW Forever?

Blizzard says the Riverglades covers much of the mid-30s to mid-40s experience, with more than 150 new quests. Its dungeon, Krol'dok Stronghold, is for levels 40–45.

What are the new dungeons in WoW Forever and their levels?

Hall of Thanes (13–18), Ruins of Lordaeron (15–20), Excavation Site (24–29), City of Dalaran (28–33), The Drowned City (35–40), Krol'dok Stronghold (40–45), Alcaz Prison (48–53), Blackmaw Hold (55–60) and Shaper's Terrace (58–60).

When do you get a mount in WoW Forever?

Beta players reported Apprentice Riding at level 40 for 100 gold, with a basic mount of your race included. Blizzard confirmed the "mount comes with training" model but has not published prices, so check the riding trainer at launch.

Is there level scaling or flying in WoW Forever?

No. Blizzard's What's Next panel recap states there are no flying mounts and no level scaling, so your level decides which zones work, and you travel by ground, flight path or boat.

Can I use a Classic Era leveling route in WoW Forever?

Only as a rough outline. Forever adds more than 1,000 new quests, changes travel with new boats and adds nine dungeons, so a Classic route will miss steps and may send you to quests that changed. Use a route built for Forever.