WORLD OF WARCRAFT: FOREVER · LEVELING 1–60
Leveling 1–60: milestones, zones and dungeons by level
Forever has no level scaling, no flying and a hard cap at 60, so the Classic Era level bands still hold. This page lays out every zone and all 29 dungeons by level band, with the 9 dungeons new in Forever marked separately. Level ranges and places only — no "fastest route" claims.
Leveling XP: quests vs dungeons (XP curve + official changes) → · Gear upgrades by level →
Everyone knows the Classic curve: 1–10 in the starting zone, first dungeons around 20, a mount at 40, five pre-raid dungeons from 58. Forever keeps that curve and changes the points on it: a 1–12 Skyborne starting zone (Zephyr Isle), a 35–45 block with 150+ quests (Rivervale), and Mount Hyjal as a level-60 solo-and-group outdoor zone.
Dungeons are additive, not replacements: all 20 Classic dungeons remain, plus nine new ones. The low end changes most — Halls of Thane at 13, Ruins of Lordaeron at 15, Wetlands Excavation at 24–29, City of Dalaran at 28–33 — which thickens the 25–35 band that in Classic leaned so heavily on Scarlet Monastery. Crodok Hold (40–55) and Alcaz Island Prison (48–53) patch the middle.
Level bands are the Classic Era baseline plus the announced ranges for the new dungeons; they may shift during beta and the game client wins. The milestone column sticks to system facts — talent points, professions, mounts — with no "go here first" advice, because we have no data to back that.
Milestones the system-level checkpoints
- 1
Pick faction, race and class
Skyborne choose their faction at character creation; both a first and a second name are required. Alts get the Legacy system: up to 16 points per character at launch, 65 earnable in total.
- 5
Learn professions
Two primary professions plus Cooking, First Aid and Fishing. With a permanent level 60 cap and no new expansions, professions keep their value.
- 10
Talent points begin
One point per level, 51 by level 60. Row 1 is available at 0 points; every 5 points unlocks the next row. Hunters tame their first pet at 10.
- 20
First level-20 dungeon bracket
Wailing Caverns / The Deadmines / Shadowfang Keep / Halls of Thane / Ruins of Lordaeron.
- 30
Druid Travel Form
The first real movement-speed upgrade for open-world travel.
- 40
Riding and a mount
Ground mounts only — no flying in Forever, by design. Paladins and Warlocks get theirs through class mount quests.
- 50
Second half of the 50s
Sunken Temple → Blackrock Depths → Dire Maul; epics start replacing blues.
- 58
The five pre-60 dungeons
Lower and Upper Blackrock Spire / Scholomance / Stratholme / the Shaper's Terrace — pre-raid best-in-slot lives here.
- 60
Level cap
Epic mount. Mount Hyjal (20-player) and the Barrow Deeps (10-player) open on December 10; Hyjal carries the legendary questline and Tier 1 sets.
Zones by level band · gold = new in Forever
1–10
Alliance Elwynn Forest, Dun Morogh, Teldrassil
Horde Durotar, Mulgore, Tirisfal Glades
new Zephyr Isle 1–12 · Skyborne starting zone (Skywall)
10–20
Alliance Westfall, Loch Modan, Darkshore
Horde The Barrens, Silverpine Forest
20–30
Alliance Redridge Mountains, Duskwood, Wetlands
Horde Stonetalon Mountains, Hillsbrad Foothills
Both Ashenvale
30–40
Both Stranglethorn Vale, Thousand Needles, Desolace, Arathi Highlands, Dustwallow Marsh
new Rivervale 35–45 · 150+ new quests, a neutral goblin town, Crodok Hold
40–50
Both Tanaris, Feralas, The Hinterlands, Swamp of Sorrows, Badlands, Felwood
50–60
Both Un'Goro Crater, Burning Steppes, Western Plaguelands, Eastern Plaguelands, Winterspring, Silithus
new Mount Hyjal 60 · solo and group content; raid entrance
Dungeons 29 · by starting level · gold = new in Forever
| Level | Dungeon | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13–18 | Ragefire Chasm 5 quests → | Orgrimmar | Horde |
| 13–18 | Halls of Thane new quests pending → | Dun Morogh, beneath Ironforge | |
| 15–20 | Ruins of Lordaeron new quests pending → | Tirisfal Glades | a necromancer wants the city |
| 17–24 | Wailing Caverns 8 quests → | The Barrens | |
| 17–26 | The Deadmines 7 quests → | Westfall | |
| 22–30 | Shadowfang Keep 4 quests → | Silverpine Forest | |
| 24–32 | Blackfathom Deeps 14 quests → | Ashenvale | |
| 24–32 | The Stockade 6 quests → | Stormwind | Alliance |
| 24–29 | Wetlands Excavation new quests pending → | Wetlands | |
| 26–45 | Scarlet Monastery 3 quests → | Tirisfal | four wings: Graveyard / Library / Armory / Cathedral |
| 28–33 | City of Dalaran new quests pending → | Alterac Mountains | Dalaran after the ward fell |
| 29–38 | Gnomeregan 6 quests → | Dun Morogh | |
| 29–38 | Razorfen Kraul 11 quests → | The Barrens | |
| 35–40 | The Sunken City new quests pending → | off the Stranglethorn coast | trolls, naga and a pirate ship |
| 37–46 | Razorfen Downs 5 quests → | The Barrens | |
| 40–45 | Crodok Hold new quests pending → | Rivervale | ogres and Twilight cultists |
| 41–51 | Uldaman 13 quests → | Badlands | |
| 44–54 | Zul'Farrak 6 quests → | Tanaris | |
| 46–55 | Maraudon 9 quests → | Desolace | |
| 48–53 | Alcaz Island Prison new quests pending → | Alcaz Island, Dustwallow Marsh | Defias vs naga |
| 50–60 | Sunken Temple 13 quests → | Swamp of Sorrows | |
| 52–60 | Blackrock Depths 42 quests → | Burning Steppes | |
| 55–60 | Dire Maul 55 quests → | Feralas | |
| 55–60 | Lower Blackrock Spire 29 quests → | Burning Steppes | |
| 58–60 | Upper Blackrock Spire 29 quests → | Burning Steppes | |
| 58–60 | Scholomance 12 quests → | Western Plaguelands | |
| 58–60 | Stratholme 30 quests → | Eastern Plaguelands | |
| 58–60 | The Shaper's Terrace new quests pending → | Un'Goro | |
| 55–60 | Blackthroat Keep new quests pending → | Azshara | furbolg city |
Raids open December 10
Mount Hyjal 20-player · 60
largest launch raid; legendary questline and Tier 1 sets
The Barrow Deeps 10-player · 60
where the night elves keep their prisoners
Onyxia's Lair 40-player · 60
in Dustwallow Marsh; attunement needs the Drakefire Amulet
- Level bands are the Classic Era baseline; Forever additions are marked separately. Bands may shift during beta — the game client wins.
- Blackthroat Keep has no announced level band; the cell is left blank on purpose.
Level bands: Classic Era baseline plus official announcements; new-dungeon ranges from the BlizzCon 2026 panels and hands-on coverage. · Chinese names are provisional