Do you want to know if the next area in WoW BC Classic is suitable for you? Have you reached a new level in the Classic areas and don’t know where to go next? MeinMMO shows you all the leveling areas and reveals when it’s best to level where.
Since June 2nd, you can explore the shattered world in BC Classic and reach level 70. In seven new areas, you will level up to the new maximum level and slowly prepare for the new challenges.
Here we give you a brief overview of when you may visit which area. The levels in parentheses indicate the minimum level you should have reached to start and when you should slowly move into a new area.
We will also explain which dungeons you will find there and what you may need to pay attention to. More about the story and background of the individual areas can also be read in the new special issue on BC Classic.
Here you will also learn how to level to level 60 or 58 in Classic to access the shattered world. Because especially in the old areas, you can quickly lose orientation about where to go next.
Hellfire Peninsula (58-63, recommended 59-62)
Your first steps in the shattered world will be in Hellfire Peninsula. You reach the zone through the Dark Portal in the Blasted Lands, all the way south of the Eastern Kingdoms. From level 58, you can take the first quests here.
The Horde and Alliance have largely the same tasks on different sides of the island. If you have completed all quests in the area, you should have reached about level 62. If the experience is not quite enough, consider visiting the dungeons in the area one or two more times.
What dungeons are available here? Right in the center of Hellfire Peninsula, you will find Hellfire Citadel. In this, there are four instances that you can visit:
- Hellfire Citadel (58-63)
- Blood Furnace (60-64)
- Shattered Halls (70; requires key)
- Magtheridon’s Lair (70; raid)
Zangarmarsh (60-64, recommended 61-63)
West of Hellfire Peninsula, you will find Zangarmarsh. Here you can start the first quests from level 60, but it is advisable to stay in Hellfire Peninsula until at least level 61. There you will also receive a quest at the end that leads you to the next area.
Many opponents in Zangarmarsh are around level 63. Throughout the area, there are bases from the Horde and Alliance as well as from the Cenarius Expedition and from Sporeggar, two neutral factions.
What dungeons are available here? In the large Serpent Lake in the north, you will find the Coilfang Reservoir, where three dungeons and a raid await you:
- Slave Pens (61-65)
- Underbog (62-65)
- Steamvault (70)
- Sacrarium of the Serpent Shrine (70; raid)
Forests of Terokkar (62-65, recommended 63-65)
You can access the Forests of Terokkar through Hellfire Peninsula in the southwest or through Zangarmarsh in the south. Theoretically, you can skip the forests, as the level range is exactly where Zangarmarsh and Nagrand overlap. However, we still recommend doing at least one or two levels here to make it easier later on or to catch up.
The first quests are received in Zangarmarsh, which send you to a outpost in the north of the forests, as well as in Shattrath. The introductions lead you to the outposts of your faction and the neutral outposts.
Tip: Visit the Forests of Terokkar a bit earlier to get the flight point in Shattrath and possibly set the hearthstone there. Shattrath is the capital of the expansion.
What dungeons are available here? In the south of the zone, you will find the massive ruin of Auchindoun, a sacred site of the Draenei. Here are four dungeons that you can partially visit while leveling:
- Mana Tombs (64-66)
- Auchenaic Crypt (65-68)
- Sethekk Halls (67-70)
- Shadow Labyrinth (70; requires key)
Nagrand (64-67, recommended 65-67)
You reach Nagrand best through the Forests of Terokkar in the west or through Zangarmarsh in the southwest. A small pass leads you into the green area. In the north of the center, you will find the Horde base, south of the center the Alliance base.
Nagrand is quite a popular area, so it might get a bit fuller here than in other areas. We recommend not switching to this area directly at level 64, as the opponents here can quickly become deadly due to their levels and abilities.
There are no dungeons in Nagrand that you can visit. However, there are several quests in the Arena of Nagrand that are extremely rewarding in terms of experience points and loot. The Ring of Blood is located in the north of the area.
Sky. (65-68)
In the north of Zangarmarsh, mountain passes lead you into Sky, where you can start quests from level 65. However, pay attention in the zone that several elite opponents patrol there, who can happily take you out of the game with one or two hits.
Due to the many mountains, traveling through the Sky can be somewhat difficult, but the quests are often very close together. Many tasks can thus be completed quickly, making the Sky a rewarding area.
What dungeons are available here? There is no dungeon itself in the Sky, but once you are ready for the raids, you will find Gruul’s Lair in the center of the zone. This raid only has two bosses and belongs to the “T4 raids”, the first raids of the expansion.
Nethanderstorm (67-70)
Northeast of the Sky, you will find one of the two end areas of the leveling phase of BC Classic, Nethanderstorm. You can start quests here from level 67, and if you want, you can switch early as well. If you finish “too quickly”, you can collect the remaining experience points up to level 70 in the Shadowmoon Valley.
Since you will find significantly more Blood Elves than demons in Nethanderstorm, you should prefer this area if you have joined the Aldor. Here you will find the necessary items for more reputation just when questing.
- Here you can find out Whether Aldor or Seer is better for you.
What dungeons are available here? The last major dungeon hub can be found in Nethanderstorm. However, to visit the dungeons, you need to be able to fly or have someone with you who can summon you to the dungeon.
- Mechanar (70)
- Arcatraz (70; requires key)
- Botanica (70)
- Fortress of Storms (70; raid)
Shadowmoon Valley (67-70)
On the other side of the shattered world is Shadowmoon Valley, which you can enter in the southeast of the Forests of Terokkar. Like Nethanderstorm, entering is worthwhile from level 67.
Unlike in Nethanderstorm, you will find more demons here, so followers of the Aldor should prefer Shadowmoon Valley. This way, you can already collect items for reputation increases while questing.
- Here you can find out Whether Aldor or Seer is better for you.
Tip: Paladins should choose Shadowmoon Valley if they want to level up faster. Since there are many demons here, Exorcism can often be used.
What dungeons are available here? You won’t find dungeons here, but there’s one of the last raids of the expansion in Shadowmoon Valley: the Black Temple. Here you will fight against Illidan Stormrage, the charismatic antagonist of Burning Crusade.
Leveling in WoW Classic – Where to level until level 58?
If you haven’t arrived in the shattered world yet, you will probably still have to fight through the Classic areas first. Here it is not always clear where to go next as the level range is not displayed on the map.
We will show you in clear ten-step ranges which areas are suitable for your level and give recommendations for zones that are particularly worthwhile.
Where can I level with level 1-10?
Alliance:
- Azuremyst Isle (1-10)
- Dun Morogh (1-10)
- Elwynn Forest (1-10)
- Teldrassil (1-10)
Horde:
- Durotar (1-10)
- Mulgore (1-10)
- Duskwood (1-10)
- Tirisfal (1-10)
These areas are the starting areas for your respective races. You can easily start there, where you are dropped off. However, you can also embark on a journey to another starting area.
This is useful if you want to gather reputation with a certain faction, for example, for a mount. This saves you time by combining reputation gathering and leveling.
Where to level with level 11-20?
Alliance:
- Bloodmyst Isle (10-20)
- Darkshore (10-20)
- Loch Modan (10-20)
- Westfall (10-20)
Horde:
- Ghostlands (10-20)
- Sylvan Forest (10-20)
- Badlands (10-25)
Neutral:
- Redridge Mountains (15-25)
- Stonetalon Mountains (15-27)
- Feralas (18-30)
- Duskwood (18-30)
Most neutral areas are geared more towards Alliance players, but the Horde also finds many or more quests in both Feralas and Stonetalon Mountains. Alliance players should definitely visit Duskwood as there are rewarding quest lines, while Horde players are well served in the Badlands and Stonetalon Mountains.
Where to level with level 21-30?
- Redridge Mountains (15-25)
- Stonetalon Mountains (15-27)
- Feralas (18-30)
- Duskwood (18-30)
- Hillsbrad Foothills (20-30)
- Swamp of Sorrows (20-30)
- Thousand Needles (25-35)
In the Swamp of Sorrows, Alliance players will find many quests that they can continue later. Thousand Needles is more populated by the Horde, so there are more quests for that faction.
To the east of Thousand Needles, however, there is the neutral Shimmering Flats for players at the end of level 20. The quests here are closely located, and both factions can quickly grab experience points. The Hillsbrad Foothills should be visited by Alliance players a bit later than Horde players, as the quests here start later, around level 25.
Where to level with level 31-40?
- Thousand Needles (25-35)
- Alterac Mountains (30-40)
- Arathi Highlands (30-40)
- Desolace (30-40)
- Stranglethorn Vale (30-45)
- Duskwallow Marsh (35-45)
- Badlands (35-45)
- Swamps of Sorrows (35-45)
Desolace and Stranglethorn Vale are both areas where you have many quests close together that are linked to rewarding chains. You should start here early and then switch to the other area to catch up. This way, you get the most out of both areas.
Alternatively, Horde players will find many quests in the Swamps of Sorrows, while Alliance players find many quests in the Duskwallow Marsh. Both areas have interesting environments and are worth a visit.
Where to level with level 41-50?
- Feralas (40-50)
- Hillsbrad Foothills (40-50)
- Tanaris (40-50)
- Searing Gorge (45-50)
- Azshara (45-55)
- Blasted Lands (45-55)
- Un’Goro Crater (48-55)
- Felwood (48-55)
Tanaris is the most worthwhile here as you will receive long quest lines preparing you for the dungeon Zul’Farrak and also learn many recipes for professions in the towns. Tanaris, the Hillsbrad Foothills, and Feralas are linked through several quests, so you can complete tasks well simultaneously and switch between them.
The Searing Gorge is particularly interesting for miners looking to catch up their skill, as there is dark iron here that will help you through an otherwise tedious phase. The Blasted Lands are only worth it to a limited extent because the quests here are widely spaced and there is not much to do anyway. But make sure to secure your flight point here to get to the shattered world faster.
Start quests in the Un’Goro Crater and Felwood at the end of your 40s to score better rewards later in the 50s and prepare for the quests.
Where to level with level 51-60?
- Azshara (45-55)
- Blasted Lands (45-55)
- Un’Goro Crater (48-55)
- Felwood (48-55)
- Burning Steppes (50-58)
- Western Plaguelands (51-58)
- Eastern Plaguelands (53-60)
- Winterspring (53-60)
- Silithus (55-60)
In the Un’Goro Crater and Felwood, you should finish your quest lines, as you often receive easy quests for many experience points towards the end. In Felwood, you also prepare for the journey to Winterspring, where you can complete the leveling areas of Classic.
Winterspring and Silithus are also stopping points to finish up any last quests, so you can reach level 58 (or 60). At level 55, the areas can still be somewhat hard, but with level 57+, you should progress quickly here.
The Plaguelands are somewhat cumbersome but particularly worthwhile for Paladins. Since there are many undead around, you can often use Exorcism and Holy Wrath to deal more damage and level faster.
70 Levels – How long does it actually take?
If you are starting WoW Classic for the first time, you should roughly orient yourself to an hour per level. At first, it will go faster, but from level 40 or 50 an hour is already realistic. There is also a one-time boost to level 58 available for purchase, but there are some reasons against the level boost.
In the shattered world, 2-3 hours per level are not uncommon, so don’t overestimate yourself and don’t be frustrated if it takes longer. It can also be faster and some players reached the max level just a few hours after release, but with boring methods.
Basically, it is also worth completing an area fully in most cases. The last quests of long chains often give more experience points than new quests in a fresh area. So don’t necessarily switch to a new zone just because your level allows it.
If you want to make the journey a bit easier, you can find the 9 best addons for WoW Classic and how to install them – including some extensions that make leveling more enjoyable.
