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From zero to hero...
Welcome to MFO's leveling guide for World of Warcraft.  This guide walks you from level 1 to level 60 as horde or alliance - where to go, what to do, and what to avoid.

This guide is not meant to be used for your first WOW character - better to just play the game, explore, read the quest text, enjoy the story and have a good time the first run through.  Don't worry about how fast you level or anything else, just have fun.  Nothing beats the feeling of your first Griffin ride, for example, so take in the sights and have a good time.  You can pick a PVE (Player vs Environment) server for this run - its basically a very fun RPG game that allows you to team with other people on quests.

Once you have had your initial toon's fun, and you want to create another one (an "alternate") and want to power level, then this guide is for you.  This guide is also geared for PVP (Player vs Player) - so its not for the squeemish - be prepared for battle. 

General Principles for Power Leveling

Getting down to business, there are some principles to adopt to power level:

• Always know your XP per hour.
  Power leveling is about shooting up from 1 to 60 as fast as you can.  Knowing your XP per hour is a critical piece of knowledge - it will help you choose areas to "grind" in that provide the largest bang for the buck.  Use Cosmos's clock which shows you XP per hour very easily.  Use the MFO WOW FAQ for how to get Cosmos, Thottbott, WOW world map, and other goodes.
  
  

• Bum cash or load your toon with money ("Twinking"). 
  Having a few G of cash when you are level 1 is HUGE.  It is critical to get good weapons and armor as soon as you can.  A buff level 5 acts like a normal level 8 player - get the gear and upgrade your gear constantly.  You may need to bum cash from friends or send some over from another toon you have. 
  
  Also, if you don't have a cash influx, you will waste a *lot* of time generating basic economy to upgrade spells - its a serious time sink if your trying to power level.  1G minimum, preferably 10G or more to power you past level 20 quickly.  The process of getting yourself uber gear or enchantments is called "twinking" and can work wonders (+100 health on chest and Fiery Weapon that hits for up to 200 damage per fight at level 25? nice).
  
  Another power strategy - have an alt parked at the AH and use it to get equpiment for your power leveling toon (then use in-game mail, of course).  This saves you the trouble of trekking back to the AH all the time and becomes very handy when your toon is not on the same contienent as the AH (starts to happen often around level 25).
  
  

• Know where you are going.
  You don't want to be exploring or searching for quest locations.  Know exactly where you are going.  Two things make this happen: (1) use the WOW world map (see our FAQ for a link) - it shows all areas, all fly points; and (2) use Thottbot.com's quest search feature - you can easily pinpoint the exact location of NPCs and quests.  Use Cosmos's coordinate system in conjunction with Thott to get exact in-game locations as you play.
  
  

• Queue up the Quests
  When you are in the Barrens, for example, you can be doing 6 to 8 quests at the same time.  In addition to monster kill XP, you gain a massive boost in your XP per hour by turning in quests fast and furious.  Your mindset is key - you have to be aggressive and working on many at once.  If you only do one at a time, you are going to take way too long to level.
  
  

• Be +2 levels for Questing.
  If you want to sail through quests, be +2 levels from the monsters in your quest areas.  You kill faster, take less damage, and motor through... Remember, its about speed, not ego.
  
  

• Run as many instances as you can (once that is).
  If you can afford the sequential time (need to block out about 4 hours to assemble a team and complete an instance), then by all means do them!  Good cash, quest XP, and item drops.  If you can instance often, you will gain about 5 levels in your journey to 60, just on instances... rockin.
  
  

• Don't be afraid to Grind.
  "Grinding" is sitting in one spot and killing the same monsters for a long period of time.  If you are in a spot where questing is not overflowing, you may have to just grind it out for a while.  Of course you will be monitoring your XP per hour, so you can properly evaluate grind spots.

Leveling 1 to 12

Ok, lets get started.  After you roll your toon, you will be in one of these starting zones.  Your job is to get to level 12 (yeah 12, not 10) - it makes the next zone easier to manage and this is about speed, not ego.

Horde:

• Troll/Orc - Durotar.  A *great* entry level zone (best in the game, perhaps).  There is a lot to do here, easy to find stuff, and you are right near Origimar (with the Auction House).  Also you can quickly jack skinning, cooking, fishing, first aid, leatherworking, mining, herbalizm... You simply can't ask for anything more from a starting area.
  
  

• Undead - Tirisfal Glades.  Another quality zone nearly as good as Durotar - on par with Elwynn Forest as a quality "backup" starting area.  Easy access to Undercity and a zepplin to Origmarr make this area very convienent.  Should be able to easily get to level 12 - if you end up a little shy, bang a few levels in Durotar.  Since you will be going to the Barrens (not silverpine) next, it makes sense to setup shop in Origimar anyway. 
  
  

• Tauren - Mulgore.  An average zone... Quests are a bit too spread out, a bit shallow in number, and without a lot of good rewards.  Take a run through the barrens to Durotar at level 9 and bang out a few levels there (as well as hit the AH).  Thunder Bluff seems nice at first, but its just a poor version of Origimar w/o an auction house...
  

Alliance:

• Gnome/Dwarf - Dun Morogh.  The best alliance starting zone that is right next to IronForge.  Like Durotar, you can count your blessings that this is the best starting area for your faction.  Trade skills are easy to pimp, quests easy to find, and equipment easy to get.  If you need to, tram ride to Elwynn for a level or two.
  
  

• Human - Elwynn Forest.  A very good zone with easy access to Stormwind (that has a free tram to IronForge - very roxor).  If you want to skin or cook (or both), spend 30 minutes in a farm killing boar - *ding* skills jacked.
  
  

• Night Elves - Darnassus.  The worst entry zone in the whole game in the power level strategy as you can't (or shouldn't) hit the Auction House until near level 18 - if you do, you are wasting a lot of time.  Elves will need to do Darnassus and then Darkshore (next page) in depth before being able to "sync up" with other alliance classes...
  
  Of course, the strategy of an alt that sits in the AH becomes very handy for early NE players... *cough*
  
  Note: it is my opinion that Blizzard should add a free flypoint from MH to IF (so if you show up at MH and don't have IF fly point yet, you get it free - just like Darnassus to Darkshore works now).  This would solve a fundamental problem with this race's starting location and allow players to get to the AH reasonably early and not be severly penalized vs other races.
  

Ok, now that you are level 12, time to move to the next step.

Ok, from here on this guide will show each zone you should travel to, at what levels, how much "Quest XP" you will get (this is purly XP from turning in quests and does not include XP from monster kills in doing the quests), where to get the quests (with exact locations so you can find them quickly with cosmos), and notes on each zone.

Horde Levels 12 to 30

 

LEVEL	ZONE	QUEST XP	QUEST LOC	NOTES
12-22	The Barrens	76,000	Tons of chains at Crossroads, just west of crossroads, ratchet, and camp TJ	Just do everything here - queue up as many as you can and bang in out.  The best early leveling area in the game.  Worth going here even if you are undead (skip Silverpine).  You could take a tour in Silverpine and Stonetalon (far east only) around level 16 if you want an easy level.    At the end of your Barrens run, kill some named for easy quests off drops (Kodo Lakota'mani at 50,53; Thunderhead Owatanka at 43,62; Thunderhawk Washte Pawne at 71,81; Sillithid Harvester at 44,73)
23-24	Stonetalon Mountains	26,000	Chains from Sun Rock Retreat (46,58), couple of guys at (47,64), and Malaka'jin (72,95)	Some of the Malaka quests are too low, but much of what's here is good for level 23-24.
25	Ashenvale	15,000
25-27	Hillsbrad	30,000		Hillsbrad has a wonderful number of quests - but it is also a highway of alliance activity from Southshore to SM.  If you can, quest here in the early morning when everyone else is sleeping    Don't be surprised if a group of 5 alliance jump you and they are all level "??" - it makes them feel good to be able to beat you when you are a baby.
28-29	Thousand Needles	32,500
30	Thousand Needles (Shimmering Flats)	4,300

Horde Instances 12 to 30

• Wailing Caverns (The Barrens) - level 20-22 recommended
  A very well done instance with some nice quest rewards.  Crescent Staff is one of the best staves for this level in the game.

Alliance Levels 12 to 30

• 12-18 Darkshore (NightElf)

• 18-19 Westfall

• 20-22 Lakeshire

• 22-25 Darkshire

• 25-27 Wetlands

• 28-30 Bounce between Wetlands, Darkshire, and Lakeshire for quests

Darkshire - grave at 17,29, Sven at 7,34; Jitters at 18,56

Alliance Instances 12 to 30

• The Deadmines for 17-22 range:
  
  

• The Stockades has 6 quests and is a short (30 to 60 min) and fun instance for 26-29 range:
  [26] "Color of Blood" from Nikova Raskol in Old Town in Stormwind
  [25] "What Comes Around" from Guard Berton in Lakeshire
  [27] "The Fury Runs Deep" from Motley Garmason in Wetlands (50,18) - have to finish Dark Iron War before you get this one
  [26] "Crime and Punishment" from Councilman Millstripe in Darkshire
  [29] "The Stockade Riots" drop from Edward Vancleef (Deadmines boss)
  [26] "Quell the Uprising" from Warden Thelwater at the Stockades in Stormwind (41,57)
  
  

• Blackfathom Deeps is a 2.5 to 3 hour instance for 26-29 range:
  [23] "Knowledge in the Deeps" from Gerrig Bonegrip in Ironforge
  [24] "Researching the Corruption" from Gershala Nightwisper - have to do "The Corruption Abroad" from Argos Nightwisper in Stormwind first
  [25] "Twilight Falls" from Argent Guard Manados (craftsman terrace in Darnassus)
  [27] "Blackfathom Villany" from Argent Guard Manados - have to do "In Search of Thaelrid" from Caylais Moonfeather in Darkshore first.

Alliance Levels 31 to 45

• 31-33 Northern STV

• 33-34 Arathi

• 34-35 1000k Needles (Shimmering Flats)

• 35-36 Desolace

Alliance Instances 31 to 45

• Scarlet Monastery has only 2 quests (and 1 mage quest), but is a very popular instance because it is arranged so you can do just parts and drops are very good.  Level 36-40 range:
  [38] "Mythology of the Titans" from Librarian Mae Paledust who wanders the Explorer Hall in IronForge
  [40] "In the Name of the Light" from Releigh the Devout in Southshore in Hillsbrad
  [40 - mage only] "Rituals of Power" from Tabetha in Duskwallow Marsh

Horde Levels 46 to 60

 

LEVEL	ZONE	QUEST XP	QUEST LOC	NOTES
46	Feralis	60,000	Chains at (74,41); escort quest in yeti cave; Rivotseeker (54,44)	In just a few hours in Feralis you can do 12+ quests and gain most of a level.  Its a quick, but short, journey.
47	Tanaris	21,800	Rivotseeker (), and Rescue OOX-17TN (complete rescue line for 7100 xp)
47	Hinterlands			Finally time to hit the hinterlands - most quests are found outside of here and there is one escort quest (guy from the Lodge) which should really be marked as elite (especially since one Alliance can drag your NPC back to the start and your whole team loses).
48	Searing Gorge	21,000	Two series (outhouse at 66,62 and Windblade at 39,39); also random drop for outhouse key	Likely that you will need to do some grinding on this level (first time!) - Searing has some decent spots; also, close up any open quests you can at this point.
49	Un'Goro Crater	70,000	Series from Torwa (72,76), one from Feuly in UC (Batch of Ooze - collect 20+) and tons from NPCs at Marshalls Refuge (47,13) - also see level 51 below for more.	Even those these quests are marked for 52 to 55, I had no trouble soloing them at 49 (as a Shaman, your mileage may vary) -  just be careful to aggro beasts 1 or 2 at a time at most.  Some of the 56 level quests - as well as Alien Ecology - I saved for a higher level.  Also, this area is easy herbing from 270 to 300.  Bring lots of drinks/food - there is no fly point here.
50	Blasted Lands	24,000	No less than 10 quests from Lynnore/Drazial (50,13)	Quick XP from doing the Lynnore/Drazial quests due to the sheer volume of beasts you will kill and their compact location - you also get some nice buff potion-like items.  You can grind here too and quickly run back and forth to Stonard.
51	Un'Goro Crater	45,800	Torwa and Marshalls again, clickable wrecked raft at (62,68), one from Jes'Rimon in Orig (Bone Bladed Weapons), and one from RuneTotem in TB (Elder rise).	Return to finish up Alien Ecology, Beware of Pterrodax, Mighty Ucha (need team), Lost! (escort) and Linken chain.
51	Azshera	49,400	Couple at Valormuk (22,50), two from Loh'atu (13,77), one from Lim-yo (28,50)	Quick forey into Azhera for a couple of quests.  Note, you need to finish Lim-yo before you can do the Archmage turn in.  You also have to run to Orig, UC, TB and Ratchet to polish off the followups (and back here, lol).
51-52	Felwood	79,000	One from Thornhoof (Feralis/Camp M), Feuly in UC (Sample of Slime - collect 20+) then series from Felwood NPCs Grazle (64,8 - ignore NO XP), Mosshoof & Redfeather (51,82), Riverbreese (46,83) and several at Bloodvenom Post (34,52); Dousing Flames needs a team (as does escort quest at same place); I skipped Corrupted Sabers (crappy quest) and saved Final Blow/Retribution of Light for later)	Unlike Un'Goro, this area did require me to be 51 ish to do well in the north part.  Keep an eye out for berries - nice +10 stam bonus that stacks with scrolls and food.  Also, make sure to batch up quests, lots of running from north to south that you can better maximize your time.  Do the Salve quests at least once for the XP.  The escort quest out of Jaelinar is not hard with a team - but have everyone right click on key *first*   Note the "elite" quest Verrifying the Corruption is *not* elite and easy to solo.
53	Un'Goro Crater	29,600	Feuly in UC provided a follow-up (Melding of Influences), also time to finish Rizzlefix from Ratchet (Volcanic Ash), Bashana in TB (Morrowgrain Research) and Chasing A-Me part 2 and 3 (escort).	Back to Un'Goro? Yeah, heh.  Feuly left us with a quest and time to clean up a few others.  Get a Mithril Casing at the AH to finish A-Me.
53	Azshera	0	Thalassian Base Camp (55,30) and Ursolan (44,30)	Grind, baby, grind.  The elves are pretty spread out, don抰 mob aggro, and go down fast with low HP.  And, yeah, grind here for a full level (at least).
54	Winterspring	98,800	Chains from Failbane & Shadowhoof in Felwood (Boodvenom Post), one from random vial drop off Furbog (west of town), one from Owlbeast drop at (58,59), and several from Everlook (60,38)	Good grinding near town and just west of town (and lake Kel'Theril) - better than Azhera, imo, since graveyard and town is much closer - but it is 2 hops from Orig on bird.  Again, heavy grinding - you may be finishing up these quests up to level 58 (some are level 60 quests that require teams)
55	Western Plaguelands	90,000	Several series from Bulwark (80,71 in Trisfall) and a chain found in the second floor of the farm in Felstone Field.	These quests are geared for teaming - very hard to solo.
56	Felwood	0	Other than instances, this is a grind-only level (second full one) - get used to it, most of the last 4 levels is pure grind	Grinding - recommended spot is Irontree Woods - Toxic Horrors drop "Essense of Water" that sells for up to 8 g *each* - and graveyard is right there, in case you get ganked by level 60s (who are mining Essense, of course)
57-60	Eastern Plaguelands	37,000	Two from inn in Winterspring (61,38), chains at Light's Hope Chapel (80,58), Nathanos Blightcaller (), Tirion Fordring (), one in bottom of crypt in Undercroft (27,86)	Time to just grind it out, unfortunately.  You can also do instances (BRD) if you can afford the time.