Leveling an Alliance character in World of Warcraft: Forever has its own route. Humans, Dwarves, Gnomes, Night Elves and High Order Skyborne start in different parts of Azeroth, reach different dungeons efficiently and benefit from new Alliance travel connections that did not exist in original Vanilla WoW.
Quick answer: Humans should build their early route around Elwynn Forest, Westfall, Redridge Mountains and Duskwood. Dwarves and Gnomes have an excellent path through Dun Morogh, Loch Modan, Hall of Thanes and Wetlands. Night Elves can remain in Teldrassil, Darkshore and Ashenvale before using Forever's improved ship network to connect with the Eastern Kingdoms. High Order Skyborne should finish Zephras Isle before joining the mainland Alliance route. Around the mid-30s, Riverglades becomes one of the most important shared Alliance leveling options before the route moves through Tanaris, Feralas, Un'Goro, the Plaguelands and Winterspring toward level 60.
This page focuses specifically on Alliance zones, quest hubs, faction travel and dungeons that fit naturally into the Alliance route. For RestedXP, addons, fastest-class comparisons, XP efficiency and pure speed-leveling tactics, use our WoW Forever Speed Leveling Guide. Horde players should use the WoW Forever Horde Leveling Guide.
WoW Forever Alliance Leveling Route 1–60
| Level | Primary Alliance Zones | Alternative Route | Dungeon Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–10 | Elwynn Forest, Dun Morogh or Teldrassil | Zephras Isle for High Order Skyborne | — |
| 1–12 Skyborne | Zephras Isle | Finish the intended Skyborne story before leaving | — |
| 10–15 | Westfall, Loch Modan or Darkshore | Early Redridge Mountains | Hall of Thanes 13–18 |
| 15–20 | Westfall + Redridge, Loch Modan, Darkshore + Ashenvale | Only change continents when several objectives justify it | Hall of Thanes, Deadmines or Blackfathom Deeps by route |
| 20–25 | Duskwood, Wetlands, Ashenvale | Redridge, Hillsbrad, Stonetalon | Stockade / Blackfathom Deeps |
| 25–30 | Wetlands, Duskwood, Ashenvale | Hillsbrad Foothills | Excavation Site 24–29 |
| 30–35 | Stranglethorn Vale, Arathi Highlands, Desolace | Alterac Mountains | City of Dalaran 28–33 |
| 35–40 | Riverglades, Stranglethorn Vale | Dustwallow Marsh, Arathi, Desolace | The Drowned City 35–40 |
| 40–45 | Riverglades, Tanaris, Feralas | Hinterlands, Dustwallow | Krol'dok Stronghold 40–45 |
| 45–50 | Tanaris, Feralas, Hinterlands | Searing Gorge, early Un'Goro | Alcaz Prison 48–53 |
| 50–55 | Un'Goro, Felwood, Burning Steppes | Western Plaguelands, Azshara | Alcaz Prison / Blackrock dungeons |
| 55–60 | Western & Eastern Plaguelands, Winterspring, Silithus | Burning Steppes, remaining Felwood and Un'Goro | Blackmaw Hold 55–60 / Shaper's Terrace 58–60 |
| 60 | Mount Hyjal and level-60 progression | Finish valuable high-level chains | Pre-raid gearing begins |
Forever has no level scaling. The goal is therefore not to complete every quest in every zone. Move when your remaining objectives become too low-level, too spread out or too expensive in travel time.
The ExpCarry Route Efficiency Test
We use four questions before recommending a zone change or dungeon detour:
| Question | Good Reason to Stay or Travel | Bad Reason |
|---|---|---|
| How many useful quests overlap? | Several objectives can be completed in one circuit | One isolated quest on the other side of the zone |
| What is the travel cost? | Boat, flight path or nearby connection | Long cross-continent trip with no other unlock |
| Does a dungeon overlap? | You have multiple quests and the entrance is nearby | You only reached the dungeon's minimum level |
| Where does the route leave you? | Near your next quest hub, profession trainer or level bracket | You must immediately travel back across Azeroth |
This is why Hall of Thanes is exceptionally valuable for a Dwarf or Gnome but only situational for a Human or Night Elf, and why Wetlands plus Excavation Site is stronger than a random distant dungeon during the upper 20s.
Alliance Starting Routes by Race
| Race | Starting Zone | Recommended Opening |
|---|---|---|
| Human | Elwynn Forest | Elwynn → Westfall → Redridge → Duskwood |
| Dwarf | Dun Morogh | Dun Morogh → Loch Modan → Hall of Thanes → Wetlands |
| Gnome | Dun Morogh | Dun Morogh → Loch Modan → Hall of Thanes → Wetlands |
| Night Elf | Teldrassil | Teldrassil → Darkshore → Ashenvale |
| High Order Skyborne | Zephras Isle | Zephras Isle → Dalaran → Stormwind → Alliance route |
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Human Route: Elwynn, Westfall, Redridge and Duskwood
Humans have one of the cleanest early Alliance routes because their major quest regions sit close together.
Levels 1–10: finish Elwynn Forest instead of travelling to another racial starting area for marginal XP gains.
Levels 10–15: move into Westfall and use Sentinel Hill as the main hub. Collect Deadmines-related objectives if you expect to run the dungeon.
Levels 15–20: continue productive Westfall chains and begin Redridge Mountains around Lakeshire.
Levels 20–25: Redridge transitions naturally into Duskwood.
Levels 25–30: combine remaining Duskwood with Wetlands or Hillsbrad instead of forcing every Duskwood chain to completion.
The new Stormwind Harbor connection to Auberdine also means a Human can switch into the Night Elf/Kalimdor route far more easily than in original Vanilla.
Dwarf and Gnome Route: Hall of Thanes Is Your Major Advantage
Dwarves and Gnomes begin with the most convenient access to one of Forever's new dungeons.
Levels 1–10: Dun Morogh.
Levels 10–15: Loch Modan while preparing Hall of Thanes objectives.
Levels 13–18: insert Hall of Thanes when the quest bundle is ready.
Levels 18–22: finish useful Loch Modan content and fill gaps through Redridge or nearby Alliance hubs.
Levels 22–30: shift heavily into Wetlands and combine it with Excavation Site later in the bracket.
Hall of Thanes Quest Bundle
Hall of Thanes is beneath Ironforge, making its travel cost extremely low for Dwarves and Gnomes.
Useful quests include:
- Important Heirlooms;
- The Restless Dead;
- Old Ironforge Incursion;
- An Ancient Grudge;
- The Treaty of Understanding.
Several rewards are also real leveling upgrades rather than meaningless quest filler. Current examples include Ironforge Greathammer, Deepblaze, Dwarven Tome and Catacomb Cloak.
The value of the dungeon comes from quest overlap + useful rewards + almost zero detour for the Ironforge route. Repeating it without objectives is a different calculation.
Night Elf Route: Stay in Kalimdor Longer
Night Elves should not automatically travel to Stormwind at level 10 simply because many Classic guides are written around Humans.
Levels 1–10: Teldrassil.
Levels 10–18: Darkshore around Auberdine.
Levels 18–25: Ashenvale, with Blackfathom Deeps when the quest bundle and group are ready.
Levels 25–30: finish efficient Ashenvale objectives or transition to Wetlands/Hillsbrad through the improved Alliance ship network.
The new Stormwind–Auberdine and Menethil–Southshore–Auberdine routes make the Kalimdor and Eastern Kingdoms Alliance networks much easier to combine.
High Order Skyborne: Zephras Isle to the Alliance
High Order Skyborne should complete the intended Zephras Isle experience through roughly level 12 instead of leaving early to imitate a Human route.
After the island story, the faction introduction sends the character through Dalaran and Stormwind.
The Exploring the Alliance quest is particularly useful for understanding this transition. It sends the character to meet Alliance leadership in Stormwind, Ironforge and Darnassus and then explicitly points players toward Westfall for further adventuring.
That makes Westfall a natural mainland entry point for many High Order characters, not an arbitrary route choice.
For the complete race introduction, classes and racials, use our WoW Forever Skyborne Guide.
Levels 10–20: Keep the Alliance Routes Separate
| Start | Recommended Route | Natural Dungeon |
|---|---|---|
| Human | Westfall → Redridge | Deadmines |
| Dwarf / Gnome | Loch Modan → Ironforge route | Hall of Thanes |
| Night Elf | Darkshore → Ashenvale | Blackfathom Deeps |
| High Order Skyborne | Stormwind → Westfall after faction introduction | Whichever dungeon fits the route you join |
A dungeon is not automatically efficient merely because the character is inside its level range. Location matters.
Levels 20–30: Duskwood, Wetlands and Ashenvale
During the 20s, the separate Alliance racial paths begin to converge.
Duskwood is particularly natural for Humans coming from Redridge. Wetlands is extremely efficient for Dwarf/Gnome characters and becomes more valuable because Excavation Site is located there. Ashenvale remains the cleanest continuation for Night Elves.
Hillsbrad Foothills and Stonetalon Mountains work as secondary options when their quest hubs fit your position and level.
Excavation Site: The Best New Alliance Dungeon Integration in the 20s
Blizzard lists Excavation Site at levels 24–29.
Its biggest advantage is not the dungeon itself. Its advantage is location: Alliance characters can quest through Wetlands, collect dungeon objectives and enter the instance without creating a separate travel expedition.
Our preferred pattern is:
Wetlands quests → collect the relevant dungeon objectives → Excavation Site clear → continue the same regional route.
That is usually stronger than leaving a dense Wetlands route for a distant instance with no quest overlap.
Alliance Travel Routes That Actually Change Leveling
| Route | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Stormwind Harbor ↔ Auberdine | Connects Human/Skyborne routes directly with Darkshore and the Night Elf network. |
| Menethil Harbor ↔ Southshore ↔ Auberdine | Makes Wetlands, Hillsbrad and Darkshore much easier to combine. |
| Steamwheedle Port ↔ Powderfuse Port | Creates a direct Tanaris–Riverglades transition during the mid-level route. |
Our rule is simple: do not use a transport route just because it is new. Use it when the other side contains multiple quests, a dungeon or the next major leveling hub.
Levels 28–35: City of Dalaran and the Riverglades Transition
City of Dalaran is no longer a future beta placeholder. Blizzard's published level range is 28–33.
Good Alliance options in this transition include:
- Arathi Highlands;
- Stranglethorn Vale;
- Desolace;
- Alterac Mountains;
- remaining appropriately leveled Wetlands or Duskwood chains.
City of Dalaran is best when your route already brings you toward Alterac. Travelling there solely because you reached level 28 is not automatically efficient.
Levels 35–45: Riverglades Is the Major New Midgame Hub
Riverglades is one of the most important changes to Alliance leveling in Forever.
Blizzard describes the region as a mid-30s to mid-40s zone with a very large quest pool for both factions. For Alliance players, Farholde Keep is an important faction-aligned hub, while Powderfuse Port acts as a major transport point.
Levels 35–40: use Riverglades as a primary option while keeping Stranglethorn Vale and Dustwallow available.
Levels 40–45: continue productive Riverglades chains and include Krol'dok Stronghold when the quests and group line up.
Do not clear every Riverglades quest simply because the zone has a huge quest count. The large pool gives you permission to skip weak chains.
See our WoW Forever New Zones Guide for Riverglades, Shen'dralas, Zephras Isle and Mount Hyjal.
Krol'dok Stronghold: A Dungeon That Fits the Route
Krol'dok Stronghold is a level 40–45 dungeon inside Riverglades.
That creates one of the cleanest dungeon patterns in Forever:
Riverglades questing → collect dungeon quests → Krol'dok Stronghold → return to Riverglades or continue toward Tanaris.
That is much better route design than crossing Azeroth for an unrelated instance and then travelling back.
Levels 40–50: Tanaris, Feralas, Hinterlands and Dustwallow
| Zone | Alliance Hub | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| Tanaris | Gadgetzan | Strong continuation from Riverglades via Steamwheedle/Powderfuse travel. |
| Feralas | Feathermoon / Thalanaar | Good Kalimdor route after Tanaris or western progression. |
| The Hinterlands | Aerie Peak | Excellent Eastern Kingdoms alternative. |
| Dustwallow Marsh | Theramore | Useful for Kalimdor questing and later Alcaz Prison. |
| Searing Gorge | Thorium Point | Positions the character near Blackrock Mountain. |
Alcaz Prison: Levels 48–53
Alcaz Prison is located on Alcaz Island in Dustwallow Marsh and covers levels 48–53.
Alliance characters already operating from Theramore can integrate it with relatively little additional travel.
Run it when you have dungeon objectives, useful gear targets or a group ready nearby. Do not abandon a dense Hinterlands or Tanaris circuit simply because the minimum level appears in your guide.
Levels 50–55: Start Positioning for Level 60
The strongest Alliance options are:
- Un'Goro Crater and Marshal's Refuge;
- Felwood and Talonbranch Glade;
- Burning Steppes and Morgan's Vigil;
- Western Plaguelands and Chillwind Camp;
- Azshara or Blasted Lands when they fit your existing route.
At this point, dungeon rewards and high-level quest gear start mattering beyond their immediate XP value.
Levels 55–60: Plaguelands, Winterspring and Final Dungeons
The final Alliance route should increasingly serve two purposes at once: finish level 60 and improve the character that will exist after level 60.
Prioritize:
- Western Plaguelands;
- Eastern Plaguelands;
- Winterspring;
- Silithus;
- remaining valuable Burning Steppes, Felwood and Un'Goro quests.
Blackmaw Hold — 55–60
Blackmaw Hold in Azshara is both a late leveling dungeon and part of the wider northern Kalimdor endgame network.
Shaper's Terrace — 58–60
Shaper's Terrace in Un'Goro is the final new leveling dungeon in Blizzard's launch list and naturally transitions into pre-raid gearing.
Classic Endgame Dungeons Still Matter
Blackrock Depths, Lower and Upper Blackrock Spire, Dire Maul, Scholomance and Stratholme remain valuable. By level 58–60, “leveling dungeon” and “pre-raid dungeon” increasingly become the same decision.
Mount Hyjal Is the End of Leveling, Not a Shortcut to 60
Mount Hyjal is primarily a level-60 endgame destination.
Do not abandon efficient level 56–59 Plaguelands, Winterspring or dungeon progression simply because Hyjal is new. Reach 60 first, then transition into its questing, reputations, professions and raid preparation.
Continue with our Mount Hyjal Zone Guide once you reach this stage.
What About Shen'dralas?
Shen'dralas is confirmed Forever content tied to the Shen'dralar, Eldre'Thalas, Dire Maul and nearby centaur storylines.
However, Blizzard has not published a precise enough leveling bracket for us to replace a proven Desolace/Feralas route with a fabricated “optimal” Shen'dralas range.
Until its full quest progression is documented, treat it as an additional route option rather than a mandatory leveling block.
Alliance Flight Paths Worth Taking
| Level Range | Useful Flight Points |
|---|---|
| 10–20 | Sentinel Hill, Thelsamar, Auberdine, Lakeshire |
| 20–30 | Darkshire, Menethil Harbor, Astranaar, Southshore, Stonetalon Peak |
| 30–40 | Booty Bay, Refuge Pointe, Nijel's Point, Riverglades hubs |
| 40–50 | Gadgetzan, Theramore, Feathermoon, Thalanaar, Aerie Peak, Thorium Point |
| 50–60 | Marshal's Refuge, Talonbranch Glade, Morgan's Vigil, Chillwind Camp, Light's Hope Chapel, Everlook, Cenarion Hold |
A flight path often looks like a small detour when you discover it. Its value is the travel time it removes from every future trip.
Where All Nine New Dungeons Fit for Alliance
| Dungeon | Level | Alliance Route Value |
|---|---|---|
| Hall of Thanes | 13–18 | Very high for Ironforge routes. |
| Ruins of Lordaeron | 15–20 | Low to moderate because of Alliance travel cost. |
| Excavation Site | 24–29 | Very high because it integrates with Wetlands. |
| City of Dalaran | 28–33 | Good when already moving through Alterac. |
| The Drowned City | 35–40 | Useful for Stranglethorn-based routes. |
| Krol'dok Stronghold | 40–45 | Very high during Riverglades progression. |
| Alcaz Prison | 48–53 | Good for Theramore/Dustwallow routing. |
| Blackmaw Hold | 55–60 | Strong late-level and endgame-preparation value. |
| Shaper's Terrace | 58–60 | Strong final-level and early pre-raid value. |
Professions and Legacy: Keep Them on the Route
Do not turn this Alliance route into a profession or Legacy grind.
Train your intended professions early enough to gather materials while you are already moving through the appropriate zones. If profession progression requires a large detour, evaluate whether it is better to return later.
For profession choices and Camping, use our WoW Forever Professions Guide.
Legacy progression should work the same way: take challenges that overlap naturally with leveling, dungeons and exploration instead of repeatedly abandoning the route for unrelated objectives. See our Legacy Points Guide.
Alliance Leveling Mistakes to Avoid
- Sending every Alliance race to Westfall at level 10.
- Ignoring Hall of Thanes on a Dun Morogh/Ironforge route.
- Travelling across a continent for a single dungeon with no quests.
- Ignoring the new Stormwind, Auberdine, Menethil and Southshore connections.
- Completing every quest in a zone after its useful clusters are exhausted.
- Trying to clear all Riverglades quests simply because the zone contains many of them.
- Treating Mount Hyjal as an ordinary 55–60 leveling zone.
- Following Horde routing because the listed zone happens to match your level.
WoW Forever Alliance Leveling FAQ
What is the best Alliance leveling route?
Start with your race-specific path rather than forcing one universal route. Humans naturally progress through Westfall and Redridge, Dwarves and Gnomes through Loch Modan and Hall of Thanes, Night Elves through Darkshore and Ashenvale, while High Order Skyborne finish Zephras Isle before joining the mainland Alliance network.
What is the best first new Alliance dungeon?
Hall of Thanes is the strongest faction-specific choice for Dwarves and Gnomes. Humans often integrate Deadmines more naturally, while Blackfathom Deeps fits Night Elf progression.
What level is Hall of Thanes?
Levels 13–18.
What level is Excavation Site?
Levels 24–29 in Blizzard's published launch dungeon list.
When should Alliance players enter Riverglades?
Around the mid-30s. It remains useful through the early-to-mid 40s, with Krol'dok Stronghold becoming relevant at levels 40–45.
How do Alliance Skyborne join the normal route?
Finish Zephras Isle and the High Order faction introduction through Dalaran and Stormwind. Exploring the Alliance then introduces the major Alliance capitals and points the character toward Westfall.
Should I level in Mount Hyjal before 60?
Mount Hyjal is primarily level-60 progression. Use the normal high-level zones and dungeons to finish the leveling journey first.
Is this the fastest possible leveling guide?
No. This page owns the Alliance faction route: zones, hubs, travel and dungeon placement. For addons, RestedXP, XP optimization and fastest-leveling techniques, use our WoW Forever Speed Leveling Guide.
If you prefer to skip part of the manual 1–60 route, our WoW Forever Leveling service is kept separate from the informational guide and lists the available progression options.
After reaching level 60, continue with the WoW Forever Pre-Raid BiS Guide and Mount Hyjal Guide.
