Forever adds five new areas and nine dungeons to Azeroth, and almost all of them sit in corners of the old world you could never walk into before. Zephras Isle is the Skyborne starting zone, the Riverglades and Shen'dralas fill the mid levels, Mount Hyjal is the new level 60 zone, and Dalaran stands in Alterac again. Levels and locations of every zone are in the zone database.
The new areas at a glance
| Area | Level | Location | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zephras Isle | 1–12 | floating island in Skywall | Skyborne start only |
| Riverglades | 35–45 | south-east Eastern Kingdoms | on foot, boat from Tanaris |
| Shen'dralas | quests from 35 | between Desolace and Mulgore | Valley of Bones in Desolace |
| Mount Hyjal | 60 | northern Kalimdor | Darkwhisper Gorge in Winterspring |
| Dalaran | dungeon 28–33 | Alterac Mountains | sewers, after a quest chain |
There are no flying mounts. You reach everything on the ground, by flight master or by boat.
Zephras Isle
The Skyborne start on a floating island in Skywall, the elemental plane of air. Your first stop is Thendal Village in the north-west, and the main settlement is Valanaar. The island is a sanctuary built for levels 1 to 12. Once you finish the campaign you leave from the Valanaar skydocks: Alliance players fly to the north end of Dalaran, Horde players to a plateau above Mulgore. More on the race in the Skyborne guide.
Riverglades
The Riverglades are the largest new levelling zone, roughly the size of Stranglethorn Vale and home to more than 150 quests. They run along the east coast between Redridge Mountains, Badlands, Burning Steppes and Swamp of Sorrows. The Alliance camps at Farholde Keep, the Horde at Rog'mar and Bolder'ok. The ogres of Bolder'ok broke away from the Twilight's Hammer and now side with the Horde. Sunnyglade, on the other hand, lies in ruins under Twilight's Hammer control.
Neutral ground is Powderfuse Port, a goblin harbour. A boat runs from there to Steamwheedle Port in Tanaris, which puts the zone within easy reach of Kalimdor. The zone also holds Krol'dok Stronghold for levels 40 to 45: follow the ogre outrunners and you will find the entrance.
A few Riverglades enemies were far too strong at launch. Since 11 November the Twilight Enforcer's Smash hits much softer, Executioner Morg deals less damage and the Twilight Forgemaster's Mark of Flames adds 50 damage instead of 1,000. Since 10 November there are also far more Glade Vipers for the quest Poison Tips.
Shen'dralas
Shen'dralas is a hidden valley between Desolace and Mulgore, where old maps only showed mountains. You walk in through the Valley of Bones in southern Desolace, which gained a third branch for it. The zone is contested. Its story revolves around the Shen'dralar, the Highborne of Eldre'Thalas, the Kolkar, Gelkis and Magram centaurs and the Bristleback quilboar.
Blizzard has not given Shen'dralas an official level range. The Gelkis and Magram quest chains at the Valley of Bones require level 35, which puts the zone alongside the Riverglades on the other side of the world. Shen'dralas has no dungeon of its own.
Mount Hyjal
Hyjal is the new zone for level 60. It is set after Archimonde's defeat, and you help bring the scarred land back. The way in starts in Winterspring: you climb up through Darkwhisper Gorge. The zone is contested, so on the PvP ruleset you will meet the other faction there.
Two raids open here on December 9: Hyjal Summit for 20 players with 13 bosses and Barrow Deeps for 10 players with eight bosses. Reputation and gear you gather before then give you a head start. The dungeons and raids guide covers what waits inside.
Dalaran in Alterac
Dalaran is back in its old spot in the Alterac Mountains, but the city is in bad shape: the magical barrier has fallen and enchantments misfire. You can pick up work in the city, and the dungeon for levels 28 to 33 lies beneath it.
The way in runs through the sewers. The Alliance starts with An Alarming Request from Emissary Jacques in Southshore. The Horde gets Key to the City and Prison Break-In from Magus Wordeen Voidglare in Tarren Mill. The city itself is hostile ground for the Horde: the guards attack on sight.
New dungeons in old zones
Seven of the nine new dungeons sit in familiar zones, which keeps travel short for groups.
| Dungeon | Level | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Hall of Thanes | 13–18 | beneath Ironforge |
| Ruins of Lordaeron | 15–20 | above the Undercity |
| Excavation Site | 24–29 | Wetlands |
| The Drowned City | 35–40 | off the Stranglethorn coast, west of Grom'gol |
| Alcaz Prison | 48–53 | Alcaz Island, Dustwallow Marsh |
| Blackmaw Hold | 55–60 | Azshara, behind a long-sealed gate |
| Shaper's Terrace | 58–60 | northern hills of Un'Goro Crater |
Find people for these runs in the raid planner.
What changed in the old world
Besides the new areas, Blizzard touched up a lot of old places:
- New boats: A ship runs from Stormwind Harbor straight to Auberdine in Darkshore. A second route links Menethil Harbor, Southshore and Auberdine.
- New quests: The Wetlands got new quests, and the Gelkis and Magram chains in Desolace are expanded with new rewards. The Valley of Trials and Shadowglen have new NPCs, quests and first profession recipes.
- Tirisfal: Bandarion Keep is where the Forsaken paladin journey begins, ending at level 60 in a quest for an epic mount.
- Visuals: The rivers of Elwynn Forest, the mist of Darkshore and the moonlight of Ashenvale have been reworked.
- Respawns: Creatures come back faster in low-level zones than in high ones. For launch, the starting zones respawn even faster.
The levelling guide shows which zone suits your level. For Hyjal you will want a group or guild, and the guild finder helps with that.
Frequently asked questions
Where are the Riverglades?
In the south-east of the Eastern Kingdoms, between Redridge Mountains, Badlands, Burning Steppes and Swamp of Sorrows. The zone is built for levels 35 to 45.
How do I get to Shen'dralas?
On foot from southern Desolace. The way leads through the Valley of Bones, which gained a third branch in Forever. The quest chains there require level 35.
Are there flying mounts in Forever?
No. Even Mount Hyjal is reached on foot or on a ground mount, through Darkwhisper Gorge in Winterspring.
Can the Horde enter Dalaran?
Not the city itself: the guards attack Horde players on sight. The Horde still reaches the dungeon, through the sewers after a quest chain from Tarren Mill.