Level 30 beta: Dalaran testing and dungeon XP changes

October 23 update: Blizzard confirmed that the WoW Forever beta closed on October 23, 2026. The level-30 test described here has ended. Use the access guide for reservation eligibility and launch dates; keep the old cap, XP changes and testing grant separate from launch rules.

October 8 beta history: Blizzard’s October 8 beta build opens City of Dalaran for testing. That update also changed dungeon-kill XP and mixed-level party calculations. The original notes describe the beta build without supplying a numeric client version.

Which dungeons can I plan for?

October 1 build history: Blizzard’s October 1 development notes raise the beta cap to 30, add Excavation Site in Wetlands (26–31), and make Razorfen Downs (25+) and Uldaman (30+) available.

These are Blizzard’s listed brackets, not verified entrance-level requirements.

Greenfield’s October 1 correction delayed Dalaran after the earlier two-dungeon announcement. The October 8 notes ended that wait during the beta. Use the dungeon finder to compare the published brackets; the historical beta availability announcement does not supply an entrance requirement or a loot table.

The October 1 beta notes listed Excavation at 26–31. Blizzard’s October 20 dungeon preview repeats the announced 24–29 range used by our launch-planning table. Keep the older test bracket separate from that later announcement.

Horde: the Sewer Key does not make the city safe

October 15 correction: Blizzard’s October 15 beta notes say Horde characters are attacked on sight in open-world Dalaran. The Sewer Key questline no longer grants unrestricted city access, but access to the City of Dalaran dungeon is unaffected. The same notes fix Horde characters gaining Kirin Tor reputation.

Plan the dungeon separately from travelling through the city. Blizzard’s October 20 dungeon preview says Alliance players start the required Dalaran attunement with An Alarming Request from Emissary Jacques in Southshore. Horde players start with Key to the City and Prison Break-In from Magus Wordeen Voidglare in Tarren Mill. Check the dungeon preparation guide before gathering the group.

October 9 developer discussion before the fix

October 9 developer follow-up, REPORTED: Josh ‘Aggrend’ Greenfield says full Horde access to Dalaran is not intended and that the team would look at adjustments.

Replying to a question about Horde Kirin Tor reputation, Greenfield says that was not intended. He says a fix had already been made but would not be reflected until the following week.

Those October 9 posts described intended behavior and an internal fix. Blizzard subsequently announced the city-access and reputation corrections in the October 15 notes above.

October 1 maintenance history

These are Blizzard’s broad windows, not exact opening times. The US notice and EU notice do not give exact reopening times. The October 1 development notes now describe the build, but do not supply a client build number. Avoid planning a group around an invented reset time.

Dungeon kills pay more; quest XP is a separate change

Dungeon creature-kill XP increased by approximately 20% in the October 8 beta build.

Lower-level enemy XP now adjusts to each party member’s level. The exception remains: a vastly higher-level member can still prevent the entire party from earning XP.

When play resumes, compare your mixed-level group’s actual XP rather than carrying an older beta result forward. This does not make every repeat clear the fastest route. Our dungeon leveling guide helps separate turn-ins, kills and time spent forming the group.

October 1 quest-bonus history:

Dungeon quests now award 50% less extra experience beyond normal quest values. The change concerns the bonus, not all quest experience.

Do not read that as “every dungeon quest gives half XP.” If you are comparing another run with outdoor questing, check the actual rewards rather than using the old bonus.

Check your talents before copying an old plan

Under the point rules used by our talent calculator, level 30 gives you 21 points, up from eleven at level 20. That is enough to reconsider where your build is going, rather than just fill the next rank.

October 9 snapshot history: ForeverAtlas’s current calculator uses the October 8 TalentsForever community snapshot, attributed by its source to client 1.60.1.70291. The new tree restores Impale’s Deep Wounds prerequisite and includes Natural Instinct’s healing bonus. Check the displayed snapshot against your client before spending points; this is community-sourced data, not a ForeverAtlas in-game test.

October 20 planner update: The calculator added the October 15 talent-tree changes from the October 19 community export (client 1.60.1.70425). The October 8 trees remain available for old links. Use the dated labels in builds to distinguish the newly checked Affliction allocation from historical examples. Later client differences are not independently verified.

Saved links still open their original tree, including the October 4, 1.60.1.70170 snapshot with its dated Warrior hotfix context. The October 1 notes removed Druid’s King of the Jungle and added Shifting Power; those older allocations are also preserved. The creator builds retain their stated levels and source dates; a level-20 recommendation has not automatically become a level-30 build.

Before using beta damage or threat measurements to choose a build, check the dated known issues and fixes. Acknowledged beta combat bugs could distort those comparisons; this is not a verified launch issue list.

Blizzard previously discussed Darkspear Islands for a later beta phase. That historical discussion does not establish availability now; the beta is closed.

October 2 Warrior history: the route through Fury

Blizzard added a Warrior follow-up after the initial notes. If you copied an older Fury plan, check what its points unlock before adding ten more.

Blizzard’s October 2 Warrior follow-up replaces the 75% critical-strike Rage increase with 100%, removes hit chance from Dual Wield Specialization and introduces Furious Precision for off-hand hit. Flurry now requires Death Wish instead of Enrage.

Lingering Rage is a new row-2 choice for delaying Rage decay between fights. Improved Cleave and Boundless Rage are gone; Whirlwind now strikes with both weapons without requiring Raging Blows. Berserker Rage becomes available at level 30.

Protection also changes its early route: Iron Will moves from Fury into the first Protection row, alongside Improved Bloodrage, and Toughness is removed.

Compare the dated original notes, the planner’s stated snapshot and your in-game tree. An old saved link preserves its original allocation; it is not automatically a recommendation for the newest build.

The Legacy testing grant was separate from launch progression

All beta players have been granted Legacy Challenge completion, awarding 16 Legacy Points for testing.

That grant supported beta testing; it is not a promise of free Legacy points at launch. Legacy points are separate from the 21 class talent points in a normal level-30 allocation. Our Legacy guide keeps the testing grant and launch progression rules separate.

What changed from the original plan?

Clay Stone’s pre-beta interview described level 20 first and level 30 later, without a date. The October 1 notices make that schedule concrete. This article keeps its original September 15 publication date and has been updated with the announcement.

For reservation eligibility, installation and launch timing after the beta, see the access guide.