Reaching higher levels in World of Warcraft can take just a little time and effort, or it can take a lot more time and effort. It is up to you how you choose to do it. Starting a new character or coming back after some time away, a proper plan will help a lot.
Without purpose and completing weak quests, you’ll spend time with little to show for it. To boost WoW leveling, you need to follow proven steps.
Taking the right class, using your XP bonuses, and avoiding wasting time on the map can all save you a lot of time. With a proper setup, you can skip the usual errors and become level 100 faster.
Choose the Right Class and Race
Pick a Class That Levels Fast
Certain classes develop and improve more rapidly than others. As Hunter, your pet takes the damage for you, and you don’t have to stop a lot.
Druids have an edge: they can take the road as a vehicle, so they don’t need to run, and they can also heal or disappear, helping them keep going. When you get good at shooting out and controlling crowds, Mage becomes quicker, and you can teleport to any city to save time on moving around.
Best Races for Leveling Bonuses
Small advantages can be found in your racial traits. Night Elves are saved from death by using Shadowmeld. Gaining a reputation is easier for humans, which is beneficial for earning faction rewards. Orcs are stronger when they have Blood Fury.
Both Trolls and Dwarves give your army faster attack or better survival abilities. These attributes will help, although they aren’t magical.
Use Heirlooms and XP Boosts
Heirlooms will increase in power as your character grows, so you don’t have to get new ones. If you put on chest, shoulders, helm, legs, and a ring, you can increase your XP by as much as 45%!
Heirlooms are available for purchase with either gold or special currency from vendors in capital cities. When you unlock them, they are open to all characters and can be raised to level 59.
XP boosts can be placed on top of heirlooms, but not all heirlooms agree with this. Always make sure your active bonuses do not repeat. These are the key things that help you gain experience more quickly:
- You earn up to 45% more XP when wearing all heirloom gear at once. Each bonus item adds more value as your level goes higher.
- War Mode rewards you with 10% to 30% more XP, depending on the number of players from each group. You can also take part in Player versus Player, so watch out for other players.
- Using the carousel at the Darkmoon Faire increases your experience rate by 10% for 1 hour. You can refresh the buff as many times as you like as long as the Faire continues.
- During their anniversary events, Blizzard often turns on XP buffs that can be between 18% and 100%. They are only available for a short time.
- When the Winds of Wisdom are on, you earn 50% more experience. This is made possible by Blizzard during the catch-up periods and before new patches are released.
- If you have the “Fast Track” perk for your guild, you earn 10% more XP while killing enemies.
- For nearby party members, the Battle Standard of Coordination makes you gain 15% more XP. You have 10 minutes to use it, and you can try it in dungeons or quest zones.
Follow a Leveling Guide or Add-On
When your class and XP bonuses are set up, rely on a guide or add-on for better efficiency. They ensure you don’t do quests that will give you little or no rewards and avoid wasting time. You’ll waste less time trying to figure out what you should do and more time unlocking new levels.
Zygor Guides, Questie, and Azeroth Auto Pilot are all good picks. In Retail, Zygor shows you the way step by step.
Questie is most helpful in Classic, as it places the missing quest info on the map. Azeroth Auto Pilot skips all reading and finds the fastest path. With these tools, it is easier to stay on track, which means you level up faster.
Leveling in Modern vs. Classic WoW
What to Expect in Retail
It only takes a short time to level in retail mode. Given the right setup, it should take you 8 to 15 hours to achieve level 60.
Chromie Time allows you to choose any expansion, and every zone will adjust as you play. You can stay in one place and not fall behind. Quests are located side by side, it’s simple to travel, and groups can play content from any location.
Turn on War Mode to get extra experience and rely on the dungeon finder to help you move forward faster. You gain access to spells as you go along, so you don’t need to worry about them when you start playing.
What to Expect in Classic WoW
Classic takes much more time than Serious. It will take between 40 and 100 hours to get to the max level. Zones are set and don’t grow, meaning quests typically include far walks or difficult battles. You can’t travel far, getting killed is harsh, and after most battles, you can eat or use health potions.
Effective work is the result of good planning. You can use Questie to keep track of your quests and concentrate on zones with the best quest sequence. It’s easier to handle difficult topics when you group similar concepts.
Classic is designed for those who like to play smart and take their time, and some players choose this style for that reason.
One Smart Trick That Saves Hours
Spend your time in zones that have fast travel. Just this one feature saves you a lot of time while playing. Stay away from zones that require you to travel far between where quests begin. Stormwind and Orgrimmar in Retail connect to many of the zones.
In Classic, do your quests in The Barrens, Westfall, or Stranglethorn Vale, because hubs are nearby each other. Reducing your travel saves time, as you earn more experience per hour.