TBC Anniversary Leveling Guide: How to Reach Level 70
Anniversary realms have been on The Burning Crusade since the Dark Portal opened on , so the level cap is 70 and the current content is the Zul’Aman update from . A new character quests through Azeroth up to 58 and then levels through Outland to 70. Levels 20 to 60 need about 15 percent less XP than in original Classic, while Blizzard has not announced any XP change for 60 to 70.
Starting as a Blood Elf or Draenei
The Burning Crusade added two races, and each has its own starting zones. Blood Elves play for the Horde and begin on Sunstrider Isle in Eversong Woods, which covers levels 1 to 10. From there they go on to Ghostlands for roughly levels 10 to 20. Draenei play for the Alliance and begin on Azuremyst Isle, then continue on Bloodmyst Isle. When those quests run out, both races join the usual Azeroth route up to 58.
Levels 1 to 58 in Azeroth
Levels 20 to 60 need about 15 percent less XP than they did before The Burning Crusade. Quests between levels 30 and 60 also give more XP, and some elite quests became normal quests that you can finish alone. These are the standard TBC leveling changes, and no extra Anniversary XP bonus has been confirmed on top of them.
Dungeon groups are still built by hand. You can list yourself or look for a group in the LFG tool, but there is no automatic queue that forms a group and teleports you in, so you travel to the dungeon yourself.
Outland leveling route from 58 to 70
At 58 you go through the Dark Portal into Hellfire Peninsula. The level ranges overlap, so you don’t have to finish every quest in a zone before you move on. When the quests that are left give little XP, go to the next zone on the list.
| Zone | Levels | Why go there |
|---|---|---|
| Hellfire Peninsula | 58–63 | First zone behind the Dark Portal, with your first Outland gear upgrades |
| Zangarmarsh | 60–64 | Cenarion Expedition quests and the first Coilfang dungeons |
| Terokkar Forest | 62–65 | Shattrath City and the Auchindoun dungeons |
| Nagrand | 64–67 | Open zone with Adamantite ore for miners |
| Blade’s Edge Mountains | 65–68 | Home of Ogri’la, a daily quest faction for later |
| Netherstorm | 66–70 | Tempest Keep dungeons and Motes of Mana |
| Shadowmoon Valley | 67–70 | Netherwing daily quests once you can fly |
Netherstorm and Shadowmoon Valley both cover the last levels, so pick the one you like more. Blizzard has not announced any XP reduction or bonus for levels 60 to 70, so plan for the full amount there.
Dungeons while leveling
The levels below are the recommended range for Normal mode, which is not the same as the minimum level to enter. At these levels the fights and the loot fit your character.
| Dungeon | Recommended level |
|---|---|
| Hellfire Ramparts | 60–62 |
| The Blood Furnace | 61–63 |
| The Slave Pens | 62–64 |
| The Underbog | 63–65 |
| Mana-Tombs | 64–66 |
| Auchenai Crypts | 65–67 |
| Old Hillsbrad Foothills | 66–68 |
| Sethekk Halls | 67–69 |
| The Steamvault | 68–70 |
| Shadow Labyrinth | 69–70 |
| The Shattered Halls | 69–70 |
A few dungeons need a door key. The Shadow Labyrinth Key comes from a chest in Sethekk Halls, The Shattered Halls has a key quest chain of its own, and The Black Morass opens after the Old Hillsbrad Foothills quest chain. The level 70 dungeons, the Heroic keys and the raids are in our TBC Anniversary dungeons and raids guide.
Quests or dungeons?
For a fresh 58, quests are the safer start because they need no group, and the early Outland quest rewards give you your first upgrades. Dungeons pay off when you have a group at the right level and gear that keeps up. A run gives XP and loot, and it also builds the reputation you will need later for Heroic keys. Finding the group takes time, though, and a group that isn’t ready for the dungeon can end up slower than questing.
A mix works well for most characters: quest, and join a dungeon group when one forms for your level range, ideally with that dungeon’s quests already in your log.
What to do at level 70
Flying is the first big goal because it makes farming and travel much faster. At 70, Expert Riding costs 800 gold and a basic flying mount costs 100 gold. Epic flying needs Artisan Riding for 5,000 gold plus 200 gold for the mount. Druids have their own path with the Swift Flight Form quest chain, which has been open since Phase 2 and needs level 70 and Artisan Riding. Most of that gold comes from daily quests and gathering, and our TBC Anniversary gold farming guide shows what works in the current phase.
Heroic dungeons come next. Since you can buy a Heroic key at Honored with the matching faction, and all Heroics are at their final, reduced difficulty. Reputation is earned per character, while raid attunements count for your whole account. What else the Zul’Aman update changed is in the TBC Anniversary phase overview.
If you are short on time for an alt, you can also have it taken to 70 with our TBC Anniversary leveling service.
Frequently asked questions
Levels 20 to 60 need about 15 percent less XP than in original Classic. No extra Anniversary XP bonus has been confirmed, and Blizzard has not announced any XP change for levels 60 to 70.
Blood Elves start on Sunstrider Isle in Eversong Woods and move on to Ghostlands at around level 10. Draenei start on Azuremyst Isle and continue on Bloodmyst Isle.
At level 58. The Outland route starts in Hellfire Peninsula, which covers levels 58 to 63.
Expert Riding costs 800 gold at level 70 and a basic flying mount costs 100 gold. Epic flying needs Artisan Riding for 5,000 gold plus 200 gold for the mount.
There is no automatic queue that teleports you into a dungeon. You list yourself or find a group in the LFG tool and travel to the entrance together.
A Heroic key for that dungeon hub. Since October 22, 2026 you can buy it at Honored reputation with the matching faction.
Change Log
- February 5, 2026: TBC Anniversary leveling guide published.