Shadowlands Leveling Changes After Level Squish

Blizzard has reworked the leveling experience from the ground up in Shadowlands and this section highlights the main changes:

• Levels will be squished down and the new maximum level cap will be 60.
• Overall, leveling from Level 1 to 50 will be more than twice as fast as before, which is why Heirlooms no longer provide Experience bonuses in Shadowlands.
• The vast majority of leveling potions is retiring, so do not forget to get rid of them before the new expansion hits.
• A new starting zone called Exile's Reach has been added and is mandatory for new players. Veteran players can simply opt out of it and begin at Level 1 in the starting zone for their race.
• Death Knights and Demon Hunters will start at lower levels.
• A new feature called Timewalking Campaigns allows Veteran players to select a previous expansion for leveling in the Level 10-50 range before heading into the Shadowlands.

For a complete set of leveling guides, please refer to our Leveling Hub.

Numbers will be tweaked down in Shadowlands and this includes levels. All characters that are currently at Level 120 will have Level 50 in the Shadowlands pre-patch. The new cap is Level 60. It is important to note that the squish will not impact your ability to solo old content and raids.

Exile's Reach is an all-new starting experience available to both veteran and new players.

The new experience is crafted to teach you a variety of skills needed to be successful in Azeroth and beyond. As you make your way through Exile's Reach, you will learn all about fundamentals of playing World of Warcraft, while also diving into some of the most important mechanics for your chosen class.

Hunters will learn how to tame and stable their pets, Warriors will learn the essentials of a good charge, and so on.

Exile's Reach culminates in an AI-controlled mini-dungeon designed for 1 to 5 players.

Leveling has been sped up, and will be more than twice as fast than before. The new Heirloom set that will replace all the previous Heirlooms is called Regalia of the Fabled Adventurers and consists of 7 items. Heirlooms will provide the following unique Heirloom set bonuses instead of Experience bonuses:

• 2-Piece Set Bonus: Rested Experience consumed is reduced by 30%.
• 3-Piece Set Bonus: Increases your out-of-combat regeneration in the outdoors, normal dungeons, and battlegrounds.
• 4-Piece Set Bonus: Gaining a level triggers Burst of Knowledge, dealing Holy damage to nearby enemies and granting you 40% primary stat for 2 minutes. Defeating additional enemies extends this effect, up to 2 additional minutes.
• 6-Piece Set Bonus: Rested Experience consumed is reduced by an additional 30%.

Elixir of Ancient Knowledge, Elixir of the Rapid Mind, and Excess Potion of Accelerated Learning will no longer work in Shadowlands.

Draught of Ten Lands added in Battle for Azeroth will continue to offer the 10% Experience bonus up to Level 50.

Monk's Peak of Serenity Enlightenment buff will be changed to granting rested Experience in Shadowlands.

Demon Hunters will start at Level 8 in Shadowlands and go through their standard leveling experience in Mardum (down from Level 98).

Death Knights will start at Level 8 and 10 respectively (down from Level 55).

• The new generation of Allied Race Death Knights starts at Level 10.
• The old races that go through the Lich King intro start at Level 8.

Allied Races start at Level 10 and do not need to complete a starting zone.

Timewalking Campaigns are a new feature that lets you pick a previous expansion (campaign) that you would like to select for leveling in the 10-50 range. New players do not have access to Timewalking Campaigns and must play through Exile's Reach and Battle for Azeroth first to reach Level 50 with at least one character, before they classify as Veteran players and can seek out Chromie on subsequent alts.

Chromie can be found near embassies in Stormwind and Orgrimmar.

Talking to her lets you select a Timewalking Campaign (expansion) for leveling. Choosing an expansion will make your character receive all the accompanying quests. If you change your mind later, you can return to Chromie anytime to select a different Timewalking Campaign.

Chromie offers the following campaigns (previous WoW expansions) for leveling:

• The Cataclysm: Civilizations clashed across Azeroth as people from all walks of life fought to survive after Deathwing's destructive Shattering. Aid Azeroth's many denizens and learn the history of our great world, to ensure we do not repeat past mistakes!
• Portal to Outland: We were not prepared for the Dark Portal to open a second time, but heroes answered the call and stepped bravely into the shattered world of Outland. Conquer the ancient and dying world to stop the Burning Legion from invading Azeroth!
• Fall of the Lich King: When Arthas Menethil threatened our world as the Lich King, all of Azeroth's heroes united to destroy the undead forces growing restless in Northrend. Answer the Argent Crusade's call to disrupt Arthas's plans, and put his undead scourge on ice!
• Wilds of Pandaria: Untouched by war for over 10,000 years, the Horde and Alliance fight to control Pandaria's peaceful shores, but a dark secret lives within the earth. The factions of Azeroth ignored the Pandaren's warnings that emotions manifest in dangerous ways in their mystic land. Pierce the mists and explore the beauty of Pandaria!
• The Iron Horde: Traveling into the past to amass an orcish army was reckless, even for Garrosh Hellscream. The savage homeworld of orcs and draenei was not so easily conquered. Fight alongside the great orcs and draenei of lore!
• The Legion Invasion: Repelling the Burning Legion's demonic invasion required great sacrifice and every vestige of power we could get our hands on. We did what we must to protect Azeroth's world soul. Claim a powerful artifact, establish your order's presence on the Broken Isles, and stop the demonic invasion!