Zone scaling, also known as level scaling,[1] causes mobs, quests, and loot to scale with the player character's level over a range. This allows the player more freedom to choose where they level. It was first introduced in Legion for zones in the Broken Isles, but was later expanded to include the entire game. However, scaling usually excludes content that was meant to be part of its expansion's end game: raids, heroic mode dungeons, and end-game zones such as Suramar or Mechagon.
As of patch 9.0.1, all starting zones scale from levels 1 - 10, including those for hero classes; zones from Battle for Azeroth scale to level 50; and all previous expansions scale to anywhere from level 30 to level 45. New characters can also enable Timewalking Campaigns, which causes all content to scale up to level 50.[2] This means that players can spend almost the entirety of a character's leveling journey in the same expansion, allowing them to experience stories more fully than with the previous system.
The below list shows zones' default level ranges. Timewalking Campaigns increase these ranges' upper limits to 50.
Expansion summary[]
Generally speaking, zones have a maximum level they scale to based on which expansion they are set in, and a minimum level they scale to based on how far into the expansion characters are expected to reach that zone. Dungeons follow this trend as well. All of the maximums instead go to 50 when in a Timewalking Campaigns. Some starting zones are exceptions to this rule.
Expansion | Maximum level | Note |
---|---|---|
World of Warcraft | 30 | Zones were updated in Cataclysm but have the lower max level matching other earliest expansions |
The Burning Crusade | 30 | |
Wrath of the Lich King | 30 | Death Knight starting area scales to 10 |
Cataclysm | 35 | Worgen and Goblin starting areas scale to 20 |
Mists of Pandaria | 35 | Pandaren starting zone The Wandering Isle scales to 10 |
Warlords of Draenor | 40 | |
Legion | 45 | |
Battle for Azeroth | 50 | |
Shadowlands | 60 | New player starting experience in Exile's Reach scales to 10 |
Dragonflight | 70 |
The minimum scaling level, or "level requirement", varies within each expansion. For most expansions, the zone encountered first has a minimum level of 10, while the final leveling zone typically has a minimum 5 levels below the maximum for the expansion, with intermediate zones' minimums distributed in between, often in increments of 5. Dungeons follow a similar pattern, while some end-of-expansion content has a level equal to the maximum for the expansion and does not scale. Exceptions include:
- The primary five new Cataclysm zones and their associated dungeons - those introduced as completely new content rather than revised versions of the original zones - all have minimums of 30 rather than a distribution starting at 10.
- Non-endgame Legion content all scales starting with level 10.
- The "starting zones" for each race, composed of the first two to three zones they would encounter, usually have 1, 5, and possibly 7 as minimums.
- Death Knight and Demon Hunter starting areas both scale starting at 8, the starting level for those classes.
- The Exile's Reach starting zone for new players in Shadowlands naturally starts at 1.
World of Warcraft[]
Eastern Kingdoms[]
Zone | Pre-7.3.5 | 7.3.5 | 8.2.5 | 9.0.1 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dun Morogh | 1 - 10 | 1 - 20 | 1 - 60 | 1 - 30 |
26 - 29 | 24 - 60 | 10 - 30 | ||
Elwynn Forest | 1 - 10 | 1 - 20 | 1 - 60 | 1 - 30 |
22 - 30 | 20 - 60 | 10 - 30 | ||
Tirisfal Glades | 1 - 10 | 1 - 20 | 1 - 60 | 1 - 30 |
Min. 21 | 26 - 60 | 10 - 30 | ||
28 - 33 | 28 - 60 | 10 - 30 | ||
Loch Modan | 10 - 20 | 10 - 60 | 5 - 30 | |
Silverpine Forest | 10 - 20 | 10 - 60 | 5 - 30 | |
16 - 26 | 17 - 60 | 8 - 30 | ||
Westfall | 10 - 15 | 10 - 60 | 5 - 30 | |
15 - 21 | 15 - 60 | 7 - 30 | ||
Redridge Mountains | 15 - 20 | 15 - 60 | 7 - 30 | |
Hillsbrad Foothills | 20 - 25 | 15 - 60 | 7 - 30 | |
Duskwood | 20 - 25 | 20 - 60 | 10 - 30 | |
Wetlands | 20 - 25 | 15 - 60 | 10 - 30 | |
Arathi Highlands | 25 - 30 | 25 - 60 | 10 - 30 | |
Northern Stranglethorn | 25 - 30 | 25 - 60 | 10 - 30 | |
Cape of Stranglethorn | 30 - 35 | 30 - 60 | 10 - 30 | |
Hinterlands | 30 - 35 | 30 - 60 | 10 - 30 | |
Western Plaguelands | 35 - 40 | 35 - 60 | 15 - 30 | |
Min. 33 | 38 - 60 | 15 - 30 | ||
Eastern Plaguelands | 40 - 45 | 40 - 60 | 15 - 30 | |
42 - 52 | 42 - 60 | 15 - 30 | ||
|
46 - 56 | 46 - 60 | 20 - 30 | |
Badlands | 44 - 48 | 40 - 60 | 15 - 30 | |
37 - 40 | 40 - 60 | 15 - 30 | ||
Burning Steppes | 49 - 52 | 40 - 60 | 15 - 30 | |
|
47 - 57 | 47 - 60 | 20 - 30 | |
|
51 - 60 | 51 - 60 | 20 - 30 | |
52 - 60 | 55 - 60 | 20 - 30 | ||
Searing Gorge | 47 - 51 | 40 - 60 | 15 - 30 | |
Swamp of Sorrows | 52 - 64 | 40 - 60 | 15 - 30 | |
50 - 60 | 50 - 60 | 20 - 30 | ||
Blasted Lands | 54 - 60 | 40 - 60 | 15 - 30 | |
Deadwind Pass | 55 - 56 | 10 - 30 |
Kalimdor[]
Zone | Pre-7.3.5 | 7.3.5 | 8.2.5 | 9.0.1 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Durotar | 1 - 10 | 1 - 20 | 1 - 60 | 1 - 30 |
15 - 21 | 15 - 60 | 7 - 30 | ||
Mulgore | 1 - 10 | 1 - 20 | 1 - 60 | 1 - 30 |
Teldrassil | 1 - 10 | 1 - 20 | 1 - 60 | 1 - 30 |
Azshara | 10 - 20 | 10 - 60 | 5 - 30 | |
Darkshore | 10 - 20 | 10 - 60 | 5 - 30 | |
Northern Barrens | 10 - 20 | 10 - 60 | 5 - 30 | |
15 - 25 | 17 - 60 | 8 - 30 | ||
Ashenvale | 20 - 25 | 15 - 60 | 7 - 30 | |
20 - 27 | 20 - 60 | 10 - 30 | ||
Stonetalon Mountains | 25 - 30 | 20 - 60 | 10 - 30 | |
Southern Barrens | 30 - 35 | 25 - 60 | 10 - 30 | |
32 - 35 | 30 - 60 | 10 - 30 | ||
42 - 45 | 35 - 60 | 15 - 30 | ||
Desolace | 30 - 35 | 30 - 60 | 10 - 30 | |
Min. 25 | 30 - 60 | 10 - 30 | ||
|
Min. 25 | 32 - 60 | 10 - 30 | |
|
Min. 25 | 34 - 60 | 10 - 30 | |
Feralas | 35 - 40 | 35 - 60 | 15 - 30 | |
36 - 46 | 36 - 60 | 15 - 30 | ||
|
39 - 49 | 39 - 60 | 15 - 30 | |
|
42 - 52 | 42 - 60 | 15 - 30 | |
Dustwallow Marsh | 35 - 40 | 35 - 60 | 15 - 30 | |
Winterspring | 50 - 55 | 40 - 60 | 15 - 30 | |
Felwood | 45 - 50 | 40 - 60 | 15 - 30 | |
Thousand Needles | 40 - 45 | 40 - 60 | 15 - 30 | |
Tanaris | 45 - 50 | 40 - 60 | 15 - 30 | |
44 - 54 | 44 - 60 | 15 - 30 | ||
Un'Goro Crater | 50 - 55 | 40 - 60 | 15 - 30 | |
Silithus | 55 - 60 | 40 - 60 | 15 - 30 |
The Burning Crusade[]
Eastern Kingdoms[]
Zone | Pre-7.3.5 | 7.3.5 | 8.2.5 | 9.0.1 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Eversong Woods | 1 - 10 | 1 - 20 | 1 - 60 | 1 - 30 |
Ghostlands | 10 - 20 | 10 - 60 | 1 - 30 | |
Isle of Quel'Danas | 70 | 67 - 80 | 25 - 30 | |
68 - 70 | 68 - 80 | 25 - 30 |
Kalimdor[]
Zone | Pre-7.3.5 | 7.3.5 | 8.2.5 | 9.0.1 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Azuremyst Isle | 1 - 10 | 1 - 20 | 1 - 60 | 1 - 30 |
Bloodmyst Isle | 10 - 20 | 10 - 60 | 1 - 30 | |
66 - 68 | 64 - 80 | 15 - 30 | ||
|
68 - 70 | 68 - 80 | 15 - 30 |
Outland[]
Zone | Pre-7.3.5 | 7.3.5 | 9.0.1 |
---|---|---|---|
Hellfire Peninsula | 58 - 63 | 58 - 80 | 10 - 30 |
57 - 67 | 58 - 80 | 10 - 30 | |
|
59 - 68 | 59 - 80 | 10 - 30 |
|
59 - 68 | 67 - 80 | 20 - 30 |
Zangarmarsh | 60 - 64 | 60 - 80 | 10 - 30 |
62 - 64 | 60 - 80 | 10 - 30 | |
|
63 - 65 | 61 - 80 | 10 - 30 |
|
70 | 67 - 80 | 20 - 30 |
Terokkar Forest | 62 - 65 | 62 - 80 | 15 - 30 |
64 - 66 | 62 - 80 | 15 - 30 | |
|
65 - 67 | 63 - 80 | 15 - 30 |
|
67 - 69 | 65 - 80 | 15 - 30 |
|
69 - 70 | 67 - 80 | 20 - 30 |
Nagrand | 64 - 67 | 64 - 80 | 15 - 30 |
Blade's Edge Mountains | 65 - 68 | 65 - 80 | 20 - 30 |
Netherstorm | 67 - 70 | 67 - 80 | 25 - 30 |
67 - 69 | 65 - 80 | 20 - 30 | |
|
70 | 67 - 80 | 20 - 30 |
|
70 | 68 - 80 | 25 - 30 |
Shadowmoon Valley | 67 - 70 | 67 - 80 | 25 - 30 |
Wrath of the Lich King[]
Eastern Kingdoms[]
Zone | Pre-7.3.5 | 7.3.5 | 9.0.1 |
---|---|---|---|
55 - 58 | 8 - 30 |
Kalimdor[]
Zone | Pre-7.3.5 | 7.3.5 | 9.0.1 |
---|---|---|---|
80 | 68 - 80 | 25 - 30 |
Northrend[]
Zone | Pre-7.3.5 | 7.3.5 | 9.0.1 |
---|---|---|---|
Borean Tundra | 68 - 72 | 58 - 80 | 10 - 30 |
71 - 73 | 59 - 80 | 10 - 30 | |
80 | 67 - 80 | 20 - 30 | |
Howling Fjord | 68 - 72 | 58 - 80 | 10 - 30 |
70 - 72 | 58 - 80 | 10 - 30 | |
80 | 67 - 80 | 20 - 30 | |
Dragonblight | 71 - 75 | 61 - 80 | 15 - 30 |
72 - 74 | 60 - 80 | 15 - 30 | |
73 - 75 | 61 - 80 | 15 - 30 | |
Grizzly Hills | 73 - 75 | 63 - 80 | 15 - 30 |
Zul'Drak | 74 - 76 | 64 - 80 | 25 - 30 |
74 - 76 | 62 - 80 | 15 - 30 | |
76 - 78 | 64 - 80 | 20 - 30 | |
Sholazar Basin | 76 - 78 | 66 - 80 | 25 - 30 |
Crystalsong Forest | 77 - 80 | 67 - 80 | 25 - 30 |
75 - 77 | 63 - 80 | 15 - 30 | |
Storm Peaks | 77 - 80 | 67 - 80 | 25 - 30 |
77 - 79 | 65 - 80 | 20 - 30 | |
|
79 - 80 | 67 - 80 | 20 - 30 |
Icecrown | 77 - 80 | 67 - 80 | 25 - 30 |
80 | 68 - 80 | 25 - 30 | |
80 | 70 - 80 | 25 - 30 | |
|
80 | 70 - 80 | 25 - 30 |
|
80 | 70 - 80 | 25 - 30 |
Hrothgar's Landing | 77 - 80 | 67 - 80 | 25 - 30 |
Wintergrasp | 77 - 80 | 67 - 80 | 25 - 30 |
Cataclysm[]
Eastern Kingdoms[]
Zone | Pre-7.3.5 | 7.3.5 | 9.0.1 |
---|---|---|---|
81 - 83 | 80 - 90 | 30 - 35 | |
Gilneas | 1 - 12 | 1 - 20 | |
Ruins of Gilneas | 14 - 20 | 10 - 60 | 5 - 30 |
Tol Barad | 84 - 85 | 30 - 35 | |
Tol Barad Peninsula | 85 | 30 - 35 | |
Vashj'ir | 80 - 82 | 80 - 90 | 30 - 35 |
80 - 81 | 80 - 90 | 30 - 35 | |
Twilight Highlands | 84 - 85 | 84 - 90 | 30 - 35 |
85 | 85 - 90 | 30 - 35 |
Kalimdor[]
Zone | Pre-7.3.5 | 7.3.5 | 9.0.1 |
---|---|---|---|
85 | 35 | ||
Mount Hyjal | 80 - 82 | 80 - 90 | 30 - 35 |
Uldum | 83 - 84 | 83 - 90 | 30 - 35 |
82 - 84 | 81 - 90 | 30 - 35 | |
84 - 85 | 84 - 90 | 30 - 35 | |
84 - 85 | 84 - 90 | 30 - 35 | |
Molten Front | 85 | 32 - 35 |
The Maelstrom[]
Zone | Pre-7.3.5 | 7.3.5 | 8.2.5 | 9.0.1 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kezan | 1 - 5 | 1 - 20 | ||
Lost Isles | 5 - 12 | 1 - 20 | ||
Deepholm | 82 - 83 | 82 - 90 | 30 - 35 | |
82 - 84 | 81 - 90 | 30 - 35 |
Mists of Pandaria[]
Pandaria[]
Zone | Pre-7.3.5 | 7.3.5 | 9.0.1 |
---|---|---|---|
Jade Forest | 85 - 86 | 80 - 90 | 10 - 35 |
85 - 85 | 80 - 90 | 10 - 35 | |
Valley of the Four Winds | 86 - 87 | 81 - 90 | 15 - 35 |
86 - 87 | 80 - 90 | 15 - 35 | |
Krasarang Wilds | 86 - 87 | 81 - 90 | 15 - 35 |
Kun-Lai Summit | 87 - 88 | 82 - 90 | 20 - 35 |
87 - 90 | 82 - 90 | 20 - 35 | |
Townlong Steppes | 88 - 89 | 83 - 90 | 25 - 35 |
88 - 90 | 83 - 90 | 25 - 35 | |
Dread Wastes | 89 - 90 | 84 - 90 | 30 - 35 |
88 - 90 | 83 - 90 | 25 - 35 | |
Veiled Stair | 87 | 30 - 35 | |
Vale of Eternal Blossoms | 90 | 85 - 90 | 35 |
87 - 90 | 82 - 90 | 20 - 35 | |
Isle of Thunder | 90 | 85 - 90 | 35 |
Isle of Giants | 90 | 85 - 90 | 35 |
Timeless Isle | 90 | 85 - 90 | 35 |
Unknown sea[]
Zone | Pre-7.3.5 | 7.3.5 | 9.0.1 |
---|---|---|---|
Wandering Isle | 1 - 10 | 1 - 20 | 1 - 10 |
Warlords of Draenor[]
Alternate Draenor[]
Zone | Pre-7.3.5 | 7.3.5 | 9.0.1 |
---|---|---|---|
Assault on the Dark Portal | 90 | 10 - 40 | |
Frostfire Ridge | 90 - 93 | 90 - 100 | 10 - 40 |
90 - 93 | 90 - 100 | 10 - 40 | |
Shadowmoon Valley | 90 - 93 | 90 - 100 | 10 - 40 |
100 | 10 - 40 | ||
Gorgrond | 92 - 94 | 92 - 100 | 15 - 40 |
93 - 95 | 92 - 100 | 15 - 40 | |
100 | 35 - 40 | ||
100 | 35 - 40 | ||
Talador | 94 - 96 | 94 - 100 | 20 - 40 |
95 - 98 | 94 - 100 | 20 - 40 | |
Spires of Arak | 96 - 98 | 96 - 100 | 30 - 40 |
97 - 100 | 30 - 40 | ||
Nagrand | 98 - 100 | 35 - 40 | |
Tanaan Jungle | 100 | 40 | |
Ashran | 100 | 40 |
Eastern Kingdoms[]
Zone | Pre-9.0.1 | 9.0.1 |
---|---|---|
100 | 35 - 40 |
Legion[]
Twisting Nether[]
Zone | Pre-9.0.1 | 9.0.1 |
---|---|---|
Mardum, the Shattered Abyss | 98 - 99 | 8 - 45 |
Broken Isles[]
Zone | Pre-9.0.1 | 9.0.1 |
---|---|---|
105 - 110 | 10 - 45 | |
The Battle for Broken Shore | 98 - 100 | 10 - 45 |
Val'sharah | 98 - 110 | 10 - 45 |
98 - 110 | 10 - 45 | |
110 | 10 - 45 | |
Stormheim | 98 - 110 | 10 - 45 |
98 - 110 | 10 - 45 | |
110 | 10 - 45 | |
Azsuna | 98 - 110 | 10 - 45 |
110 | 10 - 45 | |
Highmountain | 98 - 110 | 10 - 45 |
98 - 110 | 10 - 45 | |
Suramar | 110 | 45 |
110 | 45 | |
110 | 45 | |
Broken Shore | 110 | 45 |
Eye of Azshara | 110 | 10 - 45 |
98 - 110 | 10 - 45 |
Argus[]
Zone | Pre-9.0.1 | 9.0.1 |
---|---|---|
Krokuun | 110 | 45 |
Eredath | 110 | 45 |
Antoran Wastes | 110 | 45 |
Battle for Azeroth[]
Kul Tiras[]
Zone | Pre-9.0.1 | 9.0.1 |
---|---|---|
Tiragarde Sound | 110 - 120 / 120 | 10 - 50 |
110 - 120 / 120 | 16 - 50 | |
115 - 120 / 120 | 30 - 50 | |
120 | 50 | |
Stormsong Valley | 110 - 120 / 120 | 25 - 50 |
110 - 120 / 120 | 35 - 50 | |
Drustvar | 110 - 120 / 120 | 35 - 50 |
110 - 120 / 120 | 25 - 50 |
Zandalar[]
Zone | Pre-9.0.1 | 9.0.1 |
---|---|---|
Zuldazar | 110 - 120 / 120 | 10 - 50 |
110 - 120 / 120 | 10 - 50 | |
115 - 120 / 120 | 30 - 50 | |
120 | 50 | |
Nazmir | 110 - 120 / 120 | 25 - 50 |
110 - 120 / 120 | 25 - 50 | |
Vol'dun | 110 - 120 / 120 | 35 - 50 |
110 - 120 / 120 | 35 - 50 |
Zone level not changing[]
Zone | Pre-9.0.1 | 9.0.1 |
---|---|---|
Mechagon Island | 120 | 50 |
120 | 50 | |
Nazjatar | 120 | 50 |
Shadowlands[]
North Sea[]
Zone | 9.0.1 |
---|---|
Exile's Reach | 1 - 10 |
Shadowlands[]
9.0.2 | ||
---|---|---|
Zone | Storyline | Threads of Fate |
Bastion | 51 - 53 | 50 - 60 |
51 | 50 - 60 | |
60 | 60 | |
Maldraxxus | 53 - 55 | 50 - 60 |
53 | 50 - 60 | |
60 | 60 | |
Ardenweald | 55 - 58 | 50 - 60 |
55 | 50 - 60 | |
60 | 60 | |
Revendreth | 58 - 60 | 50 - 60 |
57 | 50 - 60 | |
60 | 60 | |
The Maw | 60 | 60 |
Notes and trivia[]
- Scaling only applies to equipment at the moment it is obtained. Completing a quest at level 40 will reward level 40-appropriate equipment, but leveling up after completing the quest will not cause that equipment to scale to 41 or beyond.
- When scaling was added to old world zones, a number of items that had been made unobtainable by level changes in Cataclysm became obtainable again.[3][4]
Previous versions[]
As of patch 8.2.5, most content was scaled based on the following level bands:
- 1 - 60: Old world and starting zones
- 60 - 80: The Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King zones
- 80 - 90: Cataclysm and Mists of Pandaria zones
- 90 - 100: Warlords of Draenor zones
- 100 - 110: Legion zones
- 110 - 120: Battle for Azeroth zones
Between patch 7.3.5 and patch 8.2.5, starting zones had their own band, which spanned levels 1 - 20. Only a few instanced starting zones (such as Gilneas) retained this level band after 8.2.5.
Patch changes[]
- Patch 9.0.1 (2020-10-13): Levels squished; max level is now 60. Zone scaling has been changed across the board to match.
- Patch 8.2.5 (2019-09-24):
- Most starting zones that scaled from 1 - 20 have had their scaling increased to 1 - 60.
- Initial starting areas (e.g. Northshire Valley, Valley of Trials) in the affected zones now scale.
- Patch 7.3.5 (2018-01-16): Applied to the rest of the world.
- Patch 7.0.3 (2016-07-19): Added with the Broken Isles.
See also[]
- Timewalking - scales the player down to the content's level.
- Party Sync - scales the player down to another player's level.
References[]
- ^ Patch 7.3.5#A Scaling World
- ^ Shadowlands: Leveling Changes Spotlight (2019-11-02). Retrieved on 2019-11-02.
- ^ WoW Economy Weekly Wrap-Up: Patch 7.3.5 (2018-01-20). Retrieved on 2019-11-02.
- ^ More Unobtainable items, Let's find even more! (2018-01-21). Retrieved on 2019-11-02.