Dungeon leveling in WoW: Forever got a large buff in the beta build of October 8, 2026: about 20% more experience from dungeon kills, plus a fix for a bug that cut XP for anyone grouped with a higher level player. Blizzard says perfect dungeon play should now level you about as fast as optimal questing, but not faster. Dungeon spam to 60 is not meant to be the best route.
Timeline of dungeon XP changes on the beta
Dungeon XP was the loudest leveling debate of the beta. After the October 1 nerf to dungeon quest rewards, the forums filled with threads asking Blizzard to restore dungeon XP. A week later Blizzard answered with a buff and a bug fix, explained on the third episode of the official podcast.
| Date | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|
| October 1, 2026 | Dungeon quests reward 50% less extra XP beyond normal quest values; some quest rewards recalibrated | Beta development notes (Kaivax) |
| October 8, 2026 | XP from killing creatures in dungeons increased by about 20% | Beta development notes; podcast episode 3 |
| October 8, 2026 | Party XP penalty for lower level kills now uses each player's own level, not the highest party member | Beta development notes; Aggrend forum post |
| Unchanged | If one party member is vastly higher level than the enemy, nobody in the party gets XP | Beta development notes, October 8 |
All of this is beta tuning. Numbers can still move before launch on November 4, 2026. Our leveling hub tracks the current state.
The XP bug that punished mixed level groups
In earlier beta builds, the penalty for killing lower level mobs in a party was calculated from the highest level player in the group. Aggrend gave an example on the forums: four level 20 players running the Deadmines with one level 25 got very little XP per kill, because the game treated everyone as level 25.
Classic Era applied that adjustment to each player separately. The October 8 build restores that behavior, so you now earn XP based on your own level relative to the mobs. Blizzard's notes say the fix plus the 20% buff should dramatically increase dungeon XP for most players.
In practice, a slightly overleveled tank or healer no longer drags down the whole group. A player far above the content still blocks XP for everyone, so do not bring a max level friend along for a fast clear and expect XP.
What the podcast said about dungeons and questing
Episode 3 of the official WoW: Forever podcast, released October 8, 2026, featured senior game designers Josh Greenfield, Jay Hartman and Rowan Ryder, hosted by Countdown to Classic with guest Hammerdance. It focused on dungeon leveling and questing.
- Repeatable, not optimal. Rowan Ryder said the team does not want dungeons to be a one-and-done experience, but grinding dungeons alone should not be the best way to play. There should be reasons to go back into the open world.
- Close to questing speed. In a follow-up forum post, Aggrend said that with perfect XP per hour play, dungeon leveling should now be very close to, if not equal to, optimal questing. He also said XP will not be what it was in Era.
- Design pillars. Aggrend tied the balance to two pillars, "World is the Main Character" and "Nurture and Protect Social Experiences." If dungeons became the clear winner, he said, player behavior would shift across the whole game.
- No dungeon maps, probably. Jay Hartman said maps push groups toward the shortest route and away from exploring, so Forever probably will not add them.
The no-maps stance fits Forever's hidden content. The secret boss in City of Dalaran, covered in our Lyn the Ignored report, is only found by players who explore side tunnels.
Should you level through dungeons?
After the October 8 changes, dungeons are a valid mix-in rather than a trap or a shortcut. A reasonable approach on the beta:
- Quest in the open world as your main source of XP, since Blizzard is tuning questing as the baseline.
- Run a new dungeon when your level sits inside its range and you have a group ready. Dungeon quests still give normal quest XP, and boss drops are now blue quality.
- Keep groups within a few levels of each other. Thanks to the fix, a small gap no longer hurts lower players.
- Use the LFG tool's Playstyle setting to find groups that match your pace: Learning, Relaxed, Competitive or Carry Offered, as reported by Wowhead on October 7, 2026.
| Level | New dungeon (official range) |
|---|---|
| 13-20 | The Hall of Thanes (13-18), Ruins of Lordaeron (15-20) |
| 24-33 | Excavation Site: Wetlands (24-29 or 26-31), City of Dalaran (28-33) |
| 35-45 | The Drowned City (35-40), Krol'dok Stronghold (40-45) |
| 48-60 | Alcaz Prison (48-53), Blackmaw Hold (55-60), Shaper's Terrace (58-60) |
For zones and classic dungeons at each level, use our dungeon hub.
How fast is leveling overall?
Blizzard has not published a total time to 60. On podcast episode 1, the team said beta players took on average 20.5 hours to reach level 20 in Forever, compared with 20.4 hours in Classic, as reported by Icy Veins. Blizzard also says the experience curve stays the same as Classic.
If you have less time than that, our boost and leveling price guide explains what leveling services cost and how they work.
Frequently asked questions
How much was dungeon XP increased in WoW: Forever?
Experience from killing creatures in dungeons went up by about 20% in the beta build of October 8, 2026.
Can you level to 60 only through dungeons?
You can, but Blizzard says it will keep dungeon leveling at or slightly below optimal questing speed, so it will not be the fastest path.
Does a higher level player in my group reduce my XP?
Since October 8, only your own level matters. If someone is vastly higher than the mobs, though, no one gets XP.
Will WoW: Forever add dungeon maps?
Probably not. Jay Hartman said on podcast episode 3 that maps work against the exploration the team wants.
Sources
- Blizzard forums: Beta Development Notes (October 8)
- Blizzard forums: Beta Development Notes (October 1)
- Blizzard forums: Aggrend on the dungeon XP bug
- Blizzard forums: Episode 3 of the WoW: Forever Podcast
- Blizzard forums: official new dungeon level ranges
- Wowhead: Podcast episode 3 now available
- Wowhead: Buffs to dungeon experience
- Wowhead: Dungeon maps likely not coming
- Wowhead: Dungeon XP buff development notes
- Icy Veins: Average leveling speed stat
- Wowhead: Playstyle selection added to LFG