Where Should I Go Again? A Look At Level 80-85 Cataclysm Zones.

One of the trickiest things about expansions is having to level up again…and being a “newbie” all over! My biggest problem is I’m never quite sure where to go next, even after leveling all of my alts, I still sometimes have to ask in guild chat “Uh, guys, where should I go at level 30…and don’t tell me Desolace!”. So, as much for my reference as yours, I thought that I’d offer up this little tidbit for those looking to set out their leveling plans before December 7! And, uh, not have to ask where to go next 😉

You can find a great interactive map of the zones here, which I’ve reproduced for you below, to show you where each new zone is located (although I really do recommend clicking the link for the original!).

The New Zones –

• Hyjal 80-82 – Located in northern Kalimdor. Story lines involve the druid defenses of the world tree.
• Vashj’ir 80-82 – Underwater zone located off the western coast of the Eastern Kingdoms. Story lines involve Naga attempting to enslave Neptulon.
• Deepholm 82-83 – Located through the Maelstrom. Story lines include The Earthen Ring trying to recover the World Pillar from the Twilight’s Hammer.
• Uldum 83-84 – Located in Southern Kalimdor. Story lines include Titan lore and archeology, as well as an introduction to Al’Akir and the Ramkahen.
• Twilight Highlands 84-85 – Located in Khaz Modan (Eastern Kingdoms). Story lines include disputes between the alliance and horde – and Twilight’s Hammer.
• Tol Barad – 85 – Located off the coast of Lodaeron (Eastern Kingdoms). There will be a Wintergrasp-esque PvP zone, and a daily quest hub.

Also don’t forget that many of the old world zones have been redone, so consider leveling up that goblin or worgen from scratch to check out the new flavors of Azeroth! I plan on leveling my Goblin without the benefit of Heirlooms just to see as many of the newly revamped zones as possible on my journey.

Of course, I am forgetting something very important! What would new zones be without new instances to go with them?! I don’t know about you, but instancing is one of my favorite parts of leveling. So of course I’m going to want to visit them all on my journey to level 85 and after! (I will probably also be able to offer a rant or two about them on the way…so, uh, stay tuned).

The New Instances –

• Throne of Tides – 5 man, levels 80-81. Located in Vashj’ir.
• Blackrock Caverns – 5 man, level 80-81. Located in Blackrock Mountain/Spire (just inside the main ring).
• Abyssal Maw – 5 man, level 81-83. Located in Vashj’ir. (May only be The Throne of Tides, and no additional instances at this time!)
• Vortex Pinnacle – 5 man, level 82-84. Located in the Skywall/Uldum.
• The Stone Core – 5 man, level 83-84. Located in Deepholme.
• Grim Batol – 5 man, level 85. Located in Twilight Highlands.
• Halls of Origination – 5 man, level 85. Located in Uldum.
• Lost City of Tol’vir – 5 man, level 85. Located in Uldum.
• Heroic: Shadowfang Keep – 5 man, level 85
• Heroic Deadmines – 5 man, level 85

What was that? You can’t find the zone in? No problem, I’ve got you covered! Just check this out!

Good Luck Everyone! The Last One to 85 is a Rotten Egg! I hope everyone is as excited as I am to start the journey 🙂 I can’t wait to hear about everyone’s adventures in the weeks to come!

Also, please don’t hesitate to let me know if I’ve missed a zone or instance, so that I can update the information before release!