This WoW Forever Hinterlands guide in one breath: Alliance arrives at 43, Horde at 44, both finish The Hinterlands around 49-50 after a group run up Jintha'Alor, then leave for Tanaris, Feralas, Searing Gorge or Azshara. Nothing announced for Forever rewrites this zone's hubs, so the old chains, old hub routes and old skips are still the fastest way through.
Hubs are fixed and far apart. Alliance lives at Aerie Peak in the far west, Horde at Revantusk Village on the far east coast, and the whole troll population of the zone sits in between, waiting.
Level Range: When to Come, When to Leave
The World of Warcraft Forever leveling curve to 60 is reported unchanged and there is still no flying, so this zone keeps its original 40-51 bracket. Come after Stranglethorn, Desolace or the new Riverglades (35-45) and leave before the troll quests turn grey.
| Faction | Arrive | Leave | Next Stop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alliance | 43-44 | 49-50 | Feralas, Tanaris, then Searing Gorge or Azshara |
| Horde | 44-45 | 49-50 | Tanaris, Azshara, Felwood or Searing Gorge |
| Both, Forever option | 48 | 50 | Alcaz Prison dungeon (48-53) in Dustwallow Marsh |
The WoW Forever leveling route here is two passes: a western sweep from your hub, then a return trip for the Jintha'Alor finale at 50. A third pass is a sign you read the map upside down.
How to Get In: Roads, Ships, Flight Paths
Both factions enter on foot from Hillsbrad Foothills, through the mountain path north of Durnholde Keep. The road runs straight to Aerie Peak, then east across the zone to Revantusk Village.
- Alliance players fly to Southshore, run east past Durnholde Keep and unlock the Aerie Peak gryphon on arrival.
- Horde players fly to Tarren Mill, cross the same pass and follow the road east to the coast, because the Revantusk wind rider does not exist for you until you touch it.
- Forever adds a Menethil to Southshore ship route, which turns the Wetlands into a short boat ride from the Hinterlands entrance for Alliance players.
- The Legacy perk Frequent Flier is reported to cut flight costs by half and speed up flights by a fifth, which matters in a zone you will leave and re-enter three times.
| NPC | Role | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|
| Guthrum Thunderfist | Aerie Peak gryphon master | 11.1, 46.2 |
| Gorkas | Revantusk wind rider master | 81.7, 81.8 |
| Falstad Wildhammer | Alliance quest hub, Aerie Peak | 11.8, 46.8 |
| Gryphon Master Talonaxe | Alliance quest hub, Aerie Peak | 9.8, 44.5 |
| Fraggar Thundermantle | Alliance bounties, Wildhammer Keep | 14.8, 44.6 |
| Primal Torntusk | Horde quest hub, Revantusk Village | 78.2, 81.2 |
| Huntsman Markhor | Horde hunting quests | 79.2, 79.5 |
Aerie Peak connects to Ironforge, Southshore, Refuge Pointe, Chillwind Camp and Light's Hope Chapel. Revantusk connects to Undercity, Tarren Mill, Hammerfall and Light's Hope Chapel.
Breadcrumbs and What Unlocks What
Every WoW Forever quest chain worth doing here starts outside the zone. Pick these up before the trip, or enjoy walking back.
- Alliance players take In Search of The Temple from Brohann Caskbelly in Stormwind City, which leads to To The Hinterlands and opens the Sunken Temple chain through Gryphon Master Talonaxe and Rhapsody Shindigger.
- Alliance players who finished the Feralas sprite darter chain carry The Newest Member of the Family to Agnar Beastamer for Food for Baby and Becoming a Parent.
- Alliance players from Teldrassil bring Favored of Elune? and pick up Wildkin Feathers from the ground at 26-30, 65-69.
- Horde players take Ripple Recovery from Dran Droffers in Orgrimmar, which becomes Ripple Recovery and A Sticky Situation at Gilveradin Sunchaser.
- Horde players take Pool of Tears in Swamp of Sorrows to unlock The Atal'ai Exile at the Atal'ai Exile camp.
- Both factions carry Sprinkle's Secret Ingredient from Tanaris, Whiskey Slim's Lost Grog from Booty Bay and the final stage of Cortello's Riddle.
- Both factions on the Zul'Farrak chain carry The Ancient Egg from Yeh'kinya, because the egg sits in a cave behind the amphitheater atop Jintha'Alor.
- Any Hinterlands mob can drop OOX-09/HL Distress Beacon, which starts Find OOX-09/HL!.
Alliance Route from Aerie Peak
WoW Forever Aerie Peak questing is short, violent and front-loaded. The dwarves want necklaces, cages checked and a gryphon rescued, in that order of politeness.
- Turn in To The Hinterlands at Falstad Wildhammer, then take Gryphon Master Talonaxe to Gryphon Master Talonaxe on the aviary.
- Accept Witherbark Cages and Rhapsody Shindigger from Gryphon Master Talonaxe, plus Troll Necklace Bounty and Skulk Rock Clean-up from Fraggar Thundermantle.
- Turn in The Newest Member of the Family at Agnar Beastamer if you carry the egg, then kill Silvermane Stalker on the way for Food for Baby.
- Visit Rhapsody Shindigger at 26.9, 48.6 and accept Rhapsody's Kalimdor Kocktail only if you still plan to quest in Tanaris and Feralas, because its livers and gizzards come from Kalimdor.
- Check the three cages for Witherbark Cages at Zun'watha (23.3, 58.8) and Hiri'watha (32.0, 57.3).
- Grab Violet Tragan at 40, 60 for Sprinkle's Secret Ingredient while passing.
- Take Jammal'an the Prophet from Atal'ai Exile at 33.8, 75.2 and keep it for Sunken Temple.
- Climb the Altar of Zul at 49, 68 for The Altar of Zul, then clear the oozes at Skulk Rock (58, 39) for Skulk Rock Clean-up.
- Collect Troll Tribal Necklace from any Vilebranch troll in the northeast for Troll Necklace Bounty, then keep farming for the repeatable Troll Necklace Bounty.
- Finish the east coast with Cortello's Treasure underwater at 80.8, 46.8 and the port bottles on the south coast near 73, 92 for Whiskey Slim's Lost Grog.
- Hearth, turn in The Altar of Zul, and carry Thadius Grimshade to Thadius Grimshade in Blasted Lands, then run Zul'Farrak for Nekrum's Medallion.
- Finish The Divination and Return to the Hinterlands at Thadius Grimshade, which sends you back to Gryphon Master Talonaxe for the finale.
- Return at 50 with two friends for Saving Sharpbeak and the key from Vile Priestess Hexx.
Horde Route from Revantusk Village
WoW Forever Revantusk Village hands out more quests than Aerie Peak and most of them end with somebody's severed troll parts. The trade-off is the walk: you cross the entire zone to reach the hub.
- Stop at Zun'watha (23.5, 58.8) on the way in, loot a bottle for Venom Bottles, and kill Witherbark Broodguard until one drops the sac for Undamaged Venom Sac.
- Stop at Quel'Danil Lodge for Gilveradin Sunchaser (Ripple Recovery) and escort Rin'ji out for Rin'ji is Trapped!.
- Reach Revantusk and take everything: Snapjaws, Mon! and Gammerita, Mon! from Katoom the Angler, Stalking the Stalkers, Hunt the Savages and Avenging the Fallen from Huntsman Markhor, Vilebranch Hooligans from Smith Slagtree, Lard Lost His Lunch from Lard, Message to the Wildhammer from Otho Moji'ko and Cannibalistic Cousins from Mystic Yayo'jin.
- Clear the north coast for Snapjaws, Mon!, kill Gammerita at 80.4, 58.2, and grab the lunch from Vilebranch Kidnapper on the island for Lard Lost His Lunch.
- Loot Rin'ji's Secret at the Overlook Cliffs (86.3, 59.0) for Rin'ji's Secret.
- Sweep the Shaol'watha and Agol'watha temples for Cannibalistic Cousins, and check 72.6, 52.9 or 71.0, 48.7 for the tools in Vilebranch Hooligans.
- Loot the Horde Supply Crates at Skulk Rock (56.6, 44.0) for A Sticky Situation, and kill wolves, owlbeasts and one Razorbeak Skylord for the Markhor quests as they cross your path.
- Kill the Highvale elves at Quel'Danil for Message to the Wildhammer, then take gryphon feathers for Another Message to the Wildhammer.
- Plant the spear at the Aerie Peak well for The Final Message to the Wildhammer and run before the dwarves finish reading it.
- Return at 50 with a group for Kidnapped Elder Torntusk!, Recover the Key!, Return to Primal Torntusk, Separation Anxiety, Dark Vessels and Wanted: Vile Priestess Hexx and Her Minions.
Elite and Group Quests: Do Them or Skip Them
The WoW Forever elite quests here all live on top of Jintha'Alor, where every troll is elite and every patrol has friends. Bring three players at 50 or bring a spirit healer bookmark.
| Quest | Faction | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Saving Sharpbeak | Alliance | Do at 50 in a group of three. |
| Kidnapped Elder Torntusk! chain | Horde | Do at 50, the key holder Hitah'ya the Keeper is elite. |
| Wanted: Vile Priestess Hexx and Her Minions | Horde | Do in a group, it pays blue items. |
| Job Opening: Guard Captain of Revantusk Village | Horde | Skip unless a group is already farming the temple. |
| Separation Anxiety and Dark Vessels | Horde | Do while the group is up there. |
| Gammerita, Mon! | Horde | Solo at 48 for most classes. |
| Summoning Shadra | Horde | Skip until 55, the target is a level 55 elite. |
| Nekrum's Medallion | Alliance | Do inside Zul'Farrak. |
| Jammal'an the Prophet | Both | Do inside Sunken Temple. |
What to Skip
- Skip Rhapsody's Kalimdor Kocktail if you will not visit Tanaris and Feralas soon, but know that it gates Rhapsody's Tale and the Sunken Temple chain.
- Skip Troll Necklace Bounty after the first turn-in unless you want Wildhammer Clan reputation for its own sake.
- Skip Job Opening: Guard Captain of Revantusk Village while leveling, because eighty elite kills cost more time than the trinket saves.
- Skip Summoning Shadra until 55 and hand it in during a later trip.
- Skip Rin'ji is Trapped! if the lodge is packed with elves you cannot pull one at a time.
Best Quest Rewards
The WoW Forever quest rewards in this zone skew Horde, and the best of them sit behind elites. Forever re-examined dungeon itemization, so check tooltips before you trust these stats blindly.
Zone Drops and Farm Spots
Forever cooking gives crafted food a small experience bonus on top of stats, so the Hinterlands meat and eggs finally earn their bag slots.
| Drop | Source | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Troll Tribal Necklace | Vilebranch trolls, northeast | Wildhammer bounty turn-ins |
| Wildvine | Witherbark and Vilebranch trolls | Alchemy |
| Mageweave Cloth | All trolls and elves | Tailoring and First Aid |
| Turtle Scale | Saltwater Snapjaw on the east coast | Leatherworking |
| Giant Egg | Razortalon and local birds | Cooking |
| Long Elegant Feather | Wild Gryphon and gryphons | Horde quest and vendor gold |
| Wildkin Feather | Ground objects at 26-30, 65-69 | Alliance quest turn-in |
For raw gold, farm Vilebranch trolls at Shaol'watha and Agol'watha. They drop cloth, necklaces and Wildvine, and they come back fast enough to keep you busy.
Rares Worth the Detour
The WoW Forever rare spawns in this zone drop mostly trade goods and world loot, so kill them for experience and luck rather than a guaranteed item.
| Rare | Level | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|
| Old Cliff Jumper | 42 | 11.9, 53.7 |
| Zul'arek Hatefowler | 43 | 32.4, 56.9 |
| Razortalon | 44 | 37.1, 45.3 |
| Witherheart the Stalker | 45 | 32.1, 72.7 |
| Retherokk the Berserker | 48 | 50.5, 64.1 |
| The Reak | 49 | 58.9, 43.1 or 45.8, 39.9 |
| Jalinde Summerdrake | 49 | 30.3, 47.9 |
| Grimungous (elite) | 50 | 70.2, 55.4 |
| Ironback | 51 | 81.5, 49.2 |
| Mith'rethis the Enchanter (elite) | 52 | 64.4, 77.3 |
Zul'arek Hatefowler and Jalinde Summerdrake have the best listed odds on OOX-09/HL Distress Beacon, which makes them the cheapest way into the OOX escort.
Forever Systems That Change the Math
- Legacy perks such as Well Rested and Thrill of Adventure are reported to speed up long hub-to-hub runs like this one.
- Camping lets a group sit at a shared campfire for repairs and one-hour buffs, so drop one below Jintha'Alor before the climb.
- The Diplomat Legacy perk is reported to boost reputation gains, which helps anyone grinding Wildhammer bounties.
- Forever runs on shared rulesets instead of realms, so expect more players and more competition on Jintha'Alor spawns.
- A Hardcore ruleset is planned for winter, and this zone is where careless 45s go to die.
A Classic Plus Hinterlands run still ends the same way: somebody pulls the whole temple, and the survivors pretend it was the plan.
Lore in 60 Seconds
The Wildhammer dwarves left Grim Batol after the War of the Three Hammers and carved Aerie Peak into a mountain shaped like a gryphon. In this first-year timeline, Falstad Wildhammer still rules there in person.
The Revantusk trolls stayed loyal to the Horde and fled to the coast, while the Vilebranch serve Hakkar from Jintha'Alor and the Witherbark hide in the southern valleys with their spider god Shadra.
The Seradane portal to the Emerald Dream sits in the north, home to Ysondre, Lethon, Emeriss and Taerar. A datamined Forever map called Nightmare Grove links back to this zone, and the new login screen shows the old Aerie Peak view dry and barren, so something here is clearly about to go wrong.
FAQ
Q: What level should I be for the Hinterlands in WoW Forever?
Alliance can start at 43 and Horde at 44, then leave around 49 or 50 after finishing Jintha'Alor.
Q: How do I get to the Hinterlands in WoW Forever?
Walk in from Hillsbrad Foothills through the path north of Durnholde Keep, then unlock your faction flight master on arrival.
Q: Can I solo the Jintha'Alor quests?
Mostly no. Every troll on top is elite, so bring three players at level 50 or skip the finale.
Q: Did WoW Forever change the Hinterlands quests?
Nothing announced rewrites the zone hubs, so original chains and routes still work, though new quests may appear at launch.
Q: Where should I level after the Hinterlands?
Go to Tanaris, Feralas, Searing Gorge or Azshara, or queue Alcaz Prison in Dustwallow Marsh at level 48.
