Dungeons & raids
The ladder from Ragefire to Naxxramas
Level bands and a one-line purpose for every dungeon and raid. Bands follow the Classic baseline; confirm exact requirements in-game once the realms open.
1–20 · Starter dungeons20–40 · Mid-level wings40–55 · Pre-raid climb55–60 · The pre-raid wall60 · Raids
5-player
Dungeons
| Dungeon | Level band | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Ragefire Chasm | 13–18 | The Horde's first dungeon, beneath Orgrimmar. Quick XP, quick gear. |
| Wailing Caverns | 17–24 | A druidic maze in the Barrens. Long walk, strong early drops. |
| The Deadmines | 17–26 | Defias hideout under Westfall — the Alliance's first real dungeon. |
| Shadowfang Keep | 22–30 | Worgen fortress in Silverpine. Excellent early caster loot. |
| Blackfathom Deeps | 24–32 | Twilight's Hammer cult in Ashenvale. Bring water breathing. |
| The Stockade | 24–32 | Stormwind's prison riot. Fast, dense pulls, easy group finder. |
| Gnomeregan | 29–38 | Radiation and troggs. Skippable, but the caster loot is real. |
| Razorfen Kraul | 30–40 | Quillboar tunnels in the Barrens. Compact and efficient. |
| Scarlet Monastery | 34–45 | Four wings. The fastest XP in the 30s if your group can chain pulls. |
| Uldaman | 42–52 | Titan ruins in the Badlands. Long, but the quest rewards are worth it. |
| Zul'Farrak | 44–54 | Desert troll city with the famous stairs event. Great XP per hour. |
| Maraudon | 46–55 | Centaur princess and strong caster loot. The princess run is a staple. |
| The Temple of Atal'Hakkar | 50–60 | The Sunken Temple. Class quests and a classic 'one more boss' layout. |
| Blackrock Depths | 52–60 | The mega-dungeon. BRD runs define pre-raid gearing — and the Ironfoe chase. |
| Lower Blackrock Spire | 55–60 | First half of the Spire. Fast runs, solid pre-raid drops. |
| Upper Blackrock Spire | 58–60 | Dal'Rend, Rend Blackhand, and the last pre-raid wall before Molten Core. |
| Dire Maul | 55–60 | Three wings — east, west, north. Tribute runs are the classic money maker. |
| Stratholme | 58–60 | Undead city. Baron runs for the mount; living side for quests. |
| Scholomance | 58–60 | Necromancer school. Class books and caster loot. |
40-player (and 20-player)
Raids
- Molten Core60
The first raid tier. Fire resistance gear and attunement drama.
- Onyxia's Lair60
One boss, one legendary head. The classic raid night warm-up.
- Blackwing Lair60
Nefarian's lair. Suppression rooms and the Razorgore dance.
- Zul'Gurub60
20-man troll raid with the Hakkar fight and reputation rewards.
- Ruins of Ahn'Qiraj60
The 20-man AQ raid. Fast, tuned for alt-friendly gearing.
- Temple of Ahn'Qiraj60
The 40-man AQ raid. C'Thun is the wall that defines the tier.
- Naxxramas60
The final Classic raid. Four wings, Kel'Thuzad, and the hardest gear check.