This Week in WoW Forever · Episode 1
The WoW Forever beta update brings a level 30 cap, the Excavation Site dungeon, dungeon quest XP adjustments, and class changes. In the first episode of This Week in WoW Forever, I catch up on the first week of October and look at what these changes mean when you actually log in.
Watch the full roundup below, jump to a specific topic, or read the highlights and community discussion. This episode also covers visual updates, profession changes, and a little Warcraft nostalgia.
Watch: WoW Forever Update — Level 30, Dungeon XP Nerfs & Class Changes
Jump to a video chapter
Chapter links open the matching moment on YouTube.
- Introduction
- Level 30 cap and Excavation Site
- Dungeon quest XP reduction explained
- Druid class changes
- Warrior class changes
- Hunter and Warlock aggressive pets
- PvP Honor updates
- Skinning changes
- Wand vendor prices
- Ray-traced shadows temporarily removed
- Possible Skyborne SD models
- SD portrait icons added
- Ghost Wolf appearance
- Savory Whimsyfin Delight
- Shield and walking-animation bugs
- Stitches is back
- Dungeon XP and the skipping debate
- Make Love, Not Warcraft turns 20
- Wrap-up
Level 30 and the Excavation Site dungeon
The October 1 notes raise the beta cap to 30 and list Excavation Site: Wetlands for levels 26–31. This is a chance to explore unfamiliar pulls and encounters before a standard route takes over.
My suggestion: decide what kind of run your group wants before heading inside. Finishing quests, exploring every corner, and testing a build are all valid goals. A quick conversation helps everyone enjoy the same run.
Planning your next adventure? Browse my WoW Forever dungeon hub and quest guides for Ruins of Lordaeron and Hall of Thanes.
Dungeon quest XP: what does the 50% reduction mean?
The reduction halves the extra XP above normal quest values, not the whole reward. That distinction matters when evaluating whether the change feels reasonable.
Illustrative example: if a reward were 1,000 base XP plus 2,000 bonus XP, halving the bonus would leave 2,000 total XP, down from 3,000. These are example numbers, not a specific quest’s rewards.
For me, the broader question is what happens after your own quests are finished. If a friend needs help, does returning still feel like a worthwhile evening? Every activity does not need identical efficiency, but there should be room to enjoy a dungeon together.
Class, PvP, and profession highlights
| Topic | Change |
|---|---|
| Feral Druid | Tiger’s Fury is removed; Shifting Power converts Mana into Energy. |
| Warrior | Fury talents, Rage, and off-hand mechanics receive adjustments. |
| Hunter and Warlock | Aggressive Mode returns for pets. |
| PvP | Most gear/token Honor costs rise around 50%; the cap increases from 15,000 to 25,000. |
| Skinning | Creatures can be skinned only once. |
| Enchanting | Crafted common and uncommon wands sell to vendors for one copper. |
These are highlights rather than a full class guide. When testing, look beyond the tooltip: does the rotation feel comfortable across a whole fight and a longer questing session? Revisit your build before assuming last week’s choices behave identically.
For the detailed change list, read Blizzard’s development notes, scrolling to the October 1 reply rather than the older opening post.
Skyborne, SD portraits, and beta visual changes
The episode covers temporarily disabled ray-traced shadows and character-creation portraits matching the SD/HD toggle. Small presentation details can make a familiar world feel more consistent.
Are Skyborne getting SD models?
A possible hint is not a confirmed release announcement. I discuss Icy Veins’ report about a pinned comment on Blizzard’s Skyborne video as a developing story. This episode does not establish a delivery date.
Why does Ghost Wolf look brighter?
Reporting on the Ghost Wolf appearance describes a temporary visibility fix. In the video, I also discuss the developer feedback around that appearance. Treat it as an evolving beta visual rather than a settled final design.
Transformations, animations, and Stitches
At 8:41, I cover Savory Whimsyfin Delight’s changed transformations. The following segments examine player-reported shield and walking-animation issues, then the Stitches behavior update discussed in the recording.
For animation feedback, comparison clips are especially useful: they show the race, movement, and visual mismatch much more clearly than a broad complaint. The original community posts are credited below.
Community Corner: dungeon rewards, feedback, and Warcraft nostalgia
One of the biggest discussions in this episode asks whether reduced incentives to fight dungeon enemies push groups toward more skips. That can create tension between experienced players following a route and newcomers seeing the dungeon for the first time.
My take: communicate early. Tell the group if you are new or need a quest detour. At the same time, it is fair to ask whether the reward system encourages the kind of cooperative play people want. Being kind to other players and giving critical feedback can go together.
I also look back at Make Love, Not Warcraft turning 20. The South Park episode is a fitting nostalgia break in a video about what makes this world feel familiar—and what we want from its next chapter.
Original Reddit posts and author credits
Thank you to these r/classicwow authors for the posts referenced in this episode. Follow the links to see their original material and the wider conversations.
- Shield positioning and animation — u/Lord-Vivec.
- Walking animations not connecting to the ground — u/DistinctCellar.
- “This episode will literally be 20 years old tomorrow” — u/awaken471.
- Keep giving feedback: community discussion about positivity and criticism — u/No_Preference_8543.
- “Dungeon XP Nerfs Created a Toxic Meta” — u/redlow0992.
These are selected community posts, not a poll of the entire player base. Commentary and opinions in the episode are my own.
WoW Forever October roundup: quick answers
Where can I watch Quissy’s first weekly roundup?
Watch the embedded video above or open the episode on YouTube. It runs 14 minutes and 44 seconds and is published October 7, 2026.
Does this episode explain the dungeon XP nerf?
Yes. Jump to 1:26 for the quest XP explanation and 11:14 for the community discussion about dungeon rewards and skipping.
Where are the class changes in the video?
Druid coverage begins at 2:37, Warrior coverage at 3:18, and Hunter and Warlock pet behavior at 3:47. Use the chapter links above to jump directly to each topic.
Are the community animation reports confirmed fixes?
No. The shield and walking clips are presented as player feedback. A report in this roundup does not mean Blizzard has confirmed its cause or shipped a fix.