The Barrens is Horde country in World of Warcraft: Forever, with no Alliance town or gryphon master of its own, so Alliance players come in through the neutral goblin port of Ratchet on its east coast. From Stormwind, either head south to Booty Bay and take the neutral boat to Ratchet, or take the ship from Stormwind Harbor to Auberdine and ride south through Ashenvale into the northern Barrens. Higher-level characters can also sail to Theramore Isle and ride in from Dustwallow Marsh.
Once you have talked to Ratchet’s flight master, which serves both factions, later trips are quicker. Below we cover all three routes, the Horde towns to avoid, the Alliance base at Northwatch and the reasons to make the trip, checked against Blizzard’s own posts as of November 12, eight days after launch.
Why the Barrens Is Tricky for Alliance
The Barrens is a level 10 to 25 zone built for the Horde. Its towns are the Crossroads in the middle, Camp Taurajo in the south and Mor’shan Rampart on the northern border with Ashenvale, and their guards attack Alliance characters on sight. That leaves two friendly places:
| Place | What it is | Useful for |
|---|---|---|
| Ratchet | Neutral goblin port on the east coast | Flight master for both factions, the boat to Booty Bay, neutral quests |
| Northwatch | The Theramore Expeditionary Force’s Alliance base | Darkspear Islands battleground portal, reputation vendors, quests |
Blizzard’s Darkspear Islands overview describes Northwatch as the Alliance base “where a portal will take you into the battle,” with vendors and quests for the battleground. The battleground is for levels 30 to 60, and you can also queue at a battlemaster in any capital.
Route 1: Booty Bay to Ratchet by Boat
This is the route most Alliance players from the Eastern Kingdoms take.
- Get to Booty Bay at the southern tip of Stranglethorn Vale. The first trip is a long ride from Stormwind through Duskwood and down the jungle road; our guide to getting to Booty Bay has every step, and once you know Booty Bay’s flight path it is a single flight.
- Board the neutral boat to Ratchet at the Booty Bay docks. It carries both factions.
- Step off in Ratchet and talk to the flight master straight away to learn the point.
- Head out from Ratchet. Northwatch is down the coast to the south. The Crossroads lies west, so give it a wide berth if you are heading inland.
Stranglethorn Vale starts at level 30, so a character in the teens or 20s should stay on the road there, as our zone level ranges explain.
Route 2: Down From Ashenvale
This one suits night elves and anyone already in Kalimdor, and it uses Forever’s new ship.
- Take the ship from Stormwind Harbor to Auberdine in Darkshore. Blizzard’s Found Photos panel recap says this route “opens an early path between the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor.”
- Ride south through Darkshore into Ashenvale and on to Astranaar, the night elf town on an island in a lake, learning the Auberdine and Astranaar flight paths on the way. Darkshore’s road runs south from Auberdine straight into Ashenvale.
- Follow the road southeast from Astranaar toward the Barrens.
- Leave the road before the border. It crosses into the northern Barrens at Mor’shan Rampart, a Horde outpost, so cut across country at a distance from it.
- Ride southeast across the Barrens to Ratchet, keeping well east of the Crossroads.
Route 3: Theramore and Dustwallow Marsh
Menethil Harbor’s docks in the Wetlands also have a ship to Theramore Isle, the Alliance city off the coast of Dustwallow Marsh, and Theramore has a gryphon master. From there, ride west out of the marsh into the Barrens. Dustwallow Marsh is a zone for the mid-30s, so this route is for characters who are past the Barrens’ level range and are going back for a dungeon or the battleground.
What Alliance Players Go There For
- Dungeons. Wailing Caverns is in the Barrens, and so are Razorfen Kraul and Razorfen Downs in the south. Our guide to getting to Wailing Caverns lists the quests both factions can take, and our dungeon level ranges show when to run each one.
- Class quests. Alliance Warlocks visit Takar the Seer, who stands near Camp Taurajo, for their level 20 demon quests.
- The battleground base at Northwatch, for Darkspear Islands reputation and quests.
- Ratchet’s neutral quests, open to both factions.
Staying Safe in Horde Country
- Check your ruleset. On the PvP rulesets you are fair game for every Horde player in a Horde leveling zone. Our ruleset guide explains what each one means.
- Learn the flight paths you can. Our guide to how flight paths work covers why Horde flight masters will not fly you.
- If a boat does not come. On November 5 Blizzard said boats and zeppelins were “becoming lost in the maelstrom” and placed temporary portals near most docks while it fixed them. Look for one near the dock before you wait out another crossing.
- Set your Hearthstone in Ratchet if you will spend a few days in the zone. Our Hearthstone guide explains how.
Every WoW Forever guide we have is on our World of Warcraft hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Alliance players go to the Barrens in WoW Forever? Yes, but it is a Horde zone. Ratchet, the neutral goblin port, and the Alliance base at Northwatch are the only friendly places in it.
Is there an Alliance flight path in the Barrens? Ratchet’s flight master serves both factions, so learn it when you arrive. The Horde flight masters at the Crossroads and Camp Taurajo will not fly you.
How do I get from Stormwind to Ratchet? Get to Booty Bay in Stranglethorn Vale and take the neutral boat to Ratchet.
Where is the Alliance base in the Barrens? At Northwatch, run by the Theramore Expeditionary Force. It has the Darkspear Islands battleground portal, vendors and quests.
Will the Crossroads guards attack Alliance players? Yes. The Crossroads, Camp Taurajo and Mor’shan Rampart are Horde towns, so steer around them.