World of Warcraft Classic: Season of Discovery

"SoD" redirects here. For the raid, see Sanctum of Domination.

World of Warcraft Classic: Season of Discovery
Developer(s)	Blizzard Entertainment   Portion of Team 2
Publisher(s)	Blizzard Entertainment
Platforms	Microsoft Windows, macOS
Release	WW: November 30, 2023
Latest release	1.15.2
Genre(s)	Season
Season chronology
Season of Mastery (2021) Season of Discovery (2023)

World of Warcraft Classic: Season of Discovery (abbreviated as SOD) is the second seasonal launch of World of Warcraft: Classic, focused on giving seasoned players the opportunity to find new secrets and shake up the meta by adding additional class options such as warlock and shaman-tanks.

Release

The season launched on 30 November 2023. In order to preserve the sense of discovery, there was no PTR for Season of Discovery.

Here is an unofficial list of content plans:

• Phase 1 (Nov 30, 2023): Level cap at 25, Blackfathom Deeps raid, runes, Battle for Ashenvale PvP event.
• Phase 2 (Feb 8, 2024): Level cap at 40, Gnomeregan raid, new runes and abilities, Blood Moon PvP event.
• Phase 3 (Apr 4, 2024): Level cap at 50, Sunken Temple raid, new runes, Nightmare Incursions PvE event.
• Phase 4 (Summer 2024): Level cap at 60, new runes, and end game activities.
• Phase 5 (Autumn 2024): End game content updates.

Dungeons

Phase	Instance name	Zone	Level range	Type
Phase 1	Ragefire Chasm	Orgrimmar	15-25	Dungeon
	The Deadmines	Westfall	15-25	Dungeon
	Wailing Caverns	The Barrens	17-27	Dungeon
	Shadowfang Keep	Silverpine Forest	22-30	Dungeon
	Blackfathom Deeps	Ashenvale	25	Raid (10)
Phase 2	Stormwind Stockade	Stormwind City	22-32	Dungeon
	Scarlet Monastery Graveyard	Tirisfal Glades	26-36	Dungeon
	Scarlet Monastery Library	Tirisfal Glades	29-39	Dungeon
	Scarlet Monastery Armory	Tirisfal Glades	32-42	Dungeon
	Razorfen Kraul	The Barrens	32-42	Dungeon
	Scarlet Monastery Cathedral	Tirisfal Glades	35-45	Dungeon
	Razorfen Downs	Thousand Needles	37-47	Dungeon
	Gnomeregan	Dun Morogh	40	Raid (10)
	Uldaman	The Badlands	42-52	Dungeon
Phase 3	Maraudon	Desolace	42-52	Dungeon
	Zul'Farrak	Tanaris	46-56	Dungeon
	Temple of Atal'Hakkar	Swamp of Sorrows	50	Raid (20)
	Blackrock Depths (first half)	Blackrock Mountain	52-60	Dungeon

Changes

• Season of Discovery launched with a initial level cap of 25. Blackfathom Deeps was re-imagined as a 10-player raid at this level.
  • This included completely brand new items, such as  [Fathomblade] and  [Shoulderguards of Crushing Depths].
  • Each new phase will increase the level cap (up to phase 4) and introduce new content.
• New secret locations and loot.
• Rune system
• Azeroth Commerce Authority & Durotar Supply and Logistics reputations added.
• Many crafted or dropped items have had their stats changed.
• Layering is used.
• Possible introduction of previously unreleased zones such as the Emerald Dream or Azshara Crater.
• Molten Core will be a 20-man raid.
• General itemization and difficulty changes for level 60 raids.

Narrative changes

After its announcement there was speculation whether or not Season of Discovery existed as a retcon or alternate timeline to the original World of Warcraft: Classic. At a Community Council Q&A there was confirmation that it would be neither: SoD exists with a "found photograph" narrative, that further contextualizes the characters and places from Classic without altering or reframing things in any dramatic fashion.

Among the new quest-related NPCs are:

• Aeonas, a former Knight of the Silver Hand hunted by the Scarlet Crusade for saying that not all Light was good.
• Criminals living in the seediest parts of Orgrimmar, Ironforge or Stormwind City.
• A new Bat Loa.
• A Dalaran Agent leading you to hunt and fight the Dark Riders of Karazhan.
• Ardelle Dralta, an Argent Dawn operative investigating a Shard of Pure Light. Believing the shard to be a tear from An'she, the tauren sent Brave Stonetorch to find it.
• Illari Duskfeather, a night elf hostile to her people joining the Alliance.
• Ada Gelhardt, a young paladin wanting to defect for the Cult of the Damned.
• Gurgthock, before his original The Burning Crusade appearance.
• Mitchells mentioned early before his original Wrath of the Lich King appearance.
• Boarton Shadetotem, attempting (and failing) to train rogues before his original Dragonflight appearance.
• Kha'damu, a chosen of Hakkar the Soulflayer appearing during the Blood Moon.
• A new unnamed Serpent Loa.
• Several Warcraft III heroes fighting the Battle for Ashenvale.
  • Kajind, a Blademaster, also appears in Azshara.
• The Shadowtooth Emissary, a representative of the elusive dark trolls.
• A Shadowy Figure, related to a mysterious box.
• Skonk, a friendly Boulderfist ogre.
• Wandering Swordsmen, exploring the world to find a match to their skills.

The new world events are the following:

• The Battle for Ashenvale, a PvP event in Ashenvale.
• Blood Moon, a world PvP event in Stranglethorn Vale.
• Nightmare Incursions, PvE events during which the forces of the Emerald Nightmare periodically invade Azeroth. New Nightmare dragons as well as corrupted versions of existing mobs appear. The Emerald Wardens are a new faction working against the invaders.

There are also other sources of world lore, such as the  [Apocryphal Epiphany] questline which adds lore to the Scarlet Monastery and Kyross, or  [Spell Notes: Hot Streak] that tells that a fire elemental was once bound to the forge of Strahnbrad.