What Changed for a Leveling Character in July 2023?
Dragonflight 10.1.5 removed riding-training trips, eased Allied Race prerequisites and improved the route back into questing. The practical difference depended on whether you were leveling a fresh character, recruiting an Allied Race or returning to an abandoned alt.
This is a reference to the July 2023 Fractures in Time update. Its Chromie Time level range and returning-character eligibility describe that release, rather than the rules of every later expansion.
Riding Became Automatic at Four Level Thresholds
Blizzard’s original developer notes announced automatic training at these levels. No riding-trainer visit or training purchase was needed.
| Character level | Skill learned |
|---|---|
| 10 | Apprentice Riding |
| 20 | Journeyman Riding |
| 30 | Expert Riding |
| 40 | Master Riding |
The trainers themselves remained in the world; their training service was what became unnecessary. Learning a flying skill also did not make every dungeon, scenario or restricted area flyable. If a mount would not take off in a particular place, visiting another trainer was not the next useful step.
Time to Fly: Two Factions, Two Mount Rewards
At level 30, Time to Fly supplied a flying mount. The two quest entries identify different destinations:
- Alliance: quest 75877 sends you to Leila Stafford at the Tradewinds Market in Boralus and rewards Harbor Gryphon.
- Horde: quest 75874 sends you to Beast Handler Kalatak in Dazar’alor and rewards Reins of the Scarlet Pterrordax.
The riding skill and the collectible were separate steps: the skill was learned automatically, while the mount came from completing its quest. Check the Mounts collection for the reward you want before traveling on another character. Learning one faction’s mount should not be treated as a promise of receiving both.
Allied Races Still Had Recruitment Stories
The update lowered the qualifying account character level from 50 to 40 and removed the old achievement prerequisites for the Allied Races available then. It did not mean that every race appeared immediately in character creation without recruitment.
Visit the appropriate faction embassy and follow the recruitment offered there. For example, the game’s Lightforged quest entry still shows a three-part storyline: The Lightforged, Forge of Aeons and For the Light! The first quest uses the Stormwind Embassy beacon to reach the scenario’s Vindicaar.
Reputation was an earlier change: Blizzard’s Shadowlands pre-expansion notes had already removed the Exalted requirement in 2020. That distinction saves a returning player from restarting an old reputation grind. Later Allied Races have their own release rules; this 2023 change is not a universal unlock promise.
Chromie Time, Dungeon Quests and Earlier BFA Detours
The live 10.1.5 notes list several changes that helped characters stay on a chosen route:
- Chromie Time: its maximum level became 61, up from 60, and expansion restrictions were removed. Newly created Allied Race characters were directed to Chromie.
- Dungeon quests: Dragonflight, Shadowlands and Battle for Azeroth dungeon quests became available inside their respective instances as well.
- Mechagon: its introduction could start at level 30, down from 50.
- Alliance Nazjatar: entry followed A Nation Divided instead of Unlocking the World.
- Finding the story: Exile’s Reach and BFA gained campaign tracking, and available starter-zone quests and BFA side quests appeared on the zone map.
Inside a dungeon, check for an available quest before the group moves away. Read and accept its actual objectives; entering the instance or killing a boss does not by itself accept a quest for you. Earlier access to a zone also does not guarantee that every activity in it is appropriate for that character.
Returning Alt? Read the Gear Update Before Accepting
The optional Welcome Back Gift covered level 10–60 characters inactive for 60 days. It offered specialization-appropriate gear and bags, mailed the previous equipment and bags, and moved the character to Stormwind or Orgrimmar. It also cleared the quest log.
Before choosing it, note any unfinished story or collection quest you want to resume. Afterward, check the mailbox and use the campaign tracker or Chromie to choose a direction. The useful choice is whether you want that clean start; a character already following a particular chain may prefer to keep its existing setup.
