Early quest rewards nerfed: 30 Rare items drop to Uncommon, led by the Monstrous Cleaver

2026-10-04 · ForeverDB

In the level 30 beta build (1.60.1.70170, live since the 1 October maintenance) 30 early Rare items became Uncommon with smaller stats and lower weapon damage, most of them quest rewards. The Ruins of Lordaeron rewards took the biggest hit: the Monstrous Cleaver fell from 19.7 to 15.2 DPS.

The level 30 beta build (client build 1.60.1.70170, live since the 1 October maintenance) quietly made a batch of early rewards weaker. Comparing the game files with the previous build, 1.60.1.70124, 30 items went from Rare (blue) to Uncommon (green). Each one also lost stats, and the weapons lost damage. Most are quest rewards around levels 15 to 20, many of them from the new Ruins of Lordaeron dungeon. Nothing about these items changed again in the latest build, 1.60.1.70205.

The quality, item level, stat and damage numbers here are from the client files. There is no Blizzard post listing these changes. Which quest gives which item is not in the client tables we read: for the Ruins of Lordaeron quests it comes from wowtbc.gg's loot tables, for the others from our own quest data, and we say which is which below.

Why: the white, green, blue curve

Blizzard hasn't explained this batch item by item. In episode 1 of the official WoW Forever podcast (our write-up), which Blizzard said covers gearing and pacing changes, the developers talked about early rewards: Wowhead and Icy Veins reported that they plan to pull back the early blue quest rewards so that white, green and blue items each mean something again. This build fits that plan. Two earlier development notes point the same way: on September 24 Blizzard wrote that "A number of quests have had their rewards updated to be the correct item level", and that "A small number of early caster rewards have been adjusted."

Reported, not confirmed by Blizzard. That the developers want fewer early blue rewards comes from Wowhead's and Icy Veins' reports of the podcast, not from a Blizzard post that names these items.

Ruins of Lordaeron quest rewards

The Ruins of Lordaeron (levels 15 to 20) rewards lost the most. The two-handed Monstrous Cleaver, a reward for Abominable Creatures (Alliance) and Unending Torment (Horde), drops from 19.7 to 15.2 DPS and its Attack Power falls from +10 to +4. Slain Baron's Signet, from the same quest, goes from +5 to +3 Stamina and from +2 to +1 Defense. Tarnished Locket now gives Stamina but takes away 3 Strength, and the plate chest Remembrance Armor loses 4 Stamina and 6 Spirit.

Quest names from wowtbc.gg (reported, not in the client data). Numbers from the client, builds 1.60.1.70124 and 1.60.1.70170.

Not every reward from the dungeon was cut. Forsaken Greataxe and Gnarled Necromancer's Staff from The Wrath of Rath'mael (Horde) stayed Rare; the staff traded its Intellect for the same amount of Spirit.

Ironforge quest rewards

Four rewards from two Forever quests in Ironforge, The Restless Dead and Important Heirlooms (names and places from our quest data), were cut the same way.

Classic quests with Rare rewards

Seven rewards from quests that were already in Classic also became Uncommon. The quest names, dungeons and quest levels below are from Classic's quest data (CMaNGOS), since Forever's quest rewards aren't in the client tables.

Other early items

Five more Rare items became Uncommon. We don't know yet where they come from in Forever. The two book collection necklaces, Scholarly Pendant and Erudite's Amulet, were also cut: see our book rewards article.

Still Rare, but with different stats

63 more Rare items kept their quality in the same build but changed in other ways. Many are early dungeon drops and quest rewards, such as Axe of Orgrimmar. Some traded stats for an effect: Ironforge Greathammer lost its +4 Strength and +7 Stamina but gained a chance on hit to blast a target for 42 Fire damage, and Corpse Chopper, which our Ruins of Lordaeron page lists, lost its +11 Strength but gained a use effect that chops a nearby Humanoid or Undead corpse in two, restoring 150 Health, 150 Mana and 15 Rage. Four reputation seals, Volunteer's Lucky Seal, Enriched Seal, Darkspear Voodoo Seal and Relentless Raider's Seal, went from item level 33 to 38 with 7 Stamina instead of 6, but their required level also rose from 28 to 33, so you can no longer wear them at the beta's level 30 cap. Every item page shows its old and new stats.

What it means for players

With these 30 items green, more of the rewards up to about level 20 are Uncommon. Our reading, not Blizzard's: that makes a blue from a dungeon boss stand out more as an upgrade. Experience from dungeons has come down too: the same build cut the extra experience from dungeon quests by 50%, see Level 30 build goes live. Our gear lists and best-in-slot pages already use the new numbers.

For every change in this build, see the 1.60.1.70170 changelog.

Sources

• WoW Forever Beta Development Notes – Updated September 24
• ForeverDB changelog: build 1.60.1.70170
• wowtbc.gg: Ruins of Lordaeron loot tables and quest rewards
• Wowhead: Episode 1 of the World of Warcraft: Forever Podcast Now Live
• Icy Veins: Unpacking Beta Launch, The WoW: Forever Podcast Episode 1
• The Comeback Kids (YouTube): Blizzard Confirmed It & They are Redefining Progression WoW Forever