World & travel
How to Reach Arathi Basin in WoW 1.12.1: Entrances and Battlemasters
How to get to Arathi Basin is a question every player asks once they hit level 20 and want to try the most tactical battleground of Vanilla. Arathi Basin is a 15 versus 15 fight over five resource nodes, and there are two ways in: through a battlemaster in your capital city or through the entrance in Arathi Highlands. Here are both routes for the Alliance and the Horde on the WoW x5 server.
Contents
◆Where Arathi Basin is located
The battleground itself is a separate valley you cannot walk into: it is an instance you are transported to from the queue. The physical entrances are in Arathi Highlands in eastern Lordaeron, on the Eastern Kingdoms continent. The zone is covered in detail on the Arathi Highlands wiki page, and the battleground itself on the Arathi Basin page.
Arathi Basin was added in patch 1.7, and in 1.12.1 it runs by the classic rules: two teams of 15 fight over the Stables, Blacksmith, Lumber Mill, Farm and Gold Mine, and the first side to collect 2000 resources wins. The League of Arathor fights for the Alliance and the Defilers fight for the Horde.
How to reach the entrance as Alliance
The Alliance entrance is right inside Refuge Pointe, the camp in the centre of Arathi Highlands.
- From Ironforge head east into Loch Modan and follow the road north through the pass into the Wetlands. Stormwind players can reach Ironforge on the Deeprun Tram.
- In the Wetlands stay on the road heading north, take the turn towards Thandol Span and cross the intact half of the bridge.
- Beyond the bridge follow the road north to Refuge Pointe and talk to the flight master straight away.
- The battleground entrance is inside the camp, against the cliff: a wooden gate with blue Alliance banners.
Night elves can sail from Auberdine to Menethil Harbor and walk to the bridge from there. The full route is described in how to get to the Wetlands.
How to reach the entrance as Horde
The Horde entrance is just behind Hammerfall, the base in the northeast of the zone.
- From Orgrimmar take the zeppelin to Tirisfal Glades and walk into Undercity.
- From Undercity head south through Silverpine Forest into Hillsbrad Foothills, reach Tarren Mill and pick up the flight path there.
- From Tarren Mill go east, join the main road and pass through Thoradin's Wall into Arathi Highlands.
- Follow the road east to the Hammerfall signpost, turn north and pick up the flight path in the camp.
- The gate with red Horde banners stands behind the camp, at the foot of the cliffs.
The whole overland trip to the zone is covered in how to get to Arathi Highlands.
Battlemasters in the capital cities
You do not have to walk to Arathi at all. In 1.12 every capital city has battlemasters, and each battleground has its own battlemaster — look for the one responsible for Arathi Basin. They are usually grouped together in the military district of the city.
- Talk to the battlemaster and confirm that you want to join the battle to enter the queue.
- While you wait you can do whatever you like: when a spot opens, an invitation window pops up.
- When you leave the battleground you are returned to where you queued: the battlemaster in the capital or the entrance in Arathi Highlands.
- There is no queue-from-anywhere button in Vanilla — it only arrived in later expansions.
More about queues and rewards is in the battleground guide.
Level brackets and requirements
- Minimum level — 20.
- Brackets: 20–29, 30–39, 40–49, 50–59 and 60. The closer you are to the top of a bracket, the easier the fights.
- Team size: up to 15 players per side, and a whole group can queue together.
Set your Hearthstone at Refuge Pointe or Hammerfall if you want to combine Arathi Highlands quests with battleground runs. On WoW x5 experience comes fast, so a character often jumps a bracket in a couple of evenings.
HearthstoneBinds when picked upUniqueUse: Returns you to Hearthstone Location. Speak to an Innkeeper in a different place to change your home location.Table: how to get to Arathi Basin
| Route | Alliance | Horde |
|---|---|---|
| Way into the zone | Thandol Span from the Wetlands | Thoradin's Wall from Hillsbrad |
| Battleground gate | Inside Refuge Pointe | Just behind Hammerfall |
| Nearest flight path | Refuge Pointe | Hammerfall |
| Queue without travelling | Battlemaster in an Alliance capital | Battlemaster in a Horde capital |
| Battleground faction | League of Arathor | The Defilers |
◆Why go to Arathi Basin
Arathi is the best way to earn honor and reputation for League of Arathor or Defilers rewards, and to learn proper team play. Node tactics are covered in the Arathi Basin guide, and how honor turns into ranks and rewards is explained in the honor and PvP guide. If you are still levelling, combine battles with quests from the Arathi Highlands leveling guide.
◆Related guides
- Flight paths: complete guide
- Travel guide to Azeroth
- Arathi Basin: rules and nodes
- The honor system in Vanilla
- How to get to Hillsbrad Foothills
- World PvP guide
Ready to fight for resources? Create an account on the WoW x5 server and connect to the game — the battlemaster is already waiting for you in your capital.
FAQ
?Where is the Alliance entrance to Arathi Basin?
The Alliance entrance is inside Refuge Pointe, the camp in the middle of Arathi Highlands. The easiest way there is through the Wetlands and across Thandol Span, and after your first visit you can fly in by gryphon.
?Where is the Horde entrance to Arathi Basin?
The Horde entrance sits just behind Hammerfall, the Horde base in northeastern Arathi Highlands. The route goes from Undercity through Silverpine Forest and Hillsbrad Foothills, then along the road through Thoradin's Wall.
?Can I queue for Arathi Basin without leaving my capital?
Yes. In 1.12 you queue at the Arathi Basin battlemaster in your capital city or at the entrance itself in Arathi Highlands. There is no button to queue from anywhere in the world in this version.
?What level do I need for Arathi Basin?
Level 20. Players are split into brackets of 20–29, 30–39, 40–49, 50–59 and 60, so you will face opponents of roughly your own level.
Related
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