World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria Classic is dangling a free level 85 character boost—but you’ll need more than luck to claim it. Only players who conquer Dreadlord Balnazzar in the Scarlet Enclave raid, between May 27 and June 30, 2025, during the Season of Discovery are eligible. Pandaren? Sorry, no shortcuts—Blizzard’s having none of that. There’s chatter about fairness, paid upgrade packs, and the looming influence of the Horde. Curious what other twists Blizzard has planned?
Although the road to Pandaria is packed with excitement and maybe a few too many Sha, Blizzard is giving World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria Classic players a rare treat—a free level 85 character boost.
But, as with most things in Azeroth, there’s a catch (or three). To claim this boost, players can’t just log in and click a flashy button. Instead, they’ll need to rally their friends, tackle the Scarlet Enclave raid, and defeat Dreadlord Balnazzar during a special event running from May 27 to June 30, 2025.
Claiming your free boost isn’t simple—gather your crew, conquer Scarlet Enclave, and take down Balnazzar during the special event.
Not everyone gets in on the action. Only players participating in the Season of Discovery during this event are eligible, so if you’re not raiding with the right crowd, that level 85 boost will remain forever out of reach. [The boost is granted retroactively if you’ve previously defeated Balnazzar in the Scarlet Enclave raid, so those who completed the challenge before the announcement will still receive the free level 85 character boost.]
Some in the community are already grumbling—why cater only to Season of Discovery adventurers? Is this the Horde’s latest scheme? Nope, just Blizzard’s way of making sure people engage with the raid content before Mists of Pandaria Classic drops.
If you manage to claim your boost, don’t expect to use it on every character. Pandaren, the new playable race, are off-limits for boosting—no shortcuts for those furry newcomers.
Monks, also debuting in the pre-patch, are not explicitly excluded (at least, not yet), but Blizzard hasn’t made a final call. Smart gold-makers and alt enthusiasts might want to wait and see before using their boost.
For those feeling left out, there are paid upgrade packs—Heroic and Charred Infused—that offer extra perks, though they don’t grant the free boost itself.
Meanwhile, the pre-expansion world event, Attack on Theramore Isle, and new features like AOE looting, revamped talents, and pet battles are coming with the pre-patch the week of July 1, 2025. The full expansion launches July 21.
Forums are buzzing, as always, with debates over fairness and population impact. Some players feel excluded, others are just happy for the chance at a head start.
Either way, one thing’s for sure: in Azeroth, nothing is ever truly “free”—except, maybe, the drama.