Quest A quest is a task given to a player character that yields a reward when completed . Most quests are given by an NPC ( non - player character ) . However , some quests can come from right - clicking signs ( usually the wanted poster type ) , reading scrolls or documents , opening containers , using certain looted items ( which will say " Begins a quest " on the tooltip when moused over ) , or from completing a previous quest ( chain quest ) . Until you reach the maximum level , a quest will also reward you with Experience Points ( XP ) . After that , you will receive gold instead . Most quests will also reward you with reputation from the same faction as the NPC quest giver . The has articles on many specific quests . This list may not be as comprehensive as database sites like Allakhazam , Thottbot , or Wowhead , but the wiki quest articles have the advantage of being a summary of information on a quest , as opposed to a long list of sometimes conflicting or old comments added to the raw quest data . New quests can be added to WoWWiki by reading , using the to record the details and adding categories for the starting zone , obtainable at level ( e . g . ) and other as appropriate . Then update the main zone quest guide page , and any pages for the quest giver or starting item . There are currently more than 9 , 500 quests in " World of Warcraft " . The initial design had only 100 horde quests , 100 alliance quests and 100 neutral quests planned for the whole game . For a complete list of quests available , see the page . Starting out . Depending on your race you will start in a different geographical region with some common quests and some race / class - specific quests with several low - level creatures around and a limited number of NPC s . Many of the quests in " World of Warcraft " are single - step , but there will often be multiple followup quests that turn into a long quest series . Many NPCs can offer you more than one quest ; when talking to them , you ' ll get a window giving you the option to select which quest you wish to talk to them about , using the same symbols as appear over their heads . To find out the quest or the status of an uncompleted quest , talk to the NPC with a quest status indicator . Occasionally as you adventure in Azeroth , you may encounter drop ped or fixed items that will give out quests when activated ( right - clicked ) . Try to get and finish all the quests in a given geographic locale before moving on to a higher - level area with new quests . The reason for this is that other quests may send you in different directions and into other map areas . By the time you get back to the original quest track , the quests have gone gray . They can still be accomplished , but any items received will be below your current level , the XP will be much less helpful , and the cash , if any , will be small change compared to the amounts you are currently bringing in from looting and selling vendor trash items . However , if it is a member of a long quest chain , it may be worth completing gray quests , because later ones may be for your level or even for above your level . Identifying quest givers . Along with the expansion , NPCs who offer quests will have their names floating above their head ( green for quest givers of the same faction and yellow for quest givers who will give quests to either faction or are not yet . If a quest offered is too low level to provide meaningful rewards or experience , the indicator ( described below ) will not appear ( unless requested specifically ) , but the name will be colored . You can identify quest giving NPC s from indicators over their heads : Also as of patch 2 . 3 , you can identify quest givers by the pointer change when you move it over them : Also as of patch 2 . 3 . 2 , you can identify quest enders ( completed quest ) by the pointer change when you move it over them : If you have completed a quest but you might not want to turn it in yet ( because your bags are full , for instance ) , you can return to it later at any time . However , until you turn it in , the quest ender will comtinue to display a gold question mark ( ) , so you will not know if they have a new quest for you until you turn it the completed quest or speak to them as if to turn it in . Auto accept quests . Since Cataclysm , some quests do not technically have quest givers or you won ' t need to find the quest giver to get the quest . These are called Auto Accept quests . The player will be notified a quest is available with a popup message at the upper right of the screen with a brief intro about the quest . These quests are triggered by various factors such as entering a subzone , killing a type of mob , or reaching a certain level . Low level quests . If a quest is considered too low level for your character ( if it will have a gray color in your log ) , it will be much less visible . By default , an exclamation point ( ) will not appear above the quest giver ' s head , nor will one appear on the minimap without an extra step ( see below ) . Since Patch 2 . 3 , the quest title in the quest giver ' s talk window will also be tagged " ( Low Level ) " . Before Patch 3 . 0 . 2 , a low - level quest could be discovered only by mousing over ( or interacting with ) its quest giver . Since 3 . 0 . 2 , selecting " Low Level Quests " on the minimap radar will display exclamation points ( ) for every available quest , including those considered " low level " . This also causes a dull exclamation point to appear over NPCs offering low - level quests . Quest types . In " World of Warcraft " , quests are separated into several broad categories : Solo quests . Most quests are intended to be completed by a single player , but depending on the quest , different classes may have differing levels of difficulty completing quests . Group quests . In the quest text a group quest will have a recommended number of players to complete this type of quest . These number estimates are conservative and depending on class and skill , some 2 player quests can be easily soloed while others may be slightly difficult with given number of players . Many quests recommending 3 - 4 players can be done with 2 players . Previously called an " elite " quest . Dungeon quests . Requires an objective inside an instance . Other than that they can be similar to solo and group quests . Raid quests . Requires an objective inside a raid instance or involving an outdoor raid boss . Besides the Heroic quests , these are the hardest types of quests to complete for players of the recommended level range . Heroic quests . For non - raiders , these are the hardest quests as they require completion inside a Heroic mode , non - raid instance . These are the hardest types of non - raid quests to complete for players of the recommended level range . These quests can also be a variant of a daily quest which tends to be slightly easier . PvP quests . These quests require players complete them while flagged for PvP and usually in a PvP battleground or zone . These quests can also be a variant of a daily quest which may be tied to a specific battleground or can be very tedious and often are ignored by PvP oriented players . Repeatable quests . Most quests are of the standard type ( ) . However , some can be repeated indefinitely ( or at least until some maximum is hit ) and can be identified by the blue or over the head of the quest giver whether or not you have the requisite items . The symbol remains a blue after you turn it in again . Such repeatable quests are quite frequently begun by a normal quest , and once you ' ve completed that quest it appears as is described . Most repeatable quests are repeatable reputation quests ( RRQ s ) for increasing your reputation with a particular faction . See the What are the Repeatable Reputation Quests section of the Reputation page for a list . Contrary to the type of quest described just above , for example , the Timbermaw furbolg s of Felwood and Winterspring want you to prove to them that you ' re on their side . In this case , each time you turn in the quest , rather than having a blue question mark , you get a familiar gold exclamation point . The Darkmoon Faire has special repeatable quests that both increase reputation and allow you to collect tickets for rewards . Technically these quests cannot be done indefinitely , since they stop appearing if a reputation maximum is reached . Daily quests . Daily quest s are a sub - type of repeatable quests that you may only do once per 24 hours . The exact reset hour depends on the realm , but it never changes , is chosen to be in the early AM , and will not coincide with the instance reset . Each character has a limit of 25 quests of this type they can do a day . Daily quests come in normal , cooking , fishing , heroic , and PvP subtypes . Another limitation is that you may perform only 25 of this variety of quest per day . This may force you to choose among those daily quests available to you . The number of daily quests you have done this day is listed in the upper right - hand corner of your quest log . In Burning Crusade most quests of this type appear with the standard marker ( ) , regardless of how often you do them , but in Wrath of the Lich King several quest appear with the RRQ marker ( ) that count against your daily quest limit . Seasonal quests . Seasonal quests are available during short time ( from one day to two weeks ) at special time of year . They can be both normal and daily ; some normal quests can be repeatable during the next season . Quest variations . Most standard quest tasks take one of the following forms with a variety of quest objective s : NOTE : Some quests have a time limit , which is counted down in a clock that appears under the mini - map . Quest rewards . Most reward s take the form of item s , money and reputation , but some quests ( especially class - specific ones ) give abilities or spell s . Some of the more desirable reward items include quality or better items or recipe s for use with profession s . All quests tend to include XP as part of the reward , although some repeatable reputation quests do not reward XP . Additional notes : Managing a quest log . Currently active quests are listed with their status and details in the Quest Log ( L key ) . Quests can also be shared with other party members . A player can be in the process of completing ( or completed but not turned in ) up to 25 quests at any one time . A warning will sound and a small message appears if you try to accept a quest when you already have 25 quests . Sharing quests . To share a quest , open the Quest Log , select a quest and click Share Quest at the bottom of the window . Each member of the party who is in the vicinity will be prompted whether they want to join the quest . Once you ' ve tried to share a quest , the following things may happen : Some quests will not be sharable , since they apply only to the player who accepted the quest . If the option to accept the quest is not given to a party member , they will not receive credit for having helped complete it . If accepting the quest gives an item which is required to do the quest , the quest is usually not shareable . Abandoning quests . Quests can be abandoned with no penalty by clicking Abandon Quest in the Quest Log , except that the player must find the quest giver again to pickup the quest again . The Cancel button in the Quest Log just closes the window and does not affect any selected quests . There will be a warning that the special quest items already obtained ( if there are any ) will be destroyed when the quest abandoned . This does not include normal , non - quest items needed for some quests . " Kill X of Y " quests . Any quests that require you to kill " X " amount of something will have you restart at 0 killed if / when you pick up the quest again . This will affect all kill counters for any single quest , regardless of the number of different items needed to kill . " Collect X of Y " quests . If the items you are collecting are marked as " Quest item " you will lose those items when you abandon the related quest . Items , such as trade goods , which are not quest items will not be lost . Quests that have you collect " X " amount of something though will be updated to show the current amount you have collected ( on person or in bank ) if / when you pick up the quest again . The quests that are most easily abandoned are the ones that come from drops that you have found . This way you can just reactivate the item and get the quest right back . Also , other good quests to drop ( in case you need to ) are the ones you get from NPC s in the area of your Hearthstone - bound inn . This way you don ' t have to travel far to re - obtain them . It could be inconvenient , however , if you suddenly decide to do a quest that you get from there , yet you have to travel quite some distance to arrive at where you complete the quest . It can be very difficult to juggle quests . It would be helpful to write down what quests you ' ve seen , where to get them , and where they ' re completed , and where you turn them in , so you can do several quests at once in one area .