The Legacy system, explained

Unlocking it

The panel appears when you earn your first point: a character reaches 25, a non-gathering primary tradeskill hits 150, or you explore the whole world map. It is the shield icon on the menu bar or the Y key.

Earning points

65 challenges in six categories: exploring, leveling classes (25, 45 and 60 on each class), raising tradeskills, earning PvP ranks (3, 7, 10, 13, 14), maximizing reputations, and completing dungeons and raids. Each is one point. Three of the PvP season-journey quests also grant a point. The full list is on the Legacy page.

Spending them

Each character spends up to 16 of the account's points in its own three trees, with gates at 5 and 10 points and a few perk prerequisites. Plan with the planner. Suggested order for a first character: Talented (points from level 5 on alts), Well Rested, Thrill of Adventure; then Bartering, Reinforce and Reagent Economy for gold; then Performance Bonus and Bountiful Harvest when you craft.

Respeccing

At a class trainer. The client stores up to 10 Legacy reset charges and one returns every week (class talents recharge hourly), so treat Legacy as a per-character plan, not a per-dungeon swap.

Hardcore

Challenges completed outside Hardcore do not count inside it; challenges earned in Hardcore count everywhere. Twelve Hardcore-only challenges replace the PvP ones there.

What comes later

Blizzard calls the system "in its infancy": new challenges with every content release, new perks in the existing trees (each tree already has placeholder slots marked for a future update), eventually new trees, and more rewards on the track. Profession and Legacy updates are on the summer 2027 roadmap.