⚠️
Classic WoW addons DO NOT work on Turtle WoW. Turtle WoW uses the original 2006 version 1.12 client. Addons marked for Classic (1.13, 1.14, 1.15) are completely incompatible. If you're coming from Classic or Wrath, forget everything you know about addons and start fresh with this list. The addons here are specifically confirmed to work with Turtle WoW's client.
📥 How to Install Addons
There are three sensible ways to handle addons on Turtle WoW. The launcher is easiest for most players, GitAddonsManager is best if you like keeping a full addon stack updated, and manual install is still the fallback for one-off tools, older repositories, and client-side fixes. Pick one method and keep it tidy — most UI problems come from mixing old folders, duplicate installs, and half-updated versions.
The built-in launcher has an addons section and can verify/update many popular addons with one click. Best starting point if you're new.
1Open the Turtle WoW Launcher
2Navigate to the Addons tab
3Browse and enable addons. The launcher handles downloading and updating.
Note: Settings persist in the TurtleWoW/WTF/ folder — never delete this folder when updating.
A free Windows app that installs and updates git-hosted addons with one click. Best for managing many addons and keeping them current.
1Download GitAddonsManager, extract and make a shortcut to GitAddonsManager.exe
2On first run, point it to your TurtleWoW/Interface/AddOns/ folder
3Press +, paste a GitHub .git link (e.g. https://github.com/shagu/pfQuest.git), press OK
4Press the Upgrade button regularly to update all addons at once
Important: Delete any manually-installed copies of addons you manage through GitAddonsManager — duplicates cause conflicts.
Works for any addon, including those not on GitHub. Required for some client fixes (Nampower, SuperWoW).
1On GitHub, click <> Code → Download ZIP
2Extract the zip to TurtleWoW/Interface/AddOns/
3Rename the folder — remove the -master suffix if present. Folder name must match the .toc file inside.
4Restart the game. Check the AddOns button at character select. Enable "Load out of date addons" if needed.
💡
Troubleshooting tip: If an addon isn't showing in your list — the folder name doesn't match the .toc file inside it. Remove -master from the extracted folder name. This is the #1 install mistake new players make.
🔩 Client Fixes — Install These First
These are the things that make the old 1.12 client feel less old. Treat them as the foundation before you start piling on interface addons. A smoother client, better spell responsiveness, and fewer weird launch issues will do more for your day-to-day play than another damage meter ever will.
Fixes a fundamental flaw in the 1.12 client: the client won't let you start a new cast until the server confirms the last one finished. On EU servers from the US (or vice versa), this creates a 10–20% effective DPS loss for any class with a castbar. Nampower eliminates this by not waiting for server confirmation.
Also adds: spell queuing, automatic retry on error, quickcasting, queued spell icon display, fixes broken cast animations back-to-back. Essentially mandatory for any caster, healer or tank.
Install: Download, extract the nampower.dll into your TurtleWoW folder. If you use VanillaFixes it's loaded automatically. Otherwise use loader.exe to start the game.
↗ Download from GitHub
Backports features from later WoW versions and the Classic re-release into the 1.12 client. Enables addon developers to build more capable addons — several popular addons require SuperWoW to function properly.
SuperWoW enables: target-of-target, proper nameplate distance calculation, inspect on any player, friends list sync across characters and more. Note: The code is closed-source, so cannot be peer-reviewed.
Antivirus warning: SuperWoW injects into the WoW executable and will trigger Windows Defender. Add your TurtleWoW folder as an exclusion in Windows Security before installing — this is expected behaviour, not a virus.
↗ Download from GitHub
A collection of client-side bug fixes for the 1.12 client. Also acts as a loader for Nampower — if you install VanillaFixes, it will automatically load nampower.dll from your game folder without needing a separate loader. Many players use VanillaFixes + Nampower together.
↗ Download from GitHub
An optional companion addon for Nampower that lets you configure Nampower's settings from inside the game rather than editing config files manually. Recommended if you want to fine-tune spell queuing behaviour. Requires Nampower to be installed first.
↗ Download from Gitea
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🗺️ Quest & Map Addons
5 addons
🗺️
pfQuest
⭐ Essential
+ pfQuest-turtle required
The quest helper for Turtle WoW. Shows quest objectives on your world map and minimap, tracks available quests in each zone, and plots quest mob and item locations. Without this you're alt-tabbing to databases constantly. The base addon covers all vanilla quests.
Must install both pfQuest AND pfQuest-turtle together. pfQuest-turtle adds all custom Turtle WoW quests (1,000+). Without the extension, custom zone quests show no objectives.
🐢
pfQuest-turtle
⭐ Essential
+ pfQuest required
The Turtle WoW database extension for pfQuest. Adds all 1,000+ custom quests, custom mobs, custom items and custom locations added by the Mysteries of Azeroth expansion to pfQuest's tracking system. Requires pfQuest to be installed first. Updated as the Turtle WoW team releases new database builds.
📍
Modern Map Markers
Recommended
Shows the locations of dungeons, raids, world bosses, boats, zeppelins and trams on the world map. Essential for new players who don't know where everything is. Especially useful for finding Turtle WoW's custom dungeon entrances which aren't always obvious.
📏
LevelRange-Turtle
Recommended
Displays the zone level range on the world map — now with support for all of Turtle WoW's custom zones (Gilneas, Lapidis Isle, Tel'Abim, Hyjal etc). Invaluable while leveling so you know at a glance whether a zone is appropriate for your level.
🔎
Enhanced world map with additional functionality — zoom, coordinates display, notes, gathering node tracking. Works well alongside pfQuest. Community favourite for players who want more map control without a full UI replacement.
🖥️ User Interface
6 addons
✨
ShaguTweaks
⭐ Essential
+ ShaguTweaks-extras
Quality-of-life improvements to the default vanilla UI without replacing it entirely. Adds: moveable frames, improved tooltips, auto-repair, sell greys button, improved casting bar, target-of-target, right-click to close bags, nameplate improvements and much more. The most popular starting point for beginners — it makes the vanilla UI feel modern without changing the look.
Configure everything via Escape → Advanced Options. Enable only what you want — every feature is individually toggleable. Install ShaguTweaks-extras for even more tweaks.
Note: If you use pfUI, ShaguTweaks is already included in it. Don't install both.
🎨
pfUI + pfUI-turtle
Full UI Replacement
A complete replacement for the entire WoW 1.12 interface in a single addon. Fully customisable — move anything, resize anything, change everything. Includes built-in versions of ShaguTweaks, unit frames, action bars, chat, minimap and more. The most used advanced UI on Turtle WoW.
pfUI-turtle is a small extension that fixes issues arising from Turtle's custom UI, class and item changes. Install both together. Browse premade layouts at
r/pfUI. Use the search function in pfUI's config menu — type "swing", "cast", "buff" etc. to find specific settings fast.
⚔️
A Warcraft III-inspired UI theme. For players who want the aesthetic of WC3 overlaid on their WoW experience. Less popular than pfUI but has a dedicated following among RP players and lore fans who appreciate the aesthetic continuity with the Warcraft III story Turtle WoW continues.
🔵
Improved nameplates for enemies and players. Shows health percentage, cast bars on enemy nameplates, class colours, and debuffs. Significantly improves AoE awareness and dungeon gameplay where tracking multiple enemies is critical. Works well with ShaguTweaks.
📊
BetterCharacterStats
Recommended
Adds detailed stat breakdowns to your character panel — shows actual values like spell hit chance, spell crit %, attack power, weapon skill and more that vanilla hides or shows incorrectly. Essential for understanding your character's actual performance numbers at endgame.
🖱️
Move any default UI element to anywhere on screen. Drag and drop repositioning for every frame — action bars, minimap, chat windows, unit frames. Essential if you don't want a full UI replacement but want to rearrange specific elements.
🎒 Bags, Inventory & Auction House
4 addons
🎒
Combines all your bags into one large single window. The single best quality-of-life improvement in the game. Also shows your bank contents from anywhere in the world — no need to go to the bank to check what you have stored. Search your entire inventory with a single text box. Every player should have this.
💰
A complete auction house replacement. Adds a proper search bar, full browse functionality, scan pricing, posting history and a significantly better posting workflow than the default AH UI. The vanilla AH is nearly unusable without this. Community consensus: aux is mandatory once you start using the auction house seriously for gold farming or crafting.
📬
TurtleMail (Mail)
Recommended
Makes the in-game mail system work more like modern WoW — better layout, improved attachment handling, faster inbox loading, auto-open all attachments. The vanilla mail system is tedious for moving items between characters. Install this early.
💵
Displays item sell and buy values on tooltips. Hover over any item and instantly see its vendor price and estimated AH value. Pairs with Forged Sell All Grays (adds a one-click "sell all greys" button at vendors) to speed up every vendor visit significantly.
⚔️ Combat, Raiding & Dungeons
8 addons
💥
BigWigs
⭐ Essential for Raiding
Boss encounter addon providing timers, warnings and alerts for raid boss mechanics. Tells you when a boss is about to do something dangerous, tracks ability cooldowns, and gives visual and audio alerts. Required by most serious raiding guilds on Turtle WoW.
Use the pepopo978 fork (linked) — it's updated specifically for Turtle WoW's custom raids including Lower Karazhan and Emerald Sanctum. Critical setup note: Configure bar positions and alert styles before your first raid — out of the box, alerts appear everywhere.
⚠️
TWThreat
⭐ Essential for Raiding
Alt: KLHThreatMeter
Threat meter built specifically for Turtle WoW's threat calculations. Shows your threat level relative to the tank so DPS can back off before pulling aggro. Tanks need this to see if they're losing threat. DPS need it to not die. TWThreat is more accurate for this server than the vanilla KLH alternative.
🗺️
AtlasLoot-Turtle + Atlas-TW
⭐ Essential
In-game loot tables for every dungeon and raid — including all of Turtle WoW's custom instances. Open AtlasLoot at the dungeon entrance, browse every boss's drops, and decide whether a run is worth your time. Invaluable for targeted gear farming. Atlas adds dungeon maps showing boss positions.
Use the Turtle WoW-specific fork (Otari98/AtlasLoot) not the vanilla version — the custom dungeon loot data won't be in the original.
📈
ShaguDPS
Recommended
Alt: DPSMate
Lightweight damage meter. Shows DPS/HPS for you and your group without the complexity of heavier alternatives. Simple, reliable and the community's default recommendation for most players. Use DPSMate instead if you need advanced tracking features for guild leadership or detailed logs.
⏱️
Tracks spell effects — HoTs, DoTs, buffs and debuffs — that you cast. Shows remaining duration on bars so you know exactly when to refresh Corruption, Serpent Sting, Rejuvenation etc. Critical for optimising DoT uptime on Warlocks, Hunters, Druids and Shadow Priests.
✨
Power Auras (Shino's fork)
Recommended
Visual proc and buff tracking — displays configurable icons, graphics and sounds when specific procs, buffs or debuffs are active. The vanilla equivalent of WeakAuras for Retail players. There is no WeakAuras on Turtle WoW — this is the replacement. Requires setup but extremely powerful once configured.
💊
Click-casting for healers — bind spells to mouse buttons combined with modifier keys so you can cast heals by clicking on raid frames. Massively improves healing throughput by eliminating targeting clicks. Essential for any dedicated healer. Works best combined with pfUI's unit frames.
🛡️
Decursive
Healers / Support
Automatic curse/disease/poison removal prioritisation. Shows a list of party/raid members that need decursing and lets you click to remove with your most efficient spell. Invaluable for Druids, Mages, Warlocks and any class with dispel utility in raids.
⚡ Quality of Life
7 addons
🔊
WoW-Voiceover
⭐ Unique to Turtle WoW
AI-voiced quests, items, gossip and NPC dialogue. When you speak to a quest giver, the quest text is read aloud with generated voice acting. One of the most immersive additions Turtle WoW players consistently recommend. Completely optional but transforms the questing experience — especially for players who want to engage with the custom quest writing.
Not a simple GitHub clone-and-paste install. Follow the installation instructions on the Turtle WoW Addons wiki page carefully.
😴
Moveable rested XP bar that tracks overflow into future levels. Shows exactly how much rested XP you have, including overflow beyond your current level cap. Essential for players using the tent system — you'll always know how much rested XP you're sitting on and when to burn through it.
🎯
Tracks herb and ore node locations on your minimap as you discover them. Builds a personal database of gathering spawns over time. After a few sessions of farming you'll have a detailed map of every spawn in your regular circuits. Essential for Herbalism and Mining gold farming routes.
📋
Reduces interface tedium by automating small repetitive tasks — auto-accept resurrection, auto-confirm summons, auto-release spirit, auto-repair equipment at vendors and more. Note: Disable the "Attack" module if you want to target friendly units while in combat — it can prevent clicking on party frames.
⚒️
LilSparkysWorkshop
Crafters
Adds auction-derived pricing information directly into the trade skill recipe frame. Hover over a craftable item and see its estimated AH value compared to the material cost — instantly tells you whether crafting something is profitable. Essential for any serious crafter or gold maker.
🗣️
Colourises player names in chat, shows player level, shortens channel names and — uniquely for Turtle WoW — can show players' factions in chat so you can see at a glance whether someone is Alliance or Horde in cross-faction conversations. Particularly useful in the /world channel.
👥
Group maker — ideal for setting up a group for a quest, dungeon or raid. Broadcasts LFM messages automatically, manages invite lists and tracks who's accepted. Works in both SoftCore and Hardcore mode. Cuts down the tedium of manually spamming /world for group members.
⚔️ Class-Specific Addons
6 addons
🏹
Hunter auto-shot timer, castbar and more. Shows the auto-shot timer so you can optimise the weaving of Aimed Shot and Auto Shot without clipping. Mandatory for any Hunter serious about DPS. Clipping auto-shot is the #1 DPS mistake vanilla Hunters make.
🌿
Shows your mana bar while in bear or cat form — the default UI hides it when shapeshifted. Essential for Feral Druids who need to track both their rage/energy and their mana for shifting back to cast. Also works with ShaguTweaks style.
🩸
Automatically deletes soul shards above a configured maximum. Updated for Turtle WoW's soul shard stacking mechanic. Without this, Warlock bags fill up with shards constantly — this keeps your inventory clean automatically.
✝️
Paladin blessing assignment and management for raids. Assigns blessings to specific classes, tracks who has what blessing, and lets you set up a full raid buff rotation with one click. Invaluable in 40-man raids where manually tracking 40 players' blessings is impossible.
🔁
Automatically swaps to the correct libram before casting Paladin spells — no macros required. Paladins use different librams for healing, DPS and tanking. This handles all the swapping automatically so you can focus on playing.
⚡
LockPort / LockPort_Plus
Warlock
Coordinates summoning — detects players who type "123" in chat and auto-invites and summons them. Removes the manual coordination overhead of summoning for raid assembly. LockPort_Plus adds support for multiple localizations.
🎭 Roleplaying Addons
3 addons
🎭
A roleplaying addon made specifically for Turtle WoW. Set character descriptions, backstory, current IC status and more. Compatible with MRP/TRP profiles from other players who also use RP addons. Turtle WoW's RP community is active — this lets you engage with it properly.
💬
An enhanced conversation addon with a focus on immersion and customisation. Improves the visual presentation of quest dialogue and NPC conversations. Pairs excellently with WoW-Voiceover for a fully immersive questing experience.
📝
Keep notes on friends and players in-game. Attach notes to characters — when you meet them again, your notes pop up. Invaluable on an RP server for tracking player interactions, guild contacts and anyone you want to remember from a dungeon or encounter.
🚀 Recommended Starter Kit — New Player Setup
If you want a clean starting point, use the stack below and stop there for a few days. It covers questing, bags, maps, auction house, boss timers, threat, and a few high-value quality-of-life improvements without turning your screen into a science project. Once you know what actually annoys you in game, then add extra niche tools.
🔩
Nampower + VanillaFixes
Fix casting latency first. Biggest invisible impact on gameplay.
🗺️
pfQuest + pfQuest-turtle
Quest objectives on map. Mandatory for custom quests to show.
✨
ShaguTweaks
QoL improvements. Makes the UI feel modern instantly.
🎒
Bagnon
One bag view. Essential. Install this before anything else.
💰
Aux
Auction house. The vanilla AH is unusable without this.
📬
TurtleMail
Better mail system. Alt-banking between characters is constant.
🗺️
AtlasLoot-Turtle
In-game loot tables. Know what drops before you enter.
🔊
WoW-Voiceover
AI voiced quests. Optional but genuinely transforms leveling.
"The Turtle WoW addon situation is actually fine once you understand that Classic addons don't work. Once you install pfQuest-turtle and ShaguTweaks you've solved 80% of the friction. Everything else is optimization."
— Addon advice thread, forum Nov 2025
"PFUI is if I had to guess probably the most used UI system for advanced players. Use the search function — type 'swing' for swing timer, 'cast' for all the cast bar stuff, 'buff' for buff settings. It makes that addon so much easier than clicking through the option tree by hand."
— Beginner addons thread, forum Nov 2025