Stepping into a game that has existed for over two decades can be a daunting prospect for anyone. As a new player, you are entering the community of millions, from casual players to full-time professional competitors who play the game as a career. Want to ensure your smooth experience from the very beginning? Here is a comprehensive roadmap of exactly where you should go and what you should do.
Choosing the Right Era: Retail vs. Classic
Before you will be able to create your first character, you have to decide which version of the game is appropriate for you. Currently, Blizzard offers two distinct ways to play, and your choice here will impact the way that you interact with the world and the other players.
- Retail (The Modern Game) — This version involves speed, convenience, and complex mechanics in the endgame. Leveling is a speedy process created to get you to the maximum level in a swift manner, such that you can partake in difficult raids and dungeons. It has new graphics, a streamlined interface, and different automated systems to help you find groups for content.
- Classic (The Era Approach) — This is a recreation of the game as it was during the early years. The pace is greatly reduced, and each level is a huge achievement. There is a much heavier emphasis on community interaction, as there are many automated features from the modern game that do not exist. Besides that, you will need to speak with other people to help you accomplish difficult tasks.
Modern players often gravitate towards the fast-paced nature of Retail, while those who want a more methodical and social RPG often find a home in Classic.
The Faction Divide: Alliance and Horde
The main story of the game is the constant friction between the two main factions. While there have been recent updates that allow for greater amounts of cooperation between them, your choice still determines where you start and the big cities you will frequent.
The Alliance is a coalition that is led mostly by humans, dwarves, and night elves, with its themes revolving around tradition, stone-walled cities, and organized military structures. In contrast, the Horde is made up of Orcs, Undead, and Trolls. It focuses on a culture of survival, honor, and a rugged aesthetic that is often spiked iron and primitive leather. Your choice here is largely one of aesthetic preference and lore interest, since the mechanical differences between them have been nominalized through the years.
The Economy and the Price of Gold
Managing your wealth is a central part of the gameplay cycle. Almost everything of value, from high-level gear to essential potions, is traded on the Auction House. What is more, prices are based on the players themselves.
Some players spend their whole time in the game “flipping” items on the market in order to make a profit. For any new player, the disparity between the money you start with and the amount of money needed to compete in raiding can be discouraging. This is why a lot of people decide to buy WoW gold so that they can avoid the poverty of a new account. To help you with trading, the “Auctionator” addon is a crucial tool to help you navigate the Auction House interface and track the market prices over time.
Character Development and First Decisions
For a beginner, there are so many classes that it can be a daunting experience. However, the game is designed in such a way that you can usually succeed with any choice. Nevertheless, some classes provide a much easier route for individuals who are still learning the basic mechanics of combat and movement.
The following classes are recommended for new players because of their usefulness and survival during the leveling process.
- Hunter — This is probably the easiest class for the beginner in the game. You have your loyal pet, who is a bodyguard who takes the damage from enemies while you fire from a safe distance. This makes questing alone much safer and efficient.
- Druid — This is the ultimate hybrid class. A Druid can also become different animal forms, a tank, a healer, or a damage dealer. So, you can try every role available in the game on one character.
Once you are comfortable with the basic gameplay, you can always play with more complex magical or technical classes.
Understanding Group Roles
When you go into a dungeon, you are part of a team of five people. Everyone has a specific job. If one person does not do his or her job, the whole group will probably fail. Understanding these roles is the most important social aspect of the game.
The following list describes the main functions in any kind of organized group activity.
- Tanks — They lead the group and make sure that the monsters attack them instead of the weaker players. It is a high responsibility job that entails knowledge of the paths of the dungeons.
- Healers — Their only goal is the health bars of the group members. They must manage their resources if they are going to keep everyone alive during chaos fights.
- Damage Dealers (DPS) — They are focused on destroying the enemies as quickly as possible. This is the most popular role and is great for those who like to focus on their own performance.
You can change your specialization at a class trainer or through your talent menu, depending on the version of the game. This flexibility enables you to try different roles until you can find one that resonates with your personal style.
PvE vs. PvP: Choosing your Battlefield
World of Warcraft has two main paths available to the endgame progression, and most people in the game gravitate toward one path or the other. Player vs. Environment (PvE) is fought against scripted boss battles in raids and dungeons and requires high levels of coordination and strategy. Player vs. Player (PvP) involves fighting other human beings in arenas and battlegrounds. It requires fast reflexes and in-depth knowledge of every other class in the game.
Both paths have their unique rewards and require a different set of gear. In PvE, you are looking for items that will give you increased raw output. At the same time, in PvP, you will often require gear that gives you additional survivability against other players. Regardless of your choice, the “AtlasLoot” addon is an excellent tool to have. It lets you look through the loot tables of every boss in the game to see exactly what items to be looking for.
Professions and Utility
Finally, each character can learn two main professions that can help them in their efforts. Gathering professions, such as Mining and Herbalism, are great for making gold. At the same time, crafting professions, such as Alchemy or Blacksmithing, are where you can make your own gear and consumables. Choosing professions that complement your class can give your characters a serious boost to their power and financial stability.
Final Say!
Complete these basic steps to make the world of Azeroth much more manageable and exciting to explore. Take your time to understand your class, keep your gold reserves healthy, and use the right tools to navigate the complex systems of the game.