How hard is levelling compared to Vanilla?

[Reyana]

Hello,

I have started levelling on Lordaeron because I wanted to re-experience WOTLK without a cash shop.

I am finding that the 3x mobs in the starting areas at least are still fairly easy, although it does depend a bit on the class I play. As I am in two minds between this and Vanilla, I was just wondering what people thought of levelling past the starting areas. How challenging is it?

I am playing with my other half who has limited time, so they'd rather not invest time into the game if they find it's a bit too easy. We have stopped playing BFA for that reason (I know about mythics and all, we are talking about levelling experience).

Thanks in advance.

[leonflowen]

Hello,

I have started levelling on Lordaeron because I wanted to re-experience WOTLK without a cash shop.

I am finding that the 3x mobs in the starting areas at least are still fairly easy, although it does depend a bit on the class I play. As I am in two minds between this and Vanilla, I was just wondering what people thought of levelling past the starting areas. How challenging is it?

I am playing with my other half who has limited time, so they'd rather not invest time into the game if they find it's a bit too easy. We have stopped playing BFA for that reason (I know about mythics and all, we are talking about levelling experience).

Thanks in advance.

WotLK is honestly the last version of WoW I personally found to be worth the time. I've experienced most versions of this game extensively, up until Warlords of Draenor, though I did play through pre-Legion content once Legion was released, and found it laughably boring. I realize end-game content is still challenging, but, never should a Holy Priest be able to one-shot enemies above their level and solo elite monsters above their level in a matter of seconds. I feel as if it has sincerely become a single player game, lacking community and the core elements that make a true MMORPG, up until end-game content, as I said...

But I won't go too much into modern-day expansions.

Back to your original question. As far as WotLK vs Vanilla goes, you'll experience much of the same challenge, though things have definitely been made more "convenient", mainly in a way that doesn't require you to have o party just to take down a majority of quests like was required in Vanilla. Starting area enemies aren't aggressive as they were in Vanilla, though they do definitely become aggressive as soon as you find yourself outside of the starting areas. As I said, many of the quests that required a group in Vanilla were modified in the Burning Crusade expansion so that you can take them on by yourself, which is ultimately Blizzard's way of getting you to the WotLK content faster. Keep in mind that with every expansion it was made somewhat easier to progress through previous content, for the sake of "catching up" to others above your level, though I feel Cataclysm was truly where they dropped the ball and made much of the content irrelevant, despite over-hauling a majority of the Vanilla quest lines.

I'm sure you already know about the Random Dungeon Finder and Battleground queue. These make it much easier to queue up for dungeons and battlegrounds, seeing as how you don't have to run to the city every time you wish to queue, though there are obviously downsides there as well, one re-occurring negative being that people who don't dedicate the time running to the dungeon are less likely to see it through, though, again, this also makes it much faster to queue up in general, regardless of where you currently are in-game.

You won't have to worry about hunting down certain dungeon quest items, such as the Mallet of Zul'Farrak, as the dungeons are much more streamlined.

You'll be able to receive points when you participate in battlegrounds and WotLK dungeons now, which will allow you to obtain better gear for yourself, instead of having to constantly fight over who gets what in dungeons or having to worry about PvP rank.

There have been alot of changes, and I won't go into each and every one here, for obvious reasons. But if you're both looking for a challenge that doesn't take up as much time as Vanilla, yet also isn't a face roll like the later expansions, then WotLK is definitely for you! Lordaeron is also the realm I would recommend as well, because aside from the no cash shop situation, you're also looking at x1 rates across the board. Your experience rates, gold rates, profession rates and pretty much everything else should be where they were in retail WotLK. In theory, at least. ...It also doesn't hurt that the Lich King's story line/lore is some of the very best in the game, though that is definitely opinion-based :P

If you guys ever need any help with anything, and are playing Horde, feel free to add me! ("Leonflowen" is my main!)

[Duubadaaba]

Vanilla was/is pain to level up right from the startingzones vs 3.3.5 WoTLK . And if you have played only later expansions, you will find out there is many things "wrong" or better made in later Expansion. Like i played hunter main all my WoW history, Vanilla was worst. Hunters "Dead Zone" no melee, or range ability-zone :D etc.

[Reyana]

WotLK is honestly the last version of WoW I personally found to be worth the time. I've experienced most versions of this game extensively, up until Warlords of Draenor, though I did play through pre-Legion content once Legion was released, and found it laughably boring. (...)
If you guys ever need any help with anything, and are playing Horde, feel free to add me! ("Leonflowen" is my main!)

Hi Leonflowen,

Thank you very much for taking the time for such a detailed answer. We decided we'll stick to Wrath here on Lordaeron :)

We rolled Alliance, but we are low level so we are quite happy to reroll Horde. Maybe we could add you to our friends list? Do you have a guild btw? (Just thought I'd ask :p)

I played all of the expansions aside from Pandaria, so I am quite familiar with WOW. The last time I raided properly thought was Cataclysm. After that I dipped in and out of the expansions, and I might have played Pandaria to hit max level but I just didn't like it. That said, I only played Vanilla a couple of months before TBC so I never reached Vanilla end game.

I played BFA for a while and now that they are yet again wiping your gear progress I have had just about enough. I do understand why there is a need to progress, but the way it is handled currently is just not my cup of tea, but that is a story for another day.

Vanilla was/is pain to level up right from the startingzones vs 3.3.5 WoTLK . And if you have played only later expansions, you will find out there is many things "wrong" or better made in later Expansion. Like i played hunter main all my WoW history, Vanilla was worst. Hunters "Dead Zone" no melee, or range ability-zone :D etc.

I know what you mean.

One one side, I like that you can play with just about any class in the WOW retail and know that if said class has a spec, they will be able to use it (unless you are a min-maxer that chases the perfect comps). I do think that the end game in the current patch is probably the most challenging it has ever been.

On the other end the fact that you just look at mobs and they die, and just how the community has evolved around the game, be it because of the QOL improvements, or because they have other games/expansions to compare to that didn't exist in Vanilla, or whatever other reason - the ecosystem around the current WOW is not working for me.

I watched a video the other day that summed it up well, each person who tries to fix BFA will have their reasons why they think BFA has something wrong. But probably the one thing people can agree to is that gear is basically nameless and is a number, and it's difficult to care about gear and your character that way.

Anyway I digressed. ;)

[Marcus21]

You'll love lvling in Wrath. A lot of the zones that were elite zones(jin'tha alor for example in hinterlands) in vanilla now have normal mobs. You can solo lvl but you'll still need groups for certain quest and when you do lvl alone you'll have to be carefull what to pull, how much, so on... so it's not hit 1 hit 2=dead.

The questing experience in both Outland and Northerend is amazing and I really encourage you to do as many quests as possible there-achiev, money, if not for fun-.

I've lvled on vanilla private servers(the most popular one) and I have 4 lvl 80 here. You can lvl to 80 on your own pace, but it won't feel boring, you'll have to watch yourself and sometimes find groups. If you play as a pair then it depends what classes you are, a tank one+ healer means you can do all quests together(except maybe a few in Blades Edge Mountains-Outland).

Also fun fact, if you do all Outland quests you'll get lvl 74 and hit 80 in Dragonblight, lol. Not the smartest thing to do if you want to lvl as fast as possible but it is fun to do.

Have fun! A lot of things are improved in wrath compared to vanilla which makes lvling not only a pleasure, but less time consuming which is a big thing nowadays.

[Marcus21]

If you reroll Horde and need a tank or help in general whisper Mesaleth ^^

[Reyana]

If you reroll Horde and need a tank or help in general whisper Mesaleth ^^

I see you are in game but I can't whisper right now, I guess there is a lower level limit. I have made a priest, Amrah.

[hsypersakura]

is not comparable.
for give you a idea, if vanilla leveling is 10, wrath is like 5, MOP is like 3.5.


of course this depend of the class choice, but the mana regeneration, plus skills, talents ,shorter cooldowns and the almost absence of real elite quest quit the "challenge" of leveling.

dungeons on wrath = aoe fest while leveling and end content.

[Marcus21]

You try and aoe fest Shadowfang Keep at lvl 22 my friend, I dare you-without looms, lol. if you have looms then all that you've said is correct.