This is the first in a series of levelling guides, aimed at new and experienced players as an answer to the eternal question "Where do I go next?". It's aimed at a questing player who will mainly play solo, although people levelling with buddies will find much of it relevant.

Levels 1-5

This is the most straightforward stage of the game. At level 1 you arrive in a newbie zone, complete with everything you will need for the next five levels or so. The zones are dependent on your race:
Orcs and Trolls share the Valley of Trials.
Tauren start in Camp Narache.
Undead players start in Deathknell.

Gnomes and Dwarves share Coldridge Valley.
Humans begin in Northshire Abbey.
Night Elves start in Aldrassil.

Each area features various NPCs, including a vendor NPC who you can sell unwanted items to, and several class trainer NPCs. Additionally, many characters offer quests.

Due to the experience gained from questing, completing quests is a more efficient way to level than simply killing monsters. At these low levels, life is easy: most monsters are passive, and won't attack until you attack them. At each even-numbered level, new skills will bring a great increase in your power, and you should be able to pick up a few pieces of armour and maybe a weapon from quests.

In each newbie zone there is a "cave-style" quest featuring more aggressive monsters in an enclosed space, but teaming up with other newbies can quickly clear the cave out if you are having trouble alone, and you can use your hearthstone to leave if you've completed the quest and want to return quickly.

When you have exhausted the quests in your starting zone, usually around level 5, a NPC will send you down the road to the next village. On the way, a NPC will ask you to make a delivery--easy XP as you're going there anyway.

Levels 5-10

Orcs and Trolls are sent to Razor Hill.
Tauren adventure to Bloodhoof Village.
Undead players move on to Brill.

Gnomes and Dwarves continue to Kharanos.
Humans move to Goldshire.
Night Elves adventure in Dolanaar.

Each of these villages includes an inn (you can set your hearthstone here) as well as class trainers and some profession trainers. The professions available depend on the village; for example, Bloodhoof Village features skinning and leatherworking trainers, but Dolanaar has herbalism and alchemy trainers. All villages are a short, safe run from a nearby city so you can pick up the remaining professions there.

You will find enough quests in these villages to get you to level 10; if you team up with other players and exhaust the village of quests before then, you can travel to another starting zone, although some are easier to travel between than others. For example, you can easily travel from Brill to Razor Hill using the Undercity-Orgrimmar zeppelin (which stops at a tower outside both Orgrimmar and Undercity); on the Alliance side, the Deeprun Tram which connects Ironforge and Stormwind makes Goldshire and Kharanos a mere skip away.

However, Tauren and Night Elves have a longer, more dangerous journey on their hands (or hooves) when travelling outside their zones. Tauren players face the Barrens when travelling from Mulgore to Durotar; Night Elves have the Wetlands. Both journeys are possible under level 10, but be prepared to die, especially if you're a Night Elf.

There is no reason to complete every single quest in the zone, but the XP, cash and equipment rewards mean that doing most of them is a good idea. You may also get some nice items from monsters: even at this level you can harvest linen cloth and (depending on your professions) light leather, copper ore and low-level herbs. These can be sold in the auction house for what seems like a fortune at first.

At level 10 you will receive a class-specific quest; for example, Druids learn the first of their animal forms and Hunters learn to train pets. It's a very good idea to complete these quests as soon as you can, teaming up with other members of your class if necessary. You will also be sent by some NPC to a new questing location -- see part 2 (coming soon) for the continuation of this series.

Filed under: Quests, Walkthroughs, How-tos, Trolls, Undead, Tauren, Orcs, Gnomes, Dwarves, Night Elves, Human, Alliance, Horde