Forum post of the day: Broken records incoming
by Amanda Dean 
Aug 12th 2008 at 3:40AM
Although at times contentious, the current recruitment promotion has certainly sped up leveling. The triple experience point bonus comes to mind first, but the ability to give levels at a rate of one per two gained is also a real boon. The rule is that the levels can be applied to a character lower than the givers current level, capped at level 60. Theoretically someone who has reached level 60 could donate enough levels to raise another character from 30-59* in a matter of minutes.
This new mechanic is pretty easy to use and potentially abuse. Málfurion of Wildhammer is not happy with the change. To quote "I just saw a Warlock go from level 31-59 in 10 seconds in front of my eyes... The new recruit a friend is bull > <.... NERF NERF NERF!" The post was met with some disbelief, but it clearly is a possibility. Some players indicated that they have something similar in mind. Abilene of Aegwynn believes that this practice ruins the game for some.
The rules don't say that the recruit must be a new player, or even someone other than you. I know several people who have rolled secondary accounts, just for this speedy leveling. I'm torn between if this counts as abuse or clever use of mechanics. So far, I haven't seen anyone banned for abuse. Blizzard hasn't said how long this promotion will last.
I see some very short records for leveling in the future. Theoretically someone with two recruited characters could level a brand new character from 1 to 59 in minutes. So they'd only have played time for 11 levels.
What do you think the new record will be?
* The rules state that recruits lose their bonus levels at 60, so the bonus to the receiver is capped at 58.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Tricks, Fan stuff, Blizzard, Leveling, Alts, Forums, Forum Post of the Day
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
Zaeter Aug 12th 2008 3:51AM
No you can get to at least 59 because you can grant lvls up to your own. I bought a second account and started dual boxing shamans the second day this came out and I am currently 48 with a 46 priest, when my shamans hit 59 I will be granting my priest up to them.
Naix Aug 12th 2008 9:28AM
Very cool.
If you have a problem with other people getting levels, you have a problem yourself. Just play the game and have fun. You can hit 70 in 5 weeks using questhelper playing 2 hours a day.
Charles Ton Aug 12th 2008 10:17AM
Naix, you're saying one can hit 70 in 1 day and 10 hours time played?
That is much faster than the current record, which was set with tremendous help from 70s killing tagged mobs, portals, and summons.
Naix Aug 12th 2008 10:25AM
Oh wow. I guess so. A skilled player can do things better than an average player. I have leveled 3 toons this fast an never really thought about it. Thanks for pointing it out.
Leon Aug 12th 2008 11:25AM
No you're just being a smartass. You can't get to 70 in 1 day 10 hours...Well maybe you can now with the Recruit a friend business, but you definitely can't otherwise. Not even close.
Theungry Aug 12th 2008 11:27AM
Charles Ton, your math is way off. 5 weeks X 7 Days X 2 hours is 70 hours, or 2 Days and 22 hours.
Naix Aug 12th 2008 11:28AM
Well the last 3 toons I have played I have got there in 5 weeks playing only a few hours a day. It is really very simple when you have skill.
Naix Aug 12th 2008 11:40AM
@ Charles Ton
Yes Charles Lrn2UseCalc
Roboticus Aug 12th 2008 11:53AM
Your right, my math was way off. Consider my snarky remark withdrawn. Lrn2caffeine before typing early in the morning?
Though really, doing it in 2 days, 22 hours, is still way lower than the record for unassisted leveling speed. I can only assume that Naix's claim of amazing skill means he can do things never before documented. Cause, as he points out, he has skill.
Naix Aug 12th 2008 12:33PM
Well it just has been documented right here. So consider it documented. If you just quest and nothing else it is possible. The pure DPS classes help speed things up as well. Because well that is what they specialize in.
Naix Aug 13th 2008 10:36AM
Voted down means I am right. Because everyone knows the right thing is not always the most popular thing.
Yell-O Aug 12th 2008 3:54AM
Leveling=Hardcore?
Codexx Aug 12th 2008 6:32AM
The system was broken the moment they said changes are not retroactive.
But when all is said and done, Blizzard still wants people at max level ASAP. Doing this means players have more alts at higher levels and newer players get through the game faster. I thought mounts at 30 was rediculous, now I have to wonder, if I get a ton of levels and gift them, how would I learn my class? If I am a Mage and started playing a Shaman, how would I learn the difference in play style if I just leveled them up to 58 instantly? That leaves me a short 12 levels(2 of them in Outland before 60, which means almost instant leveling) to learn how to play the class.
BitterCupOJoe Aug 12th 2008 4:43PM
Seriously? Why would it take you 2 days to learn how to play your class? I'm not saying there's not room for improvement of skills beyond that time, but if you don't know what your spells do and when to use them by then, you've got problems playing the class that the extra 60 levels are unlikely to help you with.
tanek Aug 12th 2008 4:07AM
"Theoretically someone with two recruited characters could level a brand new character from 1 to 59 in minutes."
With all the RaF information flying around these days I may have this wrong, but I think I read that the maximum number of levels that can be granted to any single character is 30 or thereabouts.
If that is true, it still cuts out a large chunk of leveling, but not quite all of 1-59. :)
tanek Aug 12th 2008 4:11AM
Found it:
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=8765628748&postId=87647709113&sid=1#2
"The maximum number of grantable levels that can be gained by a single character is 29."
Heilig Aug 12th 2008 12:55PM
Yeah, but it doesn't say the levels have to be 1-30 and then you level 31-59. With triple experiance you can get to 30 in somewhere from 12-24 hours played, camp that guy until the other one gets to 60, then bump the first one from 30-59. This makes alt leveling trivial.
tanek Aug 12th 2008 4:47PM
True, the levels don't have to be 1-30, but my post was to point out that, even if it is much easier, you can't go all the way from 1-59 with gifted levels. The "in minutes" part of the article I quoted made it seem like you could.
Danielle Aug 12th 2008 4:09AM
prepare to see lvl 59 Deathknights 5 second after WotLK release.
LoL
tanek Aug 12th 2008 4:13AM
Since the DKs start at 55, we would have seen this anyway. I mean, even without leveling bonuses, I fully expect some people to manage to reach 80 in the first day.
I have ceased wondering how such things are done or how those people and their eyeballs manage to keep functioning. ;)