WoW Rookie: You're doing it wrong
by Lisa Poisso 
Jul 1st 2009 at 1:00PM
New around here? WoW Rookie points WoW's newest players to the resources they need to get acclimated. Send us a note to suggest a WoW Rookie topic.It takes all kinds (of players) to make a (game) world - but now that Blizzard is shaping game content specifically to slingshot players into endgame raiding content, it's easy to get the impression that raiding is "the" way to play WoW. New players seem expected to sail through the levels and zip gleefully into PuGs or a raiding guild. All those "accessible" raids and achievements and gear are suddenly sounding more and more like "requirements." DPS minimums, required achievements and Armory checks serve as your credentials to get into groups. Everywhere a new level 80 turns, there's something new to measure up to.
So what if you don't know where to start? What if you miss the mark in the wrong group with the wrong players - will you forever be known as a "scrub"? Will you find yourself blacklisted from the PuG circuit? Is it still practically possible to gear up and catch up? What if you can't get into a successful progression guild? Will you be labeled an oddball or outsider? What if you can't break in - or what if you decide you don't want to?
With all these questions and anxieties at stake, WoW Rookie went straight to the voices of experience here at WoW.com. Their answers? Yes, a WoW rookie absolutely can still catch the curve, ride the wave and enjoy endgame content -- or not. Despite all the talk of playing "the right way," WoW is still very much an open-ended game in which you choose your own playstyle. The choice is yours.
Here's what four of our staffers had to say.
Matthew Rossi (Totem Talk, The Care and Feeding of Warriors): My advice would be to decide first what you actually want to be doing. Do you want to tank in five-mans, DPS in heroics, heal in raids or just go around pet collecting? What's your focus? What do you enjoy doing, and why do you enjoy doing it?
Raiding can absolutely be a lot of fun. The fights can be worth the price of admission just to see them sometimes. You'll get to travel Azeroth, meet old and new figures of lore and importance and help kill them. It's something I've been doing since the old days of MC - and I'd certainly say that if a grumpy old curmudgeon like me can do it, you can too.
But do you actually want to? Don't do anything in this game because you feel like you have to or are expected to, is my advice. You'll resent it, you won't have as much fun, you'll burn out and stop playing - and I don't want to see that happen. So the most important thing is to first decide what you want to do.
Once you'd decided that, gearing up really isn't that hard. It takes some time (but soon to take less with the new Emblem system for 3.2 coming out), and you'll want to take advantage of the various factions and their gear options. Doing quests and dailies, you can actually put together a good enough set to run heroics at this point, whether you be a tank, a DPS or a healer.
Don't let yourself be pushed into fretting about it, either. To be the absolute "best" tank or DPS or healer can often be very technical, yes. But frankly, if you're just starting out, don't worry about being the best. Worry about learning.
Do some runs that push you out of your comfort zone. Don't let jerks get you down. Do your best, yes, but don't hold yourself to some impossible standard set by some guild in Finland that killed Algalon while upside-down.
In the end this is a freaking game; it's not your second job. There are guilds and players out there waiting to play at the same level you are, whatever that level is. Find what you want to do, do it, and ignore the people who scoff at you because you're not wearing a legendary codpiece.
Robin Torres (WoW Casually, It Came from the Blog): I was once on a cruise with one of my sisters. She pretended her name was Wendy to a group of, umm, laid-back musician types, because they said she looked like their friend Wendy. A couple days later, they came up to her, very worried that they had made her feel less special. They told her to "be your own Wendy."
This advice really applies to playing WoW: be your own casual. You should stick to your own idea of fun, and don't let anyone tell you your fun is any less valid than theirs. If you want to play in the end game, then great! If you don't, then that's great, too. There is still lots of stuff to do that doesn't involve heavily structured, highly geared group activities. And believe me, just because the hardcore players are more vocal on the forums doesn't mean that they are the majority. We casual players are just too busy playing or doing that real life thing to muck about in the community as much.
I think those guys on the cruise ship were very wise, as well as relaxed. In all things, be your own Wendy.
Jennie Lees (Ready Check): I wrote about a conversation I had with my mum, who's a casual player, about raiding (specifically, why she doesn't do it). Some of the comments from readers on that are pretty good, too.
The Turpster (TurpsterVision, WoW Insider Show): I have one rule when I play WoW: Be the best! If these so-called casuals can't grow a set to be able to say, "No, mum! I don't give a F$£K if it's your birthday. I got three other dudes here and we are waiting for one more DPS and then we are going to take it to Shadowfang Keep and get some phat loots ... Honestly ... You just don't understand ...", then they should quit WoW now - or at least transfer off of my server where all the pro gamers play ...
That's all I have to say on it.
In all seriousness, totally got to play the game for you. Like others have said, set your goals early on and stick to them. You will get a sense of fun and achievement. Remember that it is a game, and don't get too sucked in. You will never be the best - even (among) the hardcore players, no one is ever the best, so don't try to be. (Ok, yeah, I am the best - but that is beside the point ...)
WoW Rookie feeds you the basics to get you off to a good start in the World of Warcraft, from game lingo to joining your first guild and even what to do when you finally hit level 80.Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Tips, WoW Social Conventions, Features, Raiding, WoW Rookie
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Retropally Jul 1st 2009 1:12PM
I personally feel the games never been in a better place. These changes will allow me to actually get decent gear for both my main and second spec, and possibly start gearing an alt for a future expansion.
I agree 100% with your comments Robin. Be your own casual. Thats often something that isnt easy to be, especially for people who hate letting others down. I used to play the game all because I wanted to get better no matter what and I hated it. Now i've learnt to enjoy a game, and I left my previous guild because they were trying to own and control me.
Theres a guild out there for everyone, and even though it may have taken me 6 months I think ive finally found the right guild for me. Casual and patience with some brains on the side.
Retropally Jul 1st 2009 1:15PM
I blame the heatwave for my clear lack of english :P
Eli Jul 1st 2009 2:46PM
"I blame the heatwave for my clear lack of english :P"
I feel your pain :(
Gessilea Jul 1st 2009 1:14PM
One thing that I think gets overlooked is that even with the improvements (or nerfs, depending on our outlook) to leveling, there's a big difference between leveling your first character and leveling an alt. I'm sure there are new players who join to play with a friend, slingshot through the low levels with RaF and are dumped into raiding blinking and confused, but I would guess that more new players take their time, explore the world, get lost, join lowbie guilds, forget to spend talent points or update their gear... just like the rest of us did our first time through.
Moe Jul 1st 2009 1:16PM
I do what I love and that is to someday level every race and each class to 80. Then once I do that, I want to level every profession to 450 at least once.
And finally, if I'm still alive and the game is around, solo every dungeon that can be.
JKWood Jul 1st 2009 1:18PM
'"No, mum! I don't give a F$£K if it's your birthday. I got three other dudes here and we are waiting for one more DPS and then we are going to take it to Shadowfang Keep and get some phat loots ... Honestly ... You just don't understand ...", then they should quit WoW now - or at least transfer off of my server where all the pro gamers play ...'
I think you mean "5-man Hogger at level 5 and get some phat loots".
Excellent points from all in this article. As someone who still hasn't quite hit 50, I've missed the insight from WoW Rookie. Endgame is fine, but getting there is still no cakewalk, especially as someone who tends to prefer soloing the content. I do wish Blizzard would spend a little less time on endgame, and a little more time making sure that big changes (Exorcism nerf?) don't ruin the lower-level viability of a class (hey, get back here so I can whack you with my sword! I have no ranged attack!)
--A holy paladin
Vladeon Jul 1st 2009 2:57PM
Hammer of Justice is great against those pesky kobolds that just like to run away at 20% health. Hand of Reckoning works wonders too as does Rigteous Defense. I solo leveled as a holy paladin back in the day when we didn't have these last two spells, I know how frustrated you are. Not to mention that the first ranged weapon we can get, Linken's Boomerang (which is really just a trinket), can only be gotten solo at about lvl 60 and at the very earliest, I think it's 56 or so. And by that time it's pretty worthless. good luck with your leveling.
JKWood Jul 1st 2009 3:06PM
The problem being, those aren't terribly helpful in battlegrounds/PvP. The Exorcism change, for example, was made for the reason of balancing PvP. So, instead of having one decent ranged attack below level 40, I had zero ranged attacks, with a 6-second stun on a 60 second cooldown. Even warriors have a gap-closer at that level.
JKWood Jul 1st 2009 3:07PM
Not to mention, they can also use guns.
Vladeon Jul 1st 2009 3:55PM
Actually, Hammer of Wrath is a staple of pally pvp. you honestly won't survive if you don't use it. The beautiful thing about Holy paladins in pvp is that they're almost impossible to kill. Instead of trying to kill the opposing hunters you should work on staying alive as long as possible so that your warrior friend can come over and bonk that hunter over the head. But as a ret pally in pvp, I can see where you're coming from, this nerf to exorcism is going to be really really rough. It was/will be (in 3.2) really the only ranged spell to use while tearing it up in the BGs and giving a cast bar to it, which can be interrupted, is ridiculous. I mean, why don't they give the warlock's fear spell a cast bar so I can hammer of justice it away. even though that 1.5 secs isn't that long, it's long enough when you're trying to pull out every trick in the book to down a shaman in pvp.
John Jul 1st 2009 1:22PM
"Doing quests and dailies, you can actually put together a good enough set to run heroics at this point, whether you be a tank, a DPS or a healer. "
The number of LFG in [Trade] and [Lookingforgroup] that include: "will check armory," "show me you have the achieve for killing X before I invite you to go kill X," and "minimum 2.5K DPS" are insane.
If I've already done X on this toon, why would I join your PuG to kill X? If I already out-gear a raid/instance, why would I be in LFG for it (yea maybe rep, or it's the daily, etc.)?
In my grumpier moments, I reply to those LFG spams with:
"Translation: I want a group to carry me to get gear"
Theldaris Jul 1st 2009 1:37PM
2.5kdps is heroics gear, which for a 25 man is probably a decent number to ask for. Its the ones that ask for more that make no sense
Malkia Jul 1st 2009 1:45PM
oh man..I could link Ulduar achievements and was half geared in it and still couldn't get into an EoE pug cause i'd never been in there before with any pug that finished it and my guild stopped doing it before I joined. Achievement linking for dungeons is one of the WORST ideas ever. People use it to measure competence...but it doesn't tell if the person was dead the entire time or not even.
Rob Jul 1st 2009 1:45PM
Remember your dps will vary depending on the number of people in your raid. In 5 mans or solo I would routinely in my starter 80 gear get 1500 or less. In a 25 man that translates to 2500dps. Heck on patchwork i was pushing 4000 dps with just a few pieces of naxx gear. It's hard to translate, but if you ever get the chance to do patchwork jot down that number and remember it; its a good number to spout out when they ask for dps checks. It's all about buffs and that sort of thing.
Joey Jul 1st 2009 2:58PM
"Translation: I want a group to carry me to get gear"
Exactly. You should innately outgear the content just like everyone else. If you want to run Heroics you should be in heroic gear. If you want to run Naxx, you should be wearing Naxx gear or better. It's a simple concept. And while I'm on the subject you should also know every boss encounter. And I don't mean watching Youtube or reading up on it. You should have plenty of experience doing the encounters before you ever even attempt them. Heck, I downed Kel'thuzad five months straight before I ever stepped foot in Naxx 10.
:-P
ash Jul 1st 2009 6:25PM
That's a very good point John. I think its things like this that limit people's access to the game at a point where Blizz is trying to open up access, so it's kind of ironic. The best is when jerkwads announce "LFG fill-in-the-blank, don't suck". That always makes me laugh and reminds me of how many douchebags and twelve year olds populate the game.
Joey Jul 1st 2009 1:34PM
I'm most certainly a casual player and my experience with raiding has been very mixed over the last 4 years. With friends, raiding is a blast. Great vent conversations, a laid back approach to encounters and no one fighting over loot. But as well all know, not everyone has the benefit of raiding in a guild mainly comprised of real life friends.
So in truth, my raiding experiences often feature a fair share of frustration, boredom and disappointment. I'm not exceptionally well geared (a patchwork of epics, blues and PVP gear) so to people who count numbers find me fairly worthless as a middling dps. It's, of course, always pleasant to have this pointed out publicly after three pulls. Likewise loot politics are often lost on me and there's nothing more frustrating than being grouped with 9 people who've done an encounter dozens of times when you've only seen it twice on YouTube. Advice quickly deteriorates into heckling.
Really then it all boils down to a social issue. Your company will often dictate your goals. Have friends that raid? You'll probably raid too. Are you as antisocial in the game as in real life? Sounds like questing is your deal. The way I see it, no amount of queues or matching systems will overcome poor social behavior. So your social circles tend to dictate your experiences.
Cyrus Jul 1st 2009 1:35PM
"Jennie Lees (Ready Check): I wrote about a conversation I had with my mum, who's a casual player, about raiding (specifically, why she doesn't do it). Some of the comments from readers on that are pretty good, too."
I followed that link and when I read it I thought of some advice I would have given to her mother if I had noticed the post in time, but the advice applies to at least some degree here as well, sooo...
Try soloing some lower-level instances. This will depend on your class and level, of course; a class with no healing abilities at all will have to wait a few more levels for something to be soloable than a paladin or druid would. One of those classes could probably solo Gnomeregan at 40, but a rogue might have to wait until 50. Stuff like that. But most of Jennie Lees' mom's questions about grouping at 80 would have been answered by simply doing all the quests in Stratholme. Bosses are tougher than most mobs and usually have adds or unique abilities. Some loot is gear to be equipped, and other loot is worth gold. Controlling mobs (crowd control, killing the mobs that heal or cast fear or stun first, keeping runners from bringing friends) is important. The rest is just manners and a willingness to ask questions if there's something you're wondering about.
Geo Lara Jul 1st 2009 1:41PM
I think Blizzards way of making raiding more accessible in a way has led to unintended consequences. Naxx 10 is supposed to be extremely puggalbe: yet all I see is "LFM NAXX 10 fresh run, pst stat + achiev, will armory".
I think they have created a false sense of skill and eliteness to players who are decked out in pre Uldar purples. Therefore raising making something that is supposed to be accessible not accessible to casuals.
Also achievements don't tell the whole story. A person in my guild claimed he got half of his Naxx25 achievements after he died in the fights and didn't release.
Malkia Jul 1st 2009 1:45PM
We brought a friend from the casual guild I started out in into naxxramas on our alt gearing run. About half the people needed the be there, the other half lives in 25 ulduar usually. She was, despite knowing about six people in the raid and three of those personally, very uncomfortable, she did horrible dps, she kept asking if she should leave because she doesn't know what she's doing. I told her just follow along hit things the best she can. If she doesn't understand something i'll explain. She knew 5 man dungeons well enough, but was freaking out at the idea of 24 people looking at her.
I was running recount, and her dps was a dismal 570 on maexxna. I came to her afterwards with one of our friends and we all learned feral druid. She's not likely to ever go into naxx again, but the simple inclusion of mangle at the right point made her questing and 5 mans go smoothly.
Sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone is good, so long as like Bj you know you can go right back to it if it turns out to be not your thing, and maybe you'll learn something new. But DEFINITELY try everything. Even if it doesn't initially interest you, it might turn out to be something you like after all.
There's no real wrong way to focus in the game. PvE, PvP, Raiding, Running around on 30,000 alts..these are ALL perfectly acceptable. I really can't stand it when I see pvp or hardcore raiders insulting the people that don't play their way. To each their own.