Breakfast Topic: Way better than my first time
by James Johnson 
Jul 10th 2010 at 8:00AM
I am leveling what will hopefully be my sixth level 80. It is my ninth character slot on my main server, leaving one spot for a worgen druid. I really like leveling. The term "altoholic" has been thrown around -- but once they get to 80, I stop caring about them. It's the leveling process that I really enjoy. It seems leveling gets better and better each time I attempt it. I light up every time I get level achievements, and I love that feeling of getting a mount for the first time.
For this alt, I have decided to level like it's my first toon with some semi old-school restrictions. My current alt is a 27 dwarf paladin, and I cannot use the dungeon finder nor run with heirlooms. I didn't give my alt gold or bags. I am not buying or training for riding skill until level 40 and epic at 60. I am trying to stay in the natural quest progression (I did run to Elwynn Forest to kill Hogger, but I didn't take the quests) provided by the game. This is incredibly hard. At 27, I have exhausted every possible quest in Wetlands at my level, and none of the quests have sent me on to another zone.
Why do this? With all my alts, each leveling experience became easier. I haven't leveled the same class twice, and each time I level an alt, it seems I can complete quests at a much higher level then I did before. Even as a mage, I could handle red-leveled mobs, but as a paladin, I have been running all my quests when they are still orange or red. Maybe it's an understanding I didn't have when I started or I am better skilled for leveling. Either way, every time I level a toon, it's way better than the last time or even the first.
Am I crazy for leveling under such "harsh" conditions? Do you have nostalgia for old-school leveling? Is there one part of leveling you love? What classes are the easiest to level? Are paladins OP when it comes to soloing content?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Noyou Jul 10th 2010 8:06AM
Yes you are! You and me, me and you....(there's a song somewhere). I too have that problem. I am on my 6th toon levelling to 80. Certain things get better. For instance XP in battlegrounds. Each time I can't wait til I hit 51 and Alterac Valley opens. Even though I don't usually do it until 54-55. I also dig Winterspring and Zangarmarsh. Argent tourney is another area I like to do. Although it's a love-hate relationship. Very grindy the 2nd, 3rd, 4th time through but hey I know all the places to go so it's faster! I do love the black knight questline....
Janaan Jul 10th 2010 12:32PM
"Just the two of us, we can make it if we try. Just the two of us, you and I"
patrick Jul 10th 2010 5:56PM
"Me and you and you and me
No matter how they toss the dice, it has to be
The only one for me is you, and you for me
So happy together..."
gliterhammer Jul 10th 2010 8:09AM
No I don't think so. The other challenge I like to throw in is maxing out old school reps by doing each starter zone in turn and progressing through the zones in level order.
I like to follow this route and like everything else in life, it depends on how you choose to look at what you're doing.
Well done you, keep going,
Gliterhammer, Khadgar EU
Jeremiel Jul 10th 2010 9:06AM
I love doing this too!
Currently levelling a second character this way - doing every 1-10 zone before moving on to the 10-20s, etc, making sure I complete every quest available before moving on.
Sure, you end up doing a lot of grey quests this way, but I find it weirdly satisfying to always have every the absolute best piece of quest-reward gear available, to hit Ambassador by lv40, to be able to buy other racial mounts at lv29, etc.
I absolutely love levelling and questing. My main hit Loremaster shortly after Wrath was released, and this time I'm finding it especially rewarding to work on the achievement as I level. I'm hoping to have both a Horde and Alliance Loremaster before Cataclysm comes out so that I feel like I've really seen everything before the slate is wiped clean.
danawhitaker Jul 10th 2010 12:32PM
I'm leveling six alts in tandem. They're currently all on Searing Gorge (and level 53-54 when starting it, 55 at the end). They're all going for Loremaster, so I've been doing every zone in level order. It's not always the fastest, but after seven full times (my main is an 80 with Loremaster, explorer, The Exalted) through every zone in the game as fully as possible, I feel like I'll truly be able to have an appreciation of it when Cataclysm finally hits. The one thing it pretty much guarantees, too, which is important to me, is that I can solo almost all quests and content but the dungeons. The only thing that my main helped them out with was full sets of frostweave bags. I'm a compulsive auctionhouser, and trying to muddle through with at-level bags was not something I could tolerate. Aside from that, they're all financially independent from the main character, and they all have 2000-4500 gold apiece. I also don't use heirlooms. I suspect (though can't prove) that it would actually decrease my XP by pushing me to be "grey" in zones prematurely because of the extra XP I'd get from the items, and as such, I'd not be milking those zones for all the XP they're worth. At best, it would be a wash. I've got enough Champion Seals saved up to outfit all of them if necessary, but I haven't used them.
I hated the feeling of indecision on my original character (which I deleted after a break I took from the game back in 2008) about where to quest and what to do and what to kill and which instances to run. So I thought, why not just make a list, and do it in order. It's more fun to always feel like I have a goal to work on rather than just "level as fast as possible". There were people in my guild who thought (and still do think) I'm insane for even attempting this, because the quests are so boring. I fail to understand how running the same dungeons repeatedly or leveling in a battleground or always hitting certain zones because they're "best" for leveling isn't equally repetitious.
slythwolf Jul 10th 2010 3:31PM
That's how I did Loremaster--all the zones in level order. It's useful because you don't miss any breadcrumb type quests that send you from one zone to another, all of which go away once you do the followup, and all of which count for the achievement.
Delloga Jul 10th 2010 8:23AM
I have the exact opposite of this. Every time I try to level it gets harder. I first leveled my hunter to 80 which went pretty smooth. After that I leveled my warrior but it was at a much slower rate and I got bored way to fast. It got faster when I hit outlands and Northrend though. And my druid, well, I couldn't get it past 19 but I was lucky that recruit a friend was still active so I could get levels till 30. That was the worst of all 80's I have.
I have lots of alts but the leveling is just plain dull to me now.
Novead Jul 10th 2010 8:39AM
I've always loved the levelling experience. And I've levelled numerous characters to 70. From there on, it dies down completely for me. I just can't stand the boring quests and zones of Northrend. I've managed to level to characters to 80, and that's it. I've wanted to level more of my alts to end game, and I have a bunch of them at around 70-75 but I just can't get past the boring linear questing of the Northrend zones.
Imnick Jul 10th 2010 9:13AM
Personally I find the questing past 60 much better than before because it's much less of a headache to keep running between opposite ends of the map, but you have different tastes I suppose.
Novead Jul 10th 2010 9:19AM
Hehe, yeah. The running between opposite ends of the map is something I really enjoy. :) Improves the feeling of adventure, I suppose. Also, I like when you can do the quests after your choosing. I can improve my routes and at what order I do the quests each time I level a new character. But in Northrend, there's little choice and you end up doing the quests pretty much the exact same way you did last time.
tahlatria Jul 10th 2010 8:24AM
I respect ya.. but yes you're crazy. I'm working on several alts, in fact my orc shaman has taken precedent over my hunter at 74. I admit it, I love the shammy more.
I tried to go the route that you are taking and found I just don't have the patience to do it. Good luck...
Shaldran Jul 10th 2010 8:24AM
As a (relatively) new player not bored to death of the content I don't value new DF too much. It was fun to play around for a time but it gets old. I do miss the days when even low level dungeons were a challenge, you had to take time to put up a group, you got to know people from YOUR realm and dungeon blues were actually not something you wore in every slot.
So now I'm leveling some of my characters with a lot of questing. Much of the content is still fresh for me so it's interesting enough to go through. Especially as a roleplayer! I provide for myself through professions instead of taking the OP random rewards or dungeon blues at the earliest level possible.
It's fun and more challenging and I still do dungeons at their "greens" so as not to get the most powerful of items or level up just by instance grinding. I love the fact that this way you're actually getting something from BS and LW profs while leveling.
And yes Paladins are great at leveling(everything)! But I've been positively suprised by most other classes once you get hang of them. At the later stages druid becomes very powerful with feral spec. You get a chance to either take on insane amounts of trash or to dispose single mobs very effectively one by one...with self-heals and great utility to boot! And prowl's surprisingly useful to avoid "unnecessary" encounters while soloing.
Bellygrub Jul 10th 2010 8:42AM
yeah, I miss old style leveling when it took longer and I died more. Now I take quests and they go green before I can complete them. Plus, it just seems wrong to take on 4 npcs three levels above and survive (as a priest!)- they have made it too easy.
It does seem once you hit level 80 its all about "shopping", running instances for loot, people squabbling over drops and bragging their Recount stats while doing their best to shame others. Maybe I am missing something? It just seems shallow and materialistic.
So, like you, I am leveling toons. I think the beginning area of Exodar/ Bloodmyst goes fastest to get to 20.
zdave Jul 10th 2010 9:28AM
" I miss old style leveling when it took longer and I died more."
yeah that sounds...fun.
you guys gimp yourselves all you want, i'll see you at 80 (85).
Jamesisgreat Jul 10th 2010 12:05PM
Perhaps this isn't the blog to say this, but if you want a change of pace leveling maybe try Lord of the Rings Online? I'm just trying the free 10 day trial before it goes free to play in the autumn, and leveling in it is hard - I'm spending half of my time dead (though it could just be because I'm terribad at LotRO)! Good times! I've done my fair share of leveling alts in WoW and am frankly burnt out with it at the moment - especially as I know I'll probably level a new one in Cat to check out all the new quests etc.
Anuillae Jul 10th 2010 1:00PM
*fetches pitchfork*
*fetches torch*
ARG!! HERETIC!! BLASPHEMY!!
lee3821 Jul 10th 2010 7:02PM
I'm enjoying AoC leveling as an alternative to wow...Also, rolled a few on the other faction so I could try their quests...
Brett Jul 10th 2010 8:44AM
I am certainly a self-proclaimed altoholic, and have even more WoW-ADD than you do, considering I don't focus on one toon at a time. I enjoy the leveling for the most part.
I am currently testing in the Beta, and I've gotta say the leveling process is going to be epic come Cataclysm. I am playing a mage (Thanea) and the way the quests work they just naturally flow from one area to the next. From Elwynn Forest to Westfall, to Redridge Mountains and now I'm almost finished with Duskwood, at level 25.
There is a quest, when the time and your level is right, that will send you on to the next area. The game does it in a natural way and in a very good way. I certainly don't condone the "old school" self-imposed restrictions, but all the better for you on that. Your worgen will be very enjoyable, and hopefully you will like the new leveling process as much as I have :)
Mattlin Jul 10th 2010 8:51AM
I'm leveling my 5th toon to 80. Started with a warrior and a pally. The warrior was such a long grind getting to 70. Leveling to 80 from 70 was much easier. I started most of my toons when I got WoW and got many of them to the mid 20's, so I didn't have heirlooms or a lot of gold. Last week I decided to get as many heirloom items and give my new toon as much gold as I could afford. I want to level up fast and be as OP'd as my warrior and pally never could. I want to give this child the advantages I couldn't give his older brothers.