Breakfast Topic: What class should a brand new player pick?
by Ty Briggs 
Jul 15th 2011 at 8:00AM
Just recently, I finally convinced my wife to roll and level a character with me (it only took three years). We sat down together, and as I started walking her through the character creation process, I really had trouble deciding what would be the best class for her to learn on. I wanted something simple, but not so simple that it became boring after a few levels. At the same time, I didn't want her to play a particularly complicated class like a feral druid that might overwhelm her and prevent her from enjoying the game for what it is.
As she was playing around with face and hair options, I made up a series of questions to narrow down the role and class she might enjoy, eventually deciding on a warlock. If nothing else, my main is a warlock, and I'd be able to help her in ways that I wouldn't if she'd decided on a warrior or shaman. As we entered the game world and started killing an assortment of critters for pitiful amounts of copper and silver, she asked me why I "get to chop stuff." I explained that my character was a paladin and that paladins don't hang back and fling spells like warlocks, they just hit stuff with their swords. A few seconds passed, and she said, "I think I want to chop stuff, too." So much for my little impromptu questionnaire.
What class would you recommend to a brand new player? How would you balance what you know of the player with what you know of the game and its assorted roles? Would you suggest a tank or healer class? Do you think ranged or melee DPS is easier to pick up? Would you take the safe route and suggest a druid that can do anything or a hunter that is historically held as a class that is "easy to learn but difficult to master"?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Guest Posts
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
Colton Auge Jul 15th 2011 8:05AM
I usually just let them take each one for a test drive and see which one they like. ^.^
DonNochay Jul 15th 2011 8:08AM
You have 2 posts. Your first one was nearly 1 year ago. The content of that post is also just as shocking as me randomly clicking on your name to discover such a thing.
/mindblownsir
Zayd Jul 15th 2011 8:40AM
Hey Don, what faction do you play?
*immediately picks other faction to avoid him*
Matt P Jul 15th 2011 9:06AM
Don, the content of nearly all of your posts in past two months makes me think you need a break from this site, or to find something more enjoyable to do. You can't be happy here with all the potshots you take at people.
DonNochay Jul 15th 2011 9:10AM
@Matt
That was a "potshot"?
Did you grow up in a bubble, dude?
I seem to miss where I said "Man, you've only posted twice in 2 years, you suck at wow insider...ing."
MattKrotzer Jul 15th 2011 9:21AM
I wish they'd add an ignore feature. It would allow me to ignore Don, and him to ignore me, and we'd both be much happier.
(Well, I would. Not much seems to make Don happy.)
Whiplashmtb Jul 20th 2011 8:16AM
Don't feed the trolls. :)
Jay Jul 15th 2011 10:06AM
I also roll all of them, but i started out with a hybridclass, druid, and I think any hybrid be it druid, paladin or shaman is a good starting toon because then you can take a swing at both melee/tank, ranged/heal and get a feel of the different roles without having to reroll. Later on you can decide if you like a particular class better than the other.
Thundrcrackr Jul 15th 2011 11:35AM
The only reason i don't recommend "trying them out" is because you don't get a true feel for how a class plays (especially in groups) until close to end-game.
What I usually recommend is:
A hybrid class, because they may eventually decide they want to try something besides DPS but not have the time to level a whole new toon.
Not a warrior, because if they do decide to level a new toon later on, a DK will be the easiest choice since they start at level 55 and DKs are most similar to warriors. (Not necessarily in play style, but they are both plate wearing melee classes with identical spec options: 2-DPS, 1-tank, 0-heal.)
If they are new to MMOs then probably not a druid since they are arguably the most complicated class in WoW, being the only one with 4 specs.
So that leaves priest, paladin, and shaman, which are some good choices. Priest if they prefer ranged, paladin if they prefer "chopping things", or shaman if they want to try both. (Race preferences may come into play here, too.)
They only exception would be if they are really interested in playing a pet class, in which case i would recommend warlock or hunter. (and possibly mage - they only have one permanent pet for only one spec, but there are a lot of other good things about mages).
Or if they are primarily interested in PvP then i'd say rogue. (Not that rogues are bad in PvE by any means, they simply wouldn't be one of my first choices after all things considered, and PvP is where they really shine.)
(I think that covers every class.)
Colton Auge Jul 15th 2011 12:19PM
Yeah Jay my first toon was a druid also, but I eventually ended up going to a priest because of my inevitable love for White Mages in Final Fantasy.
Aceman67 Jul 15th 2011 1:39PM
@thundercrakr
I have to disagree with the druid being complicated though, Yes, the feral tree is not for the newbies, but Balance is perfect for newbies, and out of all the healing classes, Restoration druids are the easiest to play.
killercactiii Jul 15th 2011 3:05PM
Poor Don. Nobody wants to be dragged down with you.
On topic: Shaman! Hands down. You get to whack things things with BOTH hands. Capable self-healing. No drinking downtime. And that just one spec. Or try out ranged spell casting for a different flavor. Can't lose.
DonNochay Jul 15th 2011 8:05AM
The major problem here, is that there isn't a "good" class to first roll to learn the game. WoW is designed in such a way where this is not necessary, I thought this was well known for quite some time. The game does a wonderful job of teaching you how to play (whatever class it is you rolled) through leveling and acquiring skills as you level. So yeah, kind of a wasted topic, IMO.
Jack Spicer Jul 15th 2011 8:23AM
I could simply be recalling this incorrectly, but at release Paladins were intended to be the "my first class" class.
DonNochay Jul 15th 2011 9:01AM
Yeah, I just don't buy that. At least, I don't buy that that was ever their "true" intention, and honestly, if that was what Blizzard was attempting.....they either failed or ended up phasing that out. All of the classes are equally easy to get into.
Also, the downrated comments are hilarious, especially the one in regards to the dude's second post. Either the wow insider posting population needs to grow up and gain a sense of humor, or you all hate your lives and jobs and go on wow insider this early in the morning to get your rocks off.
Meh.
DonNochay Jul 15th 2011 9:03AM
Oh, and if the downvotes are because I basically mooted this whole article with the 2nd post, cry me a river children. I'm right and you know it. Pointless article is mindblowingly pointless.
Jimson Jul 15th 2011 9:26AM
"Pointless article is mindblowingly pointless."
1) It's a Breakfast Topic. It's not meant to be some in-depth smorgasbord of theorycraft or loregasm that will make you rethink the entire World of Warcraft. It's supposed to inspire some conversation.
2) If it's truly that mundane or pointless to you, why bother reading it, then post multiple comments on how bad it is while telling everyone else they're stupid?
3) Who the hell made you Supreme Commander of the World's Literary Review?
loop_not_defined Jul 15th 2011 9:36AM
Pointless comments are mindblowingly pointless, but you've never let that stop you, have ya?
vertigobliss86 Jul 15th 2011 9:56AM
Don must have rolled troll for all of his characters, and have new players roll trolls :B
Shinae Jul 15th 2011 10:02AM
You seem to really enjoy complaining for the sake of being negative.
It is possible to be critical without being insulting or irritating, and you haven't demonstrated that you have learned that. You come off as sounding like you WANT to insult anyone you can (i.e. troll), and we don't take kindly to that.
Please become a better contributor to our community or leave.