OK, I can't really call myself a true newbie ... more a born-again newbie. I've rolled up my night elf druid, and she's now level 13.
Some things have changed since the last time I rolled up a brand new toon, which I think was when my rogue was first born a few months before the release of WOTLK. Some things I knew about, some I didn't, but here are some of my observations.
1. The fishing change that sounded like a great idea ... isn't. At least not from the newbie perspective.
The fishing change I'm talking about is the one where you can fish anywhere for skill, but all you get is junk until you hit a certain level for the fishing area. I started my fishing career in Darnassus, and planned to do what I usually do with newbies: level cooking and fishing at the same time. Well, I should have started in the lake in Teldrassil instead, because after getting level 50 in fishing in Darnassus, I had 3 Brilliant Smallfish, 7 Longjaw Mud Snappers, 4 or 5 Bristle Whisker Catfish ... and stacks of junk. Maybe I'd have done better starting off in the newbie area, but this was hardly enough to start my cooking, even if they do basically give you 1-40 free with the Spice Bread recipe.
2. Critters are no longer skinnable.
This came as quite a surprise to me. A common way to boost early skinning for me was to get the skinning skill ASAP, usually before I'd left the first newbie zone, and kill rabbits and deer to get some extra skinning. I was quite surprised to discover, after slaughtering my first bunny, that it wasn't skinnable. At the time, I gave a small mental shrug and figured that maybe this was just restricted to the first newbie zone, but as far as I can tell, they just aren't skinnable anymore, anywhere. I suppose this is to allow you to /love them, but personally, some quick and easy skinning practice is easier.
(Oddly enough, you can successfully /love a dead critter. That's just not something I want to think about, but an achievement is an achievement).
3. The AH prices on low level gear are RIDICULOUS.
26g for a green level 10 leather chest piece? Does anyone actually PAY these kinds of prices?
This night elf is only a semi supported toon. I don't have any 80s on this server, and I wouldn't have an Alliance 80 anyway, since my highest Alliance toon in my history is level 60. I transferred one of my old Venture Company characters over to the server where I'm playing the druid, so I got my druid about 250g, bags, and other basic support gear. I do make pretty decent money selling herbs. I had thought I might turn that VC import into a leatherworker, but without taking up skinning, I'd be spending (get this) over 6g a STACK for light leather. Ruined leather scraps are selling for an average of 10g a stack on this server! I decided to forgo making my own gear, preferring instead to sell my light leather for prices where I might be able to afford the odd underpriced upgrade. A few kind souls do still sell the occasional item for a decent price.
I guess from all the lowbies running around with heirloom pieces, I should not be surprised. But no wonder Blizzard is starting to create servers only new accounts can play on.
4. The speed of leveling and reputation gains never cease to amaze me.
I was almost level 13 leaving Teldrassil. I expect to be 22 or 23 leaving Darkshore. Back in the old days, you were scraping through to the next area, barely able to survive walking across the road.
I don't miss that.
5. I'm doing a lot of double takes at level 20s on mounts.
That's just going to take some getting used to. Higher level toons probably don't even notice this one, but I'm seeing it all the time around Darkshore.
6. Bear form at my level is just crazy damage.
I'm two-shotting mobs and my gear sucks. I guess I shouldn't get used to that, though. I remember it as being horribly slow, the last time I leveled a druid (which was back before BC, and I only got to level 24).
I'm sure I'll have more observations of the Born-Again Newb as time goes on.
Some things have changed since the last time I rolled up a brand new toon, which I think was when my rogue was first born a few months before the release of WOTLK. Some things I knew about, some I didn't, but here are some of my observations.
1. The fishing change that sounded like a great idea ... isn't. At least not from the newbie perspective.
The fishing change I'm talking about is the one where you can fish anywhere for skill, but all you get is junk until you hit a certain level for the fishing area. I started my fishing career in Darnassus, and planned to do what I usually do with newbies: level cooking and fishing at the same time. Well, I should have started in the lake in Teldrassil instead, because after getting level 50 in fishing in Darnassus, I had 3 Brilliant Smallfish, 7 Longjaw Mud Snappers, 4 or 5 Bristle Whisker Catfish ... and stacks of junk. Maybe I'd have done better starting off in the newbie area, but this was hardly enough to start my cooking, even if they do basically give you 1-40 free with the Spice Bread recipe.
2. Critters are no longer skinnable.
This came as quite a surprise to me. A common way to boost early skinning for me was to get the skinning skill ASAP, usually before I'd left the first newbie zone, and kill rabbits and deer to get some extra skinning. I was quite surprised to discover, after slaughtering my first bunny, that it wasn't skinnable. At the time, I gave a small mental shrug and figured that maybe this was just restricted to the first newbie zone, but as far as I can tell, they just aren't skinnable anymore, anywhere. I suppose this is to allow you to /love them, but personally, some quick and easy skinning practice is easier.
(Oddly enough, you can successfully /love a dead critter. That's just not something I want to think about, but an achievement is an achievement).
3. The AH prices on low level gear are RIDICULOUS.
26g for a green level 10 leather chest piece? Does anyone actually PAY these kinds of prices?
This night elf is only a semi supported toon. I don't have any 80s on this server, and I wouldn't have an Alliance 80 anyway, since my highest Alliance toon in my history is level 60. I transferred one of my old Venture Company characters over to the server where I'm playing the druid, so I got my druid about 250g, bags, and other basic support gear. I do make pretty decent money selling herbs. I had thought I might turn that VC import into a leatherworker, but without taking up skinning, I'd be spending (get this) over 6g a STACK for light leather. Ruined leather scraps are selling for an average of 10g a stack on this server! I decided to forgo making my own gear, preferring instead to sell my light leather for prices where I might be able to afford the odd underpriced upgrade. A few kind souls do still sell the occasional item for a decent price.
I guess from all the lowbies running around with heirloom pieces, I should not be surprised. But no wonder Blizzard is starting to create servers only new accounts can play on.
4. The speed of leveling and reputation gains never cease to amaze me.
I was almost level 13 leaving Teldrassil. I expect to be 22 or 23 leaving Darkshore. Back in the old days, you were scraping through to the next area, barely able to survive walking across the road.
I don't miss that.
5. I'm doing a lot of double takes at level 20s on mounts.
That's just going to take some getting used to. Higher level toons probably don't even notice this one, but I'm seeing it all the time around Darkshore.
6. Bear form at my level is just crazy damage.
I'm two-shotting mobs and my gear sucks. I guess I shouldn't get used to that, though. I remember it as being horribly slow, the last time I leveled a druid (which was back before BC, and I only got to level 24).
I'm sure I'll have more observations of the Born-Again Newb as time goes on.
2 comments:
"/love a dead creature"... still rofling... :D
I remember my first "real" character was a druid and I couldn't solo as a bear at all. I resorted to instance while leveling him, so it's nice to hear that bear damage has been upped 10-20. It seemed leveling back then was tough as a druid. (or maybe I didn't know what abilites we're yet.. :P)
I'm kind of spoiled, because all of my alts are 60+ with plenty of money to spare. Maybe starting a new character on a new realm would be a nice change of pace. Then I would actually have to be self sufficient for a change.
Now that I think of it, most of my alts leveled before a lot of the changes. I need to go back and see how much the quest xp boost and such will ease the pain. You've inspired me! Now a dilemma, which class to pick and what realm to play on! (One of the downsides of having a ton of alts, I'm going to have to have duplicate classes!) I definately want to try leveling again before the crazyness in Azeroth comes.
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