How Now, New Toon?

This week's blogs cover the who-why-what-where-when-how of "Rolling a New Toon" in World of Warcraft (from my point of view). Today we finish with "how." "How" do you get your newly-rolled toon leveled?

Leveling up is easy at first, then gets harder at every level. You can get to level 2 just by glaring at a couple of wimpy monsters. You can get from level 1 to 10 in one session if you really focus... two sessions if you have people in your home who expect meals or attention. ("Dammit! Grandma's leveling! Get your own baby food!")

Blizzard gets it. After the first 36 toons, leveling up loses its charm to a seasoned subscriber. They try to keep it fresh with new content. There are also a number of short-cuts and hurry-ups. You can roll a death knight. They start at level 55. If that doesn't save enough time you can pay Blizzard to boost your new toon to level 90.

Many would argue, "What's the point in playing the game if you pay extra to go directly to the end of it?" Good point. Many would argue back, "I've played that part of the game too many times. This will get me to a new place." Another good point. Guess it depends.

Hubby and I have agreed that Blizzard gets enough of our money through subscription fees and expansions, so we aren't paying extra for boosts.

There are many free advantages one can employ to make the journey less painful. There are rested bonuses, guild perks, holiday buffs, and gear bonuses. My favorite is heirloom gear. You can pass it from toon to toon, it's better that any armor you can earn or buy, and it levels with you.

We all have a preferred leveling technique. Some people work in pairs, so they finish the starter quests in half the time. Some go to the area they know best so they can do the quests in their sleep. At level 15 you can enter dungeons and kill monsters non-stop. Some disappear into those and don't come out until they are either level 90 or need a pizza.

My personal technique is the "lazy slow method." My higher-level toons get me geared and guilded. I take a couple days to get to level 20. From there I rest until the next holiday or special event. Then I do all the easy holidy quests, with all their bonuses and special perks. Once done, the toon rests until the next event.

So if you see a toon frantically doing Christmas quests, still wearing a Halloween costume, and buffed with Thanksgiving food... give a wave. It's me!