WoW Classic: Phase 1 Survival Guide

WoW Classic is rapidly approaching! To help you find your footing amongst all the differences, we've put together a step-by-step guide for you to follow. Our guides will help you become the strongest you can be from day one.

WoW Classic: Phases

Before getting started, you should remember that WoW Classic content will be divided into 6 phases, which will be deployed in more-or-less regular intervals. The game will be in Phase 1 at launch; find out what's waiting for you below.

Phase 1 Content

Here are the parts of the game you will be to access at launch:

Differences between Classic and Retail

First of all, it's important to note that the Classic experience is completely different to what you may be used to in Battle for Azeroth. It's up to you whether you prefer these changes, but you should be aware of the differences between the two games, otherwise you'll be quite confused when you first log in.

You can find a list of the major differences between Classic and Retail in the article below:

Step 1: Making your Character

Obviously you won't be entering Azeroth at Level 60, so you must make your way through numerous zones to reach that prestigious level cap. Once you've hit Level 60, you'll be able to start enjoying the pleasures of the end game. In order to from an idea about which Race, Class, Specialisation, or even Profession to chose, consult our tier lists, which list the positives and negatives of each choice:

Step 2: Last Minute Preparation

So, you've finally decided on your Class, Race, and Profession; your character is ready! But before you log on for the first time, we strongly advise installing several essential addons which will make levelling easier for you. These 10 addons will make your life a whole lot easier during your long journey in WoW Classic.

Your first steps in Azeroth may be chaotic, they may even be steeped in wonder (imagine that), leading you to ask such cliché questions as "How do I actually get started?". Our writers have thought of everything, and their 23 tips to make levelling easier will help you put you on track.

Attention: If you want to play WoW Classic as soon as the severs become available, you should connect to your chosen realm several hours before the official launch time. The queue for some servers may be very long, most notably Faerlina-US. Join the server 4-5 hours before, but avoid kicked for idling by regularly clicking through the menu. This will give you a good chance to be able to play the moment the servers become available. However, this tip isn't perfect and could easily be rendered useless if the servers crash in the meantime – we can't guarantee anything!

Step 3: Setting Out

It's time to start playing! If you like doing things 'correctly', we've created optimal levelling guides for each of the nine classes in WoW Classic. From the most optimal builds, to which skills to buy, to class rotations, and even must-have weapons, these guides cover everything!

What next?

• 1: Gold Farming

Whether you're still levelling or you've already reached level 60, some things are unavoidable. Among them, Gold Farming may be one of the most important tasks in the game. It is much harder to farm gold in Classic than in Retail, so make the most of our advice on what to farm, where to do so, and how much you'll earn in the process!

• 2: Level up your Profession skills

Professions are an essential part of the money making process in WoW and can also offer you numerous advantages. But even if you've already chosen your Professions using our previous tier lists, you should level them up, which will allow you to make items corresponding with your current level.

To accomplish this, simply follow our guides on each Profession:

• 3: Instances

These are unavoidable on your way to Level 60, as 5-man dungeons are an integral part of the WoW Classic experience. Gather 4 of your friends, get together in front of the instance and start your journey into the treacherous maze in search of the treasures that await you!

Check out this page to learn about which dungeon is right for your level. Each link will direct you to a complete guide on each dungeon, covering bosses, strategy, and loot.

• 4: Class Guides

So, you've made it to Level 60, but you're still not sure which is the best build for end game content? Not sure which stats to focus on, which rotation to use, or even which role you fall into? Don't panic! Just use our Specialisation guides to set yourself back on the right track in just a matter of minutes.

Go to your Class' page to have a look at each specialisation:

• 5: Reputation

You'll be dreading to hear this, but yes, Reputation was a part of Vanilla as well! Unfortunately for you, Reputation is an unavoidable part of your own progress to some degree or another. Here are our Reputation guides, they'll be useful when you get to end game content in Phase 1:

• 5: Raids

There will only be three raids available at launch: Upper Blackrock Spire (UBRS), Onyxia's Lair, and Molten Core (MC). We've put together guides for each of them. While some raids are available from Level 56 and 58, but we strongly advise waiting to Level 60 before you take them on.

Written by Laerezh, Translated by Millenium.