How to Manage Your First Character on World of Warcraft

If you're just starting playing World of Warcraft, and have just created your first character, this is definitely the article for you to read. In this article, I plan to outline exactly how you should level with your character, quest, run instances (or dungeons), equip your character, manage your professions and get enough gold to keep your character as maintained as possible.

When it comes to leveling your first character, you might be a bit unsure about the most effective ways to level. If you've noticed, there are usually quests for you in any given area where the mobs seem to be about your level. Always take these quests in, even if you think you'll have no intensions of doing them. Quests are the best way to get those levels you're looking for in the fastest manner possible. Make sure that when you start your first character that you do all of the quests in the starting area, and the quests in the nearest small town; for example bloodhoof for tauren, brill for undead, etc.

If you've noticed, sometimes questing can really be a pain. Even in your first few quests, you may have trouble knowing where to go or what to do. This is where I'll introduce you to the wonderful world of WoW addons. To make questing a walk in the park, go to curse.com and download and install questhelper. This will make questing easy, as you'll know exactly where to go and when. For more information and a complete breakdown on how to install and use addons, view my "essential World of Warcraft Addons" article.

Once you have questhelper, you'll know exactly where to go to finish your quests. Make sure to do as many quests as you can before walking all the way back to the main town to turn them in. Don't grab and do one quest at a time, when you see new quests available on your mini-map (marked as !), make sure to get it, it may be something you'll pass on the way to another quest.

The other great thing about questing is that the quests will generally lead you towards where you should be in the game. They'll put you in the right zones (by having quests which request that you deliver to that zone, speak with someone in that zone, pick up something from that zone, etc), and keep you supplied with quests which are geared towards a character of your current level.

You've probably realized that having gold is quite important. You'll need it to buy food, water, equips, and surf the auction house. There are professions which you can get in just about all major cities for a cheap training cost, which will benefit you big time in the long run. If you want to make money on these professions, I recommend taking gathering professions, such as skinning, herbalism, and mining. I recommend taking up mining and skinning if you're interested in making money in the most efficient and fast manner. Sell all of your skins and ores on the auction house, or smelt the ores into bars and make additional money on occasion as well as level your mining. After you get your training for skinning and mining, make sure to check around the profession trainer for a vendor that will sell your skinning knife and mining pick; you'll need both to gather.

You've probably also noticed that in order to keep your character doing the most damage possible, taking the least damage possible, and having the best stats, you're going to need to keep your character well-geared as you level up. The best way to get these equips in the cheapest manner is to run through instances. Download atlasloot from curse.com to see all drops in instances and their drop rates. For a complete breakdown on this addon view my Essential Addons article again.

Sometimes instances take too long, and you feel the need to buy from the auction house. Just be careful when you do so, and don't pay a tremendous amount of gold for something that you're only going to use for a few levels. Another big no-no for beginning players are enchants. Don't waste your time and gold on enchants.. You're only going to use them for a little while and they're extremely expensive for someone on your budget. Just level and have fun!

If you need any additional help, feel free to read my other articles, they just may be the best way for you to jump-start your World of Warcraft gaming!