How bad is 1-60 without RAF these days?

[unseen]

I started my group about 3 weeks before the RAF change went in, so I leveled them all old-school. It is much faster than it was back in the day, but it still feels like an eternity.

I did almost every instance at least once, but I didn't grind them and I had zero help from a 70 or higher level character, I did everything just with my team. Also, I wasted a bunch of time since I was still getting used to multiboxing.

Quests are great XP now, so if done properly I believe you can actually level quicker doing quests unless you have a level 80 chain-pulling instances for your guys.

[Smahs]

Recruit-a-Friend is critical to have these days. If you DON'T get it I would say 20 days or so to 60. With it your looking 3-5 days.

[Bigfish]

Boosting is going away in 3.04, So if you have not started with the boosting method, DOn't get used to it now...
Use the RAF all same level method.

What's changing in 3.04?

[Redbeard]

Dont they say its going away every patch?

[Perrigrin]

thanks for the input so far guys (by all means, keep them comming) - I think I'll go for a non-bosted 5 box RAF leveling once I'm tired of the 'grins' at 80 ... just need to figure out the most optimal way of doing that then

[Shiena]

It's not too bad, I have leveled without RAF to 58 and leveled professions, too. Took me ~ 6 days played. If you do not fish as much as I do, it can be done in half the time. I have spent at least 3 days for fishing If you use TourGuide, you can level even faster. It's pretty well done, and if you follow the guide, you will level much quicker.

[sqeaky4100]

Follow Joana's Guide, and it will be pretty quick.

The guide does use some collection quests, but the routes are optimized so you'll never really be wasting time.

[ghonosyph and the moocrew]

isn't joana's guide alliance tho? what if we play horde?! >.<

[ElJeppy]

isn't joana's guide alliance tho? what if we play horde?! >.<

No Joanas is Horde it is the Kopp one that is Alliance (also pretty good)... Actually the best one I found was free at www.wow-pro.com

[jettzypher]

Slow. Also you trip over death knights all the bloody time

how so? DKs start at 55, they come out of their phase and into the regular world at 58. so any person with half a brain will tkae thier happy ass to outland and start questing. so lvling to, even 55-ish, you shouldnt have to worry about DKs much...