Just read a reddit post drawing from the 30-40 leveling experience on beta arguing dungeon grinding may be faster than questing.
In particular, they cite 35-42k XP per hour in the low 30's in SM, compared to 25k/hr by Joana questing in past speed runs.
https://www.reddit.com/r/classicwow/...to_reevaluate/
First, let me just give you my background. I was the 2nd shaman world wide to cap at launch (first capped hunter in beta, first to cap in PvP beta), first was also on my server "Rak" he was an Orc, he passed me in the 30's when he got the bugged out windfury totem which gave 7 extra hits to orcs, it was a race specific bug. Which somehow made it out of beta which everyone knew about and expected to be fixed. Next, I leveled 1-60 faster than the official unofficial record Joanna set, and I am sure many others did as well, straight grinding, in 2005 and 2006 before BC.Originally Posted by Lanser84
Until Wrath, grinding was always the fastest and most efficient manner to level. When you look at what Joanna did, there is a lot of logging out for hearthstone, and logging off for days at a time to restock on rested XP. Now, if you do that, sure, you will level faster in /played than most classes can grind to 60. However, if you're a hunter, warlock, mage, elemental shaman, and possibly rogue (depends on what weapons you manage to get), and you know where to go, and when to go, you can do 1-60 in 4.5 to 5 days played, and that's real time. No logging out for hearthstones or days at a time for rested XP. For example, in 2005 I did two hunters back to back. First was horde, and I hit 60 on just over 5 days played. Then I did an alliance hunter, things were a little more refined, and without really even trying to do it fast, I spent hours hunting Lupos down, I clocked that hunter in at I believe 4 days 8 hours.
Now, when it comes to multiboxing, unless they do something like introduce dynamic spawn time scaling, don't even bother questing if you can stomach dungeon grinding. Dungeon grinding will be far faster, for a multibox. It's not even a debate. You will not only make more money, but you will get better gear, and you will level faster.
There will be VERY few instances you will lock yourself out of. Most of those will be in scarlet monastery, and when you're speed grinding SM, for many level ranges won't bother to complete instances because its more efficient to clear out the first parts of several of the instances, than to grind the entire instance.
For Horde, I'd recommend a progression of RFC-SFK-SM-BRD (you may need to bridge a few levels between BRD and SM) Razor Fen Kraul is a very efficient dungeon, and you have RFD nearby if you manage to lock it out. Maraudon is a love hate dungeon. I don't think it's particularly efficient, but, it's big and you won't run into lockouts. Uldaman is also a good bridging instance from SM-BRD this is really a question of, do you stick with SM Cathedral to squeek out a couple of final levels, or do you move on to something a little more efficient for those final levels? Finally if you find BRD slows down at 58, you have UBRS to finish on.
Another great dungeon if you get tired of BRD is Zul Farrak. Zul Farrak is very efficient, but it won't take you as far as BRD. BRD is really just the ideal dungeon, once you get to it, you can settle in because it will take you from your late 40's all the way to 60 if you like, and it's EFFICIENT.
That's what I'd do for fastest possible progression. RFC(or stockades, stockades is better) SFK->SM ->bridge to BRD->BRD
Is your recommendation for Alliance Stockades->SFK->SM ->bridge to BRD->BRD?
What level ranges do you recommend for each (or what levels to start each)?
First, thanks for your well written post lots of great insight in it.
But why skip WC? How is it not efficient with basically loops where you end at the beginning, it is highly efficient. Just don't do the escort quest at the end. Each side has a different completion speed but choose one that works will and stick to repeating that side. With ~18k experience an hour at level 20.
The gear is great for casters, it has 6 herb nodes and 2 ore, Deviate hides is easy to complete with hand in at the dungeon entrance with no chain required before it. Yes I agree having RFC in Org helps a lot, but by that higher level wont you already be skipping loot? WC at least until 21 or so seems so worth it, then going to SFK early as clear times will be much faster. I would like to be convinced otherwise.
Below level 20 I would shy from open world kill quests I have only found a few that work well with my current dungeon route. Most have different types of mobs too spread out. Others the quest giver is in a very odd place or requires a chain but like others said some slots like rings are hard to fill unless you do a quest chain as I will be before dungeons.
Is the recommendation for Alliance Stockades->SFK->SM ->bridge to BRD->BRD?
What level ranges do you recommend for each (or what levels to start each)?
Last edited by nodoze : 06-19-2019 at 11:07 PM
I skip WC primarily because I didn't find it very efficient. That said, it might be worth while to dip into WC for a few levels to bridge into SFK. It's always a question of efficiency when you start hitting the tippy top levels of any instance you are grinding. Do you move on to the next big instance you plan to grind, a level or two early where you might greatly struggle, or do you slog through the last few levels where you might time lock yourself?
RFC WILL take you to SFK, the question is, are the last couple levels in RFC going to be too grindy/slow due to lockouts. For me, the only real reason to go to WC, would be you're bored of RFC. This all depends on your group build/how effective it is. You could go into SFK at 18, and do ok, or you could go into SFK at 18 and struggle badly. One of the reasons why I like SFK, is that it's very efficient. You don't HAVE to clear the entire instance, and in fact, for a lot of your time there, you won't/shouldn't. You clear up to the final time locked sections, and then bail out of the instance by jumping off of the ramparts.
For Alliance, yes, I would recommend Stockades. It's a much better instance than RFC. RFC isn't great, and, if people don't like RFC, jumping into WC as quickly as possible is an option. Once you are into SFK however, you should be able to go SFK->SM->BRD and be done. I also made a mistake, I said UBRS as an option to finish off 58-60, I meant LBRS.
As to why I don't think WC is efficient. There is a lot of back tracking. Each time you complete a wing, you have to run over ground you've already cleared. The mob density isn't really great either. It's not terrible, but, it's just a big instance with a lot of running. Don't get me wrong. WC will work fine if you choose to use WC. I just have always preferred to do RFC till level 18-20, and then go to SFK. Remember that RFC pre-cata is quite different. There are A LOT more mobs. The dungeon is very densely packed. There are two trog areas which have a lot of mobs, plus there is the upper level before the final boss which was removed/not used in Cata. If memory serves correctly, the majority of the monsters after the initial ramp down into the instance are all 16-18. Which is quite ideal to power through to 18-19.
The thing to remember is, you don't necessarily have to clear the instances the moment you move to them. SFK for example, you don't need to finish off the last couple bosses, and you probably shouldn't if you're going for speed, since its slower going due to the event stuff that happens, and there are barely any monsters after Fenrus. So if you go into SFK at 19, it's going to be a struggle to finish the end of the instance, but you don't have to. There is a lot of stuff to farm before Fenrus.
Likewise with Scarlet Monastery. Some of the SM instances, you can just clear the first couple sections, and then go to another instance and clear the first couple sections etc. Like in Cathedral, it's often better to just clear the lower courtyard, the upper courtyard, and then leave and reset. Only when you start to get to the end of your time in SM, does it become really worthwhile to clear inside the chapel, because that initial pull inside the chapel CAN get messy if you're slightly under leveled.
If you're running a melee group that can use staves, the staff reward from Leaders of the Fang WC quest is the best weapon you can get until level 26+ when you can upgrade to Strike of the Hydra - 20% Drop off Aku’Mai in Blackfathom Deeps.
Well worth running WC at least once for IMO. Plus there is a ton of trash in WC and the xp/hour is great. No reason to skip it. Especially as Horde.
There's a decent site available: https://www.wowisclassic.com/en/clas.../#horde-weapon for warriors (but should mostly work for any class) that can be a decent guide where to go at what level. Keeping your weapon up to date is essential. I just go wherever is a good level for me and grind until the next spot I want to visit.
Last edited by Apatheist : 06-25-2019 at 09:22 AM
Thank you, Mercbeast for the great reply. I did fail to mention not doing full clears. If you are grinding exp and doing full clears your efficiency will be terrible. I really like SFK and how dense it is you are very correct I just felt your earlier post you gave WC a bad name.. I have always preferred only doing the front part of Dungeons then resetting (just never to the back). Only doing a full clear after I have gotten a level or two(usually for quests or specific drops).
With that I will mention why I will be leveling in WC from 18-20
-few quests as I mentioned before almost half a level and the quest giver is on the doorstep
-Pre-blizzard for me so okay with the more spread out mobs
-skinning I need loads of leather to level my leather workers
-Leader of the Fang quest chain for the staff. All my team will use it. Also at 10 they start the chain together as it is a super easy Barrens quest that is mostly Fedex. One of the many ways I am questing with the team to get into RFC at 12. This chain takes me near a Goblin merchant in Barrens that sells the best level 13 leather boots you can get easily. (53 armor and plus 4 stamina)
-WC quest reward gives Int Stam shoulders at 18 while SFK gives slightly less Int Spirit shoulders.
Other then that I will agree leaving a little earlier (then I said) to head to SFK does have its positives. Like you said it is a balancing act of when to leave or when to farm another level. I believe it comes down to your team comp. If you end up replying Mercbeast what is your planned first comp for classic?
Lanser84, they are getting that amount of exp with "twink" level 30s. Basically, the level 30s have gear on par with what a level 38-40 would have. That makes a huge difference in the amount of exp gained. A good thing to test would be to level a character naturally to 30 and then see how well SM goes.
Like I've been saying, it always has been. Especially for a boxer who doesn't have to form groups or deal with people dropping out, going afk, etc.
A boxed group that levels by grinding dungeons is essentially a "twink" group. You'll have several blues and greens on all of your characters by the time you're 30. However, it doesn't really matter either way. Vanilla dungeons are easy even in greens from crafting or early quests.
Also factor in the time you save farming preraid BiS while you're leveling instead of waiting until you're 60 and then wasting days going back to farm Maraudon or BRD.
Last edited by Apatheist : 06-06-2019 at 09:45 AM
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