Fresh start - anyone done it?

[Prag]

Hey all,

Over the last few years I've been in this constant state of playing my different characters and I think I've just stopped caring about them as anything other than loot runs. I'd like to start fresh on a new server, no assistance at all. What I'm hoping to gain from those of you that have done it is any advice or tips. Things you found helpful or wish you had thought of the first time around.

Thanks for your time!

[Deleted]

You WILL go back to your old characters. Don't resits, that's my advice.

[Anodur]

I just started on a new server last week. I've been playing casually since I've been working a lot, just leveling up through tanking LFD. I'm level 65. LFD gives very good gold to start with. A very good way of making gold early on is by signing guild charters for money.

[Darsithis]

I did. I deleted everyone once, not long after reaching 80 (my first Darsithis, an Ulduar raider) and started again. I had my reasons at the time but I'd never do it again.

[KungFuFanta]

Last time this happened to me I unsubbed for a few months, came back later for a new patch and it was all fun again. WoW's content just doesn't have longevity anymore now that we have other better games to play once we do everything.

If you do start on a new server:

- grab herbalism and mining, easiest way to make money while leveling and get bonus XP
- join a lvl 25 guild asap, extra gathering mats, extra XP, faster FP travel, so many perks
- do Darkmoon Faire dailies every day to get xp bonus gear (go to hell Blizzard for not making heirloom gear cross server)
- loot enemy bodies in PVP for extra quest rewards for Darkmoon Faire tickets
- don't buy any gear while leveling unless you're at a point where you have good money and it's a really good offer than can last
- don't enchant your gear while leveling with the exception of the previous point
- buy health pots if you need them, but not mana pots, unless you're leveling healing and need more mana in dungeons
- do all the dungeons while leveling
- PVP at low levels can give good XP per victory, not sure if that's been changed
- use a classic mount to really feel like you're poor and struggling, ex: classic horses, frostsabers etc
- auction everything that is worth auctioning and that you don't need, only equip true upgrades, if it's minor, AH it if you know it will sell
- check the bags vendor, buy your bags from there if it's less expensive than the AH for 16 slotters, on some servers it is
- buy bags as soon as you make money from mining/herbalism, more space, more gathering space, less traveling to town

Have fun

[Prag]

I did. I deleted everyone once, not long after reaching 80 (my first Darsithis, an Ulduar raider) and started again. I had my reasons at the time but I'd never do it again.

Interesting. Do you regret it?

- - - Updated - - -

Last time this happened to me I unsubbed for a few months, came back later for a new patch and it was all fun again. WoW's content just doesn't have longevity anymore now that we have other better games to play once we do everything.

If you do start on a new server:

- grab herbalism and mining, easiest way to make money while leveling and get bonus XP
- join a lvl 25 guild asap, extra gathering mats, extra XP, faster FP travel, so many perks
- do Darkmoon Faire dailys every day to get xp bonus gear (go to hell Blizzard for not making heirloom gear cross server)
- loot enemy bodies in PVP for extra quest rewards for Darkmoon Faire tickets
- don't buy any gear while leveling unless you're at a point where you have good money and it's a really good offer than can last
- don't enchant your gear while leveling with the exception of the previous point
- buy health pots if you need them, but not mana pots, unless you're leveling healing and need more mana in dungeons
- do all the dungeons while leveling
- PVP at low levels can give good XP per victory, not sure if that's been changed
- use a classic mount to really feel like you're poor and struggling, ex: classic horses, frostsabers etc
- auction everything that is worth auctioning and that you don't need, only equip true upgrades, if it's minor, AH it if you know it will sell
- check the bags vendor, buy your bags from there if it's least expensive than the AH for 16 slotters, on some servers it is

Have fun

Whoa, great list. Thank you!

[theWocky]

Funny you mention that... I am about to start a lvl 1 panda mage - just for kicks - on the F2P. Might even you-tube it. I want to see if WoW has any appeal for me any more. I'm kind of anti- ALL mmo's at this point - the kill x of these type, collect x of these type games have hit boiling point with me. So, we'll see if the new MoP starting zone is any good.

[Deleted]

Did it once, without deleting my old char. started on a low pop horde server and moved to highpop alliance server early wotlk. great experience!

[Pugbot]

Its an all or nothing deal. The only way to do this right is DELETE your old characters. If by "Fresh Start" you mean leveling a toon to 90, maybe even hitting level cap in the next expansion and then going back to your old characters in less than a year, then yes you will be able to do this and do it fine and then you will be in the same routine as you are right now. This routine will be entertaining enough at first, but soon you will be wishing for that fresh start again. Which is why I say, you must literally delete your current characters. If you have money and resources you would like to save, then transfer them to a low level bank toon as I don't see an issue by preserving your wealth, but you must delete your characters to see this through.

[KungFuFanta]

Yeah don't forget this last I added:

- buy bags as soon as you make money from mining/herbalism, more space, more gathering space, less traveling to town

...it really helps.

Also, for some reason, whenever I make a new character, the default buttons aren't assigned to my action bar, and auto attack is missing on some classes.

Make sure you get auto attack out of your spell book, and hit Escape -> key bindings -> check the box in top right (character specific bindings) -> click the Reset to default button to get your 1s, 2s, 3s etc assigned. After that, assign a custom key bind to any slot in your auction bar, or sometimes when you relog on all the 1s, 2s, 3s etc disappear from your action bar again.

Don't know if this only affects me or other people too.

- - - Updated - - -

Its an all or nothing deal. The only way to do this right is DELETE your old characters. If by "Fresh Start" you mean leveling a toon to 90, maybe even hitting level cap in the next expansion and then going back to your old characters in less than a year, then yes you will be able to do this and do it fine and then you will be in the same routine as you are right now. This routine will be entertaining enough at first, but soon you will be wishing for that fresh start again. Which is why I say, you must literally delete your current characters. If you have money and resources you would like to save, then transfer them to a low level bank toon as I don't see an issue by preserving your wealth, but you must delete your characters to see this through.

There's no point deleting your characters on one server if you're making a character on another server.

[seam]

I came back a week or so ago and started on a new server since I hadn't done MoP at ALL, and releveled with a friend.

Pretty much just get a gathering profession and get to questing.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

Did it back when Cata came out after being on Moon Guard since BC.

Considering doing it again for 5.4, since I've spent a long time away from the game.


Make sure you take some precautions to not burn out on the 60-80 grind. One thing I do is to do BGs along with my leveling, just so I can start with a new set of gear for Outland and Northrend.

[Rizendragon]

Yeah don't forget this last I added:

- buy bags as soon as you make money from mining/herbalism, more space, more gathering space, less traveling to town

...it really helps.

Also, for some reason, whenever I make a new character, the default buttons aren't assigned to my action bar, and auto attack is missing on some classes.

Make sure you get auto attack out of your spell book, and hit Escape -> key bindings -> check the box in top right (character specific bindings) -> click the Reset to default button to get your 1s, 2s, 3s etc assigned. After that, assign a custom key bind to any slot in your auction bar, or sometimes when you relog on all the 1s, 2s, 3s etc disappear from your action bar again.

Don't know if this only affects me or other people too.

- - - Updated - - -



There's no point deleting your characters on one server if you're making a character on another server.

A bit off-topic, but if you run or ran bar add-ons in the past you need to delete your WTF folder to get 100% defaults on all new toons.

[KungFuFanta]

Darkmoon Faire related (again): raise your herbalism, mining, first aid, fishing, cooking and archeology to level 75-100ish, can't remember the number, to get even more quests from the Darkmoon faire, for extra gear tickets, extra XP AND extra profession skill levels when you complete them. These quests are only complete-able once per each Darkmoon Faire apparition.

I know I keep mentioning DMF a lot but for that one week they're there, there's a lot of XP to be gained in there for a leveling character, and leveling gear.

For an extra extra extra bonus (I know, this never ends): besides the 3 lootable quests items from PVP bodies, which are also turn-able once a week per Faire, there's 5 more quests items you can get from dungeons or the AH to turn in once a week, once again, for extra XP and extra tickets.

I just can't help sharing, I feel it's important

[Shawthys]

It's a great idea, and it really ives you that feeling that you may have had when you started playing. Just a small tip, play a race that you have not ever played before. it gives you the opportunity to explore the new starting zone.

[Etrigan]

1. Turn off the lights in the room.

2. Turn on the music/ambiance/sound to the max.

3. Turn off your second monitor (or whatever you watch/listen to while questing normally)

4. Level exclusively through quests

5. Read quest text.

I suggest rolling an Undead.

[Ozzayel]

I did it, I played a lock thru TBC and WotLK.
I quit and came back in cata and started fresh on a new server as a hunter.

Don't really have any tips, I didn't have any trouble keeping away from my old char, probably because I took a long break before coming back and starting again.
Glad I did it though and have no regrets.

[Triptych]

I read something similar from a different poster a few months back.

Except that he went one further - he actually closed his old account and opened a new one. So that he'd truly be "starting over", i.e. none of the account-wide pets, mounts, achievements, and so on. From what I recall, he was having a lot of fun. Worth thinking about, maybe!

[Lastlivingsoul]

Cataclysm's questlines always kill any attempts at new alts on Horde and Alliance. I hate the Lore, not even with a passion. Its just crap flavored crap with metamucil poured on like gravy.

[Noorri]

I started playing in mid BC, joined a fairly incompetent guild that was clearing Karazhan but could barely get any kills in 25-man raids and then I quit after we cleared Naxx 2.0/Sartharion/Malygos because the people in the guild was getting really annoying with their incompetence. I gave all my gold to one of the girls in the guild since she was possibly the nicest person I ever met, deleted all my characters an swore to never play this crap again. Then I returned just in time to level up to 80 to be ready for Cataclysm launch.

A full restart after a decent break in order to set up for the next expansion can become cathartic if you are really tired of the game.