[Guide] How to start in Cataclysm (Alliance)

[Geckomayhem]

Wondering what to do when Cataclysm hits? Regardless of your intentions, the first thing you will want to do - unless levelling a new toon - is to learn to fly in Azeroth. And unless you intend to farm reagents, you will probably want to learn Illustrious of all your professions, grab Archaeology if so inclined, and then head to one of the two starting zones.

So where do you want to be when the switch gets flipped? Well, for Alliance, Stormwind is a good start, as you can do everything there. For Horde it is Orgrimmar. Grab your Flight Master's License, run a circuit, picking up all of your skills and then head to the relevant NPC to be on your way to your zone of choice.

Unfortunately, I don't play Horde, so I'm going to only focus on helping Alliance get to where they need to be to optimise their first few minutes of playing. Sorry, Hordies!

Here is a summary of all the trainers and relevant NPCs to get started. I simply collected data straight from Wowhead and consolidated it for easy reading:

Flight Master's License
Flying Trainer - Bralla Cloudwing (70.8 73.2). This is where you want to be at 12.01am on the 7th of December, or logged out at if unable to be playing when Cataclysm hits.

Gathering Profession Trainers
Herbalism Trainer - Tannysa (54.6 83.6).
Mining Trainer - Gelman Stonehand (59.6 37.6).
Skinning Trainer - Maris Granger (72.7 62.0).

Crafting Profession Trainers
Alchemy Trainer - Lilyssia Nightbreeze (55.6 85.9).
Blacksmithing Trainer - Therum Deepforge (63.8 37.2).
Enchanting Trainer - Lucan Cordell (53.0 74.3).
Engineering Trainer - Lilliam Sparkspindle (62.8 32.2).
Inscription Trainer - Catarina Stanford (49.8 74.2).
Jewelcrafting Trainer - Theresa Denman (63.5 61.5).
Leatherworking Trainer - Simon Tanner (71.8 62.9).
Tailoring Trainer - Georgio Bolero (53.2 81.7).

Secondary Profession Trainers
Archaeology Trainer - None other than Harrison Jones (85.7 25.9).
Cooking Trainer - Stephen Ryback (78.1 53.2).
First Aid Trainer - Shaina Fuller (52.9 44.9).
Fishing Trainer - Arnold Leland (55.1 69.5).

The Starting Zones
Quest to start in Mt Hyjal - Hero's Call: Mt Hyjal! Obtainable from Hero's Board (62.3 30.1 and 63.0 71.8). Ends in Moonglade. Handed in at Cenarion Emissary Jademoon (83.0 28.8).
Quest to Start in Vashj'ir - A Personal Summons. Automatically given to you when you enter Stormwind. Ends at Naraat the Earthspeaker (74.6 19.3).

Following is a map to see the locations of all trainers and key points to help you plot your path and be on your way fully prepared.



Tip: Remember to have all necessary bagspace, levelling reagents and anything else ready before Cataclysm goes live so that you aren't wasting time flying to the bank or the auction house - even though they are both very cool now.

I hope that this is insightful and helpful to people.

As a final note: personally, I am going to level Archaeology on my main for a bit before heading to my chosen levelling zone. It will give me a chance to both check out the changed zones that I haven't managed to see pre-Cata as well as eventually level the skill up for the end-game zones. I'm sure that others will be inclined this way too. Good luck, whatever you decide to do!

[Badaboom]

Great tips and places to start! /vote for Sticky! Very Helpful.

[Toralin]

Great post - hopefully this will stop all the "where do I <question> when cata hits?".

[ProBubble]

Great post - hopefully this will stop all the "where do I <question> when cata hits?".

NOTHING will stop those questions including taking them by the hand and doing it for them.. :P

Good guide

[JohnnyTKF]

Thanks a lot for the post. It has a lot of great tips

Go, go sticky?

And sadly Toralin, people (Aka the ones who don't read patch notes) will still ask about it, but atleast this topic will help a bit.

[Allyosaugh]

Sticky NAO.

[Djinra]

Great post pretty much what I had planned expect for skipping the professions. Go go Sticky!

[Toralin]

NOTHING will stop those questions including taking them by the hand and doing it for them.. :P

Good guide

Yeah wishful thinking I guess :<

Sticky +1

[BlueNile]

I know, I'm new, but...

Sticky +1 !

[Geckomayhem]

Well, so long as this helps some people on their way to a smooth start to the expansion. Not everyone will level their main in the new zones straight away, and not everyone around here will try to find out the best way to do things. I just hope that some will be able to look at this and have a little more insight into helping them get started. Share and share alike, as we say in NZ.

[zelandoni]

Thanks for that map - quite handy

[Father Wolfmeyer]

This will give me one more reason to go back to the lower leveled areas and spend time on my main. One other reason is to get the zones quests achievements for Loremaster. Getting those achievements will help keep track of the pursuit of one of the more boring to get trophies.

[Deleted]

Great piece of info here, vote sticky =)

any chance you could add where the Alliance Portal guy is for when you pick up the quest from the Heor's Board. We can see where the portal guy is thats going to take us to Hyjal?

cheers and ty again

[Geckomayhem]

Alliance portal guy? Do you mean Jademoon? Thanks for pointing that out. When I added the enchanting trainer it looks like his marker got dropped. I'll add it back in.

[Marooned]

nice one, btw there will be a one time portal from SW to Moonglade for Hyjal starting quest.

[Geckomayhem]

Having read the quests, I was under the impression that after picking up the starter quest from the Hero's Board that Emissary Jademoon would port you there. Either way, it looks like you have to visit him up in the garden area of the keep. Flying around Stormwind will make getting from A to B and on to C very quick and easy. Can't wait to see the city from the air, myself.

[Sukauto]

WTB Horde version of these. >_>

Very nice detail, makes me sad I dont have an Ally up to 80 yet :/

[Darkward]

Very nice thread. Didn't get a chance to play the Beta this time around. I'm trying to decide which starting zone will be the least crowded when 3:01 EST rolls around.

[Deleted]

Very nice thread /hatoff to you. Sticky plox

Just one thing to add, you probably want to be in Icecrown to hand in the 25 dailies when the servers are cata activated, alot of rep to be gained from those.

[Merrena]

I was going to take my character to Blackrock Mountain first, find the entrace the new blackrock dungeon then hearth to Stormwind then do all these. Something for people who plan on doing some dungeons, since that seems to be the only one that seems to be out of the way of 80-85 leveling.