Page 1 of 2
1
2
LastLast
  1. #1

    Let's say I haven't played since Wrath and I'm itching to get back...any tips?

    Hello!

    I played pretty religiously through TBC and Wrath. I'd played a tiny bit of Cata at release, though quit because I wasn't a fan. MoP was kind of the same thing. I played maybe a whole 2 weeks between Cata and MoP, and I missed basically everything they brought the table.

    Would you guys be willing to shed some light on the things I missed? How about any tips for someone who, essentially, is new to the game due to absence?

    Kgo.

  2. #2

  3. #3
    There's not much of a difference in how the game works, and it wouldn't take you any time to get reacquainted.

    That said, I wouldn't recommend bothering at all until the expansion comes out. If you didn't like this one before, you still won't.

  4. #4
    Honorary PvM "Mod" Darsithis's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Chicago
    Posts
    51,235
    Quote Originally Posted by Itisamuh View Post
    There's not much of a difference in how the game works, and it wouldn't take you any time to get reacquainted.
    It's very different than Wrath.

    - Huge class changes and they added mastery as a new stat, dropping armor penetration & defense
    - No more talent trees in MoP. You get tiers of specific abilities every 15 levels or so
    - LFR - looking for raid. Essentially 25 man dungeons that drop raid gear and raid tier gear but about 25 item levels lower than normal
    - Flex - flexible raiding between 10 - 25 players that drops gear 13 item levels lower than normal
    - New class, monk, 3 new races: worgen, goblin, and pandaren
    - New continent to explore, Pandaria
    - New world bosses and daily quest zone hubs (Timeless Isle, Isle of Thunder, Isle of Giants)
    - Lots of new lore
    - Challenge modes - hardmode dungeons that scale your gear down so you can't overpower them. Compete with your realm for transmog gear
    - Transmog! Make an item look like another item! Bring back old tier sets and wear their look while wearing you current gear
    - Heirlooms to 85, Garrosh drops level 90 - 100 heirloom weapons for WoD
    - Scenarios! 3-man story dungeons that play out fast. You can also run heroic versions with a pre-made group

    And tons more, more than I can cover easily here.

    I suggest checking it out and seeing if you like it. Only you can decide.

  5. #5
    Immortal Zka's Avatar
    15+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    hungary
    Posts
    7,241
    I returned after 1 year hiatus and I'm amazed how many things you can do "solo". Not like these are very interesting things, but you have options. Gearing up to the level of normal raids will take 1-2 week if you go alone. Just check some Timeless Isle guides.

  6. #6
    There's a lot of added non raid/non pvp content.

    -Brawler's Guild (Public solo PvE arena. You go up against various mobs, anyone can watch you fight)
    -Challenge Modes (Timed, harder versions of 5 man heroics that scale your gear back to the level the 5 man drops, which is 463, lots of people do this competitively as wowprogress has a leaderboard to keep track of world's best times)
    -Proving Grounds (Solo scenario that tries to simulate real scenarios for all roles, also dials your gear back to 463, also a leaderboard for this)
    -Pet Battles
    -Timeless Isle (Gear catch up island, hosts a couple world bosses, a bunch of rares, chests, and it's own unique currency; very few dailies involved)
    -Scenarios/Heroic Scenarios

    If you're a skilled player you'll have no problem getting caught up and being able to get into flex raids in under a month.

  7. #7
    Dreadlord
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    8.6 LY away from home
    Posts
    931
    Quote Originally Posted by ofnair View Post
    Hello!

    I played pretty religiously through TBC and Wrath. I'd played a tiny bit of Cata at release, though quit because I wasn't a fan. MoP was kind of the same thing. I played maybe a whole 2 weeks between Cata and MoP, and I missed basically everything they brought the table.

    Would you guys be willing to shed some light on the things I missed? How about any tips for someone who, essentially, is new to the game due to absence?

    Kgo.
    do it now, you'll have fun. i was in the exact same boat as you and came back a few months ago.

    Quote Originally Posted by Oogly View Post
    Wait until WoD.
    ignore this guy.

  8. #8
    The Lightbringer Rizendragon's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Born: Syracuse, NY; Currently live: Raleigh, NC
    Posts
    3,669
    Quote Originally Posted by ofnair View Post
    Hello!

    I played pretty religiously through TBC and Wrath. I'd played a tiny bit of Cata at release, though quit because I wasn't a fan. MoP was kind of the same thing. I played maybe a whole 2 weeks between Cata and MoP, and I missed basically everything they brought the table.

    Would you guys be willing to shed some light on the things I missed? How about any tips for someone who, essentially, is new to the game due to absence?

    Kgo.
    I would say stay away personally. There is a possibility of selling high level toons on the horizon, and plenty of the gameplay I personally miss from early Wrath is gone. I'm considering hanging up the kits depending on how things go in the next few months.

  9. #9
    Dreadlord
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    8.6 LY away from home
    Posts
    931
    Quote Originally Posted by Rizendragon View Post
    I would say stay away personally. There is a possibility of selling high level toons on the horizon, and plenty of the gameplay I personally miss from early Wrath is gone. I'm considering hanging up the kits depending on how things go in the next few months.
    yeah that's why i left in 2010. my old wow was dead and i was pissed. i killed the lich king, logged out about 5 minutes later, and unsubbed.

    3 years later, i decided that 'change happens so get over it', and i'm having a lot of fun now. just go with the flow and accept it, it's just a game afterall.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by ofnair View Post
    Hello!

    I played pretty religiously through TBC and Wrath. I'd played a tiny bit of Cata at release, though quit because I wasn't a fan. MoP was kind of the same thing. I played maybe a whole 2 weeks between Cata and MoP, and I missed basically everything they brought the table.

    Would you guys be willing to shed some light on the things I missed? How about any tips for someone who, essentially, is new to the game due to absence?

    Kgo.
    I was about to start my own thread about this (may still), and then I saw your thread. I have been back since mid-December and I haven't played since 2009. The game is the same in a lot of ways, but in others it's drastically different.

    When I first started in January of 2005 I ended up joining a hard core, realm first raiding guild. Eventually that didn't jibe with my schedule so I rolled to a more casual minded guild in terms of the amount of raiding we did, but that was extremely focused and prepared while we raided. I loved the tight knit guild atmosphere and accomplishing things with people I know.

    Real life took me away for a long time, but that aspect of the game (for me) is gone or near impossible for me to find. I formed my own guild with about 10 of my friends, but they're not all as interested in seeing end game as I am. Some of them are, but not enough.

    I'm not elitist, but I'm finding myself surrounded by very dumb, impatient people. My Flex runs have been the most successful, with many first time one shots. I notice if you wipe though, people flee like rats from a sinking ship. There are a few gems for individuals I have come across, but not enough to coalesce around to make anything happen and they're almost always CRZ strangers I can't contact easily after a run. I have a sneaking suspicion that the best guilds are flying under the radar. I have no interest in the ones that look at gear and achievements before considering someone. I get that, but it's not for me. I don't need to be a stat in a guild. I'm a person and I want to play with other people.

    I play a protection warrior, and through LFR/FLEX have managed to push to around 540 item level. I'm a competent tank and enjoy my class, but I feel something is missing without a group of good raiders to roll with.

    I fully admit that I do not know the complete mechanics of every fight, but as I do them, I learn them. I'm hoping to find some group that's looking for a tank and is willing to invest a small amount of patience, but that hope is fading. I'm getting close to wanting to pay for a 'carry' and hopefully opening a few eyes.

    Good luck, and if you come back, just know that you're going to have to work a lot harder to find a good guild.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Darsithis View Post
    - Scenarios! 3-man story dungeons that play out fast. You can also run heroic versions with a pre-made group
    .
    If you like Lore these are awesome. They take on average between 8-15min and its like playing the juiciest part of a questline without the grinding of the questline. Simply: they explain what is going on with a 1st person narrator and than tell u what to do.

  12. #12
    Wait until the SoR has been updated, which will probably be soon. I anticipate many goodies.

  13. #13
    if you havent played since wrath.... well the game sucks now lets just say

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Xenonn View Post
    if you havent played since wrath.... well the game sucks now lets just say
    My opinion is quite the opposite.

    Started playing around 2.1, I stopped playing in late Wrath, came back in 5.4.

    The game now is the best it ever was, I always played pala tank, and the whole Active Mitigation concept is just CRAZY FUN.

    Lore-wise, yes, WotLK was a bit better due to Lich King and Ulduar, but gameplay-wise it was less fun than it is now.

  15. #15
    The Lightbringer Rizendragon's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Born: Syracuse, NY; Currently live: Raleigh, NC
    Posts
    3,669
    Quote Originally Posted by greysaber View Post
    yeah that's why i left in 2010. my old wow was dead and i was pissed. i killed the lich king, logged out about 5 minutes later, and unsubbed.

    3 years later, i decided that 'change happens so get over it', and i'm having a lot of fun now. just go with the flow and accept it, it's just a game afterall.
    It isn't the story for me though its the gameplay. I'm worried we're headed down the dark path to p2w and micro transactions in everything. I feel too much us being handed out (I was a fan of WotLK dailies, 4.0 heroics and dailies, and 5.0/5.1 dailies). I'm wondering if this is for me anymore tbh...

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Darsithis View Post
    It's very different than Wrath.

    - Huge class changes and they added mastery as a new stat, dropping armor penetration & defense
    - No more talent trees in MoP. You get tiers of specific abilities every 15 levels or so
    - LFR - looking for raid. Essentially 25 man dungeons that drop raid gear and raid tier gear but about 25 item levels lower than normal
    - Flex - flexible raiding between 10 - 25 players that drops gear 13 item levels lower than normal
    - New class, monk, 3 new races: worgen, goblin, and pandaren
    - New continent to explore, Pandaria
    - New world bosses and daily quest zone hubs (Timeless Isle, Isle of Thunder, Isle of Giants)
    - Lots of new lore
    - Challenge modes - hardmode dungeons that scale your gear down so you can't overpower them. Compete with your realm for transmog gear
    - Transmog! Make an item look like another item! Bring back old tier sets and wear their look while wearing you current gear
    - Heirlooms to 85, Garrosh drops level 90 - 100 heirloom weapons for WoD
    - Scenarios! 3-man story dungeons that play out fast. You can also run heroic versions with a pre-made group

    And tons more, more than I can cover easily here.

    I suggest checking it out and seeing if you like it. Only you can decide.
    Apart from some stat changes and some quality of life changes, nothing much has changed. Sure, there's LOADS of new stuff, but it's not like it's a complete different game. If you were a good player in WotLK, you'll fit right back in within a week or two.

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Seditian View Post
    Apart from some stat changes and some quality of life changes, nothing much has changed. Sure, there's LOADS of new stuff, but it's not like it's a complete different game. If you were a good player in WotLK, you'll fit right back in within a week or two.
    Yeah, but unless he maintained his contacts through all that time away (and they're still around), it seems virtually impossible to get in with anyone willing to give you a shot...unless you're already geared and can link your achievements.

    It's weird going from being a realm first raider on a high pop realm, coming back after a long time away, and being virtually useless to anyone. Yeah, the gear is gone, but what happened to investing in good people? We've all been downgraded from a human being to a stat monkey. If you don't have the stats, you're useless.

    Maybe I'm wrong, but I am having an impossible time finding a group to do end game with.
    Last edited by Lethality; 2014-02-18 at 04:34 PM.

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by Oogly View Post
    Wait until WoD.
    The best and only tip

  19. #19
    If you're really into the lore then just start playing again, but no need to rush to 90. Then you can focus on WoD when it arrives.

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Nye the Spy View Post
    The best and only tip
    Agreed. Coming back now is sheer foolishness.

    1. It's the end of the expansion and despite the latest numbers (which people seem to ignore include the holiday bump) people are going to be dropping like flies due to attrition.

    2. It's also the time of the expansion when people are most angsty towards returning players; "What, you mean you haven't done these heroics a million times? Vote to kick this noob!". Now also add the same level of vitriol in LFR and Flex raiding modes.

    2a. Also consider that if you get to 90 and try to run heroics, you're not going to even remotely have any degree of fun because everyone will so overgear them that you won't even get a skill off before the tank is two pulls ahead of you. Or even pulling the entire room to the boss.

    3. The story has been completely altered by all of the previous content patches to the point where it isn't nearly as impactful as it was earlier in the lifespan of the expansion. The Vale gates opening post-5.4 is a great example; The quest is still the same but the dialog has changed, completely losing its meaning from the original story line and almost makes no sense for a fresh, new-to-pandaria, player/character.

    4. When you reach 90, you're going to realize that you're doing everything solo and you're so far behind the curve that your only solution is to KEEP doing things solo. Solo Timeless Isle grinding. Solo Heroic dungeon and LFR queues for gear and valor. Solo BGs for honor.

    Coming back now would be a waste of money and time. You've waited this long, you're better off following the development of WoD and saving your money for now. If WoD appeals to you, come back shortly (like a week or two) before it drops to get your characters and game client in order and then use your 90 boost to get right into WoD's content to be on the same plane as everyone else.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •