Cataclysm levelling tips?

[econ21]

Any beta testers got some levelling tips for L80-85? For example, any recommendations for fun story quests or ones with nice tank rewards? Any factions we should target early - e.g. with tank rewards for honoured or because the grind is so hard, it should be started early? I'm not necessarily looking for fast levelling tips, but for recommendation for fun stuff and shinies from levelling.

EDIT: A few observations from my own levelling experience

Blizzard have done a great job directing you - I would just go with the flow. Try to move to higher levels for better gear and to focus on quests with faction reputation (i.e. skip the "side quests"), but Blizzard have designed it so that if you do this, you can still see the conclusion of several epic main story quest chains. It is excellent level design. In detail:

(1) Pick Vashj'ir or Hyjal to level to 82 based on personal preference. One thing to consider is the associated faction: do you want Earthen Ring rep (Vashj'ir) or Guardians of Hyjal rewards? For a tank, the Earthen Ring rep legs at Honored are very nice although Hyjal is probably faster.

(2) Go to Deepholm as soon as dinging 82, as the starter zone gear is not better than your ICC loot. Stay in Deepholm until you have finished the main (Therazane/Earthen Ring) quest, as the conclusion is satisfying and you want the rep with both factions. You won't be delaying your entry to Uldun significantly by doing so. Humans can get to revered with Therazane after just one day of dailies.

(3) Go to Uldun at early 83 and do all the Ramkahen (sp?) quests - the rep is nice but you won't get to revered. By the time you have finished, you should be just 84 and ready to go to Twilight Highlands.

(4) At 84, go to Twilight Highlands. This is where the gear starts to get good - for example, you get a 333 shield and tanking weapon. The Dragonmaw/Wildhammer and Earther Ring Rep is also useful. I dinged 85 immediately upon completing the epic quest with the worm/pit thing that ate Bobba Fet.

[Njall]

Save up some dalies. Hand them in after the patch drops. Even without the rested bonus, 25 dalies should take you about 25% of the way to L81. In Mt. Hyjal, throw those cute bears into the trampoline. It's fun. It's even more fun if you miss. Splat.

Find Blackrock Caverns BEFORE the patch drops so you can queue it up. If you have T10/251 gear, you're more than okay for gear. Get to Deepholme and unlock Therazane - it is the Sons of Hodir equivalent.

[Nalyn]

Save up some dalies. Hand them in after the patch drops. Even without the rested bonus, 25 dalies should take you about 25% of the way to L81.

This I've done, I also didn't think that rested exp effected quest exp anyway, just mob exp?

Find Blackrock Caverns BEFORE the patch drops so you can queue it up. If you have T10/251 gear, you're more than okay for gear. Get to Deepholme and unlock Therazane - it is the Sons of Hodir equivalent.

This I hadn't thought about, I'll have to go poke around Blackrock Mountain tonight.

[Njall]

Save up some dalies. Hand them in after the patch drops. Even without the rested bonus, 25 dalies should take you about 25% of the way to L81.

This I've done, I also didn't think that rested exp effected quest exp anyway, just mob exp?

Quite, quite right. I had a brain fart and crosstalk failure in my head. I'll probably level herbing and mining a little bit in Storm Peaks and ICC as the Icethorn and Lichbloom don't go gray until well past 500 (525 and 535 respectively) - though I'd stop gathering long before that.

I think I saw some Cinderbloom in the Scar of the Worldbreaker in Badlands but I could have just gone mad from the heat and booze.

Oh, and is the boat from Fuselight-by-the-sea to Scarlet Enclave working? Or did that not survive the beta?

[RedAces]

hey,

This I've done, I also didn't think that rested exp effected quest exp anyway, just mob exp?

No, but it doesn't matter because all rested XP will be resetted at the cataclysmic launch (a bluepost said that).

Bye, RedAces.

[halabar]

One thing that WON'T work in leveling 80-82 in Wrath Heroics. They nerfed XP gains in Wrath heroics last night by a ton. Sucks for hunters trying to level pets there.

[Sabindeus]

Definitely do the Vashj'ir questline at least until you get the mount. Otherwise you'll have to come back later. Personally I enjoyed the heck out of Vashj'ir and recommend you do the whole thing but at least do that part.

[Autofollow]

I was thinking to start questing in Vash'ir and just run through the whole zone since I'm hoping that most people will decide to go to Hyjal, leaving Vash'ir less populated. Is there any good reason that I can't just run around there from 80-82?

[Sabindeus]

I was thinking to start questing in Vash'ir and just run through the whole zone since I'm hoping that most people will decide to go to Hyjal, leaving Vash'ir less populated. Is there any good reason that I can't just run around there from 80-82?

You in fact can do exactly that, then head to Deepholm

[Autofollow]

Awesome! Thanks for the fast reply, I appreciate it.

I'll be honest, I hate grinding quests and such so even though I have 25 waiting in my Log to turn in some of them include the Hodir quests. I'm pretty sure they aren't as good as the Tournament quests but it's a bump at least. So I have the Skybreaker, Shadow Vaults, Death's Rise, and Hodir. And one or two group quests I never turned in previously that were sitting in my log. If it's enough for 25% that's cool. If not, I'll just have a few more % to grind I suppose.

[Njall]

Don't forget your Dalaran cooking and fishing dalies. And I am saving the Raid Weekly as well. I think I might save the SW cooking and fishing as well but only for Monday. Been stockpiling MEAT of late. I have a recipe or two but I'd rather sell the mats!

[Braundo]

I was thinking to start questing in Vash'ir and just run through the whole zone since I'm hoping that most people will decide to go to Hyjal, leaving Vash'ir less populated. Is there any good reason that I can't just run around there from 80-82?

This was my thinking as well, and this poll seems to bear that out a bit.

[Belloc]

Don't forget your Dalaran cooking and fishing dalies. And I am saving the Raid Weekly as well. I think I might save the SW cooking and fishing as well but only for Monday. Been stockpiling MEAT of late. I have a recipe or two but I'd rather sell the mats!

Fishing/cooking dailies and the raid weekly do not provide XP at all.

[Nikachelle]

Don't forget your Dalaran cooking and fishing dalies. And I am saving the Raid Weekly as well. I think I might save the SW cooking and fishing as well but only for Monday. Been stockpiling MEAT of late. I have a recipe or two but I'd rather sell the mats!

Fishing/cooking dailies and the raid weekly do not provide XP at all.

The fishing and cooking dailies most certainly did when my paladin was first leveling from 70-80. Was this changed?

[Belloc]

Don't forget your Dalaran cooking and fishing dalies. And I am saving the Raid Weekly as well. I think I might save the SW cooking and fishing as well but only for Monday. Been stockpiling MEAT of late. I have a recipe or two but I'd rather sell the mats!

Fishing/cooking dailies and the raid weekly do not provide XP at all.

The fishing and cooking dailies most certainly did when my paladin was first leveling from 70-80. Was this changed?

Looking at the fishing dailies on Wowhead, they are not displayed as awarding XP. This is in contrast with other dailies (such as the argent tournament) that do award XP. Even if they did award xp (which I'm convinced that they don't), the fishing dailies are available starting at level 70 in Dalaran and level 10 in Stormwind -- not exactly level appropriate.