Want to dive into World of Warcraft but not sure where to start? We've got you covered! In this guide, we'll go over the key aspects of the game in a short and easy-to-follow way, so you'll know exactly what to do when you kick off your adventure — whether on your own, with friends, or with the help of WoW services.
Ready to make your first steps in Azeroth? Let's go then!
Subscription & Expansions
WoW is a subscription-based game, meaning you need to pay a monthly fee to enjoy the full experience. You also need to buy expansions to access additional content.
You can try the game for free, though! The modern version of WoW lets you play up to level 20 without any payment. You can create multiple characters, but they'll all be capped at level 20 unless you subscribe. This option is only available for Retail WoW; Classic doesn't offer free play.
There's also an item called WoW Token that grants 30 days of game time and can be purchased either with real money or in-game gold via the Auction House.
Realms
First off, you'll need to pick a realm, or a server, to play on. Realms are more important in the endgame and have little effect on your early journey, but there still are a few things to keep in mind:
- Server Population: Low-pop servers offer a more solo experience, while high-pop ones are great for group play but come with long queues, crowded areas, and busy public chats.
- Server Type: Normal or RP (Role-Playing). RP servers have specific rules for social interactions and are designed for players who enjoy immersion and character-driven stories.
- You can only group with others on the same realm.
- Some servers may be dominated by one of the game's two factions. Check Raider.io or WoWProgress websites for detailed info on server status, population, and faction balance.
To change your realm after entering the game world, you'll either need to create a new character or pay for a Character Transfer.
Character Creation
Factions & Races
In WoW, there are two main factions: Horde and Alliance, each with its own set of aligned races. There also are neutral races, such as Dracthyr, Pandaren, and Earthern, which can join either faction.
Factions have different quests, cinematics, gear aesthetics, and capital cities, but it won't significantly affect your overall gameplay, so just settle on a race that you like and go with their faction. You can always change it later for a fee or simply create a new character.
Classes
Classes define your character's playstyle, abilities, skills, and specializations. There are 13 classes, each with 2-4 specs.
We recommend picking the class you find most fun to play. Pay attention to its role, though: you can either be a tank that soaks damage and taunts the enemy, a healer that restores HP for the group, or a DPS that's all about nuking the enemy.
Here are a couple of classes that are generally easier to learn:
- Beast Mastery Hunter
- Fury Warrior
- Destruction Warlock
- Havoc Demon Hunter
- Devastation Evoker
- Frost Mage
- Retribution Paladin
For a more in-depth class breakdown, check out guides on WowHead or IcyVeins.
Starting Up
Questing & Leveling
Questing and killing mobs are your primary XP sources as you level up.
NPCs with a quest ready have an exclamation mark above their heads, which is also shown on your map. When you're done with the quest, the exclamation mark turns into a question mark, signaling that you can hand it in and receive your reward, which typically includes XP, currency, and gear.
At level 10, you'll choose a spec for your class, and from that moment on, start earning Talent Points you can insert in your Talent Tree to gain new abilities and bonuses. If your build goes wrong, don't worry — you can reset the points and start over anytime.
Gear
Gear makes your character's primary source of power, with each piece having its item level. The higher the ilvl, the better equipped you are to handle more difficult content.
Some items also increase your primary stats, like Intellect, Agility, and Strength, or secondary ones — Haste, Crit, Mastery, and Versatility. Early in the game, you don't need to worry about min-maxing your build, but if you find a stat-boosting item, don't hesitate to equip it.
Dungeons
Available in Normal, Heroic, and Mythic tiers, dungeons are group-based PvE content where you team up with other players to fight enemies and earn loot and XP.
To access dungeons, use the Dungeon Finder by clicking the eye icon in the bottom right of your UI. You can queue for all dungeons except Mythic ones, which require you to join a Pre-made Group. If you're new, we recommend queuing as a tank or healer only if you're confident in those roles, as teammates may get toxic if you don't perform well. The safest option for beginners is to go as a DPS since dealing damage is a much easier task to handle.
Battlegrounds
Unlocked at level 10, Battlegrounds are team-based PvP matches where you fight against other players for objectives and earn Honor, gear, and other items. You can use Honor to buy PvP equipment.
Professions
Professions offer a unique set of skills your character can master to create, gather, or modify items. You can only take up two Primary professions and as many Secondary ones as you want. While purely optional, professions add a new layer of progression to your character, which is both fun and profitable, as you can craft or gather valuable items for personal use or selling them at the Auction House.
Leveling professions can be costly — you'll need to spend gold — but it's very important because higher levels allow you to unlock new recipes and improve the quality of your crafts. To start a profession, talk to any City Guard, and they'll mark the profession trainer on your map.
Endgame Content
Endgame refers to the activities available once you've reached the maximum level. For new players, this isn't something to worry about just yet, but we'll quickly go over the main activities anyway, just to give you a glimpse of what to expect.
Mythic+ Dungeons
Mythic+ are a more difficult version of standard dungeons, with added affixes that introduce new mechanics and increase the challenge. You start with Mythic +0 and, on completion, earn an upgradable key to progress to higher difficulties (Mythic +2, +3, etc.). At the end of the dungeon, you'll receive a loot chest with rewards based on the difficulty.
Raids
Similar to dungeons but more mechanically complex, raids are PvE instances where you have to beat mobs and bosses for loot. LFR (Looking For Raid) is the easiest tier you can queue up for. It's a bit different from regular runs but still gives you a good sense of the raid's mechanics and encounters. There also are Normal, Heroic, and Mythic difficulties, each with ilvl requirements to enter.
Arenas & Rated Battlegrounds
Arenas offer 2v2, 3v3, and Solo Shuffle PvP battles. Rated Battlegrounds are similar to regular Battlegrounds, but here you earn rating points based on match results. You also earn rating points for Arena matches. Additionally, in both activities, you earn Honor/Conquest Points, which you can spend on PvP gear from vendors.
Final Word
Our WoW beginner's guide comes to an end here. We hope it was helpful and gave you a solid understanding of the game's basics, as well as a great starting point for your journey into the incredible world of Azeroth. The beauty of the game is that you can play however you want and engage in whatever you enjoy, so don't be afraid to explore and try new things. And most importantly, have fun!
