5 beginner mistakes to avoid while starting in World of Warcraft

World of Warcraft is a solid entry point to MMORPGs, so it's really not surprising that it continues to attract players many years after its release. As one of the largest and most successful games in the genre, WoW continually expands its content every couple of years. Fortunately, you don't have to fully understand the massive amount of content to get into the game.

While the title provides a tutorial, WoW beginners may still find the game's mechanics challenging, especially for those new to the genre. Newbies tend to make mistakes left and right, so it's good to be mindful of the common ones in World of Warcraft.

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Common rookie mistakes to avoid in World of Warcraft

1) Ignoring Rest

Resting provides you with an EXP boost. (Image via Blizzard)

Like other MMORPGs, World of Warcraft uses the Rest mechanic, characterized by glowing portraits and a "ZZZ" status in their levels when in major cities or inns. Characters logging off in the wilderness can still achieve a Rested state, but the double EXP notch accumulates at 25% of the rate compared to Resting in a major city or inn.

There are several benefits that you can get with this with the most important one being your boosted EXP. Your character earns double EXP for killing monsters when you are in a Rested state.

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2) Ignoring Professions

Professions are just as important as Classes. (Image via Blizzard)

Professions are an important aspect of World of Warcraft, but beginners seem to put less emphasis on this compared to their Classes. These are trade-oriented skills that focus less on combat and more on everyday jobs. They often involve enhancing, crafting, or gathering items for other players to use.

While Professions may not sound as exciting as Classes, they greatly dictate your progress pace and your endgame benefits. It's also important to synergize your chosen Class with your Profession to fulfill your endgame goals.

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3) Careless spending

You need to spend gold wisely in World of Warcraft. (Image via Blizzard)

Similar to most MMORPGs, gold is the main currency in the game, which you can use to buy all sorts of items, from utility tools to combat weapons. You can earn a lot of gold during quests and task completion, but that doesn't mean you should spend it at every chance you get.

While it may be tempting to purchase the shiny sword from a random merchant, you have to make sure that you have enough gold to cover essential costs in the game. These essential costs include equipment repair and travel costs, both of which take up a good chunk of your treasure.

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4) Choosing the wrong Realm

Beginners should choose a Realm based on population and region. (Image via Blizzard)

Your choice of Realm in World of Warcraft is an important decision that heavily influences your gaming experience. These Realms serve as unique servers, creating a separate iteration of the game world for each. However, newcomers often make the mistake of choosing the wrong Realm.

One key consideration when choosing a Realm is the population of players on that server. The number of players influences the dynamics of the gaming community, affecting the availability of fellow adventurers. Since Realms are also classified into regions, newbies should also consider the language spoken in a particular Realm.

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5) Not joining Guilds

Guilds provide valuable support for WoW beginners. (Image via Blizzard)

A core aspect of MMORPGs is the collaboration of players through various game modes. World of Warcraft offers several ways to engage in team play, and guilds are a great starting point for beginners. Guilds provide players a sense of community within the game, offering shared resources such as item vaults and unique benefits when playing together.

Joining a Guild presents valuable benefits to enhance the multiplayer aspect of World of Warcraft. It also provides a platform for social interaction, collaboration on in-game activities, and the exchange of knowledge and resources, which are all useful for beginners.