As someone who's always loved questing and leveling, I also realize that a lot of people aren't really into the grand slog. And yes, getting to the level cap is exciting - having your full kit of abilities and getting the chance to acquire all the fanciest gear.
Leveling has gotten faster and faster over time, even as the level cap has grown higher and higher (a game that started with a cap of 60 will now be going to 100.) Still, the sheer amount of ground to cover can be daunting.
So first of all, they're handing out free level 90s. For those of us who have been keeping up with the game, this is basically a non-existent feature. I could technically skip 4 or 5 levels on my druid and priest respectively, or I could roll up a second (ok, let's be honest, third in some cases) level-capped member of a class, but really, at the end of the day, I've got my people covered.
What I'm far more curious about is the path from 90 to 100. Yes, it's ten levels rather than five, which has been the norm for the past two expansions, but they apparently want leveling to be a "fast, fun romp through Draenor."
What kind of romp are we talking about here?
Well, the details remain a little sketchy (I imagine they're still iterating on this in design,) but it looks like the way quest zones work is going to change dramatically.
Major story quest-chains will be marked, so you can play through them and make sure you don't miss any. You'll even be able to see them on the map.
There will be plenty of other smaller quests and quest chains, and a lot of these will simply be available as soon as you stumble across them. There will be far fewer quest hubs that simply have nothing for you if you haven't gotten that far in the zone's biggest quest chain (basically a total rejection of the Cataclysm model.)
Meanwhile, they're taking inspiration from the Timeless Isle, setting up special events that will occur in zones while leveling that you can take part in for experience and loot.
Quest rewards themselves will apparently come in randomized quality. So you might usually be getting green drops, but on occasion, you'll get a blue or even epic piece.
Additionally, they're going to expand on the treasures that were found in Pandaria, fleshing each of them out with its own story.
What I'm the most curious about is the pace of all of this. They want leveling to be fun and quick. There are lots of zones to explore (though I'm unclear on whether the Horde will have anything to do in Shadowmoon Valley and if the Alliance will have anything to do in Frostfire Peaks) and indeed, the progression path through Draenor.
So how quick are the dings going to be coming in? How long after release am I going to start running heroics, or at least the level-cap normal dungeons (oh my god, could they bring back epics to heroic dungeons?)
It remains to be seen just what scale we're talking about, but I think we may hear the groans of leveling-haters somewhat muffled.
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