I started an Alliance character: a human priest. I was told this would be a very different experience from the hunter class, and so far as I’m seeing, it is. The human lands in WoW are beautiful, compared to the ugly orc lands. I think this is a good difference — it really gives you a feel for the orc culture when their land is a rugged hell hole.

But I also notice the distance from starting area to first town to major city is much smaller in the human lands than in the orc lands. That makes it a little easier for the low-level humans, but I don’t know if it makes a significant difference overall.

I’m glad I started a human priest. The difference in character mechanics and the starting environment is dramatic. WoW is a whole different game, now. So far, I’m not retreading any old territory (literally or figuratively).

The wolves in Elwynn Forest are dropping a lot of rabbit’s feet as loot. My friends tell me they “might” give good luck in various game mechanics. I’ve gotten about a dozen of the things in the first ten levels, so far. I want to hold on to them, just in case there is some game mechanic benefit (though I’m doubting it), but I need the bag space for other loot.

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com

Level 60! Took about 8 months of around 8 hours a week (two 4-hour nights a week, usually) to reach the top level. That’s comes to 256 hours of play time from start to top level. I have no idea if that is fast or slow compared to others or the norm. I wasn’t particularly rushing through the game.

In the single digit levels, I was gaining a level for about an hour’s play. From levels 10-40, I was gaining a level each time I played — about one level per four hours of play. I could tell a bit of a slow down in the 40s, and then the 50s were just dragging. I was not racing to reach level 60, but I just enjoy seeing real advancement at a steady rate.

I enjoyed playing the game to just see and interact with the world, but there is a competitive spark in me that really likes to see my character advance. Not competitive towards others in the game (there’s hundreds of people who made 60 before and/or faster than I did), but competitive toward my self, my own time.

The game is not over for me. There’s plenty to do at level 60, and I have dabbled in a couple other characters that I may now play more regularly. But I’m not in a guild, I’m not good at PvP, and I’m not interested in the intense end-game raiding that some folks get into, so my level 60 orc hunter may get put on the back burner for a while. One of my friends, who is in a relaxed guild, has invited me to raid some smaller dungeons when I feel like it. I’ll probably do that some, just to see what the experience is like.

It’s cool to know that I’ve made it to the top level of a game. I must admit to some bit of self satisfaction at walking through a city and knowing that others see my character as having reached the level pinnacle. Yeah, I know, some of those lower level characters are alternates for players who have their own level 60 character. Don’t deprive a slow gamer his moment of self-delusioned pride.

But I still have that stupid Scout rank on my name. Shall I explain how much I dislike having that?

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com

Yesterday, I got in WoW to take some more pics for D&D. Kind of funny how I haven’t really played WoW in over two weeks except for taking pics for D&D.

But, anyway, while I was in Un’Goro Crater, I saw a group of about 8 Alliance take on King Mosh – a level 60 elite tyrannosaurus.

In Tanarus, I went after Occulus — level 50 elite dragon (I’m level 54). I killed him. Had to heal Pig 2 or 3 times, and I was completely out of mana at the end, but he went down beautifully. Occulus puts out some brutal damage.

Then, in Silithus, I experimented with one of the at least two tornadoes swirling in the desert. I was curious what would happen if I went up to one. Would I get damaged? Would I get picked up and thrown? What would happen?

Well, nothing happens. Rather disappointing, really.

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com

Hurrah! I have a mount. I’m a level late (now 41), but I had to make some gold to afford it. I’ve mentioned my bad luck with the Auction House, and how my leatherworking skill really isn’t making me any money. I ended up running through Wailing Caverns three times for good loot to sell. Eventually made the 100 gold to afford the mount training and the wolf mount.

I’m all styling now with my big, bad dire wolf. And it really does make travel faster. I think the orcs’ wolf mount is the coolest in the game. Although, the warlock’s felsteed, with the flaming hooves, is a pimped up ride, too.

But I still have the Scout rank on my name. Sounds silly on a 40+ level character. Have I mentioned how much I dislike the military title I got for entering a battleground one time?

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com