Returning player advice

[Parabolx-skullcrusher]

Hi
I’ve had a look through similar threads but I was hoping for a bit of advice more specific to my circumstances.

I haven’t played for a long time; I can’t actually remember which expansion I stopped on. I wanted to give it another go, which I was apprehensive about at first, as I only intend to play casually and I don’t have any friends that play. I understand will make endgame content inaccessible as I’ve seen a lot of complaints about people reaching max level and not being able to find things to do. But I enjoy the gameplay so I figured I’d still give it a go.

I’ve logged in and see my main characters are now a level 35 mage and a level 30 paladin (they were 90 and 80 previously I think). I’ve checked out some guides but I still don’t even know where to start. Are all of the previous expansions still relevant? I’m not sure if I’ll have to hit them again to level up, or will they still be considered old content to characters of my level?

I considered starting a new character and going through the noob process to get up-to-speed with everything, but I didn’t want to waste the time if that wasn’t necessary, so I’m just looking for advice on how to get started. I have a level 50 level boost available, but I wasn’t sure if that would be wasted on a level 35, and maybe I should use it on a brand new class I want to try once I’m back into the swing of things.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Gráinne-earthen-ring]

Welcome back!

Your characters’ levels were reset by ths stat squish at the start of Shadowlands, in which all the levels 1-120 were reset to 1-50.

If your mage was 90, then you finished up in Mists of Pandaria expansion, and I can see your Mage’s gear is clearly from Pandaria.

For a fuller reference, here is Wowhead’s Guide to people returning from Mists:

Returning Player Guide - What Changed Since Mists of Pandaria

However, maybe I can make some more specific suggestions.

@Parabolx-skullcrusher

Are all of the previous expansions still relevant?

What exactly do you mean by “relevant”? They are still there. They obviously don’t give top-level gear, which you can get only at level 60.

@Parabolx-skullcrusher

I’m not sure if I’ll have to hit them again to level up

You have two possible paths to level them:

1. Simply continue playing them. Your Mage should be ready to start Warlord of Draenor expansion. You will find levelling to 50 VERY VERY FAST.
2. Go to Stormwind, in front of the new Stormwind Embassy by the lake that you will see on your map, and talk to Chromie. She will work her Time magic to send you to whichever expansion you want to play, and sync you with the mobs there. In “Chromie Time”, you will still find levelling to 50 VERY VERY FAST.

Like a lot of returning players, it may be that you don’t really remember how to play them. That’s normal. You can spend some time in Eastern Kingdoms/Kalimdor visiting old haunts and committing genocide on the locals until you find your feet.

If you go for Chromie Time, all the mobs in the expansion you select will be same level as you, give or take one, so you can quest normally.

If you want recommendations about an expansion, I’d say both Warlords of Draenor, with its Garrison, and Legion, with its Artefacts, are worth seeing.

When you get to 50, you will have to go to Shadowlands expansion to progress. Shadowlands levelling pretty much sucks, and the process of getting set up with the systems at 60 is complicated, but at least you will be there.

Ask again if you have any more questions!

[Parabolx-skullcrusher]

Thank you very much for providing such a good explanation, that is really helpful