With the release date of WOW Cataclysm Classic quickly approaching, it’s time we discuss all the things you can start doing now to be as prepared as possible when the expansion launches.
This guide contains the unique tips to help you gear up as efficiently as possible, choose the best DPS classes, and discover Epic Loots with Archeology to help you dominate in Cataclysm Classic by the end of this guide.
With this guide, you’ll have a solid strategy for securing your spot in a raid, choosing the perfect Race Class Combinations, and knowing exactly which server will maximize your chances of success. So, let’s dive in and get ready for the ultimate Cataclysm adventure!
Preparation
Since the pre-patch was revealed, most players have been gearing up for the release of the full expansion on May 20th. Because everyone of us wants to experience the new Heroic Dungeons and Blackwing Descent as soon as possible.
However, if you want to clear the dungeon smoothly and get a better gaming experience, it is a wise choice to buy WOW Cataclysm Gold.
Note that top players are taking advantage of Archaeology right now. Because almost every class has an Epic Loot they want to get, but sometimes the grinding can take up to 20 hours. However, with Archeology we can significantly increase grinding efficiency.
Luckily, I did this grind myself. So I can tell you everything to avoid all the mistakes I made so you can get those epic items as quickly as possible.
You’ll definitely also want to make sure you’re playing the best DPS classes for your play style. Apart from this, you also need to make sure that you are playing the best Race Class Combinations to dominate in RPGs and Arenas and high-end ratings.
But if you don’t choose the perfect server, you’ll hit a wall here and there. That’s why I have to give you some advice, whether you’re a PVE player, whether you’re a PVP player, or just like role playing.
Gear
Before we talk about choosing the right server and the right Race Class Combinations and Archeology, we must first quickly discuss gear.
No matter what class you choose, you want to have a level 80 character with as much gear as possible. Going into Cataclysm, this is something you have to remember. Later in the game, however, most equipment is completely replaced. Therefore, you shouldn’t just focus on gear, but instead prioritize maximizing your Justice Points.
Justice Points
Justice Points are a new currency that will be used to purchase Pre-BiS Gear at level 85, which is truly your ultimate ticket into Heroic Dungeons and the endgame. So in the pre-patch you can farm Justice Points early, and then once Cataclysm launches and you reach level 85, you can use those points to buy 346 item level gear.
The reason this is so important is that the average item level requirement for new characters to enter Heroic is 333.
I definitely recommend completing both the daily quests and Archmage Lan’dalock quest. If you queue up for Random Dungeon Finder every day, you can get 80 Justice Points for free.
I do plan on running Icecrown Citadel every week, leading up to release in order to get more Justice Points, but I’m also doing one other important thing for my gear.
How To Get Epic Loot?
Next, let’s talk about how to discover epic loot through Archeology. Archeology allows players to explore excavation sites across Azeroth and discover countless rare artifacts from past eras. By using surveying tools, you can unearth various types of fossils and treasures, each with varying rarity.
Normally, if you’re willing to put in the time and play your profession, it’s not that hard to earn some decent Cataclysm Gold and pick up a few achievements along the way. But this is nothing compared to earning a lot of gold through Archeology or playing Auction House.
But it has to be said that Archaeology is one of the hardest professions in WoW, and if you want to kill time in Cataclysm, this is definitely a reliable way to do it.
As with all professions after Cataclysm update, there are a total of 525 Archaeology-related skill points. Pretty much everyone is going to rush to 450 except for those lazy Rogues, so they have a chance to get epics like Zin’rokh, Destroyer of Worlds, and Staff of Sorcerer-Thane Thaurissan.
The explanation for Archaeology’s quick leveling is that you simply go to a dig site on the map and use Shovel icon to investigate.
Each time you take a survey, the profession window will flash a red, yellow, or green light. Red means the reward is around 80 yards, which is very far, yellow is usually around 40 yards, which means medium, and then green is almost always around 20 yards.
You then just follow the direction Spyglass points you to, repeat this repeatedly, and once you’ve exhausted a dig site, you can head to the next dig site and continue looping through Kalimdor Zones. There are always four dig sites here, so I just cycle between all of them.
Once you reach 50 Archeology through investigations, you will no longer receive skill upgrades. You will then have to start crafting Artifacts from all the fragments you get, depending on the items you have to craft.
You can also choose to add Keystone items, which will save you the number of fragments you need. Of course, if you have a lot of WOW Cataclysm Classic gold or you can’t get them through normal surveys, you can also buy them at Auction House.
Once you hit 450, you’ll definitely want to start planning for all the items you want. In my case, I definitely want Zin’rokh and Tyrande’s Favorite Doll, which means I want to prioritize Night Elf Artifacts and Troll Artifacts to increase my chances of getting these epics.
Class Option
Now, let’s talk about how to choose the right class. Remember, it’s the play style that suits you that matters. Don’t you want to maximize your performance and enjoy the game when Cataclysm launches?
In fact, you can’t go wrong with any class choice in Cataclysm. But here are some of my personal recommendations and some in-depth analysis. If you want to smash some mobs up close, you really can’t go wrong with Death Knight.
If you are a spellcaster at heart, then choosing a Mage on day one is definitely the best solution. Arcane Mage can bombard enemies on the field, and you might even see two Arcane Mages sharing Focus Magic for a burst of critical hits.
My last class recommendation is Rogue. Assassination Rogue often tops the leaderboards, using their Phantom Blade to inflict massive AOE damage on their enemies. Besides this, Rogue’s damage in PVP is also amazing.
On top of that, it also has an epic quest line, and if you’re not a Rogue, you’re missing out on one of the best story lines in Cataclysm. This is exactly why you see many people, myself included, working on Rogue right now.
Best Race Class Combinations
Once you choose DPS class that best suits your play style, you must also consider race.
If you are a Horde player, your primary choice is definitely Goblin and Troll. If you have access to any Cataclysm emulator, you will find that Troll has slightly higher DPS than Goblin in at least a three-minute fight. But what you have to remember is that Goblin has mobility, and ultimately mobility doesn’t really show up in the emulator.
As for Alliance, race selection is not that simple in almost all cases, but Worgen may give you an advantage once released.
Choose The Right Server
Finally, when you have chosen the perfect Race Combinations, we must also discuss the servers. Choosing the right server is very important.
If you want to maximize your chances of getting into a raid, I definitely recommend looking up the demographics of each server first.
As a general rule, you want to choose the most populated server in European region, then your choices will be Faerlina for Alliance and Gehennas for Horde. And then for North America, we have Benediction for Alliance and Faerlina for Horde.
It’s important to note that developers have floated the idea of merging these servers together, which is relatively likely to happen.
If you really hate PVP, you can still go to NA, where we have Mankrik for Horde and Pagle for Alliance. And then in Europe we still have Mirage Raceway, which is a split server.
Finally, if you like role playing, Grabus is still going strong and will give you that old school classic feel.
Outro
Above, we have discussed the secrets of Archeology, how to optimize your gear, which class and race to choose in Cataclysm, and which perfect server to play on. What are your plans for Cataclysm now? How did you prepare for this new expansion? See you next time!
