One of the biggest reasons that people have been begging for the return of Classic World of Warcraft is that Azeroth is currently in a drastically different place to the one it was in more than a decade ago. Whether that's for better or worse comes down to personal choice. However, players of either preference will flock to WoW Classic upon its release, meaning that veterans and noobs alike will have to face a new set of challenges as they adapt to the Azeroth of the past. This article intends to address some of the larger comparisons between the WoW we know today and the one we'll be seeing a lot more of when Classic returns in August.

Starting with the glaringly obvious, the time it will take to reach max level is vastly different. In Modern WoW, there are a variety of methods that players can employ to hasten their climb to level 120 (not including paid level boosts), such as Elixirs, Heirlooms and the Recruit-A-Friend program. Even without these previously mentioned boosts, accessing mounts is drastically easier and the Dungeon Finder exists to expedite travel times between activities, meaning that levelling is far more efficient now than it ever has been. The journey from level 1-60 in Classic WoW, on the other hand, is a long one for the casual player, and even if you're out to rush to max level, you best be prepared for 150+ hours of gameplay before you say goodbye to your XP bar. But there's a reason behind this massive grind, and that is that the two versions of the game have two very different focuses.

Many believe that, in Battle for Azeroth, the game really begins once you hit level 120; grinding out Item Levels and Artifact Power for your Heart of Azeroth becomes your main priority so that you can either compete for a spot in a raiding Guild or rank up in PvP, and pressing Mythic+ Dungeons and Raids are what the majority of the player base spends their time doing. In Classic, the levelling experience will not only require more time but more effort due to more challenging mobs, undoubtedly making levelling the focus of Classic WoW. This means a few different things for the player. Being with your class for so long means you'll be forced to learn your most efficient ability rotations for a variety of different situations, making you a better player on that character for end-game raiding. However, this can also lead to levelling fatigue. If you're not committed to your class and their most basic mechanics, those final levels towards level 60 will feel incredibly tedious. Ensuring you're playing the character that's right for you may take a few tries, but is absolutely vital in an environment that is centred around the questing and levelling experience.

Many of you out there will be well familiar with wandering through the streets of Stormwind or the paths of Orgrimmar and seeing the chat filled with messages starting with "LFG" and, upon revisiting Classic, you too will be Looking for Groups more often than not. In Modern WoW, you can fairly comfortably clear through any quest as a solo player without coming into too much trouble, provided you have an understanding of your class, but this is not the case in Classic. From a very early level, the benefit of partying up with other players becomes apparent as nobody likes dying to the same mobs in a cave from being out of mana after 2 pulls. This means that the community aspect is greatly different to the one in Modern WoW. You'll find yourself approaching other players far more frequently than you might be used to with the WoW of now, forging player relations from a low level that can last until you eventually become guildmates. Beyond this, everyone playing the game will recognise the undeniable benefit of consumables, so don't be afraid to ask that Mage you partied up with to conjure you up some food and drink for the encounters ahead.

In talking about player relations, the benefit of partying up is also aided by the fact that you can talk to people about their builds and strategies for their character. With a much more customisable Talent system in Classic than Modern, having extra opinions on the best build for shredding enemies can never hurt. Finally, upon the launch of Classic, players will be faced with some pretty tough competition for quest loot and objectives (if the Beta and Stress Test have been any indications). Waiting for Kobold Vermin respawns in Northshire Valley will make or break plenty of level 1 Humans, but an eager party can clean up those pesky mobs in... well, it'll still probably take a fair while, but it'll be faster than doing it just by yourself. Who knows, maybe that keen-eyed Rogue that you cleared Kobolds with for an hour becomes a familiar face as you progress through the levels on your way to 60 and you can jump back into a party later down the track.

The economy of World of Warcraft through the ages is one that has evolved more drastically than nearly any other element of the game. It has become common to see max level characters running around Dazar'Alor with thousands and thousands of gold to their name and, even without the option of purchasing WoW tokens for Auction House resale, the ability to acquire a small fortune is greatly increased in the newer version of the game. Managing finances has become less of a problem than ever, but taking a step back in time means that some people might have to hit the books and crunch the numbers on exactly what they'll be putting their hard earned gold towards. Having to purchase abilities upon levelling up is going to be the most consistent drain to your bank that you'll come across, and there are undoubtedly going to be a few naive adventurers purchasing every ability that becomes available to them. Ideally, you'll try to find the most efficient way to earn gold for your character as you level up, and across the board this will undoubtedly come in the form of acquiring a mount. Easier said than done. Saving up for a mount will require both time and a tight grip on your wallet, but once you can finally ride around Azeroth your gold acquisition rate will increase hugely.

There are many effective ways to save cash in Classic, but here are two easy methods to help. First, don't buy every ability immediately. As a Mage, between level 1 and 40 there are potentially 38 abilities for the player to buy/rank up (depending on talent choices), costing a total of 21 gold, 62 silver and 10 copper- a considerable price and a fair chunk out of the gold required to purchase your mount. Asking the veterans or simply understanding your playstyle can give a pretty clear indication of which spells you need and which ones you can pass by until a later date, saving yourself plenty of gold for more important purchases. Secondly, learn your professions nice and early and don't be afraid to dedicate some time to going on "reagent runs" to not only increase your harvesting skill but also to sell high-demand materials to those with money to burn on the Auction House. As a personal recommendation, Herbalism will provide the greatest value for your harvested materials if you're willing to take some time off questing, but Skinning will be the most convenient for levelling as you can just take advantage of the mobs you clear.

While these differences might seem daunting, fear not. There will be plenty of time to brush up on your knowledge and enough people out there waiting for Classic to chat with about your take on these key comparisons. Can't wait to see you all on Azeroth in August!

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