And now... time for a Party!

Almost every bad thing in this game can be forgiven... in the moment you find another person to play with! There is nothing like some other person to brag about your loot, do quests with and play all day and night. When you reach level 20 or so, you will have the possibility to do instances. You usually need a 5 man party to do those. Instances involve doing some quests together in a special place, that is separate from the rest of the world. Meaning, it's just you guys, and AI controlled monsters. And bosses. And respawns. And loot. And items.

What??!! It's cold in Naxx!

As you grow in level, you will find some instances that require you to have up to 40 people! These parties are called “Raids”. For this purpose players can unite into “Guilds”, and attempt to do these raids into certain instances, to get higher level items.

But...

...there is no point in skipping ahead. I'll talk a bit about leveling up. Reaching maximum level in the game (60) takes an average of 2-4 months (for your first character at least). I saw guides claiming to teach you how to level up to 60 in 10 days! It is possible... I suppose... But... you are gonna loose a lot of content and gaming experience if you do. It may be just me, but I play a game to have fun. To relax. Some people can take games too seriously these days. I see missing 3/4 of the game content in order to reach maximum level fast something ... like... stealing your own hat! Play it “the way it's meant to be played” (as some “classic” would say).

Omg! Big Crit! With Puddin and Kebab yummm! Hey Pud! /wave

In order to help you out with in-game money, Blizzard decided each character could have a couple of professions. You can slowly build your skill in these professions up to a maximum level of 300, and you can find recipes/patterns/schematics from various NPCs and drops from monsters. You can choose from a variety of professions:

Gathering Professions – you gather raw materials required to produce things; they can be sold for some profit.

• Herbalism: teaches you how to gather herbs
• Mining: the ability to mine, using a mining pick
• Skinning:use a skinning knife to skin the beasts you kill

Production Professions – you make useful items for your adventures, or for selling.

• Alchemy: the ability to produce potions out of herbs; one of the best professions in the game both for self and for making money; use in conjunction with herbalism
• Blacksmithing: can be used to make weapons and armors; especially good for warriors and heavy armor classes in general; not necessarily high profit
• Enchanting: enchant your weapons and equipment with magical properties; could be the most money making professions in the game, but you need to invest in the most
• Engineering: clearly a PvP skill, you don't gain much money but it complements your offensive/defensive potential; you can make all kinds of devices like grenades, mines, cloaking device, death ray, etc.
• Leatherworking: you can make usually leather items from the skins obtained from monsters (used with skinning); not too profitable, especially because you will be asked to skin/craft items for the Guild at high levels, so no money for you
• Tailoring: you can usually craft cloth items from the different types of cloth found in game at the humanoids you kill; a decent profit profession, and can be used well for you as well

Try to pick these early and develop them. Choose the two wisely, according to your character. Additionally, you can learn Cooking, Fishing and First Aid, with all your characters.

Nice lamp!