With the upcoming release of Cataclysm, some of the classes in World of Warcraft are getting major overhauls. Today we’ll take a look at what major changes Death Knights can expect.

Runes will now regenerate differently. Instead of each rune type regenerating at the same time, they will now regenerate in order. So instead of each rune regenerating as soon as you use them they will regenerate one at a time for each type. For example if you use two undead runes, the first one will regenerate fully before the second one starts to.

Death Knights now have a dedicated talent tree for tanking. The Blood tree is now your tanking tree, while the undead and frost trees are DPS. Hopefully this will allow Blizzard to add some cool DPS specializations to each of the DPS trees.

Runic Empowerment is a new mechanic which will allow runes on cooldown to instantly activate. It will be important to have all your runes on cooldown as much as possible so that when runic empowerment occurs you can take advantage of it.

Players will also see new spells added once Cataclysm launches with the new level cap of 85. At level 81 you can learn Outbreak, which allows you to infect a target with both Frost Fever and Blood Plague at no rune cost. This will especially be useful for when you are switching targets or your diseases have been dispelled. Necrotic Strike becomes available at level 83. This attack does weapon damage and applies a debuff that absorbs healing done based on damage done. The last spell you get is Dark Simulacrum at level 85. When you hit a target with this spell you will apply a debuff that copies the next spell from the target and use it. Blizzard has stated that in most cases if you can reflect the spell then you can copy it.

That about does it for Death Knights, as you can see the class is changing substantially. The addition of a pure tanking tree and the new runic empowerment mechanic should be welcome additions to all Death Knights out there.

What is a Warlock?

Warlocks are a DPS caster class. They are unique among caster classes in that they can convert their own health into mana which allows them to do damage for a longer period of time. Warlocks can also summon their own minions that fight for them. While Warlocks can only wear cloth they have spells that drain the health of enemies keeping them alive longer than other classes like mages. As a Warlock you can use staves, daggers, and unarmed. Later you can train to use one-handed swords at your respective factions capital city.

A large number of warlock spells and abilities rely on Soul Shards. These are created by using the Drain Soul spell. To create a soul shard you must be channeling the drain soul spell as the target dies – only targets that yield experience or honor can create soul shards.

Warlocks can also summon mounts and have the advantage of not having to pay for their mounts at level 20 and level 40, although at level 40 you will have to pay for the riding skill.

Pros:

One of the best DPS classes in the game

Can drain health from enemies and create health stones for party members that will replenish health when consumed.

Can convert health to mana to do damage for a longer period of time.

Free mounts. This is especially useful at level 20 where you might not have enough gold to buy the mount.

A great solo class and easy for leveling, especially when using your tanking minions.

Cons:

You can only wear cloth making you a glass cannon. You can deal tons of damage but you can also die very quickly if things go south.

Your AoE spells may not be as strong as a Mage.

Certain spells and abilities require the use of soul shards.

In conclusion, Warlocks are a great class for any beginner starting out World of Warcraft. Besides hunters they are the best soloing class in World of Warcraft.

Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we delve deeper into Warlocks and their end-game expectations.

If you are looking for something a little more in-depth than this, I recommend this premium guide which I currently use to level all of my alts: Zygor’s Guide

The Mage is a spell caster that specializes in burst damage and area of effect of damage. Mages are primarily a DPS class and can also be used for crowd control with their polymorph ability, which temporarily changes certain enemies into harmless critters. Mages also have the advantage of instant travel between their respective faction capital cities with their teleport spell.

As Horde you can pick one of three races to have as a mage. Below is each race along with a description of their racial abilities.

Undead -

Will of the Forsaken – Activate to remove any fear, sleep, or charm effect. Instant Cast, 2 min cooldown. (good for PvP)

Cannibalize – Activate to regenerate 7% of health every 2 seconds for 10 seconds (35% of total health). Can only be used on humanoid or undead targets within 5 yards. Instant Cast, 2 min cooldown

Underwater Breathing – Breathing underwater lasts 233% longer than normal. Passive

Shadow Resistance - Reduces the chance you be hit by a shadow spell by 2%. Passive

Trolls -

Berserking - Activate to increase attack and casting speed by 20% for 10 sec. Instant, 3 min cooldown.

Regeneration - Increases health regeneration bonus by 10%. 10% of total health regeneration may continue during combat. Passive

Beast Slaying - Damage dealt versus beasts increased by 5%. Passive

Throwing Specialization - Chance to critically hit with throwing weapons is increased by 1%. Passive

Bow Specialization - Chance to critically hit with bows is increased by 1%. Passive

Da Voodoo Shuffle - Reduces the duration of all movement impairing effects by 15%. Passive

Blood Elves -

Arcane Affinity - Enchanting skill increased by 10.

Arcane Torrent - Silence all enemies within 8 yards for 2 sec and restores 6% of your mana, 15 energy (rogue), 15 runic power (death knight).

Magic Resistance - Reduces the chance you will be hit by spells by 2%.

It really doesn’t matter which race you pick, I guess it just comes down to preference. Personally, I like Trolls because of their Berserking ability.

Leveling Trolls tends to be a little easier as well especially for beginners. The Barrens has more quests and the mobs are a little easier than Silverpine Forest. Plus there are two instances near the Barrens versus one at Silverpine. I would recommend no matter what race you pick to go to the Barrens once you reach around level 14. It’s a long walk for the Undead and Blood Elves but you should make up for it in with quicker leveling.

Now we’ll take a look at what kind of spells you will be using up to level 20.

Fireball - Level 1 required, 35 yard range, Fire skill tree

Hurls a fiery ball that causes X fire damage and an additional Y fire damage over Z sec. (Values change as you level.)

Frost Armor - Level 1 required, self cast, frost skill tree

Increases Armor by X. If an enemy strikes the caster, they may have their movement slowed by 30% and the time between their attacks increased by 25% for 5 sec. Only one armor type spell can be active on the Mage at any time. Lasts 30 min. (Values change as you level)

Arcane Intellect -Level 2 required, 30 yard range, Arcane skill tree

Increases the target’s intellect by X for 30 min. (Values change as you level)

Conjure Water - Level 4 required, Arcane skill tree

Conjures X bottles of water, providing the mage and allies with something to drink. (Values change as you level. Conjured items disappear if logged off for more than 15 min.)

Frostbolt - Level 4 required, 30 yard range, Frost skill tree

Launches a bolt of frost at the enemy causing X to Y Frost damage and slowing movement speed by 40% for Z sec. (Values change as you level)

Conjure Food - Level 6 required, Arcane skill tree

Conjures X loaves of bread, providing the mage and allies with something to eat. (Values change as you level. Conjured Items disappear if logged off for more than 15 min.)

Fire Blast - Level 6 required, 20 yard range, Fire skill tree

Blasts the enemy for X fire damage. (Values change as you level)

Arcane Missiles – Level 8 required, 30 yard range, Arcane skill tree

Launches Arcane Missiles at the enemy, causing X arcane damage each second for Y sec. (Values change as you level)

Polymorph - Level 8 required, 30 yard range, Arcane skill tree

Transforms the enemy into a sheep, forcing it to wander around for up to 50 sec. While wandering, the sheep cannot attack or cast spells buy will regenerate very quickly. Any damage will transform the target back into its normal form. Only one target can be polymorphed at a time. Only works on Beasts, Humanoids, and Critters.

Frost Nova - Level 10 required, 10 yard range, Frost skill tree

Blasts enemies near the caster for X frost damage and freezes them in place for up to 8 sec. Damage caused may interrupt the effect. (Values change as you level)

Dampen Magic - Level 12 required, 30 yard range, Arcane skill tree

Dampens magic used against the targeted party member, decreasing damage taken from spells by up to X and healing spells by up to Y. Lasts 10 min. (Values change as you level)

Slow Fall - Level 12 required, self cast, Arcane skill tree

Slows falling speed for 30 sec. Requires a light feather.

Arcane Explosion - Level 14 required, 10 yard range, Arcane skill tree

Causes an explosion of arcane magic around the caster, causing X Arcane damage to all targets within 10 yards.

Flamestrike - Level 16 required, 30 yard range, Fire skill tree

Calls down a pillar of fire, burning all enemies within the area for X to Y fire damage an additional Z fire damage over 8 sec. (Values change as you level)

Amplify Magic - Level 18 required, 30 yard range, Arcane skill tree

Amplifies magic used against the targeted party member, increasing damage taken from spells by up to X and healing spells by up to Y. Lasts 10 min. (Values change as you level)

Remove Curse - Level 18 required, 40 yard range, Arcane skill tree

Removes 1 Curse from a friendly target.

Blink - Level 20 required, Arcane skill tree

Teleports the caster 20 yards forward, unless something is in the way. Also frees the caster from stuns and bonds.

Blizzard - Level 20 required, 30 yard range, Frost skill tree

Ice shards pelt the target area doing X Frost damage over 8 sec. (Values change as you level)

Evocation - Level 20 required, self cast, Arcane skill tree

While channeling this spell, you gain 60% of you total mana over 8 sec.

Fire Ward - Level 20 required, self cast, Fire skill tree

Absorbs X fire damage. Lasts 30 sec.

Mana Shield - Level 20 required, self cast, Arcane skill tree

Absorbs X damage, draining mana instead. Drains 2 mana per damage absorbed. Lasts 60 sec. (Values change as you level)

Teleport - Level 20 required, self cast, Arcane skill tree

Teleports to X city.

Playing a Mage can be difficult since you don’t have the armor or healing spells of other classes. But what you lack in armor you more than make up for in the amount of damage you can put out.

If you still need a little help check out my previous article on Mages or check out one these premium leveling guides I use; Zygor’s Guide and The Ultimate WoW Guide.

If you’re a newbie to World of Warcraft or just want to level up to 80 in the fastest way possible, then yes leveling guides are definitely worth it. Now you need to decide which leveling guide is best for you. Do you want to reach level 80 quickly? Make hundreds of gold per hour? Or do you want to dominate the pvp realm? We’ll take a look at the three top-selling leveling guides and break down what they offer.

Zygor’s Guide Version 2.0

Zygor’s Guide features an innovative in-game leveling guide with quest detection and on-screen directional arrow showing you where to go for each quest. A brand new feature for 2.0 is an in-game talent advisor. This will detect when you level up and will show you where to spend your talent points to get the most out of your character while you level. Zygor’s Guide is compatible with nearly every operating system whether you own a PC or Mac. As a bonus, if you order today you get over a $100 worth of bonus guides ranging from profession guides to dual talent spec guides. You can’t ask for better value for your money.

Dugi’s Ultimate WoW Guide

Dugi’s Ultimate WoW Guide combines a leveling guide, pvp guide, and a gold guide all into one package. The leveling guide is in-game just like Zygor’s Guide with an on-screen directional arrow as well. Dugi’s Guide really shines with its PVP guide. This guide shows detailed match strategies on how to beat every class with your character. You will also learn the strengths and weaknesses for each class when PVPing and recommended talent specs for each class. Along with the leveling and pvping guide is the gold guide. This guide will show you all the good farming locations and how to master the Auction House to earn upwards of 200 gold per hour.

Gold Secrets

If you never have enough gold this is the guide for you. Gold Secrets teaches you all the best spots for farming materials for your professions and how to use the Auction House to your benefit to make more than 400 gold per hour. With all of this gold you can now buy your epic gear instead of grinding away in instances trying to get it. Pick up your copy today.

1. Revolutionary In-game Guide – Version 2.0 brings a redesigned user-interface with improved quest detection that tracks your quests directly with-in the quest interface and an on-screen directional arrow that indicates where each quest objective is located.
2. All Classes Supported – This isn’t just a hunter guide for leveling. Zygor’s 2.0 Guide works for every class and includes each classes specific quests. No matter if you play hunter or warlock your class is covered.
3. In-game Talent Advisor – Another Zygor exclusive feature, the In-game Talent Advisor detects when you level up and shows you where exactly you should spend your talent points to get the most out of your class.
4. Compatible with all Operating Systems – Zygor’s Guide works with all Operating Systems from Windows XP to Windows 7 and on Mac OSX Leopard.
5. Buy today and get over $100 worth of bonuses – Bonuses range from Nether Drake Guides to Food and Drink Guides showing a little known leveling secret that can shave hours off your leveling time.

Whether you’re new to World of Warcraft or a seasoned vet looking to try out a new class, Zygor’s Guide 2.0 is the premiere leveling guide that will have you reaching level 80 in no time. With over a $100 worth of bonuses it’s also the most bang for your buck. Pick up your copy of Zygor’s Guide today.

Tips for playing a Paladin early on:

1. Watch your mana – You use mana for healing and attacking, so don’t use it all up in case you need to heal yourself through some of the tougher enemies.
2. Attack multiple enemies – Attacking multiple enemies allows you to finish quests quicker and level quicker. Paladins wear mail early on and plate at Level 40 so they can take the punishment.
3. Don’t forget buffs – Paladins have great buffs that include regenerating mana, increasing attack power, increasing stats, and increasing armor. Make sure you have some of these on your character.

These are just a few tips for beginners struggling with World of Warcraft. Still having problems? Want to level quicker? Check out one of our reviews for these leveling guides today.

You now have two different icons above your talent skill tree, Primary and Secondary. With this new skill, Blizzard has added the ability to preview your talent build and change it as you see fit. When you activate your new spec it takes five seconds and consumes all mana and resources. In PvP battlegrounds players can only switch specs before the battle begins and you cannot switch specs while in an Arena.

Another change to the Talent area is with Glyphs. Glyphs no longer require the player to be in proximity to a Lexicon of Power. Any Glyph changes will only effect your current spec.

While you have the ability to get Dual Spec at level 40, you will be a lot better off using that gold for a mount. Dual Spec is not necessary at Level 40, it is usually only effective for late-game to end-game content. For instance, you could have one spec for raiding and one for PvPing or if you are a hybrid class such as a Paladin or Druid you can have one spec for DPS and one for healing. At Level 80, Dual Spec is a must. Don’t worry about the cost as gold is easy to come by at 80. Whether you PvP or Raid a lot, Dual Spec saves you time and money. With the addition of an equipment manager you can have sets of gear saved depending on which spec is activated. With two clicks you can go from PvE talents and gear to PvP talents and gear. Dual Spec is probably the best skill in World of Warcraft and helps any WoW player especially when it comes to raiding and pvping.

When you can, always team up with at least one other person.

This is extremely important as a mage. The Mage is not built for taking punishment, so while it is possible to solo most quests, having a Warrior or Paladin to take the punishment for you is always best. While the other players are keeping the enemies busy you can focus on what you do best which is damage from afar.

Always stock up on food(health) and water(mana)

Having plenty of food(regenerates your health) and water(regenerates your mana) saves you a lot of time questing early on. Instead of waiting for your character to regenerate health and mana on its own you can greatly speed up this process with food and water. Also having health and mana potions can mean the difference between life and death when fighting groups of enemies.

Pick at least one gathering profession early on.

Always pick at least one gathering profession when you first get started. I would recommend Mining as your first profession because there is almost always a high demand for mining materials even the low level ones such as copper and tin. Mining in my experience is the most profitable professions throughout all 80 levels.

Don’t be afraid to just run.

This is especially true if playing by yourself. If you accidentally pull more enemies than you can handle turn around and hightail it. As you level your character up this will become less of an issue as you will gain the spell Polymorph which allows you to transform certain enemies into sheep making them not a threat.

Just because you wear cloth doesn’t mean you’re weak even in PVP.

Mages’ are by no means weak. While you may wear cloth and can’t take a lot of punishment you can dish out tons of it. This is definitely true in PVP. Melee classes will find it near impossible to take out a mage in 1v1 combat.

These are just a few tips that I hope will make your WoW experience a little more enjoyable. If you’re still having problems or you want to reach level 80 as quickly as possible check out these leveling guides that I reviewed here and here.

Battlegrounds are where you can fight against other players. Some consist of simple capture the flag matches such as Warsong Gulch; others have you capturing and holding multiple points to win. Fighting in these battlegrounds will reward you with honor points and badges which can then be used to buy better weapons and armor. You can even form a team to compete in the Arena. Matches range from 2v2 to 5v5 and are played in a deathmatch style instead of the objective-based battlegrounds.

As you progress through the game you will become more and more powerful and be able to take on some of the toughest challenges Azeroth has to offer. And with content released on a regular basis, it is nearly impossible to see everything that World of Warcraft has to offer. Stay tuned for more in-depth guides on classes and dungeons.