Agreed, and there is a solution to healing a pug... depending on scheduling of course, but I'm assuming we'll have enough people on at one time... say... Friday Night and/or Saturday Night...we should put a running PvE Night on the calendar.

People that are leveling can run a few 5-man normals together... new content tends to go a little smoother when you're in Vent, haha.

And, people that are capped already can run a few Heroics, a Challenge-Mode and/or spend an hour or two farming Apexis Crystals together.

Plus I think a side-effect will be to bring the social aspect of the game into the leveling process.  I mean leveling solo, which most people do out of necessity and phasing, can get boring - not to mention we've got 10 levels to grind out this time around.  Adding the Garrisons to the mix and I think the leveling process is going to be a measured and moderate experience for many.

Why not take a break a few hours a week and do some stuff together?

Looks like a nice guide to starting out in Draenor.  Leveling through dungeons seems like a pretty darn good option, though there's still the worry about being able to heal through them as people are still learning the content (and therefore, myself included, standing in the fire).

With WoD about a week from dropping, here's some info related to gearing-up and what areas/activities drop what iLevel of gear.

All iLevels will be listed at their base (not upgraded) and we'll begin with a reference set from the current expansion; SoO gear:

1. SoO LFR - 528


2. SoO Normal - 540


3. SoO Heroic - 553


4. SoO Mythic - 566

Molten Core

First and foremost, want to talk about a short-term gearing option; Molten Core.  It is only available during the WoW 10th Anniversary and it will grant a 640 Head Slot item when you complete the level 100 version.  The Anniversary runs from 11/21/14 through 1/5/15.  Needless to say, you have to obtain level cap in order to run it and get the head slot item.

Questing

iLevel of the gear you will be getting from questing in WoD, listed by zone:

1. Tanaan Jungle - 505-510


2. Fostfire Ridge - 510-522


3. Shadowmoon Vally - 510-522


4. Gorgrond - 522-548


5. Talador - 545-570


6. Spires of Arak - 568-593


7. Nagrand - 587-610

Note #1 - There is a small chance that quest rewards will come with bonus iLevels (10 or 20 greater than what is stated above.)

Note #2 - SoO Trinkets have diminishing returns at levels past 90 regarding their 'Equip' functions.  As you gain trinkets with better core stats, odds are they will be an overall upgrade - something to pay attention to.

Dungeons (Normal)

Now we'll look at the Normal 5-Man Dungeons that you can do while you are leveling, 'before' you hit level cap:

1. Bloodmaul Slag Mines - 530


2. Iron Docks - 550


3. Auchindoun - 570


4. Skyreach - 600


5. Shadowmoon Burial Grounds - 615


6. Grimrail Depot - 615


7. The Everbloom - 615


8. Upper Blackrock Spire - 615

Strategy Tip #1 - While you are leveling, once Dungeons 5 through 8 open up for you, run them while you are leveling, they all drop better iLevel gear (615) than the highest quest reward iLevel (610).  This will give you an edge once you cap and you start doing 5-Man Heroics.

Dungeons (Heroic)

All Heroic 5-Mans - 630

Note #3 - To solo-queue for 5-Man Heroics, via Dungeon Finder, you must have earned a Silver Medal in the Proving Grounds for the Class/Spec you wish to queue in.  This requirement does not exist for pre-mades that manually enter the instance through the portal entrance; for this you only have to be Level 100.  I do not currently know if the Medal requirements exist for pre-mades that still use the Dungeon Finder mechanic to avoid having to travel to the instance's location.  Once I find out, i will update this section.

Challenge Mode

All Challenge Modes - 640

Note #4 - You do not have to medal to obtain the iLevel 640 gear, medeling (Bronze, Silver, or Gold) only grants vanity perks.

Strategy Tip #2 - There is a 'Daily' Challenge Mode quest provided by Challenger Sunforge in Warspear.  Simply completing the mode and turning in the quest provides a 'Challenger's Strongbox' which contains the iLevel 640 gear; consider this a daily farming activity until 640 gear is no longer useful to you.

Garrison Missions

While you are leveling, you will begin construction of your Garrison.  If you choose to partake in the Follower game, you will be able to send them out on Missions.  Each mission completed will provide Follower experience which will level your followers through 4 Tiers, each having a potential of granting progressively better gear:

Tier 1 - 600 (some 615)

Tier 2 - 615 (some 630)

Tier 3 - 630 (some 645)

Tier 4 - 645

Note #5 - I would not consider this as part of a rapid gearing strategy due to the time it will take to level your Followers and also considering that gear rewards from Missions are infrequent.

Garrison Invasions

Once capped, you will be able to pickup a 'Weekly' quest named 'Gold Victory' that drops a 'Invader's Forgotten Treasure' that can contain, in addition to various mounts, an iLevel 645 Head, Shoulder, Main-Hand, or Feet slot item.

Garrison Non-Profession Crafting

Garrisons allow for crafting items from professions you don't know, provided you build the applicable building on a small plot:

1. The Forge (L2) - 630 Weapons and Shields


2. The Forge (L3) - 640 Plate Armor


3. Scribe's Quarters (L2) - 630 Main-Hand and Off-Hand without secondary stats, and Cards for 640 Trinkets


4. Scribe's Quarters (L3) - 630 Main-Hand and Wand with secondary stats


5. Engineering Works (L3) - 630 Ranged Weapon


6. Gem Boutique (L3) - 640 Rings and Necklaces


7. The Tannery (L2) - 640 Cloaks


8. The Tannery (L3) - 640 leather and Mail Armor


9. Tailoring Emporium (L2) - 640 Cloaks


10. Tailoring Emporium (L3) - 640 Cloth Armor

Note #6 - You can only have 3 crafted items equipped at one time.

Garrison Profession Upgrades

If you know a profession and construct its associated building on a small plot, you will be able to craft materials that can upgrade crafted items in the aforementioned section:

1. Crafted 640 Armor can be upgraded to 655 and 665


2. Crafted 630 Weapons can be upgraded to 645 and 655

Note #7 - Like Follower leveling and Missions, upgrading crafted items takes quite awhile and requires quite a few materials, to include Savage Blood.  Likewise, I would not recommend considering this as part of any rapid-gearing strategy.

Apexis Crystals

Yes, they're back!  We collected their shards after the explosion in BC, now that we're back in time, we get to collect them 'pre-sharding'.

Apexis Crystal Gear - 630 to 655

Completing the 'Daily' quest will earn you 5,600 a week.  They also drop of mobs in the Level Cap areas in each zone, and there is currently no weekly cap on how many you can acquire.

World Bosses

There are 3 World Bosses:

1. Drov the Ruiner - 650 Neck, Waist, and Hand slots


2. Tarina the Ageless - 650 Chest, Waist, and Hand slots


3. Rukhmar - 665 Feet, Finger, and Leg slots

Legendary

This time around, it's a Ring.  At launch you will be able to begin the questing which will eventually grant a iLevel 640 Ring.  Future content expansions will extend the quest line and allow the ing to be upgraded; first to iLevel 690, then to 710.

Raiding

The first raid, Highmaul drops the following iLevels:

1. Highmaul LFR - 640


2. Highmaul Nromal - 655


3. Highmaul Heroic - 670


4. Highmaul Mythic - 685

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Thank you all for reading, and I hope this little guide was able to help steer you in the right direction in regards to what gear will be in WoD at release and how to obtain it.

Sincerely,

Zentao Sunweaver