Preparing for Wrath Day 4: Addons for leveling
While many of us have an army of alts, it's probably been a while since we've leveled our mains. Our mains are the special character for us. The main is the character that we agonize over every stat and piece of gear. With that kind of dedication and interest, we want to be sure that leveling our main goes as smooth as possible. Even if you don't take care of your main to that extent, getting out into the world and leveling again can be somewhat of a transition.
One of the best ways to help with this transition is to make sure that you have all the necessary addons already configured properly before Wrath of the Lich King goes live this Thursday. While there are hundreds that you can choose from, only a few are going to really help you level quickly and like a pro.
Continue reading on after the break for a quick and efficient list of addons that are going to help you level.
Cartographer
Download from: Curse
The default world map is good, but it's not great. I like to be able to view coordinates and other important data. Also, I prefer it if my map does not have unexplored space on it. It just makes it easier to level and move around in areas I haven't been in before.
Cartographer is the premier addon for this. Cartographer does a lot, and it can be a memory hog if you have everything turned on. But at the same time if you just use its basic features you won't have to worry too much about memory and performance issues. You'll just be presented with beautiful and productive maps.
LightHeaded
Download from: WoWInterface
LightHeaded is my favorite mod in the world. It provides a listing of WoWHead comments and coordinates. The listing is attached right to the quest log in game, and makes leveling extremely simple. Combine LightHeaded with TomTom and moving around the world to quest destinations becomes as simple as following an arrow that appears on your screen.
The addon will be updated to Wrath data as soon as WoWHead pushes its data live. This should happen anytime, so I would pay very close attention to this mod in the next couple days.
QuestHelper
Download from: Curse - WoWInterface
QuestHelper also contains a database of quests, and it uses that database to help draw lines and directions on your map. These lines will show you the quickest way to complete your quests. QuestHelper also displays an arrow on the screen, much like TomTom, that directs you to the quest goals.
Overall I prefer LightHeaded because I like the finer amount of control over which quests are displayed – and I don't particularly enjoy my map being cluttered up with stuff. But I realize I may be alone and in the minority with my opinion. Several people I know love QuestHelper.
TomTom
Download from: WoWInterface
TomTom will display a arrow on your screen when you provide it with coordinates. That arrow will always direct you to those coordinates, just like a GPS does in your car. The TomTom arrow and those like it have changed the way many people quest and level. It is extremely useful and I suggest that you get it if you haven't already.
Stay tuned to WoW Insider all this week. We're going to have a few more posts in this preparation series, along with lots more new and information about Wrath of the Lich King. We'll also be rolling out a gigantic listing, complete with direct download links, for many of the popular addons for Wrath.
Author's Note: Yesterday Allison commented on an action shot of Arthas. In my opinion, a conversation between Jeff Kaplan and a Blood Elf clearly wins over a shot of some corrupted paladin's rump. After all, just look at that look Kaplan is giving the Blood Elf. Cree-py.
Are you ready for the challenges that await you in Northrend? WoW Insider has you covered with our 8-day guide to Preparing for Wrath. Also, check out our feature on AddOns new, old and outdated written especially with the expansion in mind.
