World of Warcraft Newbie Guide 23: Expansions Everywhere!

When investing into World of Warcraft as a new player, you may notice that as of this posting, the game has entered its fourth expansion. Such a fact is absolutely daunting, as the base game and all its expansions set one back a huge amount. Fortunately, Blizzard has taken steps to cut the amount needed to invest into World of Warcraft by making expansions "free" with the purchase of the base game and doing sales every once in awhile, reducing the price of expansions that have to be purchased significantly. Said sale will often occur around the holiday season (for instance, during Black Friday)

With that said, the scope of this article is to provide information on what each expansion has in terms of content, whether it allows one's characters to have access to flight training or roll a new class. Keep in mind that regardless of what expansion a player has, they can roll any race (also some of the information provided is redundant with other articles).

The Burning Crusade (TBC)

In the Burning Crusade, a player has access to the following content:

• Players can go to Outland.
• Level cap increased to 70. Also allows access to level 70 endgame content (such as the Black Temple)
• Flight training (up to Artisan Riding) as early as level 60.
• Flight is only allowed in Outland by default.
• The ability to learn the Jewelcrafting profession (crafts various gem-related equipment such as rings or neck slot items and cut gems for equipment with sockets).
• Equipment from Outland and beyond can have sockets. 

All of this content is automatically available with the base game as of this post (no need to buy this expansion).

Wrath of the Lich King (WotLK)

In Wrath of the Lich King, a player has access to the following content:

• Players can go to Northrend.
• Level cap increased to 80. Also allows access to level 80 endgame content (such as Icecrown Citadel).
• Players can purchase Cold Weather Flying, which allows flight in Northrend (at level 68).
• The ability to learn the Inscription profession (scribes craft glyphs). 
• Players can roll the Death Knight class.

All of this content is automatically available with the base game as of this post (no need to buy this expansion).

Cataclysm (Cata)

In Cataclysm, a player has access to the following content:

• New zones on both Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdom.
• Level cap increased to 85. Allows access to level 85 endgame content (such as Dragon Soul).
• Players can purchase a Flight Master's License, which allows flight in areas with Cataclysm content as well as the rest of Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdom (excluding Blood Elf and Draenei starting zones).
• The ability to learn the Archaeology profession, a secondary profession that allows a player to recreate artifacts, including powerful pieces of gear, with fragments found through surveying.

This expansion must be purchased to access the content.

Mists of Pandaria (MoP)

In the current expansion, a player has have access to the following content:

• Players can go to the continent of Pandaria.
• Level cap increased to 90. Allows access to the current (level 90) endgame content.
• At level 90, a player gains the ability to fly in Pandaria.
• The Monk class is unlocked for play.
• No new professions are available in this expansion, though some are noticeably easier to power level (such as Cooking).

Final Words

Hopefully this article was of some help to anyone needing a little quick info on the World of Warcraft expansions. With this article, the World of Warcraft Newbie Guides is at an end for now. This is because I'm having trouble thinking of more things a newbie might need help on (at least prior to the level cap). If I think of more or get some suggestions for topics, then this series will continue.