World of Warcraft: Forever
What to do first at launch
Seven things to settle before or on day one, each with the pages that help: class and race, talents, professions, Legacy points, a duo partner and your first dungeons. What each build changed is on What WoW Forever changed.
Checklist
Pick a class and spec
Choose what you level first: how fast each spec levels alone, and how it fares at the level cap.
Pick a race
Each race's racial abilities and starting zone, and how much race matters to each role.
Plan your talents
Lay out the build you will level with before the first point at level 10.
Choose two professions
What each profession earns at launch, and once the market settles.
Professions for Gold: Launch · Professions for Gold: Settled · Professions
Spend your Legacy points
Legacy Points are earned once per account and spent on each character; plan where they go.
Find a duo partner
Which two specs level best together, and what each pair brings.
Run your first dungeons
Which dungeons to run at each level, and where each entrance is.
Questions
What is the fastest leveling class?
No spec scores 5 of 5 on leveling pace. Six specs score 4: Beast Mastery Hunter (B), Affliction Warlock (B), Retribution Paladin (B), Combat Rogue (B), Enhancement Shaman (B) and Feral Cat Druid (C). Leveling pace is one of seven criteria, so Frost Mage and Feral Bear Druid are also rated B. The whole list is Solo PvE Leveling.
What is the best class for a new player?
We read this as a spec that levels well and dies least while you learn it. Of the seven specs rated B on the leveling list, Beast Mastery Hunter, Affliction Warlock, Frost Mage, Retribution Paladin and Feral Bear Druid score 4 of 5 on survival and deaths, the most among them. The whole list is Solo PvE Leveling.
These answers are our own reading of our tier lists, worked out again each time the lists change.