- Don’t have to buy an expansion
- Get to form groups for leveling dungeons in /LookingForGroup
- more individuality to classes
- multi-tree specs for hybrid situations
- flavorful gearing options (edgemasters)
- sandbox world environment (make your own fun: HC addon, world PvP, gold farming, etc…)
- faction-specific classes!
- mounts are significant upgrades! (Walking to 40 is arduous, but getting that mount, even at only 60% is amazingly noticeable)
- grouping for group content is harder so there can be more of a sense of togetherness
6 Likes
because retail is just a mad dash to m+ just to endlessly chase a dumb timer over and over, nothing else.
4 Likes
Outside of leveling, Classic doesn’t offer anything to me.
Modern WoW let’s me do a lot of endgame content that is both easy and not demanding of my time. After a long day I just don’t have the brain power to push high scores anymore, and my body is usually in a lot of pain. Retail offers me so many paths to increase my progression without frustration.
Classic is, while mechanically easier, harder for someone in my position to feel accomplishment. Not to turn this into a “M+ kept me subbed” post, but yeah.
1 Like
Personally classic leveing is pretty nice. I would do it once and do some raiding but keep retail when your done. Theres only so many times u can do molten core spamming one button for hours. 
I do like the tension of Classic more: In Retail overpulling on mobs is seen as an inconvenience. In Classic it’s a death sentence.
Also I think crafting had more weight to it. Some BiS items were only craftable, and you darn well valued those who could craft them.
I am excited to give Hardcore a try, I think there’s some fun that can be had with that.
1 Like
Ways Classic is better:
-Leveling felt like an increase in power not a decrease
-Nostalgia
That’s about it
2 Likes
Easier rotations. I don’t know if that is a pro or a con, it is up to you. It’s much easier to do well and the main differences in DPS once everyone is above the skill floor is spec balance and gear.
I do a couple quests & try to fill the M+ vault for the week on a few characters, then I hop on WoTLK. I think a balance is important and you’ll enjoy both games greatly if you can find your balance.
My only con for WoTLK is the lack of RDF… That’s another debate though. The classes/QOL in WoTLK just triump over classic era imo.
A lot of bad players are gonna get mad when I say this, but a big appeal of Classic is how much simpler and easy it is compared to retail.
You don’t need to spend hours reading a guide just to learn how to play a fraction of a spec. The raids are easy to get into, and you don’t need a ton of addons just to handle one out of 40 mechanics.
2 Likes
It’s a different game I like for different reasons than retail (I also like retail).
World feels more organic and larger. Traveling to a quest location or dungeons feels more like going on an adventure.
The leveling experience to me is way more fun and engaging.
There is only 1 version of items and instances. If you get a Staff of Dominance from Molten Core that is it. It’s not Staff of Dominance at 408 item level and you know there are 3 other versions with upgrade ranks all the way to 447 of the staff of dominance.
1 Like
I enjoyed the leveling process of Classic and can not ever see myself doing the end game.
I hate the leveling process of Retail and I enjoy doing the end game.
lmao.
2 Likes
This the one. It’s the reason I have a handful of 70s on that side after going through WoTLK leveling.
Because classic is actually an mmoRPG.
I don’t know what the hell to call retail but WoW hasn’t felt like an rpg since probably early Wotlk. Maybe legion and SL had some decent RPG feels.
Current WoW is just a themepark game with some MMO and action-adventure elements.
1 Like
Classic is an old school virtual world MMORPG.
Retail is a lobby game with PvE and PvP avenues.
They offer completely different experiences.
I enjoy retail because I can log in and enjoy playing some arena/RBGs for an hour or two from the comfort of whatever the current expac player hub is then log off.
I play Classic because I enjoy the adventure and the exploration and making random friends with strangers to overcome common goals. Leveling in Classic is a major part of the content; while in retail it’s just an annoying process to get to be able to sit in town and queue BGs again.
3 Likes
like anything, it depends on what you want out of a game.
you want face paced, boom-boom-boom? retail is your answer.
if you want a more immersive experience where everything you do has consequences and there is real danger in the world for your character, then classic is the place to be.
if you want a more dynamic, fast paced experience, then go retail.
If you want a challenge, play a hardcore toon in wotlk classic. try for the old ironman challenge (only grey/white items, no talent points, no food buffs, no pots). death = delete.
I wouldn’t even call the retail leveling process “leveling.” It’s entitely obsolete and nonsensical.
The leveling process starts at 70 with ilvls and renown. Everything before that is just a bugged slop of crap.
I really wish they’d revamp leveling and make it great again.
Edit: they’ve tricked the playerbase into buying boosts. They sell it as a form of premium content, but people don’t realize they are already paying a premium via the monthly subscription fee. Playing the game should be free pre 70.
bit simpler doesn’t mean easier or less time consuming.
rotations were by and large simpler, of course. fight mechanics were in some ways simpler.
but the game itself required much more time. time to get attuned to content, time to raise your reputation for equipment, time to earn specialty items (looking at you earthstrike), time to get a particular drop (looking at you onyxia…)
assuming the player is buying gold, you spend a LOT of time in classic farming gold for raid mats (either consumables or specialty items to address fight mechanics).
retail = boom-boom-boom
classic is a huge time sink by design. your leveling toon will have to run from place to place until level 40 when they will get a slow mount. etc etc etc
1 Like
This is a pro, not a con.
1 Like
classic doesn’t have :
A triumphant roar echoes from atop the Seat of the Aspects as Nasz’uro, the Unbound Legacy, is formed.
3 Likes
Oh man, if y’all think retail is toxic, just wait until you don’t have a high enough gear score or world buffs.