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src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/65411">

The final
stretch!  The step through the Dark Portal is a legendary one
if you've never done it before, and the flight to Northrend is just as
fantastic.  Drop that bucket load of gold on your epic speed
ground mount!  Spend that 51st talent point in the ultimate
skill of your choice!  Now equipped with the final evolutions
of your class, go forth and massacre the legions of the Lich King and
Burning Legion!  For the Horde! .... or whatever you sissy
alliance players would say.



Weapons of Choice



Now it's important to take into account what kind of
weapons you are using, and not just from a simple damage per second
prespective.


cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
Weapon Choices style="font-weight: bold;">Arms style="font-weight: bold;">Fury style="font-weight: bold;">Protection style="font-weight: bold; background-color: rgb(215, 191, 153);">Ideal
Weapon Big damage range 2 handers.  As slow as
possible, 3.8-4.0 speed. Very slow two hander main hand, offhand can be less
restrictive but preferably slow as well. Slow one hander.  2.6-2.8 speed is ideal, but
you don't lose a lot with a little faster. style="font-weight: bold;">Reasoning  Rend damage actually matters as Arms.  All
serious damage comes from weapon based instants. Whirlwind and Slam are main hand dependant, but offhand
can help for the former.  Bloodthirst is irrelevant of both,
however. Devastate and Heroic Strike/Cleave are your rage dumps,
and weapon
dependant.  Devastate especially packs a punch with a very
slow weapon,
and more or less sucks with a fast one.

Smooth Ride



Before you venture through that portal, you need to make sure all of
your gather trade skills are up to snuff.  Unlike the old
world, you will likely find more than enough materials in your travels
to get your skills maxed, and you can bank that for future use when
you're ready to level that creation skill.  You may have some
trouble with cooking, but the rest should be simple to locate materials
for in your leveling adventures.  Above all else though, first
aid needs to be 300.  Netherweave and Frostweave will begin
dropping immediately upon making the journey to the expansion
territories, and your first aid needs to be ready to answer the
call.  The bandages will go a very long way for you until the
66-68 and 78+ range, healing for about half of your max HP in 8
seconds.  This level range will fly by and you don't want to
have to come back to the lesser areas to play catch up, trust me!



Elite Notations



style="border: 0px solid ; width: 200px; height: 150px; float: right;"
alt="" src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/65409">Most
classes would cry at the thought, but if a quest says suggested players
2 or 3, we can likely do it.  Use the same elite soloing
procedures you've used on the old world's elites.  With
Outland however, you'll finally get some solid activated
trinkets.  Make sure you're using them as soon as the fight
breaks out, and should it last long enough, use them again. 
If you are a Fury warrior, remember that Recklessness is a potent
weapon but should be saved for last in a defensive war such as this, so
nail it and do Bloodthirst -> Execute -> Whirlwind in
rapid succession for a decisive finisher.  You'll have trouble
finding any healing help these days, since everyone and their brother
in this level range is a silly death knight.  Don't be afraid
to just put it off for two levels, since you can get some significant
gear and skill damage upgrades in that period of time and come back and
show the elite who is boss.



Where to?

What about my extra
talent points?



href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/65407" target="_blank"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 200px; height: 150px; float: right;"
alt="" src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/65407">You've
probably gotten everything you want in a talent tree by level 65, at
the latest.  From there, there are two mainstay paths most
warriors take.  You either head down the Arms path and get
Deep Wounds, or you head down Fury and get Armored to the Teeth,
Cruelty, and Commanding Presence.  Both are outstanding boosts
to your output if you don't have those talents. 
Unfortunately, there is no build to get all of the fantastic talents
and still get to the bottom of a tree.  Since the 40-51 range
of each school has such fantastic abilities, don't even think about
sacrificing them to get Deep Wounds earlier than the late 70s if you
are Fury or Protection.  Shockwave and Titan's Grip are simply
too good to pass up!



A varied grind



It's important to note that the reputation rewards in
Wrath of the Lich King are very accessible if you do all of the normal
quests for each, which enable the daily versions, and then enable you
to get access to some incredible gear that will last you through Heroic
Dungeons at 80.  Of particular note on the defensive end are
the Wyrmrest Accord, who have an outstanding cloak at 78 and honored,
and more great stuff at Revered and 80.  Make sure you are
doing every quest related to a faction that you can, simply because
it'll save you that time and effort of championing it at level 80.



Instances and you



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alt="" src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/65405">The
quests of Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King for the standard
instances grant 2-3 times the normal experience points and weapons that
you won't see in standard quests for another 5-7 levels. 
While it's entirely possible to live out your life to 80 on your own, I
highly advise against it and I would seek out at least one instance
group to do the respective quests.  The experience you earn
per hour is comparable, if not better than solo if you have a solid
group and no disasters happen.   Of course... that's
never a given.  If anything, you'll be getting your feet wet
so you have an idea of how the instances will work when you reach the
Heroic versions.  "What do you mean, I have to dodge
Smash?"  won't cut it with a group that just wiped because you
had no idea what you were doing.



The final steps



Go get flying!  Make the hike back to Shattrath
and get your Flying mount quest now that you can actually do it at
level 77.  Pick up Cold Weather Flying, and if you have a rich
friend or have been playing the auction house, epic flying. 
77-80 can be much faster than any other level in the 70s if you have
epic flying, and if you're a veteran of Burning Crusade you know how
much of a joy it is to cruise at Mach 3.  Start building a
diverse set of gear, one for dealing damage and one for taking damage
so you can be ready to fufill any role in a party setting.  If
you took some talents regrettably or for strictly leveling purposes,
start planning out that respec.  Look to blacksmiths to help
kit you out in Saronite and Titansteel to prepare you for those lovely
instances at 80.  Perhaps most importantly, however, make sure
you have something set up to do at 80!  Whether it be raiding
with friends or a guild, cornering the market on the auction house,
getting achievements and exploration titles, make sure you're not going
to burn out when you have no more levels to obtain.  
You didn't come this far to quit, right?  The world is ours to
toy with as a warrior.  PvP, PvE, Raiding, Soloing, we have
the damage and tanking ability to dictate encounters.  Make
your way to 80, and take a well-deserved rest.  You've earned
it.