alt="Level 90 Boost" />

With the Warlords of Draenor release
someone on the horizon, it seems everyone is talking about it. One of
the hot topics concerning this particular World of Warcraft expansion
is the ability for players to pay to boost their characters to the
max level of 90. No work involved, just shell out 60 big ones and you
are ready for some end game action.

The Problems with Boosting to Level 90

Many writer's here at Ten Ton Hammer
have touched on the subject and it seems we are all on the same page;
the boost is fine, but we will not be buying it for ourselves. While
I have accepted the level 90 boost as something not all that
terrible, I still can't help but notice that all is not perfect with
the concept. In fact, there are more than a few problems with putting
a character on the fast track to max level.

Some are big, some are small, but they
are there and could make boosting your character seem not all the
peachy keen. Here are just some of the issues that may present
themselves after boosting your character to level 90:

alt="Level 90 Boost" />

Lack of Direction

After being thrust forcefully into max
level, you will probably find yourself wondering what to do next.
Usually this question would be answered for you, by World of
Warcraft's extensive quest line. Things, usually, just fall into
place. Without working your way through it, you may find yourself
with little to no guidance and that can be a scary thing.

Of course, Patch 6.0 will include a
starter zone, but players joining before then will not have the
option to experience it. Thankfully, players can rely on the
breadcrumb quest from Chromie that will lead them to the Timeless
Isle, but perhaps a little bit more explaining is in order. New
boosted 90s may find themselves wondering and stuck before the
opening of Draenor. Going into this game with no clue of what to do
is difficult and intimidating and that is no fun at all.

No Support Network

Going hand in hand with the lack of
direction a newly boosted 90 will find themselves faced with, they
may be also lacking a support network. As we level we meet people,
make friends, join guilds and otherwise involve ourselves in the
social aspect of the game. Skipping leveling means skipping all of
that. While this may be fine for seasoned players, who already have a
support network established, new players may feel like a fish out of
water.

Imagine being level 90 with no one to
talk to, no one to ask for help. You are thrust into the, arguably,
hardest portion of the game all by your lonesome. A frightening
experience, especially considering players at level 1 often complain
they feel “left out” and that breaking into the ranks of seasoned
players is difficult. Of course, you can still meet people, but it
doesn't change the fact that new players boosted to level 90 will be
fending for themselves for awhile.

Knowledge

As if being all alone wasn't bad
enough, players boosting their characters to level 90 will have
little to no knowledge of their class. The little details and skill
players gain from leveling up, questing, and doing dungeons will be
all but obliterated. Even seasoned players may find themselves
struggling to adapt themselves to a brand new class, especially in
end game content.

This is also a concern for other
players who will ultimately be taking along a level 1 in level 90
clothing on raids, groups, and other events. While many will claim
that this is unimportant, I know that I always hope that my fellow
players have a basic understanding of their class and aren't just
learning as they go. Call me an elitist, but I would rather not play
with a bunch of level 90s who have no clue what they are doing.

Professions, Glyphs and Gear

A lack of general knowledge about the
class you choose to boost to 90 may be the least of your concerns.
You see, at this point in time, players who boost a character to 90
have their work cut out for them. Players are reporting that the
standard gear given to them is no where close to hit or expertise
cap, both essential for end game.

Also missing are any Glyphs, even basic
ones, for the newly leveled player to use. Sure, you can head on over
to the Auction House and pick up a few, but these really feel like
something that should be included. While handing out every Glyph for
the class may be impossible, giving out a few basic ones to get
started with seems only fair.

alt="Level 90 Boost " />

With badly planned gear and no glyphs,
what else could possibly go wrong here? Well, it turns out that your
newly boosted character is probably going to have their professions
boosted with it. Sounds great, right? Wrong. At this point in time,
none of the recipes are included. This means you have to find and buy
them all. While this may seem like child's play to seasoned players,
new players with only the standard 150 gold given to their character,
will be out of luck.

Wanting to boost a level 60+ character
and take advantage of the veteran bonus that will give maxed out 600
professions? Make sure you already have your professions learned or
you might discover a nasty surprise. You see, if you have no
professions and complete the boost process, the system will actually
choose your professions for you based on your gear. If you end up
with the wrong professions, you can then go one of two routes. The
first is to submit a ticket and hope the GM will correct the issue,
or unlearn and level the correct professions, which basically defies
the purpose of the boost in the first place.

A Slippery Slope

While all these issues are legitimate
and should give you pause when considering boosting your character to
level 90, there is one issue that stands out above the rest. I can't
help but feel that this payed boost option is one step off the edge
of a slippery slope. How long will it be before Blizzard offers
boosts for other things?

I might sound like an alarmist, but
just think about it. We have gotten two shop buttons added into our
games and now the level 90 boost. What will come next? Will World of
Warcraft become a game that is nothing more than pay to win? We can
only wait and see.

The Solution?

So what is the solution to all these
problems? Some are easily fixed, like the glyph, gear, and profession
issue. However, others are not so easy. No one can magically teach
newly boosted players how to play their class, nor can they provide
them with the social network that most seasoned veterans are used to.
While I have come to accept the level 90 boost option as a good
thing, it looks like Blizzard has their work cut out for them to make
it work perfectly.

Will you be boosting a character to 90?
Are you a veteran of WoW or a brand new player? What are some of your
concerns, as a new player or veteran, with the process. Share your
thoughts with us in the comments section below!


To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our World of Warcraft Game Page.

Last Updated: Mar 29, 2016

About The Author

Amunet, also fondly known as Memtron, is an organic life form best known for its ongoing obsession with Blizzard Entertainment's numerous properties. To that end, Amu has authored hundreds (thousands?) of the most popular World of Warcraft guides, editorials, and Top 10 lists on the planet. When not gaming and writing, Amu is busy chasing after her three children in a perpetual loop of ongoing disaster.

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