I found this guide a couple of months ago (having only started playing WoW in September), and started using it the minute I hit 30. I'm now 56 1/2, which for me is absolutely amazing (in a year and a half of playing EQ2 I only managed to get one character to 60, and another to 43).

I actually did buy 2 levelling guides - the one at briankopp.com and Joana/Mancow's guide, largely because I'd never touched horde before (for the latter) but also because I wanted to compare Brian Kopp's guide to Jame's guide. I still much prefer Jame's guide over Brian's, but go back and forth between the two of them in my levelling. I'm hoping to get my main to 60 before BC comes out.
 

Having played an undead mage since WoW was new...I'm not looking forward to what is sure to be a huge influx of mages.
 

I may do the new content level 1-20, then drop that character to pursue the new level 60+ content. I don't need to see levels 21-60 for the umpteenth time.
 

I wonder if that's the same Joana who leveled a Troll Hunter to 60 in less than 5 days on the 1.10 Speed Competition server.
 

I think so. Joana is selling that "level to 60 in 4 days 20 hours" guide in text and video form on her site. Can't say how good it is, I'm not buying such guides. The chance is too high that it is badly written and not reproducible.
 

I levelled my main Horde toon from 40 to 60 using Jame's Alliance guide mostly - the Horde ones not being avaiable. A lot of the quests are identical and he gives good routes. My second Horde toon is following Jame's Horde guide and that's going quite nicely. Also worth noting is the Barrens guide that Jame links to at the beginning of his part 1 guide.
 

I continue to recommend Crypt's Undead Leveling Guide for Horde. Desgined for an undead warlock, but I've used it to level a priest, which is as diametrically opposite lock damage as you can get, and had zero issues. Can't link since I am working...

(at least in theory ;))

I used Jame's for my alliance chars and was satisfied with it. The main difference between Jame's and Crypt's is Jame's goes into extreme detail. Crypt assumes you have some knowledge of the game, and plan for yourself a bit. Some parts he's a bit brief on, but assuming you're not new, you can easily surmise the missing aspects.
 

I'm new to WoW and been reading several blogs here and there. I'm wondering if I use the guide will it ruin the overall experience in the game? Cuz I was thinking i can always go back and do other quests that are not mentioned in the guide.
 

That's a really hard question to answer, and with BC coming up, even more so.

Do you:

prefer to explore the game, knowing that you're leveling "slower", but possibly finding out of the way places? - Then you'd probably be fine without the guide, using Alla's or Thott's to help you when you get stuck on quests. For the most part, areas with mobs around your level are packed with quests around your level.

Do you:
prefer to get to the top level as fast as possible to play the "end game", sightseeing be dammed? Then the guides are probably your best friend. It will get you there the fastest.

People like me who have leveled multiple characters to 60, usually the first at least via the tourist method, will usually try to speed up the secondary characters as much as possible.
 

I agree, don't use the guide for your first character. But if you have explored most zones already, the guide can speed your next characters up a bit.
 

Well I would disagree with the above, particularly if you play irregularly.

Nobody forces you to follow the guides exactly, and not detour and have a sightsee. It can be used both as a step-by-step or as a high level plan.

The advantages from the casual player is they give you an overall plan in what is a HUGE game. They stop you getting "stuck" somewhere, having missed a particular quest line.

This also means you know where you are going next and makes it bite sized. Got 30 mins and no plan, what do you do ? Everything seems so big so you just kill something mindlessly. Got a plan ? Know where you are going, so fly there, check out the FPs and where you can repair. Log out close by so next time you have 30 mins you are right on it. If you don't have a plan this doesn't work as well, as you don't really know how long you need to be somewhere. It enables those of us who don't have hours and hours to play (Even Tobold pretends he is causual when he isn't really !) to get along.

And lastly, if you away for a fortnight, you can get right back in. Read back a few pages, and you now remember where you were and what you were doing.

It gives you hope that you CAN get to 60.

I used Jame's guide to level up my Priest to 60 in 9 months. It is probably the only reason I didn't give up WoW as being to long.

Am currently playing a little EVE Online. I have no plan, no clue what I am doing, no big strategy other than thinking I might do some Research and production. So I end up logging on to set up my training and loggin off again. Will probably cancel after another month.

Open ended is not always best.
 

Jame's guides are excellent and I appreciate how the guides are offered for free...Unlike the other 2 guides, which state you can have a /played time of less than 5 days if you pay this price.
I'm sure a quick search on your favorite torrent site will reveal these 2 other guides, if you wish to check them out before purchasing.
 

I've bought Joana's leveling guide.
I have to complain just cause i think that guide is suitable only for hunter