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.
| Weapon Choices |
| |
Arms |
Fury |
Protection |
| 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. |
| 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
 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?
- 61-63 - Hellfire Pennisula
- 63-65 - Zangarmarsh
- 65-66 - Terrorkar Forest
- 66-68 - Nagrand
- Didn't hit 68 yet? - Blade's Edge, Shadowmoon
To Northrend!
- 68-72 - Borean Tundra, Howling Fjord
- 72-74 - Dragonblight
- 74-75 - Grizzly Hills
- 75-77 - Zul'Drak, Sholazar, Crystalsong
- 77-80 - Storm Peaks, Icecrown
What about my extra talent points?
 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
 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.
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