Soloing in WoW-- Hints? Strategies?

Cafe Society
1

My favorite character, a level 27 N.E. druid is a proud soloist. She’s never joined a group (although she has cheated by following others in mob rich territory) but it’s getting harder and harder to do quests. I usually have to gain a level or 3 before I can do one of those grinder type quests.

I still can’t protect the professor at the excavation in Darkshore-- and that quest is greyed out it’s so below my level.

A few questions:

I picked a druid because they seem to have a little of everything-- a good quality for a soloist-- I couldn’t imagine doing any of this without the buffs, stealth and castor spells (healing, meh. I usually die long before I think to heal myself. And I don’t do groups, so blah to healing). What other classes are good for soloing?

Is there a secret to pulling that I’m not getting? Unless I’m at least one level above the enemy I’m trying to pull, I always attract a crowd-- and armourless druids don’t do well against multiple attackers.
Can armourless druids do well against multiple attackers?
Who are my fellow soloists? rcl?[sup]*[/sup]

[sup*]*[/sup]I just made that up. It’s like asl? only it means race, class, location? (server). Think it’ll catch on?

2

First, why are you armorless? By lvl 23 you should have a fair selection of leather.

Second, are you pulling with Faerie Fire? Unless mobs are really close together, Faerie Fire should only pull the one you cast it on.

Fourth, Cat Form is great for sneaking around until you get into a good position to attack. Keep an eye out for any nearby mobs before you attack and put yourself into a good place to stay out of aggro range of anything but the mob you’re attacking.

Third, I don’t really know anything about Long-ears lowbie zones, since my 27 druid is Horde, but I haven’t had any problems at all soloing normal areas the whole way through in Barrens, Ashenvale, Stonetalon or the Undead areas on the Eastern continent. Now, when it comes to things like (non-instance) dungeons (or Instance dungeons especially), you’re going to have problems just due to the sheer density of mobs.

3

Oh, and druid is a great class for soloing, really. Little bit of everything (which you’ve noted).

I’ve been playing a mostly-solo priest for 26 levels now. The only times I’ve grouped were either for convenience (“we both need to get this boss mob so let’s group so no one has to wait for respawn”) or instances (where it’s necessary). I’m going to need to group soon, though, for the Thistlefur Hold quests in Ashenvale, as that’s a non-instance dungeon and it’s like mob city in there.

4

Okay, I’m starting to annoy with repeated postings, but I keep thinking of things after I’ve hit “submit”.

It’s POSSIBLE to level to 60 without ever grouping. However, you’re going to constantly be behind the player level/item level curve on an awful lot of equipment because by the time you’re capable of handling the mobs and instances where those items drop solo, you’re going to be at least five levels past the average level of the item. And for the end-game stuff, even if you’re lvl 60, you’re not going to be able to face the boss mobs that drop uber-level items by yourself. Ever. Epic sets are out, as are high-level blues.

5

I usually pull with Starfire because it’s the biggest single hit I have and it takes forever to cast. So I only use it for pulling.

Thislefur Hold, Blackfathom Deep, The Charred Vale and the aformentioned Protect the Professor are hard for me because of the density of the mobs. Also, regenerating enemies are tough. Probably because I don’t use my heal spells correctly at all.
Sure I have leather armour, but really, leather might as well be naked.

6

You’re not the only one who thinks of something after hitting submit.

What are instance and non-instance dungeons?

7

At least you didn’t make fun of my manhands.

Which brings up another question. Howsit that I see horde all over the place in Alliance areas but I get killed on sight in Horde areas?

8

See, I’m specced Feral Combat, so I don’t really cast that much. I’ll usually pull with Faerie Fire to reduce their armor then change to Bear and tank the heck out of 'em.

And it’s no surprise you’re having trouble in Blackfathom Deeps. It’s an instance dungeon. Low-to-mid-level 20’s Elites.

Non-instance dungeons are set in caves/building/castles/mines/burrows/whatever that are still part of the main game world. Other players can enter and fight around or past or with you and the mobs respawn fairly quickly.

Instance dungeons actually load a whole area where you (and your party) are the only person/people in there, other than mobs. All instance dungeons are full of elite mobs, with around 3 times the hit points of the normal mobs of the same type and level you’d find outside them. An instance dungeon is all yours. No players other than the ones you go in with can come in and compete with you for mobs and loot. You can recognize an instance dungeon by the swirly portal you go through to get into it. (Deeprun Tram between Ironforge and Stormwind is also an instanced area, but it’s not dangerous…there’s nothing hostile to you in there. The new battlegrounds are also instanced and you have to go through a swirly portal to get there, too)

Don’t disparage leather. There’s some decent stuff in that armor class, and bear form magnifies contributions from worn armor and bonuses by 3. If I can solo a priest to (so far) 26 wearing only cloth armor, you shouldn’t have trouble with leather. And it’s far better than no armor at all.

Why don’t you group? Like I said, I’m mostly a solo player, but I have no problem grouping occasionally. Of course, as a priest, I have a definite role in a group, whereas a druid may be a bit more uncertain which role they’re supposed to play.

9

Look, I have to deal with either huge horns, huge tusks, green skin or falling-off body parts. Manhands are strictly amateur night. :wink:

Where are you going in Horde territory? And are you on a pvp or normal server?

10

There are a few reasons why I don’t group. The first reason was because I just didn’t know how. At lower levels, I was asked to join groups all the time but I had no idea how to use the chat functions, so I just ignored those who invited. I still have problems with channels and stuff with the chat but I can use it well enough. Although not while I’m fighting. I don’t know how people talk and fight.
And I don’t know what my “role” is supposed to be in a group. When I cheat and follow a group in I know what their role is. To keep attackers off my back while I solo and to thin the crowd–I’m a selfish Elf. Plus the fact that what people like about me are my healing spells and I don’t know how to use those at all because, except for healing touch, I’m not sure what they do (what’s the difference between regrowth and rejuvination? Cure or abolish poison?) And I’m not that good in combat and I feared letting my fellow partyers down.

Now that I’ve come all this way without grouping, I want to see how far I can take it. Now I’m thinking of going into the lower areas and grouping just for the experience. I’m on a normal server.

11

I don’t group much because I’m shy. I’m always afraid that the whole group will die and I’ll get blamed.

Regrowth and Rejuvenation are HoT (Heal over Time) spells…Rejuvenation is pure HoT, and Regrowth has an initial burst heal effect then heals over time. Rejuvenation is an instant cast, and Regrowth has a 2-second cast. When to use either one depends on the situation. And I’m not sure I really understand when is the best to use either one myself.

I’m still curious where you’re going in Horde territory that you get killed if you’re on a normal server. As long as I stay away from Alliance towns (like Astranaar) and outposts (like Silverwing) I 'm usually fine. Are you trying to come into downtown Crossroads or something?

12

Mostly I’ve stumbled accidentily into Horde lands (I like to explore-- Herbalims is a great profession for explorers). In Stonetalon Mts must border Horde territory because I’ve walked along Websomething Road and had Taurpins start calling me an intruder and the next thing I know, I’m dead.

There’s a path out of The Charred Vale that does not go back to Alliance territory. I learned that the hard way. Once I tried to walk/swim my way out of Moonglade and got totally creamed in some godforsaken molten valley of some kind. Before I had prowl. Hours of frustration there, trying to get back to friendly land.

My new guild: The Shy, Selfish, Sucky Soloist with Self-Esteem issues. Think I’ll get a lot of members?

13

Webwinder Path. Yeah, Stonetalon is contested territory. There’s a Horde village (Sun Rock Retreat) and the Alliance area on Stonetalon Peak. It sounds like you either wandered into the Grimtotem encampment, which isn’t strictly Horde, as they’re hostile to us, too, or into Sun Rock Retreat and got ganked by the guards.

I just spent three hours or so yesterday killing elves and things up on Stonetalon Peak…

14

My Tauren druid, Oakroot, just reached level 50 tonight. I soloed pretty much the entire way to the high 30s. I even did a few instances by myself (Ragefire Chasm and Wailing Caverns), but only after they’d gone grey in my log for a long, long time.

I suggest not using Starfire to pull unless the mob you’re pulling is far away from other mobs. Mobs “notice” Starfire from a greater distance away than they do Moonfire or Faerie Fire. (I usually pull with Moonfire.)

If you want to continue to solo, you’ll eventually have to use your healing spells. Sorry. Of Druids’ three healing spells, I find that I use only Rejuvenation and Healing Touch. If I’m in a situation where I need only a little bit of healing I’ll cast Rejuvenation. If I’m in a situation where I need serious healing, I’ll use Healing Touch. (And if I’m really in dire straits, I’ll cast Rejuvenation to get enough life to survive long enough to cast Healing Touch.)

Regrowth doesn’t seem to be very useful for me. It’s too slow for a quick spell, and not quite as effective on a mana per life-restored basis as Healing Touch. It’s slightly faster than Healing Touch, but I’ve found that if you have 2 seconds to spare, you usually have 3.5 seconds to spare as well. Your mileage may vary.

One trick is to cast Regrowth and Rejuvenation, then quickly change into Bear form rush into battle against a few tough foes. As you take damage, the healing-over-time effects will restore your life (until they wear off, of course). This may, in some situations, help you last longer in battle. The downside is that it uses up a lot of mana, and isn’t particularly effective in most situations.

You’ll probably find that tanking in Bear form, then switching back to Druid form long enough to do a Healing Touch, then switching back to Bear form is a surprisingly effective technique. It takes a while to get the timing down right, but when you do you’ll be able to survive quite a lot. And when you get the Frenzied Regeneration ability for Bear form, you’ll be able to survive even more.

Oh, and you’ll definitely like it when you reach level 30 and get your Travel Form. You’ll wonder how the heck you ever got around without it.

15

You definitely need to learn your healing spells. Druids don’t really do enough damage to take down mobs quickly, so you’ll need to outlast them. That’s what the healing is for.

I’ve solo’ed with my NE Druid quite a bit, and am lvl 45. But I’ve also gotten into a lot of groups, both good and bad. I actually love healing for groups. I’ve helped people several levels above me finish quests just through keeping them alive. It’s a good feeling.

For the healing spells, I tend to use Rejuvenation as a means of just mitigating the damage I’m taking. Depending on the mob, Rejuvenation can either keep my health at a nice steady level, or make sure it only falls slowly. It also doesn’t cost much mana, compared to Regrowth or Healing Touch. And since it’s an instant, it can’t be interrupted or slowed down by melee hits. I use Regrowth a good bit as well, because I don’t like letting my health drop low enough that Healing Touch is really worthwhile. I can cast Regrowth when I’m at about 75% health and it will heal me back to full, plus the heal-over-time aspect continues to mitigate damage for a good while afterwards.

Healing Touch is my healing spell of choice when I’m healing in a group. I sit back and just watch health levels. When someone’s health gets just low enough that a Healing Touch will put them back to 100%, I cast it. If we’re going through relatively easy mobs, I’ll cast Rejuvenation to basically completely mitigate any damage, and help out in combat.

As for other classes, pretty much any of them can be used for soloing. I solo’ed a Warrior through most of his first 30 levels or so. Usually the only thing that gives me pause when soloing are escort quests (like the Professor) and elite mobs of my level -1 or higher. Escort quests suck because you usually have to fight a number of mobs in rapid succession, or a whole group of them who jump out of nowhere.

16

I currently play a level 53 rogue and soloed most of the way. The Rogue is great class for soloing if you can manage pulls, keep your armor current and make sure you have adequate stamina. As I built this character with soloing in mind I chose herbalism and alchemy as my professions so I can create my own buffs. Most critical is that I wasted no time building up my first aid skill. I was using runecloth long before I could actually fight mobs that dropped it. Fast healing is essential. IMO, even healing classes should learn first aid to preserve their mana for fighting/buffing.

I have soloed a few quests that take place in instances but by and large I group when I go in. Unless I am searching for a specific drop, I don’t waste my time on quests that have greyed out. I started this game thinking I would get everything done, but sometimes- especially for those of us who solo- it just isn’t possible and I have had to abandon numerous quests as they went from orange to green to grey.

Most of the time I find I can take on one or two non-elite mobs that are 3 levels above me. No more than 2. As for elites one a couple levels below me is a big battle and costly in terms of potions and poisons. Elite quests are almost impossible to solo unless you are significantly above the mob level (by 4 or 5 levels).

I have always thought of the druid as a support class so kudos to you for getting so far on your own. Things do get more difficult to solo the further up you go and from my own experience with druid friends of mine I think when you hit Stranglethorn Vale you will have a fair amount of trouble.

I also recommend finding a non-raid oriented guild so you have a ready pool of help should you need it. As I play on a role-playing server a solo friendly guild was pretty easy to find.

Good hunting and good luck!

17

I have a level 60 priest on Sargeras that I soloed with a good bit. I’d never turn down an opportunity to group though, especially at the lower levels. In the early game, you get more experience for turning in quests than you do for killing mobs, so it speeds things up a great deal to find a good group now and then. With a few good groups you can achieve a level in days that would take weeks to solo.

There’s nothing to it really, sometimes it’s as simple as noticing someone else in your area doing the same thing you are. Ask if they’re on the same task then offer to party up. If it doesn’t work out, no biggie - it’s just a party.

Instance runs are a different story. If you ever want to do one (and you should aspire to check 'em out eventually, they’re great fun), you’ll want to get a little practice group work done in the normal world first. The main difference with instances is that they’re a little more of a committment, so the other players will be miffed if you bail half way through. If you’ve got the time they’re nothing to worry about though. Just talk to the other players when you get started and figure out who’s doing what.

Speaking of talking to other players, a few tips in case you didn’t know 'em:

  • If someone “whispers” something to you, you can respond by pressing ‘R’ then typing your message.

  • If you want to communicate to someone privately you can also double click on their name in your chat log to “whisper” to 'em.

  • If you’re in a party, type “/p” then press enter. After that, if you press enter to type something, you’ll default to the party line. You can also type /p followed by what you want to say. Like “/p Ok let’s meet at Auberdine” or whatever. To speak normally to those around you again it’s “/s”.

So anyhoo, grouping isn’t essential, but you’ll be missing a lot of really cool stuff if you don’t check it out eventually. I can’t imagine actually making it to 60 without grouping, and if you don’t get there, you won’t be able to kick ass and take names in the battlegrounds. :wink:

18

Paladins are pretty good soloists. They have the healing and the armor. But after level 40, it takes them forever to kill anything.

You really do have to group if you want to get anything done in WOW, even if it’s just a casual pickup group. Many quests (and all dungeons) have elites that are just too high level to effectively solo. You can learn the etiquette by reading some of the forums on the WOW site. You pretty much just have to know your role in the group (healer, tank, puller, buffbot) and what the looting strategies are

19

Heh. This thread made me dust off my very first character (night elf druid) to run around a while last night. I’m going to see how far I get him this time (he was lvl 15 when I got alt-itis)…

20

Ardred played a Tauren Druid (doomhammer, which is pve) almost entirely solo. Druids are the best solo class, hands down.

You’ve got a little bit of everything. Learn to heal, learn to swiftshift so you can, say, stun in bear form, shift, instant heal, shift, and if you’ve specced your talents right, already have 40 rage with which to do some good damage. Druids are the absolute slowest at killing a creature, but they can last through a battle like no one but paladins.

Also, most of the reason you get killed in horde areas are that there are about eleventybillion more alliance than horde, and horde tend to be much more protective of their areas. Don’t go near Tarren Mill, for example.