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I Am Ironman
Out of all the little side projects I’ve attempted in World of Warcraft, this one seems like it could be the most fun. And by fun I mean aggrivating. I’ve decided to attempt the WoW Ironman Challenge.
What the Hell?
The World of Warcraft Ironman Challenge. Simply put, the goal is to level from 1 to 85 under the most spartan conditions. No buffs, no gear better than white, and if you die at all you are eliminated.
Why the Hell?
I pulled this from the Iroman FAQ, located on the official World of Warcraft Forum Boards:
The challenge started with the idea that the game has become too easy. It has become boring and there was no longer a challenge. This is often a common topic in the forums, well, at least in General. To a great extent, this is true. There is very little sense of danger. If you die, big deal, just rez. There is little sense of adventure. Why bother, you’re racing for end content. There was definitely an undercurrent that was looking for a different way to play.
With that in mind, the first nine rules were proposed that challenged players to level up with nothing but the most basic gear, without the benefit of talent points, specializations, buffs, professions (other than First Aid), no outside help. The biggest rule is if your character dies, you delete it and start over. The rules have since evolved from the many discussions from these original nine but all changes always kept the original spirit of game play over gear, personal challenge over competition.
Needless to say, people have a hard time wrapping their heads around this challenge. Why would you do it if there’s no reward at the end of it? Why go through all that adversity if there’s no Achievement to show off to other people? These “what’s in it for me” and arrogant jagoffs who won’t do anything unless they can brag to others about it (look at me l33t ghear! What’s your gearscore n00b?) piss me off to no end. Sure, video games are a great place for the insecure to hide behind pixels and dangle their horse-like ePenis. But this challenge is not for them. This is for people who want to challenge themselves. Test their limits. There are no bragging rights at the end, just the knowledge that they did it. These people aren’t sheep, but they are pretty much insane.
Rules?
I was not kidding when I said insane. There aren’t many rules, just enough to kick you in the balls and send most people heading for the Exit.
Level from 1-85 using the rules below.
- Only White or Grey gear. No Heirlooms of any kind.
- No transfer of gear, items, or money from any other character (yours or others).
- No gear enhancements, including gems, enchanting, and reforging. Class abilities are allowed (eg. Rogue poisons, Shaman imbues).
- No specialization, talent points, or glyphs. No pet talent points.
- No professions or secondary skills, except for First Aid.
- No potions, flasks, or elixirs except for required quest items.
- No food buffs or other external buffs (including buffs from items and other players).
- No groups or assistance from other characters, even if not grouped.
- No dungeons, raids, battlegrounds, or arenas.
- No guilds, except for level 1 guilds created specifically for the Ironman Challenge.
- No Refer-A-Friend.
- No addons which assist in combat and/or leveling (eg. leveling guides, Ovale).
- THE BIG ONE: No deaths. Character death for any reason disqualifies the character
The following are allowed:
- All class abilities, racials, and personal buffs.
- All mounts, bags, and non-combat pets.
- All quests, including holiday events and dailies (unless prohibited by some other rule, eg. Fishing and Cooking dailies).
Progression?
Piece of cake, I figured. I can do this. I rolled a Night Elf Warrior because:
a) I know the class, and
b) It would give me the chance to check out some of the Alliance questlines that I’d never seen.
Well he didn’t see much in the questline department. This poor bastard was killed at level 6 just as he left the newbie zone. He was killing a spider when a second one pathed close by and aggroed onto him. He was at low health when the first spider died, and had one shot to “self-heal” via the Victory Rush ability. He missed the swing, and the spider didn’t.
Sight-seeing be damned. My warrior was killed via tourism, and that wasn’t going to happen again. My next character was a Tauren Warrior. Higher natural stamina, a nice thunder stomp, and off he went. At level eight, he was killed by an elite that he happened to run by, mistaking him for just another Ogre. Again, lack of self-healing was killer. That, and an Elite’s fist.
Attempt the third took me off the reservation. I was out of the pocket, leaving my comfort zone for a class I’d never played before in my life – Tauren Paladin. These guys were supposed to be cockroaches, notoriously hard to kill. I’d put that to the test.
Theogenes was known as one of the greatest gladiators ever. He was undefeated his entire career (1425-0), with defeat meaning death. What better name for a character undertaking the WoW Ironman Challenge? Currently Theogenes is sitting at level 14. Time, and patience, will dictate how much further I can take him.
I will post significant progression, as well as some tips for other people who want to try out the WoW Ironman Challenge.
The Incredible Hurc
Every now and then, I find myself in a position to offer advice to “casual” players, or even new players who are leveling up a character for the first time. Much of the information I have to draw from, though, is either old memories from back in the day, or things I have read and researched. It’s not fresh, firsthand experience, and there’s no substitute for firsthand experience.
I’ve decided that this is unacceptable and have chosen to re-experience the World (of Warcraft) once again. I will be starting a new character and will not offer any kind of artificial leveling assistance.
Interesting. What race/class will you be using?
I will be leveling a gnome warrior.
Jesus. Really? I get the warrior part, but gnome? Really?
I picked the gnome race for three reasons. First, because they have a very cool 2-handed weapon fight animation, and since he’s fighting (and not knitting) his way to level cap, that’s important. Second, because gnome warriors are the only race/class combo with access to a weapon I want to use and then transmogrify. And third, because fuck you that’s why.
And you’re not helping this gnome out in any way? No feeder cash or heirlooms?
Any gold this character has, he will earn on his own. That’s part of what I want to experience – gold making at low levels. I want to see how much gold he can make without any sugar daddy fronting him spending money. He’s got to be able to pay for all of his training, professions, and mounts on his own merits, just like any new player would have to do for their character.
And as far as heirloom items go, he won’t be getting anything to boost his xp. Again, just like any player new to the game or new to the server, he’ll have to grind without xp gear. However, he will receive one item – Reforged Truesilver Champion.
Aha! Cheating! I thought you said no heirlooms!
This goes back to the weapon I mentioned before – the one only gnome warriors can get. It’s a reward from a quest in the gnome’s starting zone.
If I can’t play SWTOR, this is the next best thing.
This is why he will be allowed to use the heirloom 2-hander. As soon as he can afford it, he can transmute the sword into the Light Sabre and use it all the way to level 80, maybe longer.
How do you plan on paying for transmogging, or anything for that matter?
Again, part of the process I want to test out. But don’t worry. I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve.
Do these tricks involve meeting characters in one of the rooms at the Goldshire Inn for a little /kneel, /nod action?
Who says romance is dead?
Okay, I’ve got a few other tricks up my sleeve. And I’ll share all of that as I go along.
And who is this gnomish stud you’re planning on unleashing upon the world?
I thought long and hard about it, and came up with something original. A name that reflects the epic journey I’m about to undertake. I present to you, Hurc, the pound for pound champion of awesomeness!
Naked? Really?
It’s how I roll both in and out of the game. Besides, Hurc has no need for clothes. At least, not yet. He may relocate to warmer climates though, so that more people can bathe in his raw, unencumbered awesomeness. Also, when you’re that short and naked, trudging through deep snow is a good way to freeze off your gnomeballs.
And so, the journey begins…
Rokk Talk 