The race to 85

I sat down to write my first post on a new blog. The first post has to be important right? Well I thought about what had been taxing my mind most lately, and that was Cataclysm and the rush to 85, so that's the topic of this post.


I've heard several different methods and tons of different tips and tricks for the grind, gonna list up some ideas (that i plan to do) as well as stuff I recommend. Feel free to add insight of your own.

-25 dailies on the beta is giving roughly 600k experience, so, having 25 completed and ready for turn in, perhaps log out in Argent Tourney may be a good idea. The downside being, the time spent turning them in may set you back into the "pack" while questing through Hyjal/Vash'ir.
- Have the digital copy preordered. Even if you get it at midnight, travel time, and servers not going live until 12:01 PST make the digital copy the way to go. 
- Potions, flasks, buff food. Make good use of them.
- The first session at launch needs to be as long as possible. That way, once you get some sleep, you will still be ahead (as the people that quit earlier will be slowed down by more people) and can just keep grinding quests undisturbed. Not already knowing the quests is gonna slow you down quite considerably though, if you have access to a beta, play it, learn the first level or two of quests to get the jump on everyone else.
- Enchants and gems, this is a bit more serious. But hey, every little bit counts.
- Instances should only be done once, all of the quests for every instance are given by a quest giver inside the entrance. (~700k XP per dungeon with quest turn ins)
- Have access to a vendor, like a Jeeves or the traveling tundra mount. 
- Vent, get on it, talk, be active, discuss whats going on. It'll help with staying awake.
- Only kill mobs that are required for quests, skip looting some/all mobs that don't drop quest items/starters. If you must pick up an item(s) on the ground for a quest, don't kill the mobs if they aren't required.
- The current Heirlooms do appear to be working until level 81 but I wouldn't count on that staying. Regardless though - 80-81 only takes you an hour or so at most so the "advantage" is minimal.
- Group up, even for questing. Id like to think that a standard group of 5, tank (DPS off spec for questing), 3 pure DPS, and a healer (DPS off spec for questing) would push things along quickly. The downside being having to do "Kill -this mob- to collect 20 of -this item" may be a pain when trying to do that for 5 people. Perhaps dropping group, doing it solo and regroup once its done?