Leveling in World of Warcraft is a multi-layered experience. In many games, hitting the level cap means that the game is pretty much over with the exception of raids and the gear grind. While WoW absolutely has those two things in place, there are also many other ways to enjoy the game at level 100. Each embodies a certain amount of grind but, split amongst all of the layers, the repetitiveness is mitigated somewhat.
Here are a few ways to keep World of Warcraft going long, long past hitting the top level.
Raiding and Dungeoneering
Warlords of Draenor has been out since November and the first raid, Highmaul, has only now become fully open for Raid Finder, while Normal, Heroic and Mythic levels have been open for about a month. Raiding is, as with most MMOs, the primary way to gear up, though Blizzard has also given players alternative ways to come fairly close to the highest tier of equipment. In addition, the next raid, Blackrock Foundry, will be gradually opening in the very near future and will allow players more opportunities to participate.
Dungeoneering is also a lucrative experience in WoW, especially for those players who prefer smaller groups to large raiding parties. The dungeons on Warlords present players with a challenge and the chance at some gear that will prepare them for raiding should they so choose.
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Dungeons also present players the chance to get the starter series of quests for the legendary ring out of the way before heading to Highmaul to further the quest line.
Apexis and Crafting
If raiding and dungeoneering aren't high on a player's list, Blizzard has created opportunities for acquiring items outside of them. Each day in the garrison, players can choose one of two quests for Apexis crystals, the currency required to purchase a nearly full set of up to ilevel 655 gear. The tiers are divided into three, with upgrade requiring an increasingly high amount of Apexis. Apexis runs are popularly announced in chat or players can find groups via Group Finder. Lastly, while out in, for instance, Shattrath City, there are opportunities to kill rare bosses for some purple level gear specific to certain classes.
If that method of gear acquisition isn't desired, there is always crafting. A player's chosen specialty can yield items that can range as high as ilevel 670, not far off the current tier of raid gear. Creating gear and items is a time-consuming process that involves the collection of components. Each item will also require two levels of upgrade that also can take quite a bit of time to amass. Still, if someone isn't into the dungeon-raid thing, it's a nice way to get great gear.
Garrison Upgrades & Companion Quests
By level 100, most players have at least a level two garrison with or without upgraded buildings. At level cap, players can spend the time gathering resources to upgrade all buildings to level 3. According to Blizzard projections, new challenges will be coming to garrisons as the year wears on including a garrison mission with a world boss making an appearance.
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There are approximately two hundred forty-four companions that players can collect, though only twenty five can be active at any given time. Each can be leveled not only to 100 but from normal to rare to epic as well. Each can be sent out individually or in a group to perform tasks on behalf of the player that can yield experience, items, garrison resources, and more.
It should be remembered, however, that unlike most WoW collections (i.e. battle pets), all companions are not necessarily meant to be collected. Responding to a player, devs said:
Question: ok 244 followers at the inn 1 per week we will be into the next xp by the time we get them all over sight or what ?
Answer: Not reeeaaally intended to be a collection-y system. If you really want them all it could take a while. Okay with that. Highest achievement for collecting them is for 40 Followers, so, yeah. Collect 'em if you want to.
Pet Battles, Achievements & Old Content
Players can take part in daily pet battles via the Garrison menagerie as well as all of the master pet trainers scattered through out the entire game world. There are also hundreds of pets to collect and level, each with attendant achievements and more.
Achievements, of course, are a completionist's dream. World of Warcraft has literally thousands of achievements in every single aspect of the game. Discovery, pet battles, holidays, iLevel, PvP, etc. etc. etc..
PvP is another way to spend time at level cap. It's one thing to defeat the entire game world's AI-controlled monsters and bad guys. It's a whole 'nother thing to take on living breathing humans (at least we assume!) on the field of battle either in battlegrounds with many other players or in arenas with small teams. There is also gear to collect and more.
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Lastly, there is no shortage of old content to travel through with an eye to achievement hunting, mount or pet collection, transmog gear to collect, and quests to complete, among other things.
Level a New 'Toon
Still needing something to do? Players can level a new 'toon, either starting at level 1 and progressing all the way to 100 through the entire game, or they can take advantage of the boost to level 90 and then complete the final ten levels to 100.
In short, there is no end to things to do in World of Warcraft as long as players have the stamina to keep at it. The most difficult part of all of the hundreds of things to do is not to get overwhelmed and overburdened and to keep the expectations reasonable.
What do you like to do now that you're level 100? Let us know in the comments.
