20-29 Shmuckumpoo's 20-29 Vanilla Guide

Shmuckumpoo

Grandfathered
Hey ladies and gents my name is Shmuckumpoo, the guild master of <Almost Thirty>, which is the original Alliance 29 guild started way back on the private server Nostalrius. I'm going to give a quick little run down of why I think more people should play the 20-29 bracket in vanilla WoW. I know low level BGs aren't for everyone, but I want to get some vital info out there since the knowledge when it comes to gear/talents at 29 is nonexistent to newcomers.

So why 29?

1. Getting to 29 takes only a few days of dedicated leveling.

2. Unlike every other twink bracket, almost every class can be extremely competitive with around 30g of gear and professions.

3. We don't BG for honor grind, so games are extremely competitive with minimal accounts of “dodging” unlike 60 BGs.

4. Every class is viable unlike 10-19. There are enough talent points to be able to have unique builds and play a variety of different play styles with just one class.

5. AB.

Professions:

Engineering is a 100 percent must have when you reach lvl 29 before entering any BG. You will not be able to go either goblin or gnomish until lvl 30 so to combat this you have high lvl engineers craft the pieces that are BOE which require a skill use below lvl 225 (240 for gnomes). You can have high lvl gnomish engineers craft the net, shrink ray, protection belt, MC cap and rocket boots. High lvl Goblin engineers can craft the rocket helm (only gnomes) and sapper chargers.


When leveling I recommend picking up mining or skinning in order to aid you in both collecting ore/stone and also skins which you can sell if you do not have a main for funding. Upon reaching 29 you can swap out skinning for engineering and level up with the previously acquired ore/stone. Alchemy is also nice to have and you can swap out mining for alchemy if you do not have an alt which has the profession. Hint*- You'll have to buy all the herbs off the ah so this is something you can do later if you do not have the funds for it immediately.


First Aid is also vital and should be maxed to 225 before entering a BG. At 225 you can have high lvls craft heavy runecloth bandages which require a skill of 225 to use but 300 to craft.


Fishing is a nice alternative that aids in making gold if you do not have a main. It's boring but fishing in STV and other areas for blackmouths/stonescales/wreckage can slowly help you accumulate gold/mats for pots during off hours.

Quick Tips/Quests:

Experience is obviously a problem when making a twink of any kind and understanding how to manage it prior to 29 is key. Exploration and collecting flight paths prior to 28 is recommended. You don’t have to go overboard; just travel to all the FP’s you feel would be useful if you wanted to world PvP in the future. Also, a few key quests for items must be completed prior to dinging 29 so you do not risk accidently leveling out of the bracket. This is primarily true for hunters who must complete both the Razzeric Racing Grips quest and full Master Hunter’s Rifle chain in STV. When leveling, I recommend hitting 28 then stopping and completing the required quests for items that are available pre 29. This will usually get you close to dinging 29 without the risk of overleveling. Both battlegrounds (WSG and AB) have 2 quests that should also be completed prior to 29. Both require “marks of honor” from the BG and one turn in is at the major city and the other at the portal to enter the BG. The first turn in for both of these give extra reputation that is very valuable as you grind to exalted and also experience. After the first mark turn in, no experience is given for these quests. Note: you gain 75 reputation at portal turn ins and only 50 at the cities.


Dartol’s Rod of Transformation (Alliance Only): I consider this item a must for all healers in the 29 bracket, but it is only available to the alliance. This quest chain starts in Astranaar with “Raene’s Cleansing” and progresses you to a part in the chain where you acquire the “Dartol’s Rod of Transformation”. Once you have this in inventory stop with the chain. This item is crucial because one it turns you into a Furbolg which is awesome! Secondly, it has the same cast animation as holy healing spells and can be used to “fake” cast a mage, rogue, warrior, or shaman.

Class Guides:

For the talents I am putting the primary point spread. A few classes have some very situational talents which may be used. The talent spreads listed are what I have found to be the optimal spreads based on my years of playing at 29. Other spreads may be used for the purpose of fun (BS rogue, etc). I will also list some names of players you can search on http://realmplayers.com/Index.aspx in order to find gear specifications. Some of these players may be outdated and from various servers. Apologies if I missed anyone or you can’t find them.

Rogues:

Talents: 0/20/0 or 18/2/0 (Zealot/Butcher mh). 0/7/13 (ambush, AP build (MoD or Camo)). 0/2/18 (Imp Sap/AB stealth cap build)


A: Gnome>NE>Human>Dwarf

H: UD>Orc>Troll


Rogue is by far my most experienced class at 29. This class can defend the FR, FC, peel, insane burst, etc. It has all the tools to completely carry any BG in the right hands. The combat build is my favorite and the most used spec out of the 29 rogues I know. It has much more survivability with endurance, imp sprint, riposte, and the coveted 5 percent hit. On the contrary, the imp ambush rogue does the highest burst out of any class in the game and best for killing off priests, but is incredibly one dimensional. For sustained white hits I suggest trying out the Imp expose, SS spam 18/2/0. This is ideal for high physical comps and also killing high armor FCs.


Combat: Pepperjack, Curbyour, Lucieus, Whidow, Frankgang, Shmuckumpoo, Pipelong, Surgicalxoxo

Daggers: Hahabajs, Heippa, Lintor

Hunter:

Talents: 0/20/0 (Agi build), 0/11/9 (Hybrid with entrap/imp WC), 0/0/20 (Stam/utility build), 20/0/0 (No gear build


A: Dwarf>NE

H: Orc>Tauren>Troll


This class carries the hardest in any setting and also does not require an excess amount of gold to be viable. Dwarves with stoneform completely nullify UD rogues and are probably the strongest class/race combo at 29. Go survivability for more HP and peel or full MM for insane range and critzzzzzz. When it comes to pets...Wind Serpent, boar, and wolf all are viable depending on the player (Lupos is best if you want to camp his spawn). Get that Master Hunter's Rifle and pew pew. Rock dual wield with dual agility enchants for MM or Corpsemaker for insane Raptor Strike burst crits. The 20/0/0 build does surprisingly well paired with a Wind Serpent when the Hunter is lacking funds for the MM/Surv. gear.


MM: Buffalojack, Liln, Ammoniaq, Madkidx

Survivability: Shmuckumpoo (Hunter), Insanitty, Kernon

Hybrid: Beardstubble, Brayze, Pawg

Mage:

Talents: 0/0/20 (imp blizz, FC), 0/0/20 (shatter) 0/20/0 (scorch), a few hybrid fire/frost combos are also viable


A: Gnome>Human

H: UD>Troll


The highest skill cap of any class at 29 is probably the mage. Mages are unlike 60 mages when it comes to gameplay. They do not have the high spell crit/damage items and lack overall burst for damage output unless you go full fire damage and are able to spam scorch over and over. I recommend a build heavy in stam/int in order to have the most uptime in fights and be viable; balance is key. The best aspect of mages at 29 are their ability to both peel and their strong CC. They also can be some of the most potent FCs in the game in the right hands. Ask all the alliance that chase Boungabounga.


FC: Boungabounga, Elae, Pikaa, Spacegnome

Utility: Troegsmadelf, Peppelpew, Cuss

Damage: Bulsara, Uslelotte

Druid:

Talents: 1/13/6 (FC) 0/20/0 (imp shred), 1/0/19 (heals)


Another strong FC class at 29. On ally side this is probably their only purpose due to both paladins and priests taking over healing. They can do well on horde side with bonus +healing as rejuv bots as long as the ally side have minimal priests to dispel. Imp shred and boomkin are cheese builds but can be slightly viable at times in the right group. (JK don't go full Starbull I beg) Not the best solo class but has very valuable utility and also bonus speed outside gives them a bit of an upside for AB. Druids are also strong defenders and stealth cappers in AB due to shift and hibernate, making them a sneaky asset in the right hands.


FC/Utility: Ysho, Spekulatius, Hardaswood, Pvpiccolo

Imp shred: Arborphilia

Boomkin: Starbull

Paladin:

Talents: 13/7/0 (heals), 9/11/0 (heals and kings), 2/0/18, 0/9/11 (Ret), 0/20/0 (FC)


A: Dwarf=Human


Best healing class hands down at 29. Bind r1 flash of light, bof, bop, and bubble and you win (Don't actually only bind these). Go full +healing gear wherever you can find it and you will never oom in any fight due to the low mana costs your spells. This paired with a quality lock, rogue, or hunter can 2v10 (its been done ask stimz/pepperjack/shmuckumpoo/arborphilia). Ret paladins can do insane damage if paired with a warrior or rogue for slows. Remember paladins don't be selfish! BOF the warriors and rogues to slow the players so you can catch them.


Heals: Scroaterboat, Garynuman, Pinkcanoe, Raksha

Ret: Streetjames, Pannenkoek, Stinkybum

FC: Ute

Shaman:

Talents: 0/7/13, 0/0/20 (heals), 0/5/15 (heals/utility), 13/7/0 (imp GW/ offensive utility), 0/20/0 (2H dmg)


H: Orc=Tauren>Troll


The second highest skill cap of any class at 29 is the Shaman. I also call this class the jack of all trades because it can do everything from damage to heals to FC very well. Shamans need...NEED to go full stam/int build if they want to be viable. The base healing of shaman heals far outweigh the amount healed by flash of light, but it is also much more or a burden on the mana usage. Do not try to compete with paladins on the alliance, rather find ways negate their ability to heal (r1 Earth Shock, Purge, etc). “Offensive Utility” is a good category to place Shamans in. Shock and purge spam everything, earthbind/poison cleanse kite. I'm tired of hearing that alliance has the advantage because of paladins. A well played shaman and mage combo can kite 10 players for eternity if they wanted to. This class is the undiscovered gold mine of the 29 bracket as of right now.


Mochaboy, Milkjoke, Mochagirl, Alisandre

Priest:

Talents: 20/0/0 (WS tradable for UW), 18/2/0 (Imp IF or ⅗ MA), 14/2/4 (Troll/UD only), 0/0/20


A: Dwarf>NE=Human

H: Troll>UD


Priests have rather different roles depending on which faction they are being played on. Alliance priests are more for dispelling because of the absence of shamans. This being said a stat build priest (stam/int/spirit) is preferred to a bonus healing priest because of the aforementioned paladin. Horde side they are the main healers and both tri stat priests and bonus healing priests are required. Racials are extremely important as well. Fear Ward is the imba racial and why almost all alliance priests should be rolling dwarf. On the horde side people seem to forget about trolls when in fact I believe the troll racials are stronger than the UD racials. Hex of Weakness counters paladin heals seeing that MS does not exist at 29 and blackguard procs blackout and also gets 100 percent bonus from magic damage if you wish to go shadow...unlike devouring plague. Shadow priests are very strong but also OOM rather quickly, but paired with a lock they can be devastating.


Heals: Kestra, Darksanity, Skilless, Wekufe, Barbielol/Alkiona, Inviere, Wtfisahealzz, Nuriel, Kintt, Sophro

Warrior:

Talents: 0/20/0 (BV for 2H, UW for DW); You go arms you bad.


A: Gnome, NE, Dwarf=Human

H: Orc=Tauren=UD>Troll


Warriors are a strong class under one condition. They go 0/20/0. P howl is extremely strong as well as enrage. They are very strong FCs when they have peels and can also do some burst if they get lucky with crits. Both 2h and dual wield is viable. That being said, warriors are very hindered by not having intercept yet, and any good player will take advantage of this against them. A combat rogue beats a warrior if that gives you perspective on this class at this level.


Insannity, Behsten, Dervishdance, Flytrap, Katbyfizzle, Thraenar

Warlock:

Talents:


20/0/0 (Full shadow damage), 5/4/11 (Shadowburn)


A: Gnome>Human

H: UD>Orc


Last but not least the warlocks. Mainly used to do a lot of flat suppression damage and to OOM enemy dispeller's and heals ASAP. Pair a full +shadow damage lock with heals and you can control the entire mid of WSG. Has the option to go more utility/1v1 build if need be. Locks are both one of the best classes when paired in groups and also one of the least effective when playing solo...this should be taken into consideration. They also require a lot of gold and gear to be any sort of high damage threat.


Lusious, Inssanity, Lockskype, Drakaraids, Skinni, Zevrin

So how much gold do I need/which class is best?

From cheapest to most expensive when it comes to being an effective (not BiS) class for a solo players mindset.


Mage<Priest<Paladin<Hunter<Shaman<Druid<Warrior<Rogue<Warlock


Which class is best? This question is asked more than any other. It is obviously rather opinionated and every class has a specific role they can excel in at any given point in a BG. There isn't one class that isn't viable in either WSG or AB. I won’t give a specific list, seeing that there are too many factors involved, but that what makes vanilla and 29 great. The imbalance of classes leads to some very unpredictable outcomes that need to be worked around all dependent on your team.

Conclusion:

With that I conclude my guide on the 20-29 BG group. It is not without its flaws, but by mixing the old guard with some new blood we can hopefully have some great BGs ahead of us! I hope this small guide can be of use to people and I'll see you on the battlegrounds!


Thanks,


Shmuckumpoo
 
As someone who twinked in BC and reupped to try it again in vanilla, this is been super helpful for figuring out the differences between the two. Thanks for the thoughtful post :)

Gonna miss that double mongoose rogue, but it sounds like combat still hits like a truck. Can't wait to try it out!
 
Hi im making a 29 Ele Shaman on classic. I was wondering if anyone that has some knowledge about BIS gear etc could contact me and help me out? U can add me on Discord: "Alpen#8550". Thanks alot.
 

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