Thanks for all the work on the guide, which is really useful. Some feedback (you asked...); it's largely just personal experience stuff from f2p play for a couple of years, so may get instantly shot down...
'Races'
Read elsewhere that differences tend to iron out as you level up.. so "just choose a race you like. Or try a few races and classes to see how they feel." Idem for Alliance vs Horde (for some reason I prefer Alliance, though I've a 50-50 split on alts).
'Classes'
Might note that if playing solo (and f2p can't join/communicate/exchange much), classes with some combat hardness and (preferably) instant (not sit down and eat) heal capacity have more survivability, in particular at low levels. E.g. my paladins can survive and explore far better than my monk and mage, which get severely killed. As f2p when questing, pretty much every character has to kill mobs, which skews my choices.
'professions'
I level alts very slowly (exploration rather than quests), so my views on this are probably odd. However:
(1st two points may be better under 'gold')
- to get cash at low levels, I go ASAP to 1000 Needles with herbalism and mining, as a couple of circuits there swimming and farming stranglekelp blades and mithril nodes is high yield.
- 2nd route to get cash at low levels is to fish along Tanaris shore; mithril bound chests provide routine high-value stuff to vendor, and the odd blue.
- as you'll be killing mobs anyway, skinning is my initial profession of choice (e.g. wiping 250 or so black whelplings for the Test Your Strength Darkmoon quest). Materials are a) useful b) valuable
OK, so I'm only just at the point of switching professions (e.g. to give armour upgrades)
Small aside; you can get a crude scope from 'box of engineering parts', a relatively easy, but really boring, farm on Bloodmyst isle. You may be able to get a standard scope from a similar box in Gnomeregan, but that looks like too much dying.
'Dungeons'
Note that it's best to start as DPS until you get the hang of dungeons.
Dungeons are also the quickest way to raise your reputation, by wearing the city tabard. 'Revered' enables you to get the largest size bags.
Text to the effect "Though initially a bit overwhelming, just follow the group, as you soon get used to dungeons." might be useful.
[So far I've been shredded walking into dungeons solo, but I was not well geared then. Put me off them!]
Bags & gold
[I use walnut stock as a gold sink. Now have also loads of 'high value' items, if ever I can access AH]
You can use the buyback facility to buffer a future influx of gold, e.g. when cashing out a pile of completed quests. Example, using walnut stock as your tradeable item: at an engineering supplier, sell stacks of 4 walnut stock, then use this money to buy walnut stock; leave; collect your cash up to gold limit; find nearest vendor (of any kind); buy back the walnut stock you sold, and repeat. Do NOT quit the game during this process.
Transportation
Indeed, tedious with a new alt, and the Turtle is a godsend.
I don't have one, but an heirloom mount (motorcycle with chauffeur) is an enviable luxury that zips even level 1 characters around at speed. Think f2p's can get it.
Druids (mentioned) and shaman go get a bit of speed boost once they can drop into animal form.
Remark: Darkmoon Cannon is (as I'm uncoordinated) tough to get, but highly desirable (not yet managed). Both this and the turtle allow you to get to places that are otherwise inaccessible.
As mentioned, this is my personal view of f2p, so feel free to ignore!
