Ultimate Hardcore Guide to the Classic WoW Human Starting Area: Key Locations, Tips, and Strategy

Northshire Valley within Elywnn Forest is the starting area for Humans. Humans can play any of the following classes: Warrior, Paladin, Rogue, Priest, Mage, and Warlock.

Completion typically takes a character from 1 to 5 or 6, with an estimated time to complete of 1.5 hours.

Although any alliance race could theoretically come here to quest, it is not recommended, as other routes and areas are more suitable beyond the completion of their respective starting areas.

Northshire is located within Elywnn Forest and is considered one of its sectors. However, people could choose to quest within Elywnn Forest despite their starting area, as it is customary to do their zone right outside the starting area, and an additional 6-10 regions to over-level and do well in hardcore classic WoW.

This area of Elywnn Forest consists of a church, a kobold cave, a vineyard farm, and a graveyard that hopefully won’t be used, contained within an area surrounded by impenetrable mountains with one guarded exit to the south. This area, Northshire, is considered one of the better starting areas as it is relatively short and requires little running relative to other regions. This is Pre-Cataclysm, and so may vary from other guides, but this applies to Hardcore Wow Classic era Northshire before Cataclysm.

Cinematic introduction:

As the character is created and spawned in for the first time, a cinematic plays introducing the human race.

Transcript: “The noble humans of Stormwind are a proud, tenacious race. Though the recent invasion of the demonic Burning Legion decimated their sister kingdom of Lordaeron, the defenders of Stormwind stand vigilant against any who would threaten the sanctity of their lands. Nestled in the foothills of Elwynn Forest, Stormwind City is one of the last bastions of human power in the world. Ruled by the child king, Anduin Wrynn, the people of Stormwind remain steadfast in their commitment to the Grand Alliance. Backed by their stalwart allies, the armies of Stormwind have been called away to fight the savage Horde on distant battlefields. With the armies gone, the defense of Stormwind now falls to its proud citizens. You must defend the kingdom against the foul mongrels that encroach upon it and hunt down the subversive traitors who seek to destroy it from within. Now is the time for heroes. Now humanity’s greatest chapter can be told.”

Quest givers: 

(Excluding trainer quests hand-ins, as those are done at class trainers.)

Deputy Willem [Class Quest] [Quests] [48.2,43.0]

Marshal McBride [Class Quest] [Quests] [48.9,41.6]

Eagan Peltskinner [Quests] [48.9,40.2]

Milly Osworth [Quests] [50.7,39.3]

Brother Neals [49.50, 41.50]

Falkhaan Isenstrider [Quests] [46.6,47.7]

Vendors: 

They can be found to the left of the church, near two trailers.

Godric Rothgar, Armorer & Shieldcrafter [47.7,41.4]

Dermot Johns, Cloth & Leather Armor Merchant [47.6,41.4]

Brother Danil, General Supplies [47.5,41.6]

Janos Hammerknuckle, Weaponsmith [47.2,41.9]

Trainers: 

(They hold one Quest each, usually named “____ letter” Encrypted Letter for Rogues, Simple Letter for Warriors, Hallowed Letter for Priests, Glyphic Letter for Mages, Tainted Letter for Warlocks, The quest is obtained from Marshal McBride and handed in at respective trainers.

Those quests reward 130 experience points and are usually placeholders to encourage the player to visit their respective trainers. No other class can access each other’s trainer quest.

Four trainers are found inside the church, however, it is common to get lost in the church the first few runs through this game, and so I’ve included directions and pictures, as no other section is as easy to get lost/ search empty rooms.

Warrior Trainer Llane Beshere [50.11 42.15]

Paladin Trainer Brother Sammuel [50.44 42.06]

To get to either the Warrior trainer or the Paladin trainer (They’re in the same room) follow the directions depicted by the images.

From the Church entrance, go along the corridor, then go right.

Go straight ahead towards this room.

Don’t go upstairs, you’ll see both trainers around the same table.

Priest Trainer Priestess Anetta [49.74 39.70]

Mage Trainer Khelden Bremen [49.61 39.61]

To get to either the Mage trainer or the Priest trainer (They’re in the same section) follow the directions depicted by the images.

From the Church entrance, go along the corridor, then go left.

Straight ahead you should see a room with a bookcase, walk towards it.

For Priests, go towards the door downstairs on the right, past Brother Paxton, the librarian.

Priest Trainer Priestess Anetta will be in the downstairs room

For Mages, follow the path upstairs and around the room.

Mage Trainer Khleden Bremen will be upstairs.

Rogue Trainer Jorik Kerridan [50.20 39.90]

This trainer can be found outside behind the church. If you can’t find it, run along the side of the church from the vendors, you’ll see Milly Osworth next to the stables in which the rogue trainer resides.

Warlock Trainer Drusilla La Salle [49.90 42.60]

Demon Trainer Dane Winslow [49.90,42.60]

Dane only sells grimoires, of which Grimoire of Blood Pact [rank 1] 1s is realistically the only thing that can be brought.

This trainer can be found on the right of the church, next to the graveyard. There are two trainers for warlocks, as their pets are separately trained.

He also has a unique quest, called Stolen Tome, where you are required to buy something; the pursuit is for Warlocks only.

Mobs

Note Danger level, according to Death log (according to Deathlog of Nek’rosh), it is recommended you only fight mobs where you beat the average death to the mob if survivability is a priority; this applies to all of Azeroth. However, using speed running routes often means you don’t always follow this rule.

Common Mobs

Note – Northshire mobs drop ‘universal loot’, mainly consisting of food, water, bags, and gear, explained in the next section. With some contextually logical loot belonging specifically to a mob group, generally, quest items can only be obtained via the intended mob.

Wolves (Young or Timber) drop specifically Tough Wolf Meat (Needed for a quest), Broken Fang, Chipped Claw, Ruined Pelt.

Kobolds (Vermin, Worker and Labourers) drop specifically Melted Candle, Shiny Red Apple, Refreshing Spring Water)

Defias thugs and Garrick Padfoot -drop specifically Red Burlap Bandana (Needed for a Quest), Darnassian Bleu, Refreshing Spring Water.

Young Wolf – #413th deadliest in Azeroth, average kill 1.4

(Level 1) – Closer to church entrance [[[Visualise this]]]

Timber Wolf #780 is the deadliest in Azeroth, with an average kill of 1.8

(Level 2) – Towards the kobold camp, behind the church, and generally further than young wolves

Kobold Vermin – #1026 deadliest in Azeroth, average kill 3.3

(Level 1 or 2) – Kobold camp until close to cave entrance drops –

Kobold Worker – #565 deadliest in Azeroth, average kill 1.9

(Level 2 or 3) Also at the camp, but concentrated further north near the cave entrance

Kobold Laborers – #1066 deadliest in Azeroth, average kill 2.6

(Level 3 or 4) – Inside Kobold cave.

Defias Thug – #134 deadliest in Azeroth, average kill 2.7

(Level 3 or 4) – In Farm – They’re the first hostiles; being nearby will cause them to engage in a fight, as indicated by the red nameplate.

Garrick Padfoot

#1359 deadliest in Azeroth, average kill 3.6

[Level 5] – One location and drops Garrick’s Head (Quest item), spawns along with one Defias thug

Loot:

Universal drops:

Small Red/Black/Green/Brown/Blue pouch (0.1% drop rate) – Lucky to possibly get one during the completion of this area, though it isn’t expected. 

All mobs will eventually drop gear-based loot, which falls under three different types, as well as weapons typical for the 6 starting human classes.

Weapons:

Battered Buckler

Bent Large Shield 

Quest items:

Bounty on Garrick Padfoot –

Grape Manifest – 

Wolves Across the Border –

Report to Goldshire – 

Pikeman Shield

Brother of thieves –

Skirmish at Echo Ridge –

Vendor items: 

Tarnished Chain Vest, Tarnished Chain Leggings, Tarnished Chain Belt, Tarnished Chain Boots, Tarnished Chain Bracers, Tarnished Chain Gloves, Small Shield, Large Round Shield

Thin Cloth Armor, Thin Cloth Belt, Thin Cloth Pants, Thin Cloth Shoes, Thin Cloth Bracers, Thin Cloth Gloves

Cracked Leather Vest, Cracked Leather Belt, Cracked Leather Pants, Cracked Leather Boots, Cracked Leather Bracers, Cracked Leather Gloves

Light shot, Crude Throwing Axe, Small Throwing Knife

Short Sword, Bastard Sword, Hand Axe, Broad Axe, Club, Large Club Dirk, and Short Staff

Equipment and BiS explained:

All the gear can be picked up from any mob/Garrick throughout Northshire, generally they’re Flimsy (Mail), Ragged Leather (Leather), or Frayed (Cloth). Weapons are also dropped, but less easily explained, and so I’ll link those directly last.

The options are: Default (replace as soon as possible if you can), Picked up, Quest Items, or brought from the vendors listed above. Read the below to work out how to BiS (Best in slot) your character from gear in Northshire.

Frayed ____ -> All Cloth items can be obtained through this area, for cloth/leather wearers, typically the values are lowest, so Mages, Warlocks, and Priests should primarily wear them. Mages, Warlocks, and Priests cannot wear Ragged Leather nor Flimsy gear.

The vendor variation of Frayed Cloth armour dropped would be the Thin Cloth set.

Most Cloaks from this area don’t have a type wearer restriction; as such, anyone can equip all cloaks. However, the best stats dropped by multiple sources are 5 Armor repeatedly.

Quest items are usually selected if they are an improvement; otherwise, players would choose the option that vendors offer for most copper.

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