The massively-multiplayer online role playing game World of Warcraft, or WoW as it is affectionately known, is a gaming experience that transcends boundaries and nations. Worldwide, there are over 8 million subscribers playing this game at this time, with player from almost every continent sharing adventures in the magical realm of Azeroth.

WoW is unquestionably an immersive and entertaining game, but with literally thousands of decisions to be made regarding various topics like servers, factions, races and classes, and specialization of characters, it’s no wonders that some beginners find themselves at a loss when it comes to most effectively developing their online alter egos.

These days, WoW is increasingly gearing content toward the top level characters who range in the 60-70 levels, addressing some dissatisfaction expressed in the past that high level characters “had nothing to do.” This new material includes brand new quests, dungeons, weapons and armor introduced expressly for these high level characters.

Nowadays it’s very advantageous to have a powerful, established character in order to enjoy this new content, as well as to better enjoy player vs. player duels and, on a more pragmatic level, earn significant amounts of gold on an ongoing basis. Having a high level character will also help you tackle the toughest dungeons and gain membership to the most selective guilds.

There are a number of options when it comes to leveling your characters quickly, but if you are thinking of using a professional powerleveling service, forget it! These companies promise to take your character to level 70 at a significant cost ranging anywhere from 300 to 1000 dollars, and to do it safely and legally. However, in actuality, these services violate the World of Warcraft end user agreement, which states that you cannot relinquish control of your account to any third party for any reason.

So if you don’t want to risk getting your account terminated and your credit card blacklisted by Blizzard, you only really have one option when it comes to powerleveling your character — do it yourself! But don’t worry, it’s not as daunting as it may sound. It’s actually much more fun this way (as long as you are aware of the right quests and are not simply grinding), and you get to keep all the loot you collect on your way to level 70.

Still, it does take significant time to raise your character’s level to the maximum, unless you know the exact right steps to follow. Fortunately, there have been a number of excellent guides released on the Internet that show you the tried-and-true pathways that can cut the required playtime to reach level 70 to just a few weeks. They show you exactly where to go and which quests to undertake in order to take your character to level 70 in the smoothest manner possible.

Whether you decide to take your character to level 70 in the absolutely shortest time possible, or whether you choose to take your time and enjoy the leisurely route, WoW is a truly compelling experience that every computer game player should take the time to try out.