A World of Warcraft player recently shared on Reddit a method to level from 70 to 80 in just six hours, using a simple yet effective approach: dual gathering (herbalism and mining).

The Method: Dual Gathering

By gathering herbs and ores while leveling, players can make steady progress toward both experience and gathering profession skills. However, since this method involves leveling alongside gathering, the efficiency won’t compare to players who are fully geared for gathering with maxed-out skills, gathering accessories, tools, and enchanted gear. For those looking to optimize time spent, it’s worth noting that this approach trades off some speed for freedom in leveling.

Freedom at a Cost

While this leveling method offers more freedom compared to grinding mobs, questing, or running dungeons, the price for that freedom is apparent once you hit max level: your gear score will likely be lower than in previous expansions. To prepare for endgame content in 11.0, players using this strategy will need to purchase significant amounts of gear from the Auction House, particularly blue-quality gear, or rely on "Bind on Account" items from other characters to bolster their item level.

Without additional support, you may struggle to tackle the majority of the new expansion’s content solo. However, joining casual group content, like theater-style tours, should still be manageable.

Quick Gear Catch-Up

Fortunately, "Timewalking" events are currently active. Players who reach level 80 using this gathering-based method can queue for Timewalking dungeons to quickly obtain gear with an item level of 550+ and catch up with the majority of players. After gearing up, running some main story quests or weekly objectives should be a smoother experience.

By combining gathering with Timewalking events, players can level efficiently and still enjoy the broader game content once they reach max level, without falling too far behind.