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So What Does a Guide Need?

Female Orc Rogue in Opportunist's gearIf I write a guide about whatever what does that guide need to include? Especially if such a guide isn’t easily found?

So, for example, with a PvE or PvP guide, appropriate to any given spec, I might include…

  • talents & glyphs
  • stat priorities
  • rotations
  • gems and enchants and consumables
  • racial notes
  • profession comments

What needs to be added, in your view? What would you be looking for, in addition to the above?

What other sort of guides wold you want to see and what should be included in them?

 

 

4 thoughts on “So What Does a Guide Need?”

  1. What I’m usually looking for when I google for guides, is how to learn the ropes regarding class X or spec Y – I quit serious raiding and only play casual these days, so when I’m searching for a guide it’s to find the ABC on a class/spec that I haven’t tried yet.
    Generally I find guides are too focused on reaching/preparing for endgame (not all of us are raiders, y’know), or suggest that tank/heal specs are only good for dungeons (so if I want to quest in a tank spec to get a feel for it, I’m screwed?). Some time ago when I wanted to try out bear tanking on my then max-level Druid, I found not a single guide to help me and had to resort to the Wowhead forums to get specific tips from other bears on how to get started.

    I just ended up on your website by googling for a guide to Blood DK – I want to be able to solo old content for pets, and according to a friend this would be my best bet (especially because both my DKs are already 83 and 85, so less time spent levelling up). What I liked most about your guide(s) on playing a DK was how you covered all options for all specs, rather than just trying to send me into dungeons for wanting to play a tanking spec.
    Anoher thing I appreciate is that you give the basics on things like stats/abilities/etc. You provide the reader with a rotation to use, without drowning me in all available abilities and how I should feel like a moron for not immediately using every single bit of my arsenal. You give a rough sketch on what stats to aim for, without giving me the feeling that I need to keep a priority list to the side of my keyboard for every time I need to select a gear upgrade.

    So thanks for keeping in mind the audience for your guides – many people that want class-specific levelling guides want to learn the class/spec, rather than find the quickest way to 90 just so they can raid. Some people want to learn how to play a tank without being thrown in the deep end by doing dungeons. They want to learn how to heal without being told ‘lol just go dps till max lvl’. That’s what a guide needs; being tailored to who you write a guide for. 🙂

    1. Thanks.

      I DO try to write for the “regular” player and to make things accessible. Some get into the deep math, but I don’t (though I understand it) and I don’t think most others are too interested either. I also think people, generally, want it all on one page, rather than hopping around from page to page to get to the info they want. Obviously some sites disagree.

      Tanking. Heh. I love questing as a tank. Blood DK questing/leveling works very well. Round ’em up (a large group) and burn ’em down. Protection Pally also does very well, but the damage is lower so it takes longer. And Prot isn’t so hot when questing on a PvP server. 😉

      Now, if you have any suggestions as to how to make the guides better, that’d be cool, too.

  2. Well there are a couple I can think of that you really don’t see a lot of out there. A good transmog guide and where to get the items for those sets including drop chances would be awesome. There are several so-so ones out there, but a good detailed one is definitely needed.

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