The series has enough entries that "which one is this" is a fair question on its own.

Short answer

Newer is not automatically better here — several older entries are still the preferred ones for specific reasons.

  • Check whether a re-release changed balance.
  • Do not assume mechanics carried over from the last one.
  • Read the whole sequence once before doing the first step.

Twenty years of expansions mean half the advice online describes a version that no longer exists. Cross-entry knowledge transfers at the level of instincts, not specifics. Some entries were fixed by later patches into something quite different from their launch state.

How it holds up now

There is usually a fast way and a reliable way, and it is worth knowing which one you are choosing. Player populations differ hugely between entries, and that matters for anything multiplayer. Starting with the newest is usually right, and there are two or three well-known exceptions. Do the cheap check before the expensive one — that ordering alone saves most of the frustration.

The community's favourite entry is rarely the newest one. Series entries diverge more than their shared name suggests. Where two approaches both work, the one with fewer moving parts is the one to keep.

Who it suits

Ports and re-releases sometimes carry balance changes that are easy to miss. Most of the disagreement you will find online is two people describing different builds. Treat anything stated without a version number as provisional.

  • Check which entry a guide is written for before following it.
  • Newer is not automatically the right starting point.
  • Give a method one honest attempt before deciding it does not work.
  • Expect the first months after release to be patch-heavy.
  • Look at current player numbers if you care about multiplayer.

Where it sits in the series

There is no hidden trick here that the game is keeping from you. Patch notes move numbers around constantly; the shape of the answer holds even when a specific value shifts. Anything that behaves differently on console than on PC is flagged where it matters. It helps to understand why a step exists, because then you can adapt it when your situation is slightly different.

Where something depends on your platform or region, that is called out rather than glossed over. What follows assumes you are on a current install and have not modified it. The awkward part is rarely the step itself, it is knowing which step comes first.

What changed from the previous entry

Screenshots age faster than text, which is why this describes rather than shows. World of Warcraft is not shy about hiding useful information two menus deep, so some of this is simply knowing where to look. If your result differs from what is described here, note what is different first rather than starting over.

Everything below is framed around the current state of World of Warcraft rather than a launch-week impression. The short version is near the top on purpose; the reasoning is there if you want to know why. If a step reads as obvious, do it anyway — the obvious ones are the ones people skip and then wonder about.

Whether to start here

The developers have changed their mind about this at least once, which explains the older advice. Nothing here assumes a particular playstyle beyond wanting the thing to work. A single check up front replaces a lot of guessing later.

Where people go wrong

  • Rushing the last step, which is usually the one with the actual requirement in it.
  • Assuming a guide from an older season still describes the current version.
  • Ignoring the platform-specific note and then wondering why the steps do not line up.

WoW FAQ

Is it still active?

Population varies a lot between entries. Where it matters, check current numbers rather than trusting an old thread.

Does this work the same on console and PC?

The logic is identical. Menu paths and button prompts differ, and any real difference is flagged above.

Why do other guides describe this differently?

Most were written for an earlier version and never revisited. Compare the steps against what your build actually shows.

What if none of this works for me?

Then something in your setup differs from the assumption — version, region or platform. Check those three before anything else.

Anything that shifts with the next World of Warcraft update will show up as a changed number, not a changed approach.