The Classic World of Warcraft experience is all about you and the game. Forget about features like looking for group, achievements, or information about gear and dungeons that pop up in an easy map the second you walk in when you're playing retail WoW. Not for you, an adventurer in a true vintage game! You're so hardcore you even think a Warlock summon is OP.
However, doing the math that determines upgrades to your gear is difficult, it's hard to keep track of all those raid bosses, and how is anyone expected to memorize all of the mats they need for every enchant? So why not download some mods to help with all those facts, stats and detailed recipes? Here are ten of the best, most popular and must-have add-ons for Classic World of Warcraft.
10 Deadly Boss Mods
Deadly Boss Mods (DBM) is still one of the most common and popular mods that exist for World of Warcraft. Plenty of gamers still use it in the retail version, just to give you an idea of how useful the mod really is.
DBM is great for giving you all the essential info about each boss in every dungeon in the game, including information unique to your class. Players can use a variety of commands with DBM to show extra features, like their distance away from other players or timers for specific events.
9 Group and Guild Calendar for Classic
Who says that online gaming is for social outcasts? There's a lot for you and your friends to do in the game and all of that activity requires organization and planning. Meetings, book clubs, and of course, the weekly Molten Core raid.
Imagine planning a party for forty people twice a week and the amount of effort that would entail. That's where simple mods like this one come in. There aren't a lot of bells and whistles here, which is the point. Anyone can use its intuitive interface and idiot-proof style to post information about and take part in guild and group events.
8 Atlas Loot Classic
Often you'll find yourself asking "Where's the cool stuff and how does my toon get it?" Other important questions follow, such as, is this new item better than my old gear? Is it better for PVP or PVE? Can it be crafted, and if so, what materials are required?
It's not just about how and where to find things with AtlasLoot but where they come from in the first place. The interface helps you plan for future gear by providing a guide to upgrades, including what you can make and what you have to kill for. If you need to know what you need and how to get it Atlasloot has it covered.
7 Questie
Questie worked out so well back in the days of vanilla WoW that it eventually became a part of the modern game design. It also remains a point of controversy in an environment where authenticity and "player and game experience" are heavily scrutinized.
Questie tells you everything you need to know to finish any given quest, including the use of an actual arrow to point you in exactly the right direction every step of the way. It's hard to argue that it's not full-on cheating but we still have stuff to do in real life, and time is a factor. Critics argue that it wrecks the immersive experience and doesn't challenge the player, while proponents point to it as a valuable time-saver and level-aid.
6 TomTom
Every so often, you ask a question in general chat and receive a jumble of digits in reply, like a code. Those are map coordinates, and the person who sent them was probably using TomTom.
Azeroth is a big place, and that minimap is cute, but it leaves a lot to be desired. The world map isn't very helpful when you're out questing, as it's virtually unmarked except for a few names and a flight path. TomTom gives every spot on the map a set of coordinates so you can find everything you're looking for. On the other hand, you can also use it to help others who had the same questions you did before you downloaded this addon.
5 Pawn
The name might be a bit misleading, as this isn't just about calculating how much things are worth. Pawn also helps you upgrade your gear according to specific information, like your character's specialization.
Which is better, the intellect buff, or the boost to casting speed? That's a crucial skill when your gear depends on whether or not you get into the raid group. And if you're playing more than one character, Pawn can track their specs, too.
4 Weak Auras 2
Not just for Priests or other classes that are familiar with buffs, WeakAuras 2 tracks any buffs that you're using, including ones that you get from potions, scrolls, totems, food, or almost anything else in the game that improves your existing stats or gives you a new ability.
Warlocks can also use it for soulstones and Paladins can use it for auras. It shows the timing of your buffs using colorful bars complete with labels and even has an extra feature that improves CPU performance to avoid that annoying lag you can get in a crowded raid.
3 Auctioneer
This is another classic from the old days. Features from Auctioneer are so useful that the add-on is still widely used in the latest retail version of the game. In Classic, however, this kind of information was more important than ever because making gold for training, gear, mounts, and enchants was a serious issue.
The add-on helps with both selling and buying so players can make more gold or find expensive items for low prices. The program includes an appraiser if you need to know how much something is worth.
2 Details! Damage Meter
It's not all about making money, sometimes it's about actually playing the game. Damage meters are often used in raids to see who does the most damage, which is a way of measuring threat, and who does the most consistent healing.
The add-on isn't just for raids or groups. You can use it to measure item levels and examine gear as it gives you the results of your battles in real-time. The add-on is also designed for low CPU consumption so it won't cost you precious seconds during the heat of battle.
1 ALL THE THINGS
This add-on is especially handy in Classic WoW, where you often know what you need, but not where it is or why it's important.
There are already several programs that do that, but ALL THE THINGS is different because it also shows you what gear looks like when it's equipped. If you're a collector, this add-on helps you find obscure or secret items. More modern versions of World of Warcraft have adopted a similar system, but nothing like it exists in Classic.