Should You Buy WoW Dragonflight? An Expert Player‘s In-Depth Guide

As a longtime WoW player since the Burning Crusade days, the launch of a new expansion is always an exciting time. Fresh zones to explore, new dungeons and raids to conquer, and higher levels to attain bring an infusion of adventure. But for the first time with Dragonflight, I‘ve found myself debating whether to immediately purchase the latest expansion or hold off.

If you‘re on the fence about buying Dragonflight, let‘s dive into the key factors to consider so you can make the best decision for your personal playstyle and interests.

What You Can and Can‘t Access Without Dragonflight

First, it‘s important to set expectations on what you can and can‘t do without the new expansion. The good news is that as of Dragonflight‘s launch, all previous expansions now come with the base WoW subscription at no additional cost. This means you have access to a wealth of zones, dungeons, raids, quests, and more from past expansions without needing to buy the latest one.

However, without purchasing Dragonflight itself, you are restricted to level 60 and unable to access any of the new content and features it provides, including:

• The new Dragon Isles zones
• Raising the level cap to 70
• The Dragonriding aerial movement skill
• The new Dracthyr Evokers class
• New dungeons and raids
• New profession recipes and materials
• Updated talents and abilities

So while you may have plenty to do revisiting old favorites, you‘ll be walled off from all the shiny new toys the expansion provides.

Weighing the Pros and Cons of Buying Dragonflight

Let‘s explore some of the key pros and cons of purchasing Dragonflight versus continuing to play without it as a non-expansion owner:

Reasons to Buy Dragonflight

• Exciting to play new zones and content
• Leveling to 70 gives a sense of progression
• Dragonriding provides free-flying mobility
• Access to new dungeons, raids, gear, crafting recipes
• Play the new Dracthyr race and Evoker class
• Derive pride from cutting edge progression

Reasons to Wait on Dragonflight

• Hype often fades after initial rush
• Can feel repetitive leveling yet again
• You already have a mountain of content available
• Can wait for potential sale opportunities
• Avoid feeling "forced" to play and burnout
• Let others beta test for bugs/balance issues

If you tend to get hooked into the FOMO and hype around whatever is newest in WoW, Dragonflight will probably provide that quick hit of excitement. But for some, waiting allows anticipation to build while avoiding content drought burnout.

Making Gold for WoW Tokens Without Dragonflight

One strategy if you‘re looking to save money is trying to earn enough gold in-game to purchase WoW Tokens and redeem them for subscription time. This allows you to keep playing without spending real money. Here are some of the best gold farming options at level 60 without Dragonflight:

• Raw gold farms – Farming old raids via legacy loot can bring 500-3,000 gold per hour depending on lockouts. Popular options include Legion raids like Antorus and Tomb of Sargeras.

• Materials farming – Herbs, ores, and other tradeskill materials sell well on the Auction House. Zin‘anthid and other 8.3 materials remain profitable.

• Crafting professions – Crafted gear, consumables, and tradeskill items can be lucrative. Check material costs vs. potential profit.

• Playing the Auction House – Flipping underpriced items and managing profitable markets. This method takes more gold investment but knowledge pays off.

• Garrison missions – Draenor garrison missions can still yield solid passive gold income from the follower minigame.

With some dedication, you can farm 5-10+ tokens per month and play for free using these methods. But it does take consistent daily effort.

Optimal Gearing Without Dragonflight

While you won‘t have access to Dragonflight‘s newest tier of raiding and Mythic+ dungeons, there are still plenty of gearing options to pursue at level 60:

Raiding

• Castle Nathria – ilvl 213-226 gear from first Shadowlands raid
• Sanctum of Domination – ilvl 226-252 gear from second raid
• Sepulcher of the First Ones – ilvl 265-288 gear from the latest raid

I‘d recommend aiming for at least full Normal Sepulcher gear, which you can pug via Raid Finder. Then target Heroic and Mythic difficulty for the best pre-Dragonflight gear.

Mythic+ Dungeons

• Up to +15s – 226 dungeon end-of-run loot, 252 in weekly cache
• +16 to +20s – 239 dungeon, 258 weekly cache loot
• +21 to +23s – 252 dungeon, 278 weekly cache loot

Gear up by timing +15s, then push higher keys for optimal Mythic+ gear. Installing Raider.IO can help get invited to higher groups.

PvP

• Rival – ilvl 259 Honor PvP gear
• Duelist – ilvl 272 Conquest gear
• 2v2 or RBG options

PvP provides another path to grabbing solid pre-Dragonflight epic quality gear.

Staying Motivated Without New Content

The downside of playing through a content drought without a new expansion is the potential for burnout. Here are some tips to stay motivated if you opt not to buy Dragonflight yet:

• Set short term goals – Aim to finish rep grinds, achievement milestones, pet battles, etc.

• Level alts – Replay old expansions via Chromie Time or try new classes.

• Go back for transmogs – Farm old raids and dungeons for weapon and armor looks.

• PvP – Work on ranking up your rating or titles across brackets.

• Host events – Organize guild contests, tournaments, naked Grom‘gol runs, etc.

• Party Sync – Replay old expansion features with lower level friends.

• Prepare for Dragonflight – Stockpile materials, gold, and gear for a headstart.

Having mini goals to make incremental progress can help stave off content fatigue. And remembering to take breaks helps avoid burning out.

When Will Dragonflight Become Part of the Base Game?

Based on the timeline of previous expansions, I speculate that Dragonflight will be rolled into the default WoW subscription and added to Chromie Time approximately 6-14 months after launch.

Here‘s when past expansions became part of the base game:

So most likely around the 10.3 patch, Dragonflight content will work like Shadowlands does currently – available to all subscribers without needing to buy the box.

The Magic Fades – Expansion Hype vs Reality

As an MMORPG veteran, I‘ve been through the cycle of getting sucked into the hype of shiny new expansions many times. That thrill when servers first launch is intoxicating. But the magic inevitably fades within a few months.

The gear treadmill begins again. Friends drift away or burn out until the next content patch arrives. The vibrant world full of fellow levelers becomes a barren wasteland.

Not to be pessimistic, but sustaining long-term motivation through an entire two year expansion cycle requires pacing yourself. That‘s why more and more of my fellow players are opting to skip the initial rush these days.

By delaying until the .1 or .2 patch, waiting for discounts, or at least taking your time – you can sidestep the exhilarating but fleeting highs and harsh come-downs.

Should You Buy Dragonflight or Wait?

Hopefully this deep dive has provided insights to help inform your own decision on whether to buy Dragonflight right away, wait for a while, or possibly even sit this one out.

Here are a few final tips based on your playstyle:

• For new players – Absolutely buy Dragonflight and enjoy the journey to max level the first time!

• For PvE Raiders/Mythic+ – Dragonflight required to see the new raid tiers and high keys.

• For Casual Players – No need to rush on Dragonflight, enjoy the ride in existing content!

• For Pet Collectors – Only need if you MUST have the newest pets right now.

• For RPers – Continue roleplaying anywhere with your community.

• For Achievement Hunters – Many pre-Dragonflight achievements you can still earn.

At the end of the day, it‘s about understanding what you want to get out of WoW right now as a player. With the robust amount of past expansion content now available for free, you have plenty of options to enjoy the game even without Dragonflight.

But if you‘re hungry for the thrill of racing to new heights and conquering cutting edge challenges, Dragonflight will sate that appetite. Just be mindful that the cycle will repeat, and remember to play at a pace that avoids fatigue.

Let me know your thoughts on Dragonflight and whether you plan to jump in on day one or wait it out! I‘m happy to keep this brainstorming discussion going.