I'm going to be wrapping up my time with SWTOR in a month or two (I'm really on there for the Bioware-ness), and I've found that I'm accidentally kind of hooked on MMO gameplay. I'm considering making the jump to World of Warcraft, but looking at all the expansions and what not, I'm wondering if it's really wise.

So what I'm asking, I guess, is whether I should just buy vanilla and my sub, and if I stick with it buy the later expansions piece meal, or should I go whole hog on one of those Battle Chests? I suppose what I'm most worried about is dropping fifty-sixty bucks + sub and then finding I don't really care for it.

Obligatory "Are you sure? Do you know what you're getting yourself into?" line.

Anyway, judging from the digital copy on the Battle.net store, the level range is 1 to 85, so it seems that The Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich King and Cataclysm have been merged into the main game. The only expansion you would need to buy seperately would be Mists of Pandaria and the upcoming Warlords of Draenor.

I did the free trial and there was a thing to click on in game to sign up for real. It was the battle chest and it was only $10.

@oldirtybearon: I think I have a fairly easy solution for you. World of Warcraft is free to play up until level 20. So no need to purchase anything, just head on in here and see if you enjoy the game or not. That said, if you actually mean to purchase the game afterwards, then a bundle will end up being your cheapest option by far, and will come with 30 days of playtime.

It's 20 bucks right now but yeah. It includes every expansion up to Cataclysm and then Mists is $10. Warlords is $50 which is insane but not out yet so you will be fine until that comes out and until you hit level 90.

I'd say get the $20 digital copy from battle.net (which comes with a 30-day trial sub), and see how far you get and how you feel after that time. Even if you don't like it, $20 is not exactly a high-risk investment. Mists of Pandaria is only $10 more, so being up to date on all expansions will cost you $30 for a one month trial. Leveling is so easy now that even just playing 2 hours sporadically at night I got to raiding within a month, so you'll definitely know by then.

They might still be running the offer in game though. You might also have to click it before you get to level 20.

Take all claims of leveling times with a grain of salt. Yes, you can level hella fast now, but you can not quickly level your first toon. Waaaay too much to learn, besides, powerlevling your first character is like purposefully making the experience less memorable.

You have one first go on WoW, it's worth taking the time to do it right. Running your ass off to reach endgame is going to be a huge bummer, cause endgame has NEVER measured up to the first few months of WoW for me. Not even in the slightest. This holds true for pretty much everyone. The sense of exploration in WoW is second to none because everything is made with purpose. There aren't huge empty areas (unless they're supposed to be, the Barrens, for example) where people just hang around grinding mobs 24/7. WoW has a world worth experiencing.

Also, grab a friend. It makes the game infinitely more fun.

Also #2 Getting into WoW is probably the best choice as MMOs go. WoW will continue going for many years still, and I'm guessing we'll have WoW2 long before WoW1 dies, or wow will just become wow2 at some point, either way you're basically signing up for a world you can revisit every patch/expansion or whenever (sub fees apply, obviously...) Having a virtual realm to go to is nice. Everyone should at least experience it.

May lead to extreme escapism.

The base version of the game comes with everything up through Cataclysm. You'd only have to buy MoP. I'd say go for it, dude. The game is still super popular for a reason. If you're thinking about it because of TOR's combat, then yeah, WoW's your best bet, as TOR is essentially just BC-era WoW. Some things have changed (many specs' rotations are at least a little proc-based now), but it's still mostly the same.

If you're looking for something that isn't WoW, maybe think about Final Fantasy XIV. Combat is still tab-target but is a little more combo-focused and is a lot more about dodging ground-AOEs. Super-active GB guild; I'd say at least 10-20 people online at all times hanging out and doing stuff together. They just recently added a 14-day free trial. Worth thinking about if you're not totally sold on WoW.

Yeah, as others have said, I'd try out the free trial first before buying anything and see if it's a path you really want to go down.

As far as MMOs go, for my money, WoW is still the absolute best option available.

Uh let me think? No.

I will give you the same advice I give anyone else who has never played an MMO or is an MMO newbie who wants to consider trying one or more.... Go for something with actual heart, design ideals, and is at least "trying" to be innovative. Playing WoW is a waste of time, it is literally just every other MMO filtered down into a "that worked for them lets steal it" list. WoW is basically the most derivative, uninteresting, watered down MMO that exists. I can't say enough bad about it.

Try The Secret World, Wildstar, Rift, or even wait for the upcoming new EQ or Arche Age. I would tell you to try Elder Scrolls Online even over WoW. If you want a WoW like MMO that sticks to the tried and true stale MMO mechanics go with FF14.

I will echo that point insofar as that if you're looking for a themepark MMO, FFXIV is actually pretty great. It has some pretty good cutscenes and story for an MMO. It couldn't hold my attention for too long, but if you're into that kind of game I think you might like it.