Twinking and you — should you do it?
There is a lot to be said on this subject. Many forum posts have been made, endless topics have been written about why you should/shouldn’t twink and yet a conclusion is still to be found.
What is a twink?
Let’s take the definition from wowwiki:
A twink is a player character that is disproportionately powerful for its level, possessing potent items and high-end enchants that are generally far beyond the means of other players at that level.
“More powerful you say? ZOMG, I want that!” Hold on there junior, keep reading.
Twink items are acquired through rare drops, drops off of bosses in instances, as rewards from very difficult to complete quests, as gifts, or from the Auction House. Twink items on the Auction House are usually very expensive. The enchantments twinks typically have on their equipment can be performed only by higher level characters at the top of the enchanting profession and are usually very expensive. Therefore, twinking usually requires significant assistance from high-level alts, friends, and / or guild members. However, there are examples of self-made twinks that generate the necessary gold from Auction House trading or other in-game methods.
“Awwww, rare drops and rewards from very difficult quests ?! I can never complete those on my own. Oh wait, I also need the Auction House to buy expensive items and then enchant them with even MORE expensive enchants ?!” Well what did you think, that all this is free?
Twinks are mainly used in PVP fighting or in Battlegrounds.
“kk, I like that. Can’t wait to own nubs.” What ever happened to fair PVP?
Examples of twinking include:
- Having a high level character provide uncommon, rare, or epic Bind on Equip items to a low level character, or the gold to purchase those items,
- Having a high-level character farm an instance or accomplish high level quest chains with a lower-level character for the sole purpose of getting some items,
- Enchanting or applying arcana to a low-level character’s equipment with bonuses that require large amounts of gold or high-level materials, and
- Sending massive bulks of ingredients to a low level character so it can power level its professions, in particular Engineering, which allows the creation and use of equipment without level requirements.
- Also leveling their fishing skill up to 150 and using shiny baubles to raise it to 225 and fish in Stranglethorn Vale in the Stranglethorn Fishing Extravaganza for a Hat and Boots.
“So much trouble to go through!” Yes, but you will be “the best” in a world of pixels.
Twinking is most often done in order for a level 19 or 29 character to compete in the 10–19 and 20–29 battleground brackets. Two popular classes for twinks in World of Warcraft are rogues and hunters. This is because rogues gain the most from twinking, and hunters do well in battlegrounds, especially at low levels since many melee classes have no way to stop a hunter who can kite. Their damage is largely affected by the gear they have, so they can go above and beyond what other classes could twink to. Also, because many of the best items in the 10–19 bracket are leather and have agility and stamina on them, rogues and hunters gain the most from these stats.
Personal insight
I have a twink. A level 19 NE hunter. Well, “twink” is too much to say in my case. I have most of the required items to call myself a twink, but I don’t wear them. I only wear the bow from WC and a few drops from DM and WC. That’s it. And I still top the meters in all aspects. So just imagine what a full-fledged twink hunter or rogue could do.
I witnessed a few premades. I really felt the inferiority and didn’t like being 2-shotted. I also witnessed the purest form of stupidity out there: twinks asking normal players to leave the battleground. Not even asking politely, but shouting and calling everyone noobs for entering BGs at that level. God forbit you being lower that 19! “OMFG, n00b, you don’t even have 1k HP. WTF are you doing?!”. I always stood and argued with complete morons about them letting players to just play the game however they wish, even if they don’t stand a chance. If you are level 15 and want to try a bit of PvP, why not do it? But nooooooo, turns out I was the retarded one, for not kicking people who want to have fun. Sigh..
Personal advice?
If you really want to try and build a twink, be my guest. Spend a lot of gold on him if you don’t have anything better to spend them on. But PLEASE, don’t act retarded! Just play your game and let others play theirs.
Twinking is not for everybody! It’s required to have a bit of brain also.
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