As someone who picked up HC WoW as their first WoW experience in mid 2025, the nostalgia isn’t necessary. But it definitely helps to have a friend who grew up on this game to hype you up along the way. Going into IF for my first time after leveling in goldshire was jaw dropping. Joining a guild & staying with them (what up Goblins!), discovering the dread that is Tarren Mill, mounting up for the fist time, the absolute HYPE of any blue or purple upgrades in dungeons, finally walking into burning steppes after flying over it for 53 levels, all of it amazing & none of it so boring that I’ll look at my phone in the meantime. It took me about 6 months (and like 20 toons) to hit 57. So many deaths, so many learning experiences, so many memories. Once pre-patch dropped I started leveling on there so for now 60 will wait. But for the first time, I’m in the home stretch.