The Big Bear Butt just gave me a heart attack. For the first time, I am forced to stop and think about what I will actually do in Mists of Pandaria once the expansion is unlocked and available for play. What’s the first thing I will do? What is my main goal? In what direction will I head first? These are not decisions I feel comfortable with making just yet.
Admittedly, I’ve gone pretty much spoiler-free thus far. I don’t really know that much about MoP other than it has an unfortunate acronym. The bullet points of features on the box are about where my knowledge will begin and end: there will be 5 more levels, a new Pandaren race, the ability to battle pets in the wild, new scenario things that can be completed without a full group, farming, and some pretty major class changes. I don’t know the details. I haven’t prepared for the expansion by farming for gold. I don’t know what my new talent spec will look like or what the druid healing changes are. I don’t know any optimal paths for leveling quickly and I haven’t even maxed out my Inscription yet in preparation for the cap to lift again. I feel woefully underprepared for this expansion.
On the other hand, I’m excited to explore a world that will be mostly new to everyone. I’m so far behind in Cataclysm that it never felt ‘worth it’ to experience it all. People keep talking about legendary weapons and I have no idea what they’re referring to. I got to beat Deathwing, and that is kind of all that matters now. I’m slightly annoyed with the Loremaster achievement. I was working on it in Wrath of the Lich King and then Cataclysm came out and added a huge list of quests to complete before I can get the achievement. And now, it’s about to happen to me again with Mists of Pandaria. But that’s okay, I’m excited for all the new quests and content.
But I never finished Cata. I never did Twilight Highlands, or Uldum. I never got past the first round of Molten Front dailies. I haven’t stepped in a battleground since pre-WotLK. What’s a Tol Barad anyway? I live in this weird world where everyone has been bored with Cataclysm for months and I feel like I didn’t get a chance to complete it. But that’s okay – I know I can always go back as a level 90 and see all the content.
I’m digressing because I’m avoiding the question at hand. I don’t think I’ll make a panda right away because the starter zones will be so packed. I’m also really bad at alts (that mage I started a few posts ago? haven’t played her since that day) and I know I’ll miss my druid if I play anything else. So I think the first thing I’ll do is start checking out the new 85 zones and leveling Treetopsy. I don’t want to miss out on the first time doing dungeons with my guildies. I do expect to be distracted by pet battling along the way though, and also farming. But my initial plan is to start leveling, and I don’t even know where that will be right now. I literally know nothing about the zones in the expansion.
Alas, I’m excited. I preordered Guild Wars 2 as well but it’s not my main squeeze. I am just too excited for MoP!
CuppyVille 
Let me just forewarn you (no spoilers here) that the decision on what to do first gets worse at 90. Every other xpac basically left me trying to find something to do. On beta, I could not figure out what in the world to do first because everything has great rewards and/or is FUN! I am so excited for MoP that I feel like I did as a kid waiting for Christmas!
I too have gone mostly spoiler-free. I did log onto the beta to 1) listen to the music and 2) ride around and enjoy the pretty GREENNESS!
This will be my first expansion with 1) a collector’s edition and 2) a full time, post-college job. I’m definitely not in it to rush. I’m not attached to a guild right now. If I don’t have a raid spot, that’s fine, whatever, I’m a healer, I’ll go next door, they’ll love me and I’ll make some real friends (ie, NOT teenage boys who put ascii appendages in the g-chat once a day).
So I guess my first plan is to log on my priest, and begin the questing. It will be fun. Might be a little slow with all the people, but it will be fun. My main toon will begin with the Tillers FOR SURE at 90. That’s an easy choice for various reasons. Next choice will be the mount peeps.
I will not say any more in an effort to avoid spilling any beans, but I believe you will have plenty to choose from so don’t worry there!
I think I will get all my toons leveled up first so I can maximize any group questing needs and won’t have to worry about being one of the “LFG FOR Crucible” that I see echoing with crickets in Twilight Highlands…
I’ve sort of pre-ordered Guild Wars 2. I told Mrs. Amateur that’s what I want for Christmas, so I expect to indulge then.
As for Cataclysm, I know most of the player base rags on it but there is still plenty I enjoy seeing and doing and now there’s this whole sort of new way to do it courtesy of Glyphs and new talents for each class. I have a pretty large to do list without even needing to get Mists. So, just know there are some of us out there still (essentially) enjoying the Cataclysm and experiencing it.