Hi, fellow gamers! I know a lot of you are in need of a simple UI guide, and with the WoW Cataclysm Classic just around the corner, this is the perfect time to set it up to be fast and smooth. Let me walk you through several important addons you need to have. Let's get started!

CurseForge

The first thing that you need to do is to get the CurseForge addon updated. You’ve got to be able to keep track of all of your addons and update them with every new patch, especially at the beginning of the new WoW expansion. There are going to be a lot of bugs, so having this updated every day before you log in by pressing 'Update All' on the addons is going to make your game smoother.

DarkMode

DarkMode is an addon that can darken various user interface (UI) elements in the game. Once installed, it uniformly alters the appearance of Action Bars, Unit Frames, Minimaps, Character Panels, Quest Logs, and more, creating a dark look across the entire interface. Its installation is very simple and does not require any setup.

Easy Frames

Easy Frames are smooth and clean, providing a lot of information. With this addon, you can access the settings and choose class-colored frames, which will apply the class color to every frame. You can further customize these frames, adjusting their size and appearance. Easy focus target, party frames - they all have a uniform look, with names displayed above and customizable name colors. Besides, you can adjust the size of buffs, including font size.

SexyMap

Onto the next addon, which is called the SexyMap. Simply install it, right-click it, navigate to User-Submitted Presets, and select Faded Square. This is the preset that I prefer and you can choose it too. You can adjust the scale of the map - I recommend use it at 1.1, but you can increase it further if you prefer. You also have the option to lock the map. However, you can also keep it unlocked for easy dragging.

Rested XP

Another addon frequently requested is the Rested XP, which you may already be familiar with or have installed. If you wish to integrate it seamlessly into your entire UI, simply right-click, navigate to Options, then Look and Feel, and choose Dark Mode by Bypass. Additionally, you can adjust the scale to your preference. This will give your UI a darker appearance.

Bagnon

Another component of this UI setup is the bag, which can be managed using Bagnon. This addon is popular with many players for its smooth integration and aesthetic appeal. With Bagnon, you can easily customize it to match the rest of your UI. Simply right-click to access the options menu, then choose a skin.

You can adjust the background color to a darker shade and also customize the border color accordingly. This helps the bag seamlessly blend into the overall UI, complementing the square map, guide, and other elements. Bagnon also offers convenient functionality, allowing you to easily check the amount of WoW Cataclysm Classic Gold across different characters and effortlessly rearrange items as needed.

HidingBar

Another aspect of this UI setup is the map, which you can achieve clean and icon-free by using a tool called HidingBar. With this addon, all the usual map icons are neatly tucked away, providing a clutter-free interface. You can easily customize the placement of the HidingBar by dragging it to your preferred location.

When you hover over the HidingBar, various options such as Looking for Group, Bulletin Board, and Nova World Buffs become available, allowing for quick access to essential features without cluttering the map. Overall, HidingBar helps maintain a clean and unobstructed view while playing the game.

Leatrix Map

The next one is a beautiful setup - Leatrix Map. In my opinion, it should be a default addon for any WoW Classic player. It's minimalistic, allowing you to zoom in and move it around to your heart's content. Plus, it has a stylish dark theme, but if that's not your style, you can probably customize the color to your liking.

Leatrix Plus

Another essential addon is Leatrix Plus. It offers a variety of enhancements for your interface. For instance, you can double the size of your Quest Log and Tooltips with just a simple click. You can also customize your Tooltip to attach it to your mouse pointer or to the right of the screen. Leatrix Plus also provides options to display guild ranks of other players and show unit targets' health bars, among other useful features.

Moreover, Leatrix Plus offers additional functionalities such as disabling loot warnings, enabling faster auto-loot, and maximizing camera zoom. You can also fine-tune your chat settings, ensuring a clutter-free interface. These features are invaluable throughout your adventures in the WoW Cataclysm and beyond.

SpellActivationOverlay

Last, I'll be utilizing an addon known as SpellActivationOverlay, seamlessly integrating it into this UI setup. It proves beneficial for a multitude of classes, enhancing gameplay with its captivating animations. Whether it's Elemental Shamans or any other class, these visual cues ensure you maximize your performance.

Archaeology, introduced as a secondary profession in WoW Cataclysm Classic, offers access to some of the game's most formidable items, such as Zin'rokh, Destroyer of Worlds, or the Staff of Sorcerer Thane-Thaurissan. In this guide, we'll explore how to swiftly and efficiently level up Archaeology, ensuring you acquire these remarkable items along the journey.

Essential Addons

First of all, if you’re leveling Archaeology, there are 3 addons that I highly recommend. You might already be familiar with them, but if not, they can significantly enhance your Archaeology experience. These addons are the GatherMate2 Classic, Minimal Archaeology, and TomTom. Together, they streamline the Archaeology process, making it much more convenient and efficient.

GatherMate2 Classic allows you to easily identify locations where you've previously excavated Archaeology fragments. By consulting your map, you can swiftly pinpoint these spots and prioritize them for your next dig. If a particular location doesn't yield the desired fragments, GatherMate2 Classic provides directional cues through color indicators like red, yellow, and green.

Utilizing this information, you can deduce the most probable location based on past visits. TomTom complements this by offering a helpful arrow to guide your path, while Minimal Archaeology determines the destination of this arrow.

Together, these addons streamline the Archaeology process, transforming it from a task requiring thoughtful consideration into a straightforward endeavor akin to following a guided path, akin to the ease of following the blue arrow in RestedXP.

Read More: These Preparations You Can Undertake During WOW Cataclysm Classic Pre-Patch

Archaeology Leveling

When you first learn Archaeology, from levels 1 to 50, you'll be gaining skill-ups by simply digging up fragments. Past that level, digging up fragments won't level up your profession. So, it's advisable to avoid crafting any artifacts until you're at Level 50. It's a good idea to carry enough WoW Cataclysm Classic Gold with you.

Craft items to avoid reaching the fragment cap, but ensure you reach level 450 with around 200 fragments for that specific race. Don't spend all your fragments on crafting useless items before reaching this milestone. Additionally, the best continent for leveling up in Archaeology is Eastern Kingdoms. It's slightly smaller than Kalimdor and tends to have dig sites closer to each other.

You'll also unlock Outland dig sites at Level 300, Northrend dig sites at Level 375, and Uldum dig sites for Tol'vir artifacts at 450. Stick to Eastern Kingdoms until you reach max level or obtain the item you're after, as there's little point in traveling to other continents unless you specifically need an item from those races.

One aspect not often discussed is that the Epic items obtained from Archaeology are all account-bound, meaning you can mail them to any of your alts. This makes Archaeology more alt-friendly, as you only need to level it once on one character. Although obtaining a pre-BiS item from this profession is long and tedious, if you happen to get one for a class you already have, at least you didn't obtain it for nothing.

The minimum level to start seeing big-ticket items is 450. Avoid crafting items from the race that has your pre-BiS before reaching this level. However, there's a cap of 200 fragments for each race, and you'll likely reach this cap on your way to 450 if you don't craft anything from them.

Drop Rates

Lastly, let's talk about drop rates. In Archaeology, every race has a set amount of common and rare artifacts that can appear and thankfully only one Epic artifact, meaning we can easily calculate the odds you'll get your Epic item from those races.

For Trolls, the odds of getting the Zin'rokh, Destroyer of Worlds are thankfully among the highest at 7%. For Dwarves, the Staff is unfortunately only at 3%. The Epic chest from Night Elves at 4%, 10% for the Epic male helmet from Orcs, 17% for the one-handed axe from Fossils.

Here is a bit particular as it has 6 Epic items out of a total of 13 artifacts, making your odds of getting an Epic artifact at 46%. However, you cannot guarantee which one you'll get. And also, Tol'vir artifacts share spawns with all of Dwarf dig sites, making these two artifacts quite tough to get if you're after them.