First, make friends with the “L” key on your keyboard. Pressing this key will open your Quest Journal, where you will find all of the necessary information for solving the quest you are on. Checking back here often will avoid your having to ask simple questions on the chat channel (asking incessant questions like these can mark you for blacklisting when you go to look for a party to join!). In short, there's a reason the Quest Journal is so detailed – use it!

A second way to avoid clogging up the airwaves with unnecessary questions is to consult a city guard for directions to where you need to go. That's what they are there for. When you ask a guard for directions, you'll not only be pointed the right way, but you'll find a flag in your mini-map. Good deal, huh?

Remember, too, that every trade in WoW has a counterpart. With the exception of Tailoring and Enchanting, every trade in WoW has a gathering skill and a crafting skill. Essentially, what that means is in order to use your crafting skill (such as in Blacksmithing), you'll also need to have the Mining skill in order to collect the materials you'll need. Make sure you select both the crafting and mining skills necessary for your trade. If you don't, you'll end up buying raw materials at auction (a pricey endeavor!) or trying to trade the raw materials for the finished goods you don't have the skills to craft.

Much like the “L” key, the Num Lock key is your friend, someone you ought to get to know and use often. The Num Lock key is your auto run, a feature that will allow you to check your quest log, rifle through you inventory or kibbutz with your friends while still playing the game.

Just like Bob Barker always says, “Help control the pet population.” In WoW, though, this stern warning takes on a different meaning. In WoW, this doesn't mean to have your pet spayed or neutered. Instead, it refers to control your pet classes (Hunters and Warlocks). Don't just leave your pet set in “Aggressive” mode. Doing so will let them attack willy-nilly, attracting more negative attention from monsters than your party may want.

With these few tips you will be well on your way to mastering the basics of the game (and you'll avoid irritating other players by asking unnecessary questions!).