Leaving Mulgore, you should have the following quests:
Arch Druid Hamuul Runetotem – The Barrens Oases
Melor Stonehoof – Sergra Darkthorn
And leaving Durotar, you will have:
Takrin Pathseeker – Conscript of the Horde
Orcs/trolls continue at Far Watch Post, taurens read on.
Camp Taurajo
Pause here very briefly just to collect one quest: Kirge Sternhorn – Journey to the Crossroads. Then take the road north. The mobs around the south end of the Barrens are higher than those closer to the Crossroads; you’ll see high teens mobs mostly. Watch out for Alliance outriders crossing the road. Closer to Crossroads, you’ll see mob levels drop to around 11-14. Skip down to the Crossroads.
Report to Kargal Battlescar after crossing the river, and collect: Kargal Battlescar – Crossroads Conscription. Continue along the road to the Crossroods.
The Crossroads
As soon as you arrive, check in with the inn to set your hearthstone, and run around to complete quests and pick up new ones. There is a delivery series of quests, which will make sure that you are registered for the flight path; these are somewhat quicker and cheaper if you use the hearthstone for one leg of your journey:
Jahan Hawkwing – A Bundle of Hides
Devrak – Ride to Thunder Bluff (Thunder Bluff)
Ahanu (Thunder Bluff) – Tal the Wind Rider Master
Tal (Thunder Bluff) – Return to Jahan
You should ideally do these as soon as you arrive in the Crossroads, so as to get the maximum benefit from the experience they give. However, they may be a tauren only quest. The orc/troll equivalent appears to be:
Zargh – Meats to Orgrimmar
Devrak – Ride to Orgrimmar
Innkeeper Gryshka – Doras the Wind Rider Master
Doras – Return to the Crossroads
Thorn Hill
When you get back, make sure that you have:
Sergra Darkthorn – Plainstrider Menace
Thork – Disrupt the Attacks
Gazrog – Raptor Thieves
Start on these three; you can realistically start solo at 10, but will need to be probably 13 to complete the first razormane quest. Plainstriders are all over, levels 11-12, and the razormane camp is north of the crossroads, to the east before the next east-west road. Mobs are 10-12; the hunters are 11-12 with pets 7-8. The westernmost camp will provide all the kills you need; be careful of the hunters. When you have these two, you will be given: Sergra Darkthorn – The Zhevra, Thork – Supplies for the Crossroads, and Thork – The Disruption Ends.
Zhevra are 13-14, and can be found a little further north than the razormanes (and similarly to the south); they rarely drop a hoof. Mix in kills for: Gazrog – Raptor Thieves. Raptors are less common, but are found in the same general areas, and every kill drops a head.
Back to the razormanes, and you should ideally be 14 or higher for these. Move east along the camp; note that geomancers are in the far east of the razormane camp, and also have the fire tar drop for the shaman quest. The crates for the supplies also spawn in this camp; I believe they can spawn in either the east or southern camps, and possibly in both at the same time. Kreenig Snarlsnout (level 15) spawns in the southern camp, which has higher mobs, up to level 14; I have also seen a 15 elite back there – Elder Mystic Razorsnout.
Oases
Tonga Runetotem – The Forgotten Pools; this is both easy and hard. You can try the sneak approach at possibly as low as 11, but would need to be at least 13 to complete by killing. Before you leave the Crossroads, take: Apothecary Hellbrim – Fungal Spores. Head out the west gate, and find Regthar Deathgate in a building north of the road; Regthar Deathgate – Centaur Bracers. The pools are along the road west out of the Crossroads, but have poor visibility among the vegetation, and are infested with Kolkar and a few raptors. If you can sneak close enough to the oasis, try a death rush into the water, where you may escape pursuit. You are looking for a fissure in the dead centre of the lake; while you are in its area, you can breathe, even though underwater. This leads to: Tonga Runetotem – The Stagnant Oasis (SE). The spores are from the several fungi that spawn at the edge of the oasis; at least one extra fungi spawns south of the hill south of the oasis. If you’d rather kill the Kolkar, be warned that you will often find yourself with two or three if you aren’t very careful.
The Stagnant Oasis is to the south east of the Crossroads, and is a similar task, except that the oasis has level 16 turtles in it. They aren’t hard to kill, even at 14, and you will need to return here for Tonga Runetotem – Altered Beings. The Oasis Snapjaw are 15-16 and are very easy to kill, safe from the kolkar, if you swim to the fissure and use its air bubbles. They have a very small aggro range. This is followed by an easy run around quest, that sends you to Sepulcher in Silverpine Forest then to Thunder Bluff, and primes you to look in Wailing Caverns much later. Combine this with the follow on for Fungal Spores, which also ends you to Thunder Bluff: Apothecary Hellbrim – Apothecary Zamah; it should be no surprise that the next quest sends you to the (non-instanced part of) Wailing Caverns: Apothecary Zamah – Serpentbloom. Zamah is in the undead Pools of Vision area of Spirit Rise in Thunder Bluff; it is best reached from the lower entrance to the rise.
Ratchet
Time to meet some goblins. Make sure that you have: Apothecary Hellbrim – Wharfmaster Dizzywig. Take the road east out of the Crossroads. In Ratchet, note the bank there if you want to store any loot. Take Gazlowe – Southsea Freebooters; these are south along the coast from Ratchet, and you can find a path leading to them from the upper row of merchants. Come back for: Gazlowe – The Missing Shipment, which turns into Gazlowe – Stolen Booty, and check the wanted poster for: Baron Longshore.
The crates for Stolen Booty spawn at the tents in the farthest two (of four) camps. Baron Longshore is 16, and can presumably spawn at any of the camps (he was at the second for me, and I have heard of him at the fourth). I’d want to be 13 or higher for the first quest, and probably 16 for the Baron, because of the likelihood of multiple pulls and adds.
If you are a herbalist, Medbok Mizzyrix – Root Samples; this is easy to do at any time. In fact, pick up any quest you can, as you’ll want to use them later.
The Dry Hills
Start with finding Darsok Swiftdagger in the Crossroads; he is at the top of the watchtower, and many people miss him. Then it’s time to go to the far north west of the Barrens for Darsok Swiftdagger – Harpy Raiders, which leads to Darsok Swiftdagger – Harpy Lieutenants. For the first quest, level are 14-16; the second, you have to make your way through the lower harpies first, and then slayers are 16-17.
Cats, Kolkar and Raptors
Start with Sergra Darkthorn – Prowlers of the Barrens. They are in several locations in the Barrens, but the suggested area southwest of Crossroads is OK, and probably the closest. Like the other cats, prowlers like to lie in the shade in long grass and around trees, so be very careful of what you are pulling.
Finish the centaur bracers if you haven’t already, and scan the area of the oasis for Barak Kodobane, level 16, for Regthar Deathgate – Kolkar Leaders.
This leads to: Sergra Darkthorn – Echeyakee. You have to kill a named white cat, level 16. He spawns in the kodo bones north east of the mountain bahind Grol’dom Farm when you use the horn that Sergra gives you. The cats here spawn fast and roam across the bones, so you want to pull him back onto the slope of the mountain to kill. This would be a good grind spot around level 14-17, if you need one.
Now take: Sergra Darkthorn – The Angry Scytheclaws, and make sure that you have Mankrik – Lost in Battle, and from Ratchet: Mebok Mizzyrix – Raptor Horns. This is easy enough if you are 16 or 17. The scytheclaws are level 17-18, with a few lower. You will need three feathers that seem to drop from any raptors, not just the ones you are told. The three nests are in fact all next to each other, just a very short way east of the road just north of the bridge to South Barrens, south of the Crossroads. The raptor horns are relatively rare drops. Manrik’s wife is at the huts on the west just south of the bridge. The raptors are very close together but will single pull. Back in Ratchet, Mebok gives you yet another Wailing Caverns quest (Mebok Mizzyrix – Smart Drinks).
To find the Raptor Grounds for Gazrog – Stolen Silver, follow the gully east from the bridge on South Gold Road, just by the nest above. Just before you reach Northwatch Hold, you will see what seems to be a tent guarded by two raptors to the south. Each tent has two raptors guarding it, with one wanderer from the back to the front, but the last tent has three raptors; all 17-18. Pull the wanderer first, and you should be able to get most single, but be prepared for a double pull. The final tent you can very carefully pull the third raptor first, but the last two will come together. The silver is in a chest right there. You can exit the canyon at the back of the tents, if you wish.
Sludge Fen
You need to have Sputtervalve – Samophlange. This quest is really a series of quests that involves the Venture Company buildings to the west of Sludge Fen (which is in the north east). The easiest way to reach it is to run north from the Crossroads, and turn right just as the road kinks to the left, just before the north outpost. You need to clear to the machine to the west first. There are several parts of the machine that you must click on in order to complete the quest. Start with the control console, which is on the south side in the middle, and looks like a box with levers. The next three parts are small wheels on different parts of the machine; read the book you were given with the quest for descriptions. The first wheel is low down on the west side, then a wheel at the north side, and finally the east side; then back to the control console. The enemies here are relatively low level, mostly 13-14; you could combine this with the first harpies quest to save a trip north if you wanted. I’d want to be at least 15, possibly 16, to make this short quest series worthwhile.
Once you have finished this sequence, you need to clear to the small building to the east. Inside the hut is the level 16 named you need to kill. Loot the key, then back to the control console. From there, it’s back to Sputtervalve in Ratchet.
Pick up Wharfmaster Dizzywig – Miner’s Fortune while you are in Ratchet. Sputtervalve sends you to Wenikee Boltbucket, who is just south of the outpost before Ashenvale, which is up the north road, only a little way past the Samophlange machine. She wants: Wenikee Boltbucket – Nugget Slugs. These come from tool buckets at Sludge Fen, most mobs 14-16 here. The buckets can drop up to three slugs, so having to collect 15 isn’t quite as bad as it sounds. The respawn of the buckets is very slow, so work your way around the site and carefully kill in to each bucket as you get to it. Avoid the much higher mobs at the mine and building north of the site. On the north side of the fen is a goblin robot broken down with a quest marker on it: Wizzlecrank’s Shredder – Ignition. When you work your way to the south side after making a complete circuit, you will probably still have one or more slugs to collect. Start to kill up the ramp to the platform in the middle of the fen; you are likely to get two at once in a couple of places, so I’d wait for 18 to clear this area. On the first level is another bucket, and the supervisor (level 18) you need to kill. Wizzlecrank’s Shredder – Ignition. I also found Chen’s Empty Keg close to the south side ramp here, although I believe it can spawn at many points in the Barrens. Take it to Brewmaster Drohn in Ratchet for an easy quest: Brewmaster Drohn – Chen’s Empty Keg. The hardest part is the Thunder Lizard; these are levels 18+ in South Barrens.
When you return to Wenikee Boltbucket, she wants you to go to Orgrimmar: Wenikee Boltbucket – Rilli Greasygob. This results in: Rilli Greasygob – Samophlange Manual. Take the Talon Gate out of Orgrimmar, and the mine you need (the Boulder Lode Mine) is right there to your west. The miners (overseers and enforcers) are 16-18, and you will get the pages for the manual very quickly. Again, getting two at once is relatively common until you have an area killed; respawn is fast, I could only clear one side of the outside of the mine (roughly 6-8 enemies). However, the Cat’s Eye Emerald will take some time; I have heard of people getting it on their first or second kill; all I can say is that I killed at least 30, and earned half a level at 19 before I got it. The reward includes a six slot bag.
Pilot Wizzlecrank – The Escape 18 escort?
Camp Taurajo and South Barrens
This series is not too hard at 18, up to the visit to Mahren Skyseer, whereupon it jumps several levels. By now, you should have: Sergra Darkthorn – Jorn Skyseer. Jorn is in Camp Taurajo to the south, where taurens enter the Barrens for the first time. Jorn will give you: Jorn Skyseer – Ishamuhale. So haul yourself back to Ratchet, and kill a zehra on the way; I got my carcass on the first kill. West of Ratchet there is an escarpment leading north; you want to be up on that plateau. Roughly half way between Ratchet and the next road is a big hill (Thorn Hill, in fact). Close to it there will be level 16 prowler matriarchs. Directly east of the hill is a big dead tree. Clear around it: mostly hyenas, raptors and a few lower level cats. Then right click the zehra carcass in your inventory. Ishamuhale spawns nearby, level 19.
Back in Camp Taurajo: Jorn Skyseer – Enraged Thunder Lizards. These are on the east side of the South Gold Road, ranging from 22 just south of the camp, down to 18 by the little bridge. I got my three drops in about six kills. Jorn Skyseer – Cry of the Thunderhawk. These range from 19 in the north, going up in level. My wing dropped on the second kill. Jorn Skyseer – Mahren Skyseer. She is in the hut on the coast just east of the first pirate camp south of Ratchet; you can reach it by climbing over the hill without aggroing the pirates. The path can be a little hard to make out if you don’t know it. She wants you to kill a level 27 sea monster (Mahren Skyseer – Isha Awak), so this can wait.
Now it is time for: Mankrik – Consumed by Hatred (Manrik is in the Crossroads), and also Mangletooth – Tribes at War. The best place for water seekers is the camp closest to the road north of Camp Taurajo (and west of the road), called Agama’gor. For the remaining kills, try the two camps directly east of the road at the same place, a little north at Taurajo; this is called Bramblescar. Avoid the tent. Save the blood shards that drops from the quillboars. for Mangletooth – Blood Shards of Agamaggan. If you look on Allakhazam or Thottbot, it looks like there are a lot of follow on quests at this point, but each is really just a buff from Mangletooth in exchange for several blood shards (4-10). Finally, he gives: Mangletooth – Betrayal From Within.
When it’s time to leave
You have a choice to make: Stonetalon Mountains, or Ashenvale. For a shaman, your water totem quest requires you to go to Ashenvale, but you may choose Stonetalon for levelling and questing purposes. Most of the quests leading you our of the Barrens are directed to Stonetalon Mountains.
For Ashenvale: Thork – Report to Kadrak. Kadrak in in the outpost in the far north of the Barrens, just before Ashenvale. He gives you quests to lead you around Ashenvale to the Zoram Strand, and more quests there for low 20s. Kadrak – The Warsong Reports. From Orgrimmar, Warcaller Gorlach – The Ashenvale Hunt; this is just report to Splintertree Post, just north of the border.
For Stonetalon Mountains, start with two quests in Ratchet: Mebok Mizzyrix – Deepmoss Spider Eggs, and Sputtervalve – Ziz Fizziks. The spider eggs send you to Windshear Crag, which is the far side of Stonetalon Mountains, and it may almost be easier to enter from the path from Ashenvale to reach them. You will also want, from the watch tower in Crossroads: Darsok Swiftdagger – Letter to Jin’Zil. You can only get this when you have completed the harpy quests and killed Serena.
Bits left over
Korran – Egg Hunt 22 (Field of Giants, S of Taurajo)
Grub – Dig Rat Stew 23 (cooking, 90+?, Bael Modan in S)
Tatternack Steelforge – Weapons of Choice (S of Taurajo) 24
the hoof of Lakota’mani – Lakota’mani 22 +2 spirit
Owatanka’s Tailspike – Owatanka 24, S of Taurajo
Washte Pawne’s Feather – Washte Pawne 25 winged serpent
Gann Stonespire – Gann’s Reclamation 23 (Bael’dun)
Jorn Skyseer – The Harvester 24
Regthar Deathgate – Verog the Dervish 18 (tent W of Stagnant Oasis)
Regthar Deathgate – Hezrul Bloodmark 19 (Lushwater Oasis, S)
Regthar Deathgate – Counterattack! 20 (Warlord Krom’zar, W)
Darsok Swiftdagger – Serena Bloodfeather 20
Operator Bigglefuzz – Trouble at the Docks (elite) 18
Captain thalo’thas Brightsun – The Guns of Northwatch 20 (Northwatch Hold)
Gilthares Firebough – Free From the Hold 20 (escort, Northwatch Hold)
Jorn Skyseer – Melor Sends Word 30 (TB)
Wailing Caverns
Apothecary Zamah (TB) – Serpentbloom
Mebok Mizzyrix – Smart Drinks
Nara Wildmane (TB) – Leaders of the Fang