Wrath – One Week Retrospective
The Wrath of the Lich King expansion launched about a week ago — well, a week and a day, really — and … nothing much important has happened since. Sure, Blizzard sold 2.8 million boxes in the first 24 hours, which set a new record. And there are server queues and server transfers to talk about, realm firsts and world firsts to celebrate or decry. For the most part we’re all just happily playing along right now, enjoying the new content.
In fact, I spent a good part of the past week playing when I should have been doing more responsible things, like posting or answering e-mail. But that’s okay — I had fun. And I’m pleased to say that as of this evening, Mania is level 77 and is flitting about Northrend of her new Armored Blue Windrider. Of course as soon as I could fly I flew straight to Sholazar Basin to search for Loque’nahak, but unfortunately he was nowhere in evidence.
On the other hand, I was able to finish leveling up my mining skill there, so both it and herbalism are capped at 450. My cooking and fishing are lagging behind, but they’ll get there soon enough. (I’d given up on getting the world drop for Heavy Frostweave Bandages, so that I could keep going with First Aid, but someone just told me that it’s not a world drop, as such — it’s more of a multi-zone zone drop — and so I just need to head to Zul’Drak.)
Moreover, I am Revered by the Kalu’ak and Honored by Wyrmrest Accord (which is important for a mini-pet and mount, respectively) and I’ve made significant progress towards my Explorer title. I’ve also completed the quest achievements for Borean Tundra, Howling Fjord, and Dragonblight — not because I am going for the Loremaster achievement, but because I am constitutionally unable to leave a zone when I still have quests to do. (This is also why I am level 77 and still in Grizzly Hills.)
So that’s what I’ve been up to.
(As an aside: Regular readers know that I am a big proponent of playing your way, whatever that may be. I happened to have the time and inclination to spend too much of this past week in-game leveling my brains out — and I had fun. But that doesn’t mean I think everyone should level this way. Nor do I usually level this way — Mania hit 60 just prior to the Burning Crusade, and I started her more or less at launch. On the flip side, I don’t think that anyone who is already 80 necessarily needs to get out more, either. Sometimes you just want to hole up and level. *shrug*)
33 Comments
Bwhahahahahah!!!! 1st comment on this 1. Glad your enjoying yourself Mania. I know i am on all the new content. i even made a DK jus cuz. Man those DK voiceovers fr the regular races are spiffy. Still all the same jokes and flirts for each race, but with a new dimension added to them. It’s actually kinda wicked at times to hear it. I chose a Draenei for mine. Anyway, kinda doin the same as you, but trying to do everything n each zone before i move on. Only new pet i got was the evasive Tunrda Crawler from Dens of Dying area of the Tundra. Only a bar from 73 mysself with my NE Hunter. But overall, WotLK was worth the wait to me.
Satchmo said, when asked what defines good music, “If it sounds good, it is good.” True of play style, too.
I’m one to not be able to leave a zone until I have completed quests as well. That’s why it bothered me that “I’ve Got a Flying Machine!” in Howling Fjord is buggy and cannot be completed as of yet. It’s still sitting in my quest log…
I think for most bloggers, they’ve definitely taken time to play more rather than write. It’s good sometimes. Allows you to refresh yourself from continuously writing and suffer from a block. =)
Well, between reading this blog and BRKs I count both of you as responsible for me returning to WoW after a successful break since January. My lvl 70 Priest is parked in Borean Tundra while I am levelling (you guessed it) a Hunter. I went from 37 on Tuesday to 40 last night and no plans on stopping (apart from a few breaks to play my Death Knight, Knigget). I hope you’re both happy, not only am I back playing WoW, but I’m a Hunter as well.
And yes, I’m having fun too.
About the Heavy Frostweave manual, go for 76 or higher humanoid mobs, they seem to have a high droprate.
Got mine from the 4th kill in Sholazar Basin (and somewhere around the 10th in Zul’Drak on the beta).
When blizz anounced that we will get extra stable spots – i was happy, but after seeing amount of new pets “I have to get one of those” i started thinking that probably 10 slots would be not enough.
Great instance design, quests which have unique mechanics, zones changing while we quest – it makes me think, where the heck were those designers when TBC was going live.
“I’ve Got a Flying Machine!” – its bugged but possible to finish. Turn off all bar addons (especialy bartender) as they casue lot of problems with vehicle bar atm. and try grabing difrent bags, as some of them are “dead” (not responding)
I had no issue with the quest “I’ve Got a Flying Machine” and I use Bartender 4. Just remember to dismiss your pet first, that seems to help (at least in my case).
First things first, let me get this out of my system: OMG BLUE WINDRIDER, DO WANT!
I’m also the same way when it comes to completing every quest in a zone before moving onto the next one. I’m level 76 and still in Grizzly Hills and just started doing the Vordrassil quests so I think I’ll be either 77 or close to it by the time I’m done. If you think about it though, the sooner you hit 80, all those quests in the other zones give money and at 80 that’s going to be a lot of gold.
Exactly! People on my server always asks me “Why are you still in that or that zone you shoudl be there or there”. I just tell them I play how I want, and throw the fact, that at 80, I’ll make much more money than them from all the quests ^^
And I love to farm rep(i’m a rep junkie…can’t help it), so that also keeps me in zones. For example, when I was 67, I was in Nagrand farming ogres for the beads for Kurenai rep(WAR GOATS!!)and didn’t leave till I was Exalted. By then I was almost level 70
So I can totally understand people here ^^
Lol! I’m in the exact same boat, mania.
Completed Tundra, Fjord then Blight. Just started Grizzly Hills and hit 77. Flew everywhere and completed the explorer achievements. I’m using the title because my Ambassador title isn’t rare any more, and although I hate the tabard, some guildies like it. Plus there’s ~2150xp for each subzone revealed that you don’t want to lose at 80. (Bucket loads of ore flying around too).
Camping in Sholazar. I know her 5 spawn points and am flying between them using track and a /tar macro. I wouldn’t bother with asking general because something tells me that no-one would offer to help…
Leveling is on hold, Loque must be found!!
I heard that WotLK was out-sold by Call of Duty: World at War.
Both myself and my brother have been leveling up fairly casually and switchign between out normal “mains” (myself on my Hunter and him on his Holy Priest. Group Quests = easy for us ;P ) and our Death Knights.
We only just hit 73 this afternoon, which is more than fine by me. We go exploring each area we go to, poking our noses in places where they’re likely to be bitten off and generally enjoy ourselves. A lot of other people have passed by us already, so the zones aren’t too densely populated
The only problem I’m having? Waaaaay to many pets I want to tame and my stable slots are already filled. >.< I think 5 more slots will suit me just fine thank you Blizzard.
I’ve dusted off my Army. Prepping 13 peeps to enter Northrend can be an ordeal. So far All I’ve done with them is run my hunter into Borean to get a Rhino and do a few Utgarde keep runs with him. I LOVE HIM. Rhinos rock.
But I heard the DK’s Siren call. So I’ve spent all my time on him, Now he’s 74 =D
If you level too fast you cant keep 3-4 pets current =)
Plus leatherworking is fun and i tend to farm leather instead of quest. Oh well, its so much more fun with rested xp anyway.
I want the red drake SO BAD!! I want it!!
Warcraftpets.com, huh… I use that one too! For pets I use Petopia and for mounts I use Warcraft Mounts! ^_^
And I seriously want that penguin!! I WANT IT!! Mwahaha! I’m at Honored with the Kalu’ak, and I’m 71, so it’s all good. As for Wyrmcrest Accord, never seen one yet! I’m not leveling. Well, I am, but I’m not trying to. I’m just having a blast questing with my faitful friend Rontu the wolf! I respecced for Survival too. Except my pet can’t hold aggro. Which would suck if I didn’t have increased stamina and agility, and that’s why I respecced.
I switched proffesions too and I’m making some golds now, which is an improvement considering I don’t even have expert riding yet. I’m so broke. :P But that’s all changed now. I’m a mat farmer like you Mania!! Yay mat farming!! My skinning’s maxed out, herbalism not so much. It’s about 390. I went crazy skinning out around Warsong Hold at night, because those nerubians are skinnable!! And I didn’t even get my own kills there were so many people there! But I didn’t care! That’s how I got my skinning maxed out. :D
I also want that Kalu’ak fishing pole. EPIC. Those walrus guys are so cute and chubby! ^_^
Since I only have one main, and the highest character after that is my 58 DK, I only have to work on one character. Yay hunters!
And (don’t kill me!) I’m not interested in Loque’nahak. I’m just not, that’s just me. Instead, I’ll grab myself a Demon Hound. ^_^
That’s about all I’ve done so far. And good luck getting Loque Mania! And good luck to all others after him!
It’s been a fun week :)
I’ve been leveling my resto druid slow but steady, doing instances frequently and questing alongside my boomkin buddy often. At level 73, I don’t feel as if I’ve been wasting too much of my time grasping for 80, nor do I feel like I’m lagging behind my guild. I got left out of end-game Burning Crusade things because I only started raiding a few months before Wrath hit. My goal is to see as much of the end-game Wrath content as possible, but as a full-time student, my grades always come first. Unfortunately, Wrath launched only a few weeks before semester finals, so things lately have not allowed me to really put too much time into the game.
Good luck to everyone exploring Northrend!
Don’t give up on Loque’nahak! I tamed him last night in the southern spawn point by the gorillas. He was a very easy tame at the same level, i used a freeze trap and was good to go from there. His casting spell is great fun, animation is the same as Moonfire.
Tillamooke (Maelstrom)
ive actually been playing my new class DK more. getting herbalism up to at least 300. played my hunter to 71… getting rested XP in boring tundra, and.. yes taimed a rhino. its to big
Brightbeard (Khaz’goroth)
My faithful BlackTooth (Humar the pridelord) and I hit northrend and dug into the borean tundra. I had brought a gorilla with me for those times when I would want a better tank pet. I saw the tundra crawler and fell in love. Jim and BlackTooth are taking turns romping around northrend with me, and I’m having a royal blast.
And the death knight starting zone is a masterpiece.
Ralowae and BlackTooth(and Jim), Zangarmarsh
One week in, and I am…er… 71. *cough*
However… I wanted to note the fact somewhere… I got one of those new white ‘undead’ bears out of Dragonblight. For those that may or may not be concerned, these bears do not run alongside you like other bears; apparently they lack the ‘run’ animation. Instead, they do this weird fastwalk thing, rather like the old ghost wolf does. I reported it, but only got kind of a vague armwavy GM response so who knows if it’ll get fixed.
Im having lots of fun lvling in a slow pace!
Also Im happy since Maraxus (my loyal lion and first pet) is by my side facing all the new challenges on Northrend!!
But I cant wait til 75 (Im 73 right now)when I can tame a jaguar with the tiger riding model (jaguars are the big cats that symbolize my country’s fauna)
Anyway Im glad people are enjoying wotlk =D
I have hardly touched Dragonblight and Grizzly Hills and I am almost 76. The instances in Wrath give pretty good rep and I have been running them with guildmates so I have been out levelling my areas pretty well. I also did both start zones, partly because I kept hearing stuff from guild mates on the other side of Northrend.
Hunterwise, it’s a bit difficult to get the hang of Kill Shot so I need to hotkey it in a decent area. I was one of those mouse wheel spammers and that plays merry hell when trying to cast spells on the fly. As for new pets. I got an MC corehound before the expansion but I am sticking with my bear. The only thing I don’t like about him is his special ability as many quests involve having adds around that we are supposed to protects and he keeps swiping them so I have to turn it off most of the time. He is a great off tank though so I have soloed most 2 man content. The only Quest I had to call out for was Last Rights because the elite at the end drains health and I couldn’t keep up with it.
I am also glad that I was a casual player because I have been getting upgrades from Dungeon quests that are making me look like part of the new expansion rather than an old TBC raider clinging on to their T6 gear :) Even my guildies who ran BT regularly are spotting slight upgrades in their mid 70s but set bonuses and enchants are preventing them from swapping gear.
A tip for hunter cooks: Do the Dalaran cooking dalies, there is an upgraded recipe for mammoth meat that gives even more AP.
I hope this is not too far down the list. I at first thought that the bandage was a dungeon drop. Then someone said it was a world drop. But I have since learned (from experience on multiple toons) that it is a multi-zone drop. I did many instances and a lot of quests with no luck. When I hit Zul’Drak, it dropped within the first half hour. It was a random trash mob. I talked to several others in my guild and everyone I asked, agreed. It is only the higher level zones and instances that it drops in but otherwise it behaves as a world drop. GL Mania.
Gunsnbutter Excelsior/Uther
Seventy one across my four seventies, sixty five warrior, sixty four death knight, sixty death knight. I have my work cut out for me.
As a side note, Rhino stats are now regular tenacity stats, thank goodness. I heart my rhino.
I’ve been running all over the place filling in bits and pieces of the map. Love my tundra crawler, he’s such an awsome tank. Brought out Nanaki for questing in the Fjord. The next pet I am aiming for is one of the blighthounds in Zul’Dak (which I went there and made sure they were still tamable :3 )After that I’ll go for Loque…unless blizz releases a new spirit beast model…
First order of business i had when wrath launched was to get my DK to 80. Now that thats been accomplished, Ive been having hunter withdrawls, not having played my hunter for a couple months now, and unable to, ive been getting my fix by playing my friends’ girlfriends character. Course eventually i have three other chars to level to 80, hopefully i can get my 70 orc hunter back, loved him, never stopped coming to this site either, or theorycrafting hunters.
PS: If you guys haven’t done so yet, make sure.. damn sure, that you complete the wrath gate quest chain in dragonblight, now that is an epic experience, kudos blizzard.
I know what you mean. The Wrath Gate finale had me on the brink of tears *sniff*
Gezzarak is bugged! ;-; Myself and four paladins set to work taming her, and once I died what must have been six times, after she killed one of them and we had to started over and res said paladin… after all this she won’t attack horde, and cannot be attacked. NPCs, are cake. Other players? No can do.
I’ve been leveling up casually, just hit 73 on my hunter main. Lately I have tried the “Gorilladin” thing and OMG is it a lot of fun! I’ve never been able to do AoE before, and it is really entertaining.
My other main pet is a wasp from Outlands, which I love!
My only gripe is that all the mail that I have seen as quest rewards has freaking spell power on it. There is almost no good mail for hunters from quests.
Yeah, I see Mail quest rewards and its all intel and spell power…I am still in most of the same gear as I was before (and its all just trash greens)…so, yeah…Anyone know where some hunter mail quest rewards can be found?
The mail rewards with intel but no spell power are for hunters. The itemisation design assumes every high level hunter puts at least 8 points in the Marks tree in order to pick up 3/3 Careful Aim (so that 1 Int grants 1 AP).
If you’re deep BM with Serpent’s Swiftness, you’re also likely to have to grit your teeth and accept a whole lot of haste rating you don’t really need (haste rating is great for Survival and Marks hunters now though, since it helps them to GCD cap their Steady Shots without relying on Improved Aspect of the Hawk procs).
Leveled to 80 on my shaman with the hubby, now we’re finishing off the quests in Icecrown and going back to do Grizzly and the Fjord :) We’re having a blast, and there aren’t a whole lot of quests that aren’t 2-mannable. Looking at our guild list, we have 8 level 80 mages, and the 2 non-mages at level 80 have mage spouses they grouped with :P
I haven’t had enough time to do more than bring the hunter to Northrend and do a couple quests with the death knight to see the new area (death knight might replace my warrior since it’s higher level :P ). We stayed mostly ahead of the bigger crowd, so we didn’t have too many problems with alliance messing up our quests.
The most important thing, of course, is to have fun :)
If there’s a prize for slowest to level 70-80, I may win it, because I still haven’t got around to upgrading. I may wait until some of the more egregious bugs are fixed – although I note that the community is developing its own workarounds. Macros which no longer work because of the broken macro interface are being rewritten as scripts. Somebody will eventually reverse-engineer the new combat mathematics to give us some clue what to look for in gear. Maybe someone will even write an add-on to replace the broken “who” interface.
Meanwhile, I’m happy playing parallel lowbies (Mage and Lock, both now 35 and beavering away, skilling-up tailoring/enchanting and herbalism/inscription). At low levels, it’s only the game mechanics which are new (new spells and talents would have been new to me anyway), so there’s less to distract me from re-learning the interface.
I still fiddle with my two 70 hunters a bit – I’ve respecced them both, and played with some new pets (including a curiously smelly worm), but I’m in no rush to see Northrend, and I’d rather see the final version than the current quasi-beta.
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