WoW: Things I thought I’d never see

September 25, 2006 on 6:48 pm | In MMO (Live), WoW, Playstyles

Last night I visited Molten Core with the guild, and we finished clearing all the way through to Ragnaros. This wasn't the guild's first time, but it was my own. And afterward I realized there have been a few things I've since in the last two months since returning that I never thought I would. Ever.

When I quit last November, it wasn't out of disgust or anything like that. I just reached what I thought was the threshold of what I could invest into WoW. As such, there were a few things I relegated to the realm of the impossible-for-me.

Ragnaros

About a month prior to quiting, I didn't think I'd ever even hit Molten Core, much less the last mob in it. Now, almost a year later, and the rest the guild and alliance having practiced and geared up while I was away, most of MC is a veritable cake-walk. When I left we were just up to Garr (the fourth mob in, depending on how one clears them), and that was a multi-hour achievement by itself.

Lesson #1: The more dedicated a group becomes, the less time it takes to do something, the more inclusive the event can be for the time-strapped.

 

Battlegrounds

I had only had some light PvP fun previously. This go-around I dediced to take a chance. I figured if I was going to get wtfpWned in the Battleground, better to do so with guildies. As it happens, not only was I competitive, in my dated gear nad rusty knowledge, I find the opposing "AI" so compelling I PvP almost 75% of the time now.

Lesson #2: PvP is not just for the 8-hour-a-day crowd who've already got Naxx on farm status.

 

The Great Masquerade

Back in my days as a wee Mage, I followed a friend to Stormwind Keep for some First Aid training. As we enter the Keep, we see a of players following some guy named Reginald Windsor to the center potium. Some speech ensues and suddenly all heck breaks loose. Dragonkin, players, everyone's going at it, and all labeled ??. I decided to join the fray, but at level 26, I couldn't hit anything. It was one of the coolest sights I had ever seen in an MMOG, which is saying something (to me). I figured it was like awakening the Sleeper in Everquest though: something I'd only ever read about or watch from afar.

Imagine my surprise then when yesterday I actually summoned Windsor myself at the Stormwind gate and marched with him to expose "Lady Prestor" for what she really is. That I was accompanied by one of my oldest friends online (though not in this screenshot) was particularly poignant.

<>Lesson #3: Nothing is impossible with friends.

Reputation Rewards

Factions are another grind. I never thought I'd have the patience and time to bother. But the more I focus on the Battleground Factions (League of Arathor from Arathi Basin and Stormpike Guard from Alterac Valley) and that of Argent Dawn, the more realistic the rewards from Revered and Exalted become. Finding out the best ways to increase Reputation is a game unto itself.

New Predictions

In keeping with my tradition of not knowing myself, not knowing what I'm capable of and continually underestimating the value of friendship, here's some new predictions, just in time for Burning Crusade:

• I'll never like another class as much as the Mage. By and large, this has held very true. The only class that comes close has been Warlock, but I'm already fairly well geared up on my Mage. To repeat all of that and get to the same level would simply take too long, particularly with the pending level cap increase. I'd do it if I didn't love the Mage as much as I do.
• I'll never be anything but a Fire-specced Mage. Generally "Fire-Spec" means some Arcane talents too, but it's the Fire that does the damage. This, too, has held true so far. I love blowing stuff up. It's during those unfortunate encounters like Ragnaros though where I get tempted to go Frost. And in BGs, where I realized just how little survivability I have. But that's why I took up Engineering.
• I'll never hit Naxxramas. This is believable mostly because by the time I've got the gear to survive the encounter, and by the time my guild is interested in bothering to hit this, Burning Crusade will be out and we'll be up for questing to level 70. Even if I go back and play the Warlock, once BC comes out I can't see MC>BWL>Ony>Naxx being anything but a sidebar activity, unless they revamp it totally. Would anyone bother gearing up for a Naxx fight when by level 65 or so the encounter will be negligible?
• I'll never finish Zul'Gurrub nor AQ40. Both believable too, for the same reason as Naxx.

So there you have it. Will I be proving myself wrong yet again? Will Blizzard want to maximize the investment they made in creating this content by revamping it for a level 70 gain? Will I still be playing when they do?

Only time will tell.