This week’s Community Blog topic takes a look at the expansions in WoW and in particular, which one is your most and least favorite? I am definitely partial to the expansion I started in, Wrath of the Lich King. Had I started during Classic Warcraft or in the Burning Crusade, would things be the same? I cannot say.
The city of Dalaran, Northrend.
I started my Warcraft campaign in mid-January, 2009. Like many people who get into WoW, I was “between jobs” and had plenty of time to explore things. Wrath was still very young and new. I got to experience all the patches, server crashes, talent resets. I also got to experience the camaraderie of Wintergrasp: from forming raids and talking strategy to taking on a smaller force of enemies with stacks of tenacity. I got several characters to the level cap, completed “What a Long Strange Trip it’s Been” among many other achievements.
Most importantly, I forged some great friendships that continue to this day. Had Battletags been implemented back in Wrath, I would have even more friends on my list!
Wrath had many things right. From how reputation was earned to Bind to Account shoulder enchants, to flying in Northrend and crafting professions. Looking For Dungeons was implemented as a feature. Some say this is a bad thing, others laud it’s implementation.
Farmer Yoon on the Sunsong Ranch at Halfhill Market, Pandaria.
On the flipside, Mists of Pandaria, while introducing one of my favorite features–Pet Battles, is my least favorite expansion. Even though there have been so many quality features added, from account bound pets and mounts to Flex raids and the farm. I still have the bad taste in my mouth from not being able to fly until 90 on every toon, being forced to hit exalted with many of the same factions for recipes, and much of crafted gear to being next to worthless. Crafting in Mists is so bad, it really deserves it’s own vitriolic post.
Timeless Isle, Pandaria.
Timeless Isle has eased some of the bitterness and brought the sense of community and friendship I have been missing since Wrath. The prospect of Flex Raiding and Connected Realms on the horizon has me hopeful and excited for the future of Warcraft. Like many, I will be intently watching and impatiently waiting for information to pour out of the November BlizzCon, in which the next expansion will be announced. Mists has been bittersweet for me, kind of like the end of a bumpy year. I am glad to see it go and eager to embrace the new one, but at the same time a little sad to see another one pass, somewhat unfulfilled.
Sportsbard 