Breakfast Topic: Top Five Instances
by David Nelson 
Oct 26th 2006 at 8:00AM
I have been in and out of the Wailing Caverns, Molten Core and Ahn'Qiraj a lot. And I am sure most of you folks have too. Some of the instances I like more than others, and some really stand out. But which are the five best? How would you rank them? For me it goes something like this:5. Scarlet Monastery It isn't too hard, it has a bunch of different wings and it has some fairly decent loot for the level. I had a hard time deciding between SM or Deadmines for my #5 spot, as I really like the big battleship in the cave thing. But in the end, SM has a little more going for it, even if it is a little played out.
4. Live Stratholme I find this instance annoying for the most part, however, I enjoy a little bit of theater in my instance runs, and when Balnazzar is revealed at the end, well...that is pretty awesome.
3. Blackwing Lair When I first entered BWL, I hated it. The Razorgore fight was too hard for my noob self, and then Vael just destroyed my guild for over a week. But then we beat Vael, got through the hectic suppression room, and took down challenging boss after challenging boss. It was a far cry from the straight on Molten Core fights, and I enjoyed the challenge an awful lot.
2. Upper Blackrock Spire I like this instance for two reasons. First, even with the 10 person cap, it seems to go by fairly quickly. Second, the boss fights, while not fabulous, are a nice preview of the skills you will need to progress in the Molten Core. Dealing with adds, fear and controlling aggro all come into play. Yes, the Father Flame event is not the best, but at least it keeps you on your toes.
1. Zul'Gurub Kind of an odd choice, but I just really like the instance. There is a nice progression in difficulty, as a newbie guild can down the Snake and Bat bosses, but it takes some skill to defeat Hakkar or Jin'Do. The loot is pretty good, and it is a very nice step up from UBRS gear. Finally, the instance itself is very well designed from a layout standpoint, more so since they reduced some of the trash mobs.
Sorry, I got a little wordy, but that is my top five. What's yours?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Lukkey7 Oct 26th 2006 8:36AM
5. Scarlet Monastary
4. Sunken Temple
3. Black Rock Depths
2. Deadmines
1. Maraudon
Mordiceius Oct 26th 2006 8:40AM
I HATE HATE HATE troll instances so you won't see any of them on my list. I love trolls. I hate troll instances (except for one).
5: The Sunken Temple - Okay, so I do like one troll instance. Maybe it is just that I hate outdoor instances. *shrug* Everyone seems to hate the Sunken Temple but I just love it. So confusing when you first go in there and try to figure out the fastest way to complete everything, but once you got it down, it can be loads of fun.
4: Blackwing Lair - I would have to agree about BWL. Fun instance. Lots of bosses, not so much trash.
3: Dire Maul: North - *shrug* I enjoy tribute runs.
2: The Deadmines - Yes, I am horde but damn to I love the Deadmines. Just the entire feel of the instance is amazing. And the pirate ship at the end. Goonies much?
1: Upper Blackrock Spire - Ah the bane of all PUGs. I love this place. Not much to say about it, but nothing beats a good run through this instance... except when we do a good run through it with people in teir 2. (Fighting Rend behind the gate he spawns at, fighting the Beast on the bridge to Drak's room).
Hugh "Nomad" Hancock Oct 26th 2006 8:53AM
What? No Shadowfang Keep?
SFK would be number one on my list - OK, I've not done Blackrock Spire, but I've gone at least some of the way through all the rest.
The design's great, there's a nice variation in monsters, quite a few of the encounters keep you well on your toes, there's a fair chunk of theatre in there (including all of Arugal's cameo appearances), and the end fight with Arugal is arguably the most interesting (and, for the level, hardest) boss fight until The Headmaster in Scholo.
Gnomegerran's another great instance - the alarmbots keep you on your toes, the style and feel of the place is different to any other instance, there's comedy, and the end fight with Thermaplugg's fantastic.
Gangledopper Oct 26th 2006 8:53AM
Hmmm good question.
5. Scarlet Monastary
4. Stratholme
3. Dire Maul
2. Zul' Farak
1. Warsong Gulch:)
Daks Oct 26th 2006 8:58AM
Deadmines - So much work put in for a low level instance and the story line involving the Defias goes on from the first human quests all the way through level 30. Very cool.
Uldaman - So many hate it, but the scripted boss event with Archaedas is one of the most unique single-group encounters in the game.
Dur13l Oct 26th 2006 9:02AM
5. DM --All of them i think are great!
4. Strat ---Some Fun Mobs in here.
3. SM --Killing humans!!
2. Scholo ---since the cap this is a fun place!
1. ZG ------Really makes everyone play there class.
Shat Oct 26th 2006 9:07AM
5. Shadowfang Keep - decent loot for such a low level instance, and a challenging boss fight at the end.
4. Scarlet Monistary
3. The Deadmines - Horde gets the shaft with WC. This is one of the most original and fun instances i've played.
2. Zul'Farrak - Most people don't like this one, but I enjoy outside instances. It's a nice change of pace from the indoor ones.
1. The Stockades - Most people bitch and moan about this instance, and it's complete lack of loot. I like it because a good group can blow through it in 20 minutes and get at least half a level of XP and lots of cloth. Again, Horde gets the shaft, but they make up for it with their easy access to SFK, BFD, RFK, and RFD.
Tigraine Oct 26th 2006 9:11AM
#1 Naxxramas
#2 AQ40
#3 Dire Maul
#4 Stratholme Light
#5 Blackrock Deeps
Although I hate BRD .. the instance has really a whole bunch of quests and an interesting story line..
Dire Maul is simply dire maul .. the last challenging 5 man instance in that game (Challenging = not able to AE through everything)
AQ40 really sucks from a loot perspective if you haven't downed the Twin Empereors.. but I think those bossfights there are the greatest in the game before you encounter Naxxramas.
Naxx .. great instance.. look and feel really brings you into the setting.. bossfights are really great designed to most parts..
greetings Tigraine
Argent Oct 26th 2006 9:13AM
when i hit 60, clearing UBRS was about a 50 minute clear.
18 months (and quite a few epics) later, UBRS is still a 50 minute clear.
i have it down as one of the most boring and uninspired instances in the game.
deadmines, Sfk, ZF, dead strath and to some degree, AQ40 would be my list -- but i'll note that if we included the xpac, i think almost all of these would be replaced with stuff like CoT (southshore), seththekk and shattered halls.
Shat Oct 26th 2006 9:14AM
Oh, I forgot about Uldaman and Gnomeregan. Those instances are fun if you've got a big mug 'o coffee and a bowl of pretzels, but they're so friggin long!
Ken Oct 26th 2006 9:22AM
My personal favourite 3:
3 Scarlet Monastery - Cool location (for Alliance we have to walk because usually most of us aren't level 40 when we do this), cool story, sectioned off with difficulty levels.
2 Maraudon - Amazing Scenery throughout the whole instance. 3 sections in case you don't clear on first attempt.
1 Deadmines - One of the greatest instances Blizzard has made. Amazing story. Astounding scenery.
Andrea Oct 26th 2006 9:22AM
5. Scarlet Monastery - The classic, and sometimes one gets the impression the only instance people run before they hit 60. Great loot, and the wing design that allows shorter runs.
4. Zul'Farrak - very different in design because it's outside, and the stairs script is still exciting to this day.
3. Blackfathom Deeps - the underdog of instances. Take a warlock or an underwater breathing potion, and you'll find one of the prettiest instances out there.
2. Dire Maul - I've only been to East and West, but the scenery is really beautiful and it's such a wonderful refreshing change after the gloomy instances like BRD or Stratholme.
1. Shadowfang Keep - A must-visit for any cloth-wearer, and I got a wonderful sense of immersion and story there, in Arugal's dark castle. I always gladly go there.
Theadrick Oct 26th 2006 9:31AM
1. Dire Maul
2. Shadowfang Keep
3. Mauradon
4. Deadmines
5. Scarlet Monestary
1. I think instances improved in quality and design the more recently they were implemented... DM is an example of this. I really like winged instances.
2. SFK is just a really cool place. Nice layout, cool looking mobs (I love worgen), and a nice storyline.
3. Mara is another example of better design coming at a later date. It has a nice feel to it and an interesting back story.
4. Deadmines is great. Best of the lowest level instances. The scripted events are cool to this day. Why didn't the other low level instances follow suit?
5. SM... again, I like winged instances and the boss fights are fun.
Deaddoc Nov 10th 2006 1:50PM
I haven't hit BWL or Naxx, so I can't comment on those (prefer 5 mans anyway), but here is my list:
5. Sunken Temple (I know some hate it but I have a soft spot for this one)
4. Blackfathom Depths (I never understood why more people don't go here)
3. SM (loot that actually lasts for many levels)
2. ZF (good training for upper instances and I love the scenery)
1. Scholomance (minimal trash mobs and lots of bosses)
Mike Schramm Oct 26th 2006 10:04AM
My turn, my turn!
5. Deadmines: Classic.
4. Blackfathom Depths: This is actually the first instance I ever did (I started as an NE and had never heard of Stormwind or Ironforge yet), and it's still a great one.
3. Zul Gurub: You're right, there's something very cool about this instance-- from the Edge of Madness and spider drunk effects to the fact that it's like an old videogame where you have to take out aspects to take power away from the boss.
2. Maraudon: Probably the most beautiful instance in the game. A little long, but I still love it.
1. Strat Baron: The Live side is fun, but I like the UD side better. Plus, I'll always do a run for the Baron, just in case that mount drops...
SM is a great instance, but when you look back on it, it's really just a long grind to a boss fight at the end of each one. It's a classic instance, no doubt, but I think it could use a little more variety than just pull, pull, pull boss.
I liked UBRS and ZF... the first million times I ran them.
Dielaughing Oct 26th 2006 10:09AM
5. Shadowfang Keep
4. Dire Maul
3. Blackwing Lair
2. The Deadmines
1. Maraudon
I don't know about Shadowfang Keep and Dire Maul but 1&2 are definately my favorites. Blackwing is great as raid instances go, haven't done AQ40 or Naxx yet though.
Flor Oct 26th 2006 10:33AM
5. BWL - i thought this place was kind of lame looking until you get to the dead dragon room. I probably took 20 screenshots my first time there.
4. UBRS - Remember when this was THE endgame!! I had so many good times in here. How many people had that one guy in their guild that always got kicked into the welp pits.
3. Wailing Caverns - Everyone gets their first blue here, it really is your first clue about what can happen if you draw aggro.
2. ZG - Cool outdoor fun fights organic scenery
1. MC - I just like the epic feel to the entire fight. Huge dogs, firey giants. The first time you see ragnaros its a VERY epic feeling.
1.b - Give some love to Onyxia - it was probably one of the first times i felt nervous/excited about any encounter in the game.
-----WORST List--------
1. AQ20 - Bland scenery, all bosses aside from Ossi are pretty bland as well.
2. LBRS - i cant even remember a boss encounter here.
3. Scarlet Monastery - Never did it for me in any way. I had more fun pvp'n in front of this instance.
4. Scholo - Boring. The only reason to go into this place is to get a naxx atunement or to sight see as a lore junky.
5. Live Strat - see #4
Geo Oct 26th 2006 10:42AM
From non raiding perspective.
My favorites are:
Shadow Fang Keep (great lowbie loot)
Dead Mines (top noch story)
Black Fathom Depths (like how it looks)
ZF (I've yet to be in a group that didn’t wipe out in the freeing of the slaves part).
Dire Maul (simple layout)
It's too bad that with most of the instances I've run so far, only Deadmines has such a well thought out and compelling story. It's starts all the way in Northshire, when you first meet this mysterious band of thugs called the Defias Brotherhood. Deadmines is a great completion to that story line (I love it when Van Cleef yell's that his cause is just). I've been very disappointed that most of the other instances don’t offer an equally compelling story line leading up to it.
Raynia Oct 26th 2006 11:12AM
5. Scarlet Monestary
4. Zul'Farrak
3. Scholomance
2. Naxxramas
1. Blackwing Lair
drypulse Oct 26th 2006 3:14PM
5-Stratholme (good cash/loot for not too much time invested)
4-Molten Core (started my raiding career)
3-Onyxia's Lair (cool to stroll into a bosses lair to pick a fight)
2-Shadowfang Keep (just like the feel of it alot)
1-Naxxramas (even tho we can only kill 5 things so far, this is the best designed instance in my opinion)