Breakfast Topic: Favorite and Least Favorite Zone
by David Nelson 
Nov 15th 2006 at 8:00AM
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I really like Westfall. It isn't glamorous, there aren't a lot of notable sights (unless you count the battle ship in the Deadmines) and it doesn't exactly feature amazingly cool landscapes. However, there is something about that place. I know the quests, I can do them quickly, and once you snag Van Cleef's head, you know it is time to hit the road.
The opposite of the comfort I feel in Westfall is Stranglethorn Vale. Most especially on a PVP server. As Alliance, STV on a PVE server is simply annoying, with the lack of a Northern flight point making the running a little over the top. On a PVP server? You get ganked. You get ganked again. If you dare call for reinforcements, good luck to you, as Grom'Gol village is in the neighborhood to shuttle in Horde by the blimp load. And if you don't like the ganking in STV, you can always go to Desolace, which might be the ugliest zone in the whole game. In addition to being ugly, Desolace comes complete with spread out quests and long, long runs. So I guess Desolace and STV tie for my least favorite.
What about you guys? Do you avoid any one zone in the game? Is there one you always look forward to?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Undying Nov 15th 2006 8:08AM
My favorites:
- Ungoro Crater
- Winterspring
I hate:
- STV (I play on PVP server as well)
Churm Nov 15th 2006 8:10AM
I'd say my favorite zone in the game has got to be Stranglethorn Vale. There was nothing more thrilling to me than trying to quest and getting steamrolled by 3 alliance, who corpsecamp me. So I would call in 2 more horde, and we'd kill the 3 alliance, and start questing together. NExt thing we know, 5 alliance jump out of nowhere and take us down. Soon its a clash of about 40 people running around chain killing each other completely mercilessly.
I'd say that the OLD hillsbrad ties for favorite, back when 40 man raids charged between SS and TM because it was the best battleground availible.
Least favorite is probably Kargath, atleast when I'm trying to level. All the BRM traffic just gets me killed time after time again.
aaron Nov 15th 2006 8:19AM
+Duskwood
-Ashenvale
gen Nov 15th 2006 8:33AM
My favorite has to be Winterspring. I just like the look and feel of it. The atmosphere is sort of like the wilderness here where I live, during the winter.
My least favorite has to be Stranglethorn Vale and Barrens for their sheer sizes alone. But at least the Barrens have several flight paths in one zone. STV has one flight master and it's all the way down south in Booty Bay. I don't understand why Blizzard never put a flight master where the rebel camp is up north.
Immelmann Nov 15th 2006 9:43AM
I have to Say I love Winterspring as well. I think the zone is designed very well. I also like Felwood alot. In general I think the zones on that island were designed better, and have less traffic.
Other than STV, one of the zones that I hate is barrens. being alliance you have to run everywhere in that zone and its a pain.
Larawen Nov 15th 2006 8:40AM
The whole darkshire/duskwood area has always been my favorite. Its just a fun place for me, I like the feel, I like the fact that its a little creepy, I like to play some erie music while I'm leveling there. It could also be that its the last fun place to level until after STV, which wins hands down the worst area for leveling.
Bleeker Nov 15th 2006 8:44AM
1. STV. Just annoying. I blame ZG and the Raid Groups running there, but it's super annoying.
2. Redridge. I loathe Redridge. I hate the quests, hate the layout of the place, hate the mobs. Hate hate hate.
Kryz Nov 15th 2006 8:53AM
I must say, I made a night elf alt, and forgot how much I love that starting area. The whole island is just a pleasing place.
But as far as real playing, I've always been a fan of Silithus. The amount of mobs in the area make for some good fast xp grinding. It did get a little messy on a PVP server though, especially around the time the gates were getting ready to open, because everyone was hanging out there.
Brim Nov 15th 2006 9:01AM
Favorite: Hmm, strangly enough I dig the Jungle theme so, Feralas, Un'Goro and even Stranglethorn Vale are high on my favorite list.
Can't avoid it but I freakin' hate Silithus, mobs are close to one another. I hate freaking bugs and them spiders net you so they can daze ye of your mount... It bloody sucks...
Jorane Nov 15th 2006 9:05AM
Favorite: Blasted Lands. I'm not sure why, but I really love that zone. It's got a very cool and unique look (lightning, anyone?), lots of mobs to kill, and not many other players to bother you (I play on a PVP server). You just have to watch out for Teremus the Devourer - I'm not sure how a huge dragon does it, but he sure has a knack for sneaking up on you and pwning you badly before you can even stop wailing on that scorpock.
Least Favorite: Got to be a tossup between Darkshore (it is one long-ass walk from one end to the other), Ashenvale (why can't I mercilessly slaughter furbolgs in peace? Why do Hordies love attacking Astranaar so much?), and Un'Goro Crater (once again, my problem of huge beasts - devilsaurs in this case - sneaking up on me and ripping my head off).
Reese Nov 15th 2006 9:14AM
I LOVE Westfall. I play primarily Alliance, I've leveled 7 characters through there and am about to do my 8th tonight or tomorrow night. It's simple, there isn't too much running around to do, and if you pay attention to the quest logs, the plot is pretty neat too.
In general, I Love most of the starting zones (except for the Dwarf area). I think Teldrassil is beautiful, and I love the UD starting zone for the opposite reason. I like Gagetzan too - yeah it is spread out, but you have mounts, and there is good PVP there.
HATE HATE HATE STV. The only time I was able to be successful there was with my Warrior - my brother was in the same room playing a Priest, and he has a 60 Pally with tons of cash willing to supply us both with good gear. We stomped horde until the lvl ??s showed up. We basically avoided the quest lines and did SM runs to get to 40.
In general, I dislike most of the areas after lvl 20. I feel that there is way too much time wasted walking around and not enough time engaging in fun, creative, and fulfilling quests.
Thelna Nov 15th 2006 9:33AM
So much to hate and love about certain zones.
One of my favorites has become Ungoro crater. This is because of the endless farming you can do there and green is sort of pretty to look at. also, its the only place besides EP and WP that my paladin can safely kill things.
by far the worst place has to be STV. You spend 10 levels in the place, and if you get bored there, you have the exciting Desolace to go to, is there a place more aptly named? If the buzzards, Raptors, tigers, apes, roving pack of dogs, or the kodos don't kill you, the boredom of running through these zones will.
Runners up favorites: westfall, wintersprings,
Runners up Worst: Redridge, Duskwood (is there a place a person can die more)?
Mothra Nov 15th 2006 9:15AM
Ashenvale is my fave. It's beautiful.
Least fave is probably STV purely due to flight paths (as alliance) and ganking (however, like Ashenvale, its one of the better zones in terms of aesthetics).
Yz (Echo Isles) Nov 15th 2006 9:22AM
Favorite (From Horde Perspective)
Barrens w/o the chat - 10+ fast levels, one zone, no waiting
Hillsbrad - I love the Battle of Hillsbrad questline and the one that unleashes the lich on Soutshore (I just wosh they hadn't gimped him - it was great watching him unleah carnage)
Favorite (Alliance Perspective)
Redridge - Murlocs, Orcs, Gnolls - you feel like you're actually trying to help the community - good story lines here
Favorite - (Either Perspective)
The Plaguelands (both Eastern and Western - really two halves of the same whole) - Maybe I just enjoy killing zombies, ghosts, and whatnot, but this zone is fun, with plentiful mobs, lots of quests, and nice rewards
Least Favorite (Both Sides)
Badlands
Swamp of Sorrows
These areas both feel empty and unfinished - like there should be more going on here, but the designers never got around to finishing it up.
Nayfan Nov 15th 2006 2:01PM
Damn, you've just gotta hate Un'goro Crater, Getting ganked by a Devilsaur that makes less noise than a kodo ftl >.
rec Nov 15th 2006 10:00AM
Felwood... too much damn running up and down and then back up again, then back to Emerald, then to Winterspring !
DAMN FELWOOD !
hauret Nov 15th 2006 10:01AM
Favorite Zone:
Barrens. Ok, Barrens chat is annoying we all know, but really it's an express highway from level 12 to level 20+. Alliance does not have a similar good zone for these levels, as alliance I see myself travel a lot in those levels.
STV is actually one of my favorite zones, but I also play on a PvE server.
Most annoying zone for me is Desolace. I had to complete a few quests there recently, I died on the island with nagas and had to run all the way from the Kodo Graveyard. Really, more graveyards in that zone!
Favorite Instance/Dungeon: Scarlet Monastery.
Least Favorite Instance/Dungeon: Uldaman
Heymish Nov 15th 2006 10:00AM
I agree with 13. Blizzard made the grind from 40-50 a borefest with Desolace and STV. I spent more time in STV than any area yet, and if my guildies weren't around to help me get through it, I wouldn't have made it. When a game starts to bore me, I usually stop playing. My guildies convinced me to push through it telling me the game gets a shit-ton better after 50.
They were right, cause then I got to do un'goro which is not only beautiful to look at, it is the only area I was ever startled in. I had no previous knowledge of the place when I first went in, and I was soloing. I ran around a corner, right into my first devilsaur. I jumped right out of my chair. It was my first experience with a mob that large, and was laughing about my little gnomish ass gettin eaten for hours afterward.
Also the pop culture references in that area are the best in the game. Spraggle Frock? C'mon that is just great comedy right there.
Geo Nov 15th 2006 10:11AM
I play PVE and...
Love Westfall. Of all the zones I've played so far, its the only one where most of the quests involve a solid story line (The Defias Brotherhood).
Hate Redridge. The quests seem really difficult at that level to solo (maybe thats the point - I dont know).
I am the exception... I REALLY like STV. Yeah, the lack of a northern flight point is a pain, but it's a pretty good place to level your herbalism, and its a skinning paradise for a mid level character (Un'Goro is better for higher levels).
I'm not a fan of Desolace. The Centaur genocide quests seem like an uninspired way to level, the fact that most of the zone looks like its night time all the time is annoying.
Dave Nov 15th 2006 11:55AM
I have a few favorite zones in the game, as well as a few that I don't care for very much, although I don't hate any of them. My favorites are tied between feralas and the badlands.
Feralas just has a really nice look to it, I like the whole green atmosphere. The badlands are great for leveling because the the ceyotes are so abundant, and once you hit 40, the rock elementals are pretty abundant too.
I think the zones I like the least are the swamp of sorrows, tenaris, and darkshore. the swamp of sorrows is really just...boring. Tenaris is so bland and sandy that I'd just assume go to feralas. Darkshore may be appealing to the eye, but just see how long it takes to get from the griffin auberdine to the griffin in ashenvale. It takes WAY too long.