Breakfast Topic: Your favorite city
by Mike Schramm 
Oct 5th 2007 at 8:00AM
Easy one today: what's your favorite city in the World of Warcraft? Even though I'm Horde through and through, I have to say I really love Darnassus. It was the first "big city" I encountered in the game, and at the time I didn't even know places like Stormwind, Orgrimmar, and Ironforge existed. It's fairly simple to navigate, and the huge buildings and floaty forest atmosphere-- especially the Temple of Elune-- make the whole place uniquely magical. It's a shame that it's off the beaten path, because it really is a great city.And while I know it's probably the first city a lot of people think of, Shattrath is a cool city, too. I don't think it's actually my favorite city, but on the first night I ever played Burning Crusade, I remember cresting the hill from Zangarmarsh, seeing that big pillar of light coming out of the center of Shattrath, and realizing I was finally playing something new in WoW. I can only hope that seeing Dalaran in Northrend lives up to the experience.
And by city, I don't just mean huge metropolis, either-- I really like Sun Rock Retreat, and visiting Freewind Post at the top of Thousand Needles is always fun, too (in fact, Thunder Bluff is great for that sense of height as well). So where's your favorite settlement in the whole world (of Warcraft)?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics, NPCs
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Heartless_ Oct 5th 2007 8:10AM
Stormwind is probably my favorite. I am a Hordie for life, but Stormwind is just a classic fantasy town and it was one of the first one's previewed before WoW released. Thunder Bluff is second on my list, but will stay second because Blizzard refuses to make all the capital cities viable places to call home.
I absolutely loath Ogrimmar, but end up spending most of my time there. Second on my hate list is Shattrath, just a retarded city that only looks cool from a long distance away.
Kujo Oct 5th 2007 8:14AM
Toshley's Station, in Blade's Edge.
Simply because I'm a fan of Starship Troopers, and its a ton of fun when the 'bugs' attack!
Other then that, on my first main character (Undead Mage), I really liked Tarren Mill.
World PvP a-plenty!
Rich Oct 5th 2007 8:18AM
I am primarily an Alliance player, but for me the halloween-eternal look of Undercity will always make it my favorite.
Tom Oct 5th 2007 8:35AM
I absolutely love Undercity, everything is so close and convenient, and I've always loved freewind post for the view.
I hate Thunderbluff and Silvermoon, nightmare to navigate.
Erika Oct 5th 2007 8:37AM
Same as number 4. But i add shatt to the list because i lag like crazy there.
Jereth Oct 17th 2007 7:06AM
I think I must have an unhealthy fascination with elves, because my favourites include Darnassus and Silvermoon - mainly for atmospheric reasons, but also for the lack of lag.
It also includes the Allerian Stronghold and will doubtless extend to Dalaran, because I love finding High Elves in places ever since I came across the lodge in the Hinterlands.
Undercity is another good one, for the same reasons as 3. The whole Nightmare Before Christmas thing is awesome. (One thing though, those useless signs near the auction house where both opposing signs point to the same quarter seem a bit redundant as they are.)
Least favourites? The lag nodes at SW trade, IF bank, Org bank and Upper Shattrath.
Chip Oct 5th 2007 8:39AM
Maybe I'm being too practical, but for me the "quality" of a city lies in the proximity of the services you use most: Bank, AH, mailbox, repair vendor. Ironforge wins hands down, with all of these things being within a 5 second run of each other. Ironforge also has the simplest layout of any city, and feels like the smallest. You can get from any part of the city to any other part quickly and easily.
Wolfstalker Oct 5th 2007 8:44AM
Ironforge for Alliance, Orgrimmar for Horde.
All other cites are terrible in comparison.
Vestras Oct 5th 2007 8:45AM
Favorites: Silvermoon for it's beauty or Exodar, same reasons. Just the asthetic of these cities gives a sense of majesty you don't find anywhere else in WoW.
I also liek the slowly developing Forest Song city in Ashenvale.
Worst: Ogrimmar, AWFUL layout and laggy. I also hate Nigel's point in Desolace.
Urofseron Oct 5th 2007 8:48AM
I think Shat is the worst city I've ever been to. I can't find anything, it's just a big maze.
I do agree that Darnassus is the most beautiful city in the game, no doubt. It's so quiet and peaceful that I often go there just to get away.
Chris Oct 5th 2007 11:10AM
With my main being an undead, I love UC. I can get around it pretty quick, and the bank, ah, mail, repair, and flightpoint are all close by. I will admit that I haven't played much as alliance, so I can't comment on their cities really.
Also, I think Silvermoon is out of place as a horde city, it's way too "pretty" to be horde. Also I think it's kind of a shame, they put so much detail into the city and almost no one (at least on my server) goes to it...of course, there really is no reason to unless you started as a bloodelf, but after level 20, not much reason to go back.
Lucious Oct 5th 2007 8:53AM
Ironforge obviously. talk about navigate.
Actually i am a huge fan of dwarven race, and went playing WoW mostly because what ive seen in graphics related to them and liked. When i started and even before i was looking foward to see how they made the Dwarven city.
I think blizz captured very well the essence, the city is what Dwarves would make, pratical and grandious
Orestes Oct 5th 2007 8:55AM
From a working standpoint UC and IF, shat too if it didn't rape my framerate. Aesthetically, I love Darnassus.
Seppe Oct 5th 2007 8:59AM
Ironforge for convenience, Undercity or Silermoon for win.
Darnassus is hands down the worst, followed by Thunder Bluff.
ThorinII Oct 5th 2007 9:01AM
Why does everyone hate Thunderbluff? It's not my favorite, but it isn't bad.
I'd have to say IF hands down is my favorite to hang out in. It's easy to get anything you need. My main is a dwarf, so it is the first city I saw in the game. Maybe that has some influence as well. But, the first time I flew back to IF from the lock and I went between those hammers and flew in over everyone in the main area between AH and the bank, awesome!
Org and Shat both suck. Too hard to find anything in either. Under City is O.K., but the enter/exit process is too long. Even if you fly you have to go through that tunnel and it just takes too long to get in and out.
Todd Oct 5th 2007 9:02AM
Dalaran, City of Magic and Mages, had better be seriously beautiful and breathtaking. I'm not talking just in beauty, but the overall design and flow should scream "The city is alive with magic."
Lanth Oct 5th 2007 9:03AM
My favourite Capital City would probably be Undercity, because its a lot easier to figure out where things are than the other Horde capitals. It has the War quarter, Magic quarter, Rogue's quarter and the Apocetherium, so it's pretty easy to find what you want.
Favourite non-capital would have to be Shadowprey Village. I always liked Troll villages (more the music than anything), and the dull, gray theme of Desolace really suits it well.
CJ Oct 5th 2007 9:08AM
Thunder Bluff. It is the most peaceful of the major cities with the soft browns and greens. I remember the first time I used the elevator and heard the music of Thunderbluff, that rises with a quite power and settles into peace.
Gilestel Oct 5th 2007 9:12AM
Thunder Bluff - despite what poster 4 says it's easy to navigate in :P All you have to learn is which level you need. Identifying the level you're on is easy just by checking what's in the centre. On the other hand, those cities that just have everything arranged in one big round (UC and Shatt, I'm looking at you) have me running/flying in ever-decreasing circles. If we're allowed small settlements too, I'd go with Shadowprey or Camp Mojache, for the culture ;)
4STR4STALeatherBelt Oct 5th 2007 9:12AM
Really does depend on my mood. I'm Horde at heart and always will be, but as my first toon was Human I spent a lot of time in Stormwind and Ironforge. Love both but Stormwind especially as it has the most powerful theme music of all the cities. Even now it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
But as I'm just a big Warcraft geek I love all the races and so the cities too. Even the Elves at times.....
That said, I'd probably say the Echo Isles if Blizzard EVER got around to finally giving the Trolls and the Gnomes their homes back. (Seriously, it's about f***ing time so get on it Blue!)
Trolls > Everything else