Size does matter
by Marcie Knox 
Jan 23rd 2008 at 2:30PM
One of the first rules of WoW I learned was Big = Bad News, and the Sons of Arugal beat this lesson into my head until it stuck. Initially I thought that the size of a mob would be a great tool in figuring out what I shouldn't be fighting. I mean, if they're bigger than other stuff, how could I miss them?
So you're out in Eastern Plaguelands, merily working on your 1078th Plague Bat so Tirion can get his jollies by standing next to a hero, and suddenly your screen fills with light tan wings. You try to run, but it's too late. It's not like you can see where you're going anyways, with giant Chiroptera butt in your face. You've just been Dustwing'd.
And once you hit Outlands, it seems like there's a giant baddy around every corner. Fel Reavers roam, looking for... spare parts? Lost love? I don't know, but it was pretty obvious that I should stay away when all I could see were his hubcaps. I also give wide berth to rare striders (ok, all striders because I can't tell the difference) in Zangermarsh, dragons in about 100 different zones, and anything that looks even mildly "elitish" in stature.
It's not just the bad guys that are getting in on the sizing action, either. Those enough with the good fortune of travelling to Mount Hyjal get to see the new and improved Jaina and Thrall. I can't tell you how many jokes exploded in Vent when we first saw them. Yep, that's me next to Jaina in the picture at the top. And no, I didn't have Noggenfogger on. She's really that huge now.
So who's your favorite giant mob? Do you still suffer from weekly "ZOMG NOOO..." nightmares from EPL like me?
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, NPCs
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Cieron Jan 23rd 2008 2:39PM
The Ninjasaur in the Crator.....
Angus Jan 23rd 2008 4:06PM
I went back at 70 and found the King, and killed him out of spite.
While going through in my 50s trying to get quests done I got ninja stomped more times than I could count.
Walking merrily, giant foot on head, "You have died"
Thing is, it wasn't an easy fight. He's still tougher than anything short of a fel reaver.
Todd Jan 23rd 2008 2:43PM
Oh you can't forget about the giant dinosaurs lurking about Un'Goro!
Lab Monkey Jan 23rd 2008 2:55PM
That rare strider in Zangamarsh is one tough cookie. I barely took 10% off him before both myself and my Felguard were toast (about 5 seconds). I was lvl 65, it was 65 elite. Thought I could take it. So very, very wrong.
Efigyuge Jan 23rd 2008 2:47PM
I was leveling an alt in EP when I was dustwing'd. As I panicked I realized..post 2.3 he is no longer elite. He is just a giant named monster now, which was a relief.
Thingy Jan 23rd 2008 2:54PM
Reminds me of December '04, a friend had given me the trial key from her game and convinced me to give it a try. I rolled a lowly NE Hunter not to be a legolas, but because I had been reading the books that came with the game and that class/race seemed to suit what I wanted the best. Levelled up to 5 and left the NE starting area. The first town I come across had slightly different buildings so I was a little ... cautious. Then, I see this HUGE tree walking up towards me. "RUN AWAY!!!!" 10 deaths later I had skirted around the outside of that town safe and in once piece. Made my way to Teldrassil, only to find more of them. I figured I'd just do a death run right at it. It didn't attack? What? These huge scary things are friendly?
Embarrased at my stupidity and with my tail between my legs, I made my way back to the last town and continued questing/levelling.
Tridus Jan 23rd 2008 3:05PM
The Hyjal ones are pretty hillarious, since Theramore Jania isn't much taller then a normal human.
In Hyjal, my Dwarf Priest goes up to Thrall's knee. What is he, 20 feet tall?
Ametrine Jan 23rd 2008 4:55PM
Hyjal Jaina...
I can't be the only one thinking dirty about the fact you are eye-level with her crotch.
Malyfactian Jan 23rd 2008 3:07PM
@ Lab Monkey, you're not kidding about that elite strider in Zangarmarsh. My friend and I had to take a full 5 man, with a healer, tank and everything, to take him down, and we were all around lvl 64-66. And he drops a stupid blue cape "of the whale." :-/
The first wandering named elite I ever saw was the red dragon in Alterac Mountains, I forget his name. I was minding my own business grinding on the ogres just outside the pass leading up to Alterac, when the screen fills up with dragon wings. Three hits and I was skulled.
Ahoni Jan 23rd 2008 3:16PM
Those wandering trees in Ashenvale. I'm 20-something and questing and I turn around and there is this big Lvl 35 elite tree thing stomping my head.
Then there are the wandering giants in Desolace, t-rexes in Ungoro. Nothing beats the Fel Reavers though. We all got stomped more than once by those.
Shumina Jan 23rd 2008 3:17PM
Dragonmaw Ascendants in Shadowmoon Valley. They're my favourite because they engender in me a profound sense of hate. No other wanderinging elite since the Un'Goro Ninjasaurs has caused me such calamity. While everything else is a timesinking inconvenience as I bubble and slowly work the mob down. These guys? No way. It's run run run. I've even jumped off of the side into the Twisting Nether to get away, robbing them of the satisfaction.
Much hate, and therefore, much love.
peaglemancer Jan 23rd 2008 5:30PM
"I've even jumped off of the side into the Twisting Nether "
I did that just the other day. "Haha no Xp points for you Dragonmaw Ascendant!" /plunge to death
Anyde Jan 23rd 2008 3:33PM
Can't forget Durn and all his brothers. The one in Blades insists on killing me over...and over...and over...
Bear form isn't that good...
Blacksabre Jan 23rd 2008 5:07PM
Terrokarantula
A spider that big could eat Tokyo AND Steve McQueen both.
Slayblaze Jan 23rd 2008 3:44PM
I don't know if this really qualifies as a "mob" since it's quest generated (but I didn't know that at the time)
It was a looong time ago pre-BC and I was questing with a buddy in Ungoro Crater - and we had been there for days doing all the quests. We were both well aquainted with all the various dangers and had learned to RUN from all the giant dinos there after the first couple hours. We were also both on alts - each of us already had a level 60 main - and had been through all this stuff before so we knew what we had to do, the quests and were just trying to get done with everything so we could move on.
We were in the middle-north-western area and mounted and going to the springs area to turn in a quest, and all of a sudden a GIANT succubus just seems to materialize out of nowhere! There is also a GIANT Felhound close by. Both of us just go "Holy SH!T" and skirt around the area, but double back for another look. We had no idea at the time what they were doing there and were both amazed at their gigantic size...they were bigger than the elite devilsaur tyrants we had so grown to fear.
There seemed to be no one else nearby but just then we notice a couple corpses and just as we see them, they rez and of course one of them is a Hunter (with a Priest also) and he tells us he is doing his elite quest or whatever. It was Simone the inconspicous...but neither me nor my friend had never even heard of that questline at the time, which accounted for one of the most surprising and unexpected encounters either of us had ever had up to that point in the game.
Personally, I think there should be more gigantic succubi in WoW ;)
Mr. Pink Jan 23rd 2008 3:45PM
IMO, the most classic one is the Son of Arugal, because most players have experienced it both Alliance and Horde. Either running to SFK or questing, you'll just get assaulted by those damn things. lol
Deusmortis Jan 23rd 2008 3:57PM
Dragonmaw Ascendants... bad memories.
Aside from those, I like some of the massive raid bosses. Archimonde is pretty cool, although he does look a bit... plain. I'd have to say that right now, my favorite is Illidan in Demon form. Despite the countless wipes he's still causing us, the encounter is amazing, and very well done. Big shadow Illidan definitely makes the fight more epic!
Derryl Jan 23rd 2008 3:58PM
How about those effing Alliance Outrunners who walk up and down the road in southern Barrens? I kill those idiots on my 70 out of spite every time I happen to see them.
Michael Jan 24th 2008 11:13AM
Completely agree with you. I have made a couple of trips back there to kill those jerks.
Sedicla Jan 23rd 2008 4:03PM
Well i think the classic elite giant was Stiches. In the beginning he was not marked as elite, but I think he was anyway. So, lvl 35 would be easy. He killed everybody on his way to darkshire. Good times then...