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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsThe strange task of entering Dalaran
by Daniel Whitcomb 
Aug 12th 2008 at 8:00PM
Here's a somewhat annoying little problem with the Beta. As of the latest build, you can't just walk into Dalaran, or rather, you can't just use the teleportation crystal go up. Instead, you have to complete a quest to align yourself to Dalaran. But this quest is only available at level 74.
In the Outlands, it's not uncommon for a fresh 58 to head through the Dark Portal and right to Shattrath City. Binding in one of the Inns there essentially puts all of the Outlands before you, with flights connecting you easily to where you wish to go.
It seems strange that Blizzard has put up this strange quest attunement roadblock to those who wish to alight from the boat to Northrend and head straight to the capital. Perhaps it's a similar decision that caused them to restrict flying mounts to level 77 and above -- they don't want people skimping on exploration and seeing content, so they make you hang around the newbie zones for a while before you can just stick with Dalaran.
Luckily, not all is completely lost. Much like with Shattrath before level 58, You can still get teleported or summoned up by a Mage or Warlock before level 74. Still, it's a strange little extra hoop Blizzard's having us leap through to get the to top.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Expansions, Leveling, Factions, Wrath of the Lich King
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 4)
Faye Aug 13th 2008 3:56AM
Well, as a mage player myself I'm happy with this restriction. Lore-wise mages have always played a huge part in Azeroth and it's nice to see them finally have their own exclusive little place and feel a little class love. :).
Besides, I can already see the money for Dalaran portals rolling in... ;-)
Kaphik Aug 13th 2008 12:27AM
I also like the idea of the city being restricted to certain levels. Low level characters really have no place up in Northrend. It is not a land for the weak. Getting to Dalaran should be a bit more difficult for non-mages, it makes sense from a lore standpoint.
Really, waiting until level 74 isn't going to kill anyone. besides, most of the people bitching that they can't get to Dalaran at a low level are going to be bitching about lag there anyway.
Vellesta Aug 13th 2008 12:34AM
Acess to Dalaran isn't really as big of an advantage as access to Shattrath was/is due to the ease of transportation with boats (and i'm assuming zeppelins as well).
I kept myself bound in Shattrath and when I needed to see a trainer when I gained a new level, I just hearthed to Shattrath and took the portal to SW (I'm a druid so IF wasn't an option), trained, and hopped on the boat to Borean Tundra. If you end up leveling in Howling Fjord, then IF would be your choice and then on to Menethil for the boat.
It's really not a huge difference going to Dalaran rather than Shattrath.
Anteia Aug 13th 2008 1:14AM
Uhm. Seriously, all you people wanting even the portaling to Dalaran to be restricted? You realize that means that after an instance run, when your handy group mage opens a portal.. it'd have to be to Shattrath to be of any use to the rest of the group? And then people would have to use their hearth up anyway to get back to Dalaran so they might as well hearthed, which could suck if they were just brought in for a last boss on a raid or instance and their hearth is down. I don't think it's horribly practical to try to restrict Dalaran even MORE than it already is. I find the level 74 entry kinda annoying in the beta...and I'm sure, if it somehow STAYED that way, alot of people would find it very annoying because there'd only be two cities to get to Northrend from. Which means major lag in those two cities as people have to catch the boat/zeppelin to them, train, and catch the boat back from them. Big dreams about restricting areas always tend to come back and bite everyone on the butt. And then those restrictions get later removed and there's still some who lament them getting removed because, you know, they walked up hill to Icecrown BOTH WAYS.
Tenchan Aug 13th 2008 2:03AM
Maybe if Blizz wouldn't put every single damn thing that is somehow important, like, say, the Grand Master trainers, into Dalaran, I wouldn't mind the restriction.
But they did.
Draelar Aug 13th 2008 3:27AM
I've managed to train both my mining and herbalism to Grand Master without setting foot in Dalaran in the beta... The trainers are right there in the starting zones.
Larry-Steve Aug 13th 2008 2:58AM
I think Blizz was trying on a filter mechanism to keep the shear mass of people that we see in Shat limited in Dalaran.
It fits the story, but it fits more that Shat was a lag-fest of TONS of people and they don't want that with Dalaran.
Btw, nice usage of WC2 artwork!!
DirtyPriest Aug 14th 2008 5:30AM
Lag-fest? Get a better computer! Nyeah nyeah nyeah I'm hovering without flapping over shattrath now at 60 FPS.
Fletch Aug 13th 2008 3:11AM
Not being in the beta I don't know what sort of services are present in Dalaran, but to me it would seem that there is no real reason for low level characters to go there. Presumably the portals in Shattrath will remain and as such it will probably maintain its status as the 'transportation' capital for low level characters. As for the people who have said that they don't think it is keeping with the game to have low level characters running around Shattrath, I would say I completely disagree. It is entirely in keeping to have any old riff raff running around what is essentially a 'refugee' city.
Wes Aug 13th 2008 3:25AM
It's not "the Outlands", it's just "Outland".
rosencratz Aug 13th 2008 6:44AM
"Wes said...
It's not "the Outlands", it's just "Outland"."
Actually it's both, read enough about wow and you'll see it's officially been called both Outland and Outlands on numerous occasions. Regardless reffering to Outland as a collection of "out-lands" is hardly blasphemy when outland so jumping on peoples backs when they utter it is hardly necessary.
There is no singular land outside of Azeroth there is more than one so calling them the outlandS is perfectly reasonable for us and even blizzard's own characters and so ti should be for you too. if you must get pickey surely we should be calling it Draenor?
Blitzhuf Aug 13th 2008 2:11PM
Porting to Dalaran is only the first step to get full use of the city.
Is it possible to bind the hearth stone to Dalaran before finishing the Quest line?
Kitteh, Twilights Hammer EU Aug 13th 2008 5:35AM
As an idea make a certain area of dalaran city accessible (and have an inn there so ppl can bind) but remove the ability to leave or go around the city. That gives the option of allowing trade etc (which a city would want) but restricts riff-raff from the rest of the place. It fits the lore and doesn't inconvienience ppl too much while allowing the basic stuff you'd want as a a main with alts etc.
Sinthar Aug 13th 2008 7:00AM
Personally i LIKE the idea of a portal, open to anyone,that mages can open. And if you not attuned, then the UBER mage guards (lvl83elite i hope) on guard just PWN anyone whos not meant to be there when the appear. Id have SO much fun!!! (MUHAHAHA)
low levels want a free portal, sure np mate
open portal, wait for cries of ' OH WTF!!!!' and corpses to appear.....hehe - sorry evil side coming out on this one.......Same as my lock - summoning ppl - when hes DEEP underwater, in a nasty area, and watching ppl drown....MUHAHAHA
Kaphik Aug 13th 2008 9:00AM
That made my day!
tehvoid Aug 13th 2008 7:47AM
Let Dalaran alts-free. Let Shattrath be alt-hub. I don't real fancy a deserted Shattrath and overpopulated Dalaran.
Make it be that no 70- can enter Dalaran please.
Menalaous Aug 13th 2008 9:24AM
I wouldnt be suprised if before the beta goes live we didnt see the ability to summon/port to shat below 74 get locked out as well. Why? Its a freaking city full of the most power mages left in Azeroth. Whats more, they have been known to be a bunch of elitiest snobs in the past. They dont just want any lowbie running around. While a slight inconvenience I think it is a good idea. Plus if they did, it would lower congestion in this major city, instead of having everyone and their cousin screaming "need port to shat/dal, will tip" at level 1 in org, sw, if, tb etc trade chat and then heading there and cloggin it up and making it as hard to get around as IF with only 512 of ram used to be (/shudders at the memories of pre BC IF on his old comp)
MechChef Aug 13th 2008 9:38AM
WTB port to Dalaran. Tipping.
Juliah Aug 13th 2008 10:14AM
Thank you for reporting this, Daniel. It's disappointing news. I am getting more and more frustrated by Blizzard's forcing us to ride on rails through this expansion. First, no flying mounts until you're almost 80, and now this. :( All these barriers and hurdles with transit! Such an obvious forced slowdown tactic. Are they really that worried about Warhammer that they feel the need to do this to the players that are staying with them, to eke out a few more monthly payments from each one?
Sloegin Aug 13th 2008 10:34AM
74! How am I supposed to portal all my lowbie channel spamming gold farmer friends there?
O wait, I can after I get there once on my mage.
Bliz, if you're gonna have the restriction, go all the way on it, or maybe set it up like you do when you're a scryer and go to the wrong tier, have guards running around warping all the lowbies out of the city. That'd be a hoot.