Patch 5.2 interview with Dave Kosak
Inside an old alt's vault
The latest patch 5.2 news
All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBreakfast Topic: What Northrend zone did you begin in and why?
by Robin Torres 
Nov 14th 2008 at 8:00AM
After the Midnight Launch, I rushed home with my precious Collector's Edition, installed, patched and made a Death Knight. I'm not ready to play my DK yet, but I wanted to reserve the name and get her resting. Then I put my druid on a zeppelin and went to Northrend.
I didn't research the best starting zone for my class. I didn't even think about where the zeppelin might be taking me. I just randomly chose the Undercity portal from Shattrath and went from there. So here I am in the Howling Fjord. From a Tauren perspective, I'm not sure how I feel about doing chores for the Forsaken. Ah well, we're all in this together, right?
Where did you begin your Northrend questing? Did you research your decision, choose randomly or follow the pack?
I didn't research the best starting zone for my class. I didn't even think about where the zeppelin might be taking me. I just randomly chose the Undercity portal from Shattrath and went from there. So here I am in the Howling Fjord. From a Tauren perspective, I'm not sure how I feel about doing chores for the Forsaken. Ah well, we're all in this together, right?
Where did you begin your Northrend questing? Did you research your decision, choose randomly or follow the pack?
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Breakfast Topics, Wrath of the Lich King
Reader Comments (Page 5 of 7)
Vandel Nov 14th 2008 9:40AM
I chose the Fjord, becasue of the perception that it would be less populated, and also becasue I decided to level my pally first. He's a miner, and I read somewhere here that it was the zone with the most cobalt ore.
I also set my lock up in borean tundra at the Inn,so he's resting for when I get to leveling on that side.
Also did all the starting quests for my DK, and he's resting in Shatt wating for the day I decide to unleash him on Hellfire Peninsula
Man am I cursing Blizz right now, c'mon guys, the xpac is too much fun, I expect it will be nerfed on tuesday lol.
I picked up my copy at a midnight launch, played till 4 am, slept a couple hours went to work for 8am, got home at 6pm, played till 3am, slept a couple hours, went to work again for 8am, rinse/repeat last night.
Im gonna rest myself and my toons over the weekend rush, and the try to keep a more resonable schedule next week... starting to feel a little undead......... but its been fun so far!
Gimmlette Nov 14th 2008 9:39AM
Valgarde. I explored both Alliance starting zones in the beta and far preferred the scenery in Valgarde. To me, it was like having the option to start in either Hellfire or Nagrand. I would have picked Nagrand in a heartbeat.
As I was the only guild member in the beta, when I logged on it was, "Gimmi! Where should I start?" We wound up with a dozen of us in Valgarde. I've encouraged guild members to go to Valiance and quest there but we're going to stay at this end through the weekend and do Utgarde as a guild.
Mhruczek Nov 14th 2008 9:39AM
Chose Howling Fjord because I hoped it would be less crowded, since Undercity is nowhere as popular as Orgrimmar. Unfortunately, there are loads of people anyway.
Bonemage Nov 14th 2008 9:47AM
Tundra since I got started alte in the day due to my wifes birthday and some officers were working on getting all the nexus quest lines for a run through there. Was pleasently suprised by the Nexus, cake walk given we were all sporting T6/Sunwell gear but the bosses had some interesting dynamics to the fights.
jared.daniels Nov 14th 2008 9:42AM
I don't have wrath yet.... (sad panda)
Horris Nov 14th 2008 9:52AM
My warrior is in the Tundra and my warlock is in the Fjord. There is no real reason why I took each of those toons to their respective zones... I just did.
I really should decide on one to level though. I'm starting to realize that it'll take me a while if I keep trying to level them simultaneously.
Also, while I fully enjoyed the epicness of the DK starting quests, I'll probably ignore him for a while. I have no desire to do another grind through Outland with all the cool stuff there is to do in Northrend atm.
William Nov 14th 2008 9:53AM
I started in the Fjord, and glad I did. I'm the only one in my guild that did and I keep hearing everyone else complain about ninjas and KSers in Tundra. The only problem I've had is a bugged quest NPC (Captain Ellis) hasn't been spawning. I was also one for the very very few first in the zone on my realm (account was already upgraded and client already installed and patched at release time), so I got a nice head start to get through the first few quest hubs before it started getting crowded.
Thrashalot Nov 14th 2008 10:05AM
Borean Tundra, will go to Howling Fjord once I finish all the quests around BT.
Eric Nov 14th 2008 10:00AM
In the Fjord on a new server. No more Queues!
Surt Nov 14th 2008 10:11AM
I'm a tank, so I went where the instance runs needed a tank more - Utgarde Keep & Howling Fjord. I had started in Borean Tundra, but people were just grinding and questing, not running Nexus. I like to get my XP from instances so I ding early and get more gold from quests.
Mizzle Nov 14th 2008 10:25AM
I tried both, my main in HF and my alt in BT. I took my alt over to HF after 3 quests =p It looks better, the music is just WOW and, at least on my server, it was more lightly populated.
Emrys Nov 14th 2008 10:22AM
I just followed my hubby. :-) He's a warlock and I'm a priest so we send the blueberry in as a shield, he does dps and I keep everyone up. We're a very nice 2.5 man team!
SilverPlague Nov 14th 2008 10:33AM
I did research and went to B Tundra first for a few quest rewards, but after a bit decided to check out the H Fjord and on the Bloodhoof server it seems there are a lot more folks on the Tundra then the Fjord.
mindbasher Nov 14th 2008 3:05PM
Howling Fjord all the way.
The SW boat to BT means there are 2x as many people there.
That, tied up with the fact BT has tons of quests which are "go kill named mob X" all end up making it one messy kill stealing fest of annoying as hell.
Of course my wife and I are trying to get our alts through BT while we await our leveling mate every night....ow that hurts.
But my Dk is 60!!
Theadrick Nov 14th 2008 10:36AM
Howling Fjord to avoid the massive and inevitable crowds in Borean Tundra. I also find Howling Fjord more visually appealing and like the more "story based" approach to the quests there.
Sabotage Nov 14th 2008 10:58AM
I chose Howling Fjord, but largely because my roommate was in the beta and expressed his dislike for Borean Tundra. In all likelihood, when I clear the Fjord though i'll head over to Borean Tundra to clear it and get ahead of the leveling bell curve.
Evi Nov 14th 2008 11:02AM
Howling Fjord. I like the atmosphere. It's visually stunning, I'm enjoying the music and the Norse influence, and the profession trainers are accessible the second you step off the boat. :)
Karin Nov 14th 2008 11:07AM
I started in the Fjord, only because I was in UC and grabbed the flyer. Then I fell off the tower. I seem to be on the Slip & Trip route to leveling. The cooking trainer? Landed on her. Found the first aid trainer by falling off a ramp in the other area. Fell on a shark that tried to eat me. Made a Death Knight and fell into the port thinger. Got the stolen horse quest started by landing on a fence by a horsie.
Death from above, mwa-ha-ha. Don't look up, there's a tard pally and dk incoming...
Ice Nov 14th 2008 11:12AM
Well at first I went to Tundra because I was at Orgimmar. My original plan was Fjord first. I checked stuff at tundra and went to Fjord..
I did 20 quests in fjord and Noticed that about 80% quest rewards in cloth HAD ONLY STAMINA AND SPIRIT!? (and some haste).
I need mana too man.. I got bored after while and went to tundra..I like it there so far. I get intel+stam quest greenies. Well not that I use them yet..epix from kara has been better so far.
LostOne Nov 14th 2008 11:24AM
My hunter went to Borean Tundra to tame a Rhino.
My warrior to Howling Fjord so that way I can experience both zones.