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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBreakfast Topic: Exploring the World of Warcraft
by Lesley Smith 
Apr 17th 2009 at 8:00AM
So when I rolled my druid, the day before the expansion hit, I was determined to see as much as this beautifully crafted world as I could. Yes, I essentially had a death wish. I was exploring Outland with an honour guard of my guildies at level 10 (and hearthed in Shattrath), I ran through the Arathi Highlands at level thirty, swam through Un'Goro Crater in my forties and was pushing the boundaries of Shattrath by my fifties.
However along the way I found some amazing places: the crystal filled cave at Marshal's Refuge, the boughs where the Dragons of Nightmare can occasionally be found, the first time you run into Azuregos in Azshara, the Twin Colossals of Feralas -- well the eastern one at any rate. Then when I got my flying mount I really started exploring properly.Nagrand alone is full of nooks and crannies and I adore the beauty of Crystalsong Forest.
So come on, readers, I want to know if you've explored all the hidden places of Azeroth and Outland. Do you have any favourites? You do? Great, be sure to tell us about them in the comments box.
Filed under: Breakfast Topics
Reader Comments (Page 6 of 6)
Delvin Apr 18th 2009 3:26AM
That's some serious geek rage.
Sevvah Apr 18th 2009 5:38AM
I miss the times where you could walk and walk and then suddenly BAM be suprised. I remember my first encounter with the monster in Duskwood as level 20 or whatever. That was so epic because i was really WTF ;) Today we know everything about every zone, and if they make changes everyone knows in 10 seconds. I miss the days of exploration so much.
I remember discovered the island at Kalimdor where the King of Stormwind was hidden. I mean, how epic is that? Finding your king at a Island at Enemy Terrority.
David Whyld Apr 17th 2009 1:57PM
I love the whole exploring thing myself. As a level 18 night elf warrior, I tried swimming around the northern part of Kalimdor just to see what was there (an hour of swimming, almost dying to fatigue half a dozen times then really dying to fatigue and getting some repair bills. But hey it was fun). Every time I'd see a bit of shoreline that was slightly bigger than the other parts, I'd give a cry of "yay!" and feel special because I'd found something that seemed interesting.
Recently on my death knight, I rode on the water from southern Tanaris right around to Feralas and was well chuffed when I found a huge cave and a deserted Tauren village on the shoreline of Silithus. I spent ages exploring the two just in case they were there for some special reason, but it seems they were just for flavour.
Matt Apr 17th 2009 5:05PM
In Arathi, Faldir's cove was a wonderfully surprising area that I stumbled upon while exploring. Literally, I fell in the water. And you can swim/water walk, etc, all the way to the Hinterlands too!
Feralas is my favorite pretty zone in Azeroth. I also like Ashenvale, though i'm a Hordie and died once or a few times following the road there.
Exploring moment: Noob level 19 I was, and I was on the quest that has you turn in stuff from the apothecary to TB. I had never been to TB. I went West from crossroads and hit Sunrock, scary spider, all the time thinking 'Where is TB????'. That was fun, though I'm fine with not doing that again.
In Outland, I'm a Nagrand Fan. I used to duel people on the floating islands in the sky, it was another challenge. That was before my moonkin had typhoon hehe.
Doing the druid flight form quest had be visit some other special areas too. The rocky area in outland south of Terrokar.
Good job developers! But please, no more Hell Fire Peninsulas. That place scares me.
Superasil Apr 17th 2009 3:07PM
favorite place? defentilly top of ironforge, the top of the mountain
(http://i.thottbot.com/ss/o/18059.jpg)
josh Apr 17th 2009 9:49PM
Before Blizzard said no more wall-walking, and then turned some locations into walled holes, I was able to go into ZG. I was a level 40 Tauren Warrior, and was exploring the hills near it, when I went over a drop, and then the words "Zul Gurub" appeared on my screen, and I got the xp for exploring it. There were no monsters or anything, I was free to run around and explore to my hearts content. There is one drawback to zoning into there out of a raid, 20 levels too low, you have to hearth out. I ended up waiting over 40 minutes for my hearthstone was on cooldown.
Sibhoan Apr 17th 2009 4:12PM
Most unexpected thing to find: the poor little skele-dude on the island floating over the Throne of the Elements behind Garadar..man, he was just picking apples..did somebody have to put that axe in his head?? (must have been the Alliance annoyed at losing Halaa again)
Verizamour Apr 17th 2009 2:55PM
Places I've explored and things I've learned:
The orphanage in the hills between Zangarmarsh and Nagrand where Tauren babies swing on a wheel.
Stonebull lake late at night when the moon is high in Mulgore.
Caverns of Time before it was opened. Getting in was half the battle. Being inside all by yourself was eerie.
Just outside the yeti cave in Feralas where a beam of light with sparklies floating through it shines through the canopy.
The log ride in Grizzly Hills to Venture Bay.
The hatch in Sholozar with some very strange numbers on it
foodlion Apr 17th 2009 6:11PM
the "hatch" is a candid reference to the tv series LOST for those not privileged to have enjoyed its television goodness.
In fact the numbers are the exact numbers from the show, + or - one on each, cant remember which.
chained Apr 17th 2009 3:19PM
I found an alter in Nagrand with a corpse reading a book. i remember exploring the northern part of icecrown which has nothing there except for penguins. They're not there anymore an accidental rain of fire wiped them out. Please don't tell D.E.H.T.A.
I enjoyed flying through the chasm or deep valley between Ulduar and the rest of Stormpeaks.
Ardic Apr 17th 2009 9:32PM
I ran into Azuregos for the first time last night! I bolted into my roommate's bedroom and said "Ohmygodyouhavetocomeseethisrightnow!" We marveled that the fact that the dragon was just shy of a million health, and took screenshots aplenty. It was great :)
Adox Apr 18th 2009 10:36AM
My first toon (NE Rogue) was escorted to SW by my sister's boyfriend'd 70 Hunter. I remember being totaly lost and completely amazed at the size of the game. I had no idea that I was only seeing a tiny portion of what's out there. The exploration aspect was what got me hooked on WoW.
Once I was dropped off in SW and my escort said, "There, now level." I was so hopelessly confused about what to do and where to go, I ended up running the length of the shoreline in Westfall looking for "that damn boat that brought me here". lol Such a noob. Those were the days. =)
Kind of ironic that now I play Horde and yet Elwynn is still my favorite zone. =P
Jidiro Apr 17th 2009 5:45PM
I am strangly in love with Scarlet Monestry.
I count it always as my first proper instance... where I knew what I needed and why. I still love it.
My first charecter was a Night Elf... and I remember leaving Shadowglen thinking "There's a whole world out there" Not knowing Tedrassil was just a small island >.<
In Outland... I loved Netherstorm... I mean... it's Purple!!!!!!
Northrend... I think Dragonblight... more specifically The Carrion Fields. I felt like a proper hero rescuing the people from that are on griffons and with guns.
Still think they should made it into one of the Final Zones. Icecrown and Storm Peaks don't compare to that area.
Alex Apr 17th 2009 4:36PM
Stranglethorn Vale anyone? I hate that place so much but it still looks so good. Sholazar basin is starting to take its place though
Chamual Apr 17th 2009 10:17PM
Took more adventuring rather than exploring, but Karazan is still one of my favourite spots in the game. From landing in darkshire and riding down the ravine towards the tower, rounding the corner and seeing the villiage at it's feet and the tower soaring above you, and knowing that challenges and devious tricks previously unthought of, lay in wait for you to step foot inside....
Delvin Apr 18th 2009 2:28AM
Yea, I love the North areas too. You can look up across the small bays at the massive waterfalls running down from Winterspring.