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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBreakfast Topic: Which Cataclysm quest chain has blown your mind?
by Jill Shirley 
Feb 4th 2011 at 8:00AM
Cataclysm revamped most of the old world zones in Azeroth, updating them for a post-Arthas world. While waiting for the expansion to officially drop, I began two of the new race/class combos -- an undead hunter and a dwarf shaman. The undead starting zones, starting with Deathknell all the way through the end of Hillsbrad Foothills, completely engaged and delighted me in their use of driving storyline, humor, and curiosity as to just what in the world is up Sylvanas' sleeve? Everyone should create a new undead character and experience these quests. At least go to Hillsbrad Foothills and do the chain that starts with you being a "quest giver."
On my dwarf shaman, things were going along smoothly, pleasantly -- no real outstanding quests, but no real duds either -- and then I got to Menethil Harbor. First off, the sheer devastation in the town itself is pretty eye-opening. Go swimming down around where the town used to be before it got flooded -- it's crazy. Then I talked to a familiar character sitting outside the inn who told a familiar story and had me go on an awfully familiar quest -- First Mate Fitzsimmons, who asks for a beer to embolden him, and then you go kill ghosts at the Cursed Fleet. "Hmm," you think, "wasn't this solved already for the past six years?" Yet you still go and complete the quest, because it's money and experience, and you turn it in expecting the same old, same old.
And then Blizzard throws a total left curve you never saw coming and which I will not spoil for you here, because you must go do the quest right this second if you haven't yet. It will blow your mind.
So which quest chain has astounded you so far?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Guest Posts
Reader Comments (Page 6 of 6)
Kuro Majutsukai Feb 4th 2011 2:07PM
The Badlands.
Rhea ;-;
Toggle Feb 4th 2011 2:09PM
I see people mention The Day that Deathwing Came often, but the main story in badlands about Rhea was pretty good too.
Marshall Feb 4th 2011 2:20PM
I have to agree on the Forsaken stuff up through Hillsbrad. Especially being flown around by a Val'kyr. Please let that become a new flying mount. I would pay a large amount of gold/rep/time/etc. to have a Val'kyr carrying me as a flying mount.
Plus, I found I really love the Forsaken sense of humor. Took my shiny new goblin (okay, so he was a bit over-leveled after finishing the Goblin chain) up to Brill, and got started from there, and didn't stop til I was somewhere around level 30 at the end of finishing Hillsbrad's quests.
Julian cedrone Feb 4th 2011 2:36PM
Definantly Harrison Jones
pdgittins Feb 4th 2011 6:30PM
Rhea in the Badlands really touched my heart and The Day Deathwing Came sure touched my funny bone. It is so rare to actually laugh out loud at the end of a quest.
One more quest line that I still find touching but I have not seen mentioned is in Northern Stranglethorn. The quest involves a little baby raptor that befriends you and follows you around. I had such a good time when I had to guide him out of that old ZG raid zone. Since I took up Archeology it still touches me when I hit one of the Troll dig sites and my little baby raptor shows up right there beside me. It is like going home and finding your puppy sitting there wagging his tail and glad as can be to see you again.
I raised a worgen and then worked on my level 80 characters so I got to see the low end and the high end worlds. I really liked the way it felt like I had made such a difference and it is very nice to return to the zones I worked hard in to find that all that we did is still remembered.
Bazaro Feb 4th 2011 5:09PM
My favorite hands down: Zen'Kiki questline in WPL
Shapeshift! Time for cat form!
Pounce!
Meow!
Rawr!
Meow!
Leap!
falcon13 Feb 4th 2011 5:40PM
I found that whole questline made me dislike the forsaken even more, and I wish that that stupid general had left well enough alone at the end.
When i did the DK questline I found myself connected and enjoying it, but working for the forsaken after the LK is dead feels like they just hate anyone whos still alive and I just couldn't stand it.
falcon13 Feb 4th 2011 5:41PM
Meant as a reply to Rezai, sigh.
TheBishop Feb 4th 2011 8:23PM
Most epic questline has to be Fiona and her traveling caravan.
And I play a gnome as my main and still think Gnomebliteration is the single most fun quest in the game and yes, it should be a daily. Hell I'd do it daily even if it caused em to LOSE faction with Gnomer Exiles for doing it lol.
Jadestinger Feb 5th 2011 1:50AM
Maw of Madness in Twilight Highlands. Jaw dropping. Amazing.
Also, Orkus in Hillsbrad. Most memorable.
Gritty Feb 5th 2011 2:04AM
I love all the Twilight Highlands dwarf quests. They epitomize how I've played my characters though all of the WoW expansions. I play 3 dwarf characters. They drink, swear, and fight balls to the wall in everything. I'm known as a bit of a Leroy Jenkins....I go down fighting, and 'least I ain't chicken. And I'm good humored about all of it.
When I discovered the Highlands, I was very excited. I love the wildhammers. I've liked the gryphon riders since Warcraft 2. My first time through was on a hunter, and racing to hit 85. My second time through was my paladin, and I took my time and sucked in the zone.
I'm not the RP type, or way into lore, but when I discovered that the zone was Wildhammer Dwarves vs Dragonmaw Orcs, it made me as excited as I was when I was a little kid playing WC 1 and 2. This is the meat and bones of Warcraft. Grunts vs grunts, swords and shields against axes. Violence.
Diving into the Dwarven quests was phenominal. It started with "The Only Homes We Have". People spoke of quests bringing a tear to their eye. This was close. It showed the resiliance and tenacity of these dwarves. On one hand, I was helping these poor people save their only property. I extinguished fires on the houses, with more dwarves helping me and giving me more water. I found their prized possessions and saved them from the flames. On the other hand, I demonstrated my brute force. I leapt into groups of fire elementals and smashed them with mace and shield.
I'm trying not to ramble on, but looking at the other dwarf quests, you get the same idea. When you quest through human zones, it's all about backstabbing, betrayal, etc. Gnomes are all about mechanics, exploration, and invention. Elves are...well...I don't quest in elf zones. In the TH it is,
Honerable Bearing
The Fighting Spirit
The Loyalty of Clan Mullen
Stubborn as a Doyle
DUNWOLDS DON'T DIE (Hell yeah!)
This is where it gets exciting. It leads up to my favorite quest: "Once More Into the Fire" You meet Cayden Dunwold and run through an ambush with him.
"You know this is an ambush right?" - "Yeah! Isn't it great? They just keep coming!"
How can you not love it! Dwarves running into an ambush on purpose to smash some Dragonmaw skulls. Fight hard against those Orcs that took our home from us (Read the Know your Lore!) You also help his brothers find a pet baby gryphon, and some ale, because who wants to drink water? We're fighting a war here!
The then climaxes in Thundermar. You "Fight like a Wildhammer!", filling up on ale and food before defending your home. We fight ORCS ON DRAGONS!. Here we are, fighting for our houses again...Fannie's even using a frying pan. Finally you take down the leader, and then get into the festivities.
A Dwarf Wedding! This great quest line (including the wedding song), helps unite several dwarven clans to push back all adversaries. When all is said and done, you're left over with dailies that remind you how awesome the zone is. Drinking Ale, eating food, killing orcs, and bringing MORE ale to the villages.
TLDR : Dwarves are awesome! They are passionate, violent, and resiliant, and always up for a good fight with an orc.