Patch 5.4 patch notes
Virtual Realms feature revealed
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The latest patch 5.4 newsBreakfast Topic: What starting zone do you love?
by Amelia Ramstead 
Aug 31st 2011 at 8:00AM
Lure me in with a beautiful location and great storyline, and I'm yours. I've been sucked in by the Blood Elf and Draenei starting zones and was loathe to leave. I also loved my time in the Goblin and Worgen starting zones, although being plopped out into the world with no real skills was a tad frustrating. I've also enjoyed starting Night Elves and Tauren. Despite this, my favorite zone is the Undead zone. That's right, Tirisfal Glades. Although it doesn't meet my "beautiful" requirement, the story more than makes up for it. And actually, on second thought, it is beautiful, in its own special way.
There's just something about Tirisfal Glades that feels so ... good. Maybe it's the slightly gothic feel. Maybe it's the tragedy that permeates the zone, the loss that is evidenced everywhere. And Sylvanas is one of my favorite characters, so having the opportunity to play next to her feels like an honor. I liked the undead starting zone from the beginning, but the changes in Cataclysm really added to the atmosphere. Being evil is so fun.
What about you? What starting zone really gets your juices flowing? Do you find yourself constantly making the same race over and over again just so you can watch the cinematics or do the same quest? What is it about that zone that makes it so very awesome for you?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Guest Posts
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 4)
Amallia Aug 31st 2011 9:11AM
I've leveled each race of both factions through each starting zone (some pre-cata, some post cata) and I've got to say my favorite is Teldrassil. My first character was an NE and I loved the area/music/atmosphere so much. Dolanaar questing was the best!
I really enjoyed Gilneas, Tirisfal Glades (pre-cata), and Elwyn Forest (pre and post cata). I'm not a fan of Durotar for some reason though. Not sure. Goblins and Trolls both got great starting zones in Cata. Lots of fun.
From leveling various new characters in this expansion though, I have to give Blizzard a big kudos to how well they revamped old leveling areas. Particularly Redridge Mountains. I HATED that zone before Cata, and now it's one of my favorites lowbie zones.
As a side note, whoever was in charge of redoing the quests in Arathi Highlands screwed up big time; they're horrible. Just an FYI for anyone looking to start a new toon: stay away from Arathi. The Refugee camp gives you all the quests in the zone and they're scattered all around. It's not streamlined at all like any of the other old leveling zones that were redone.
Grimalkin Aug 31st 2011 9:18AM
I'm trying to find the words to describe how much I like Draenei starting zones. I fail.
Darky Aug 31st 2011 9:18AM
Tirisfal old and new, goblin, worgen and draenai.
redwinger_6 Aug 31st 2011 9:18AM
The first time I went through Elwyn I liked it, right up until I heard Mmmgrlgrlgrlgrl! for the first time, and a froggy bastard brought ten of his friends with him. Now I just show up there once in awhile to nuke some murlocs.
I like Tirisfal best, but none of them really stand out a lot, other than the fact that you can't leave the Worgen or Goblin areas until Blizz decides to let you go. They were fun the first time, but the second time it got tedious.
Frin Aug 31st 2011 9:43AM
I don't know what changes they made to the Forsaken starting quests since Cata.. but this whole thread has me nostalgic from when WoW was new, exciting, and fresh. First toon, took it slow to absorb the game as opposed to throwing myself on autopilot and blitzing to max level. But I guess it is kind of like a girlfriend in that the first 2-3 months are always the best.
I loved the Forsaken starting zone back in the "day," but I have not leveled a new toon in Cata. Just the word Tirisfal Glades is enough to make me nostalgia hard. Then Silverpine, Hillsbrad, Arathi Highlands, shoot over to Desolace? Feralas? Hinterlands? Felwood? AoE grinding rather than questing? Mmmm, having to talent instant Arcane Explosion. :(
Nina Katarina Aug 31st 2011 9:53AM
Do yourself a favor - take an evening off, pick a random server, and level a baby toon. They're so cute when they're that little, and the starting zones are really well done.
Noyou Aug 31st 2011 11:16AM
@Nina,
That is great advice. I did exactly that on another server with a guildy. It is incredibly fun. Of course when you hit level 10 you are jonesing for some heirlooms. But it's nice to just kick around in the 1-5 zone. I often put on 1-2 levels just running around and killing everything. Fun times.
Brock Aug 31st 2011 9:26AM
I think of starting zones as almost a "home sweet home" feeling and in saying that, the Blood Elf and Human areas both give me a sense of "ahhh, back home, time to relax".
Dragoniel Aug 31st 2011 9:42AM
Well, looks like I'm alone with my opinion, but most of all I like the blood elven lands and quests. And I am an alliance player with like 6 characters of level 85 or something. It's sad, I know.
Of Alliance side I don't really like any of the starting zones. Not even Gilnean. Alliance starting zones just doesn't have that atmosphere there is in Undead and Elven lands of the Horde.
Well, much has changed and I don't have to suffer those anyway. My last alt went from level 1 to level 70 in less than 3 days. Quests completed in total - around 10 or so. Until I hit level 15 and cut the rest of my way through hordies without caring or sharing.
Gimmlette Aug 31st 2011 9:50AM
I've always been partial to Dun Morogh. It's not snazzy and I remember it being harder to get through pre-Cataclysm, but my favorite race is dwarf.
That being said, I made a gnome to see the changes to the gnome starting area and wow, from the new music to the new quests, I had so much fun with that revamped content.
I haven't done any of the horde starting zones although guild members tell me to try undead just for the story line. Please, Blizzard, more character slots.
shomechely Aug 31st 2011 9:56AM
The new Undead zone is amazing. The quests and NPC's perfectly put your character's situation into context and the artwork of Brill totally set the Forsaken tone. When I was done, I wanted to applaud. The Worgen starting zone was just incredible. I got a real sense of the fear and panic that would have overtaken Gilneas as the Worgen overran the city and the quests were just fun. But nothing for me beats good old Elwynn Forest. It flows, it's logical, it's fun to kill skulking Orc spies and put out fires and you can do it all in what feels like 10 minutes.
Tahyun Aug 31st 2011 10:02AM
Called me old fashioned, but I still love Elwynn. I would totally live there if I could. I mean, the storyline isn't perhaps the most exciting, although I haven't started a new human since cata, but I like the music and I like the scenery and I like the feel. Ya know?
Sansarya Aug 31st 2011 10:09AM
I'm alone here in liking Orc starting zone and Durotar, but it really has the feel of a hardened land and a hardened race. I haven't started another Orc since Cata so I don't know if there are any changes, but pre-Cata the zone was very appropriate to the story line and the Orcs. Some of the other starting zones actually give me the willies with the trees and music. The Blood Elves felt too Alliance for me, the Tauren too hulking, and I can't get past the feeling as an Undead that my arm or foot might fall off mid-fight, lol.
evoxpisces Sep 2nd 2011 12:38PM
During Vanilla WoW, I liked the Orc/Troll starting zone for a while, but after having done it many times over, I did get tired of it. Still, Durotar began to feel like my home. During BC and WotLK, I loved the Draenei starting zone the most, it just had (and still has) the most atmosphere to it. But now that Cataclysm is around, the Goblins have far and away the most enjoyable starting zone. It is highly gimmicky but it's so much more fun. Sometimes I find myself starting a new Goblin just to re-experience the Goblin zone since you can't revisit the Lost Isles as far as I know. I used to HATE the Undead starting zone pre-Cataclysm, but the new one is pretty cool. Overall, the Goblins are my favorite race and have my favorite starting zone, but the Draenei are a close second.
Grovinofdarkhour Aug 31st 2011 10:32AM
Gilneas reset the bar. The greatest tragedy in the game is not being able to go back.
Nina Katarina Aug 31st 2011 10:36AM
You can go back as long as you've got an empty character slot.
Shinae Aug 31st 2011 10:37AM
At least anyone can go to Gilneas. It's empty, but you can be there.
Kezan and Lost Isles on the other hand... :(
Chetti Aug 31st 2011 10:47AM
For the alliance side, I love the Night Elf start zone. Teldrassil is really pretty and colorful, outdoorsy. I kept my night elf's hearth set to Darnassus for the longest time before moving to Dalaran.
For the horde, I absolutely love the Undead starting area, after Cataclysm (that was the first time I experienced it). The story is good, the setting fits. It was the missing piece to the worgen puzzle that had me leaving the Worgen start zone kinda wondering what happened. I also liked how the story went seamlessly well into the 20s level range, where most start zones send you on your way around level 15 (if you don't immediately start to live in the dungeon finder) or sooner.
Shinae Aug 31st 2011 10:49AM
Post-Cata, I haven't rolled any new toons besides a goblin and a worgen. All this talk of the new starting areas makes me think I should amend that. (Yet, I have seen some of them indirectly by either seeing them over my husband's shoulder or in Cata-beta videos.)
Much of what a like about WoW is the scenery. I've long collected landscape photography, and I spent many hours of my youth pouring over National Geographic. I was impressed to see real-life-inspired landscapes and habitats realized in WoW. I can appreciate fantastic environments, too, but I'm not as big of a fan of that.
So my favorite starting zones are Mulgore and Dun Morough because of their majestic natural beauty. Teldrassil feels very artificial and way too purple, even though night elves are supposed to be all about nature.
underground_slacker Aug 31st 2011 10:53AM
i dig the art style of gilneas but like the lost isles a lot of it feels like wasted space.
Personally i adore eversong woods. the art direction just kicks my ass every time i go there and the music is the best in the game.