Patch 5.4 patch notes
Virtual Realms feature revealed
The Proving Grounds are coming
The latest patch 5.4 newsOl' Grumpy and the return of class-based quests
by Matthew Rossi 
Jan 26th 2012 at 3:00PM
Back in the day (that day being 2004 to 2005), I leveled the first of many warriors to the experience cap of level 60. At that time, one of the things that set the warrior class (and other classes) apart was a long, involved quest line that sent you all over Azeroth to gather materials and finally face and defeat Cyclonian. As a result, you gained one of three iconic weapons. (Most people took the axe. As a human at the time, I took the sword.) This extremely long quest line took you from Fray Island to the area north of Tarren Mill and then to Arathi Highlands (giving them a reason to exist) and Stranglethorn Vale before bringing you back to face Cyclonian. It was a rite of passage for a leveling toon. As a 60th-level, 70th-level and then an 80th-level warrior, I would often go back and help warriors on the quest to defeat Cyclonian, who posed an extreme challenge to anyone attempting to solo him.
I lamented the removal of class-specific quests at the time it was announced. Now, over a year later, I still think removing them was a mistake. Being soaked in ancient wisdom like a turkey soaked in ancient wisdom, here are my reasons.
- Class-based quests provide a means to understand what, exactly, it means to play said class. Not all of them did this as well as others, but the level 60 Rhok'delar quest line is an example of a quest that demanded hunters on it learn pretty much every aspect of the class, from pet management to kiting. Watching my wife perform this quest line showed me exactly what separated a talented hunter from one who didn't understand their class and its potential.
- Class-based quests can provide lore and story that makes you feel connected to your choice. What's the difference between a paladin and a warrior? In a game where we have to accept homogenization to make different classes capable of the same roles, doing a quest where you're required to draw upon the Holy Light or channel your inner rage can go a long way toward making you feeling special and unique. The paladin and warlock mount quests were awesome for their lore revelations and teasers of special revelations not yet made. The first time I ever heard of Xororth was when I was helping a guildie get his warlock mount.
- Class-based quest lines reward you for rolling and playing an alt. You get a different play experience out of a new character, seeing new content you never got to see before, even experiencing a new take on older zones and dungeons (like, say, the shaman quest that took you to Scholomance) in a way you didn't previously.
- Class quests are content confined to one class. You may see this as a weakness of this kind of content, but I don't. Class quests are unique, in the same way that (as an example) removing Volley from hunters was a decision aimed at increasing their uniqueness. A class quest informs your choice of class. It allows you to experience aspects of the class you'll need later in a safe, non-group environment. It's both practice and education, if done correctly.
In addition to that potential use of class questing (which is in of itself valuable), these quests can be used to provide lore and storytelling options not currently in the game. A quest that teaches you why warlocks are allowed to exist in the Horde by letting you provide that very reason? A quest that explores the role of the Sunwalkers in current tauren society? Many in-game class quests end up as just "go to Dungeon X and gather materials for a weapon" quests, when they could be so much more -- and have been, in previous iterations of the game. (Not that getting a cool weapon is a bad thing.) By making variations that allow you to play a draenei Vindicator, for example, you can experience what your racial approach to the class is and why it's relevant.
Class quests are limited content in terms of who can play them, it's true, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. We're willing to gate lore and content behind an item drop (as in the Quel'delar quest line) and for legendaries that only a few (or even only one class) can even hope to complete. Why not just extend this? Making class-based quests teaching tools as well as lore reveals gives them added relevance even outside their stated class. I miss them, and I think the time is coming to reconsider how to return them to WoW.
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm has destroyed Azeroth as we know it; nothing is the same! In WoW Insider's Guide to Cataclysm, you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion, from leveling up a new goblin or worgen to breaking news and strategies on endgame play.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Lore, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm, Mists of Pandaria
Reader Comments (Page 5 of 6)
icepyro Jan 26th 2012 4:38PM
I find it interesting that in the same expansion that encouraged players to revisit the 1-60 leveling experience by changing the world, Blizzard also took away group and class quests that encouraged you to pursue the 1-60 leveling experience in a different way.
John Jan 26th 2012 4:58PM
I have to agree, really. Class quests made playing a new alt really unique. Yeah, it kinda broke the leveling flow a little bit because they weren't part of a zone's questline, which would cause that zone to go from yellow quest text to possibly green, but really, does it really matter when a game like this needs replayability? (Made up word, I know)
Plus, in a world where people are getting less and less informed about their class and how it functions, these things are becoming highly necessary. A hunter should know how to kite, for example. It really was depressing to do Blackrock Caverns fairly early in Cata and that hunter had no idea how to kite that last boss's adds, making a warrior do the job instead somehow. A mixture of personal experience, but we've all been there.
The rogue legendary quest seems to really get a feel for what being a rogue is all about, and that's why I'm really fond of it. It's a class quest chain. No one else can experience it unless you're a rogue, and you go in depth to truly understanding your class in a world where understanding and depth is fading.
So I say bring back those class quests. Make it so that each new alt isn't a complete redo of the content you went through with that last character. And no, not just those goofy level 20 and level 50 dungeon quests. I mean out in the world, going to do things that are specific to your class. Make a hunter take down some huge, tough devilsaur "boss" by kiting it over to some precariously perched rocks that cause an avalanche on top of it, thereby killing it.
I use hunters as an analogy here simply because they're the easiest to point out. There's plenty of other sore spots out in the world, though.
loli.gigis Jan 26th 2012 5:05PM
I am envious of those who have completed class quests and it makes me sad that the few that are around are barely whispers of the old ones "go to ______ dungeon and gather ________ and I will make you _________" isn't really a quest. I remember doing the pally ones that had me all over the place and helpful guildies that went into the dungeons with me to collect everything I needed even though that was still a shadow of it's former glory.
And of course having to ride everywhere on my war horse - no such thing as flying back in the days with 12 feet of snow and uphill both ways...
I also think it's time that blizzard figure out the way to teach people how to play their class. The difference between a bad player and an average player shouldn't be that the average player took the time to go read Elitist Jerks or some other blog about how to play their class. I even think a training instance in each major capital, something that you can go into and it will be tuned to your level that would let you teach, mess up and even get close to dying sort of like dueling. Even just more training dummies tuned to lower levels would help, when your trying to check your damage and you keep getting 'miss' it's not very helpful.
RiderGeshtar Jan 30th 2012 2:47AM
"I also think it's time that blizzard figure out the way to teach people how to play their class."
Yes. And - I know people's first impulse when they see a comment like this is OH MERCY HANDHOLDING!!!!!!!oneonezors!1! but it's not necessarily so.
Roll a DK, go to Acherus, watch Amal'thazad and his students. Read the dialogue. He actually has some solid advice for Frosties in his little comments.
This is not handholding. This is (a) RP-friendly teaching and (b) un-intrusive teaching.
Class quests used to do this. I remember seeing my dear friend do his Blood Knight training back pre-Cata, seeing him res Stillblade, then much much later waiting outside Strat for him to foooosh Alonsus Chapel because if I went in I'd die but I wanted to be around at least in spirit.
You learned by doing. This is what class quests were for.
And, Blizzard, only a few people seeing class quests piqued curiosity in other players and GAVE THEM A REASON TO ROLL ALTS.
Can we think a sec instead of just doing whatever loloz (looking at you, tomfool who okayed that execrable Sylavanas story that breaks lore and character *farts in your general vicinity* *yes, Geshtar is twelve*)? Seriously. Dismantle the buildingwide beer bong. ;)
Revnah Jan 26th 2012 5:18PM
Hear, hear!
cymage Jan 26th 2012 5:36PM
I loved the quests. I still have all the items needed for the warlock mount quest on my main. Plus a Quel and a Benediction on a couple alts. Sadly I did not level a hunter when those quests were in.
whitfan Jan 26th 2012 5:45PM
The Quel'Delar quest line was my favourite of the game. It's no surprise that the best quest lines aren't the "phat lewt" ones, they are the most meaningful ones; the ones that draw the player into the story, something that for me, is too few and far between in WoW.
The class quests do this for everyone. It makes you buy into your role, understand your motivations and backstory, and possibly teach you new things about your class (if not its a great mechanism to do so in the future). Wicth homogenisation, the only seperating one class form another is mechanics. Quests give that lore that each person needs.
The rogue quests rocked. As soon as you were in Westfall you had to sneak into the tower and steal that poison to get that ability. It makes you feel like you earned your abilities, and gave depth. The priest quest in EPL (I think you have to heal fleeing people from Strath while they run from plague monsters) bloody rocked. You had to manage triage using various heals to finish it sucessfully.
Removing them was a mistake, and hopefully they will be brought back sooner rather than later. SWTOR has shown the viability of the method.
themightysven Jan 26th 2012 6:05PM
in particular I hope that they take the format of the "story" quests that appeared in Cata as the model for class/role education quests. like if you role a pally at level 30 you hear the story Uther as he has to escort a group of npcs (prot) then at 40 there's the story of Lady Liadrin trying to keep a group of spellbreakers alive during the horde march on the sunwell (holy) , and at level 50 you get Justicar Jol trying to stop the saboteurs during the flight of the exodar (ret).
Cool Lore Moments+ basic role instruction.
now I'm kind of mad this hasn't happened yet
khalmojo Jan 26th 2012 6:34PM
Fangs of the Father quest line: more epic and fun than the dagger rewards themselves. What's more fun than having to sneak around and be quick thinking like a rogue should be? It is unnerving and exciting having to use every resource in your arsenal to compete the task.
Class quests? Oh hell yes.
Redielin Jan 26th 2012 6:42PM
I strongly, strongly support this. I would like to see the concept of legendaries ( a weapon that makes one class or player blatantly overpowered and provides amazing questing content that only a fraction of players ever get to see) completely abandoned. They cause far more drama and balance issues than they are worth.
I think class quests are a GREAT way to replace them. SWTOR has shown how awesome a series of class-based quests can be in getting you immersed in your character, and you could still provide some sort of unique weapon at the end of these things. Just make it roughly equivalent to the weapons that drop from the current tier, and don't make it orange. Then people could transmog it so really they're always carrying it if they want (unlike legendaries) and it doesn't cause so much drama, and in fact HELPS some drama by reducing the impact of RNG on loot, which will help out 10 man guilds especially.
All I see here is win/win. Remove legendaries which are nothing but trouble, and bring back class quests which are about the same amount of work, are much more awesome.
I really, really want to see legendaries gone.
Gasaraki Jan 26th 2012 6:54PM
SWTOR.. I am actually looking forward to level my next 2 classes, since they have different quest line.. in the meantime, after 4 lvl85's, my Warlock has been forsaken at 75, and wont even mention the druid, warrior and mage...
freebeatfly Jan 26th 2012 6:54PM
The rogue poisons quest comes to mind; that was so much fun, especially as a newbie at the time - I learned quite alot from it.
I got to do the Infernal quest on my warlock, but I was too late for the mount one.
I'd love to see more of them, especially in this age of "gogogo!"
Dbhelix Jan 26th 2012 8:08PM
So much yes! I started wow in the wrath era which was beyond the hey day of class quests but i still remember my voidwalker quest and my little warlock runnig to undercity every level from 10-20 in anticipation of a new demon. These quests forever stand out in my leveling experience, they were personal and provided my lock with the fundemental spells of warlockary, they in effect developed my character. Everytime i run by that summoner in the UC it reminds me of the awsomeness that those quests provided.
Ryan Jan 26th 2012 9:46PM
I agree with the article, but it was soul-crushing to read that title and then realize that class quests were not confirmed as making a return. I miss them sooooo much.
Ravnok Jan 27th 2012 4:06AM
I think a new type of attunement for heroics would be perfect for class quests, or maybe "role" quests. Have a sort of proving ground or "try out" to get to be able to do heroics. In these quests, you'd have to prove yourself to Garrosh or Varian in your selected role, it would be a way to teach players what they will be doing in heroics, educating them about CC, mana conservation, staying alive, etc. It could be a way to unlock the ability to queue for different roles in the DF, as well as provide a nice pre heroic level weapon.
datgrl Jan 27th 2012 6:38AM
It makes perfect sense to me, to have the quests your character does reinforce the class abilities you learn along the way. If there is a new ability available at whatever level, there should be a quest where you use it.
Dragonrose Jan 27th 2012 7:49AM
I never did manage to finish my Rhok'Delar :( But the parts I did do solo (killing the demons) were especially fun and hard.
Daryl Jan 27th 2012 8:27AM
I liked the class quests. Wasn't just one big one, there were several small ones as you levelled, sometimes getting you a class spell such as bear form or the felhunter.
I rolled a mage and warlock, the warlock was on a pvp server. I remember the various Tabetha quests in Dustwallow and the quests for the different lock pets and how a horde saw me go into a tent before I hearthstoned. (some lock quests were in Horde territory)
I remember the level 60 mage conjured water quest where you had to defeat a water elemental in Dire Maul. That water was really Uber but the game mechanic only allowed you to conjure two and you needed stacks for raids. BC let us make 4 at 61 and so on until you could make a stack all at once but it wasn't as good as the 65 water (two at a time)
There was also the level 50 trinket quests where you needed to get the 6 feathers from the trolls in Sunken Temple. Different classes had different variations. I think the mage quest was in Dire Maul.
I also enjoyed the Xylem quests in Azshara for a nice trinket, dagger or wand. I think you had to go to Sunken Temple and get something off one of the two dragons.
Khirsah Jan 27th 2012 9:05AM
I have recently started playing TOR, mostly because I have a lot of friends playing.
To be honest, I'm not that into it. I have a 6 month subscription, so I'll play for that long, but after that, I think I'll end up quiting.
However, one thing they are doing very well with TOR is the class quest lines. Absolutely engrossing. Everything else is mediocre, but the class quest lines are fun.
I completely agree that Blizz should bring these quests back to WoW. Especially now. With most people having several alts, the argument that only 5-10% of the player base will see the content simply does not hold any water.
Luke Jan 27th 2012 1:42PM
Seems I'm a little late to the party, but in the off chance Blizzard is watching:
BRING THESE BACK.
Seriously. One of the few things Bioware did amazingly well in SWTOR was their questing. As much as Bioware has a lot to learn about making MMOS, Blizzard could, and should take something from this.
I know that my favorite and most memorable quest line, other than the battle for Undercity, was the Benediction / Anathema quests. Many peasants died before I finally earned my stave, but hey that was the point right? It wasn't easy but it was totally worth it, and I felt like a better Priest after it was all said and done.