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The latest patch 5.4 newsBreakfast Topic: Which race has the best starting zone?
by Olivia Grace 
Feb 27th 2012 at 8:00AM
I like draenei, I really do. I like how kooky they look, with their glowy eyes and their horns and hooves. Their racials are, well, just OK really compared to some of the other ones available on the Alliance side, but they look brilliant.
But, my God, I dislike their starting zone. It really is dreadful, in my book. I don't know if it's because I've played through it a few times, but I didn't like it on the first try, and I sure don't like it now. I regularly pay to race change characters into draenei once they've made it through their own starting zone; for example, my most recent 85 is a priest who began life as a gnome and race changed to draenei later on, just to avoid those pesky islands.
Maybe it's just the novelty of playing new content, but I really enjoyed the gnome starting zone. I have to say, though, the start zone that takes the cake for me is the undead one. I didn't play through it before Cataclysm, but I have done since ol' Deathwing did his thing -- and wow, it's amazing. I reckon it's the best one in the game so far, and haven't found any that even come close to comparing.
What's your favorite starting zone? Which do you consider the worst starting zone? And, of course, why?
But, my God, I dislike their starting zone. It really is dreadful, in my book. I don't know if it's because I've played through it a few times, but I didn't like it on the first try, and I sure don't like it now. I regularly pay to race change characters into draenei once they've made it through their own starting zone; for example, my most recent 85 is a priest who began life as a gnome and race changed to draenei later on, just to avoid those pesky islands.
Maybe it's just the novelty of playing new content, but I really enjoyed the gnome starting zone. I have to say, though, the start zone that takes the cake for me is the undead one. I didn't play through it before Cataclysm, but I have done since ol' Deathwing did his thing -- and wow, it's amazing. I reckon it's the best one in the game so far, and haven't found any that even come close to comparing.
What's your favorite starting zone? Which do you consider the worst starting zone? And, of course, why?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics
Reader Comments (Page 4 of 5)
redwinger_6 Feb 27th 2012 10:35AM
The Forsaken starting zones, just so I can do the "give 3 quests" quest and see Dumass and Johnny Awesome.
TNK Feb 27th 2012 10:47AM
I gotta say, they did a great job with the gnome starting zone. It's definitely one of my favorites.
Honestly though, outside of Goblin and Worgen, i just spam kill the yellow mobs around the starting area till i hit 4 or 5 then go to whatever zone I want to continue. That's how I did my Nelf rogue last October.
Bumblebee Feb 27th 2012 11:01AM
Instead of paying for a racechange, couldn't you just, you know, walk to another area?
Naryn Feb 27th 2012 11:06AM
Pre Cataclysm I think the Draenei starting area was my favourite on the Alliance closely followed by Dun Morough but in the changes I think the Gnome starting area slightly pushes in front on the Alliance side.
Overall though I think the Goblin area is the most complex, had the most work done but honestly the Undead starting zone has and always will be my favourite I think.
The DK starting zone really doesn't count in my opinion, it's not really a thing anyone can experience so...
themightysven Feb 27th 2012 11:25AM
I've come to enjoy very particular parts of each starting zone:
Blood Elf: visiting the memorial to Kael's father
Draenei: teh emotes the Moonkin give you
Dwarf: when the icy chimes part of the music plays while you're outside
Gnome: the decontamination
Goblin: Swimming in the early Lost Isles (seriously Blizz, make more coasts like that)
Human: receiving the wine-stained cloak
Night Elf: the Dryads
Orcs: the gladiator tests
Tauren: running through the fields
Troll: the itsy raptors
Undead: the gnolls
Worgen: Gwen
Thomas Jespersen Feb 27th 2012 11:31AM
I like the Undead zone the most. Not just because of Tirisfal Glades but for the story that follows in Silverpine and Hillsbrad.
madeofrain Feb 27th 2012 11:43AM
Forsaken starting zone...It has to be! For the lore!...*spoilers* Godfrey shooting Sylvanas...Horror! The plight of the forsaken Garrosh and Sylvanas 'watch your clever mouth bitch!' dialogue!!!..It's pure gold..Having her escort you through Silverpine explaining to you personally what your faction is about (whilst one shot ending worgen) is epic....
Then getting to hillsbrad, the comedy quests are a riot!
Aodhan Feb 27th 2012 12:40PM
Pre-Cataclysm it was the Forsaken starting zone for me, no question. I loved how I really had the feeling of a race of cursed outcasts, struggling for resources and survival and questioning their place in the world. I found some of the quests touching in an odd way, such as the one to retrieve that Scourged man's remains and bury them at his wife's grave. I always did the quests to bring that Gunther Arcanus guy into the Forsaken and it was strangely heartwarming to see him talking to his old friend Bethor at the end of the chain. Even if I did have to run all over the place. The Scourge and Scarlets felt like a real threat which made all the quests to eliminate them feel that much more important.
Old Tirisfal also led into old Silverpine quite well. It's not a starting zone but I liked the Fenris Isle chain, which carried on from where Tirisfal had left off. The Rot Hide gnolls were part of a story arc that spanned two zones and culminated in taking out a powerful agent of the Scourge. I liked that sort of storytelling. (Didn't like being ganked by Sons of Arugal as much, but hey.) The new Silverpine isn't bad, don't get me wrong, but the way it starts off with 'So you killed those Scarlets, good job, now go invade Gilneas' was a bit jarring.
After Cataclysm? I'm not so sure. I dislike the way Cataclysm quest chains railroad you nowadays. Didn't rescue the old lady's kitty from a tree in the last zone? Tough, now you can't quest in this one. Didn't rescue bunnies in Hyjal? Unlucky, Mr. Warlock, you'd better go get rescuing those fuzzy animals or no quests for you. Much as I like Gilneas as a zone, I loathe being stuck there for the entire thing.
The blood elf zone was a serious contender for the position of favourite back in BC, so my current favourite comes down to Eversong or the death knight starting zone. I like the way the former keeps its old feel and lets me do what I feel like, then leads right into the Ghostlands. I like the way the latter sticks you right in the action with some great quests, then gives the whole 'thou art the Chosen Hero!' thing a kick in the family jewels right at the end.
StClair Feb 27th 2012 7:35PM
Seconded on the love for old Tirisifal (I'd probably vote for it and Dun Morogh), and the overly linear post-Cata questing experience.
jfrombaugh Feb 27th 2012 1:11PM
I actually really liked the Dreneai starting zone, it had a lot of beauty to it, and a couple of really cool questlines.
My overall favorite though has to be Elwynn Forest, just because it was the first one I ever played. I have so many memories from that place, and it will always have a special place in my heart.
Worst by far for me was Tauren, at least pre-Cata anyway. So...BORING (I don't know if it's gotten any better in the revamp)
evoxpisces Feb 27th 2012 1:33PM
The Draenei starting zone is amazing. Definitely my favorite followed by DK and Goblin zones.
jnhart1988 Feb 27th 2012 1:13PM
I know that a lot of people hate them, but I honestly enjoy the Goblin and Worgen starting areas. They do a great job of beginning the "Your the hero that will save us all" theme that Cata seems to work around.
evoxpisces Feb 27th 2012 1:31PM
Favorites: Draenei, DK, Goblin, Troll
Least Favorites: Dwarf, Orc, Night Elf
Ata Feb 27th 2012 1:57PM
I love the new Orc area almost purely for the American Gothic orcs in the farmhouse where you go to help with the pig slaughtering. Though I admit I ran past them three times before going past on an unrelated quest and then noticing them when I wandered close enough to shoot a critter.
That first quest to help kill boars is also a really interesting thing if you've played through horde side before and recall the conversation between Garrosh and Saurfang.
The troll starting area is fantastic, but too short. I understand them being so intertwined with the orcs like the gnomes are with the dwarves, but I wish the trolls had their own set of islands to go through, now.
The human area feels too neutered now, even with it being pretty much one of the first areas you actually run into aggressive mobs 'early'..the people fighting don't feel serious. A high level, full plate wearing soldier having issues with a level 1 wolf? Everything they, and the support around them says, feels a bit like a mockery of a real potentially horrible war situation, especially with the vendors just chillin there and the lvl 90 guards riding past on horses not giving a damn. The Theramore spies in the orc area gave a greater feel of tension than the blackrock 'spies'. I can't stand Elwynn and Westfall anymore, though, Westfall especially makes me rage with the stupid CSI jokes through the whole thing and the people insisting on eating dirt and coyote tails when I left the rest of the damn coyote just like, right there. Im not leveling cooking, they can have the meat even! I like Redridge for about half of it before it degenerates into yet another spoof of yet another movie. I hate Uldum for the same reason, and just because Rambo is older and not many 'younins' know it doesn't mean that I don't and I can't stand the constant spoofs anymore. It's made the humans a joke race in Cata.
The NE area is a nice advance of the story, but the Tauren area had a better advance to their story in the start. I like the update to the Dwarven zone, and the Undead start is still the same glorious awesome as it's always been. I always thought the UD zone was the best place to learn to play the game, with the linking mobs in the second 'half' before Brill, with literally everything out to kill you and forcing area awareness more than anywhere else, and a damn awesome story to boot...now it's all that and while toned down a wee bit in the 'everyone wants to kill you' fashion (the mobs up at the mills don't link anymore) the story is still impactful. And I don't even have an Undead alt I play regularally! (NE, Humans, BE and Orcs being the races I like to play the best)
Of the two brand new Cata zones, I didn't particularly like either. Gilneas felt too railroaded and had phasing and bug flaws. I can handle losing at the end, good stories have the hero not always saving the day and having ups and downs. But it all just was...I may have felt better about it if you weren't suddenly thrust into Night Elf troubles and problems upon getting to Darnassus and had at least -some- continued Worgen things...something about adjusting to the new situation, or something, anything. If you stay in Kalmidor you wont even see the few Worgen bits that have relevance to things not druidy that you can find in Darkshire. The Goblin area was kind of like a themepark, a great blast and a fun ride. I was frustrated with the pure length of it, though it was a fun romp nonetheless, and when you get into Org, hey look, Azshara is -filled- with Goblin stuff, so you get this, gradual ease into the rest of the Horde, and it just works. The Goblins are independent and self focused, but still part of the Horde. The Worgen are independent and self focused, but you don't even get the sense that the Worgen are a part of everything, and hell, you don't even really get a sense that they want to go back to Gilneas and want to fight for it, because you just, lose it all.
Philster043 Feb 27th 2012 2:12PM
The Forsaken starting zones used to be my most hated starting zones pre-Cata, but they have become my favorite zones post-Cata. As many people here have already said, they are simply immersive and tell a powerful story that is full of drama, intrigue and even comedy. The entire continent of Lordaeron has become the best questing area in WoW, with the exception of the Arathi Highlands, which I hope they will rectify one day.
However, if we're talking strictly starting zone (without the addition of zone no. 2, zone no.3, etc) I wouldn't go with Tirisfal Glades (which is still a bit boring and slow), I would go with the Goblin zone right now. I've heard people say they get tired of it after the first time, but I enjoy it every time and never get tired of it. I do wish there was a bit more leeway on exploring other parts of the starting zone as well as more hidden stuff, but otherwise, it's a fun-filled experience from start to end for me, and I enjoy the quirky aspects of each quest. I also love the scenery of the isles. I only wish the Lost Isles, as well as Kezan, were still visitable after you leave, even if it's a different phased version. Maybe in a future expansion!
Hurbster Feb 27th 2012 2:46PM
Belf and draenei zones for me. New starting zones have too much railroading for my taste, but you can pretty much say that for the entire 1-60 experience now.
Plus I'm Alliance and ummmm - well you know......Rambo, CSI - not cool. Oh and I lost my favourite levelling zone in Southshore.
Artificial Feb 27th 2012 3:56PM
Pool ponies. 'nuff said...
Brett Porter Feb 27th 2012 4:31PM
Prior to Cataclysm, my favourite 1-20 zones were the Human ones: Elwynn Forest to Westfall to Redridge Mountains to Duskwood. Not because they were the most fun, but because they were the most familiar, I knew all the quests like the back of my hand, and was just more enjoyable to do something I knew well than something new that was maybe not as great.
Since Cataclysm, however, I love playing there because of the changes to the zones. It was the first place I did in the beta, and I just absolutely adore the quest changes and the updates to the new warzones going on from a lowbie perspective.
The undead zone is next up for me, and the only one worth seeing on the Horde side, since the others are very much the same as before, unfortunately.
kunukia Feb 27th 2012 4:50PM
Dwarf zone. I played it pre-cata at least 60 or 70 times. I have played the new Dwarf zone 20 or so times. I kinda miss the old zone but the new one is still my favorite of all the zones in game.
Rabenherz Feb 27th 2012 5:01PM
I started WoW with a nightelf. It felt all right, the grafics were... lilac-ish but good, the music nice. At level 30 I saw my first Tauren (He was probably level 50+, he one-hitted me) and a moment to compare my teeny nelf with that massive brute of a cowlike humanoid.
I logged out and started a new charakter - a female tauren hunter.
Right after the intro cinematics, after my first two steps in Mulgore, I felt at home =) The music, the landscape, the architecture: Right then I knew I would be playing this tauren as long as I play WoW. (and I am right: It is still my main character, almost 7 years old - and all my twinks above level 10 are tauren huntresses, too. I've tried all the other zones but not one could make me feel like Mulgore does =) I still ask mages for portals to TB, not Org.)