Posts with tag flight-path

Previously, we covered the Alliance flight paths of the first three zones in Northrend. Now it's the Horde's turn.

Once you've gotten to Northrend and possibly taken an awesome turtle boat to your choice of starting zone, you'll be mostly getting around by Wind Rider (flying mounts, of course, don't work in Northrend until level 77).

Note that there will be zone-specific information and maps after the cut; if you don't want to see anything about Northrend before you go there, don't click.

In about nine short hours, we'll all be storming the (figurative) gates of Northrend, in one of two zones: Borean Tundra and Howling Fjord (I'll be Fjording first, in case you were wondering). The zones are pretty large, but fortunately, they're replete with flight paths. And one of the questions I can promise you are going to see for the first week or so in /1 is: "Where is the FP?" But you, gentle reader, will not be asking this question, because I'm going to tell you where all the flight paths are (Horde-side friends, your version of this post is coming soon).

First off, you'll need to know how to get to Northrend in the first place. Fortunately, we've got your back. And once you do get there, you may want to shuttle from one starting zone to the other. Turtle boats to the rescue!

Now once you've picked a zone, how do you get around within it? Note that there will be zone-specific information and maps after the cut; if you don't want to see anything about Northrend before you go there, don't click.

Off a question on professions we recently took in Ask A Beta Tester, it occurred to me that it would probably be helpful to provide players with a few ballpark figures on budgetary expectations for Northrend. Blizzard's been pretty frank about its desire to reduce ingame inflation, so it's reasonable to expect a number of compelling demands made on your e-wallet (especially if legions of grasping guild leaders worldwide get their wish and start taxing the living hell out of you). Bottom line? You're going to bleed gold out of your ears unless you exercise some financial restraint. But...whatever. Screaming over the ingame cost of everything keeps me from looking at my real-life stock portfolio. I need a drink.

PROFESSIONS: Your first few minutes on the continent, no matter where you land, are going to be pretty expensive if you train up your tradeskills immediately. Polar22 in the AABT comments provided an extremely helpful link to WarcraftEcon confirming that each major and minor trade skill, with the exception of First Aid, will cost 35g to level to Grand Master. First Aid is more expensive at 50g. So, assuming you train your two major tradeskills in addition to Fishing, Cooking, and First Aid, count on being out 190g in addition to whatever it will cost you to train new recipes. WarcraftEcon estimates the total damage for an average player will clock in around 400-500g for these initial recipes and the Grand Master skill-up. That sounds broadly accurate from my experience in the beta, so plan on toting 500g along if you want all of your professions trained up immediately. The bleed begins!

As I was running across Ashenvale from Splintertree Post to Zoram Strand I began thinking about the marathon runs to pick up a new flight point. I came to the conclusion that my least favorite run is from Gadgetzan in Tanaris to Marshal's Refuge in Un'Goro Crater. It's just too long and unexciting. I know that I will have to make that run with every character I level. It always feels good to get there, just remember to pick up the flight point.

What's your least favorite run?

I'm sure you've all been there. You volunteer to actually fly to a summoning stone for your group, and suddenly you realize you're out of arrows, or your fourth and fifth drop out. If I had a nickel for every time I desperately wanted to hop off my ten minute flight down a continent, I'd have at least a dollar.

Doclrea recently made a suggestion that would be helpful to commuters everywhere. What if, at certain points during a flightpath, an option would be given to veer off and land at one of several nearby destinations? Heck, I'd probably take advantage of such a system even if I had to pay a little more.

What do you think? Would you like the option to land at an alternative, on-the-way flight path, or do you prefer things the way they are? Can you think of any other flight-related changes you'd like to see?

The Rebel Camp in northern Stranglethorn Vale will be getting a flight path in patch 2.3, according to Eyonix.

Currently, the Alliance's closest flight path to their first quest area in STV is Darkshire or Sentinel Hill.

This change along with the leveling improvements will make Alliance questing in the 30s and early 40s much easier once the patch is released.

Hopefully, Eyonix wasn't just teasing as he was here:

Hogger is becoming a level 73 outdoor raid boss. His loot will remain the same, I'm afraid.

That would make Elwynn Forest just a little bit more interesting.

If you are anxious to play with all of the new goodies, Bornakk says that patch 2.3 will be coming soon to the Public Test Realms.