Let’s bench LEGION and think about the best zones in World of Warcraft. These are after all the places that WoW’s success was built off.
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Deadwind pass is the best zone and thats a fact.
Pre-Cataclysm > Post-Cataclysm. Not a fan the maps after Cataclysm came out. They ruined Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor
Best zone of all time is OG Stranglethorn Vale (horde side esp). Duality of the more shamanistic themes of Grom'gol, searching for the chieftans son and all that, with the pure adventuring and buccaneering of Booty Bay.
Then you got my boy Hemet having you track and hunt wildlife, culminating in confronting the great white tiger.
All the while being literally vietnam, guerrilla fighting the opposite faction over elite mobs, troll spawns etc.
Some other zones have better stories or more beautiful locations, but in terms of emergent narratives and pure fun nothing comes close to vanilla Stranglethorn!
bri us redridge mountains really not on the list??? omg how dare you
2022 and no new zone could fit into this list..sad
Why no one is taking bout stranglethorn vale? In my memory it was THE zone, back in vanilla/bc
Lol I found the defias messanger in like 10 seconds back then
Weird you don't like The Jade Forest
No.1 is grizzly hills. bgm is so soothing in this zone. anyone with me?
I played Horde exclusively before my hiatus between MoP and about a month ago. My brother in law brought me back in time for Shadowlands – and he's Alliance (for shaaaaame!), so I had to (grudgingly) level up a do-gooder, er I mean, Alliance character so we can play together.
I quickly leveled up a Worgen druid and warrior to level 90ish, but then I hit a roadblock:
I can honestly say that WoD Shadowmoon Valley is beyond a doubt the most annoying zone I have ever had the misfortune of leveling in! I hate it! It's dark (but not in a good way), it puts way too much focus on the ugly tentacle people, and every time that annoying Yrel character opened her mouth I had to mute my headphones.
I had to go over to my old level 90 Horde toons and level three of them through WoD (Frostfire Ridge is SO much better than SMV, holy shit!) before I could bring myself to finish up my Worgen to get them Legion-ready. Never again!
But Drustvar?
I'm glad I'm not the only one who has an overload of nostalgia for howling fjord. I returned to wow a few days ago after a 14 years break. I flew every zone for nostalgia's sake and i still shiver in joy when i got to howling fjord. Many things don't age well. Howling fjord isn't one of them.
Nagrand is overrated and had no place on the list. Eversong Woods is light years superior to Elwyn Forest. Other than that I agree with your list (Northrend is really that continent huh, half of the list is zones from there haha)
How are the jungles of Stranglethorne not here
Ok… Timeless isles?
Interesting to look back on this in the context of vanilla wow: there were many things that went wrong as the game progressed, but zone design was not one of them
I started as a bloodelf and omg that starting zone I live it so much and the music just brings back so much nostalgia
personally i would put more of vanilla's zones:
– Darkshore: visually simple yet very enjoyable
– Eastern Plagueland: not really beautiful but very high in roleplay with a survival ambiance like in Resident Evil or Silent Hill
Possibly I would add the Barrens
I hated icecrown… id never pay attention and get killed by those elite dragons that fly around. Then having to rez at the bottom sometimes surrounded by more elite mobs …. things changed when i got my epic flyer tho.
Nagrand is the best zone hands down
for me Grizzly Hills will always be #1, ALWAYS!
Hmm if i should make a top 10.
Tirisfal Glades
Silverpine Forest
The Lost Isles
Azuremyst Isles
Hillsbrad Foothills
Western Plaguelands
Eastern Plaguelands
Gilneas
Nazmir
Bloodmyst Isle
I'll listen to the Grizzly Hills soundtrack without even playing the game, these days…
If only zelda had cool locations like this 🙁
I agree with every zone on this list minus Shadowmoon (old shadowmoon was better and even that wasn't super) I'd put Duskwood in there for sure instead. Order for me would be different naturally as well.
Wheres silithus? definitely top 3 zones
So you prefer Wotlk? (Don’t worry, we all do)
Night Elf starting zone wins for me. Always keeps me coming back, even if I just run around it for a bit during the free trial and uninstall. It's a beautiful, serene place, with gorgeous music. Just makes me feel all warm and cozy.
Durotar and barrens the best zones ever.