Posted by Bastosa on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 - 37 Comments
Tags: battle for mount hyjal, Hyjal, Paladin, protection, Raid, undead
Ever feel like you found a dungeon, zone, or raid that was just made for you? Depending on your class, spec, and general play style some places just click with the way you play. As a protection paladin I’ve been close to experiencing this a few times. The Plaguelands were full of undead and great paladin lore. It was definitely one of the first places my tankadin felt at home. Further down the road there was Kara. A masterfully designed instance, and again crawling with undead. This had to be it right? Not quite.
After all this time playing my Pally, I am proud to announce I have found my place. My “Zen” instance. The raid to end all raids for the protection paladin: Mount Hyjal. I zoned in there for the first time ever a few weeks ago, and it all just feels right. Waves of mobs just charging into my consecrate, piles of undead that I can blast with my Holy Wrath, and pulling stray mobs off an over zealous DPS is just an exorcism away. Even the bosses are all demons, sending our threat through the roof. I know we are designed for AOE tanking, and this instance seems to be designed for us.
For those that have never seen the raid, Hyjal is set up much different than others. It is similar to the 5-man instance The Black Morass. You must survive waves of undead that descend upon various towns you must protect. Instead of pulling the instance, the mobs come to you. After you have downed 8 waves you get greeted by a boss. It can be rather hectic, but with all these mobs charging into your raid the Prot Paladin is invaluable for keeping everything under control.
I have never had more fun in a raid than I did my first night in Hyjal. Not only did I get to tank in a way I never have before, I even showed up in the top 10 of the DPS chart! I think I am in love. We still have a ways to go, and I know there is an obstacle or two in our way, but I am thoroughly looking forward to working through this instance. I’ve heard from many people that this instance gets repetitive and tiresome after a while, but I have a feeling I will be enjoying it much longer than others.
What about you guys? What zones seem designed for your class? Where are you in your element? Surely there are other zones that seem to be such a good fit for various classes and specs. So what are yours? If there isn’t one, what would it take to make one? I’d be curious to know.
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By asassinator on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 11:07 am
totally true pally’s are good in some instances but they arent meant for boss fights wich extra health needed and thats where druids and warriors are good at
By ninjasuperspy on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 11:07 am
My paladin always enjoyed Duskwood. The moldy gothic feel to the town besieged by the undead really fit with my vision of the paladin class. To say nothing of the desecrated cemetery on the other end of the zone. The open graves leading to the catacombs full of zombies looked over by Morbent Fel’s malevolent mansion just put the icing on the cake. I didn’t even mind wandering all over the place to finish all the quests.
The only thing that would make it perfect would be expanding the Night Watch into a full faction, complete with tabard or title. You can’t tell me that “Night Watchman” wouldn’t be a hell of a title.
By asassinator on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 11:08 am
best place i like on my warrior is BT i think
By Zantetsu on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 11:14 am
I don’t know as a Paly Tank myself i have always felt at home in Stratholme but hey that’s just me.
By Will on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 11:20 am
I’m with you on the Plaguelands thing. I always felt like that was just a good place for a paladin to be. The pally lore is yummy and the the endless horde of melee undead just feels nice. Outlands never got that for me; too many caster mobs, I suppose.
Also, I’m a Dwarf, through and through, and there’s something serene about Dun Morogh. If you turn off the music and just hang there, it’s got a great “life in dead winter” thing happening. It’s a great place for the hard-bitten max-level to get away from it all. When you’re done exploring nature, you can go back to Kharanos and grab a Rhapsody Malt and let the fire melt the snow off.
By Jonnycakes on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 11:37 am
Hmm on my wee gnome mage, i’d say i felt most at home in Hellfire Penninsula, something about letting fly my arcane missles into the faces of demons on the threshold of the gate to Azeroth makes me feel like im proving to the Alliance that gnomes are here to save the world too.
By ThoMage on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 11:43 am
I feel home in ZA.. i dont know… maybe its because my guild does Gruul or maggy and then ZA after because many ppl will log after the 25man…
then ZA feels like ur closest friends and allies.. and even tho u are 10 it feels like 4, because you’ve just been to a 25-man raid…. makes me feel homy….
By Zerotorescue on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 11:52 am
On my Blood Elf Hunter I like raiding Sunwell Plateau most. I really love the trash, the progressing and simply the way it is built. The trash in there drop some very awesome stuff, and even though you will probably get a very small amount of epics from the trash there compared to farming bosses it is a lot more fun for sure. If only I didn’t pass the Shivering Felspine to a SV Hunter which left the guild 2 days later
By Thunder on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
I loved questing in Nagrand with my shaman. I always feel very in-tune with the spirits there.
As far as instances go, The Auchindoun instance’s lore always appealed to me.
By Jack on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
As a priest, every instance is my Zen instance, because everyone needs healz
By Gene on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
I don’t know, I’ve never had a particular zone that I’d call my own. I like to think that when I play a character I try to get him/her to blend into their surroundings and feel right through out the world they might be traveling through.
Sort of a ‘one is all, all is one’ approach.
By Luuk on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
My paladin would first stride into the zone called Duskwood almost 3 years ago now. Darkness and a sense of dread filled the air.
From the dense tree lines blocking out all sun to the countless cobwebs that connect all the flora in the zone.
No real imediate threat to the population. But rather a constant sense of danger and peril would surround you as you made your way over the roads and through the bushes.
This was a place I could make a difference. Shine a light in this horrid darkness.
Here… I would bring justice.
By Boboski on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
on my Blood elf BM hunter i liked the zone stranglethorn vale very much, much becouse im a Leatherworker so i got tons of money selling leather that i gathered while questing. The only downside to STV is becouse its what i like to call STV Gankers Paradise:P
By Grant on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Thanks for being a Pally on Projectlore, I myself is a pally not level 70 yet but when I do it wll be great to listen to another pally
By Grant on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Also…
My favorite zones are:
Eastern/Western Plaugelands due to many undead/demon targets which s a good plus to pallys of all type, with there exersism* (I stink at spelling) and such.
Another is Nagrand only reason I love it there is because it’s so calm and the other zones in The Outlands are Charred up battlegrounds or something around that.
Also I like The Winterspring, even though I didn’t stay their too long I liked the quests there. Like ambushing a furblog clan or killing some leader. I also liked Winterspring for its nice snowy atmosphere. (Yes I like snow)
By Drakìra on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Well…
First time i stepped into Nagrand i was amazed,
It was so big and lovely landscape and the animals..
One word for it
Epic
By Tyrae on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Stormwind is designed for my class, definately.
It’s where a fury warrior truly comes to it’s full potential - looking for a PvE guild that’s willing to take you in, as, on my server, there seem to be loads, and I mean loads, of Fury warriors. That, or they just don’t think I can do DPS.
By Kastegir on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Playing a holy palla since day one. An have enjoyed Strat and schollo very much. But Molten Core was my home away from home. Love those big open caves. My guild had a joke going on that just inside there was a littel sign thats said. Home of Kaste.
But when i get old i will go to Goldshire and live. So peasefully. Until a Murloc tryes to rip your head off.
By Daii on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
I don’t know….I haven’t really seen everything yet but nothing has clicked for me, i can’t even settle for a class to play (that’s why i try to stick to my druid instead of making new alts, because druids can do any job..)
I guess it’s because my mood changes so often, i can’t really settle for anything. Which sucks XD
By Alayea on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
I’ve been to most parts of Azeroth and all of Outland because I like exploring. However, I think I felt most at home in Nagrand for my shaman because:
–> shamans commune with nature too, not just the druids
–> it’s a place filled to the brim with meadows and, correspondingly, animals
–> the music
My hunter alt only just hit lvl. 65 today, but I think Nagrand would be great for her as well since it’s a good place for hunting and skinning.
By sandwix on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
i loved being in ashenvale. maybe it was just because the guild i was in had a bunch of really cool people at that point, but for whatever reason, i really enjoyed playing there. i also really liked tanaris, although that might be because i went into tanaris after not playing for a few months, so i had full rest the entire time i was there. i also like STV for a little bit. not for very long though
By BorDeWolf on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
The best place/boss for this nasty gnome Warlock is illhoof in karazhan.
I like it when I can out do all other DPS by 4 or 5 times their damage.
I even loved it to see I could come very close to the nr. 1 mage DPS who has much more spell damage/crit then silly old me.
And after fighting this boss for about 5 to 8 min I really feel tired and always need a small nap just to restore the battery.
To me, it makes me feel wanted in the good way.
By DeathAdder on Thursday, September 18th, 2008 at 12:22 am
My favorite spot would have to be Un Goro crater. Just the feeling as a hunter, mowing through dinosaurs, killing the Devilsaurs all by myself, skinning everything, tracking what I need to kill through the jungle atmosphere, just wonderful.
By friskydingo on Thursday, September 18th, 2008 at 4:44 am
ive always had the taste of a hunter as far as the experiences i have, or the places i take interest. nagrand was probably the first place i fell in love with, by its sheer open beauty and diversity at every corner. if there was a get-in-to-deep rp playing style. i would set up a home on one of the flying pieces of ground. and live there. anything isolated of course, in semi barren places always makes me feel like i could walk around in a small area for a long time and blizz would just turn me into a rare for people to try and attack and obtain loot from lol.
By Prower on Thursday, September 18th, 2008 at 6:23 am
Nah I fell in Love with MH, nothing to do with class its just an awsome instance, It’s just the fact that the trash is just as if not more intence than the boss, that and not Having to MD onto another tank unable to pull for himself is nice. and when you do MD its under pressure!
By Jim on Thursday, September 18th, 2008 at 6:28 am
Priest on EOTS bridge… Mind Control jump them off PURE PWNage!
By Keylt on Thursday, September 18th, 2008 at 11:38 am
My favorite place no matter the class I’m playing at the time is hands down netherstorm, partially because my favorite faction in the game is the Consortium, and partially because the atmosphere in the zone is amazing from the coloring to the lighting, I mean just go there and stare at the sky for a while…If i had to pick a second it would prolly be Desolace, one place I could always count on being alone when i wanted to be.
By Alexander on Thursday, September 18th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
As an alliance rogue my favorite zones are enemy cap.
Gang and spank.
Also as an instance is: Bf, Ramp and all 5-man coil reservoir.
By Jondare on Friday, September 19th, 2008 at 3:48 am
As a Protadin myself my “zen” instance so far is Scholomance.
again hordes and hordes of undead, just waiting for my Holy wrath.
i just love doing that
By Dildobugger@EUBloodhoof on Sunday, September 21st, 2008 at 11:46 pm
whelp..
I levelled a priest first, then a prot war, then a rogue, next a hunter but, for pure fun, my arcane mage. I bounced into Outands at level 58 as most of us do, slammed myself into BF and Ramps with (luckily) a prot pally and spammed (Arcane Explosion) my way to the top of the DPS charts whilst watching the other DPS pull threat first :). Mages + prot pallys + big group pulls = ftw
By Aceada on Friday, September 26th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
For me the Steamvaults is awsome as a prot paly, but when im retadining i love doing…well everything cuz im showing that retadins can be just as good as anyone else and can OT if possible, and when im healing i love doing ZA for some reason. I’ve done ZA 100 times or so and I still love it the beutafil scenery, the trolls screams of death, and the feeling of Zul’Gurub the troll 40man raid in STV because I meet my guild that just broke up as we started entering the Black Temple BEFORE our top guild The Departed on Kul’Tiras server.
By Narkel on Wednesday, October 1st, 2008 at 9:18 am
Elemental shaman here.
Gonna go with either ZA or Mount Hyjal. ZA cause it feels right. And Mount Hyjal for all the Chain Lightings:)
By Narkel on Wednesday, October 1st, 2008 at 9:20 am
But for Acuall leveling definity Nagrand.
By Rúna on Thursday, October 2nd, 2008 at 10:22 pm
I actually fell in love with leveling my Shaman in Tanaris.
By Kalliope on Thursday, October 2nd, 2008 at 11:09 pm
As an herbalist/alchemist hunter, I was absolutely blown away when I entered Zangarmarsh for the first time. Here were mobs that could be skinned by herbalists for herbs! Plus, the Sporeggarians had the best buyable transmute available in addition to the first pet buffing food (Sporeling Snacks). None of the other characters I’ve put through there has had quite the same experience, but that first impression on my main has stuck with me. It’s still my favorite zone to herb in, since I’m addicted to mad alchemist potions.
By Henrikm on Friday, October 3rd, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Plaugelands for sure,as paladin I felt it was my duty to help Tirion Fordring with his questline to restore the once proud Paladin order and while hate his quest to death(boring hacking 20 dogs,bats and whatever) and never did get a group to finish the Stratholme part to get the painting at lv 60.
I did return with my Bloodmaiden as lv 70 and finsihed it just for the sake of lore,to feel that I as Paladin has helped restore the Knigth of the Silver Hand or what they now are gonna be called in Wrath of the Lich King The Argent Crusade which I guess is Argent Dawn and remnants of the Knights of the Silver hand that has merged into one group.
I wish there was more quests like that one above for example I felt very rogue like with my rogue when backstabbing Defias for Ravenholdt but it seems Blizzard never did finish those quest seemed to been a perfect faction for rogues and could have built some really cool lore around them to feel the part of being in some secrative assassin Guild or so.
Hope Blizzard revives Ravenholdt somehow.
By Alator on Monday, July 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
I created my pally and leveled ret during the Burnin Crusade era. I didn’t think much of the prot gear available until WotLK came out. From 70 to 80, I was prot as the gear improved. I will never look back. Ice crown is the zone for paladins now. The instance? Well, it doesn’t matter much because of the great threat holding ability I have discovered in my new found spec.