And finally... a review

So I have managed to pull myself away long enough to write a good review of the BC expansion. I have now tried out a few characters for various possibilities, and I know you are all waiting for my thoughts.

Of course you know I would create new characters. I lasted about 15 minutes in the Outlands with Kaewhy (fyi - this link is saying she is still 62 - I dinged 63 yesterday. I don't know why it hasn't updated.) and saw what kind of quests I was getting and buggered off to create a blood elf.

And so Schokti was born. I have talked about her mage abilities already, and yes, I am totally in love with this character, which is why she is 29th level. Plus I have the ability (and the desire) to completely pimp her out. Levelling in the elven area is super easy. The only thing that is a bugger is on the first map one is running everywhere - I mean everywhere. I think I spent days running back and forth. Now, granted, once I learn where all the quests go I can be more efficient in the future, so it will be no less horrible than running from UC to the Sepulcher.

The big issue I have with the elves is of course, the ugly turkeys. But I have blogged about that before and I will now leave it alone.

But they are ugly.

Moving on. In the spirit of fairness, I created a Draenei hunter, Daenae. It took me a while to realize the draenei have goat feet and are a bit Pan-like characters, which causes them to run funny (a la with a perfectly straight posture). The Draenei have a special ability to heal themselves fairly quickly and as a low level hunter learning to do things without a pet, this came in very handy. The quests are super easy, and someone had way too much fun with some of the names of the quests. For example - "Tree's Company", where one dresses up like a tree, and "Show Gnomercy", in which one kills a gnomish traitor. My personal favourite comes not from the title but from the quest rewards. "The Kurken is Lurken" directs one to kill the nasty dog in the cave, and return with its hide, from which you can choose one of two items - the Kurken Hide Jerken or Kurkenstoks. Which, of course, are fashionable shoes. Way too much time on their hands. Way too much.

On to the Outlands. As I have mentioned Kaewhy is now 63. It took for bloody ever to get her there. I know that it should take a while, but I like the power levelling of a lowbie. What can I say? The quests are standard - kill 10 buzzards, collect 30 flowers, etc. There are the odd kill the boss quests which in themselves are easy right now since everyone wants to party up and get them done. No one seems to be picky over who shows up in their party.

The loot is incredible. I am at least 10 times tougher now than I was at 60 before the expansion, and the reason is I have completely re-outfitted myself. I have all new gear that is outstanding, where some of the greens that drop from pigs are better than some epics I have seen before the expansion. Which is the reason, I suppose Blizzard did this. So many characters have been at 60 for so long that they have had nothing to do but build up their epic gear and now they need things that are better, hence the better drops. Which only bodes well for us who did not grind to get the epics and are pretty much getting the same thing for free.

Getting a few pieces of great gear is easy in the outlands as well. One gets marks of Thrallmar for various things - marks for capturing the towers in the maps (this is repeatable) and for killing the alliance in PVP areas. The marks can add up quickly. For as little as 16 marks, one can get a new weapon.

All in all I am glad to have gotten the expansion. I don't know how I am seeing level 70 draenei or blood elves, but then others have more time and dedicatation than I. And probably fewer characters.