Ho Ho Hallowfall

 The Warcraftians are in a holiday mood.  I love this.  The Thrallmark channel!

War Within The Next Class(es)

My Holy Priest is finally level 80.  Slow slow going as her fights last forever.  On the plus side, she rarely dies, yay!  

I've changed my mind about the next set of characters to level.  Ever since I saw on Reddit one Day there's an achievement for getting one of each class to 80, it's been on my mind.  This next group are classes that need considerable leveling, and there's a Shaman somewhere below these.

Beast Master Hunter, Death Knight, Evoker, Demon Hunter

Atheren's World of Warcraft Goals for November 2024

 My October goals were met and surpassed.  I sent my main character, Atherne the Druid through every area, did every quest, got every exploration, did all the delves and dungeons.

I now have 6 level 80s.  I'm using the camp fire group to select the set of characters I level, and work left to right.

In the first group I had two Feral Druids with Alchemy, one Retribution Paladin with Blacksmithing/ Mining, and a Fire Mage with Tailoring and Enchanting.  Once they were at level 80 and had completed all quests and delves and quest related dungeons on the Isle of Dorn, off to the Ringing Deeps.  I also start working on their Tradeskills in earnest at level 80.  Having two alchemists to provide Health potions for my other characters in the Warband bank has been great.  

The second set of characters are a Rogue with Leatherworking and Skinning, a Destruction Warlock with Inscription and Herbalism, an Arms Warrior with Engineering and Mining, and a Holy Priest with Jewelcrafting and Mining.

I'm really enjoying the leveling process, picking characters to be my next group.  This group is all Blackwater Raiders characters because they were the highest level crafters for their particular skillset.  For the next round I'll be having a mix of classes from the Guild Realms (Blackwater Raiders, Earthen Ring, Proudmoore) to try out all the classes on the new content.   

I used to have leveling characters "prove themselves" by sending them into dungeons, but the meter of success is now Delves, to see how they fare in them.  

November goals are easy:

Continue leveling characters.

Work on Tradeskills.

Move all level 80 characters through each area: Ringing Deeps, Hallowfall, and Azj-kahet doing all content in each.  

Work on gearing up.

I almost forgot I was able to create an Earthen character. She's a Retribution Paladin, who I cleverly sent to the Earthen Ring Server. Home Sweet Home, right?

Atheren's Gaming Goals for World of Warcraft October 2024

 

Get Sojourner of Hallowfall

Atherne has all of the major achievements except Sojourner of Hallowfall.  There are two time gated quest sequences, as in a week between them when you'll be able to do the next one, and I thought I got the third part of one of them today, but zip.  This, along with the whole time sink area with the all the light the fires and blah blah blah are making Hallowfall my least favorite land in the game.

Raise Rep with Azj-Kahet

Particularly with The Vizier.  He and I are at Crony level, if you can imagine.

Level up The Big Four

Get Proudmoore Paladin, Earthen Ring Druid, and the Blackwater Raiders Fire Mage to level 80.  The Paladin is at 77 1/2, and has only been out for a few days. It helps so much that Atherne did every single thing everywhere, so I know where to go and what to do.   I've got the Mage doing quests and World Quests to gear up quickly, as Mage isn't one of my best classes to play.  Druid two should be heading out soon.  All should be 80 by months end.

Tradeskills

Honestly tradeskills are a super butt pain, requiring loads of materials to trash with experimentation, and little to nothing to show for it, even for Cooking.  Knowing this now, every character is loading up on every resource possible before they even start to craft.

Do Every Quest, Every Delve, Every Dungeon Before Moving On To The Next Area

As much fun as it is to move along to the next adventure, leave no Quest or Delve unturned, is my motto.

Screenshot Saturday 9/21/24 Delves But No Dungeons

 

I had a bit of a posting vacation, lucky for you.  I thought a good entry back would be a Screenshot Saturday, as I have been playing a bit this last week.

I found myself at a point in the Hallowfall story that was rather overpoweringly emotional.  I don't think it was just the zone story, but an accumulation of character arcs and story beats that began in Dalaran, carried into the new world of the Isle of Dorn and the plight of the Earthen.  Ringing Deeps I think really carries the story deeper (!), with the Bronzebeards and their family saga playing out in this fantastical underground world.

I took a break, and it took me a few days to see that what was really keeping me from moving forward was that I had not completed all of the Delves and Dungeons on the Isle and in the Deeps.  I backtracked and completed all of the Delves. The Dungeons, though.  Maybe I shouldn't be reading the forums but there seem to be quite a few bits of ugliness attached to Dungeons this time around.  Maybe it's just the Heroics and Mythic+ crowd.  We will see.  I could of course just do Follower Dungeons, but they aren't as fun, not having the gnarly human elements.

Delving!

Fungal Folly is an odd Delve.  Not for the Mushroom people, but because it is so freaking dark.  Additionally, it is on multiple levels, so you have to try to rescue all the little explorers before you get stuck on the wrong level.

Brann doesn't bug me as he does some others but look at his comments, zzzzz

Some of the new creatures in the War Within make me wish I had my Hunter coming through so she could see what might make a good pet.  She is currently busy doing the Dragon Isles expansion as she's level 60, and after writing all those posts about previous expansions it bugged me that I had let an entire expansion go by without playing it.  Anywho, look at the face on this Mushroom guy's mount. He's smiling!

Embarrassingly Atherne had to become a Mushroom person as part of the Delve's story.  Not a good look.  See what I mean about how dark the place is, though?

Meanwhile, back in the storybook land of Hallowfall, a gigantic tome, and a medieval type rolling book display.  I'll need the rolling display for my house.  (That surely they will add to the Game someday now that they've upped their decorating skills)

There's another nice cottage for a Mage in the storyline that would be perfect for my Fire Mage.

Semi-spoilery comment:  Why did the Mage in Hallowfall not request help from the Dalaran Mages?

Quest: Write Me A Letter

There is always the list of quest types in games, that gets very little variation  Quest (video games) - Wikipedia

I've noticed two quests in Hallowfall that I don't think fit into these categories at all:  they ask you for help writing a letter to someone they know.  You have different choices provided, so it isn't freeform, but it's an interesting new play and storytelling option.

Sojourner of the Ringing Deeps

 

There were 5 or six more quests after the last two I could see.  I persevered, did I not?  Yes, I did.  Look at that nice payoff.  Also, Atherne is level 80, so no doubt more goodies shall fall into her lap.

Entering Hallowfall again with Anduin was a completely different experience.  That kid dives right into things.  He still has what used to be called "A Sense of Wonder".

We fly down and meet the famed Faerin.  She was quite impressive immediately with her determination to do her duty and save her people all in a trice.

Now that we are going to confront the onrushing Nerubians, things have gotten dark pretty quickly.  Onward!

Still Ringing In The Deeps

 I can't believe how many quests were gated behind that one quest I hadn't done.  I've spent the evening trying to methodically finish every quest in the zone, but more and more open up.  There are some really large character arcs you wouldn't want to miss.

I was able to finish Janky's quests pretty quickly and help him open a shop.  Such a grateful guy.

Atherne continues to have some pretty smooth moves.

I think she's an honorary Bronzebeard now.

Three quests are still on my map, let's hope those are the last, because Anduin has shown up and wants to meet me at the Hallowfall gate. 

Don't make the Boy King wait, I say.