Adventures of Taas

This coming November one of the most important elections in modern history will occur in the United States. For Americans & others around the world who play MMOs November 4th isn’t the only big day of the month – November 18th marks one of the biggest release days in the genre’s history – I can’t think of a time when THREE MMOs launched expansions on the same day.

I of course am talking about the new expansions of World of Warcraft (Wrath of the Lich King), Everquest 2 (The Shadow Odyssey) and Lord of the Rings Online (Mines of Moria). Now I could go on about the feature sets and where I think these expansions will take the game OR I could question the sanity of Turbine and SOE for going up against Wrath BUT I have a much more selfish motive for this post.

Truth be told I’m having a blast in Warhammer Online but something is missing. There is a bit of a PvE gap in the game (its the best PvP game I’ve ever played – without a doubt) despite having some great dungeons, etc you just don’t get the epic dungeon raid feeling you get in other PvE focused MMOs. So WAR has my really keen on playing MMOs again but it was awoken a PvE itch within me.

So here is my dilemma and I ask for your help: I’m really torn between two games to scratch this itch; Everquest 2 or World of Warcraft. While LOTRO is enticing with its story driven gameplay the classes, etc have never really clicked with me (queue Jim telling me how wonderful the expansions classes are).

I see positives on both sides and they actually end up as good counter points to eachother.

Everquest 2 I have a level 80 character who I could pick up tomorrow and resume raiding with but in all honesty I’d likely want to get a new character to 80. In World of Warcraft I really have nothing going, a level 50 something pally who I have very little desire to play with – so I’d be starting new there as well.

With EQ2 I’d be entering familiar territory that I have trodden all over. I know what the game offers and I know I can expect fun for what I put in to it. With World of Warcraft I’ve done the early to mid game but I know it has a lot of PvE raid/dungeon depth especially with the expansion coming down the pipe introducing a very viable end game 10-man path of progression.

So here is what I see as the pros and cons:

Everquest 2:
+ Know I like the end/raiding game
+ Have a character at end game I could pick up and play the new expansion right away
+ I have a great guild to go to
- Itemization in EQ2 just isn’t as cool as WoW – You’ll never look like an insane badass also there isn’t as much tiering of the gear. As someone who is looking to raid with this whole shebang this is a minus for EQ2
- I’ve been there and done that

World of Warcraft:
+ The game has great looking gear and has great raiding progression
+ I’ve never done the end game before
+ WoW is probably the ultimate raiding game in the PvE-Raid-Centric sub genre
- I’ve done the early and mid game and while its fun I suspect getting from around 50 to 58 (where you can enter BC) is going to be a nose down challenge
- I have no guild in WoW. If I decide to play Horde (><) I do have Chris and his buddies which should work out fine – but when you contrast the potential vs the reality of my long running relationship with LOTIL in EQ2 its hard to not ding WoW a little bit here

So there – I thought putting that plus and minus list together would help me make a decision but alas I am no closer to an answer. So I throw it out to you guys. What are your thoughts. Any +’s or -’s you’d add to either game?

Either way – I’ll be doing SOMETHING come November 18th.