Adventures of Taas

Earlier this month I threw out a call for help to help me narrow down a PvE game to play this November. The games in question were World of Warcraft and Everquest 2. Both games have expansions coming out this month (WoW’s is now out and EQ2’s comes out in a few days) and I wanted to get back in to one of them (with WAR on the go and working on managing one of the largest and most active guilds in WAR I can’t possibly do both PvE games).

I did get some feedback (thanks guys!) and I actually reactivated my account in both games and got my feet wet and I’ve come to a decision – I’ll be playing World of Warcraft.

Some of you will remember back in the late spring/early summer I was talking about getting a WoW character to 70 before the expansion came out. That never happened because in June I got in to the Warhammer Online beta. Even when I was at my peak enjoyment with WAR I couldn’t help but regret not getting my paladin to 70 in time for the expansion.

World of Warcraft’s end game really intrigues me. I know I know, those of you who’ve played the game to death will be sitting there in your chairs muttering how the game is an item progression and rep grind at the end game but what you ex-WoW fan boys won’t admit to yourself is that for a period of time, and it differs by person – some it was a short time some it was years – is that you really enjoyed that experience and likely pumped 1000+ hours in to it.

As I said in my previous post I’m looking for a big end game PvE MMO to compliment the PvP gameplay of WAR. I’ve raided quite extensively in Everquest 2 and I really LOVE the raiding concept. Talking to people who’ve raided quite a bit in WoW it really seems that the World of Warcraft raid game will really appeal to me and what I’m looking for. The game has a great loot and instance progression that I can’t wait to sink my teeth in to.

So heading back in to WoW I had a bit of a dilemma – I couldn’t stand my paladin any more. I have no problem with the class per say but there is something about Hybrids that drive me nuts. Am I a tank? A Healer? Weaksauce DPS? So I clearly needed a chance of scenery for this go at WoW.

That change of scenery came by way of Chris. About 2-3 years ago he stopped playing on our Alliance server (Medivh) and moved to play Horde on Daggerspine (f u Jim ). I didn’t follow because there was just something about Horde I couldn’t get in to (this was pre blood elves) and I also was playing EQ2 heavily at the time.

So I’ve decided to really change things up and for the first time I’ll be playing not only Horde but on Daggerspine which is a PvP server! PvP servers in PvE games seem entirely pointless to me. In WoW if you want PvP you go to the battlegrounds or arenas. PvP servers are just a breeding ground for ganking (in my opinion). But alas – I want to play with my friends so I’ll go where they go.

So there we go – WoW it is. I’ll be posting updates regularly on the status of my character. He’s now level 8. I decided to go with Warlock which is probably my favourite class in the game likely because of its broad array of utility and the different ways you can play them.

This should be fun… thanks for pushing Chris.

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.