WoW Classic has a lot of details that differ from Battle for Azeroth. In the run-up, we remembered some of them quite well, others less so. That’s why we now have to relearn some things since launch when we return to old Azeroth. Our writer Sara Petzold has summarized a few of these things based on personal experience.
Anyone who has actively followed the development of World of Warcraft since the vanilla beta, as I have, knows how much the game has changed from the original version to Battle for Azeroth. Die-hard fans and hardcore veterans like to reminisce about “back in the day” in Azeroth with a meaningful look on their face and a finger raised. Back when leveling took much longer, when you still had to really work for many things.
But if you’re a veteran logging into WoW Classic for the first time, you’ll quickly notice that some things were and are more present in our memories than others. When I took my first steps through Classic WoW (buy it now ), I had to relearn various things at all corners and ends – and every now and then I just stopped partly wondering, partly knowing, to say to myself: “Oh, that’s right, that’s how it was back then.”
That’s why – inspired by an article from Massivelyop – I’ve compiled a few things that I first had to readjust to in WoW Classic, both positively and negatively.
Questing for professionals: Those who can read have a clear advantage
Ah, finally: My Tauren Shaman takes his first step into old Azeroth. Just quickly accept the first quest and off we go.
The quest text builds up slowly – that’s right, I have to activate the automatic text display in the menu first. Ok, continue with the text. Where do I have to go? First open the map. Oh damn, there are no more quest markers. Well, never mind, I still know by heart where I have to go.
My first steps as a Taurean in WoW Classic were admittedly a bit awkward. I had to remind myself again and again that in Vanilla WoW I had to read the quest texts to find out where my next destination awaited me. Still, looking at the map or pressing the M button has become so ingrained in me that I’ll probably need some time before I don’t have to constantly remind myself of the missing markers.
Yay, a six-slot bag! When items still had value
One of the most common criticisms of WoW now is that players get way too much – pardon the pun – shoved up their butts. Gold has lost its value over the years, as have most items, according to part of the community – thanks to raid browsers and inflation.
It’s different in WoW Classic: My pockets are constantly full here, so I’m thrilled when another player gives me a Small Blue Bag – a bag with six slots. It’s the same when I receive my first green item. The reward feeling in Classic is just completely different than in Battle for Azeroth. I’m finally happy about little things again – and my first shoulder pieces feel like a real triumph again, just like back in vanilla WoW.
WoW used to be more role-playing
WoW Classic plays more demanding, more tedious, and sometimes more tedious than Battle for Azeroth. But that’s exactly what makes it feel more like a real role-playing game to me. I have to train my weapon skills, I have to run to a trainer to learn new skills, some enemies are way too hard for me and I can’t defeat them until I get stronger.
The process of going from a paltry level 1 peon to a fully equipped and worldly level 60 hero is long and rocky, but at the same time satisfying because of the aforementioned mechanics, because it makes me feel much more powerful. In Battle for Azeroth, I knock down every mob in what feels like two hits – starting at level 1. Instead, WoW Classic reminds me of Elex, where I have to fight my way through the beginning, only to have my former tormentors later become overpowered.
Don’t forget the trainers: Of abilities and other oddities
Speaking of trainers and abilities: I have in WoW Classic equal
caught me forgetting to visit the trainer several times. My furrier skill is no longer increasing? Oops, reached 75 out of 75 skill points. My healing spells don’t even fix a scratch? Damn, they’re still at rank 1.
Before I started Classic, I knew that my character had to learn skills from the trainer. But I had forgotten, for example, that I can’t learn every weapon skill from every weapon trainer. And in the game itself, I got into the usual rut so quickly that, against my better judgment, I forgot to go to the class and profession teacher.
Ah, the wide, wide world: Run, run and run some more
I had noticed that everything took longer in Vanilla WoW. But the fact that the running paths are really, really long was something I could only remotely remember. At first, I really liked this trick when questing, because it forced me to think strategically about when I could go where and how. However, after forgetting to turn in a quest in Thunderbluff and not realizing my mistake until I had used my rest stone to get to Bloodhoof Village, I quickly threw that opinion overboard. The eternal walk back was actually too stupid for me, but as an eternal “completionist” I still wanted to complete all quests before heading to Crossroads in the Barrens. Conclusion: Long walks stink, period.
What is WoW Classic?
World of Warcraft Classic is a true recreation of the original WoW as you know it from 2006. All parts of the game – from combat mechanics and talent trees to character models and zones – have been recreated, contributing to the authentic experience.
Getting Started
All players with an active World of Warcraft subscription or game time on their accounts have access toWoW Classic at no additional cost.
- Open the Blizzard Battle.net Desktop App and select World of Warcraft from the menu.
- Select World of Warcraft Classic from the Version menu. If you have more than one World of Warcraft account, you’ll see a second Account drop-down list. In this column, select the active account you want to play with.
- Click the Install button. The progress bar will tell you when your game is ready to play.
- Click the Play button when the installation is complete.
You will need to select the realm you want to play on from several different realm types. Make sure you choose the same realm as your friends – in World of Warcraft Classic, you can only group with characters that are on the same realm as you!
Heroes&WIKI, WoW Classic, World of Warcraft Classic, WoW ClassicSpecial, WoW ClassicSpecials
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