Starting Area

BE Land Perty

Deatholme Gate

Inside Deatholme

For me World of Warcraft has always been far more fun leveling than running the end game.  I've spent my fair share of time leveling characters, and before the expansion had a nice stable of five level 60s. 

So after the Burning Crusade was released I took my Tauren Shammy up the ranks to 70, and of course once at level cap quickly got bored waiting forever to find a group for that four hour run through instance X for more rep.

So over the last week I've started up a Blood Elf to see what the xpac had for the lowbies coming in.  I have to say, after reaching level 20 last night, if your rolling horde, it's your duty to do it in Sunstrider Isle and the Ghostlands.

The Old Busted Horde Starting Areas

• Orc / Troll - Ahh, you know it well, the orange rocks of the Valley of Trials and Durotar.  By now you can slap a peon too work, or pick a cactus apple without even looking.  While the Valley of Trials isn't too shabby once you reach Durotar put on the running shoes, your going to be getting your jog on.
  
  
• Tauren - I've never been a fan of any part of the Tauren starting area.  The area while pretty and lush, is so spread out you simply spend to much time in transit.  The quests in the area really never grabbed me either, I mean honestly, I'm a super hero cow do I REALLY need to get that water picture for you?
  
  
• Undead - Before the expansion I've always felt the Undead had the edge in horde starting zones.  The initial Deathnell is nice and small with a good density of quests to keep you busy.  Tirisfal Glades of course spreads out and your left to a couple of boney feet to cross the zone a few to many times.

Enter the Blood Elf

It was pretty well known that the horde needed some astheic help from Blizzard to even out with the population imbalance in game.  The alliance's human and night elves were favorites since the games release.  To an extent it makes sense, if your going to be spending an immense amount of time following a alter ego around Azeroth, it mide as well be something you can relate too.   

So as a 6'1 male with a few extra pounds, I decided I most related to a 5'1 blonde Blood Elf mage named Yia.  Go figure.  "Create Character" and away we go.

Eversong Woods

Initially the Blood Elf starting area isn't any different than really any race in Warcaft.  The quests in general are nothing earth shattering, a few revolve around learning your racial Mana Torrent ability, but you'll find nothing too threatening.  I think the only death I actually experienced in this area was due to falling off a high platform.

"Hay Guys Where Did that Big Trench Come From"

So after the first ten levels you move into what makes the BE's starting area the place to be... Ghostlands.

The area itself is very Darkshire-ish if you've ever ran through or played an Alliance character.  It's dark, and gloomy, and glowy, and well, all in all very Ghostlandish.  The most notable feature of the area is a giant scar running directly up the center into Silvermoon, the BE main city.

I'm not really a huge lore nut, but from what I've gathered, the scar was created when Artha's led his army through Silvermoon in Warcraft III.  

For new players the Ghostlands offers up a lot of cool quests, a zone "mini boss", and sadly the games first introduction to reputations and rewards.

Why Ghostlands Rules Them All 

Of all the horde starting areas the thing that stuck in my mind about the Ghostlands is how close everything is.  Using Cartographer, I don't recall ever seeing a run time of over two minutes no matter where I was on the map.  In fact most run times from a quest giver to the area of the quest were less than a minute.  

The hub of questing centers initially on Tranquillien, and eventually leads you to Farstrider Enclave, and the Sanctum of the Sun.  Quests are typically handed out in nice clumps with two or more quests in the same general area.   

As you progress through the levels up to twenty eventually you'll be sent into Deatholme to face Dar'Khan Drathir, an elf traitor who helped Arthas into Quel'Thalas.  Apparently the lore says old Dar has been killed and revived a few times in the past, but hey, it's always cool to face a boss of sorts, and for your trouble you'll get some cool loot.

Hey Newbie, Let Us Explain Reputations To You

I've never really be a huge fan or reputations, mostly because few were really worth the time to grind, and of course because reputations by nature are well, a grind. 

The "Tranquillien" reputation seems to be more of a way to expose players early on to how reputations work with WoW.  The nice thing about the reputation is that as long as you complete the majority  quests in Ghostlands you'll reach exalted with no problem and get some rewards for your effort.

The biggest problem I had with Tranquillien reputation rewards were that many were sub par to green drops and quest rewards in the very same area. 

For example I completed a mage quest and was rewarded a Manaweave Robe (+6 Intellect), while the Tranquillien Revered Apothecary's Robe (+4 Intellect) which I received later on wasn't as good.  Most of the rewards fell into the same boat when it came to the Tranq rep rewards, but the Tranquillien Champion Cloak for reaching Exalted is worth the effort and a nice bonus as you leave the zone.

Sounds Cool How Do I Get There

Getting to Eversong and Ghostlands is pretty simple.  Take your new character to the Undercity and on the left side of the "Ruins of Lordaeron" keep an eye out for a "Orb of Translocation."  Simply click on the Orb and you'll be in Silvermoon city.  Work your way south too the Walk of Elders and then head out and loop around to the right.  The starting quests will start to the north east side of Sunstrider Isle.  This guy will get you started with your questing.

In Closing 

With the exception of the new Dranei starting zone which I havn't tried, the Blood Elf starting area is by far my favorite for the first twenty levels.  The small questing area mixed with some decent rewards insure any horde character I start will begin along side the fellow Blood Elves.

If your ever on Mal'Ganis and see a super hot BE Mage named Yia run by, feel free and give me some gold, or a wave... but mostly gold. /flirt /hug