The Violet Rise... and Sunreaver Something-something

Well, after a full week of 5.2, my server has completed stage one. Thus, with a little solo-scenario-ing, we now have our permanent base set up on the island.

The use of Scenarios to do those "big moments" in a server-wide progression is, I think, inspired. One of the problems with a game like this is the fear of missing out. In Skyrim, for example, you don't have to worry about missing out on the big Alduin raid, because it's a solo endeavor that waits for you. I remember doing the Isle of Quel'danas way back in the day, and it was pretty cool to see parts of the island open up as we progressed. If there was a big event to mark that, I surely missed it.

I have not done the Horde version yet (though I suspect Area 52 finished Stage One a while ago) but the Alliance scenario has you and Vareesa Windrunner prepare to mount a huge assault on the troll stronghold of Shao'ola or whatever it's called. When most of your squad inevitably gets blown out of the sky, you and Vareesa 2-man the trolls, rampaging through the place and climaxing in a fight against a priest guy with an enchanted tiki mask and a mechanic reminiscent of the first stage of Jin'do the Godbreaker in Zul'Gurub 85.

With the fortress unlocked, a new round of dailies opens. It's not a huge amount, pretty much just stuff in the Diremoor area, but you can also choose to do the PvP dailies now, which send you against the Sunreavers (or vice versa - I try not to be faction-biased, but I've grown more and more Alliance-aligned over the years.) I suspect we'll still have our three other hubs, but this means that rep is going to be coming at us at fire-hose levels. Jarsus and Oterro are already revered, and with more dailies per day, plus the Grand Commendation, I suspect getting a new toon exalted here will be pretty quick (especially as more stages unlock.)

Tomorrow the first wing of Throne of Thunder unlocks on LFR, so my focus will be reading up on those fights.

I've got to say, this patch is looking to be one of the better ones in a very long time. The gating does not feel as restrictive as it was at the Molten Front, and the solo scenarios could mean wonderful, fantastic things for the future (remember me talking about solo dungeon content in the past?)