Okay, I admit it: WoW Classic is pretty awesome

Cortyn is completely thrilled by WoW Classic. The skepticism is gone and the pull of World of Warcraft has struck once again.

Honestly, I was very skeptical for a long time whether World of Warcraft Classic could excite me again. Many of the mechanics seem outdated today, and some quests are worse time sinks than the Azerite necklace in current retail WoW – even though many players might not want to talk about it because they immediately start a “IS IT NOT” crying fit.

You’re not yet familiar with WoW Classic? Here’s all the info.

More hype than before Legion or BfA

The preparation was exciting: Long before midnight, I was in Discord with my friends, who seemed to be similarly positive. One said he hadn’t been this hyped for the last 5 WoW expansions. Neither the release of Legion, Battle for Azeroth, Warlords of Draenor, nor Mists of Pandaria excited him as much as waiting for Classic did.

We watched a stream together and when the first episode of “Allimania Classic” played, there was basically no holding back. The mood was electric, and the good vibes were almost unbearable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvW4MfTHzmU

The first 2 hours were an apocalypse: Together with my friends, I had the luck (or the wise, fulfilled planning) to log in right at midnight. We were among the first characters to roam in WoW Classic. Though “roaming” is a ruthless exaggeration. In Northshire Valley, the area of the humans, nothing happened. There were – without exaggeration – easily 20 players per enemy in this zone.

The layering, if it was even active at the beginning, simply wasn’t enough. There were so many lags and delays that absolutely nothing happened. It was frustrating because my elf-playing friends reported that it was very different in their starting area. There, they could get started right away and even regularly take down enemies. That was frustrating.

It has to hurt before it can get better: But that settled down eventually. Gradually, the game ran smoother. It was a gradual process over several hours because it slowly drove other players to frustration and to bed.

At the latest, when we stood in line with a hundred people to box this named Defias, I could finally cast real spells. Once I could finally leave Northshire Valley without fear that the first wolf would take me down immediately, it got better. No, it even got really good.

Classic has captured me completely. It surely helped dramatically that I was constantly in Discord with my friends, but I could enjoy so many little things again. When I drew a blue 6-slot bag from a Defias, the others were envious.

When I drew a horn from two wild boars in a row, which was worth 47 copper when sold, I felt pretty proud. After all, that’s almost a complete spell I can buy from the teacher!

Every little bit matters. Every little bit feels rewarding and great. I have missed it so much, and I’m only now realizing it.

There are bugs – but who cares? Despite all the positives and the hype I’m currently swimming through with a running start and a dive, I still haven’t completely put on rose-colored glasses. There are still some mechanics that I find quite silly.

That I have to take a 20-second break after every fight is only “kind of” nice.
That my staff currently crits for more damage in melee than my fireball feels extremely strange.
That I, as a mage, can “conjure water” which gives me 2 water bottles, of which I then have to drink one first to have enough mana to conjure the next bottle, is also not the ultimate wisdom.

But right now I can overlook these things. Because do you know why? A mob just dropped a white striped bulb. And it was already worth 87 copper at the vendor and besides, I just can distribute my first talent point, which reduces my fireball casting time by a solid 0.1 seconds.

I love this hype. I love this euphoria that I have felt for almost half a day now and that has made me get up after 4 hours of sleep and just wanting to throw my work away to play a bit more.

I feel about 15 years younger, 15 years less mature, 15 years more impatient, and 15 years less cynical.

Or to put it another way: Holy Shit, I have such a strong desire for Classic that it almost hurts. Moreover, a 6-slot bag has dropped here. My mage is the queen of the forest.