So, worth coming back for?

[Morat20]

I stopped playing WoW right before Cataclysm. In fact, I actually have the Cata box somewhere -- I got it that Christmas, but never installed it. I had a single character at level 80 (Hunter) that was starting to run Heroics in WoTLK. I had an alt I played more (mage) that had just entered Burning Crusade levels, I think.

It's been awhile.

I think I logged on a few times after the big class mechanics revamp before Cataclysm, since I remember futzing around with my Hunter and Mage and finally saying "Fuck it, I don't play enough to sort this out now" and never really getting back to it. I had work stuff, then life stuff, and honestly none of my friends really played anymore. (Plus I have a lengthy list of Xbox games I'm still working through...Life is too short to do everything).

Anyways....so, is this new expansion worth coming back for? Realizing I'd either have to start at level 1 or drill my Hunter up through Cataclysm content. (The monks sound fun, but really I'm not that interested in playing a panda. I mean it's okay, but it's not exactly like I've been upset since Day 1 that I couldn't play Kung Fu Panda on WoW).

I haven't even really been following Cataclsym. The only thing I knew about it that I was thrilled with was flying mounts everywhere, which is just a huge plus. The archeology thing sounded kinda cool too, I guess.

So, anyone have thoughts on Cataclysm now that it's winding down? The new expansion now that people have information about it? (I'm pretty sure it's not out yet, right?) Whether it's worth trying to game out again?

[Rendakor]

I'd say come back and roll up a new character; you can even be a monk without being a Panda. The Cata revamp of the 1-60 content is really good, moreso if you're on a (relatively) fresh toon without a ton of XP-boosting items and guild perks.

If you're into raiding that's been made much more accessible with LFR, a dungeon-finder like tool for 25m easy-mode raids; it only works on Dragon Soul (the last raid of the xpac) in Cata but with MoP they're expanding it to all of them.

Archaeology's kind of shit though.

[Morat20]

I'd probably roll a monk just to see it through -- one of the things I really enjoyed about TBC was the new starting areas (though my Alliance shaman -- fuck if I can recall the race name, is only like level 20. And my only jewelcrafter).

I really love my hunter (I've been BM specced even when it sucked), but my mage was really getting fun when I quit again. One of the more amusing things is it was JUST when I quit that I was finally having the cash to twink out my other toons -- I had just started aquiring that gold-colored gear you can use for alts (and having my mage enchant it, always helpful. I specifically went and farmed some rare enchants just for that, and because I'm an obsessive...).

I suppose part of hte problem is my Hunter is an engineer, which has always been pretty expensive. Had a lot of fun in the mid-40s in WSG with him, though -- engineer toys are annoying as shit to flag carriers. I was saving up the parts for a motorcycle. (Already had a flying machine and practically everything else).

[Sjofn]

You don't have to be a panda monk, by the way, I think the only races that can't be a monk are goblin and worgen.

[luckton]

I went on a WoW hiatus a few months after Cata came out.  The increased difficulty with heroics and changes were kind of a downer for me.  I came back into the fray a couple months ago and found a refreshed game thanks to the lessons learned.  With LFR in, HoT heroics not being a pain in the ass, and some fresh end-game non-raid content in the form of Hyjal dailies and the Troll/Thrall quest lines, I've been having a great time.

Based on what's been put out so far with the MoP beta, it seems like they're serious about applying what worked well in Cata and expanding on it greatly, with varied daily quests, LFR for all raids, and reputation building through factions and now individual NPCs.  Add on Farmville and Pokemon into the mix, along with a revamped talent system, and the game should be good to go for another year or so.

How it will compare to it's competition I can't say...SWTOR really left me a bad taste for things outside my comfort zone of new-generation MMOing.  I'll give GW2 a shot when it comes out with a trial, but I'm a one-subscription-MMO-at-a-time kinda guy, and with work and family, WoW fulfills my gaming fix for now.

You don't have to be a panda monk, by the way, I think the only races that can't be a monk are goblin and worgen.

Correct.  Likewise, Pandas can't be DKs.  And I don't see myself playing either a Panda or Monk.  I've got my DK main for tanking and melee DPS, and my Priest for healing and ranged DPS.  I don't have time for more than that

[Merusk]

The answer is; that depends on you.  What are you looking for, what do you want out of the game?

I still enjoy it and am stoked for the xpac to the point I'm not doing beta beyond pokemon anymore.  The few zones I checked-out and quests I did convinced me they've figured it out on that point at least.   Even if I dislike the dungeons (which I haven't tried) I'll at least have pet battles to keep me entertained for a while, and LFR for when I do finally get geared.  Good times for a casual like me.

I didn't like hunters when they changed them for WOTLK.  Something about the original transition from mana just didn't click with me.  Now, though, I find them a hell of a lot of fun again.

Give us a realm & a name and we can toss you a rez scroll. YOu'll get to check it out for 7 days and see what you think.

[Feverdream]

I'd say it is worth coming back, though I honestly think you will likely enjoy it more if you just start a level 1 character of any type.

All of the talent trees are changed as of Mists, so you need to sort of re-learn that stuff anyway.  It's easier to do that from the ground up.

In Cata, as you know, the 1-60 experience was totally revamped (and is very well done).  The time to level from 60-80 has been shortened, and if you get yourself into a guild that has even the first few levels of guild perks, your leveling time is even shorter.  Lots of other folks will be starting at level 1, thanks to Monks/Pandas, so you'd have plenty of company on quests or in dungeons if you like.

The thought of being away for so long and trying to power a level 70-80 character through to 85+ just sounds horrid to me, but that's of course a totally subjective opinion.

I just think it'd be more relaxing and enjoyable to start out as a complete level 1 noob, enjoy the 1-60 changes, bounce through the 60-80 stuff, which will go fast, then enjoy the rest of the content that will also be new to you from 80-90.  There's no time like an expansion to re-start a game with fresh eyes.

[luckton]

For the most part, the talent/class change stuff isn't anything really revolutionary.  They're simply taking the talents that everything was taking anyways, making them passive/"here you go" skills, and creating sets of talents that will set you apart ever-so-slightly from another player of your class and spec, while giving you control of your play-style from those slight changes. 

The only class that's getting a full-on makeover is Warlocks, who kinda needed it to set them apart from just being "evil-style Mages".  Everyone else's rotations for the most part are still intact, if not slightly refined to make it more fun.

[Morat20]

It appears my guild is still active, although I haven't checked how far they've progressed.

Farmville? Pokemon?

[Rendakor]

They're adding in pet battles and a farming sort of minigame in MoP.

[Morat20]

They're adding in pet battles and a farming sort of minigame in MoP.

Ah, okay. Isn't that what a BM specced Hunter is for? :)

I think I'm finally breaking down and buying a new PC over the next few months (current PC age: 9 years, 6 months. Changes from original spec: Additional harddrive, updated graphics card about 5 years ago, added RAM about 7 years ago. It runs XP), even if I have to do the fun "12 months no interest" route (hey, free financing is fine by me) and buy from Dell or something.

I'll probably get it around the time MoP is released, and might as well try it then. Of course, I'll probably also try ST:TOR and STO just to see what they're like. But WoW kept me interested -- I mostly quit because life got busy, and just never picked it back up.

[cmlancas]

If you're interested in endgame content, I'm in one of the top two progression guilds Horde side on Grizzly Hills.

We're the Deliverance-backwoods Mississippi server, but our guild has five groups that run every week, making it easy for you to find a spot. Also, they have a ton of folks who love to level, so finding a buddy to do quest with or help out with gearing is fairly standard

Also, did you get to play through the Goblin starting area?  I really enjoyed their lore, as whimsical as it is.  I've always felt Blizz's forte is whimsically weaving current events and pop culture into their games, and it's exceptionally well done there.

[ghost]

and worgen.