10 Reasons Why You Should Play WoW Cataclysm Classic
Deathwing the Worldbreaker is on the way. If you still can’t decide to join the fun or not, here are 10 reasons why you should play WoW Cataclysm Classic.
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- Cataclysm has always been a controversial expansion. But is it really as bad as many players make it out to be?
- There are 10 reasons why you should play WoW Cataclysm Classic: Questing content, transmog, reforging, raids, dungeons, guilds, new class-race combinations, Rated Battlegrounds, Justice and Valor Points, and armor specs.
- For more in-depth information, be sure to read the full article!
Once met with mixed reviews, Cataclysm is often labeled the worst expansion content-wise. But is it really as bad as people say it is? In this article, we will revisit the top 10 best moments and features of Cataclysm that you may have forgotten so that you can decide whether or not it’s worth your while.
Cataclysm Classic Release Details
During BlizzCon 2023, Blizzard announced the upcoming WoW Classic Cataclysm 2024, promising significant changes compared to the original expansion. Specific details are still kept under wraps. However, more details were revealed later on in the WoW Classic Roadmap 2024. The new release will bring a campaign story, 4 raids, 7 dungeons, 2 Heroic dungeons, a PvP Battleground, and the Darkmoon Island.
With the Cataclysm release date set for the first half of 2024, there’s still time before the Wrath servers are replaced by WoW Classic’s next expansion, so let’s recall the main highlights of the original Cata to get you hyped up for what’s to come.
Why You Should Play Cataclysm Classic
1. Questing Content
WoW map pre-Cata offers a completely different sight, with Cataclysm introducing numerous new zones with around 3500 quests, which dramatically changed the game’s landscape.
The expansion significantly improved quest pacing, reducing backtracking and offering better flow between hubs. Prioritizing storytelling over quest difficulty, Cataclysm provides an engaging exploration experience. The Worgen story, for instance, delivers some of the most compelling quests in the game, introducing the new playable race with just the right blend of lore to get you hooked for hours. Additionally, you get to experience the new Goblin story and visit visually stunning new zones, each with a unique theme and some featuring nice pop-culture references.
2. Transmog
Transmog revolutionized character customization by allowing players to change the appearance of their gear. Thousands of drops scattered around the world could now be worn and matched, rather than discarded as you outleveled them. Apart from putting an end to fashion disasters, transmog also sparks creativity, letting you craft unique looks while still donning the best-in-slot gear with impressive stats.
3. Reforging
Reforging offers a unique way to fine-tune and optimize your character, allowing you to adjust your gear by exchanging unwanted stats for those that better aligned to your build and class.
While in Retail, you mainly have to rely on loot drops and RNG, reforging provides a reliable method to tailor your character to your preferences and needs. Prioritizing specific aspects, you can enhance your power in a much simpler way without the need to repeatedly run raids for best-in-slot loot.
4. Raids
While World of Warcraft Cataclysm raid content may not have been the best, some features truly stood out. Cataclysm introduced the option to raid either in a 10-player group or a full 25-player ensemble, with loot remaining the same for both scenarios. Despite certain issues, 10-player raiding remains an underrated feature for offering the ideal size for a close-knit group of friends and adding a highly personal touch to the raiding experience.
5. Guilds
Guilds underwent a massive overhaul in Cataclysm. Various guild perks got unlocked as you leveled up your guild, earning XP through doing content with guildmates, which encouraged social interactions and group play. Building your guild rep got you various rewards, like heirlooms, mounts, pets, and many others. Guild challenges also provided a great way to earn gold by completing raids, dungeons, and PvP together.
However, the downside was the influx of spam guild invites, with some joining solely for perks. Yet, for those who joined for the community and fellowship, Cataclysm took on a whole different hue.
6. Tough Dungeons
In early Cata, Heroic dungeons were incredibly hard, akin to raids and the current Mythics. For casual players, this content was nearly unbeatable, but for hardcore dungeoneers, it was a true paradise, requiring careful CC management, strategic mob pulling, and following certain tactics to succeed. Many players genuinely note that there hasn’t been such fun and challenging five-player content in the game since the early Cataclysm days, and they really miss that.
7. New Class-Race Combinations
The point where Cataclysm truly excelled was class gameplay, particularly by giving players a much wider range of options for class and race combinations. For instance, you were no longer limited to playing a Blood Elf if you wanted to spec as a Paladin on Horde. Overall, this increased diversity in class-race combos added more variety to your everyday WoW sessions, and it was a significant plus.
8. Rated Battlegrounds
Why is Cataclysm fun? Perhaps even the most fervent critics will agree that the PvP aspect in Cata was on point, mostly due to the introduction of Rated Battlegrounds.
You don’t know how great RBGs are until you play them. They breathe new life into the old battlegrounds, offering massive fights that wouldn’t happen in a regular BG. RBGs demand solid strategy and clever tactics, but there’s not as much pressure, allowing you to delve into PvP and learn a lot about your class.
9. Justice and Valor Points
Justice emblems from Heroic dungeons and Valor tokens from raids could be used for valuable gear upgrades. This system was fantastic, offering a chance to progress your character even if your raid drops were not good. Catching up on gear became much simpler, as previous raid tier loot could be purchased with Justice points. You could easily farm Heroics to obtain epic raid gear and catch up with everyone else in a beat.
10. Armor Specs
In Wrath, some classes often found themselves competing for gear of the same type. With armor specs, this issue disappears as classes are urged to wear their designated type, always considering which items are best in slot. A full set of your class’s proper gear provides a 5% boost to your primary stat, making it more logical to stick to your own gear and, in turn, reducing loot drama.
Summing up, Cataclysm is getting way more criticism than it truly deserves, as there are lots of good things in there that make this expansion very fun to play. So, is WoW Classic Cataclysm worth playing? The short answer is, yes. Absolutely. At least to find out what changes the devs will bring, as the original had many underrated aspects that, hopefully, will make their way to the revamped version. And for now, all we can do is wait and prepare to welcome a new era of WoW Classic.
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