WRUP: Our bucket list
Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW.com staff and ask them, "What are you playing this week?" (Otherwise known as: WRUP!) Join us to see what we're up to in and out of game -- and catch us in the comments to let us know what you're playing, too!
Cataclysm hasn't arrived yet, and in the meanwhile, the WoW.com team is musing over what they need to get done before it does. And for once, there's something we (mostly) agree on: before Cataclysm comes, take a tour of the Plaguelands. Do the quests and run the dungeons, because there are some fantastic stories there that we'll never see again. But for what everyone's playing this weekend -- and the occasional non-Plagueland suggestions for your pre-Cataclysm to-do list, read on.
Alex Ziebart (@alexziebart): I'm playing a game called "Petition to have Milwaukee renamed Atlantis."
Allison Robert (@AllisonRobert): Now that my grandmother's moved into the home we renovated for her, this weekend's going to be spent working on a feature I've been kicking around for a bit, and then at a party to send my brother off to his study abroad program in style. And what should every player do before Cataclysm hits? Quest through Feralas and/or Desolace, I think -- just so you know exactly what you won't be missing. Disclaimer: I like both zones, but good God, could the travel time needed for questing have been any worse? Especially in the days before mounts at 20/40?
Anne Stickney (@Shadesogrey): Either we will be killing 25m HM Putricide, or we will have killed the bugger already, in which case we get to work on ... Sindrigosa. Not. Looking. Forward to that. Other than that, writing away and playing around on the beta! As for the list -- I already wrote an article on what to do in Azshara if you haven't, but other areas that should be experienced at least once -- Thousand Needles, absolutely. Western and Eastern Plaguelands. If you have not done Tirion Fordring's chain, go talk to him in the Eastern Plaguelands and do the kill quests, then continue with the chain. This will not be available after Cataclysm, and it's one of the most heart-wrenching chains out there. Go do it!
Amy Schley (@wowlawbringer): There's this little test on Tuesday and Wednesday that'll I'll be studying for and panicking about. But my days in Purgatory are numbered, thank the good Lord! And on Thursday, Patent shall be celebrating however y'all choose. I'll be at least tipsy myself. As for a quest, I'll go a little off the beaten path with Favored of Elune? and its chain, as well as Sweet Amber, one of the greatest scavenger hunt quests ever.
Chase Christian (@madsushi): Leading our 2nd ICC25 PUG this Saturday; we had great success last week so hopefully we can continue the trend this week.
Christian Belt (@ihatewarlocks): Limbo Limbo Limbo. Also Deathspank. And finishing up Castle Crashers with my firstborn. Horde-side, I'd say everybody needs to hit up the Counterattack! chain in The Barrens, if only for the epic lowbie centaur battle it ends with. Also, I'll second the WPL and EPL recommendations. Both of those zones are so steeped in Scourge lore that'll be all but gone when Cataclysm hits. Nobody who is interested in the lore of Warcraft in any way whatsoever should miss out on the pre-Wrath storylines that culminate therein.
Daniel Whitcomb (@danielwhitcomb): I'll be working my way through Loremaster of Kalimdor. Currently, I'm finishing out Bloodmyst Isle, then it's on to Darkshore. As far as stuff to do before the end comes? I'd strongly second doing both of the Plaguelands, and Scholomance and Stratholme while you're at it. I think they have some of vanilla's best quest design and storytelling (apart from a few annoying long walks like getting those damned termites). Also, Alliance should do the draenei starting zone quests, if only the questline where you learn the Furbolg language by finding totems and turning into spirit animals, then get declared the chosen savior of an entire tribe. Stuff like that is awesome.
Eli Khoury (@Jagoex): This weekend, I'll be throwing hate towards Heroic Sindragosa and the Lich King, as well as attending a Cryptozoic Spectral Tiger Safari tournament. If you see a guy who looks like the love child of Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, come say hello.
Elizabeth Harper (@faience): Probably doing some more work on preserving classic WoW in screenshots, probably on my paladin because soloing old world content with a paladin requires very minimal amounts of thought. For Cataclysm must-dos: Scholomance and Stratholme. They're fun dungeons with some great story behind them -- and they're both easily soloable these days, even if you aren't a paladin.
Fox Van Allen (@foxvanallen): I'll be spending part of the weekend trying to fix my damn computer, which hasn't been working since Wednesday. And since I'll probably wind up smashing it against the wall in frustration, I'll spend the rest of the weekend playing Phoenix Wright on my iPhone. Ah, and one thing to do before Cataclysm? Run Stratholme. Constantly. Repeatedly. Until the Baron's mount drops. DO IT.
Gregg Reece: I'll be raid tanking on the Horde pally, leveling the Alliance pally, and occasionally mucking with the druid as well ... although which druid is the real question.
Joe Perez (@Lodurzj): Getting ready to take on Lady Deathwhisper 25 hard mode next week which once we kill her will leave only Putricide, Sindragosa and the big man himself on heroic 25! More beta datamining as well as working on some videos and partaking in the test of a different beta. Overwatch is a mod for Half-Life 2 that has been in production for some time. It is a cooperative multiplayer FPS/RTS hybrid powered by the Source engine and based on the Half-Life 2 universe. A close friend of mine is on the development team and I'm looking forward to spending some time with the game and giving them some feedback. Between Cataclsym and Overwatch I'm going to have one busy weekend!
Kelly Aarons (@Cadistra): Last week was a good week for mounts, and I got my Chef's Hat yesterday, so I'll mostly likely putter around with professions. I'm also starting to champion other cities, so dailies, dailies, dailies! My Steam account has finally been restored as well, so I'll most likely fart around with either: Torchlight, Machinarium, or Zeno Clash. Nom. :) As for the Cata 'bukkit' list? Off the top of my head, I'd say quest in both Plaguelands, especially the Darrowshire quest line. It brings up the very human background behind the original plague, and is both very sad and very touching.
Lisa Poisso (@emused): Keeping my fingers crossed for fun choices for my upcoming Choose My Adventure -- give me something fresh and fun to work with here, guys! ... Poking through a whole list of kids games with my daughter that we're checking out for my column at sister publication Massively ... Peeking at the StarCraft II beta and roaming about a bit in another NDAish beta ... Reading an anthropological investigation of WoW from a writer who'll be profiled soon in 15 Minutes of Fame ... And after all the gaming stuff, off to Half Price Books to dig through the periodicals after dropping off a load to sell!
Mathew McCurley (@gomatgo): A nice, happy weekend coming up. Hopefully. Writing and stuff. Um. I really have no idea what's happening this weekend. I'm greatly anticipating StarCraft II. Is that a thing? Before Cataclysm, everyone should do the worst quest in the game -- Super Sticky in Un'Goro. You get it from Gadgetzan. It's the worst quest in the game.
Matt Sampson (@binkenstein): Busy writing stuff, continuing a love/hate relationship with beta, and getting Totemspot off the ground (we have a domain, a server, and a temporary home page so far). Also leveling a mage (currently 60!), have into a few horde "friends" along the way.
Rich Maloy (@stoneybaby): I was hoping to spend Sunday on my new/used road bike doing the 32-mile loop around Manhattan, but all the bikes I saw this week on Craigslist were garbage. So instead I'll be (hopefully) playing the Cata beta, in addition to the usual QT with girlfriend and killing Lichie. I hate to sound like a broken record, but the Plaguelands, specifically Eastern Plaguelands. Definitely do the Darrowshire quest line, but also keep questing far into the upper parts of EPL.
Robin Torres (@cosmiclaurel): The only thing I will be doing this weekend is preparing to move. If you see me online, I'll be slacking.
Zach Yonzon (@Battlemasters): Unless the beta gods smile upon me and let me enter the world of Cataclysm beta, I'll be in hypersleep for the next few days awaiting the release of StarCraft II. Nothing else matter until then. As for what to do in before the expansion ... I have no attachment to the old world. Let Azeroth burn! Bring on the Cataclysm! (Ok, not really -- I just suck at remembering quest lines and stuff.)
The weekend is the perfect time to kick back, relax and enjoy some game time. Are you an achievement junkie? Can't get enough raiding? Rolling a new alt? Considering taking the leap into roleplaying? Whatever your favorite way to play World of Warcraft, let us know in the comments what you're playing this weekend!
