Leveling and Zone Quandry

[TPMdm]

Here's my deal I've finished Borean Tundra, Howling Fjord, All But a few quests in Dragon blight and Grizzly Hills but I'm about to ding 80. By my figuring I've got 5 zones basically un-tapped by the time I hit 80. Where should I go next? Continue with the progression of zones to Sholazar and/or Zul'Drak or hit up the 80 content? I'm slowly earning my way to the epic flyer, but I already have cold weather flying (I think that's why the zones went so quick, that and my never ending fountain of rested exp and the cool dailies).

I'm enjoying the story so far, but I do want to get to the "meatier" content, I'd really like to finally get to the point of WotLK and kill me some scourge in Icecrown but the lack of an epic flyer might hinder me (or so I've read).

Any advice from the sagest of folks here?

[Twoflower]

go to the stormy peaks and atart the quests around K3. You want to be able to start the quest chain that leads you to the sons of hodir, for your shoulder enchants. There are also tons of dailies with the sons of hodir. You will certainly have your epic flyer by the time you hit exalted with them.

[elsegundo]

yes unlock your dailies first so storm peaks and icecrown. get your rep going asap. as for the other zones you can go do those anytime once you start your rep dailies. they will never go gray since you'll never level past 80... at least, until the next expansion!

[clevins]

Also there are several quest rewards in SP and Icecrown that are quite good. Gloves of the Servant at the end of the long Hodir/Thorim chain and Argent Skullcap in Icecrown for example...(those are the caster versions... there are, of course, other choices).

[surodat]

Go to Sholazar and meet the Cute Oracles and the Mean Puppy-Men!

[Mazhulsage]

Ugh... Unlockable dailies, seriously? Didn't they learn from BC that unlockable dailies SUCK unless they give tons and tons of rep for said faction that gives the dailies?

[Dhoum]

Ugh... Unlockable dailies, seriously? Didn't they learn from BC that unlockable dailies SUCK unless they give tons and tons of rep for said faction that gives the dailies?

Except that my experience of the Storm Peaks unlockable dailies is that they don't suck ... have you done that quest-line yet? I'm just starting out on the Icecrown quest-lines to build KotEB and Argent Crusade rep and I'm enjoying it so far. For me the journey to the dailies is a damn sight more entertaining (not to mention lucrative in terms of rep and reward) than some of the dailies themselves.

[hawkmaniaceye]

I must say I love Icecrown. You don't need the epic flyer (or I haven't needed it yet), you fight the armies of the Lich King, there's some phased areas there, and you take over a scourge building. Only place I haven't been in is Storm Peaks, but I like Icecrown best.

[TPMdm]

Thanks for the input. I went to K3 and dinged 80 a little after the quest where you set the mines (it might have been the quest to enable the transporter). My question now is, how far away am I from being able to do SoH stuff?

[clevins]

30 or so quests.... there's a LONG chain that eventually takes you to Dun Niffelhelm. It starts with "They Took Our Men" in K3. There's some VERY cool quests (including one where you jump from drake to drak midflight... ) but it's a long chain. Toward the end it a couple of quests pop your rep with SoH up to friendly so Honored is pretty easy to get. There are some nice blue rewaards at the end of the chain.

ONe thing - you fly across the zone several times. If you don't have your epic flyer and are close, get it.

[TPMdm]

I'm in the middle of that chain I think. I've got the disguise that makes me look like a giantess and I'm messing about with them. I was a bit concerned because while riding a Bear I was supposed to shoot some SoH guys, but I didn't get any rep notifications so I assumed it was all going according to plan.