Shattrath - The Ghost Town of the Outlands

Editor's Note: Originally published Dec, 2008.

When the Burning Crusade was released in January of 2007 it was huge. The content was new and fresh, it added hundreds of quests and a brand new continent. The Burning Crusade expansion allowed characters to level up to 70, and the new Outland continent was supposed to be reachable only for levels 58 up. At level 58, a character can cross the Dark Portal in the Badlands. This makes sense, yet the quests are not redeemable until level 61. This applies to both factions: horde and alliance. A character can either ride mounted through the mainland areas of Hellfire and Terrokar Forest, into Shattrath or be ported by a mage into this once great city. Once in Shattrath, the flight path here can easily be connected with all of the others in Outlands. Yet now this beautiful city lies quiet, yet behind the unpopulated marble walls of Shattrath, there is an entire NPC population waiting to assist any toon.

Shattrath maintained it's popularity until November 13th, 2008, when Wrath of the Lich King was released. Wrath of the Lich King opened up Dalaran, the newest capital city,and allowed players to reach level 80. While players should be level 70, they have to be summoned into Dalaran, and the best way to do that, is to join a guild or find a friendly mage, and they can help you reach the new major city in the game.

The nature of Shattrath remained, while Blizzard added content in the new land and moved Dalaran to a higher vicinity. They gave it a nice, colorful map; the colors of Darnassus, with graphics from Exodar and Shattrath combined makes for one beautiful place to call your home. The new city does not mean that Shattrath should be ignored. Characters level 60-70 still need to utilize Shattrath whenever they can. That means, setting your hearthstone in either the Aldor or Scyers inns. This also includes doing the quests in Honor Hold, Zangarmarsh, Nagrand, and Shadowmoon Valley.

Walking or riding around Shattrath used to be done through a maze of characters and players, and now there are a few people there, which leaves the NPCs open for all. The area of Lower City has a couple of dailies, such as the daily cooking quest (if a player is below level 75 experience is gained with 4 gold and the usual gift basket as a prize), entrance to battlegrounds, and entrance to Aldor and Scryer banks and inns. So, there is still reason to head to Shattrath and visit every day if you choose to. And, the NPCs in Shattrath are not busy right now. Therefore, there is no line at the bank, the inns, the training (alchemy and jewel crafting), the first aid. Often the battleground area has only 5 to 6 characters waiting. The NPCs are happy to serve you.

Shattrath has the portal to the Isle of Quel Danas. So, for those who are still doing daily quests, you will have to hit Shattrath to do them for your Shattered Sun reputation. Before entering the portal to Isle of Quel Danas, there is a daily quest in Blade's Edge from the NPC in Shattrath. Again, it's 4 gold, with around 9500 exp. The repeatable quests in Quel Danas, the bombing of the Dead Scar which is a daily quest, plus the Magister's Court instance, makes this a portal worth visiting.

Players occasionally stop working on rep in Aldor Rise or Scyers, but it is not difficult to gain rep. With some time spent on the Isle of Quel Danas, the demons often drop Aldor and Scyer turn ins. Of course, they still sell well at the auction house! Turn them in for reputation, don't sell them. Only sell them after you become exalted, or if they are the wrong faction.

To an onlooker, the map of Shattrath is an messy maze. To a dedicated player, the map of Shattrath is useful, and should not be over looked, but utilized in Blizzard's Time of Change.