Earlier this week, Aurik at /hug tackled this very subject. In my opinion, one of the elements of WoW that makes it so great is it’s vast number of instances, which all have their own feel and foibles. One of the first things I do when I log on is ask, “anyone up for an instance?” Here are my top 5 5-Mans. We’ll start at the bottom.

5. Magisters’ Terrace

Honestly, there is a good chance this could get a higher rating, but I honestly haven’t run it enough to judge its longevity. I love the feel of this place. Perhaps that’s partially due to its “newness,” but ultimately I think it was just very well designed. The colors and layout really pop for me.

Another good element of MagT (and no, I flat out refuse to call it “MrT”) is its fine collection of bosses. They are varied and keep the fights interesting, without any boring old tank and spank fights. They can also be quite a challenge, even on regular mode.

The fact that this instance comes with a built-in cutscene is a great addition – though I probably won’t stop to watch it again, it was a nice touch. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that I think it has some great loot, too. Go ahead and read my post on the resto druid drops if you don’t believe me.

4. Shadow Labyrinth

I kind of wonder if I’m in the minority on this particular instance. It’s not especially pretty or well thought out, and it doesn’t necessarily have anything that I can say makes it stand out from the crowd. My reasons for enjoying this instance are a bit more nebulous.

I think it again has something to do with the bosses. You have some interesting boss fights that can be both fun and frustrating. That blasted Ogre boss has wiped many a group I was in, as well as that silly Warlock. All that being said, I have fun in those fights. I’ve also run this one a LOT due to rep needs and key frags and the like, and I’ve never grown tired of it. I also really enjoy the big battle at the end with Murmur. It can be a real challenge for a resto druid to heal through, as that big AOE is NASTY my friend.

3. The Botanica

I’ve always like the feel of the Tempest Keep family of instances. I like the color scheme and the other-worldliness (is that even a word?). They all make me feel as if I’ve warped into some odd sci-fi movie on USA late night. For that reason alone, I like them all.

The Botanica, though, is the best of them. I enjoy the fact that you can see the big boss at the end as you go through. I like the variety of mobs you fight, and I like how everything in this instance seems to “fit”. The fight with Warp Splinter at the end really tops it off. There is also something to be said for the loot in here, as there are a LOT of good things for a resto druid. Read this to find out more!

2. The Deadmines

Now we’re going old-school from here on out. In terms of later instances, I know The Deadmines (more commonly known as VC on my server) doesn’t really compare. It’s kind of haphazard, and not as well organized as some of the newer stuff. It still has boatloads of charm, though, from the undead to the crazy goblins. I especially enjoyed the Goonies-esque intro of the boat in the cave. Some things about WoW I will never forget. One of those things was the first time I saw that boat. For a lot of us, VC was our very first instance, and it holds a special place in our hearts. I remember being amazed at all the twists and turns, and how it just seemed to keep on going. I thought it was just another cave at first, but boy was I wrong. I still try to run this with every new character.

1. Dire Maul

Ahhh, DM. How I love thee. This instance was so fantastic when it was released. Dire Maul was just plain ginormous. There really was nothing like it at the time for high level players. If I remember correctly (and the chances of that are slim!) it was the first high-level instance with a multi part “winged” structure, like that of Scarlet Monastery. This is obviously something that Blizzard likes to incorporate now!

You could do any wing of the dungeon that you like, and there were something like 15+ different bosses and sub bosses. The biggest thrill in DM for me was the famous “tribute” run. If you’ve never done the tribute run, you owe it to yourself to do it someday! In the tribute run, you had to get all the way to and kill King Gordok without killing any other bosses! There were a few different tricks you had to use, including using special traps, putting on an ogre suit, and others. If you were successful, you got a guaranteed chest full o blues, became King of the Ogres, and got all kinds of sweet 2 h our buffs. When it was done right, it was some of the most fun I ever had in game. And the loot was great, too!

So there you have it. My top five. Subject to change, with the next great batch of instances. I’d love to hear what some of your favorites are!

This entry was posted on Friday, April 18th, 2008 at 4:20 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.