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Northrend is the new contient that is avalible in the Wrath of the Lich King. There 2 options to access this area:
- A new dock at Stormwind has been created to take players into Borean Tundra - dropping them off at Valiance Keep
- A new dock at Menethil Harbor has been created to take players into Howling Fjord - dropping them off at Valgarde
What does this mean exactly? It means that in Northrend there are 2 starting zones - both of which are tuned for the level 68-70 character. But which zone should I start in and why? That is covered at the end of this introduction.
The Path to 80
Although there are 2 starting zones - the path to 80 is linear past the first zone. This guide is separated by zones and ordered in the level of diffculty after the first zones - you can clear both starting zones first before starting Dragonblight if you want to, but past that it is recomended to clear each of the zones in order:
Borean Tundra/Howling Fjord->Dragonblight->Grizzly Hills->Zul'Drak->Sholazar Basin->Storm Peaks
By the time you reach Storm Peaks you should be level 80 if you follow this path.
So How Do I Use This Website?
You can use this website exclusively to reach 80 or use it for when you need help in certain areas. Each zone is sectioned off so its easy to find where you are currently at - if you are looking for help with a specific quest just type in the quest name in the search box on the top right corner.
Each Zone Seperated into Sections
Also - some quests may have information boxes that you can mouse over for tips on how to complete a quest - or even videos  that you can click on for a video on how to complete a quest.
Borean Tundra vs. Howling Fjord
Which side should you start in? It depends on a number of factors - but first the major differences between the zones:
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Lets start with the basics. Borean Tundra has 130+ quests vs. Howling Fjord has 130+ quests as well - basically the same amount. The quest difficulty is about even for both sides with the notable rare quest rewards on Borean Tundra being a weapon (the same or higher ilvl then Zul'aman), ring, and neck - Howling Fjord has 2 rare trinkets (again the same or higher ilvl then Zul'aman - much better then the badge trinkets). Leveling-wise both sides always have multiple quests that can be cleared in one sweep but Borean Tundra is slightly faster due to it's ease to move from one quest hub to another and the close proximity of the quest hubs.
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Now what about the quest chains leading to new zones? Both sides share the same Tuskarr quest to go to Dragonblight - each side also has its own quest chain leading into the opposite ends of Dragonblight. These are the only 2 quests to leave the zone for both sides. Note that Howling Fjord does not continue on to Grizzly Hills as the map would lead people to believe - instead you get a free flight path from Westguard to Wintergarde Keep.
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For those that play the game for the storyline Howling Fjord revolves around the Alliance fighting off the Vrykul, a Viking like race, while discovering the Vrykul's history and their link to the Lich King. Borean Tundra has the Alliance fending off the scourge invasion. Both sides have a Tuskarr camp each with their own problems - although the camp in Howling Fjord is much larger. Borean Tundra has 2 other side stories - the Blue Dragonflight against the Red Dragonflight on Coldarria and the D.E.H.T.A. - Druids for the Ethical and Humane Treatment of Animals. Howling Fjord has 1 other side story - infiltrating into a pirates camp. Overall Howling Fjord has a slight advantage in that there are more scripted events (for example you get killed by the Lich king and learn the background story of the Vrykul).
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Both zones are pretty equal, however 1 factor could make Howling Fjord a better choice. Borean Tundra features a significant amount of neutral quest hubs which on PVP servers will lead to a lot more dying even months after the expansion is released. In fact almost all of the quests in this zone other then the starting quest hub share the same objectives - which for high population servers will have a lot of groups waiting to kill one mob.
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Cut to the chase - Howling Fjord has an advantage in PVP/high population realms, but both are about the same otherwise.
 
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Questing Guides