Breakfast Topic: The easy/hard grind
by Mike Schramm 
Apr 14th 2008 at 8:00AM
I'm currently working through Zangarmarsh on my Hunter, and this weekend I spent a lot of time grinding two completely different kinds of mobs. The Withered Bog Lords in northern Zangarmarsh were cake for my Hunter -- they weren't exactly gentle with my pet, but he was able to eat the damage, and I could have grinded right away on them all day. At the exact opposite end of the grinding scale, however, were those stupid Umbrafen Eels -- not only were they under water (always annoying), but they've got this on-hit electrical damage thing that just drove me nuts. I stayed to play with the Bog Lords for a long time, racking up the XP, but as soon as I was done with the Eels, I got out of the water and stayed out.Fighting these two back to back got me thinking: what's the easiest/hardest mob to grind on? Some mobs (like the tigers in Stranglethorn or the bears/spiders in Ashenvale) are super easy to grind -- they have no special abilities, they're spaced out, and they go down fast. But others -- most gnolls, in my experience, and lots of casters -- are just annoying as all get out; they run around, pull others, heal up when they're almost dead, and give you lots of headaches while taking them down. Those are the mobs you don't sit around and grind on -- they're the ones you avoid completely after you've done whatever quest requires you to kill them.
What are your favorite or least favorite mobs to just grind on in the game?
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Breakfast topics, Leveling
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Buman Apr 14th 2008 8:04AM
Ogres or Yetis. Find a nice cave and sit back and relax.
Khanmora Apr 14th 2008 8:07AM
I completely agree, and they don't run away (this was particularly important when I played a paladin prior to Blizz creating Hammer of Wrath). The ogres also usually have good pickpocket loot for my rogue too.
Wiegraf Apr 14th 2008 10:10AM
Agree. Good for skinning too.
Apophis Apr 14th 2008 8:06AM
As mage, melee mobs are my favorite to grind.
You can eather pull 10 mobs together and AoE them down, or kill any elite that you can be slowed/frosted.
Corazu Apr 14th 2008 8:07AM
On my Paladin I'm levelling as prot (currently 47) and I aoe grind, I hate casters and ranged mobs. Everything else is nice and easy. I particularily love the ogres in tanaris right now, they're close together so I can round up 5 of them very easily, and the enforcers hit nice and fast which keeps my on-hit procs up. I don't mind runners too much, as long as they bring me melee mobs :)
Blackhorn Apr 14th 2008 11:30AM
The Incendosaurs in Searing Gorge have this beautiful habit of ENDLESSLY POPPING. They don't run. They don't do ranged.
I was there with my shaman and hunter duo and thought to myself "I absolutely HAVE to bring my paladin here."
Corazu Apr 14th 2008 1:09PM
Oh really? I'll have to hit that up in a couple of levels for the 50-53.
Chais Apr 14th 2008 8:10AM
Well naturally Murlocs are the most annoying to fight.They always pull many more than you want, and they aggro from reallly far.
As a hunter pretty much anything is easy to kill.
I just kite it around and auto-win.
but I do enjoy killing Air elementals in SMV
They take damage easy and die in about 3-4 shots
:D
Shardistral Apr 14th 2008 1:47PM
Murlocs. Oh god. I did the Murloc quests in Darkshore and Bloodmyst the first time through; never again.
Murlocs are the absolute worst mob to fight ever. I am 100% ready to NOT do the Isle daily that involves them, just seeing those packs of Murloc along Greengill while I kill Darkspine makes me cringe.
On the other side, I stayed on the plains of Nagrand long after Nesingwary's bloodlust was satiated; Talbuk and Clefthoof go down easy and give lots of leather.
hutze Apr 14th 2008 8:20AM
As an Enhance Shammy, I always loved caster mobs - low armor and thanks to Earth Shock and Grounding Totem, they never got their spells off.
Spiritofire Apr 14th 2008 8:22AM
This isn't really mobs in general but 1 reallly annoying quest in the plaguelands, to get the mark of uther...
Lets see... 56-58 mobs 2 single pulls, Double pull, pat 1 pull, 3 pull of mages, 59 patrol, Rare spawn 63, 2 Pull, chest, jump off the tower and run.
THIS QUEST IS HORRIBLE!
Stooch Apr 14th 2008 8:28AM
Well right now, those pesky Blood elf summoners on the new island.
Bloody imps >.
Kuroyume Apr 14th 2008 8:45AM
yeah... those summoners are bad... on my warrior i can take 4marksmen or blood knights at once or in quick succesion, but 2 summoners can own faster than i can say "wtf?"
RanWitScissorz Apr 14th 2008 8:50AM
SS + WW/Cleave, dead summoner
jrodman Apr 14th 2008 9:30AM
Being attacked but a Blood Elf Summoner? Cast lifebloom, and problem solved.
As a restoration druid, killing anything is a tiresome process, but at least nothing can kill me.
Hank Apr 14th 2008 10:11AM
Fire Resist Aura FTW.
Clasifyd Apr 14th 2008 8:31AM
I'm leveling an alt paladin now, and I'm going through Thousand Needles at this point. The centaurs there are a PAIN for melee. Both of the non-caster mob types have a pension for taking a couple of swings and running back a few yards to pull off arrows. They ALWAYS seem to run back into another mob, who insists on pulling off arrows, too. Since pallys don't really have a ranged attack (spare the Judge), it made for a long few levels.
Chris Apr 14th 2008 8:52AM
"Both of the non-caster mob types have a pension"
They have a pension?? If they're that old they should be easy to take down...
Pappagallo Apr 14th 2008 9:25AM
I think you mean "penchant", not "pension"
Nariasa Apr 15th 2008 8:08AM
I prefer caster Ogers. Don't run away, have low armor.