So I’ve actually enjoyed most instances this expansion. Few as they are compared to TBC and Wotlk heydays.
But thinking about instances the one “Holy crap” instance for me has always been SL in TBC. That place was incredible, imposing and even had optional stuff. I mean how do you get better than that?,
Wotlk’s instances were kinda an evolution in many ways from TBC, but personally for me were not that great. Best one in terms of replayability probably was UP. Gauntlet was fun and the rest of the place had some pizzazz as far as I’m concerned.
I really liked a few of the MoP ones with the Brewery one being a standout for me. Last boss is meh, but the setting, references, and mechanics still feel fresh to me.
Skipped WoD and Legion so can’t comment on those. And I don’t think you can have a solid opinion on Cata ones. They were one thing at start another one, totally different one, later on.
From the current expansion I love FH, all dialogues are hilarious and bosses decent. WM has the coolest setting and feeling. If WM had a mount to collect it would be by far the most played instance IMO.
I have a thing for all Legion dungeons. Probably because the threat to our world felt imminent and that aspect was woven into the story of each dungeon.
Vault of the Wardens stands out to me primarily because of Tirathon Saltheril’s dialogue.
In stark contrast we find BfA dungeons, while great mechanically, feels redundant. Like why are we there? I get Underrot, maybe Waycrest, but I didn’t play Alliance so I guess I won’t know how dangerous Gorak Tul is.
Grimrail Depot is definitely one of the most memorable to me. The theme and idea of it was just so different to what we’d had in WoW Dungeons before, and I loved all the little animations there were to link things together.
Aside from that, Drak’Tharon keep has to get an honorable mention for the sheer number of hilarious deaths I’ve caused over the years by enabling Path of Frost just as people are jumping down the shortcut at the end.
Oldschool Shadowfang Keep, Scholomance and Stratholme. All three had cool lore and were (imo) very well done in how creepy they were. Still sad about not being able to revisit them in retail.
Oh well, at least we can go in there in classic.
I didn’t play when Cata was live but in timewalking and leveling, I love all of it’s content - 5 mans, zones - Vashj’ir is my favorite leveling zone so far and, at least aesthetically, the raids - Throne of the Four Winds got to be the most breathtaking instance in the game.
Lore is cool as hell there too. Twilight cultists and Deathwing, all elemental plains are in turmoil, old gods are sticking their tentacles up, travelling to the past and multiple futures. They really pushed the phantasy aspect of the game there imo. Even in Deepholm, using levitating stones as “flowers”.
Also during lvling, I like panda 5 mans, as much as I don’t like the continent.
Stratholme for me also has a special place in my heart because of Ramstein the gorger because he reminds me of industrial metal band Rammstein du du hast du hast mich.
I’m going to throw one into the mix that I doubt many others will agree with - Trial of the Champion!
This was the first instance I played after becoming a ‘good’ player - most of my abilities were keybound, and I’d stopped keyboard turning in favour of strafe and mouse turn.
I was finally (I think 300?) defense capped, and I really wanted that +Stam trinket from the Black Knight.
I have such incredible memories of the whole expansion, but that’s one that sticks out to me as a player and as such will always be remembered.
Brd ,stratholme, magisters terrace and those 3 dungeons at icecrown citadel are some of my favorites. brd and stratholme before they got split up into parts.
The cataclysm dungeons are by far the worst and annoying ones
and the legion and and bfa ones are just boring and not even memoryworthy except waycrest manor
The music like Phantom Of the Opera that plays whenever you kill one of the female hags makes me laugh, I keep expecting Sarah Brightman to roll out on a canoe singing opera.
Everytime I am in there with guild on Discord, it is expected of me to…
“SAY DE TINGS… SAY DE TINGGGGSSSS”
One of my all time favourites was probably Magisters Terrace, the setting was amazing, the fights interesting, lots of mobs.
The original Shadowfang Keep has a very special place in my heart. The atmosphere it provided was just great.
There are a lot of dungeons I think are great, but mentioning SFK since it’s always the dungeon I think of imediately when someone speak of “favourite dungeon”.
UBRS vanilla version, it has stuck in my mind forever, mostly due to me being a hunter and kiting Drakkisath every time, trying to get him as far as possible.
