This is an important point, Classic works differently. There are three major differences:
- You get fraction reputation (similar to experience) when completing a low level quest. Note that creatures also grant fraction once going gray. I assume the original design is trying to funnel you to do level-appropriate content, instead of going loremaster for 5-10 rep per quest.
- Quests offer between 10 and 100 reputation here, while later it was going up to 250.
- Quests did offer 25% spill reputation later on, in the spirit of helping your faction (including goblins, not including PvP).
Thus while I was an Ambassador around 41 or so during my WLK Loremaster (the character you’re reading), it’s quite a bit of work (donations) here. Which is kinda fine with me, right now it’s the endgame, later on it’s not.