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Capital cities inWorld of Warcraftare always important locations. From the Valley of Heroes in Stormwind to the steely ramparts of Orgrimmar, the abundance of amenities found in capital cities make them some of the most frequently-visited locations in the game. However, while some of these landmarks are accessible only to the Alliance or Horde, some allow all characters to walk their streets freely, acting as the first places where players from both factions could safely interact with one another. That said, not all neutral capitals inWorld of Warcraftwere created equally.
To qualify for this list, an entry must fit the definition of a hub city inWorld of Warcraft: it must have a bank, inn, mailbox, and flight path, as well as either an auction house or trainers for classes or professions. This meansWorld of Warcraftcities like Undermine, Azj’Kahet, and Loamm don’t count, as they are missing one or more of these features, even if they are otherwise popular or well-designed. Likewise, characters from both the Alliance and Horde must be able to freely traverse them without being attacked.
Ambience, layout, background music, equal relevance and access to both factions, and uniqueness are all factors that were considered in these rankings.
S-Tier: Immersive Cities That Are Gorgeous and Useful
In many ways, Booty Bay was the OG neutral capital city. Located on the southern tip of the Eastern Kingdoms, this Goblin-run pirate town has almost everything players could need. Booty Bay’s boat to Ratchet in the Barrens is slightly more useful for Horde heroes, but the hub’s proximity to Stormwind and more abundant Alliance flight paths more than makes up for it. Booty Bay would lose a few points for having no class trainers, but theseNPCs no longer have a use in modernWoW, making it a forgivable offense.
Dalaran, the city of mages thatmeets a grim fate inWoW: The War Within, appears twice on this list, but the Legion iteration ends up being the better of the two. Improved assets give it a leg up on its predecessor, but its most important feature is the Dalaran Hearthstone. One of the few independent transportation items in the game, this toy is easy to unlock, and creates a quick way for characters to return to their faction’s capital, revolutionizing fast travel.
Valdrakken and Dornogal, the two newestneutral expansion cities inWorld of Warcraft, also stand at the top for immersion, layout, and stellar soundtracks. The sweeping aqueducts of Valdrakken evoke the grandeur of the Dragonflights and their Titan allies, and the aesthetically-pleasing city of the Earthen fromThe War Withinis as gorgeous as it is utilitarian, with important landmarks all easy to reach in both places. The cities are bustling with activity, even without players around, and share hidden secrets in nooks and crannies that bring the settlements to life in a refreshing way.
A-Tier: Awesome Spots With a Clear Flaw
Ratchet is the second neutral Goblin town from vanillaWoW, and as the lowest-level example, the first one most gamers will visit. Located in the Barrens of Kalimdor, Ratchet provides a bank, auction house, boat to Booty Bay, and severalspecial Rune quests inWoW ClassicSeason of Discoverythat give players plenty of reasons to visit the charming dockside town. Unfortunately, Ratchet is located in the middle of Horde territory, and most of the quests there are only available to the Horde, making it less useful to Alliance players – unless they are trying to coordinate a raid on Orgrimmar or Thunder Bluff.
Shattrath, located in Terokkar Forest, is built upon the broken ruins of the Draenei capital. The circular arrangement of the city is easy to memorize, as it all spirals out from a central location where the Naaru A’dal holds court. Portals to and from Stormwind, Orgrimmar, and theIsle of Quel’danas fromWoW: The Burning Crusademake it a great place to access Outland for both the Alliance and Horde, but the city suffers from a different faction war – the Aldor vs. the Scryers. Aligning with one of the factions cuts off access to some of the features available from the other, punishing players who actually engage with one of the core decisions from the expansion.
In many ways, the original Dalaran fromWrath of the Lich Kingis even better than the one that came after it. Many fans enjoy the layout of the first version more, and prefer the Sunreaver’s Sanctuary and Silver Enclave to their Sylvanas andGilneas-themed counterparts later on inWorld of Warcraft. However,WrathDalaran loses points due to its lack of a transmog station, and because it is located in Crystalsong Forest – a beautiful-but-useless zone with next to no quests in it, even if it is centrally located on Northrend.
B-Tier: Decent Hubs That Are All Missing Something
Unfortunately, the other neutral Goblin hubs – Gadgetzan, Everlook, and Area 52 – have two problems: they all look the same, and they are all missing something important. Gadgetzan is like Booty Bay in many ways, but the hub lacks any boats or zeppelins to or from it, despite literally becoming a port town as ofCataclysm. The city is also relatively uninteresting, especially when compared to thecity’s appearance inHearthstone’sMean Streets of Gadgetzanexpansion.
Everlook is similarly a less-useful Ratchet, as it lacks any fast travel options, and is located in Winterspring, a beautiful region that is quite far off the beaten path. Lastly, Area 52, while visually striking with its rocket ship amidst theNetherstorm ofWoW: The Burning Crusade, lacks vital features present in other Goblin towns, including an auction house, repair station, and most profession trainers, only barely fitting the qualifications as presented in his list.
C-Tier: Sterile Hubs Built for Gameplay, Not Immersion
Oribos, the afterlives hub inShadowlands, is in a tier of its own. Basic and symmetrical, any utility granted by its easily-navigated circular layout is countered by its sterile, emotionless design. Though fitting for what it represents in the lore, it is also emblematic of themajor criticisms ofWorld of Warcraft: Shadowlandsas a whole. Were that not enough, wide open spaces with nothing in them, poorly-defined indoor regions that dismount characters, lack of flying, and a single mailbox in the entire city lose the city even more favor among fans. In this way, Oribos is not only the worst neutral hub, but the worst capital city in all ofWorld of Warcraft.
