Stop removing content.

This deals with the old Naxxramas instance.

The old Naxxramas was a great dungeon. I’ve only been in once, but I could tell that it was a brilliantly designed tactics-heavy dungeon. It was also without a doubt the hardest dungeon in the game. The mob strength was higher than those in AQ40, so only players equipped with the highest end-game pre-BC gear had a chance. Coupled with its extreme focus on tactical precision, it was difficult for any guild, and remains difficult even with level 70s. That led to a decision to move the dread citadel to Northrend and restructure it as a 10-25 man raid. That’s a good decision, and I support it, with one exception: I don’t think that old Naxx should be removed.

Not only was it a good dungeon, but it had some of the best items in the game, which, given Blizzard’s stated policy of not rebuilding items, will never be seen again. Atiesh remains the only permanent Legendary for casters, and is deeply linked to Karazhan, which is probably raided more than any other instance in the game. The Corrupted Ashbringer has an incredible storyline, and a built in event when one takes it to the Scarlet Cathedral: An event that is one of the coolest scripted events the game has. But few people have the sword now, and, with the removal of Morgraine from the ranks of the 4 Horsemen (and the Corrupted Ashbringer events seen in the Death Knight starter instance), those scripted events will remain unviewable to the vast majority of players. There’s also the quest received from Kel’Thuzad’s Phylactery. A hilarious quest that provides a wonderful ending to the dungeon, while at the same time setting up the lore for the revival of Kel’Thuzad in the expansion.

There’s no reason to remove the dungeon and these items. Remove the citadel floating above the Eastern Plaguelands, certainly, but leave the portal an the instance itself alone. Let anyone who wants to journey into those dreaded halls do so. Yeah, Kel’Thuzad is in Northrend at the point most players are at in the lore. So what? If the speculation is complete and Baron Rivendare is to be the new fourth horseman, will the Undead half of Stratholme be shut down? Of course not. Players have killed the same bosses over and over again, despite having turned in many quests which mean that, according to the lore, those bosses are gone for good. Let the dungeon remain for those who want the challenge of running it, and who want the opportunity to find those beautiful pieces of lore hidden within its cursed corridors.

It’s an expansion. Add to the game, don’t subtract from it.