What Expansion Introduced Bonus Objectives in WoW? A Look Back at Legion

Before Legion, the Leveling Landscape

World of Warcraft, the venerable MMORPG that has captivated millions for nearly two decades, is a game constantly evolving. From new classes and races to sprawling continents and challenging raids, the world of Azeroth never ceases to surprise. Among the many features that have become integral to the WoW experience, Bonus Objectives stand out as a streamlined and engaging way to level up and earn rewards. Many players are familiar with these optional tasks that dot the landscape, offering a welcome alternative to traditional questing. But where did these Bonus Objectives come from? Which expansion ushered in this particular evolution in WoW’s design? The answer lies in the Burning Legion’s invasion and the landscapes of the Broken Isles: Legion introduced Bonus Objectives to World of Warcraft, and they had a substantial impact on the leveling experience.

Before the arrival of the Burning Legion and its armies, leveling in World of Warcraft was a more structured, often more linear affair. The game relied heavily on quest hubs. Players would move from zone to zone, picking up quests from the various non-player characters stationed there, following a pre-determined storyline. While this system had its merits, offering a clear narrative path and introducing players to the lore of each region, it could also become repetitive. You’d accept a handful of quests, trek out to the designated locations, slay the required number of monsters, collect the necessary items, and then return to the quest giver for your reward. It was a formula that had been refined over the years, but it wasn’t always the most engaging.

Alternative leveling methods existed, such as running dungeons or participating in player-versus-player combat. Dungeons provided a break from questing, offering a group-based challenge and the chance to acquire powerful gear. However, dungeons were often time-consuming, and relying solely on them for leveling could be monotonous. PvP, while offering a unique and exciting experience, was often unbalanced and could be frustrating for less experienced players. Furthermore, these alternative methods often lagged behind questing in terms of experience gains.

Some might point to Daily Quests that existed before Legion as an early form of Bonus Objective. While some of these offered similar objectives to the later Bonus Objectives, these were limited in scope, usually tied to endgame content, and lacked the open-world, leveling-focused design that would characterize the Legion implementation. The Daily Quests could take place inside of the world, but often had a specific NPC or location to get the quest and turn it in.

Legion Arrives and Brings World Quests

Legion was a pivotal expansion for World of Warcraft, introducing a host of new features and revamping existing systems. It marked a shift towards a more open-world design, encouraging exploration and player agency. The expansion saw players teleporting to the Broken Isles, far from what most players had seen before. The Class Halls and Artifact Weapons changed the player experience forever. Blizzard wanted to change the world, and that started with the zones and their quests.

The design philosophy behind Legion’s open world content was to provide players with a sense of freedom and choice. Instead of being confined to a rigid questing path, players were encouraged to explore the Broken Isles, discovering new areas, interacting with different factions, and engaging in a variety of activities. The problem was that the game lacked meaningful things to do after the main story quests in a zone were completed, or if the main quests themselves weren’t sufficient for reaching the next level.

Enter Bonus Objectives, a new form of content designed to address this issue and add another layer of depth to the leveling experience.

Diving Into Legion’s Bonus Objectives

Bonus Objectives, as introduced in Legion, were optional tasks presented to players within specific zones. These objectives were clearly marked on the world map and mini-map, making them easy to find and track. Bonus Objectives could be anything from defeating a certain number of monsters to gathering specific resources or interacting with objects in the environment.

A Bonus Objective might task a player with slaying a specific type of demon in a demon-infested area, or collecting arcane shards scattered across a ruined elven city. Another might require players to assist a group of friendly non-player characters in defending their village from attacking wildlife. The variety of tasks ensured that players wouldn’t get bored and that there was always something new to discover.

The rewards for completing Bonus Objectives were significant. Players received a substantial amount of experience points, helping them level up more quickly. They also earned faction reputation, which was important for unlocking various rewards and progressing through the expansion’s storyline. Finally, Bonus Objectives often awarded Order Resources, a currency used to upgrade the player’s Class Hall and Artifact Weapon.

The benefits of Bonus Objectives were multifaceted. Firstly, they significantly increased leveling speed. By completing these optional tasks, players could supplement their experience gains from traditional quests, allowing them to progress through the levels more quickly. Secondly, Bonus Objectives provided a more engaging and less linear leveling experience. Players were no longer confined to following a strict questing path. They could choose to pursue Bonus Objectives as they saw fit, exploring the world and engaging in activities that appealed to them.

Thirdly, Bonus Objectives encouraged exploration of the world. The placement of these objectives often led players to discover hidden areas, interact with interesting non-player characters, and uncover secrets that they might otherwise have missed. Fourthly, Bonus Objectives offered variety compared to traditional quests. The tasks were often shorter and more focused, providing a welcome change of pace from the longer, more involved quests that formed the core of the leveling experience. Lastly, Bonus Objectives helped players level alternate characters (alts) more quickly. By focusing on Bonus Objectives, players could level their alts efficiently without having to repeat the same quests multiple times.

Reception and Impact of Bonus Objectives

The introduction of Bonus Objectives in Legion was met with overwhelmingly positive player feedback. Players appreciated the increased leveling speed, the more engaging and less linear leveling experience, and the encouragement to explore the world. Many players found that Bonus Objectives added a sense of accomplishment to their leveling experience. Completing these optional tasks provided a tangible reward and a sense of progress, even when they weren’t actively pursuing the main storyline.

The success of Bonus Objectives in Legion had a profound influence on subsequent expansions. Bonus Objectives, in some form or another, have remained a core feature of World of Warcraft ever since. In addition, their popularity paved the way for the introduction of World Quests, another form of dynamic open-world content that became a staple of later expansions. Both Bonus Objectives and World Quests are a constant that’s been iterated upon and expanded upon.

Evolution: Bonus Objectives After Legion

While the core concept of Bonus Objectives has remained consistent since Legion, their implementation has evolved in subsequent expansions. In Battle for Azeroth, Bonus Objectives were integrated more seamlessly into the zone storylines, often feeling like natural extensions of the main quests. Shadowlands saw the introduction of Covenant Assaults, which featured Bonus Objectives as part of larger, more complex events. Dragonflight has refined the system further, incorporating Bonus Objectives into the Dragonriding system and tying them to various activities throughout the Dragon Isles. The evolution of the Bonus Objective has been a steady and beneficial change.

The key takeaway here is that Legion’s implementation was the foundation. It established the core principles of Bonus Objectives: optional tasks, clear map markers, rewarding experience and resources, and encouraging exploration. These principles have guided the design of Bonus Objectives in every expansion since, ensuring that they remain a valuable and enjoyable part of the World of Warcraft experience.

In Conclusion

In conclusion, Legion introduced Bonus Objectives to World of Warcraft. These optional tasks, marked on the map and rewarding experience, reputation, and resources, had a transformative impact on the leveling experience. They increased leveling speed, provided a more engaging and less linear gameplay experience, encouraged exploration, and offered variety compared to traditional quests. Bonus Objectives were a hit with players and paved the way for the introduction of World Quests, further solidifying the importance of open-world content in World of Warcraft. Bonus Objectives have become an integral part of the World of Warcraft experience and continue to shape how players explore and level in the game. Without Legion’s Bonus Objectives, the game would not be the same.