Server Information
Garona is a launch day PvE server being one of the few servers that were brought online at the same time that World of Warcraft was released on November 23, 2004. The name of the server originates from the half-orc Assassin, Garona Halforcen.
Garona has historically had an imbalance of Alliance to Horde players as well as progression oriented guilds that favors the Alliance. Currently the ratio stands at 2.3:1 Alliance to Horde with over 20,000 total players.
End Game Progression
Garona is home to many guilds but is not as quickly progressed as other notable launch day servers. From Onyxia until the Sunwell in patch 2.4.3, the guild Lunaris was top ranked on the server with achieving nearly every server first kill. Edge has been the leaders on the server in terms of first kills since then.
Progression based guilds on Garona tend to have more relaxed raiding schedules when compared to higher progressed servers. No guild since the end of The Burning Crusade has raided more then four nights or above 20 cumulative hours per week. The majority of guilds raid 2-4 nights per week.
Famous Players
Garona is home to a few famous WoW players:
- Apathy (formerly Sormac) - Famous signature meme on R&D forums.
- Sinzarx (formerly Sinzar of Lunaris) - US First 80 Death Knight and Northrend Vanguard in Wrath of the Lich King.
- Speakeasy - A leading shadow priest theorycrafter during TBC.
- Nightcraft - Leading hunter who is most notable for saying "Objection!" in tradechat.
History
World of Warcraft
When World of Warcraft was first released, one of the largest guilds on the server was Clan Silver Beard who reached the maximum guild limit by granting ever member the ability to invite. During the Onyxia/Molten Core raiding days, Lunaris, Zug Zug, Noble Blade, Alliance of Exile, Apex and Contingency Plan were the server leading guilds. There is still much confusion and controversy as to who completed the first [Sulfuras, Hand of Ragnaros], the first legendary two handed weapon of WoW.
Come Blackwing Lair, Lunaris still led the server in first kills followed by Noble Blade, Zug Zug, Apex, The Empire, Contingency Plan and Alliance of Exile. Sinzar of Lunaris was the first player to craft [Thunderfury, Blessed Blade of the Windseeker], the first legendary one handed weapon.
In Ahn'Qiraj, Lunaris still kept server first obtaining the only server kills of C'Thun and Viscidus. Second was The Empire, Zug Zug and Noctum. Many guilds died off during this time leaving only a few select progressed ones. Hansel (Armory) was the only scepter holder and therefore the only person to obtain the title/bug mount on Garona.
Inside Naxxramas, Lunaris still maintained their lead followed by The Empire and Noctum. Neither Sapphiron or Kel'Thuzad were killed at level 60 by any guild on Garona.
The Burning Crusade
In Black Temple and Mount Hyjal, Lunaris continued to claim server first kills followed by Zoi Dia Thanatos, Edge, and Bad Mojo. A feud developed between }Zoi Dia Thanatos and Edge when Zoi Dia Thanatos claimed the server second kill of Illidan after Edge maintained a short lead all throughout tier 6. Sinzar of Lunaris was the first player to obtain and complete a set of [Warglaive of Azzinoth], legendary blades of Illidan.
In Sunwell, Lunaris continued to obtain server first kills up until Felmyst and then due to a host of issues decided to call an end to progression raiding. Most of the members from Lunaris either left the game or transferred at this time, many leaving for top ranked guilds. Edge continued in the footsteps of Lunaris and obtained the remainder of server first kills in Sunwell. The only guilds to kill M'uru pre 3.0 were Edge followed by Zoi Dia Thanatos two weeks later. No guild on the server killed Kil'Jaedon pre 3.0, however Edge and Zoi Dia Thanatos downed him during the week following 3.0 going live. Salty (Armory) from Lords of Eternity was the first hunter on the server to obtain [Thori'dal, the Stars' Fury], the first legendary bow in WoW.
Wrath of the Lich King
Wrath of the Lich King ushered in a host of changes to the traditional raiding scene of Garona. Bad Mojo claimed the first server wide announcing achievement with a kill of Sartharion and Edge claiming the server first achievements for Naxxramas and Malygos soon after. Bad Mojo was the first guild to complete the Tier 7 meta achievement and be awarded their proto drakes with server first completions of The Immortal and You Don't Have an Eternity. Guilds that followed with Immortal and meta completions were Zoi Dia Thanatos, Lords of Eternity, and Edge before the release of Ulduar. Edge was the first guild on the server to kill Sartharion with all 3 drakes active in both 10man and 25man. It was during this time that a strong rivalry developed between Edge and Bad Mojo which manifested itself on the Garona forums.
With the release of Ulduar, Edge spearheaded progression into 25man hard modes with Lords of Eternity, Zoi Dia Thanatos, Bad Mojo, and a reformed Noctum following suit. Edge was the only guild to defeat Algalon before the release of Tier 9 content and to defeat Yogg-Saron with no keepers active which followed the week after Tier 9 was released. Lunaris reformed during this time under new and old leadership and a completely new member base. They made admirable strides at first but unfortunately did not survive past Ulduar and again disbanded. Clyck of Noctum was the first player on the server to complete a Val'anyr, the first legendary of WoTLK.
In Trial of the Grand Crusader, Edge completed the server first Insanity achievements in both 10/25 man followed by Lords of Eternity in 25 man. Lords of Eternity were the first guild on the server to complete A Tribute to Dedicated Insanity in 10 man ToGC and remain the only guild to have done so. Early into ToGC hardmodes Bad Mojo called an end to progression raiding. Many of their members decided to transfer to Garona Horde, transfer off the server, join other guilds on the Alliance, or left WoW. Tribute to Immortality went incomplete on Garona for many months after the release of Icecrown Citadel until Edge successfully completed the achievement amid tier 10 content.
Icecrown Citadel marked the final content tier for Wrath of the Lich King. Edge continued to lead server first boss kills in 10/25 man content followed by Zoi Dia Thanatos, Lords of Eternity, Sacred Alliance, and Remnants. Sacred Alliance was the first guild on the server to complete the ICC 10 and ICC 25 man meta achievement and to receive their drakes. Edge was the first guild to defeat Heroic Lich King in 10 and 25 man forms and finished ICC with a 25 man rank of US 26th according to tracking by WoWProgress. Wazuka(Armory) of Edge was the first player to complete the epic quest chain for [Shadowmourne], the legendary sister blade to Frostmourne.
Cataclysm
Guild Websites
Alliance
Updated on April 30, 2010.
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