The World of Warcraft continually expands with new adventures for players to embark on. Dragonflight, the recently released 9th expansion, invites adventurers to the long-hidden Dragon Isles archipelago to delve into the ancestral home of dragonkind. Alongside epic dragon riding and sweeping new zones to explore, Dragonflight offers an array of quests that contribute to uncovering the narrative behind the isles‘ return.
One such quest that players can pick up during their journey is the whimsically named “Sneak and Sniff.” In this comprehensive guide, we’ll fully break down everything you need to know about successfully completing the Sneak and Sniff questline in Dragonflight.
Sneak and Sniff Overview – Lore, Rewards, and Purpose
Before jumping into the step-by-step walkthrough, let‘s take a deeper look at why Sneak and Sniff exists in the context of Dragonflight and what purpose it serves for players:
Lore Significance
Minor spoilers ahead! Sneak and Sniff provides some initial clues regarding the rising threat facing the Dragon Aspects on the Dragon Isles. The locked chest you uncover belongs to Neltharus, a scheming black dragon aiding efforts to claim power from the dragon relics on the island.
By picking up the Jangly Keys and accessing the chest, you gain early exposure to the brewing conflict between dragon factions that emerges as a focal plot point later in the Dragon Isles campaign. So Sneak and Sniff establishes some narrative foundation.
Quest Rewards – XP, Gold, and Reputation Gains
Completing Sneak and Sniff rewards around 4,900 XP and 20 gold when turned in at level 70. Lower level characters will earn slightly less. The XP represents over half a level‘s worth of acceleration, making it well worth the short time investment.
You also gain increased reputation with The Dragonscale Expedition, required for purchasing riding skills and other items from vendors in Dragonflight zones. Each small reputation gain gets you closer to unlocking key rewards.
Here‘s a table comparing Sneak and Sniff XP and gold rewards to other introductory Dragonflight quests:
| Quest | XP Reward | Gold Reward |
|---|---|---|
| Sneak and Sniff | ~4,900 XP | 20 gold |
| Dragonriding for Beginners | 3,200 XP | 11 gold |
| The Cycle of Life | 4,300 XP | 17 gold |
As shown above, Sneak and Sniff offers substantial XP and gold gains relative to other early Dragonflight quests.
Leveling and Progression Purpose
Sneak and Sniff is positioned within the first 10 quests of the Waking Shores zone storyline. It serves partially as a means to provide players with rapid early XP gains to accelerate their leveling journey. Completing the short objectives rewards nearly a full level of XP, setting players up to take on the more challenging foes deeper in the zone.
Some key stats:
- Available at level 60+ (recommended 62)
- Grants 4900 XP (~1/2 level at level 70)
- Takes roughly 2-5 minutes to complete
- Found in first 10 Waking Shores quests
With its solid rewards for limited time invested, Sneak and Sniff helps boost players‘ progression in the early Dragonflight levels.
Understanding this context around lore, rewards, and leveling purpose provides helpful perspective when completing Sneak and Sniff and starting your journey across the Dragon Isles. Next let‘s get into the step-by-step walkthrough.
Walkthrough: Completing Sneak and Sniff Step-by-Step
Here are the detailed steps for successfully progressing through the Sneak and Sniff quest:
Step 1) Speak With Sniffer to Pick Up the Quest
You can pick up Sneak and Sniff from the dwarf NPC Sniffer located at coordinates /way 55.44 53.52 along the southwestern beach area of the Waking Shores. Sniffer is a neutral quest giver standing next to a locked treasure chest.
Approach Sniffer and talk to him to activate the yellow exclamation point and prompt the quest starter dialogue. Click accept, and Sneak and Sniff will be added to your quest log tracking on the right side of your screen.
Step 2) Pick Up the Nearby Jangly Keys
After accepting the quest, Sniffer clues you in that you‘ll need to find a set of keys somewhere close by to unlock the chest.
The Jangly Keys you need to pick up are located just a short distance northwest of Sniffer at coordinates /way 55.44 53.52 along the same beach area.
Head over to that marked area and you‘ll see a tiny copper-colored sparkle on the sandy ground denoting the keys. Move your mouse over the sparkle and an interaction cogwheel will appear – right click it to add the Jangly Keys to your bags.
Step 3) Dismiss Any Active Companion Pet
Here‘s a very important but not clearly stated requirement in order to open the chest. You need to completely dismiss any companion pet you currently have summoned and following you.
If you move up to the chest with a pet still active, you‘ll get an error message saying "You can‘t do that right now." Save yourself the confusion by dismissing your current companion into the void storage before approaching the chest.
Step 4) Open the Locked Treasure Chest
Now comes the payoff! With the Jangly Keys in your bags and no active pet out, walk up to the locked treasure chest next to Sniffer. An interactable cogwheel will appear over the chest.
Right click the chest to use the keys and unlock it with a satisfying click. The chest will swing open and a burst of light will shine out.
Step 5) Turn In the Quest to Sniffer
Opening the chest completes the quest objectives. Turn in Sneak and Sniff by talking to Sniffer once again. The yellow question mark will appear over his head.
Click to complete the quest and receive your XP and gold rewards. Sniffer also usually gives some silly concluding flavor text about the quest. And that completes Sneak and Sniff!
With this step-by-step walkthrough, you can now progress smoothly through each stage of the Sneak and Sniff questline. Next let‘s go over some tips to make completion even easier.
Tips and Tricks for Sneak and Sniff Success
Use these tips and tricks to breeze through the Sneak and Sniff quest objectives:
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The Jangly Keys sparkle blends with the sand and can be annoying to see. Use a sparkle mouseover macro "/target Jangly Keys" to reveal.
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If you have auto pet summon turned on, make sure to manually put any active pet into the void storage before starting.
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You don‘t have to loot the chest – it offers no items or other rewards, just quest credit.
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Rogues can pick the lock without using keys, but lockpicking does NOT advance the quest, so don‘t bother.
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Still can‘t turn it in to Sniffer? Try dropping quest and reacquiring to reset objectives.
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Bind an Interact With Target key to rapidly complete object quests like this. I use the F key.
With these tips, you can avoid unnecessary headaches and complete Sneak and Sniff with efficiency.
Why is It Called "Sneak and Sniff"?
You may be wondering why this quest has such a silly, nonsensical name like Sneak and Sniff. There are a few possible reasons:
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It references sneaking up to steal the chest and sniffing out where the keys are located.
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The quest was originally intended to involve stealth mechanics or a disguise that got cut later in development.
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Blizzard often uses humorous or self-aware names for side quests to make them more memorable.
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"Sneak and Sniff" rhymes in a catchy way. Rhyming quest names are common like "Roll Club: Serpent‘s Spine."
Ultimately, the exact meaning is unclear – but the funny name contributes to the lightweight charm of this quick distraction.
Sneak and Sniff vs. Other Major WoW Questlines
While short and simple, Sneak and Sniff exemplifies the type of humorous optional content that adds levity between Dragonflight‘s sweeping main narrative beats. How does it compare to other notable quests from WoW history?
| Quest | Length | Difficulty | Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sneak and Sniff | ~5 minutes | Very Easy | 4900 XP, 20 Gold |
| The Day that Deathwing Came | ~30 minutes | Moderate | Cutscene & Lore |
| The Balance of Light and Shadow | 10+ hours | Hard | Epic Cloak |
As a brief humor-focused side quest, Sneak and Sniff diverges sharply from heavy lore questlines like the Xal‘atath dagger or Balance of Light and Shadow Saga. It offers a micro-moment of levity between Dragonflight‘s otherwise dramatic storytelling.
Conclusion
With this comprehensive guide, you now have a complete overview and step-by-step instructions for efficiently completing WoW‘s Sneak and Sniff quest in the Dragon Isles. Key takeaways:
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Pick up at Sniffer /way 55.44 53.52 in Waking Shores
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Loot Jangly Keys nearby then unlock Sniffer‘s chest
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Dismiss pets first before opening the chest
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Turn in for around 4,900 XP and 20 gold at level 70
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Provides some initial Dragonflight lore foreshadowing
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Grants solid early leveling rewards in Waking Shores
Hopefully these insights both prepare you to easily breeze through the Sneak and Sniff objectives while also providing deeper context on where this fun side quest fits into the broader Dragonflight expansion. Let me know if you have any other questions!
