Alright, ended up checking out Ambershire after getting to level 10 on a nelf priest on Guru.
I have been playing vanilla p servers on and off since nost, here are my thoughts:
Epoch pros so far:
>3.3.5 client is better, full stop
>Custom quests are actually pretty cool. Even just at level 10 there have been some high effort ones like the waterfall over northshire
>Tweaks to classes feel grounded, more vanilla-adjacent
>The wagon system is great. Seeing Ambershire level 10s on mounts is gay af
>Shared quest loot is smart. Hope it stays
>I prefer the crowd on Epoch. Turtle is too hug boxxy faggy and normie for me. I saw a "IF THIS SERVER IS HYPE CAN I GET A HYPE" in Ambershire world chat and I muted that shit
>Less 'solved' than turtle
Turtle pros so far:
>Ambershire will for sure have a higher population than Kezan (but I figure once they merge Menethil we'll be sitting at a consistent 4-6k which isn't bad by any means)
>Meme specs are more viable and "fun" (probably less 2-button specs). I'm leveling a smite priest on both and the build definitely has more tools on Turtle, if the trees are any indication
>I don't really dig cross-faction on EpochZ
>More of a sure-thing that epoch is
After it was all said and done and I played literally all day (directly comparing the two's Nelf starting zone), I rerolled the same class/race on Kezan and ran my ass to Elwynn (can't stomach leveling in Teldrassil three times in a day)
I like the 3.3.5 client too much and the faggy / girl behavior on Turtle is really what it comes down to.
Also buffed starshards are an instant dot cast on Nelf Priest on Epoch which feel pretty fucking good