Ulduar / 3.1 -- Incoming !!!

[Ori*n]

Its been awhile since I unleashed a wall of text - beware, this may turn in that direction.

As I sit here today, it appears that Ulduar and patch 3.1 are still a few weeks away. They are still testing encounters on a limited basis and from what I can tell; loot hasn't been named or finalized. There are still bugs in Dual-Spec and a general feeling that Ulduar is tuned much easier than Blizzard initially billed it. I feel that it is important to address some perspective on things that I see occurring at the moment and provide some questions for the months to come.

Of current issues:

1. As I see it, people are bored with the current content. I am not a fan personally of Blizzard’s approach in having 10 and 25 person raids in the same zone. For those of us farming both versions of the raid, and grinding for achievements it has become a drag. I challenge each of you to find whatever you need to at this stage of the game to stay fresh and interested for the next few weeks. I wouldn’t be surprised that a 2nd raid gets patched before most guilds have completed Ulduar, again diversifying our progression as we had with T5 and T6.

2. Don’t freak out about 3.1. I have heard criticism of class and role changes with the coming expansion. Granted, some of the text indicates significant changes to class mechanics and raid functionality – try to remember that you have selected a role that has a place in our raid and in all cases, you are a valuable part of the team. The game is in BETA – designed to test, not by any means is it final. If you are concerned, read tester comments, blue posts, and even download the PTR and test it out. Again, this is a team approach and we are counting on everyone continuing if we are to compete in Ulduar.

3. Raid depth. Right now I think we are pretty good. My concern right now has been replacing Induction’s anchor as our AOE Paladin tank, granted he was more than that – but played a big part in our progression none the less. His leaving the raid is in the past and we have moved on, but I still feel we are struggling to fill the void. The one consolation that has kept me from pushing the panic button is looking at how dual-spec will play into our raid. We have several “tank types” that people can spec into – Smackey, Ranncor, Kraken, Jeopardy for example all have adequate tank gear in a pinch. I am open to trying out a new Paladin tank if anyone knows one – including Palintir in that mix provided his schedule opens up.

Ulduar:

1. I have recently been approached by several people about what things will look like as Ulduar opens. It remains to be seen if the difficulty of the instance is going to require 10m gear to progress into 25m content or if like Naxx, will only make it easier as we learn fights and get a lower tier of gear. The other thing that has been questioned is the seemingly laxidasical approach recently of our 25m content. It appears that people are again, either bored, not interested in achievements, more apt to step into RL on raid nights, and considering things “on farm” when in other people’s mind there is still content to do when achievements are considered. In my opinion the top raids compete at “hard mode” and if that is our goal, we need to take more seriously the quality of the raid and our ability or desire to compete at that level. We are IMO at a bit of an identity crisis with our 25m content currently as I havn’t seen the same focus and effort as a whole in completing OS-3D as we have with other encounters.

2. I think we need to evaluate as a guild, which approach we want to take.

- Farm 10m and 25m content to include a lot of raiders and break up into 10s to compete with achievements for those that can/want to. (As we have apparently done with Naxx)

- Run the core 25m hard with a consistent raid designed to clear all designs of the encounters, leaving 10m for our backups and alts to stay involved, getting gear for an occasional sub into the main raid.

What I guess I’m saying is that come summer, I doubt most people will be able to raid 4-5 days a week and do both 10 & 25 man content. I don’t think we have yet put our best 25m raid to the test with any consistency failing to accomplish IMO what we set out to do.

I am hopefully here painting a realistic picture of where we are at – or at least a perspective based on what I have seen and based on conversations with several of you. As Stu has said, Naxx was a pre-season game in his mind. The real game is Ulduar. My concern is that if we take the same approach into Ulduar, that we will have similar results…people frustrated about raid time, about their chosen main/spec, the lack of completion of end game encounters, and a raid that is ranked well below our potential.

My goal in this is not to piss people off, create a division of ideas, or challenge anyone’s beliefs or opinions. It is merely to open some discussion and get a feel for the state of the guild as we ramp up for the next phase of the game. Blizzard is doing everything it can to level the playing field to widen the experience for its casual and semi-casual players. I feel we have the players and skill to compete at the top 10 if we pool together with a common goal rather than play to individual agendas – provided people want to play for something bigger than themselves.

Peace

“O”

[Anewak]

Regardless of nerfs or buffs, count this Shadow Priest in. Heck, I still need a piece from Nax, 2 from Maly and 3 from OS+3 =P

Progression is the name of the game, no sense quitting now!

[Rord]

^ same as Anewak, still need shield and helm off KT.

Also about our lack of a permanent pally tank, we have an up and coming one. Munric is 77 and is what i would consider an OK tank. He knows how to gear himself, his problem is focus and threat production. He should be 80 by next week but will need to be taught how to keep threath properly in heroics before going anywhere near naxx, unless he is OTing naxx 10

[Gribbator]

How many times have we passed up naxx achievements that i've asked for because people felt that it was "too hard"? (IE, Just cant get enough a few weeks ago).

Blizz made naxx too easy, too many raiders are laid back with this easy content. I predict Ulduar will be a slap in the face for these people (except for Ignas the Furnace Master. Did him on the PTRs, he's the loot pinata of Ulduar). How do you overcome something if you give up?

I feel that once we start Ulduar, we may have some ppl whine that its "too hard" and give up.

Also, yes, a perma-pally tank would work wonders in mine/our 3 drake attempts, both 10 and 25.

[ranncor]

I am really loving being Ret atm...As most of you are aware I was prot in the BC...If the guild needs me too I am willing to step down from my melee godness and suit up as an Uber AOE tank....I am in it for the guild whatever it needs...

[drhunglo]

Im in for whatever you need from the Shadow Priests. Anewak is primary but DAMN im a good backup!!!

[Nate]

nah ranncor, i feel like you should play the spec you enjoy the most. From what I have read, replenishment is a must in uldar with the current changes to mp5 regen, and you are one of the classes in our raids that provide the buff, so losing you as ret will also hurt the raid in that aspect. Personally, I think palintir should just play wow instead of living life while studying abroad^^

[Brad]

Anewak is primary but DAMN im a good backup!!!

rofl

Don't lie to yourself.

Anyways I'm all for progression.

[Forlyn]

We've always had problems with people who don't want to "bang their heads up against a wall"...*shrug*

[drhunglo]

Anewak is primary but DAMN im a good backup!!!

rofl

Don't lie to yourself.

Anyways I'm all for progression.

Don't hate brad cause you a Gnome with a little weenie. It's genetics just accept it.

[Brad]

Anewak is primary but DAMN im a good backup!!!

rofl

Don't lie to yourself.

Anyways I'm all for progression.

Don't hate brad cause you a Gnome with a little weenie. It's genetics just accept it.

lol...
Its fine everything seems to come together when I out dps you on my alt.

[slicara]

well im one of those players that actually likes the game and so i dont get bored with content that much, i like raiding and all of its forms and what not. so yea if i could be 100% dedicated i would, but i cant, butttttt......i will be more than happy to help out be apart of the second raid or watever doesnt matter, i deff want in on 25m stuff of course, but not as a main raider or watever(im behind ppl anyways but still) so, my point being, i like raiding, i try all the time and dont half ass stuff, im all for ulduar, and I WANT PHAT LOOTZ!!!!! =P

[Smackey]

Glad to see everyone of a similar sentiment here so far. Slap's pointed this out before and O stated it as well: "banging our heads against a wall" is something that is going to be necessary come Ulduar. Just because we try a boss for 2-3 hours without downing him doesn't mean we didn't get anything accomplished. People can't be ready to give up and mail it in simply because there hasn't been any loot after a couple of attempts. Just looking at Anewak's 10 man 3D Sarth on Sunday proves this. We managed to get Shadron down to around 50% and although we didn't kill Sarth or get to Vesperon we figured out things we need to work on and what needs to be set up in order to pull it off. (i.e. cooldown rotation while Shadron is up)

We're going to try and progress as quickly as possible through Ulduar but it's not going to be as easy as Naxx. It might even take a few months before we clear the instance and being trying the "hard mode" achievements. Just don't get discouraged early on.

[Kimma]

lol...
Its fine everything seems to come together when I out dps you on my alt.

56 more lvls, see whos alt out-dps's who, sucka