Void Reaver exploited, brought down in 53 seconds
by Mike Schramm 
Nov 1st 2007 at 2:29PM
Word's flying around about a Void Reaver exploit that involved mind-controlling a Tempest-Smith, and then blasting the heck out of him with the bomb ability. One guild, as seen above, has brought VR down within a minute-- apparently the ability has no cooldown, so VR can come down as fast as your mind-controlling Priest can click. However, Blizzard has said this is an exploit, and it is not recommended that you do this on the live realms. Blizzard will definitely be watching VR raids-- avoid the banhammer!
But still, a fix has got to be incoming as fast as possible. The question is: how? The most obvious answer is that they have to simply make the Tempest-Smiths not be mind-controllable, but I'm not sure how it works-- in order for the groups to go down right, most raids will sheep or trap these guys, so they do have to still be vulnerable to some kind of CC. The other option is to put the bomb on a cooldown, but even then, that kind of DPS will still help the raid against VR.
At any rate, Blizzard will think of something, and probably sooner than later. Interesting exploit, but an exploit just the same, and a definite no-no.
But still, a fix has got to be incoming as fast as possible. The question is: how? The most obvious answer is that they have to simply make the Tempest-Smiths not be mind-controllable, but I'm not sure how it works-- in order for the groups to go down right, most raids will sheep or trap these guys, so they do have to still be vulnerable to some kind of CC. The other option is to put the bomb on a cooldown, but even then, that kind of DPS will still help the raid against VR.
At any rate, Blizzard will think of something, and probably sooner than later. Interesting exploit, but an exploit just the same, and a definite no-no.
[ via WoR ]
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Cheats, Fan stuff, Bugs, Odds and ends, Blizzard, Bosses
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Tridus Nov 1st 2007 2:52PM
The only reason this works is because the bombs aren't on the global cooldown. If they are, the DPS is rather less impressive. Slapping a 5 second cooldown on it solves the problem entirely without really affecting the mob (they don't chain fire them as it is).
MacKoroni Nov 1st 2007 2:47PM
Hmm. Can anyone tell me what UI/mod is used in that pic? I like the round buttons :D
hpavc Nov 1st 2007 2:52PM
Comments on forums relating to MCing and DPSing down the reaver seem to be in the August/September range.
I thought blizzard had triggers that told them when raids skipped bosses, downed mobs without nearly any inbound damage and what not.
Also I am not sure where 'ingenious tactics' and 'exploits' begin and end. This blue posts should be better worded to clearly comment that these guys didn't break any rules. Clearly its a legit form of crowd control, clearly there are encounters where enslaving and mind controlling the mobs as offtanks/dps is important.
Todd Nov 1st 2007 2:57PM
Um, if Blizzard designed this ability to function as so, is it really an exploit? Might be in the best interest of Blizzard to fix problems where they see fit, but at the moment isn't this ability "working as intended"?
Olee Nov 1st 2007 2:59PM
The circular buttons can be had with CyCircled and Bartender3.
Rob Nov 1st 2007 3:01PM
LAME!
I hate it when Blizzard does this! Is this an exploit? I don't think so. People just found a creative way of doing something they didn't expect.
They can fix it in the next patch, but there's nothing ban-able about that.
Joshua Nov 1st 2007 3:03PM
MacKoroni
It would be cyCircled
http://files.wowace.com
or
http://www.wowinterface.com/downloads/info6287-cyCircled.html
I use it with bongos so I don't know if it works on the standard blizzard interface or not
my2cents Nov 1st 2007 3:15PM
Unfortunately, Blizzard has a habit of arbitrarily defining some things as "exploits" simply because someone found a way of doing something in the game that's much easier, more effecient, etc than the standard way, even though they're working within the confines of the game mechanics and not causing anything to glitch out.
For example, my friend (rogue) got banned for a few days for soloing chests in Mech. If the chests can be soloed, how is that his fault?
However, this is Blizzard's game and they can do what they want =P. And there is a rather easy way of knowing if what you are doing would be considered an exploit:
1) Did you find a way of doing something that makes it so that making money or downing a boss/instance is almost too easy?
2) Is it something creative or hidden that Blizzard probably didn't think of?
If so, and they find out you're doing it, chances are they'll decide to call it an exploit. =)
Richard Nov 1st 2007 3:25PM
I take issue with the OP's assertion that this is an exploit.
It's using the abilities as intended. This is BLIZZARD'S fault. Every guild should be doing this now until they fix it.
If they want to fix it, put a CD on the ability. Problem solved. MC'ing mobs against bosses is nothing new.
YPEELS40 Nov 1st 2007 3:40PM
It is only an exploit because
you can make a macro spamming /cast (name of spell, i forget) as many times as you can.. Since there is no global cooldown it will do damage for each line of /cast whatever.
YPEELS40 Nov 1st 2007 3:41PM
/click PetActionButton6 is the macro iirc.
Sindral Nov 1st 2007 3:59PM
These are design failures, not exploits. If they ban a rogue for stealthing through a dungeon to loot chests, then they have to ban all skinners for farming the animals in the Black Morass for leather, or all paladins for tanking 10+ equal level mobs, or all locks for fearing. If they don't want rogues doing that then they just need to put mobs by the chests, or have the chest spawn guards or something. The Tempest-Smith needs to have a global cooldown, that's it. These are not exploits. Exploits are when you skip trash mobs by altering/reloading game files and walking through walls, or manually toggling your internet connection while pvping. You can't give a customer (we pay for this service) tools, and then ban them for using those tools, not if you plan on keeping said customers.
Krick Nov 1st 2007 4:07PM
You used to be able to use the Gnomish Universal Remote on the last boss in Gnomeregan. This always seemed to fit into the whole theme of the instance especially considering the special engineering schematics quests with the DELTA access card and all. For some reason, Blizzard decided that was an exploit and "fixed the glitch".
...
Krick
http://www.tankadin.com
Kryptonls Nov 1st 2007 4:10PM
@8: That's because the Mech chest method utilised a pathing exploit. If he had killed the surrounding mobs, it would have been fine. (hint)
Twista Nov 1st 2007 4:12PM
wow nice
Perrins Nov 1st 2007 6:03PM
how is this an exploit? the mc-able mob is there you can mc it and use it in the fight, soz blizz for using your own weapon against you and winning. just a cop out in my book by saying its an "exploit"
Coherent Nov 1st 2007 4:33PM
It's bullshit when somebody does something totally reasonable that Blizz didn't happen to think of and they suddenly call it an "exploit". It's NOT an "exploit", they're just hiding behind the word.
An exploit is where you take advantage of code limitations or AI issues to cause bugged behavior in the game. Using a normal power in a normal way on a mob that you should reasonably be able to use it on to make an encounter easier... NOT AN EXPLOIT.
Blizzard loses credibility when they whine cravenly about player creativity. Being creative is the whole POINT. If I didn't want the chance to be creative, I'd be playing chess, not WoW.
xarnx Nov 6th 2007 9:15AM
I had actually done this on the pull up to the boss - MC the guy and help to burn down the pat with it. It's not as easy as it sounds since you have to target the bombs - so you've either gotta have a macroing system that can click your left mouse button for you, or you're limited by how fast you can alternate clicking between the button and the ground in front of you.
Though pulling down the VR in 53 seconds indicates a clicking speed that i'm sure is inhuman.
We always just killed off the MC target at the end of the pat, never really thought of using him against the VR.
Bunkai Nov 1st 2007 4:45PM
@6 It wasn't necessarily an exploit before, but NOW, since a blue post has labeled it as such, it IS.
That is all the reason Blizz will need to justify using the banhammer.
billgates Nov 1st 2007 4:43PM
I like the fact that they threaten to punish the players to make up for their programers' incompetence
GG blizz