General boards poll reveals the obvious
by Alex Ziebart 
Jan 27th 2008 at 3:00PM
Friday afternoon, Blizzard employee Bornakk posted a poll on the General boards to find our favorite 5-man dungeon of the Burning Crusade. As you can see in the above image, the Caverns of Time is rocking the charts.
I can't say I disagree with the numbers there, they're pretty close to my opinions as well. Old Hillsbrad and the Black Morass offer something that most of the other instances don't: Fast pacing, minimal trash pulls, and a story element. The instances aren't very long, either. Black Morass is what, thirty minutes? These dungeons on Heroic remain difficult and dangerous, adding some new elements to the instance, such as a necessity for speed and stealth when it comes to the patrols in Old Hillsbrad. Some of the other Heroics do this as well, but most of them coast along on 'ow this mob hurts a lot'.
The current runners up are the Mechanar and the Shattered Halls, though they're pretty far off from matching the Caverns of Time in terms of popularity. I can't help but notice that both of these instances have a small element of setting the pace, similar to the CoT. The Mechanar's final gauntlet has an element of urgency about it, you don't have much time to catch your breath before the next wave. Shattered Halls also has a similar gauntlet between the first and second bosses. You keep moving, or you're in trouble. As an added bonus, taking a Protection Paladin and a few Warlocks to Shattered Halls is the most fun you'll have. Period. Yes, I may be a little biased.
It's fairly easy for me to see why the Caverns of Time is dominating that poll, they're so different from the pull-drink-pull mob parade of the other dungeons. I hope the devs take these poll results to heart and step up the sense of urgency and danger in Wrath of the Lich King instances. The level of excitement in Black Morass just isn't topped by anything in the Burning Crusade before the raiding scene. Heck, not much in the raid scene matches the rush of your first BM run, either.
If you haven't voted in this poll yet, go do it! The poll closes on February 1st so you have quite some time left, but if you're like me and wait until then, you'll probably just forget. So, don't wait, eh?
Filed under: Paladin, Wrath of the Lich King, Lore, The Burning Crusade, Instances, News items, Blizzard, Analysis / Opinion, Warlock, Forums
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Meira Jan 27th 2008 3:16PM
I used to hate Black Morass, because only in the 10th time I went there I talked to Medivh (bad PuG's, don't ask). Now I love it: the thrill, the quickness and the lore of the instance is much better than other instances *cough* auchidon *cough*.
My second is Old Hillsbrad, you can do the Thrall run or just hanging out in Southshore seeing Kel'thuzad, Mograine and others... ok, and good ol'Blankie (or young in this case).
Third is Arcatraz, Milhouse Manastorm is in the house! (And Dalliah & Soccothrates are always refreshing.)
Smaug Jan 27th 2008 3:40PM
Exacly, first time I was there was with bad PuG ... I left after 5th wipe. Next day I did it with guildes and it went smooth but it was still exciting, running from one portal to another, catching adds... it adds some flavour.
Hope to see more of similar dungeons in WotKL
Lucas Jan 27th 2008 3:19PM
Guildwars already did this with all of their 'missions' (Basically an instance, except without large bosses and more story based with a solid plot thread between them)
Charlie Taylor Jan 27th 2008 3:24PM
they already what? Took a poll? Polls aren't a new thing...
Lucas Jan 27th 2008 3:28PM
I meant having more plot based instances.
Faar Jan 31st 2008 7:27PM
Who cares if they did it first or not.
Besides, there's plenty of story to be found in the dozens of quests leading into the various old-world endgame instances, so there's not as if there's a huge lack there or anything. We just don't care much about that stuff anymore, but it's still there to experience for those who wish.
Lucas Feb 2nd 2008 7:54PM
I didn't mean to degrade from WoW, I meant to say that the way they did it is a good model.
Ellyndia Jan 27th 2008 3:25PM
The closest pre-BC 5 man dungeons got to the level of urgency (due to required speed of pulls) is perhaps 45 minute UD Stratholme runs. Chain pulling, minimal drinking, and waves of undead monsters to fight make it one of my favourite instances in WoW.
Alex Ziebart Jan 27th 2008 3:33PM
I definitely agree with you there, Undead Stratholme is easily the most fun pre-BC dungeon, especially the 45 minute runs. Very much my favorite. I'm hoping they manage to pull that off in the upcoming Caverns of Time: Stratholme instance as well.
Ollej Jan 27th 2008 4:33PM
I also agree about Black Morass, as if you are in a group with a bunch of people that have never run it before (like I have been) it can seem like such a horrible, difficult, nearly impossible dungeon. Then once you are able to complete it, there's quite a feeling of achievement. It's so fast paced that first time you go there, because there hasn't been anything quite like it in other instances that it gets your adrenaline pumping.
Matthew Jan 27th 2008 4:39PM
Not surprised that Auchindoun is pulling up the rear. I have had some awful experiences in there, especially on my warrior tank. Just a drab environment and not very fun to play through, at least the crypts and mana tombs. Haven't done shadow labyrinth yet.
Zaringu Jan 27th 2008 5:04PM
I guess I just dont understand why people love these timed instances so much. . If you have a good group then any instance should be like this. My guess is that most groups these posters have run with have been like my guild's first Gruul run ..(sitting around for 30 min+ in between fights etc.) Most runs with guildies have been fantastic like whenever UB is the heroic daily I dont think we ever stop pulling in there and the boss fight are all 1 shots. You might say that we only enjoy it because it's easy but it's fairly evident that most of the above posters only thought BM was fun after they could clear it and hated it before they reached that point.
Overall, I'm trying to say that players set their own pace and theres no reason that all instances can't be as fast paced as BM or Old Hillsbrad. (Bot was my favorite by the way.)
cuteunit Jan 27th 2008 6:00PM
CoT is great because there is almost no trash pulling ( hall trash is a CHORE, blizzard. Hall trash is like your mom insisting you eat green beans before the steak) and they are full of story and dialogue, with things to discover and experience.
"The Ashbringer..."
I'd like to point out that like most things in wow, it seems that the more Draeni-related the instance is, the lower it scores on this poll. Further backing my opinion that the draeni and their prominence in TBC are the worst things in the expansion, followed closely just by how they ruined the character of Illidan.
SaintStryfe Jan 27th 2008 8:17PM
... what?
Mechanar, a Draenei themed instance is the third leading. (TK was all Draenei)
Also, how did the Draenei ruin Illidan? It's almost tangential that he's in outland - it's a continent place to put him to down him. I don't recall anything specific to Draenei in his story.
elaren Jan 29th 2008 10:00AM
cuteunit is right, the lowest rated instances are Auchindoun which was a former Draenei burial site (http://wowwiki.com/Auchindoun). The Tempest Keep are not really Draenei instances, they're more Naaru as they were part of a Naaru fortress (http://www.wowwiki.com/Tempest_Keep). The Exodar was used by Draenei when fleeing Draenor (Outland) and crash landed on Kalimdor.
I'm gonna have to agree, the story, lore and pace all made for two great instances. And yes, 45 minute Baron runs were a blast!
Garumoo Jan 27th 2008 11:16PM
There are two pre-BC quests I'm not completing on all my alts: "Counterattack!" in the barrens, and "Torek's Assault" in Ashenvale.
When I say "not completing" I mean not handing in. I do them, and then abandon them, and go back and do them again, just for the thrill of it. I go back and do them for old times sake too, plus anytime I'm showing the ropes to a lowbie in the area.
Fun.
JaneLame Jan 28th 2008 8:51AM
Excellent idea! Oh, I should have done the same with my fave quest! I'm referring to the one in which you attempt to save Tirion Fordring's little boy and get him out of Hearthglen. As long as you don't turn the quest in, you can get a 1 hour buff that makes the Scarlet Crusade members be friendly.
Jack Spicer Jan 27th 2008 6:47PM
I'm wondering what's "obvious" about the poll results? I'm actually quite surprised at the size of the lead the two CoT instances have over the others.
Alex Ziebart Jan 27th 2008 7:55PM
Well, they were obvious to me. ;) My bias tainted the topic. They might be a surprise to everyone else! I voted for Black Morass thinking about how the CoT blew me away the first time I went through those.
Minus Hyjal. Hyjal was a big disappointment.
Pzychotix Jan 27th 2008 8:17PM
These people haven't tried Old Hillsbrad on Heroic much. It's pretty much the only place I've seen where it actually REQUIRES a class to stealth the bombing part, or face multiple multiple wipes due to the extreme number of pats, on a 15 minute respawn timer.