No more attunement for Karazhan?
by Matthew Rossi 
Feb 28th 2008 at 3:15PM
That's what the fine folks at MMO Champion are telling us, anway - on the PTR, the attunement process for Karazhan has been removed. Or more accurately, altered... in order to get into Kara, one person in the party has to have the Master's Key, making Karazhan more like Upper Blackrock Spire. The attunement process to date isn't horribly restrictive... run Shadow Labs, Arcatraz, Steam Vaults and then Black Morass with the proper quests and bang, you're keyed. I can see this coming in handy for newly 70 alts or guilds who are trying to run up to Karazhan at the same time, and it's clearly part of the process of opening up content that we saw when SSC and TK were opened up, or that we will see with Hyjal and the Black Temple in patch 2.4 as well.
On the other hand, is this just going to lead to groups running Kara without much grouping experience and then complaining when they have to start coordinating to run it? I'm not personally worried about that, but I try and anticipate these things. Eyonix comments on a thread discussing it that it wasn't about difficulty, but rather accessibility.
With Kara opening up like this, will we see more people pushing through to Sunwell faster? Is the patch signaling that Wrath of the Lich King may be closer than we think?
Filed under: Patches, Analysis / Opinion, Instances, Raiding
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Mindaika Feb 28th 2008 3:35PM
OH MY GOD. The last thing we need is more undergeared people clamoring to go to Kara. As if toons in full greens wanting to run Heroic Shattered Halls isn't enough. I feel that the attunements are there as a gear check. If you can't handle Slabs, BM, etc, you can't handle Kara. If anything, the attunement to Kara needs to be changed to make it more difficult, not less. Removing attunement for the old instances I can understand, but the still current ones? I mean, really...
BillDoor Feb 28th 2008 3:38PM
Is this really a problem? How often do you get people in greens begging to go to Kara? And if the rest of your group is good enough, then why not bring them along? My regular kara group (all T4 geared people, no T5 loot at all) basically 8 or 9 mans the whole place, we bring along one or two other people just so that they can get some cool loot. They generally do less DPS than the prot warrior tank.
JParris Feb 28th 2008 3:45PM
@BIllDoor
I feel exactly this way and have been using that argument as a defense for lobbying for Kara attunement removal. My guild did Kara last night and we basically 9-manned the entire instance with two healers, bringing along an under-geared third healer and getting him a TON of great new gear along the way. He's now plenty geared to come on any future Kara run!
The only people who are going to have issues with this change are the strange people that PUG Kara. I mean, more power to them, but do a quick gear check before you invite someone. Seriously.
Matt Feb 28th 2008 4:11PM
Same here. We use Kara to help gear up newly dinged mates or guildies who need a jump start. Like last time, we basically solo-pally-tanked the entire instance completing it in 4.5 hours, with one healer in greens and a DPS Warrior taking the OT role where it was needed. Some parts were interesting, like the Skeletal Ushers before Opera and the Netherspite fight, but nothing we couldn't handle. Easy epics for the newbies, and lots of nice badges for all of us (which we can't complain about with 2.4 on the horizon).
Killer Feb 28th 2008 4:54PM
@12
No one is holding a gun to your head telling you you have to group with fresh 70s in greens for your heroics and raids. The guild my mains are currently in are helping the folks who help themselves and by not putting the cart before the horse. Raiding guilds won't let a green clad 70 onto the roster for kara or guild heroics, but we will help them get the gear they need to do them. Think first, confirm post second.
Mindaika Feb 28th 2008 5:20PM
A) I agree, you should think first, confirm post second.
B) What? Who said anything about raiding guild rosters? Your comment is relevant only to large raiding guilds, which I am not in. Also, my complaint wasn't about running instances with greened 70's, but about having to listen to them QQing about wanting to go. Although I understand that people with alts don't want to run 5 fairly easy instances in order to go to Kara, I feel that removing the attunement will lead to the following:
[2. Trade]: KillaN00b: Cn sum1 run me thru Kara plzzz??? PLZ????
Also, do we really need to make the game easier? I mean, why not just dispense with Kara and have a menu where you can pick which epic gear you want?
Raegn Feb 29th 2008 10:59PM
Tell me though, how does this affect *you*? I mean, you're obviously in and a part of a guild that must know their stuff. So, really, nothing will change for you except for having to hear about other players getting in without the same level of work. If they fail, big whoop, lesson learned and your point is proven. It though, they get with a group of people who can make it happen, I guess you'll just have to ignore the topic when it comes up.
QQ more?
Raegn Feb 29th 2008 11:03PM
In response to your last comment about having to listen to noobs ask for runs is ridiculous. One, you can turn the channel off. Two, if they bother you so much, /ignore. Three, failing that, occupy yourself with something other than /2 for a few minutes. Check the AH, sort your bags, or anything else you might need to do.
I think people get too caught up in the chat room aspect of of WoW. It's a big part, yes, but it has never been the end all or be all of a good time.
Raegn Feb 29th 2008 11:06PM
Yeah, kind of tired, so forgive that first sentence. It should read "In response to your last comment about having to listen to noobs ask for runs: your point is ridiculous."
BillDoor Feb 28th 2008 3:29PM
I'm happy to have the restriction removed. This'll let me bring in my alts much more easily. I know how to play, I know the raid, and I know how to gear my toons. I don't want to run the 5 instances.
Manatank Feb 28th 2008 5:35PM
I completely agree. Here is why this is great for someone who already has several toons at 70 but wants to gear up another:
1. Hit 70, and buy full set of new blue PvP rep reward gear, and/or boe epics.
2. Run Kara/heroics for 2-3 weeks to fill out gear set nicely, and supplement with tier 6 quality badge rewards.
3. Run ZA for a few weeks to fill any missing gaps in tier 5/6 quality gear.
4. You are now ready to enter Hyjal/BT with a 70 that is less than a month and a half old.
How's that for letting you catch up to your main? This is a boon to the hard core raider, not a slap in the face.
JParris Feb 28th 2008 3:29PM
YES! VICTORY!
Ahahaha
No, seriously, tho. Me and a few others have been making lobbying threads on the forums since the new patch hit the PTRs and it's nice to see maybe the devs agree the Kara attunement was a bit silly to still have around given that older content was losing its attunements.
A lot of people made the argument that this would leads to scrubs in their Kara groups (or something, it didn't make much sense to me), but I think the requirement of having at least one person attuned will help this.
Nati Feb 28th 2008 3:32PM
Wrath of the Lich King is closer than most people think, yes. 2.4 is basically for WotLK what 2.0 was for BC in terms of gearing up - they are letting epics flow freely so people can gear up and experience as much content as possible before the expansion is released. And since it's the last content patch before the expansion - yes, it can't be too far off.
Matthew Feb 28th 2008 5:18PM
Well, this *is* Blizzard we're talking about. So I'm going to say that it could, indeed, be far off.
Rich Feb 28th 2008 3:32PM
Can I get a spiffy title for having completed this attunement before it was removed?
peaglemancer Feb 28th 2008 3:58PM
Yes, in sync with the new "Hand of A'dal" achievement, those who complete the Karazhan attunement will be able to display an optional "Left nut of Khadgar" title in patch 2.4
BillDoor Feb 28th 2008 4:01PM
"Friend of Ge'ras"
Rich Feb 28th 2008 4:09PM
I was thinking "Black eye of the Violet Eye"
KateJaneway Feb 28th 2008 4:45PM
"Wasn't Too Lazy to Do Five Level 70
Instances on Regular"
Sneakstar Feb 28th 2008 5:02PM
"Didn't show up in quest reward greens to get T4"
or
"My toon got attuned and all i got was this crappy title"
or
"Qi can't pug 5 instancesQ"