Patch 5.3 interview with Ghostcrawler
Mystery of the Unborn Val'kyr
The latest patch 5.3 news
All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBreakfast Topic: Missed that one
by Mike Schramm 
Aug 7th 2008 at 8:00AM
I was surprised to find out, as I'm sure you will be also, that our own Zach Yonzon admits he has never actually run Deadmines at the level it's meant for -- he's always run it afterwards, to pick up gear for twinks or just to grind for lowbie stuff. Which means he's never felt the magic of getting stunned by Smite, or really pushed to take that Goblin Shredder down. A real shame, if you ask me.And it got me thinking: what instances have you missed out on at the level? At first I thought I didn't miss any -- I love running instances, and whenever I hit the right level, I usually run to them as fast as I can. But after looking through the list, I realized that I've basically missed out on Dire Maul -- I've only run the instance a few times, and then only for quests like the Mage water quest and the Warlock mount quest. I've never once run the DM Tribute -- I know, also a real shame.
So be honest -- what instances have you missed out on at the level? And why did you miss them -- did you just not need anything from there (including possibly XP), or did you never have a group to run them with? And have you ever gone back, or leveled up an alt to make up for lost instance runs? I'll definitely have to do something about that Dire Maul Tribute -- I wonder if I could run it solo with my 70 Hunter...
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Breakfast Topics, Instances, Leveling
Reader Comments (Page 5 of 6)
Cowbane Aug 7th 2008 11:08AM
Most of them I missed out on, I was on dial up, and just as I dinged 70 I got a faster connection, so it wasn't a matter of "Hey I want to run an instance." It was more along the lines of "Hey, I don't want to because of the issue of reliability and the fact that I could be kicked off at any time and my reaction time is very slow." I could DO instances, just not effectively.
csarcops Aug 7th 2008 11:12AM
Never done:
Dire Maul, any of it
AQ20 (25 of us went into AQ40 for S & G, didn't get far)
Onyxia (not even finished with attunement)
BWL
MC
Wailing Caverns
either of the Razorfens
Strat live
Even though I started playing several months post-BC, I did manage to get into Scholo and Strat dead at the right level, as well as BRD and LBRS/UBRS. I got pretty lucky in the fact that my guildies at the time had alts about the same level as my main, so it worked out well.
Mark Aug 7th 2008 11:47AM
I am on my 3rd char and I have only run 4 instances all the way through (deadmines with a 70, stockcade as a 70, hellfire ramparts, blood-furnace)
I have done a few partway through (gnomergan up to the safe-zone, Uldaman, Scarlet Monastary, Zul-something outside of Gadgetzan, mana-tombs) but instances are long and after 2+ hours someone in the group always has to leave or we don't have whatever key is required or someone gets p'o'ed about the abilities of someone else and quits and the whole thing dies out.
I find that instances just are not worth it.
cyndora Aug 7th 2008 11:54AM
As a person who started playing WOW -after- BC came out, I have never run any of the former end-game content at all. I really feel like I'm missing out, too. I wish I could find a group of 70s who wanted to do MC, etc. so I can see what it's like in those instances.
ash Aug 7th 2008 11:51AM
I think I started sometime around when AQ gates event was happening so I was a little behind, but I got to run most of the popular instances at level I think. Its for stuff like BFD and RFK that I could never find a group for. No Strat undead side either. Or DM for that matter, but I had to solo DM eventually for my pally mount stuff. FYI, you can do tribute run solo, but I'm an engineer so I'm not sure how much that helps (frost trap parts and seaforium charges are needed if I remember right).
toxicw Aug 7th 2008 12:09PM
Great thread!
OK, what I have not done...
Blackwing Lair
Dire Maul (the boss with the forcefield around him)
Maraudon (did parts of, don't know it at all)
AQ40
Onyxia
OK, those I've done ranked from best to worst running
on appropriate level groups.
BRD: the best dungeon, can't beat dwarves
Gnomeregan: Very tough for an on level group, just try to reach Therma and you'll relate. The tougher the better. :)
SM: Very well designed!
Deadmines: lots of fun, nice to see reactions of those new to the game.
SFK: love it! Try and beat the last boss.
RFK: pigmen!
Those I don't care for:
BFD: Did solo with two level 30 pallys. Was tough but now avoid like the plague.
Uldaman: Huge, takes forever, claustrophobic!
Not much to these either
Raging Chasm
Wailing Caverns
Stockades
Most of the others require a lot of work. RFD makes for a nice run but nothing new once have done RFK.
ZF can be alright.
Problem with running instances now is level too quickly.
Often takes 3 or 4 attempts to complete all quests for each instance. By the time you've accomplished that now you've put on 10 levels and miss 3 or 4 other instances. A nice option would be to disable experience so can enjoy the zones and instances thoroughly.
MENNONH Aug 7th 2008 12:12PM
I have ran alot at the suggested level since I have been in the game so long. However, for whatever reason I never made it into Nax, ZG, Onyxias lair, or all the way through AQ20, AQ40. I would love to run the old world stuff, especially for my mages polymorph turtle. (have all the mats). Just hard to find someone else to go.
Thais Aug 7th 2008 12:12PM
I levelled my horde priest as holy by just doing instances, I did do Gnomeregan a little late, the acidic walkers were still an upgrade as a lvl 35, so another priest and I mind controlled our way through the trogs. But other than that I've completed every dungeon at the appropriate level, aside from the DM tribute.
Don Aug 7th 2008 12:15PM
I've never ran an instance at all. Unfortunately I have no friends that play so I'm solo. Don't need them to lvl to 70 so I've never bugged people to join a group. The main reason I've never really looked for a group is the other players can be jerks if you don't play to their expectations. I just figure if you're in a PUG you get what you get so just have fun, but others don't see it that way. Oh well, at least they are not required to play the game. I do wonder what I'm missing, but I'm still having fun.
Mark Aug 7th 2008 12:20PM
Don, I don't think you are missing much. They are challenging in the "we need to do it right or we will all die" kind of way, which can be fun, but its mostly the same monsters, just a lot harder to kill. Unless you have a group of friends, I've found the whole experience is massively frustrating
Metaphyzxx Aug 7th 2008 12:28PM
Honestly, I like doing instances, but there are more I haven't done than those I have. Started for the first year on Alli, and I lived to do instances, though I never got to do SFK. I did run Gnomeregan, and promised myself never to do it again. I never got to do BFD. I started missing out on instances once I got to the ZF point. In fact it was the last instance I ran with my Alli priest.
I switched to horde characters, and on my first toon that made 70, I didn't even START instances until RFC/RFK. I did manage to get one or 2 wings done of Dire Maul, and I actually really liked it.
In BC, I've only run Ramparts, Blood Furnace, and the various Auchendoun instances. So, now I'm trying again, and plan to run them slowly... Maybe I'll see the whole game I paid for.
Juneau Aug 7th 2008 12:29PM
I've never run Scholomance or Stratholme Undead side. At that level or otherwise.
Tenchan Aug 7th 2008 12:34PM
All of them till max level. Living in a different timezone than the rest of your guild and not being willing to PUG makes not for much grouping chance before end game.
Karentkd Aug 7th 2008 12:40PM
The first lvl appropriate, non-solo instance I ran was....Kara. LOL. Just a few weeks ago, as a matter of fact. I only started playing late Nov. last year, and solo leveled my main (a rogue) to 70. Since I have a career and a RL life, I can't stay up all night running instances, and I wasn't into the idea of PuGing. But once I hit lvl 70, I found a guild that raids during the morning/early afternoon on weekends, and that fits my life just about right.
Jason Aug 7th 2008 12:45PM
I"ve miss most. Never done RFK or RFD. Never did Maraudon, LBRS, UBRS. I did part of an AQ40. No other raids at all. I haven't even done most of the 5 mans in outland. It's just so hard to commit to a block of time when you have kids. And I hate it when people bail in the middle of an instance so I don't do it to others.
Smurk Aug 7th 2008 12:47PM
I've been levelling a mage and done PUGs in some instances I never ran before. Last night, I ran RFD for the first time, and completed BFD earlier in the week for the first time.
The gear and mob XP aren't really worthwhile but if you have a few quests for the place, you can get a good levelling boost.
beatphreek Aug 7th 2008 12:54PM
I think the only old world instances I didn't do at level were SFK (just did it far enough to get the item for my Pally Hammer quest at 20), the instance in Orgrimar I didn't do at all, I don't think i ever completed BFD either.
I did most of DM but I don't think I ever went on a tribute run.
I only cleared the trash to first boss in Naxx and I never made it past the second boss in AQ40. I'm pretty sure I did and completed all other instances in the old wolrld and every thing in Outlands except BT and SWP.
I'm planning on solo-farming Strat for some shards since the pre-TBC weapon oils are still superior to the Outland ones.
jason Aug 7th 2008 1:52PM
Wailing Caverns and Razorfen Kraul.. Im lvling a rogue now and will try and hit both...
Bunkai Aug 7th 2008 1:35PM
I've missed out on BWL, AQ40, and Naxx at level... All the others I've done at level (that includes both horde and alliance instances).
yaba Aug 7th 2008 1:46PM
Heroic VC.