Speeding up Trial of the Champion
by Amanda Miller 
Aug 20th 2009 at 3:00PM
Trial of the Champion, the latest dungeon, has quickly become a popular daily destination. It's no wonder why; in under half an hour, with little difficulty, you can begin outfitting your character(s) with epics of Ulduar quality!
At first, I wasn't sure if I agreed with Blizzard's decision to start handing out welfare epics again. Surely we can't be that close to the next expansion, Cataclysm!
Then I realized how easily I could now gear one of my alts, which was something previously impossible to me. Being a main healer, I knew I would never have the opportunity to bring an alt to a raid, so my favorites have not even hit 80 yet. Now that I know I could get them Ulduar-ready in such a short time, I have renewed interest in leveling them.
I can also see why Blizzard would want to help players gear up at this point in time. In Burning Crusade, so few people got to see Sunwell and experience what the expansion was all about, that this time around, they seem to be gunning for the general raiding population to reach Arthas (Icecrown Citadel).
Having accepted this acceleration in "progress," I was left with one major qualm.
The introduction to Trial of the Champion, which must be endured each run, is way too long. Unbearably long. Go and make a triple-decker sandwich long.
Then a few guildmates and I discovered that there is indeed a way to hasten the process.
While the other members of your party are finishing up their battleground, taking a bio break, and insisting on making that sandwich, all it takes is for one member to get there early.
Walk in, start up the introduction, and saunter back out. Go raid the fridge or make some coffee. Start piling random objects on your cat.
When your whole group finally arrives, the enemy will be lined up neatly waiting for you. They will sit quietly while you mount your steeds, buff up, and talk strategy. Feel free to proceed as normal; you'll be able to pull each group at a time, and nothing about the dungeon will be amiss.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Tips, Tricks, Alts
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Kane McGee Aug 20th 2009 3:03PM
1 word. Peggle
Nintendwarf Aug 20th 2009 3:06PM
WoW Peggle makes waiting for stuff so much easier.
shogun_andoru Aug 20th 2009 3:07PM
Seconded
Joester Aug 21st 2009 1:56AM
One word. Bejewled. Fcuk Peggle.
liam.yates Aug 20th 2009 3:06PM
I've been doing this for a couple of days now, and it's fantastic. Another tip for people having trouble (mainly tanks) with the instant dismounting phase, is if everyone just runs out of the instance. When you come back in, the three Champions will, again, be sat waiting for you rather politely.
It's a shame that, whenever I mention this 'trick' to my PuG, it's usually too late and half of them are jumping in circles on their mounts.
Tirris Aug 20th 2009 3:13PM
Everyone already does both of these.... Every single group I've been in did this.
busuan Aug 20th 2009 3:17PM
I believe it's a bug needed to be fixed.
And a bug on game design side.
For example, if the warrior is present, he'll charge you immediately (and mostly likely chain-charge your party). For clothiers, that means almost certainly 1 or 2-shot death.
If this is intended to be, then for certain combinations, this heroic instance would be undoable by lvl187-equipped parties, which is contradictory to what Blizz claimed about its purposes.
Therefore, I believe the fight should exactly be like what most people have been doing: separating mount phase and floor phase, bosses would not aggro immediately after mount phase.
Arkanil Aug 20th 2009 3:48PM
Or, simply keep them clumped up as you are knocking them off their mounts in the previous phase, then have everyone but the tank get clear of that spot immediately after the dismount. As long as the tank is prepared with some defensive cooldowns to offset the initial burst they're going to take, there's no need to run out. I've tanked plenty of transitions using this method without losing a single group member, both regular and heroic.
Urza Aug 20th 2009 5:36PM
This shouldn't be necessary. The tank should be in the middle of the action and intent on pulling ALL the aggro. Everyone else should be getting as far away from the 3 bosses as possible. If you pull one run to the tank so he can get the boss off you.
If you do this and still die your tank either isn't trying to get all 3 or your healer is asleep at the wheel.
Worst case 1 player dies but there's no excuse when so many classes can bubble, feign death, disappear, or simply run away really fast.
Angus Aug 20th 2009 6:33PM
@ Urza: Not a tank or healer, are you?
Sorry, As a tankadin I have smacked all three with a HotR and the warrior still charged and one shot the priest. They keep aggro from when they are mounted, unless you have a taunt like challenging shout which forces them to hit you, you can't hold aggro. The amount of damage done while mounted is insane.
The transition is broken because it is a phase switch and has no aggro dump. Bad mechanic. Until they fix it, we just run out.
Gothia Aug 21st 2009 4:44AM
He targets the healer and if you happen to be a Priest you will very likely die. The transition is broken and he will still charge regardless of the tank. i have even had a Dk dg him across the room and he still charged and knock me into the wall. While I have seen some groups get through this phase without exiting it was only because he did not come and finish the job after the knock back. Now I just tell them to make a bee line for the door and will either make it out or spirit run back to the instance. I don't mind taking the bullet for the group because it is a short badge run, long into or not.
Aedilhild Aug 20th 2009 3:07PM
Compare Culling of Stratholme -- I think its ramp-up is longer. And that instance isn't nearly as generous.
AlmtyBob Aug 20th 2009 5:14PM
I actually timed this 2 nights ago with /timer. It took 2:40. Sure it sucks but it's not an eternity and really not enough time to make a sandwich. I think the time before you reach combat in CoS is much, much worse.
Aedilhild Aug 20th 2009 5:51PM
That sounds about right.
In fairness to Miller and Co., at least Culling allows parties to entertain themselves with MST3K remarks about the Menethil/Lightbringer/Proudmoore spat.
SpearXXI Aug 20th 2009 3:09PM
Well, if you run chain normal ToC, then there isn't much you can do but wait it out. Though I offer some advice, after phase one, when everyone gets kicked off their horses, leave the instance to reset the boss. The reason why you do this is that way you don't have to mess with the tank trying to get aggro, when people are dying, etc. It will basically, make the transition go smoother, and you have time to remind people to put away their lances...
Aedus Aug 20th 2009 4:32PM
You can still drastically reduce the start-up if only one party member runs in. The announcer will only call out the person in the instance, reducing the 3 minute intro significantly.
Thar Aug 20th 2009 3:09PM
If your can find a group of sucker....I mean friends - you can do the normal version of this instance at level 75 - a great way to have some sweet epic gear for when you ding 80!
t0xic Aug 20th 2009 3:15PM
IZ THE UNDRGRD DEEPZ IN YER GRP! LOOTNG YER PERPZ!
Or you could level to 80, gear up like everyone else, and contribute something to your group.
micgillam Aug 20th 2009 3:32PM
t0xic is right, if you're going to be carried you should at least be upfront enough to pony-up some sizable wages for your 9 benefactors.
Bizz Aug 20th 2009 3:10PM
So that doesn't hasten anything? It just means that someone get's there earlier... If you want to run normal mode a few times in a row, this "tactic" doesn't change a thing...
Thank god I was reading this while waiting for the rest of the group to join ToC hc.... ^^