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 newsDungeon Finder tricks and tips
by Mike Schramm 
Dec 12th 2009 at 4:00PM
More tips and tricks for the new system after the break.
Other tips we've heard: finding an instance as tank or healer will go even faster than trying to get in one as DPS, so if you can specialize into a more useful role and just want to grind out instances fast, do that. Damage meters are supposedly broken -- they haven't figured out how to track ranged damage across realms quite yet. Which may be a good thing, as lots of players never liked following those meters anyway. The vote kicking system seems to be working well -- the number one reason we've heard that players are kicking each other is that they're going AFK without notice, so if you're in a random PuG queue, be sure to be ready when it pops up to do the instance ASAP. Oh, and let's just agree right here and now: Frozen Orbs are Need, unless you don't want them for some reason.
And maybe the most important tip we've heard: it's important to make sure that your gear matches the instance you're doing. The number one issue so far seems to be players who show up for a Heroic in greens, or people who queue up to tank without having any tanking gear or experience at all. Thanks to the new system, there's lots of groups to run, and everyone will get the gear they need to do what they want. So don't waste players' time now by trying to take on something you can't do and ending the group in wipes or making other players step up for you. Start out low and easy, running regular instances, and then when you think you're ready for something tougher, move on up the ladder to Heroics.
Filed under: Tips, Tricks, Fan stuff, Odds and ends, Blizzard, Instances, Wrath of the Lich King
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 9)
Bigmu Jan 18th 2010 9:51AM
I too wait until everyone else has rolled before I roll myself. For some reason (and in stating this I'm certain I've jinxed myself), my shaman alt seems to have some kind of magic roll-winning - thing.
If someone rolls Need on the orb, so will I, and if I win I call for a roll/100 for it. I've been abused for it once or twice by the person who Needed on it originally, but I personally don't give a rats. Frozen Orbs, while being largely redundant, are useful to every crafting class and everyone has a right to them.
tanktopdsp Dec 12th 2009 4:11PM
This is very useful article, nice to see that my exp with LFG has been well. Even if I am a part time Heroic and slightly geared raider, gives me more confidence to join with others knowing that most of us will be on the same page.
Edge Dec 12th 2009 4:11PM
Well I wouldn't completely blame the players for running stuff they aren't ready for. I've seen a new 80 in greens pop into HoL and say "Whoa I don't have the gear for this". I know there are probably people who queue for what they aren't supposed to specifically, but I think the majority probably just hit random dungeons expecting to get stuff in their range. I think the random finder needs to be tuned a little bit, I thought it was supposed to do a gear check for you and only give instances in your range.
Other than some slow groups now and then (and some really fast groups too) I love everything about the new LFG tool. It's like a whole new game for me. Altaholics I think are gonna get the most benefits. I've been tanking and healing strat and having lots of fun. I could see the possibility of someone leveling to 80 without doing a single quest. Well maybe they'll have to do class specific ones, but other than that, I can level just as fast in BGs and Instances.
Edge Dec 12th 2009 4:13PM
Oh yeah, and frozen orbs are always greed not need!
MasterAsh Dec 12th 2009 4:28PM
I'm never going to understand that. . .If everyone wants the orb, what possible reason exists for not having everyone make the highest priority roll? If a person's already got loot in the run? You're just as likely to make that person hit pass in a group that greeds them as you are to make that person hit pass in a group that needs, but in the latter he at least can't outright ninja.
Jade Dec 12th 2009 4:29PM
It does put you in things in your range. It also looks at your gear and achievements. So if you are an 'under geared' tank that hasn't run an instance much, it will try to group you with an 'over geared' healer that is an old hand and vice versa. It's aim is average group strength, not one phenomenally overpowered group and one group of green newbies.
Edge Dec 12th 2009 5:11PM
Yes you must be right, because we did get an uber healer that got us through (though slowly of course).
As for rolling greed instead of need, it's kind of force of habit, but I feel it's better to leave need available if someone actually needs the item. I've never had this happen, but if I was in a decent group, and someone said maybe they needed a crafted item and this orb would be all that's left to get, and everyone already hit greed, I would be ok with him hitting need to get what he needs (cause I'm nice like that, and the guy really pulled his weight). If everyone had hit need instead, it would be up to RNG and no way to change it. Not sure if the orbs are tradeable in cross realm LFG, if so, then the question of what to do is moot as long as everyone agrees in the beginning.
Tri Dec 12th 2009 5:41PM
LOL, that explains why I as a healer often gets into crappy groups.. to make up for their greens?!
unfair lol
VelcroLizard Dec 12th 2009 4:13PM
Any tips on how to NOT run the same 4 Heroics over and over again? I keep getting stuck healing AN, OK, UP, and UK. 3 times each. Once in Occ, Nex, HoL, and HoR, and nothing else. I love running instances, but I'd like the random to pay attention to what I have done, and if i've done something recently, to be less likely to go there again.
Also, healing tanks that can't keep aggro, or DPS that is obsessed with AoE and can't pay attention to where they're standing is painful to my healer soul.
Erthshade Dec 12th 2009 4:23PM
How about tanking for dps that doesn't know how to let a tank get aggro before dropping AoE nukes, or despite having clearly skull- and X-marked targets insists on attacking the unmarked first? That's painful for my soul.
Edge Dec 12th 2009 5:20PM
Or how bout the tank tanking when the DPS should be DPSing and the Healer should be healing? I hate when that happens...wait...
Pemberton Dec 12th 2009 6:12PM
I got the new Dungeon on Heroic and we wiped terribly.
Sinthar Dec 21st 2009 9:46AM
Experienced all 3 soul crushing events. On my pally tank (he does 10 man icc) targeting the marked mob, pulling, LOS ing - then taunting as the 3 dps all AOE before the mobs even get to the corner. (God bless decent healers for making it NOT a wipe then - although 2/3 dps died)
As DPS, targeting skull - waiting for 10 secs (literally 10 secs) then pulling on my 2nd fireball. MI/Invis were my best friends then - did 78% of damage that run (that group total). The tank n other dps must have been newly didnged in bluesn greens
As healing - on my pally os healing. Crying, as the dps pulled off the tank then ran in different directions - all went either out of LOS or our of range. The tank (god bless his cotton socks), calmly waited, and taunted each mob as it came back, we then 2 manned them down whilst the others waited for rez's (they didnt get em - told em to CR while i told em HOW to dps and what to do if they pulled - one didnt like that n left and we got replacement (who luckly knew what he was doing) and we had no problems after that.
Unfortunately this is just the problem with pugs. This is why a lot of people make a group then just use the LFG tool to allocate a random dungeon (at least they do in my guild). I think after most people finally get their pug pet, the LFG tool will reduce in usefulness as many will then prefer not to run with random people, and indeed is historically why pugs are notorious.
lawters Dec 12th 2009 4:23PM
A funny thing I've noticed with the random dungeons that if its Occulus, often the entire group just leaves. Waiting 15 minutes isnt that bad compared to Occulus xD
Procrastinator Dec 12th 2009 4:40PM
The list of things that aren't that bad compared to Oculus is an extremely long list.
Lokasenna Dec 12th 2009 5:25PM
You guys know it got nerfed to hell, right?
I took a PUG through there the other day and we got Make It Count. I think that says everything you need to know.
Barinthos Dec 12th 2009 5:47PM
Oculus is easy mode now. It's not even funny how hard it got hit with the nerf bat. Anyone that drops because of it is missing out on some very easy emblems.
xnyhps Dec 12th 2009 6:25PM
I had a Occulus group yesterday where the tank didn't notice we had no green (healer) drakes until he got the achievement for doing it without one. It was just that easy.
Aeternal Dec 13th 2009 11:48AM
Only scrubs think occ is bad. It's not hard in any way.
The hardest part about OCC is getting 4 other people that aren't total scrubs that drop group because they lack the comprehension to operate a drake that has a total 3 buttons. But this difficulty applies to instances, except they have to figure out how to use more than buttons. Then again maybe they just hit one button the whole.
Man up people, it's a quick and painless if you aren't a loser.
OCC != Hard
Janaa Dec 28th 2009 10:20PM
@Aeternal - You're missing the point if you think people don't like it because it's "hard"? Its not. It never has been. The "hard modes" voids have been nerfed, sure, but again, thats not why people don't like the instance.
We don't like it because its a bad instance. Clever idea, but bad for this style of game. If we wanted an MMO flight-shooter, we'd be playing EVE Online. It was a fun concept probably the first, even second time I ran it. After that, its really, really boring. I generally bail on this instance as soon as it pops. I don't have any trouble with it, haven't wiped in it forever, just simply hate it.