Patch 5.2 interview with Dave Kosak
Inside an old alt's vault
The latest patch 5.2 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 5 of 9)
clundgren Dec 12th 2009 8:43PM
Yeah, of course it's more profitable if you can DE...and it's more profitable for me if I can vendor. Why should I pay for your enchanting skills? Do you think my jewelcrafting skills came for free?
And what the hell is "using our skills for free QQ"? You're saying you deserve all the abyss crystals because you're an enchanter. No thanks. I'll take the item and get a guildy to disenchant it for me while I'm making him his new gems.
Just more ninja behaviour trying to justify itself.
Azizrael Dec 13th 2009 4:23AM
For the record, I'm not an enchanter. And if you've read any of the discussion of the roll for DE feature since it first appeared on the PTR, you'll know that a lot of Enchanters are complaining that their profession is now a lot less profitable.
I guess I just don't see ninja behaviour in Utgarde Keep HC as that big a deal in the grand scheme of things - there's nothing dropping in there that you won't replace within a couple of days.
Sinthar Dec 21st 2009 9:47AM
Its not a matter of 'paying for our enchanting skill'
Your getting more than you would by using a skill you dont have, didnt put the effort and expense in to raise. If say you went in a dungeon, and everyone rolled on a mining node, but got the cut and colour they wanted from prospecting the ore, would you think it was fair? Esp if all the gems on the AH dropped in value by 50% or more.
Personally i think you would say the same as enchanters are.Enchanting is one of the MOST expensive to learn, patterns for enchanting are some of the most expensive in the game, Vanilla chants STILL go for upto 3kg per shot (the formulas), yet the fee/tip for doing them is 10g at best. Now do you wonder that chanters are now rarer than ever, and on several realms dont bother even answering in trade at all now.
I - in no way - condone ninjaing any item at all, under any circumstance. But that said, Blizz have shafted them royally.
Oh and as to your taking the item and getting a guildie to DE - good luck - 99% of the purple drops are BOP, so that arguement is a load of bull.
Joross Dec 12th 2009 4:41PM
it makes no sense to greed the orbs...if everyone needs them every time, there will be no ninjas and no confusion
cincipon Dec 12th 2009 4:41PM
Wow, the greeding frozen orb comment sure got voted up quick. Do this if you like, but the wow.community would do itself a service to encourage needing in such situations. No one can 'ninja' an orb if everyone rolls need.
As for the DE needing the last epic to make some selfish money off of his profession... kudos. That's a smart idea. Until there is an auto-done and auto-distributed mine/skin/herb/engineer deconstruct and such there is no reason not to reap what benefits you can from your profession in a pug.
uncaringbear Dec 12th 2009 4:50PM
"As for the DE needing the last epic to make some selfish money off of his profession... kudos. That's a smart idea."
That's just great - so it'll just encourage everyone to roll need on anything that drops at the end. This will end up screwing the person who actually needed the item from the last boss.
I've heard all sorts of justification for ninja behavior, but when you act like a douche bag to deny other douche bags, guess what? You are a douche bag.
Azizrael Dec 12th 2009 5:02PM
As far as needing the loot that drops in Heroics goes, there are very few players who actually do, surely. If it's a trinket, maybe. It's taken me a few hours a night from Wednesday to Saturday and I've gotten the Perky Pug, 3 pieces of Tier 9 and Band of the Invoker. Badges come so fast and easy that anything you see drop in a Heroic will be DE/vendored within a week, or you'll see the same boss again tomorrow or sooner.
clundgren Dec 12th 2009 8:47PM
Ummmm...what about if I "need" the abyss crystal for my enchantments, or to vendor, for that matter?
Look, if no one actually needs it as gear, then everyone should have an equal shot at the item for profit. Saying that the enchanter should always receive the biggest share of the profit because...why was it again?...is total BS and you know it.
That's just a straight up ninja.
Utakata Dec 12th 2009 4:49PM
All the tips are really good advice...
...my only disagreement is that with your advice to run Heroics in greener gear. There are quite a number of Heroics are pretty gear forgiving if you know what you are doing. They have been designed that way to gear players up. *It's unfortunate that DF doesn't distinguish too well which is which...and flag as recommended or not recommended with a gear check and an option for the player to opt out safely if not. One thing I can recommend is going into such Heroics with other players you know to start...there you will have more control and understanding what each are capable of. And with that make time to run marathon of Heroics accordingly.
*Note: I suspect Blizz's current DF is designed for ease due to technical reasons and limitations. And to make sure no one skips out on undesirable instances such as Oculus.
Zalvi24 Dec 12th 2009 4:51PM
and watch out for players in Warsong server, they always want to pull, go ahead of you, or need on everything
ArtDecoAutomaton Dec 12th 2009 5:05PM
I got kicked as a tank from heroic PoS for suggesting that we kite Tyrannus when he enrages after wiping on the first attempt.
Kinda weird, no?
uncaringbear Dec 12th 2009 4:58PM
The ideal about putting on lower level gear is interesting. I have two well-geared healers, and when I queued for the daily random heroic, both ended up in Halls of Reflection! If you're a healer, you know this instance is not a trivial one to heal, and with a less than ideal group, it's an outright nightmare.
I'm guessing the dungeon matcher system tries to match the better geared healers for places like HoR. I'll try putting on some much-lower gear before I queue up next time. Personally, I'd prefer a less stressful place to heal for my daily random heroic.
Kryren Dec 12th 2009 4:59PM
So far I've had a decent experience with the new LFG. I'm leveling via RAF with a RL friend (she is learning to tank and I'm healing) and we've tended to do more instancing than questing since the patch hit. I'd love to know if there's a way for a pair of low-mid 40's to NOT do Mara every freaking time though.
Edge Dec 12th 2009 5:12PM
Haha, all i ever get is Strat! Oh well at least there's three sections to that one :)
Serotonin Dec 12th 2009 5:06PM
New poll required on WoW.com:
Should frozen orbs be need or greed?
Ian Dec 12th 2009 6:12PM
Well on Shattered Halls-EU the convention has always been to need on Frozen Orbs... just to let you know in advance.
uncaringbear Dec 12th 2009 9:50PM
I heard everyone on such and such realm is a dumb ass. Let's all be dumb asses.
/rolleyes
Puntable Dec 30th 2009 11:49AM
Since it seems 95% of the servers roll greed on Orbs, maybe those from the 5% of the backwards servers should get in line.
shamman22 Dec 12th 2009 5:16PM
I know this is slightly off topic, but my problem with the dungeon finder is that in a lot of the dungeons the "loot bag boss" is usually near the start of the instance. In BRD for example, you can complete the random daily in about 10 mins for both lower and upper BRD. I think that they should at least have made the Upper BRD loot bag boss in the second part of the dungeon. The room of 7 would have been a nice choice for this IMO. The boss for Mara Purple crystal section is also easily completed in less than 15 mins. The problem with this is that there are a limited amount of dungeons to do at this level and being repeatedly put into a dungeon that you can pound out so quickly isn't very fun. I know you can theoretically finish the dungeon, but most ppl bail quickly after receiving their daily reward. I hope the change a few of the loot bag bosses, then this will be a near perfect system.
Edge Dec 12th 2009 5:42PM
Wow that sucks. Does nobody want gear upgrades or what. This kind of behavior makes no sense to me. When I do those low level instances I do it because I'm tired of everything I am doing repeatedly at level 80, so I want to do the full instance. I hope this is just part of it being a new thing.