More dungeon finder tips
by Eliah Hecht 
Dec 14th 2009 at 9:00AM
Like many of you, I've been spending the last few days happily hitting up the new dungeon finder over and over again. The rewards are pretty amazing for the time involved, and the whole system is usually pretty painless. I've picked up a few tips and tricks along the way, on top of what was covered in Saturday's post by Mike Schramm, and here's what I have to share.
- If your dungeon pops and then gives you the dreaded "additional instances cannot be launched," you can try again by simply selecting "teleport to dungeon" from the DF menu on your minimap (the eye icon).
- If you have a full group (of guildies, say) and want to do a particular instance, you can use the DF to queue up for just that instance, and thereby gain the ability to teleport straight there. Sure beats flying.
- Damage meters are not yet working reliably cross-realm. This is because the channel that addons use to communicate with each other is not cross-realm, and meters only scan in a small local range aside from the channel. Mike mentioned this, but it's worth repeating.
- The following configurations will probably get a group instantly (or close enough): solo healer, solo tank, any group that includes both a tank and a healer. Any other configuration is likely to have a ten-minute wait or more. That's been my experience, anyway. Oh, and if you want any chance of DPSing, don't queue as "heal or DPS" or "tank or DPS," or you'll almost certainly end up healing/tanking.
- Roll greed on Frozen Orbs (or pass if you don't want them).
- Roll need for offspec and sort it out afterwards if someone needed it for main spec. Rolling greed for offspec is too likely to result in the item getting disenchanted.
- If you run into a really terrible player, you can put them on your ignore list, which will prevent you from getting matched up with them in the future.
- As I learned firsthand yesterday, random dungeons do not respect instance locks; it's fully possible to do a dungeon more than once in a given day if you're doing randoms. I'm told the system is more likely to give you a dungeon you haven't done today, though.
Have you learned anything interesting from what I think is one of the greatest features ever to come to WoW?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
Gorten Dec 14th 2009 9:06AM
Don't forget the +5% buff one gets from this system also a nice advantage.
Narshe Dec 14th 2009 11:13AM
"Roll need for offspec and sort it out afterwards if someone needed it for main spec. Rolling greed for offspec is too likely to result in the item getting disenchanted."
Question about this. I havent played 3.3 yet and will soon but id like to know ahead of time about disenchanting rolls: Does the option to roll for DE only show up for enchanters? Can the item be DE'd even without needing an enchanter if you roll DE?
Eliah Hecht Dec 14th 2009 11:17AM
Narshe: Not to reward you for reply-hijacking, but since it is useful information:
- Disenchant rolls only show up if you have an enchanter in your group with sufficient skill.
- If you do have an enchanter, though, everyone in the group gets the option to DE roll.
- DE rolls are given equal priority to greed rolls. The winner of the DE roll gets whatever the item would disenchant to, directly into his inventory.
Kaz Dec 14th 2009 11:19AM
@Narshe
The option to D/E roll will show up for everyone. However it will be greyd out if 1) the Item cannot be d/e (i.e Frozen Orbs) or 2) You do not have an enchanter in the party.
If you have an enchanter in your group and the Item can be D/E then anyone that selects the D/E option and wins the roll will automatically have that item D/E and then the mats placed in their bag.
Dah Dec 14th 2009 9:13AM
Quote: "Roll greed on Frozen Orbs (or pass if you don't want them)"
I gotta disagree with this. If you greed, you're simply going to lose your roll to other players. Your best bet is to hit need and tell other players you are doing so. This will prevent losing to others who see 'need' as the norm while not offending people that are used to greeding.
Kajira Dec 14th 2009 9:26AM
The Frozen Orbs are no longer valuable enough (around 5g on my server - restocking poisons can cost more) to risk getting known as a cross-faction need-ninja.
The concept of "steal it from them before they steal it from me" is animalistic, displayed even among birds. It's also cyclical. You need and take it from a group that hits greed, and you've created another person who subscribes to the immature philosophy of "steal first, answer questions later."
mtsadowski Dec 14th 2009 9:39AM
Look, I don't mean to take the unpopular stand here, but Needing on the Frozen orbs is NOT stealing. The option is there to need it.
And here's a novel idea, but what if someone actually needs it! I needed on a few to get mattes to make something to bump up my tailoring skills. And then I was yelled at that I ninja'ed the orb.
If this is stealing, then I can say that everyone is stealing my disenchanting skill because I did not agree to do the disenchanting.
Chris Dec 14th 2009 9:51AM
Needing on frozen orbs after you see everyone else greed is like steeling chap-stick. No one cares but it's still stealing.
Deadly. Off. Topic. Dec 14th 2009 9:51AM
If an enchanter is going to have issues with D/E greed option, then simply 1. don't bother to level your enchanting 2. don't run instances with that character that can D/E.
Honestly, I leveled two enchanters and I don't see a problem with the new system aside from selfish and greedy players no longer able to benefit from their party members.
I had an enchanter friend who would always keep quiet about everything she D/E in the hopes that people would forget and she could quietly walk off with the items. It's one thing when the group says, "here, please take it" as oppose to, "Damn, I forgot and that jerk just walked off with everything."
Steve Dec 14th 2009 9:54AM
Having run with dozens of different random groups by now, it seems that on some servers (Arthas, for example), the recognized custom is to need on orbs. It doesn't seem to be ninja behaviour - just what they're used to on their home servers.
So I think Dah is right about this. To ensure that everyone has a fair shot at winning the orbs, we're going to have to start need-rolling on them across the board.
dukrous Dec 14th 2009 9:55AM
If you want to roll need on the Orb, try asking first. You would be amazed how generous players can be if they're just rolling greed to stockpile and you have a good excuse to need.
Vandersveldt Dec 14th 2009 10:09AM
STOP putting Frozen Orbs up for 8g or less. You look dumb.
Frozen orbs cost 3g to post for 48 hours. Then the AH takes 10% of your sale.
Frozen orbs VEND for 5g. You make more profit vending then posting for less than 8g.
Sry to come across as harsh, but this is actually quite valuable info, if you have to post 8g or less, just vend. It's more money, and it's instant!
Dah Dec 14th 2009 11:06AM
You didn't read my post if you think this is "steal it from you before you steal it from me"
As I stated, you tell the group before you do it. Everyone knows to roll need and this way you don't have someone take it unfairly.
If someone actually "needs" it, which I have yet to ever see happen, they are still perfectly capable of letting the group know beforehand, in which case you would pass.
FireStar Dec 14th 2009 10:19AM
I love how i'm finding frozen orbs on the AH for 5g lately.
Let's do the math here. Vendor buys for 5g. Auction (for 48 hour) is a 3g deposit (that you won't get back). In order to just break even to what you sell the vendor to you'd have to sell for at least 8g.
I.e. if you see anything around 8g or less on the AH, just vendor it.
Arladris Dec 14th 2009 10:58AM
You get your deposit back if the item sells.
Source:
http://www.wow.com/2007/08/03/insider-trader-working-the-auction-house/
Third paragraph.
Norrel Dec 14th 2009 11:07AM
@FireStar
Actually, as long as the someone buys the orb, the seller will get that 3g deposit back. So if you put up the orb for 8g and someone buys it, you end up with 8g minus the 80s (10%) cut taken by the Auction House. So you would still make more than the 5g vendor value.
For a Frozen orb, at that price I would probably just vendor it or keep it in the bank for an alt. But people should know the mechanics of the AH. You only lose your deposit if no one buys the goods.
akw Dec 14th 2009 11:08AM
Most loot-roll confusion can be prevented by - are you ready for this? - TALKING to the people with whom you are cooperating to complete the dungeon.
George Dec 14th 2009 11:18AM
Report ninja looters to wowjackass.com, put them on your ignore list.
Puntable Dec 14th 2009 11:20AM
If you belong to one of the few servers that thinks it's OK to roll Need on BoE items that you intend to sell, then it's time for your server to change. BoE items are always Greed unless you are going to immediately Equip and Use it. This is the way it has been done for 5 years.
The Battered Hilt: This is Need if you are going to Equip it. It is Greed if you are going to sell it. And if you roll Need while actually holding Quel'Serrar in your hand, prepare to be on the ignore list of everyone in your Battlegroup, after your name appears in the "Drama" section of "Guildwatch".
catharsis80 Dec 14th 2009 11:33AM
Wow, really? EVERYONE on my server rolls need for frozen orbs, and as far as I know, always has. Maybe we're just a weird exception? No one considers it ninja'ing. In fact, if someone doesn't roll need on them, we would wonder if they misclicked.