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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBlizzard: Run Oculus, win fabulous prizes
by Daniel Whitcomb 
Jan 5th 2010 at 2:00AM
But they're not removing it from the system. Instead, they're incentivizing it -- or, if you prefer to be a bit more pessimistic, turning final boss Eregos into a loot pinata in the most direct way possible. Zarhym's announced that those who happen to get Heroic Oculus with the random dungeon finder and stick it out to the end will find their own personal loot bag in Eregos' cache. The bags will contain two extra Emblems of Triumph, rare gems, and a chance at the Reins of the Blue Drake, formerly the rare mount drop from 10-man Malygos. To make up for the switch, the Reins of the Azure Drake will have a chance to drop from both 10-man and 25-man Malygos.
Will this staunch the exodus from Oculus? Will the lust for yet another pretty dragon mount inspire people to tough out the dreaded vehicle mechanics? Or will people just tough it out until they get their drake and start group dropping again? It should be fun to see what happens.
Filed under: Items, News items, Instances, Bosses
Reader Comments (Page 4 of 12)
Henry Jan 5th 2010 2:10AM
8 Badges, Gems, and a possible Mount with little time required (given a group that can beat Eregos on the first try). Hell to the yes I will run this every time!
Terethall Jan 5th 2010 6:04AM
>>8 Badges, Gems, and a possible Mount with little time required (given a group that can beat Eregos on the first try). Hell to the yes I will run this every time!
>>a possible Mount with little time required (given a group that can beat Eregos on the first try).
>>little time required (given a group that can beat Eregos on the first try)
>>given a group that can beat Eregos on the first try
>>a group that can beat Eregos
I think we've found that problem.
oniryuujin Jan 5th 2010 2:11AM
H Occulus was never hard, honestly the drake fight wasn't that big of a brain teaser mechanic, never understood all the hate, oh well least I get more stuff for doing what I've always been doing.
Lasher Jan 5th 2010 2:16AM
As you said, the instance was never hard. That's not the problem. The hate comes from the fact that the instance is TERRIBLE.The trash is even more boring and uninteresting then all the AoE trash you get in the other instances. Bosses are about the same as the other heroics, but not the trash. Too bad it's way too late for a redesign, or something ...
oniryuujin Jan 5th 2010 2:20AM
really? I would say VH is the worst when it comes to boring trash.
zachb1987 Jan 5th 2010 2:12AM
Sure thing now... Especially since the drakes scale with your ilevel now. It's only getting easier folks.
Duane Jan 5th 2010 2:12AM
My money is on people toughing it out for their mounts and then never setting foot in the place again, much the same way people run Malygos for the Champion of the Frozen Wastes title and then go into hiding the moment anyone so much as mentions running Eye of Eternity.
oniryuujin Jan 5th 2010 2:14AM
you mean until we got 5 frost/triumphs for the weekly quest lol
jorge_av Jan 5th 2010 2:13AM
I never had a problem with Oculus before, I never really minded it. But for some reason tonight my pug had problems with Eregos. I somehow ended up to be the one he attacked and killed after getting out of his phase shift. So when we finally killed him, I ran back just to retrieve my corpse. I didn't bother to get another drake and loot the chest. Now I find out I missed out on more badges & gems. Damn.
zachb1987 Jan 5th 2010 2:16AM
This hasn't gone into effect yet. This is what Blizzard is doing to keep people from dropping group the minute they see the Oculus loading screen pop up after they queue up
Joseph Smith Jan 5th 2010 2:22AM
I'm assuming the change will be after maintenance tomorrow. So fear not, you haven't missed out yet.
I'd say this is more in response to people getting it an inordinate amount of times because of the people who drop group. Incent them to stay, it stops being so unrandom. Notice the loot is ONLY for when you get it randomly with the lfg
BenMS Jan 5th 2010 2:16AM
Heh, you even used my word for it. No credit though? :P
Matthew Rossi Jan 5th 2010 3:47AM
If you sent it to the tip line we haven't even seen it yet. I'm looking now, no sign of you.
Jordan Jan 5th 2010 9:45AM
I imagine he's referring to his post in this thread: http://www.wow.com/2010/01/04/in-game-fixes-for-january-4th-2010/comments/24440493/
Farproc Jan 5th 2010 2:17AM
I am disappointed actually. Occulus was actually an easy dungeon *before* 3.3's great nerf. The bosses were actually quick to get through, the strats not at all difficult to master, the trash mobs easier than Ahn'khet the Old Kingdom and probably Halls of Stone.
The vehicle scaling prior to 3.3 was enough to allow groups that were equipped in basic emblem of conquest level gear to one shot Eregos with a minimal understanding of their mounts capabilities.
With 3.3 its a joke. Most players hitting this dungeon have an average ilvl of 232 now (according to my gearscore analysis of groups I get placed with at least) which is much much much more than the ilvl 187-200 that early runners of Heroic Occulus had - AND SUCCEEDED WITH. Ive gotten the various void achievements in here, on the first try, with PuGs. No voice comms, and frankly bad co-operation were not an impediment.
I admit I still don't really like the dungeon. Flying the drakes in there is so one off :- Id far prefer it if drakes with the same, or similar capabilities were used elsewhere in the game - I don't like learning skills (flying occulus drakes) with such limited application.
Viper007Bond Jan 5th 2010 2:23AM
I've never bailed once from it (it's easy, just a bit annoying and somewhat time consuming). However over the weekend I got Oculus twice in a row and both times, all 4 other people in my group left.
Hopefully now they'll actually run it. :D
Microtonal Jan 5th 2010 5:50AM
You know, as long as you aren't pants-on-head retarded, Oculus is actually — dare I say it — kinda fun.
But the nice thing about people dropping out of Oculus is that if you wait until everyone else leaves the party, they'll all get hit with the LFD lockout, but you won't. Thanks for the instant re-queue, wanker. Now I can get a group that isn't full of whiny little babies. Enjoy your 15 minutes of getting mad at a video game.
Viper007Bond Jan 5th 2010 5:58AM
Except the queue is as long as the lockout for a DPS, so it screws me over as well. :(
Apis Jan 5th 2010 8:19AM
When group members bail on you, you are put at the top of the queue according to the message. That should significantly reduce your wait time as DPS.
traptinacivicsi Jan 5th 2010 8:52AM
"Enjoy your 15 minutes of getting mad at a video game."
I don't get mad, I just go do some dailies, play the AH or make food while I wait. I'll take a 15min break over HoS any day, though Oculus I may stay for, now.