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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBreakfast Topic: Who could be a new world boss in Cataclysm?
by Daniel Whitcomb 
Mar 1st 2010 at 8:00AM
Blizzard touched a bit on why they've not used world bosses in Wrath in the recent Twitter developer chat. They observed that there are issues with the bosses that have prevented them from feeling comfortable making more world bosses, such as issues with groups racing to bosses, or the ability of people outside raid groups to deliberately mess up boss attempts. On the other side of the coin, though, they did imply that they like world bosses, and will probably implement more in Cataclysm if and when they can find a satisfactory work-around for the problems.
Now, as a former player of Everquest, where pretty much every major raid boss was a "world boss," I can vouch that it wasn't always pleasant. Druids kiting bosses, uber guilds racing each other to bosses, and arguments over who got to kill what on which week were all common occurrences, and the drama that occurred over such things would put most guild drama in WoW to shame. That said, there's something that's rather epic about fighting a large imposing boss in the "open air," knowing that you're not stuck on a special server and that the fate of the world could be at stake -- or at least, the fate of a poor clueless newbie who could stumble on the guy by accident.
So there's a few questions we could ask here. Are the problems the devs list a good enough reason to keep world bosses off the table? Are they fixable? And either way, what world bosses would you like to see in Cataclysm?
I have to say, I'd sort of like to see that awesome giant Kraken model get used for a boss battle. We've seen it used most in single-person quests, but it's so amazingly large and beautiful that I'd love to see a chance for a raid to take it on, maybe in tandem with the Kvaldir, who are awesome and shouldn't disappear into the mists of "that was last expansion" like the Ethereals mostly did. A Ragnaros-like encounter where the Kvaldir summon the Kraken and attack you every time it "submerges" could be a lot of fun.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, News items, Breakfast Topics
Reader Comments (Page 6 of 7)
busuan Mar 1st 2010 11:07AM
Diablo
:-)
Lore: Diablo found himself easily walking through numerous Space-Time openings that gnomes, goblins and players (engineers, I am looking at you) so carelessly opened. And he's here to seek revenge.
"Elves, Orcs, Dwarves, you thought you could come into MY domain without consequences?!"
"Hell, it's about time!"
Sanguinarius Mar 1st 2010 11:32AM
I support this. Diablo as an easter egg boss, but ONLY if the fight is RETARDLY hard.
The Burning Legion decides to call in a "Specialist" to handle the "Azeroth Situation". XD
Heathee Mar 1st 2010 11:10AM
I love world bosses and say leave em as is in their dangerous state.
This game is great but it's one vice seems to be homogenization. World bosses have never really meant too much more than bragging rights, which is ironic, since achievements come in when the bosses are gone. But the point is that it's okay to have some world bosses that can have big fights messed up by other players. It adds some variety to the game without really affecting the grand scheme of things.
The only thing I would change is possibly set up the fight so that anyone who gets involved, is affected by the fight. So maybe credit for the kill can be shared by multiple raids, horde and alliance together, sort of like Omen maybe?
Or maybe if you attack the party that is fighting the boss, you somehow are forced to become part of the fight, so there's a risk to messing it up for somebody else.
I also really love the crazy kiting that happens sometimes, but if Blizzard doesn't, they could always set up these bosses to turn around at some point, right?
Hal Mar 1st 2010 11:12AM
I think Nozdormu (or some dragon from the Infinite Dragonflight) would make an interesting world boss. With all the trouble the dragonflights will have on their hands in Cataclysm, I could see the Infinites getting more out of hand.
As for how to implement world bosses . . . rather than do phasing, another idea might be a world boss of variable animosity. That is, the boss can attack you, unless you've killed him (you're "saved"), in which case he become friendly and unkillable for that lockout period. This way, he could have a reasonable respawn rate and you wouldn't have to worry about racing to get him (although there will certainly be lines).
To prevent player interference, I imagine a debuff/aura could do the trick. Once your raid has tagged the boss, he puts a debuff on the raid and he gets an aura; the debuff makes you immune to all damage but his, and the aura makes him immune to all damage but yours.
Possible? No idea, but it would keep people from interfering with your raid attempt. Does such a scheme take away everything that was fun about world bosses? I guess that's for others to decide. I didn't play in a time when world bosses were relevant. I DO, on the other hand, remember leveling my first toon and getting ganked by elite mobs several levels higher than me (which are more or less equivalent for low-level players). The giants in Howling Fjord, Patches in Darkshire, the giants in Desolace, the fel reavers in Hellfire . . . I don't remember them fondly.
(cutaia) Mar 1st 2010 11:21AM
I keep hearing phasing. I'm confused as to how ths is different than an instanced raid? The only difference I see is the lag you'd get from the 3 other invisible raid groups in their own phases directly on top of you.
As long as no achievement is added (maybe a feat of strength, though), I don't see why world bosses need anything changed. World Bosses are like buying a $10 crossword puzzle scratch ticket. You may not be the one who wins, but hopefully you still had fun trying.
Cataca Mar 1st 2010 3:07PM
The phasing idea would have to work a bit differently than the way some people are describing it, but it is still feasible.
The only people able to fight the boss would be unphased people. If guild A is currently engaged with the boss, guild B has to wait until he respawns.
After guild A has killed him, they would be phased and unable to see the respawned boss until next week.
Irem Mar 1st 2010 11:28AM
Speaking of Ethereals, WoW needs more Ethereals.
So help me god, I will beat this dead horse until it happens. D:
Baldagrim Mar 1st 2010 11:36AM
Probably if they are going to add a new World Boss in Cataclysm, I think one of our Black Dragon Bosses like Teremus is going to get a Twilight overhaul, making him even more fun to fight.
chris Mar 1st 2010 11:46AM
We need a boss with a bad case of a.d.d.,so i nominate Buddy from Grizzly Hills.
Glaras Mar 1st 2010 12:14PM
Fandaral Staghelm. *BUT* only if the Alliance gets to kill him, too. Repeatedly.
Hell, I would help the Horde during an attempt, just to watch him die.
Josin Mar 1st 2010 12:15PM
Ghostcrawler. A spectral giant crab in the Maelstrom who drops legendary pony mounts.
Vitos Mar 1st 2010 12:35PM
I like the phasing idea mentioned above, but I also think that a roving boss would be interesting. Have some minions of Deathwing flying around all of EK and Kalimdor and if they run into someone flying about, go in for the kill.
That way you have the epic of 'Oh god there's a giant dragon trying to eat me' at higher levels, but at lower levels (when you don't have flying) there isn't as much to worry about.
Vitos Mar 1st 2010 12:37PM
Also I would have it drop not spectacular gear. Maybe keep his loot quality as low as heroic-level so people aren't as tempted to go out and kill him week after week (if he/they is/are not phased).
Just make killing him an achievement that gives you a title and maybe a tabard or something along those lines.
Ctmcstomperq Mar 1st 2010 3:02PM
Much as I hate to be the one to put the final nail into Warhammer Online's coffin...
Two words....PUBLIC QUESTS!
For those who have not participated in one, a Public Quest is an area with an ongoing event, anyone who comes into the area is counted as participating in the quest with they're contribution toward the resolution of the event earning them a higher bonus onto they're loot roll at the end of the event. 2 to 5 minutes after it's completed or a set amount of time has elapsed, the whole thing resets.
Cataca Mar 1st 2010 3:15PM
How does it calculate your "contribution toward the resolution of the event"?
Damage done I'm sure is one, but what about healers and tanks?
Damage received? Healing done?
That would lead to every tank on the server contently taunting so that they get hit the most.
And healers would down even more aspirin and anti-depressants. Each healer trying to get their heal to land before the others so that they have the most healing done.
It would be Battle de Recount! (Wrath of the e-peen)
Cataca Mar 1st 2010 3:18PM
*contently=constantly
/shake fist at fire fox spell check
Dragonrose Mar 1st 2010 3:21PM
I'm assuming that if you helped damage the mobs involved or healed the players damaging those mobs it would count you as participating.
Dragonrose Mar 1st 2010 3:20PM
Not exactly in "world boss" mechanics, but I'd love to see a huge, non attackable Deathwing flying periodically over Azeroth, even if he didn't do anything else. If he's stronger than ever, then he shouldn't really be afraid of surveying his soon-to-be territory.
Murdak Mar 1st 2010 3:31PM
The kraken model is actually in game, and has been for quite some time as a raid boss, not a world boss but The lurker below in SSC is the same model
http://www.wowhead.com/?npc=21217#screenshots:id=100691
Raszero. Mar 1st 2010 5:05PM
What I would like to see is something locked away tight. Not quite out in the open.
For example, with the cataclysm it could cause more violent reactions at Un'Goro, causing a constant lava flow sure to kill anyone who goes near. However, during certain times at the week (maybe even randomized ^^) The lava stops breifly and a word boss is waiting deep inside. Or something. Maybe thats not the best idea, but something that requires more effort than go past an area once in a while would be nice.