Patch 4.3 PTR: Zandalari heroics no longer in own tier; all heroics award 150 VP
by Mathew McCurley 
Sep 28th 2011 at 2:30PM
Moving the Zandalari heroics into the general heroic pool seemed like it would happen eventually, considering that having multiple tiers of dungeons to queue up for could get confusing over time. Now, players will be placed into dungeons based on their ilevel and not necessarily which dungeon category they queue for.
This presents an interesting dilemma, though. Players who want to do a quick heroic right now can queue for a random, non-Troll heroic and be in and out with half the VP (and half the stress -- I'm looking at you, Jin'do) in half the time of a Troll heroic. In 4.3, it doesn't appear that you'll have the option. Then again, everyone at a high enough gear level to care about this stuff will just queue for the Hour of Twilight heroics anyway, right?
Brace yourselves for what could be some of most exciting updates to the game recently with patch 4.3. Review the official patch notes, and then dig into what's ahead: new item storage options, cross-realm raiding, cosmetic armor skinning and your chance to battle the mighty Deathwing -- from astride his back!
Filed under: News items, Cataclysm
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
jfofla Sep 28th 2011 2:33PM
YES!!!!!
Cephas Sep 28th 2011 2:46PM
Actually, all this stuff is still being worked on. PTR, after all. Please, everyone and Mat, read this comment from Zarhym:
http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/3278898510?page=4#62
Colleen Sep 28th 2011 2:50PM
That comment is talking about gear item levels....
Toranja Sep 28th 2011 2:59PM
Not really...
"We're in the process of making some updates to the Random Dungeon Finder categories, Valor Point aquisition/caps, epic vendor offerings, and developing the Raid Finder."
They're still tweaking the whole gearing system, from RDF queues to VP vendors.
Cephas Sep 28th 2011 3:01PM
The question he was answering was about ilvl, but he also mentions several other things that are still being worked on.
"We're in the process of making some updates to the Random Dungeon Finder categories, Valor Point acquisition/caps, epic vendor offerings, and developing the Raid Finder."
restodr00d Sep 28th 2011 3:26PM
Noooooooooooooo /cry /wrist
I didn't mind the mind numbing troll heroics but I DO mind the fail pug that doesn't graps the concept of "get out of the lazer at 80 and get back in when the stacks fall off" Noooooooooooooo Corlaaa my old enemy we will meet again.
restodr00d Sep 28th 2011 3:27PM
ugh it seems I clicked reply here... -sigh-
Chetti Sep 28th 2011 3:32PM
haha corla.. still hate herrr! Backing up at 80 though, thats too late lol I start backing away at 70ish just to make sure the buff will wear off and even then sometimes I mess up.
Outis Sep 28th 2011 2:37PM
I foresee a Halls of Reflection-like situation where tanks drop Zandalaris that they feel they aren't ready for or willing to put up with.
Hell, I take every Deadmines queue that comes my way, and I still might do that. Zul'Gurub is not so bad, but the stress of ZA timed runs is not something I particularly enjoy.
Kylenne Sep 28th 2011 2:45PM
I was just coming in here to say that. Anyone who played during the tail end of WotLK understands just why this is a horrible idea. This is going to be Halls of Reflection all over again.
Hell, even on my DPS toons, I'd probably just eat the debuff + queue time rather than deal with a Zul. The LFD pool has gotten really, really bad lately, probably the worst I've ever seen it, which makes it really frustrating trying to gear up toons for alt runs. I have yet to successfully finish a Zul in an LFD pug, either we just barely make it after an hour long wipefest and a revolving door of party members, or we fall apart on a particular boss. And lately, even the regular heroics are starting to look like that. Granted, that latter issue is probably more due to the fact that the better skilled/geared players don't really need VP anymore and thus are slacking off on capping it, which will sort itself out when the patch hits, but this is still cause for concern.
Hugo C Sep 28th 2011 3:05PM
With 374 ilvl gear being offered with JP I guess they expect these dungeons will be a lot less painful in PUGs then they are now.
ejunk Sep 28th 2011 3:16PM
I hope this doesn't go live for the reasons you just outlined - the difference in time commitment is too dramatic to lump them together.
Outis Sep 28th 2011 3:19PM
Hugo, I don't not-queue for Zandalaris as a tank because I'm afraid I (or others) are undergeared - I don't queue because I expect three and a half of my group members to be bad, and I feel I'm much less effective at carrying weak group members as a tank than as a DPS.
Snuzzle Sep 28th 2011 3:23PM
I don't queue for troll heroics as a tank because I'm sick of being yelled at for not taking these shortcuts that "everyone" takes. "Everyone" skips this pack and "everyone" runs across the water but I don't, and I've been VtK because of it. I like ZG, but I'm so sick of being yelled at for pulling, gasp, three more trash packs than "everyone" is used to in ZA.
kaminari Sep 28th 2011 3:39PM
@ kylenne, not really, when patch 4.3 drops and people can buy T 12 with justice points the troll heroics will become much easier, also most people will know the fight mechanics by then.
Chetti Sep 28th 2011 3:41PM
Snuzzle, you'd be my kind of tank! I swear! I never understood the "everyone" shortcuts, like who is everyone? Because you know, I'd think that most people would follow the path/road/whatever to the next thing and not take a right at the purple tree and inch up here on this ledge and fall close to the wall so you don't pull that group until everyone is here, kind of thing. I only do the troll heroics with a friend of mine who knows the shortcuts (across the water, up on the ledge, whatever), because I tend to get lost when people just run through stuff mounted so I think there is a straight safe way to go but there isn't cause they're really just skirting mobs. Kill the mobs. Then you (the whole group that bitches WHO PULLED THE PAAAAT!?!?! WTF HEALER/DPS/YOU SUCK! would not have to complain when the sneaking past doesn't work. Those mobs would not be there if they were not intended to be killed. They've got loot. Be it money or cloth or some green items to be disenchanted, they've got loots! Someone had to run them, and kill everything on the way to bosses in order for those "everyone does it" shortcuts to exist.
I say, keep doin what you're doing, kill the mobs! :)
s.scott.staten Sep 28th 2011 4:03PM
I'm worried about this too. Yes higher Ilevel gear makes things easier, but not all the gear in the world will make people stand on the damn chains for the slams on Jin'do.
The Dewd Sep 28th 2011 4:21PM
Well, you could always queue up with a guildmate in 345 or lower gear. Assuming you have any left at this point.
Shinae Sep 28th 2011 4:20PM
@Snuzzle
Don't you know it! I've had DPS flip out at me because I went CCW (or right) instead of clockwise (left) on the ramp of Jindo's temple. It's the same trash either way. /facepalm
Puntable Sep 28th 2011 5:00PM
Much worse than the HoR dilemma. HoR was fast and my Tank did it often. My Tank will NOT spend hours herding cats in a Zul for little reward. He will drop group.