So, after a few weeks of S2, I have noticed 1 major trend. It is impossible to get into keys as my main spec (Ret Pally). Despite how strong ret is, despite how much help a ret can be for a healer, (Have you seen ret off heals? they’re insane), despite how much burst they can bring, how much cleave (World First guilds brought them for this!), despite even that I had the previous seasons KSM on this character as ret , I can’t pug into 5’s and 6’s easily. That is disgusting…
So, What is the suggested fix?
It’s a mix of the Proving Grounds from MoP and the Mage Tower from Legion. A setting where your item level is capped, and you are dealing with difficult encounter after difficult encounter until you eventually fail or complete a final boss that’s on par with Mage Tower bosses (pre Antorus).
While Twisted Corridors was an attempt at bringing back the Mage Tower feel, Twisted Corridors was not the solution. No one wants to spend an hour and a half only to fail on the last boss by getting 1 shot. This also does not show player skill as the Mage Tower did. The rewards were also far less… rewarding. Getting something cosmetic that wasn’t even that cool every other layer just made the Twisted Corridors something to ignore after doing the Anduin quest once.
This could reward players with cosmetic items (similar to MT, coughcough how about more non-cape backpieces, like actual animated wings), an achievement that denotes how far you completed (because why can’t this be tiered?) with rewards based on how far you’ve achieved. These achievements would be only available (for link) on the character that achieved them.
How would this solve anything?
Having an achievement that denotes player skill that is not easy to get would be the alternate route as something that could be linked to show skill when applying for keys. This also solves the community’s desire for the return of the Mage Tower, while also giving them something they really want from it. (Let me run around as a Ret with Tyrael’s wings, or a DH with Illidan’s wings always out)
That works when you have a need to run your own key. Often times I am looking for a specific key, (ex, I don’t have a timed Sanguine this season and my key is not that), or I just generally don’t want to run the dungeon my key is.
Assuming you were around for the mage tower days, would you decline someone into your M+ if they showed up with the Special Bear form back then? That’s the thing the WoW Devs need to do to fix it. Give the community an alternate goal that is achievable solo and takes effort.
It has nothing to do with being Ret or IO or anything else right now, “though that will change quickly.” The problem is you’re melee dps #423624 in the queue and at least tens of thousands of them will be better than you. I say that without looking at you AT ALL, and still know it’s true.
If you swapped to Holy, you’d get 15 invites if you accidentally LOOK at the LFD tool. Supply and Demand is the real power here. It’s not elitism.
PS: It’s also spiteful week so most healers have a firm 1 melee dps or find someone else rule.
PPS: While i’m on my soapbox. I cannot TELL you how many times a ROGUE has complained that i didn’t instantly dispel hex off him. Do you have any idea how many ways a rogue has to stop a cast on them? 5.9 Almost all rogues fail this simple test but lets count them off. 1) Kick 2) Gouge 3) Stun 4) Blind 5) Vanish 6) Cloak of shadows (90% effective)
Its not just you, its hard for everyone to find keys. Hell, even as a keyholder it has been hard to find people to run keys with, depending on your key level.
Also, keep in mind this week is pretty much a dead week for keys. Nobody likes necrotic nor the stupid ghosts.
Good in theory but this would mean anyone willing to devote 2 hours to CC and killing could max out their vault on any fortified week.
Heck no. Even day 1 gear in a +2-5 ish is vendor trash. I should not have to rank up from 0, the 3 level drop we get each season is bad enough.
If it’s account wide it wouldn’t be TOO bad but it would seriously mess up the first couple weeks of each season. It’d make it nearly impossible to find groups if you can’t jump levels as you’d be segmenting the dungeons into separate queue’s for each dungeon level.
What if you’re feeling generous and ok carrying some randos to a weekly vault?
A better solution would be to simply make a key a key. You have a 14. Do whatever dungeon you want.
Player completely overlooks the real issue, “melee dps on spiteful week with so much competition,” that existed BEFORE raider IO and would continue to exist if it were banned/blocked.
Another mage tower won’t help the situation. Groups are looking for people with experience at the tier they are running. Which is why raiders are often surprised that they have trouble, their experience is in a different content base.
The matter is only worse when you are playing the same role as 80% of the player base, all fighting over the same handful of slots.
A lot of it probably depends on what you are trying to get into, if you are trying to get into 14s then no they won’t accept you. You only have 3 over 10s timed and some of your dungeons arent timed at all or are very low. Pugs want to over perform keys so either that or make your own group. I’d recommend make your own group because then you’ll be doing 16s tmmrw.
Get into a guild that runs keys, run your own keys, or find something more worthwhile to do with your time.
The whole game is based on, and fueled by, elitism.
“ Elitism is the belief or notion that individuals who form an elite —a select group of people perceived as having an intrinsic quality, high intellect, wealth, special skills, or experience—are more likely to be constructive to (the community) as a whole, and therefore deserve influence or authority greater than that of others.”
You can’t, it’s very difficult to change the players mindset. Especially the majority of players mindset.
If a change is needed, then the system needs to change. Cause trying to change the players mindset will never work. The covenant system is a perfect example of this.
We’ve had interchange-able talents for nearly a decade if not more. They introduce 8 new talent like abilities in the game or what should’ve been like talents. Only for half of them to be locked behind a pointless restriction and timegated in order to change.
Is that really what you think I mean? It’s not just 9 players, it’s also the tens of thousands that won’t ever apply because they dont have the proper gear, skill, or experience, according to the select few.
