Got my keystone master about a week ago. Not bragging, apparently there are more than 10k KSM warriors out there in the world. Probably like 100k WoW characters have KSM by now.
It wasn’t easy playing alone with not so desired class (DPS warrior) You know you can perform for the group you are applying for but your application gets declined because you know, it doesn’t matter how good you are. No lust, no brez. Sometimes I go through hours getting declined before running a single dungeon which still has a chance to be disastrous. So many times, one wipe, a player leaves. There I just wasted hours of playtime. Of course, it’s a lot more time efficient when you run your own key however as you know, things still happen. After grinding over grinding, I got to the point there is nothing for me to gain unless +16 or higher. When you apply for +16 or higher, everyone is KSM. My key has become the only option.
One day I was determined to farm off my key possibly up to +18. I spent hours going +16~+13 back and forth. It was exhausting and stressful. After all day, I gained nothing. No score, no gear. I’m aware this is not a deadend but the whole experience felt like torture, not gaming. Fortified Nokhud is pretty arduous and right after 3rd boss, Tank left citing “key is bricked. I’m doing it for io” I get it there was nothing for him to gain. The group disbanded and I was left with another NO key. NO made me hate centaurs even horses now. That was the last straw.
The game has become way too stressful for me to keep playing.
Just my rant before signing out.
30 Likes
You didn’t make a single friend on your journey to 2k io?
I started pushing in SL S1 and now I’ve got a friends list full of competent players that I can choose from.
Pug keys are brutal and Blizzard has upped the io to upgrade valor gear this xpac…now players need 2400 
just to fully upgrade their gear…
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/Hug
I feel ya. I hate M+ tho so take my support with a grain of salt.
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Warriors are the best tanks in mythic+ by a mile. Small violin when you can literally change specs and become S tier
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Just need something like solo queue for M+, seeing how awesome they made solo shuffle. That way you can get in a group guaranteed and go. Maybe cap it at 15 or something so it doesn’t get hard, hard content + randoms = oopsy poopsy! Also, nobody would heal this so do healer NPC bots.
you could leave 5mans behind and try raiding… with a guild and everything. here nobody leaves after a wipe.
7 Likes
I do know many competent players. I think most of my guildies are over 2500+ and I’m just not good enough for them lol.
The experience wasn’t always bad. I did run into some good groups and pushed keys together. It was great. It’s just too rare.
Im sorry you had a bad run with a few groups, i can tank a few for you. I have no desire to rush or get anywhere and i time all my 15 keys. Even a couple 16s and 17s.
I wont ask for anything other then bring some snacks and good jokes
Send me a friend request in game and we can knock a few out.
7 Likes
Really a good way to put it. I remember coming home from work and just running BGs grinding my way for better gear. Winning just meant having to play less or getting gear faster. Losing was still progress. It was relaxing and fun. Now it’s all based on rating. Everything locked behind a smaller and smaller percentile of macro/addon mastery. This esports mentality has spread to pve with key runs. Gear progression should not be locked behind such speed running novelty. Should be titles and cosmetics as best. I don’t know what Blizzard is thinking with that.
12 Likes
I do run raids. Pugging raid isn’t that bad even at heroics. It’s actually more casual… as I can just pick a boss I want at a time. No desire to do mythic raiding anymore. I’ve had my time and no going back lol.
3 Likes
and that’s fine - but i think the social aspect of a raiding guild, even at normal/heroic level makes the game more enjoyable.
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When I was finding friends to form a static group I purposely found players that had 50-60+ timed keys from range 10-14, these are your grinders and most of them know the majority of the mechanics but like you have no one to play with.
Rogue friend I found in SL hadn’t timed a single 15 but had 100+ timed 10-14’s and now that guy is 2600 and carries me all the time.
People that are much higher won’t stick around and will treat the keys you run together as some sort of favor or charity.
The best pug groups are the ones with ruthless leads, removing people every couple of pulls to trim the fat. Nothing worse than a bunch of players pulling 0 damage and the leader keeping them around and wasting time.
3 Likes
Don’t put too much stress on yourself. You already accomplished something pretty cool. I’d say it’s about the equivalent relative difficulty of pugging CM Gold back in MoP. I remember a lot of wipes and fail groups. At least now you get gear and a vault pity drop.
Just take a few days off from trying to push keys. You’re burning yourself out.
2 Likes
I really enjoyed the gold run back in MoP. I did the entire thing in one day with a very determined group. I still remember Mogu’shan was the hardest.
1 Like
Currently 6.2% or so have KSM so it’s still not a large amount. KSH is around .5% as well if you were wondering.
There’s a total of 42,853 characters with KSM in the US + OCE.
So you spend hours of your time getting declined instead of creating your own groups?
Sounds like you need to do a better job vetting your pugs.
Maybe they don’t wanna tank? Switching roles is not easy for everyone.
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Not everyone enjoys or is even any good at tanking, so saying the solution is to respec is just wrong.
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I hope they do just so I can watch the forum burn.
You already can with your own key.
LFM+ can’t even barely clear LFR.
which would be comedy gold
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This right here is why we see bad tanks… Dont just tell someone to swap specs because you think prot war is op? If fury wars did this and started tanking we’d be screwed.
It’s the reason you see big pulling tanks in 10’s or so because they think they are playing S tier OP spec but realize they have to use brain still.
3 Likes