Unlocking Solo Timewalker Adventures
Get sent to the Caverns of Time where there is a newly introduced central hub for players. You start a chain quest which sends you to rescue 15 NPCs from some of the iconic raids and dungeons from all the past expansions (Molten Core, Black Temple, Ice Crown Citadel, etc.). Once the chain quest is complete it unlocks ‘Classic Timewalking’
Classic Timewalking
Using a Mission Table style interface, you are transported back to Classic, where your level is adjusted to 60 and you are equipped with a default set of green gear based on your profession specialization.
While Timewalking in Classic, you progress your character through Dungeons, using the recruited NPCs as your party members, gearing yourself and the NPCs as you go.
Initially only a handful of (D1) 5-man Dungeons will be available (you +4 NPCs), however, upon clearing that dungeon for the first time, harder dungeons unlock.
BRD Unlocks LBRS Unlocks UBRS
Strat Live Unlocks Strat Dead
DME Unlocks DMW Unlocks DMN
As you and your recruited NPCs gain more gear and reach a collective item level, it will unlock the (Tier 1) 10-man Raids (you +9 NPCs), where upon clearing that Raid for the first time, the next tier raid unlocks, as well as next tier dungeon difficulty.
MC Unlocks BWL (+D2) Unlocks ZG (+D3) Unlocks AQ20 (+D4) Unlocks AQ40 (+D5) Unlocks Naxx (+D6)
Upon Completing the final raid of Classic Timewalker (Naxx), it will then unlock TBC Timewalker, where a similar progression system is in place.
For all dungeons and raids, there will be an option to use;
Personal Loot, where only your loot drops, and any loot for NPCs will automatically be equipped if it is an upgrade
Or;
Master Loot, where you delegate all loot between yourself and the NPCs
Notes.
- The raids are capped at 10 for several reasons
- To keep the number of NPCs manageable (there are 15 NPCs but only 9 selected for each raid, to give the player control over raid composition, classes, roles, etc.)
- To make managing loot achievable (managing loot for 40+ NPCs would become tedious)
- To ensure Blizzard can script raid encounters to a standard where the success vs failure variables are player input and collective item level (initial progression should be very dependent upon player input, then as the collective item level of the raid increases the player input becomes less important, this best emulates raiding progression); it also means that you and your NPCs are not geared enough to clear the next raid tier, you continue to gear yourself and your NPCs until it becomes achievable.
- The introduction of the dungeon difficulty increase option after each raid tier is to help the player and NPCs gear up in a timely manner. If it was solely a weekly raid lockout providing the only means for gear increase, it would result in months of doing 1 tier before having sufficient item level to progress through the next tier. However, if players can run dungeons, where the loot table is equivalent to the previous tier’s item level, they will gear up quick enough to remain engaged in the timewalker concept.
For Example;
Item level 60 = Dungeon 1
Item level 65 = MC + Dungeon 2
Item level 70 = BWL + Dungeon 3
Item level 75 = ZG + Dungeon 4
Item level 80 = AQ20 + Dungeon 5
Item level 85 = AQ40 + Dungeon 6
Item level 90 = Naxx
The Value of Timewalker Solo Adventures
Blizzard have spent a lot of time developing content over the past 15+ years of this game and much of it sits unused. With the introduction of a solo timewalker function, it brings new life to the older mostly dormant content without detracting from the greater multiplayer aspects of the current content.
The older content is currently not utilised in any meaningful multiplayer way. Instead it is used by a select few who wish to gain transmog, reputation or achievements and are not engaged while doing this; as the vast majority of the content is 1-shot by the higher level characters running it.
With this function, it allows players to achieve these transmogs, reputations and achievements in a meaningful, engaging way while not disrupting the current content as whatever items are obtained during timewalker are not carried through to the current content.