This month, most of our time was spent in Blackrock Depths (BRD), which is easily the largest 5-man instance in the game. We attacked the dungeon in three stages, focusing first on getting the key that is needed for much of the zone and then pushing through to the last boss in two parts. This is really how the dungeon was meant to be approached, and the fact that there's so much negative talk about BRD is a direct result of the fact that people try to do the entire dungeon in one push. Blizzard's reaction this has been the creation of dungeons whose wings not only have a progression in terms of keys, but in terms of levels. This keeps players from pushing to go back to, for example, Ramparts when they are of a level to do Blood Furnace. It's sad, in a way, and if you run BRD the way it was meant to be run, it's an amazingly cool dungeon!Ok, now on with the details...
Sunday, July 6, 2008: Getting the key
Party: Chepi (heals,dps), Jazred (dps), Himalountain (tank, aoedps)
Levels: 52-53
Status: BRD cleared up to Lord Incendius
Milestones: Shadowforge Key
With much anticipation we began one of the dungeons that really spurred Saturnalia's creation: Blackrock Depths
AKA BRD. BRD is one of the most difficult dungeons in the old world for
level-appropriate characters. There are many packs of 6-7 mobs and
frequently 5-packs of all elite mobs. Casters, healers, runners, linked
groups, trick pulls, etc. This zone has it all. We did have some
serious problems keeping up on the healing once we reached the 5-pack
area after Incendius, and given the hour, we decided to call it quits,
but with another level on the tank we'll go back in and take advantage
of some of the great loot we got, including the Arbiter's Blade (WowheadPricing) and clear down to Emperor next week!
Saturday, July 12, 2008: Bael'Gar and the Grim Guzzler
Party: Chepi (heals,dps), Jazred (dps), Himalountain (tank, aoedps)
Levels: 54-55
Status: BRD cleared up to the Grim Guzzler
Milestones: Angerforge, Bael'Gar
We did so much more this run through Blackrock Depths than I thought we would! All told, it was TEN bosses:
- High Interrogator Gerstahn
- The Commander Gor'shak relase event
- Ring of Law
- (then, via the Shadowforge Key) Bael'gar
- Lord Incendius
- Fineous Darkvire
- Warder Stilgiss & Verek
- Watchman Doomgrip (Relic Coffers)
- (and then back to) General Angerforge
- Golem Lord Argelmach
We ended up in the Grim Guzzler, but needed to call it quits so that we could go off to a party that night. All things considered, 10 boss fights is fun enough for one run! :-)
Lessons learned were many. We really need a slowing totem down when there are lots of non-elites, as they'll all die around the same time, and in BRD they tend to run. It's also much better to take on Bael'Gar from the Shadowforge Key gate at the entrance. Those dwarf elite packs can go horribly, horribly wrong, and if they do, it's nice to be able to have your tank stand and die while the others run to the zone entrance. Since we're all rez-capable, cleaning up from wipes is often trivial.
We also learned that the golems and Watchman Doomgrip are not linked, so if you wipe when opening the relic coffers, you can come back and single-pull Doomgrip. We took out the golems after, just out of spite.
With Argelmach, the key is to clear everything in the two rooms before him and then take out his golems while he runs around. You may not take out both, but you don't have to chase him either. Once he returns, switch targets and go to town. I imagine this is a great fight for a warrior, since the golems give you plenty of rage for the fight with the boss! As it was, I was hurting for mana as our pally tank, but we made it just fine.
Saturday, July 19, 2008: To the Emperor, plus Scholomance and Stratholme
Party: Chepi (heals,dps), Jazred (dps), Himalountain (tank, aoedps)
Levels: 56-57
Status: BRD cleared to Emperor, first taste of Stratholme and Scholomance
Milestones: Emperor Dagran Thaurissan, Timmy the Cruel
Another long weekend in BRD, but likely our last. We've finally cleared to the Emperor,
and I think we've actually downed all of the bosses in our time there.
We even went and got our MC attunement and wandered in to look at the
trash. Oddly, we found most sources of info on the Magmus
fight in BRD lacking. He's easy if you just pull him to the doors on
either end of the hall. We were not hit by the flames there, and killed
him quickly on our second attempt.
In other news, we've started gearing up in some AH-purchased outlands greens, and used those to poke our heads into Stratholme and Scholomance a bit early. We cleared Strat to the Scarlet Crusade and killed Timmy The Cruel,
but we did not get the key to the city. In Scholo we learned that we
don't know the layout of the place well enough, and ended up clearing
tons of trash, but not actually encountering any bosses. We'll study up
on the summoned bosses and layout and go back soon!
And that leaves Outland! We're going to be trying Hellfire Ramparts sometime soon, probably when we're all at least 59. Can three people clear Ramparts? Can Outland be 3-manned? We'll find out!
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