10 =/= 25

I like how wrath introduced easy mode. However, it’s safe to say that they’re still trying to clean it up.
We started with a clean 10 vs 25. 10 was supposed to be easier than 25. Some of the 10’s encounter mechanics was deleted for 10.
On top of that, sometimes they layered it with hard modes.
Then 3.1 comes out and the ‘hard modes’ becomes official.

So by design the hierarchy of difficulties should look (easiest to hardest) something like 10 normal<10 hard<25 normal<25 hard

Then they realized that in order to do this, they have to ‘design’ 4 times for the same encounter. This includes variety of class make up and balance, mechanics, gear, etc.

It will be like as if they tie themselves up and blindfolded if they were to follow this rigidly. And to this, we see some exception to the rule. Some say there’s too many of these exception that they’ve lost it.

Not entirely a surprise if they decided to streamline the difficulties tier in the next expansion.

The idea behind Wrath raiding is great but I really think the player base is not ready for it. They’re so used to the ‘progression’ path method that measure difficulties on an encounter basis. I call Wrath raiding as lateral raiding and TBC raiding as linear.

Wrath design brought new ideas to the table. An idea of progression based on real difficulties that you can adjust instead of dictated by the encounter designer. An idea where encounters are part of content that everybody should be able to experience and still leave the hard mode challenges to those who seek it.

From the looks of it Cata’s raiding scene will be a mix of Naxx and ICC with some simplification.

Ciao

Is a one size fits all expression I learn during a short stint in the Amalfi coast. It is hello and goodbye at the same time.

This was a short lived blog and I’m probably saying ciao to no one. But I felt the need anyways.