Stratholme is new Oculus

[Sharaki]

Seriously, I'm starting to hate this instance.

Even with fast group this place can take way longer than other heroics thanks to random spawns and long RP. Thing is, stuff like that doesn't scale with gear: while in other dungeons main downtime comes from killing mobs in strat its the RP. Blizzard has stated that they are aware of the issue. Year ago it was one of my favourite dungeons, since it was quite fast and people actually rushed it thanks to mount reward.

Then the clueless people. In Oculus people wander around and pull extra drakes, in strat they don't do anything. Most of the runs theres 3-4 people (who joined by random thingy) just idling inside strat and waiting that SOMEONE magically starts the event. Most of these people doesn't even know how to do it. "What I should do with crates it shows number top of my screen?" "Why arthas aint coming". More than once no one has talked to arthas after 3rd boss and that corridor needs to be cleared once again. Yes I can do it, but it still feels stupid that if I forget no one does it. Especially if I'm tanking im rushing at front (like after that mentioned 3rd boss, people tell to "go go" and I'll go tank mobs, no one speaks to arthas who moves slower than I do).

Discuss

[yuina]

We went through 3 tanks before the 4th one decided to actually run it - this was just at the entrance too mind you. I haven't seen the entire group disband though, unlike Oculus.

[Deleted]

I insta-leave when strat pops. I can no longer stand the RP, and the waves of trash spawning on one side each of the damn instance over and over. I never had anything against oculus, but this istance is too boring and time-consuimg to be arsed about imo.

I take my 15 min cooldown and look for some rare mobs for my frostbitten achievement, then I que again.

[Huntaer]

Most of the runs theres 3-4 people (who joined by random thingy) just idling inside strat and waiting that SOMEONE magically starts the event. Most of these people doesn't even know how to do it.

Yea people just sit where the first group spawns and even dare ask "who starts the event?"
Nowadays i start it myself to save me some time.

[Verth]

Only happened to myself once and i had to start the event since every1 was inside waiting for no reason for things to start.
Apparently they never heard of talking to the right npc to start events, or are just bored enough to wait these 15 mins to start another dungeon.

[CookieEater]

I've never started it myself and never ever seen someone ask for it. Apparently, I'm just luckier than most of you and find people who have brains and do it automatically.

[Lightfist]

Strat has a few solutions that can be implemented...but by design it's not entirely fixable.

An option to tell Chromie that "Time is of the essence" (LAWL PUN) and directly port you to the Mal'Ganis start. After the adds (which could be reduced to 7 or so), Arthas AUTOMATICALLY SPAWNS at the Town Hall, no fucking waiting 5 minutes (I counted) for him to walk down. You only fight the 2 groups of Dragonspawn instead of 4, and Arthas never stops to talk to us like we're his journal. You kill what's-his-who-gives-a-fuck, then Arthas directly opens the bookshelf and ports down there. You do the gauntlet, and you're done.

[Zagga]

It is the only heroic I don't do. Indeed a year ago it was one of my favourites. First for the RP value and nostalgia for both WC3 and classic wow, then later because it was easilly reachable from dalaran, 5 emblems, semi fast getting groups for it and people always rushed it.

Now however, it is by far the slowest heroic. You usually start with 9 minutes left on the timer, and from there it takes 20 minutes. Every other heroic except maybe PoS (depending on how much trash is pulled) is finished around the end of the timer.

So when it pops I just insta leave it. Got plenty to do in the 15 minutes anyway, including doing random on one of my alts or working on my auctions.

[MushroomBomb]

I've had no occurences like som people here have, so I'll still take Oculus as the worst Heroic. I got it today, tanked through 3 bosses and thought that it would be epically great. Then, the healer starts moaning about getting Make It Count, for which we had about 5 minutes left. First Ley-Guardian attempt: wipe. Second: wipe. Third: wipe, group disbands. By then, the nosy Warlock had done all of the three drakes because he was convinced that the fault lied with the healer or the tank.

Seriously, even with the massive nerfs to that place people still manage to screw it up after being told exactly what buttons to press. In Strat, you can at least count on everything dying, however much roleplaying or wave-running you have to do. At least it gets done and everyone runs off with their 6 or 7 badges.

[cubby]

Seriously, I'm starting to hate this instance.

Discuss

Nothing to discuss. You're abosolutely right - it's the new Occulus and when I get sent in there with a full random group I automatically leave group. I'd rather stare at my screen for 15 min and rejoin then suffer through the pain and anguish of a strat run.

[Zka]

I measured, the best entrance to first pull time was 8 minutes so far. This is when someone opens all crates while some other runs forward to activate Chromie ASAP.
Then a further total ~5 mins pause between bosses and stupid RP.

I hate it, I decided to leave instantly once it pops. But it always pops when I'm there with some friend and don't want to abandon him/them there, so I do it again and again. Not to mention the gauntlet is so annoying to tank, 50 similar mobs and which is the single elite zombie?... Hey that's quite easy to spot amongst the 50 moving nameplates! At least it's even more boring to heal and even worse to DPS as shadow. I have no patience for that, really.

I hate it sooo much I cannot describe.

[Caradinist]

Okay, so throw more triumph badges at it and turn it into 226 gear, problem solved.

[Zka]

Okay, so throw more triumph badges at it and turn it into 226 gear, problem solved.

No, just cut the RP and the pauses after bosses and it's fine. More or less.
Oh and hc VH needs the same treatment, boss and wave pauses are too long.

[Guran]

They should give you a mount ... oh wait!!

Personally I only ever do it on my Druid, because it's just 20 minutes of Swipe spam. Cba on any other tank though, except the paladin if I pick him as last alt to run with.

[bendak]

I remember how much I loved CoT at the beginning of Wrath. Such a cool instance. But nowadays when you are just there for frost emblems and want out ASAP, the RP is annoying. They should just add a NPC at the beginning that ports you to the start with the RP already finished. Even the in-between RP isn't that bad... it's just that whole beginning... its 8-10 minutes of riding your mount then waiting.

The lore is cool, but after 25 clears it loses its appeal.

[Omedon]

Sweet jesus are you people twelve?

It's some talking. Predictably timed. The action that follows is awesome. Minimize and make a sandwich or something, holy crap.

[Deleted]

I agree Occulus rocks now with the badges mount n' all and I even did it before but I would drop group if I saw full greens/blues.
But Strat sucks now way too long and boring I drop instantly and go do something on a reroll if it comes up.

[Puri]

I alt-f4 immediatly when strat or vh pops. Standing around with nothing to do for minutes is worse than waiting 10 mins for the next dungeon invite, even though its illogical, it's true for me.

[FeralRage]

Nothing to discuss. You're abosolutely right - it's the new Occulus and when I get sent in there with a full random group I automatically leave group. I'd rather stare at my screen for 15 min and rejoin then suffer through the pain and anguish of a strat run.

Ahahaa agreed. People who say occulus is worse have to realize if you take a fairly decent group (let's say ilvl 232 avg gear) and have them run both instance, occ will be done under 20 minutes (probably closer to 15). You won't even get to pull the first group of mobs for about 8 minutes in strat.

[romant]

u would hate strat more if half the time its your daily random like it is for me.

PS: one time as a rogue i had more health than the tank, not fun