Algalon, Sinestra - do we need more Heroic-only "reward" bosses?

[coldbear]

http://www.wowpedia.org/Algalon
Algalon can only be accessed if at least one member of a raid has obtained the [Celestial Planetarium Key] or [Heroic Celestial Planetarium Key]. Players have a one-hour window to defeat him per lockout period, starting upon first initiation of the encounter.[1] Blizzard has sardonically referred to him as "Algalon the Raid Destroyer".

http://www.wowpedia.org/Sinestra_(tactics)
Sinestra is a heroic-mode only boss in the Bastion of Twilight, described as similar to Algalon the Observer in Ulduar. She is only accessible after Cho'gall is defeated.

As a playerbase we love hearing about the exploits of famous guilds and the hardcore on each server love racing for that server first. Seeing a new boss is awesome. Being one of the few and the proud that get to see the really cool exclusive stuff is a huge rush, but also a barrier to regular players who feel shut out because they don't have the skills or time or want to put in the effort to get in the top raiding guild to see the cutting edge content while it's still current.

So what do you think? Should they implement more, exclusive rewards for the few who are in the top guilds - or let everyone access it eventually with an ICC-buff system?

[Xtazey]

Eventually, yes, atleast two tiers behind. It wouldn't matter then that much anymore.

[Bumbaclot]

I don't mind heroic-only bosses, but please don't make "handicapped people buffs" like they did in ICC anymore.

[Nah]

The thing about Algalon was...well, he wasn't the most difficult encounter for that tier of content; Alone in the Darkness was, especially on 25-man.

I like the idea of having a few extra-difficult-to-kill-or-unlock bosses for the more hardcore raiding guilds, so long as a majority of players are able to experience a majority of the content. Since Sinestra is part of the first tier of content, everyone will eventually be able to experience the encounter as new tiers are released.

[Tahkmaul]

Heroic modes are just that...Heroic. They are there for those who CAN and DO put in the necessary time. For those who cannot or do not put in the time, there is the other 99% of the content available to them. I do not see a problem with having this type of content as opposed to having entire raids that only the hardcore can do. If you want to see the elite content, be elite. If you can't be elite, enjoy the entire rest of the game.

[SheepHunter]

Take a look at ulduar, the best Raid blizzard ever made, and there is no "ICC Buff" in there, and it still was fun.

I never got in to Ulduar untill ICC came, but still, I can tell ya, the best raid ever.

[lol]

I say both.

For the first few months allow exclusive content to those truly dedicated to the game, such as the top guilds. For defeating this boss you should be rewarded a title. Once the next set of raids hit, you can implement a % dmg increase to the raid instance to push everyone through (Although this won't be necessary for the Tier 1 and 2 raids, since gear will push them through). Once the next set of raids hit, you take away the title or any rare mount the exclusive mount may drop. This way it rewards the top guilds for doing it while it was extremely difficult, while allowing for the casuals to experience the content.

People will always complain... This is the best model but the top guilds will complain that they should never get to see the content, that's a bit harsh. The casuals will complain they want to see the content while its new but its to hard or they don't have the time, they will also complain that they didn't get the title or the mount.

All in all you really can't make a whole database of players happy, but you can try to make the least amount angry.

[erebusman]

I have two feelings on this type of issue:

A) There are about 12 million people paying roughly $14.99 a month to play the game. The hard/heroic/keyed only mentality per blizzard locks this content to less than 6% of the player base. I feel blizzard is wasting development time & money developing content for only 6% of the player base to have even the 'potential' of seeing it. They need to STOP that immediately.

B) However hardcore self flagelators need things that help them stroke their ePeens. They do need heroic/hardmode that perma kill their characters when they die so they can start the game all over from level 1. This *might* be hardcore enough for them to be happy ..

Until they learn that hardcore != skill in any sense of the word that would be meaningful outside of a video game and realize that the rest of us dont need to be submitted to that anyways..

[yjmark]

I think there should be one per tier. It does not require a ton of resources to make a single encounter, so it's not like asking for an entire raid with 15 bosses that only a minority of people can access.

[Avalos]

There used to be whole isntances that most people would never see. Now, it's only one "hardcore only" boss, and some still have a problem with it.

All in all you really can't make a whole database of players happy, but you can try to make the least amount angry.

^ This

[eternalwhitemoon]

I love heroic-only bosses. You know what downing Algalon in T8 was like? ABSOLUTELY FREAKING EPIC.

Don't cheapen it a la ICC. You'll outgear it soon enough, just like Algalon.

[MFDOOM]

I don't mind heroic-only bosses, but please don't make "handicapped people buffs" like they did in ICC anymore.

Why not? You can turn them off if they bother you. Are you just upset that you think you're too good for it and that the buffs were for those OTHER players, that stereotypical group of Wrath Babies made up and targeted by elitists to cite changes?

[Shiira]

Why not?

Because the game already has a system that allows players to gradually get more health, damage and healing.

It's called gear.

[MFDOOM]

Because the game already has a system that allows players to gradually get more health, damage and healing.

It's called gear.

Once again, turn off the buff if it bothers you that you can perform better.

[Cope]

The reason they did the 30% ICC buffs is it was the last tier of the expansion. We won't see that again until the last tier of Cata (and hopefully not then).

Releasing new tiers of content acts essentially the same as the 30% buff. This is one justification for hard mode only bosses. Everyone got to kill Algalon by the end of the expansion just through upgrading gear, and the same will go for Sinestra. The only hard mode only boss that will be only killable by top guilds will be the one in the last tier (if they continue and put one in the last tier), and only if we don't see a 30% buff like ICC in that tier.

[nalle]

I have two feelings on this type of issue:

A) There are about 12 million people paying roughly $14.99 a month to play the game. The hard/heroic/keyed only mentality per blizzard locks this content to less than 6% of the player base. I feel blizzard is wasting development time & money developing content for only 6% of the player base to have even the 'potential' of seeing it. They need to STOP that immediately.

B) However hardcore self flagelators need things that help them stroke their ePeens. They do need heroic/hardmode that perma kill their characters when they die so they can start the game all over from level 1. This *might* be hardcore enough for them to be happy ..

Until they learn that hardcore != skill in any sense of the word that would be meaningful outside of a video game and realize that the rest of us dont need to be submitted to that anyways..

Sorry kid, but that just sounds like you're jealous because you do not wish to/can't put in the time and dedication to down those bosses, or you're simply not good enough.

But thats fine, the other 99% of the game has been scaled down to fit your gaming standard, so you have alot more to do and accomplish then any casual/careface player/baddies etc has ever had in vanilla and tbc.

And no, I'm not a hardcore player, barely play the game anymore due to irl reasons (I was playing hardcore in tbc and wotlk though so I know how it feels on both sides).

[yjmark]

Because the game already has a system that allows players to gradually get more health, damage and healing.

It's called gear.

To be fair, the ICC buff was on the last tier of content, so there was no additional gear to get. I have no issues with thing like the ICC buffs that made it easier for folks who had a hard time. However, I did think that it should have been less of a buff. 10% a month (or whatever it was) is quite excessive, and actually changed people's gearing strategies. imho - that meant it was too much of a buff when it is relied on that much.

[Deleted]

Take a look at ulduar, the best Raid blizzard ever made, and there is no "ICC Buff" in there, and it still was fun.

I never got in to Ulduar untill ICC came, but still, I can tell ya, the best raid ever.

Having gear 2 tiers above the raid you are going to would be very similar to having correct gear + an ICC buff, just so you know.

[Bombkirby]

Honestly, I wouldn't mind if they just added an "easy" mode. Either it could be a raid with toned down fights (Like how normal is to hard mode, except it will be how easy is to normal mode) and it would grant less or no VP. OR the other possibility, is just make easy mode DEAD easy (like boringly easy, like you have to TRY to wipe) and have it give no rewards. Just so people can see whats in a raid. It'd be like running Naxx at level 85.

[Culexus]

Honestly, I wouldn't mind if they just added an "easy" mode. Either it could be a raid with toned down fights (Like how normal is to hard mode, except it will be how easy is to normal mode) and it would grant less or no VP. OR the other possibility, is just make easy mode DEAD easy (like boringly easy, like you have to TRY to wipe) and have it give no rewards. Just so people can see whats in a raid. It'd be like running Naxx at level 85.

So the fun of raiding is seeing a raidboss doing chainlightnings or whatever skill he has? Sorry but thats what youtube is for.