Worth going casual as ex-raider?

[Iammighty]

Like the title says, I used to raid quite seriously in Cataclysm, I had a long break from studies during that time period therefore I had a lot of free time, I really enjoyed playing semi-hardcore. Since september I'm back on my studies, I cancelled my subscription and I didn't visit Azeroth since then.

I was addicted pretty badly and I miss the game, miss the people that I met. I returned to Diablo (I can play about 5-8 hours each week) and I really enjoy the game, but I just keep thinking "damn, I wish I was playing WoW instead".

Obviously I can't raid anymore because I need to dedicate a lot of time to my studies, but I can play 2-3h every now and then, and basically that's why I created this thread - do you guys think that MoP is worth getting back into just to play really casually, do some arenas/bg's/LFR etc?

Is there a lot to do from casuals point of view? Do you think that getting back will be disappointing experience for someone who played to raid, but cannot raid anymore?

Thanks in advance.

[Deleted]

Raided pretty hardcore TBC/Wrath, moved to casual in Cata and now in MoP, and I'm not regretting it, even if I'd now have the time to raid every night of the week. There's more to do now than ever before as a non-raider.

[Rivellana]

Honestly you'll never know until you try it and see for yourself.

Personally, I quit a few times, played a few other games that didn't have raid type end game settings and it always made me come back to WoW for the raiding. I'm doing casual normal mode raiding (6 hrs a week) and it and LFR and the other aspects are plenty to keep me busy. Would I be happy if I couldn't do normal modes? IDK.

I've seen many people post on the forums who used to be hardcore raiders and are just fine being casual.

[Fhi]

Mists is made for what I call the "lunch crowd", people who have an hour here and there to play and on the weekends. It's made for people like you. Whether or not those content will actually keep your interest long enough is something you'll have to find out on your own.

[nekobaka]

It just really comes down to what kinds of things you enjoy. If you like things that are more laid back and overall free of challenge, then you should be fine and have a lot of content that will take you a long time to do at that level of casual time play and LFR as well if you enjoy group based content. In terms of keeping players busy, MoP has a lot of it that is easy to break up in small chunks, just not much effort is required and for those more laid back players that is what they usually want.

If you like to have a challenge while still progressing your character, then you really cant do that without raiding and dependent on availability of PuGs on your realm. With 2-3 hours of solid block, it would be possible to PuG raid, though between being far behind on gear and having to get into one quickly as you log in it just isnt going to happen. If you can get groups together to challenge modes than that could be useful in terms of challenging casual content, just dont expect to really progress your character with the limited time you have spent there.

So you just gotta figure out what kinds of things you like doing and how much challenge/effort you want involved with them. Things like dailies might take a longer period to get done, though they are at your own pace, if you want challenging group based content, then unlike early Cata, you are basically SoL.

edit:
Was reminded by Whitey that PVP is still a good option for those seeking engaging game play while still on a casual time table.

[Darsithis]

I think it's great. I raided as an MT from Ulduar to the beginning of MoP before quitting raiding for good. Now I have piles of fun with arena in 2v2 and 3v3 (capping conquest in ONE HOUR a week vs 9 hours of raiding), leveling up alts, doing dailies, old runs for gold, and achievement hunting. I have plenty to do.

[Deleted]

If you like to have a challenge while still progressing your character, then you really cant do that without raiding and dependent on availability of PuGs on your realm

Arena and RBGs say hi.

[jmacphee9]

MoP is great for a non raider, you got a bunch of different things to do that are new like farmville which everyone seems to love, LFR is easy and fun, tons of different dailies, arenas, bgs, and more can all be done without serious dedication. theres also the brawlers guild 1v1 pve "tournament", challenge mode dungeons, etc...

[nekobaka]

Arena and RBGs say hi.

Yes I forgot, thank you for the reminder. If you like PVP then that is the way to go in terms of engaging content at a casual pace. It is nice that PVP so far has been able to keep this casual time play focus.

[Beefhammer]

Like the title says, I used to raid quite seriously in Cataclysm, I had a long break from studies during that time period therefore I had a lot of free time, I really enjoyed playing semi-hardcore. Since september I'm back on my studies, I cancelled my subscription and I didn't visit Azeroth since then.

I was addicted pretty badly and I miss the game, miss the people that I met. I returned to Diablo (I can play about 5-8 hours each week) and I really enjoy the game, but I just keep thinking "damn, I wish I was playing WoW instead".

Obviously I can't raid anymore because I need to dedicate a lot of time to my studies, but I can play 2-3h every now and then, and basically that's why I created this thread - do you guys think that MoP is worth getting back into just to play really casually, do some arenas/bg's/LFR etc?

Is there a lot to do from casuals point of view? Do you think that getting back will be disappointing experience for someone who played to raid, but cannot raid anymore?

Thanks in advance.

I raid 2-3 hours a night two nights a week. Since WotLK we have downed every raid on every size and difficulty while relevant, besides HM LK and H Rags. You can find a guild that caters to your play style if you look hard enough. I would start with a post on the guild recruitment forums saying exactly what you are looking for and see if anything fits.

[Xargoth6634]

I'd be interested in hearing from raiders who have been more hardcore from pre-Ulduar to now in regards to the raid content and how fun it is. The LFR raids I've participate in in MoP feel more lifeless and boring than even DS LFR, wondering if it's just my perspective or it's shared by more of you. I haven't done any non LFR raiding this xpac, but I found heroic Dragon Soul to be a lot more fun than LFR so just curious. (And it wasn't just the fact that it was more challenging either).

Basically is it the content itself, or LFR that's killing it for me?

[Simon_Moon]

Basically is it the content itself, or LFR that's killing it for me?

I raid mainly lfr as I made exactly the transition this thread is about. Every once in a while I have time to pug normal raids and it's a lot more fun, a lot more involved. My advice to the OP would be to go for a large population server where content can be pugged once it's a bit older so even with little time lfr is not the only style of raiding you see.

Outside of raids mop is great for a casual play style. Don't get tempted to do more than one faction at once, try challenge modes, do a scenario once in a while. I am having a blast and you might as well.

[Outofmana]

I raided @ the highest level in vanilla/tbc and wotlk(not so much) and chose to play cataclysm casually. I quite enjoyed just logging in sometimes and doing LFR Dragonsoul (well, it was a terrible instance but the LFR itself was pretty cool for my main and some alts a few hours a week), it's quite relaxing to do and you still get to do new instances which is always fun imo. LFR was the only thing to keep me interested at the end of cataclysm and since you have 5 LFR versions now and another ones in future patches there should be a lot to do while logging in once in a while.

Of course the LFR only wasn't enough for me when I started playing more so, the raids are pretty fun, I'd say they haven't been this good since TBC, brilliant fights and a good atmosphere overall.

But if you do decide to play a bit more and will try to do normals, do try to find a _good_ guild that raids only like 1/2 nights for 2/3 hours. (They are out there) I didn't though and I never thought people could still fail at the simplest things after 100 tries. I am way too used to players getting everything within 2/3 tries, once you go there there is no going back I guess. I'd also try and find a 25 man guild, I always raided only 40/25 mans and 10 mans are just not the same.

[wildemu]

Not really, no.

[Socialhealer]

Not really, no.

you saw everyone put well thought and informational opinions, and you thought hey i know 3 words should be a good reply.....well thanks.

as others have said there is more to do outside raiding, and some of the casuals even complain that they have too much they are "forced" to do, well they aren't forced there is just plenty to do in WoW now and u dont have to do every aspect of it, this is great design by blizzard that should keep most people who like to have something they can do happy, instead of cata where u sat in org.

[Catalept]

Absolutely. I'm an ex raider (quit just before Firelands) and MoP is as much fun as I've ever had. LFR is a huge part of that, as I get to see content, get upgrades and badges, but without the massive timesink of 'actual' raiding. In the meantime, 5.1's lightly-gated content is (IMO) Blizzard's best attempt so far at introducing lore-heavy content that's fun and accessible, and if you approach them right, the 5.0 faction grinds are a good way to pass the time (hint: only work on a couple of factions at a time).

A lot of it will come down to just how well they'll be able to deliver on their 'alternating content' approach to patches, so time will tell.

[Deleted]

Do you think that getting back will be disappointing experience for someone who played to raid, but cannot raid anymore?

Unlike a lot of other people replying, personally I found the game without hardcore raiding disappointing to the point of unsubscribing altogether. Like you, I played to raid and was pretty hardcore for a good while. Casual raiding was more frustrating than enjoyable, personally I'm motivated by rankings and achievements and getting things like mounts, titles, achievements etc as soon as possible. I understand that many people can be very happy taking things more slowly but personally it just frustrates me. Another personal thing is that I really don't like 10 man raiding and that's kind of what you're stuck with if you're going casual unless you get lucky.

I like PvP very much but I didn't enjoy the state it was in when I stopped playing. I don't see the point in grinding rep for gear or recipes if I'm not going to use them for raiding, and I hate dailies more than I want exalted mounts. Pet battles were huge fun for about an hour, and then I lost interest.

I also think though that I'm really burned out on the game and if you're not you might well find joy in it in areas other than raiding. You won't really know unless you try it, but I wanted to give you an alternative viewpoint to all the happy people that have been replying ;p

[kooldavid]

I was a hardcore raider back in vanilla,tbc and wrath days. I've no issues being a casual ever since the last expansion. I'm enjoying doing the dailies, heroic and LFR. There's lots of things for me to do instead of raiding

[omghesbalance]

I went from a 'hardcore' raider/player. I played 16+ hours a day for about 2 years straight. The launch of Cata Ive been playing casual I find it pretty nice. Im on US Illidan and on my free time I can do Raid finders find good pugs for new content get dailys done. The best part about it is I can log on and off as I please, I dont need to feel like im letting people down when I have other things to do outside of WOW.

[Malkazam]

WoW is made for casual so.. Go for it.