Late 10man group wondering about progression

[Chaoslux]

So i run a 10man on a backwater server and we're about to kill Garalon (few 1-2% wipes last night) and i've noticed in a discussion with a friend after the raid that Terrace of Endless Spring is no longer locked to "Must kill Empress" and starting to wonder where we should go.
Tanks: Prot Warrior, Brewmaster
Healers: Disc and Holy priests.
DPS: Fire Mage, Aff/Demo Lock, Ret Paly, Enhance Shaman, Ele Shaman, Balance Druid.
Ele Shaman swings.

We could go ahead to Wind Lord and Amber Shaper, or we could work on Protectors of the Endless and have earlier access to Sha-touched weapons.

So is it true that Terrace is easier than Heart of Fear?
Is it true that Elite Protector is the same difficulty as normal protectors and we should just start working on that?

[Sarthan]

Normal mode?

might as well finish all of HoF because it is super easy.

[Lonefighter]

i would say yes to go into springs. even tho u have no down garalon protectors and the dragon r much easyer lei shi not to bad either. protector on elite just take time to get used to once ur group know how phae 3 is its very easy. the main thing the tanks needs to know is taking an extra tick of the debuff can lead to death.

[Levictus]

Edit: Oh, normal modes.

The first three in Terrace are a joke, if your raid is struggling to interrupt on amber shaper I would suggest going to terrace

[Thehealbus]

Elite protectors is pretty much the same difficulty as normal, tsulong can be a challenge on your healers though.

I would suggest killing at least wind lord, then elite protectos, then just finished up hof before finishimg toes.

[Piando]

The second raid group in my guild is at 4/6 in HoF and went Terrace last week. They killed the first three bosses in Terrace including elite protectors. So I think it's easier than the rest of HoF (especially Ambershaper). Since my raid group is going to clear HoF first (working on Empress right now) I don't have any experience in Terrace at all (I refuse to use the LFR tool).

[NRL1515]

Wait, hold the phone... You don't have to have an empress kill to get into ToES now? When did this happen? Or am I missing some vital piece of information?

[Deja Thoris]

Terrace is way easier than HoF. Perhaps not sha but still, thats 3 bosses that offer you the opportunity for loot. Elite protectors is a bit of a joke, if you can come that close to killing garalon you deffo have what it takes to kill them at least.

[Chaoslux]

Wait, hold the phone... You don't have to have an empress kill to get into ToES now? When did this happen? Or am I missing some vital piece of information?

That's exactly what i said when i heard that too, and i found it weird that WoWprogress started reporting things like 6/6, 2/6, 4/4. Think that change happened in 5.1 or soon after, cant see any other explanations.

[NRL1515]

That's exactly what i said when i heard that too, and i found it weird that WoWprogress started reporting things like 6/6, 2/6, 4/4. Think that change happened in 5.1 or soon after, cant see any other explanations.

I think that can probably be explained by people buying (or obtaining) Empress kills from other guilds then using the unlock for their own raid groups, as this is a route our raid leaders are thinking about taking. But, if this is legit, and DOES NOT require an empress kill, it will save us some money. I'm going to have to test this when I get home tonight, but I doubt they have unlocked it. I think Blizz was going to do this when 5.2 came out for sure, but I'll be pleased if they decided to do it earlier.

[Deleted]

As far as i am aware, still need an empress kill to unlock terrace, as we couldnt go in a couple of weeks ago, at 4/6 hof

[Theiea]

You still need an Empress kill to get into Terrace. Im on my paladin right now and it wouldnt let me enter.

[asharia]

if you have time and can find someone to unlock Terrace for you, might as well. the bosses are very easy and drop good loot.

[Chaoslux]

I just tried it again and it wouldnt let me, but i am 100% certain that i entered with a friend yesterday. Neither of us having killed Empress.
Server screw up?

---------- Post added 2013-01-24 at 07:22 PM ----------

The "Buy an empress kill" route is also blocked because we're a backwater server, there literally is no raid guild on my faction that killed Empress yet.

[Deleted]

I would say, Finish off HoF first. Terace is a push over, that's for sure. We cleared it within 3 hours - One night progress. (with elite protectors - dont even bother starting the easy way). But even then, finish HoF. After Garalon the bosses there are easy and with only 2 bosses in HoF on farm you might have problems with enrages in ToES. Tsulong can be hard on that. So ... yea. Just finish off the regular way. It feels better as well.

[Ichifails]

I just tried it again and it wouldnt let me, but i am 100% certain that i entered with a friend yesterday. Neither of us having killed Empress.
Server screw up?

---------- Post added 2013-01-24 at 07:22 PM ----------

The "Buy an empress kill" route is also blocked because we're a backwater server, there literally is no raid guild on my faction that killed Empress yet.

I'm sure people would trade you entry in ToES for Realm Firsts :3

[Deleted]

If those 1-2% garalon wipes are enrage wipes, then I doubt you'll have enough dps for the panda platforms on sha. Apart from that, be sure to pick up windlord first since he's a joke. Ambershaper is weird, just requires everyone to know how the vehicle mechanics work and you'll always end up with some people that don't have a clue and get transformed somewhere in a nice pull and wipe the thing. I'd expect more wipes on this than first 3 in terrace yes.