Introduction and Invitation Conduct
Instances are dungeons where the enemies are a lot stronger than other enemies of the same level outside of the dungeon. In turn, these enemies drop better loot and grant higher experience gains when killed. In order to progress through these dungeons you must form a group with other players, usually consisting of 5 players, to get the greatest possible benefit from these instances.
The best method of getting a group for a specified instance is to form one yourself! Talk to people in the area and ask them politely(very important) if they want to join a group for an instance. If they decline, then honor their decision. If they accept, then feel free to invite them to your group. However, do NOT, under any circumstances, run around inviting people randomly without first talking to them. Most people find it incredibly annoying and may ignore you.
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II. Group Basics
Now that that’s out of the way we can talk about the basics. At lower levels, IE 10-26, it isn’t as necessary to have a “tank” class with your group, but under most circumstances it is required to have one or more “healing” classes. Other than the tank and the healer, the rest of the group will consist of DPS classes.
The Tank:
Tanking Classes are designed to deal moderate damage and take all incoming damage. They are there to keep the enemies from killing the rest of the group. Tank classes have abilities that cause higher threat, thus making it easier for them to hold agro on the mobs without having them attack your other group members. The tank should focus on protecting the healer, as the healer cannot heal if their being hit. Other group members generally come as a secondary priority.
Tank classes are usually limited to: Warriors, Druids in Bear-form, and Paladins. Though at low levels Shaman can tank relatively well.
The Healer:
Healing Classes are classes whose main role is to heal the other group members. They are made to keep the others alive so the rest can kill the mobs. A group without a healer is destined to fail, no matter what. The tank’s main job is to protect the healer from damage, since most healers have low survivability. The healer should focus on healing the tank, because the tank will keep the rest of the party from needing heals if they are doing their job well. DPS should come as a secondary priority.
Healing classes are usually limited to: Priests, and Druids. But Shaman and Paladins can also heal well if they’re specced for it.
The Damage Dealers:
DPS, or Damage Per Second classes are made to deal high amounts of damage very quickly. These are the classes that will deal the majority of the groups damage. It is the tank’s job to keep the mobs off the dps’ers, and it is the healer’s job to keep the dps’ers alive if they pull agro away from the tank.
Every class can deal dps, but the ones that do so the best are: Rogues, Mages, Warlocks, Druids, Shaman, Hunters, and Paladins.
Most groups should have at least one healer, and at least one tank(though it’s optional at lower levels) and the rest consisted of dps classes. That way you can have the greatest amount of damage while not sacrificing survivability for it.
The Assist (Contributed by Numitora)
The Assist is basically a DPSer who's responsible for going sure all the damage classes are going after the most important mobs first. If there is any confusion about who you should attack next, target the Assist (most easily done with the F1-F5 keys, with F1 being you and the rest being the other members of your party) and then press F to target their target. Alternatively, you can make a macro that gives this role its name:
/assist [player's name]
Having an Assist is rarely necessary, but can be useful in cases where there are multiple mobs of the same type or when you get an unexpected add. If you do designate someone to be the Assist, make sure they know the dungeon fairly well and can make quick judgements about what mobs are most dangerous to leave alive.
Raid Icons (Contributed by Lethe)
The group leader can right click on a target's portrait and select from a choice of icons that will appear over the target's head. For groups of mobs, this is a good way of separating out the one chosen for CC (crowd control, like sap or sheep) and the one everyone is to focus fire on to make sure they're brought down quickly. It is important that the entire group works together, or adds can be pulled to the healer or DPSers, which can cause wipes, as well as not breaking CC too early. Make sure the whole group knows what each symbol means, ie Skull is kill first, diamond is kill second/off-tank, moon is sheep, etc.
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III. Loot Rules
This is of large importance because of the loot that will drop in instances. Most often, off of mobs without specific names, the drops will be green, and will boe, or bind on equip, meaning you won’t be able to give it to other players if you equip it.
On green boe’s, if you do not need it, then press the Greed button. And if you do need it, then inform your group that you do before pressing the Need button. Many greens from instances will be of decent quality that can be used or sold on the Auction House.
Most named mobs, most often classified as bosses, will drop better loot including superior (blue) items. Most blue items will be bop, bind on pickup, so you will not be able to give the item to other players or sell it after you loot it. Be careful to look at the item and roll on it based on whether you need it or not. I would suggest that if you do not need a blue item, then Pass on it rather than Greeding it, though it’s fine if you hit Greed.
Don’t ever ninja items. Ninja’ing refers to rolling need on an item that you do not need and taking the item from someone who most likely would have gotten it. Ninja’ing items is unacceptable and most group leaders will boot you from the group if you do so. If you’re the group leader the rest of your group might leave. In addition, if you ninja something important, IE a Blue or Epic(purple) boe, the others in your group may warn other players about you, making it much more difficult for you to form a group in the future.
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IV. Dungeon List
These are the Instances currently in game, ranked by level range/difficulty.
Ragefire Chasm RFC, (Horde only) Located in Orgrimmar, the Cleft of Shadow, lvl 13-22
Wailing Caverns WC, Located in The Barrens, Lushwater Oasis, lvl 18-24
The Deadmines VC Located in Westfall, Moonbrook, lvl 18-24
Shadowfang Keep SFK, Located in Silverpine Forest, near Pyrewood Village, lvl 20-26
Blackfathom Deeps BFD, Located in Ashenvale, The Zoram Strand, lvl 22-28
The Stockade Stockades, (Alliance Only) Located in Stormwind City, Mage District, lvl 26-32
Razorfen Kraul RFK, Located in The Barrens, Southern Barrens, lvl 28-34
Scarlet Monastery Graveyard SM Gy, Located in Tirisfal Glades, on the north road, lvl 30-33
Gnomeregan Gnomer, Located in Dun Morogh, west of Ironforge, lvl 32-35
Scarlet Monastery Library SM Lib, Located in Tirisfal Glades, on the north road, lvl 32-36
Scarlet Monastery Armory SM Arm, Located in Tirisfal Glades, on the north road, lvl 35-39
Scarlet Monastery Cathedral SM Cath, Located in Tirisfal Glades, on the north road, lvl 38-42
Razorfen Downs RFD, Located in The Barrens, Southern Barrens, lvl 39-43
Uldaman Ulda, Located in the Badlands, lvl 39-43
Zul’Farrak ZF, Located in Tanaris, far northwest, lvl 43-46
Maraudon Mara, Located in Desolace, Valley of Spears, lvl 48-52
Sunken Temple ST, Located in the Swanp of Sorrows, Temple of Atal'Hakkar, lvl 50-54
Blackrock Depths BRD, Located in Blackrock Mountain, between Searing Gorge and Burning Steppes, lvl 52-56
Lower Blackrock Spire LBRS, Located in Blackrock Mountain, between Searing Gorge and Burning Steppes, lvl 57-60
Dire Maul East DM East, Located in Feralas, High Wilderness, lvl 57-60
Front Door Stratholme FD Strat, Located in Eastern Plaguelands, far north Plaguewood, lvl 58-60
Dire Maul West DM West, Located in Feralas, High Wilderness, lvl 59-60
Dire Maul North/Tribute Run DM North/Tribute, Located in Feralas, High Wilderness, lvl 60 -62
Back Door/Undead Stratholme BD/UD Strat, Located in Eastern Plaguelands, far north Plaguewood, lvl 60 =62
Scholomance Scholo, Located in Western Plaguelands, Caer Darrow, lvl 60 =62
Upper Blackrock Spire UBRS, (10 man) Located in Blackrock Mountain, between Searing Gorge and Burning Steppes, lvl 60 -62
Zul’Gurub ZG, (20 man) Located in Stranglethorn Vale, northwestern edge, lvl 60-51
Ahn’Quiraj Ruins AQ20, (20 man) Located in Silithus, far south, lvl 60-62
Molten Core MC, (40 man) Located in Blackrock Mountain, between Searing Gorge and Burning Steppes, lvl 60-62, Must be Attuned
Onyxia’s Lair Ony, (40 man) Located in Dustwallow Marsh, the Wyrmbog, lvl 60-61, Must be Attuned
Blackwing Lair BWL, (40 man) Located in Blackrock Mountain, between Searing Gorge and Burning Steppes, lvl 60-62, Must be Attuned
Ahn Quiraj Temple AQ40, (40 man) Located in Silithus, far south, lvl 60-63
Naxxramas Naxx, (40 man)Located in Eastern Plaguelands, Plaguewood, lvl 60-63, Must be Attuned.
Mon Sep 22, 2008 3:19 pm
