#25 - Jan. 15, 2010, 7:05 p.m.
Q u o t e:
I have no problem with the limited attempt mechanic. It worked fine in ToGC... but it was only applied to HARD mode. Normal mode Coliseum had no such feature.
I like that the fights in the new wing are "a step up" in difficulty, but having limited attempts on an "end of wing" boss on NORMAL mode doesn't make sense. The loot on these bosses is the same item level as every other boss... nothing special there. When normal modes are supposed to be the "proving grounds" for working on hard mode strategies where limited attempts ARE expected, having limited attempts on the "not so special" version of the fight seems unnecessary.
Now, I do give you credit for bumping up the attempts from 5 to 10 (since there was little to no testing done on Putricide that wasn't riddled with bugs/server downtime). But, if it won't/can't be changed for ICC, consider not putting the limited attempt mechanic on normal modes in Cataclysm. Doing so seems to be going against your "make content available to everyone". There's nothing wrong with "hard" normal mode encounters, but everyone can get them eventually if you give them the opportunities to actually do so... instead of limiting those opportunities.
The purpose of the limited attempts is to really challenge players and we felt that was a really important aspect of Icecrown Citadel as the grand finale to the story of Wrath of the Lich King. We know that a lot of players want to get access to everything and defeat it the second it's released, but having a system like this helps provide additional challenges and for those who may not be able to overcome them, things will get easier over time through additional attempts, better gear, and eventually the buff.
Since it also relates to difficulty, I wanted to mention that you will not be required to clear the Plagueworks before entering the Crimson Hall or the Frostwing Halls. Each wing is independent and you are free to explore them in the order of your choice once they are open.
In order to be deemed worthy to face the Lich King however, all three of these wings must be cleared. In addition, Professor Putricide, Blood Queen Lana'thel, and Sindragosa must also be defeated on heroic to face the Lich King on heroic mode.
Challenges await, so good luck!