Challenge Modes Interest Thread/General Info

[Wythandor]

Been hearing quite a bit of buzz from people about wanting to get serious work on these, especially since it's been announced that the rewards will not be offered once the expansion hits. So, I'm making this thread to organize groups, runs, schedules, and all-purpose help for everyone interested. With a bit of practice with a group of people that know their specs inside and out, getting Gold medals is actually not that difficult. If you show interest, please take some time to look up a little bit of preparation info before you dive into the Challenges themselves; things like how your character plays with their stats scaled down, water/food for healers, optimal talents, creating/grabbing invisibility potions, etc. Practice makes perfect, and knowledge is power.

If you'd like to participate in these Challenge modes with guildies, please make a reply here with the following info:

Name of character you'll bring + class and spec (strongly prefer your main for first times, or at least class & spec you know *very* well)
Days of the week + times you will have time to dedicate around 2 consecutive hours to (please prep beforehand so your group can start quickly)

This info will greatly help anyone trying to organize a group, not just myself. While this can obviously vary, I feel 2 hours as a base time for group runs is a good span of time to get a feel for your group and get going at those runs, without a lot of downtime due to everyone's personal lives. Groups can extend their time as long as everyone is willing.

We can also use this thread to contribute and collect information we learn personally or find around the internet, to help each other, perhaps to the point where we can "farm" runs.

First-timer info: Challenge modes are fairly different from heroic dungeons and raiding. Since your stats are scaled down (aside from hit and expertise), you can feel frustratingly underpowered compared to normal. Step into Proving Grounds if you want to know how the scaling works, it's the same technology there. When healing, your mana will evaporate; tanks will be far more reliant on defensive cooldowns; DPS will use more combat CC (stuns, disarms, interrupts) and need to damage on the move. If things become unmanageable, don't stress or get upset; talk to your group, perhaps the pace needs to change, a talent needs to be switched, or a pull needs to happen differently. If everyone is happy, then the runs become far more fun and Gold medals will be yours in no time!

Important gear info:
All gear stats will be scaled down to ilevel 463, with the exception of hit and expertise
Tier set bonuses - Disabled
Legendary cloak procs - Disabled
Legendary meta gems - Disabled
"Sha-Touched" weapon socket gem of +500 stats - Disabled
Legendary cloaks - Usable (the stats are scaled down, but they have 3 stats + socket, so they are usually BiS)
Eye of the Black Prince (adds a socket to raid weapons *not* from Siege) - Usable
Trinket procs/on-use effects - Usable
Regular meta gems - Usable
Profession perks - All Usable (scaling may apply)

That's most of what I have, sorry for the long post. Again, feel free to post information, and you can use this thread to set up groups (only after there are enough people's schedules here, please). Thanks for your interest, now let's go get some Golds!

[Wythandor]

Wythandor - Balance and Guardian Druid
Mon-Wed: 10a - 5p ST
Thurs-Sat: 10a - 10p ST
Sun: 7p - 10p ST

More willing to tank rather than dps, but I'll do what the group needs. I have previous experience with Challenge modes, Silvers for a few dungeons. Looking forward to having fun with y'all!

[etheran]

Etheran: Paladin/Ret
Availability: Weekend afternoons preferred. Can do other times too.

I still have a healing set and might be willing to heal even though I probably suck at it.


----
Just happened to check forum at the right time! Go Wyth!

[Salena]

Salena : BM/Surv

I am open mondays, tuesdays (after3pm server), wednesdays, thursdays mornings (noon lastest), possibly sat depending on my schedule, sunday after3 pm server.

**all times are server

[Hansell]

Featherboy - I asked this to Jurani last night - Were you reading my mind?

I can heal or dps - I still have those healing things in my bag I would love to use up.

My play time is fairly open and can log on when I know it is happening. I have school on Saturday mornings. I do have my crazy work week only 10 days per month but can adjust my schedule again if I know up front.

[Gorlyn]

Gorlyn - ret
Toliaan - Heals

Most days or weekend mornings

[Dakina]

Dakina Resto
All week nights, weekends.
Will most likely need a new set of gear... Don't really feel like reforge/re-gem my raid gear, and once downscaled, it won't hold the road...

[Symderella]

Symbiotic


Surv - Hunter

Open Thur and Fri after 5pm server and I can work around anytime Sat or Sun.

: )

[Tyrion]

Tyrion, 90 warrior dps. OR Tyriona, 90 DK tank. Thursday through saturday evenings or sundays open to CM's with y'all.

[Foof]

Consumables - plan ahead with these. Unfortunately, a lot of these aren't regularly floating around on the auction house so don't expect to look into buying them 5 minutes before you go.

Drums of Rage - if your group doesn't have HERO/TW
Drums of Forgotten Kings - if your group doesn't have STATS
Drums of Speed - [LW ONLY] if your group doesn't have ASPECT/ROAR
Runescroll of Fortitude III - if your group doesn't have STAM
Invisibility Potion - these are absolutely required in all but one CM dungeon. They are EXPENSIVE. 15 second invisibility potions work fine, but again, plan ahead since they won't always be on the auction in large quantities
Battle Horn - I would recommend the tank trying to have this for Scholo, and any group member having this for Brewery

Aside from these special ones, at a minimum you should have flasks/food/invis pot (or preferably a group member with feast, saves gold in the long run). As you get to the more difficult ones, expect to need DPS potions for pre-pot.

I am comfortable leading Gate of the Setting Sun, Scarlet Halls, Scholo, SP Monastery, and Temple of the Jade Serpent to gold (difference between silver/gold for these is just a matter of having enough DPS or not). I am also familiar with Siege of Niuzao Temple, Scarlet Monestary, and Mogushan Palace to silver (much higher DPS checks). Brewery I am also comfortable leading, but it is probably the hardest and really requires some min/maxing. (not looking for a static group atm, but I can help if I'm online)

Not going to go into specific strategies - plenty of vids out there. Hit me up if you have questions though.