Naxxramas

[Bolty]

So, skip the elite mobs. The whole point of elite mobs is to make them have so much HP that you need several players to beat on it for it to die before you run out of your resources (including life ane mana). Since thise would be for one player, there is no such need.[right][snapback]108139[/snapback][/right]

The problems with 1-player content (instances) are many. Here's a few I can think of right off the bat:

1) You'd need a separate design for each class going in, but even then, it would be tough to balance for spec. The approach Cleoboltra would take in solo content (slowly whittling down enemies while using uber healing to mitigate incoming damage) is so vastly different from a shadow priest (melt face), that the balance would be rough. It's kind of like how the Benediction epic Priest quest is now - if you've got Holy Nova, it's a cakewalk after 1.10. Without, it's more of a challenge in line with how it used to be.

Meanwhile, how I'd approach solo content challenges would be very, very different for a rogue. What's easy for one class can be brutal for another.

2) Blizzard would spend months designing and tweaking these, and the solo player would blow through them in a day or two. If they're hard, a week or two. Without the interesting factor of group dynamics, I think it would get boring awfully fast. On a Sunday Morning with Miss Cleo (Stormrage Lurkers Sunday morning events) 2 weeks ago, we ran Dire Maul West and Scholomance with a resto-spec'ed Druid as main tank. That was fun, because it's quite a change of tactics compared to having a Warrior along. In solo content, your tactics would be the same each time, and there are no variables like the play of other players to keep it fresh.

3) Balance. The effect of gear post level cap is simply astounding. Blizzard cannot balance *anything* anymore, really, since the gap between epiced-out raiders and non-raiding 60's is so immense. Cleoboltra still has two blue items on her, a ring and an amulet, but the rest are purples. Net effect? On a duel the other day with a standard greens-and-blues recently-capped Warrior, she stood still, cast Shadow Word Pain on the Warrior and Renew on herself repeatedly, and beat the Warrior to a pulp with her staff. Nothing else was cast. No skill involved whatsoever; the Warrior simply couldn't outpace her Renew damage-wise, despite everything he tried. I know this sounds like an "my e-peen is bigger than yours" thing, but that's what a difference gear makes. If you balanced a solo instance for a capped level 60 Priest, either it'll be a challenge for Cleoboltra (and impossible for a non-raiding Priest), or a challenge to a non-raiding Priest and a complete joke to Cleoboltra. Blizzard can't win.

-Bolty