Lochnar is 60...

[LochnarITB]

Keep in mind the following:
- Lochnar is a frost mage, seemingly the slowest leveling, weakest solo class/spec in the game.
- My preferred play style is solo or with one or two regular (read Lurker) partners.
- I am of the belief that the Azeroth Pledge of Allegiance should end in "with liberty and content for all".

As anyone in Lurkers chat on Stormrage can probably tell you, I have been actively working this character since release. I finally made it to the much vaunted level cap of 60. I am now wondering if that means the imminent demise of that character. Quests that I am still getting at this level are predominantly instance and/or elite quests. Instances obviously preclude solo play. With this character, elite quests seem to do the same. If an single elite higher than ~53-54 gets in my face, it is pretty much game over. I simply can't do enough damage fast enough to take them down before they finish me even given everything going right including potion drinking, pinning down for bandaging and reasonable spell damage crits.

My concern is that, once I've finished the quests I now have that seem soloable, the rest of the end game is parties and instances and raids. Is that the case? Am I just not finding the solo quests that are available? Is there indication that Blizzard will be adding more solo content when we finally do see the promised additions to content? Am I doing something wrong? Am I just a poor player? Are others seeing the same thing as me? Am I going to have to focus on alts? (Considering the alt-itis present in Lurkers on Stormrage it seems like it must be the way to go.)

I really love this character, at least to the extent that one can love a non-being. He has been an important escape from real life and I want to continue to enjoy him. I want to be able to continue to find things to keep him occupied without having to resort to accepting the incessant whispers to join groups, primarily because I can make sheep and portals.

Care to share your opinions on the direction your characters will go in the end game? I'm sure MJ will have much to say given his affinity for instances and raids and the end game.

[Treesh]

Don't delete him! Just retire him for a bit if you feel the need. You can always unretire him if new content does get put in, but if you delete him, then you have to get with Blizzard to get him back. If you aren't already at 10 characters on stormrage, it won't hurt to keep him around.

[Bolty]

Considering you can have 50 characters, you'd be a little nuts to delete him.

However, it seems like you suffer from a condition that I do: once you get to or near the cap, it all gets a little boring. I've always suffered from this, and the only cure is to play a new character.

The most wonderful thing about WoW (and why I think I'll be playing it for a long time) is that each class is so incredibly different from each other. Not only that, the Alliance and Horde are almost two different games - try creating a character of a new class on Terenas and join the Horde! You'll find hundreds of quests and plot lines that you've never seen, along with the fun of playing a completely different playstyle.

I play my level 51 Priest, and then switch to my level 25 Warrior, and it's like a bucket of water in the face. Old habits get washed away, and a whole new playing style is presented before me. I love it. Not only that, but playing other classes will simply make you a better player. Knowing how the other (8) halves live will give you a deeper understanding of group mechanics, and make you a much better overall player than someone who only ever plays one class and has only vague notions of the trials and tribulations other classes deal with.

-Bolty

[mjdoom]

I have to start off by saying that this is the first game in a long time that's pulled me in far enough for me to accomplish something like a level capped character. It's a bit different to be one of the ones at the top as opposed to being one of the people always trying to catch up...

For anyone on Stormrage you've probably noticed that Flyn has been away for the last few days. I think Bolty's comments ring true on many levels. The game is so much different for different classes and playing them all gives you a better understanding of the entire game. I am enjoying playing my warrior immensly.

That being said, definitely do not delete Lochnar. Unless you have an aversion to instances they are still a lot of fun IMO. You just have to know how to pace yourself. I think many of us who have capped (Rylea, Niniuin, and myself mostly) will say that instances and raiding can be a lot of fun; but it can also get boring and you can burn out on it. Playing your alts can give you a fresh view but you always have that capped character to go back to to feed your alts or try out any new content that Blizzard eventually releases.

Also, try logging on as your alt at first all of the time. This will stop those incessant whispers and you can always use guild chat to see if there are any instance runs or the like to go on. Yesterday I was logged on as Galreth but talking to people about a BRD run. This allowed me to coordinate an instance run without having to worry about people looking for a priest. Once you are in an instance those tells generally go away as people use the /who function and realize you are unlikely to help them if you are already in an instance.

I guess my conclusion to my ramblings is to go play your alts. Enjoy them, play with new skills and professions. But always keep that capped character around for when you want to pull him out and play with the big boys. Don't be afraid to use guild chat and whispers to find out if anything is going on that would interest you.

This is an advantage to our large Stormrage population, there are generally people who are interested in trying things out. Niniuin and I are almost always suckers for just about anything. I personally would like to put some groups together some days just to explore remote corners of the world to see what might be there. Some areas are difficult to run around in solo (I think a bunch will be sites for future content) but I'd love to check them out some time.

Just keep your options open and go with what interests you on a given day. If nothing else you will increase your flexibility to do what you want when you want it as you build up all of your characters.

Enough of my ramblings, I'll see you all in game.

- mjdoom

[Skandranon]

Keep in mind the following:
- Lochnar is a frost mage, seemingly the slowest leveling, weakest solo class/spec in the game.

I think mjdoom and his Discipline/Holy priest would argue with you on that score.

My concern is that, once I've finished the quests I now have that seem soloable, the rest of the end game is parties and instances and raids.  Is that the case?

You missed PvP in that list, but basically you've got it, so far as I can tell. End game is, as the IF General spam goes, "BRD/BRS/Strat/Scholo". (Actually, it's frequently "Strath", which really annoys me. It's abundantly clear that the correct pronunciation for the city is "Strat-holme" as opposed to "Strath-olme", and yet the abbreviation cuts across syllables in a way that most abbreviations do not. End of digression.)

Am I just not finding the solo quests that are available?

There are a lot of solo quests in this game. As you approach the cap, however...they lessen. Or they get harder, or elite. The main incentive to do solo quests for most players is experience, and once that's taken away the majority of players don't do them any more. Blizzard, therefore, doesn't spend too much time on that kind of thing.

I really love this character, at least to the extent that one can love a non-being.  He has been an important escape from real life and I want to continue to enjoy him.  I want to be able to continue to find things to keep him occupied without having to resort to accepting the incessant whispers to join groups, primarily because I can make sheep and portals.

I don't think it's that you're doing anything wrong or that you're a poor player, Loch. It's just that you don't seem to enjoy group play. I'm sure there are a number of valid reasons for that, and I'd never question anyone else's personal preferences. However, it's true that groups are the end-game, and without groups you're mostly limited to alts.

Care to share your opinions on the direction your characters will go in the end game?  I'm sure MJ will have much to say given his affinity for instances and raids and the end game.
[right][snapback]68317[/snapback][/right]

I'm having all kinds of fun right now in end-game instances and raids - even a little PvP. I'm looking forward to much of the new content. The only thing I'd like to see is more 5-man level-cap instances instead of raid zones and raid instances. Getting together 40 capped players who all know what they're doing for any length of time is significantly harder than Blizzard seems to think it is. You shouldn't need a dedicated uberguild to explore half the content in the game.

[MongoJerry]

First of all, "level capped" has a very different meaning in WoW than it does in many other games. Level capped in other games means basically you're done with your character. But in Wow, it's the start of the second phase of your character. In the first phase of your character's life, you become more powerful by gaining experience points which give you more powerful attacks and better statistics. Once you hit level 60 in WoW, however, you still continue to level -- but this time, through items. Sound wierd? Well, what happens when an ice mage puts on an item that gives more int and a bonus to his or her ice spells. Why, that person gets more powerful spells and better stats!

And this is *exactly* stated intention of Blizzard. Keep in mind that most of the development up until this point has been focused on level 1-59 content, and that the only real level 60 content right now are the three level 60 instances (BRS, Stratholme, and Scholomance), two raid instances (Molten Core and Onyxia), Winterspring and the Western and Eastern Plaguelands. There's a smattering of high level content in other areas, too, (Felwood, Blasted Lands, and Burning Steppes come to mind), but pretty much that's it. However, *future* content development will likely focus mostly on level 60ish players, and Blizzard developers have specificaly stated that items will be the way for characters to continue to "level." For example, Onyxia and Molten Core are considered Level 1 raid instances. The idea is that future instances and raid encounters will be added that will be balanced with the assumption that you've collected a lot of items from the lower level raid and normal instances -- and will be much harder than the current instances and raid encounters.

Until new areas are openned up and new content added, though, what should you do? Well, first, have you really done all the high level outdoor quests in the game? Personally, I love the high level quests far more than early quests, because they tend to have much richer storylines and more interesting events attached to them. I'm just starting to methodically clear through the Eastern Plaguelands, and I'm constantly amazed by the richness of the histories and stories told there and just by the shear volume of what's there. If you've done the Winterspring and Plaguelands thing, you might check out the often missed Blasted Lands. Even though that's more low-to-mid-50's level stuff, there're some big epic quest chains there that are interesting to do.

Second, have you considered changing your playing style a little and actually trying out some of the instances? I'm a social person, so I'm an instanceaholic. I recognize that a person with a different personality than mine might not like to go on instance runs. Still, for me, the instances are some of the richest areas of the game in terms of content and challenge. I highly recommend that you try them out.

But if you really don't want to do that, then as others have suggested, you can give your character a vacation for a bit and try out a new class and/or a new faction. Then, when new areas open, you can break out your mage again.

(By the way, don't forget that if you're frustrated or bored with your ice mage, you can always respec your talents and try new things that way).

[Artega]

I'm reaching this kind of point with my Warrior, and he's only 58.

Part of your problem is being on a PvE server - while you were allowed to level completely unimpeded (some fear ganking, some love it; but that's a dead horse that's been getting weekly whippings, and it's for another thread), you now have little else besides even MORE PvE content. While PvP DOES happen on PvE servers (according to posts here and elsewhere), it's not very random - most people probably don't even have their WorldDefense channel on (if there even IS one on PvE servers), meaning raids would have to be scheduled.

On Bloodscalp, I can ride over to Southshore and start killing guards, or go on a ganking-spree in Ashenvale, and assuming it's a relatively populated time, there can be a small-scale battle (anywhere between 1v3 to 14v18, I've seen) within ten or fifteen minutes. As far as I've seen, this simply isn't possible on a PvE server.

Many people think that Battlegrounds will be the be-all, end-all, but I'm not that optimistic. If instances like Zul'Farrak are anything to go by, Battlegrounds will be buggy, laggy, and probably pretty primitive for the first couple of months they're out.

Like the others suggested, I'd give a Horde character a shot. While I can't bring myself to play Alliance (they just have it too easy, and I don't much care for their backstory), I've heard there's a significant difference between the two. Maybe you'd be able to find more entertainment there. Besides, we all know Tauren are cooler than Gnomes :P

EDIT: I guess I should note that I've deactivated my account. My Warrior isn't great fun to play anymore, not at all like his thirties. At the end-game, Rogues go from too strong to utterly overpowered - especially with Crippling Poison II (30% snare? What was Blizzard smoking!?), which makes PvP kinda unbalanced.

I figure I'll take a month or two off, play some games that I've been missing (several GCN titles, like Pikmin 2 and Resident Evil 4, and the Hordes of the Underdark expansion for Neverwinter Nights; my Barbarian needs more stuff to kill), and then come back when the content patch is released (hopefully it's not more than a month or two off.)

[Bolty]

I think mjdoom and his Discipline/Holy priest would argue with you on that score.[right][snapback]68325[/snapback][/right]

I've already accepted as fact that each player thinks their class/talent spread is the "worst soloer" in the game. The grass is always greener on the other side. If you look at the general class forums, players of all classes constantly think that their class is underpowered and can't solo as well as all the other ones. I think this is reinforced by group play - after all, you kill things so much faster in groups, so it has to be the other classes that are doing so well, right? So whenever I hear someone say how their class is such a terrible soloer, I just let it go. :)

I play a Holy/Disc priest. I kill very slowly. I also can't be killed unless I *really* screw up or try to take on 4-5 baddies at once. I realize that's the tradeoff, and have played enough other classes (warrior, warlock, mage, rogue) to know that things are pretty well balanced.

-Bolty

[Quark]

I've already accepted as fact that each player thinks their class/talent spread is the "worst soloer" in the game.  ...  I think this is reinforced by group play - after all, you kill things so much faster in groups, so it has to be the other classes that are doing so well, right?
[right][snapback]68354[/snapback][/right]

Hah, you mean like all the people saying Rogues do too much damage? Don't get me wrong, I have no complaints about my classes power. If it was toned down a little bit, I still might not have complaints. But the amount of mageweave (Heavy Mageweave Bandages) I go through right now is incredible if I play solo. If I wasn't so engrossed in content, I'd force myself to play in Runecloth dropping areas only (which also restricts you to just Humanoids).

Everyone sees the good sides of a class without seeing the bad sides. The biggest response I've had to people complaining about Rogues so far is simple: every other class that is forced to melee has plate, we have leather. It makes me glad I'm almost always grouped :)

Actually, getting off on a tangent, from my perusals through the forums I've gotten a pretty good idea of the best parts of some classes. For everyone else, what do you think is the best and worst part of being your class?

[Mavfin]

I've already accepted as fact that each player thinks their class/talent spread is the "worst soloer" in the game.  The grass is always greener on the other side.  If you look at the general class forums, players of all classes constantly think that their class is underpowered and can't solo as well as all the other ones.  I think this is reinforced by group play - after all, you kill things so much faster in groups, so it has to be the other classes that are doing so well, right?  So whenever I hear someone say how their class is such a terrible soloer, I just let it go.  :)

I play a Holy/Disc priest.  I kill very slowly.  I also can't be killed unless I *really* screw up or try to take on 4-5 baddies at once.  I realize that's  the tradeoff, and have played enough other classes (warrior, warlock, mage, rogue) to know that things are pretty well balanced.

-Bolty
[right][snapback]68354[/snapback][/right]

This is a problem in EVERY online game. It was this way in the World War II combat flight sim I flew for six months. Everyone swore the opposing side's planes were uber/unbalanced/whatever.

I've been playing WoW all of ~3 weeks. I started playing on the 28th of February. I now have 10 characters, a 22 Human Warrior, a 15 Troll Warrior, and the other 8 are one of each class, some Horde, some Alliance, all of those 8 in the lvl 10-12 range.

All of those classes have a ton of ways they can be configured. I'm having as much fun exploring as anything at this point, and I switch chars a lot. I spent all this week getting some of the young chars to 10, to their class quests, and doing those, then I went back to my then 18 warrior, and have leveled her to 22. It's nice to be able to walk through the Wetlands and whack the monsters that have killed me so many times on the Teldrassil/IF run. Then I turn around and grab X class and level it some more, to see how it works. It was fun finding that darn edge-of-the-mountain trail in Durotar for the shaman's Call Of Fire quest.....

I pretty much ignore balance whines, as I don't think anyone here has played enough of all the classes to really know for sure. Every class has its easy areas. And its hard ones. Bolty has it right, I think. Balance is pretty good, it all comes down to what you want from it.

[Raziel]

Stuff to do at 60:

Farm gear for your new alt.

Collect Morrowgrain until you are Exalted with the Nelfs. Then do all of the Winterspring things and get yourself a blue Nightsaber elite mount.

Have your revenge on the Devilsaur in Ungoro crater. Repeatedly.

Actually make something out out of Dark Iron and Arcanite.

Elemental Leatherworking. 'nuff said.

Max cooking. No, better yet, max Fishing.

Visit the closed door to Hyjal, solo.

Visit Old Ironforge... as a Horde character.

Go visit the gryphons (sans master) up by the airstrip on top of Dun Morogh.

Take a screenshot with the IF flag atop Ironforge mountain.

Practice cliff-jumping from the Twin Colossals. Apply the parachutes to the Ungoro Crater and Winterspring --> Azshara jumps.

Visit the Hydraxian Waterlord.

Visit the Demonhunter. Find out what all those crystals and crystalized people really are.

Solo the entire "You are Rakh'likh, Demon" line. Including the last guy.

Try and get into Gilneas.

Swim around the northern side of Eastern Plaguelands.

Beat the demon lord at the bottom of Jadenar in Felwood.

(Rogue) Kill Plugger repeatedly for his Shanker.

Explore Silithus. Swim around the southern coast.

[Artega]

Actually, getting off on a tangent, from my perusals through the forums I've gotten a pretty good idea of the best parts of some classes.  For everyone else, what do you think is the best and worst part of being your class?
[right][snapback]68361[/snapback][/right]

Strength: Wearing Plate
Strength: Highest base HP
Weakness: Rage system
Weakness: Lack of weapon-independant damage skills (Eviscerate, Rupture, etc.)
Weakness: Rage system
Weakness: Somewhat gimp in 1v1 PvP
Weakness: Rage system
Weakness: Alliance Warriors overshadowed by the Plate-wearing Paladins
Weakness: Rage system

[kandrathe]

Wait for some more Lurkers to get to 60 and then do some instance quests and take down those elites with you.

On a side note: I was involved in an interesting battle last night in Auberdine. 30+ high level Horde characters decided to try a raid on Auberdine. There were sprinklings of under level 30 characters, but the bulk were level 50+. The battle was breathtaking as some criers flew off to Darnassus and Menethil to muster aid. By the time the Horde arrived there were hundreds of Alliance players waiting for them, most under level 30 but numbers count. The night elves all shadowformed along the ridge waiting for the Sentinals to begin the battle, and human and dwarf stood shoulder to shoulder at the entrance to the town. I surveyed the pack and targeted some of the lower level types that I might have a chance of hurting.

Then all hell broke loose. The Horde was routed, and the rest of the evening was peaceful. I'm very appreciative of the high level alliance characters that came to our aid, so that I could continue questing without all my quest givers slain. If I ever get to that level, I will certainly try to do the same for others.

[Skandranon]

Stuff to do at 60:

Farm gear for your new alt.

Collect Morrowgrain until you are Exalted with the Nelfs.  Then do all of the Winterspring things and get yourself a blue Nightsaber elite mount.

Have your revenge on the Devilsaur in Ungoro crater.  Repeatedly.

Actually make something out out of Dark Iron and Arcanite.

Elemental Leatherworking.  'nuff said.

Max cooking.  No, better yet, max Fishing.
[right][snapback]68367[/snapback][/right]

This is my problem with the endgame right now. You've got it right that these are things you can do at 60, and things that people try to do...but none of it is fun. The Winterspring thing requires repeating a quest at least a hundred times...requiring a grind of well over 1000 mobs. Dark Iron and Arcanite, like all other end-game tradeskill materials, are sheer pain to acquire. And you need 278,000 Morrowgrain to get Exalted with the Night Elves after doing every quest. How anyone could motivate themselves to do any of those things is beyond me.

[Cryptic]

It does sound like it's the end of the road for your play style. You can start an alt, or change your style, but I definitely don't recommend deleting the character. If nothing else the money and trade skills will come in handy in "retirement."

[LochnarITB]

Thanks for all the responses. I don't think I would ever actually delete the character, short of completely leaving the game. I was thinking more on the line of a virtual delete, removing him from any kind of play rotation. There are still things I am looking forward to at 60 though.

I am looking forward to battlegrounds. I tried a little PvE PvP last night and it was good for a giggle but will probably be something I only want to do in a more organized fashion. We took a small party into Crossroads. They were either tipped off by the rogue that passed us on the road (you could see he knew something was up) or there were already a handful of capped characters already there. We got through the guards at the entrance before we were laid into by the players. My biggest problem was that I didn't have a chance. Admittedly, I wasn't prepared. I should had mixed up some detect invisibility/stealth. I would get off one or two shots before being taken down by the rogues that I couldn't see. They would instantly stun me and begin to slice me up into gnome nuggets. Giving it more consideration today, there are things I would do differently but I don't know if I will really pursue it much pre-battlegrounds.

I am looking forward to doing, at least a few times, those parts of instances that can be done with a party. For high end instances, I have only been in parts of BRD with some of the Lurkers and have peeked inside the entrance of Stratholme(?). I don't know that I am interested in full on raids though. I can only imagine them being on the edge of chaos. Part of that is probably related to my real life personality. I am not anti-social. I would say that I might be called "limited social" for lack of a better way to put it. I am not one to be in crowds of any type. A party, to me, is not wall to wall people. It is an intimate gathering of a few select people. Even large numbers of family and friends in one place make me uneasy. Maybe it's my ego, but I want to be able to contribute, not just be part of the background noise. I want to have importance to those I'm with and I just don't see that in a raid. I am no more important to the outcome than is an individual zerg in a zerg rush.

I still have some areas to fully explore, although they are few in number. Most maps are completely clear of fog of war. I may, at some point, take a journey through each and every land just to see if I can turn up any quests waiting for me. For exploring, my hopes lie in Blizzard opening up the area I like to think of as "third continent yet to be named".

I will end up playing my other characters more. However, Lochnar is me. The other characters are just alts. I will never have the same wow factor with them that I have with my main. He will always be available to join any Lurkers that express an interest/need. Just as in real life, I get no greater pleasure than when I can help others. I am big on what is often called "warm fuzzy".

[MongoJerry]

I am looking forward to doing, at least a few times, those parts of instances that can be done with a party.  For high end instances, I have only been in parts of BRD with some of the Lurkers and have peeked inside the entrance of Stratholme(?).  I don't know that I am interested in full on raids though.  I can only imagine them being on the edge of chaos.  Part of that is probably related to my real life personality.  I am not anti-social.  I would say that I might be called "limited social" for lack of a better way to put it.  I am not one to be in crowds of any type.  A party, to me, is not wall to wall people.  It is an intimate gathering of a few select people.  Even large numbers of family and friends in one place make me uneasy.  Maybe it's my ego, but I want to be able to contribute, not just be part of the background noise.  I want to have importance to those I'm with and I just don't see that in a raid.  I am no more important to the outcome than is an individual zerg in a zerg rush.

BRD is definitely a 5-man thing. In fact, it was a 5-man thing back when the level cap was 55, but admittedly, that was a challenge. Lower Blackrock Spire and Scholomance are also 5-manable and you can find others willing to do them that way, even if many others will look at you strangely for suggesting the idea. Upper Blackrock Spire and Stratholme, though, need about 10 people. I was able to 5-man Stratholme for quite a ways in the beta, but the going was very *slow* -- and probably would not be enjoyable for most people. Also, the five people in the party were guys I knew were very good and nuts enough to attempt something like that. The content patch is supposed to make Scholomance and Stratholme more 5-manable and have better loot in them (at least, I'm hoping about the loot part). Perhaps after the patch comes out, you can enjoy running those instances.

Good suggestions, Raziel!

[Skandranon]

I should had mixed up some detect invisibility/stealth.  I would get off one or two shots before being taken down by the rogues that I couldn't see.  They would instantly stun me and begin to slice me up into gnome nuggets.  Giving it more consideration today, there are things I would do differently but I don't know if I will really pursue it much pre-battlegrounds.

If I may offer a tip - stick close to the main body of the raid, preferably in the middle. This way, when a rogue pops out to Cheap Shot you, he'll be surrounded and taken down quickly (and yes, there are rogues who will try it). If you can't do that, at least try to stay by friendly rogues playing the counter-rogue role. Since I started doing this in PvP, I have died all of once, and that was when I was stupidly drinking and eating all alone, thinking I was "far enough" from the battle.

I don't know that I am interested in full on raids though.  I can only imagine them being on the edge of chaos.

Truly, it depends. Slim 10-man raids on Stratholme are not chaotic, so long as the group has a good leader.

Maybe it's my ego, but I want to be able to contribute, not just be part of the background noise.  I want to have importance to those I'm with and I just don't see that in a raid.  I am no more important to the outcome than is an individual zerg in a zerg rush.

You think. You think. I think I need to emphasize this, because nothing could be further from the truth with regards to the small-sized raids that take on Strat. Mages in particular are prized for this kind of raid, because our AE makes a major difference. You're making unqualified assumptions and treating them as fact...never a good thing to do.

To be honest, I think a lot of your resistance to end-game play comes from the fact that you seem to keep telling yourself that you won't enjoy it. If you have that attitude, of course you won't - even the most positive experience can get soured that way. I only say this because your thoughts (and your thoughts on social situations) sound pretty familiar to me - I've been there - and the whole self-fulfilling prophecy thing is best gotten over right away.

[Raziel]

For the record, BRD, lBRS and Scholo/Strath are intended to be 5-manned.

I have personally 5-manned BRD and succeeding is the biggest rush i've ever got in WoW. I sat on the emperor's throne and took screenshots for 20 minutes or so.

Strath and Scholo are apparently 5-mannable. I say apparently because after sticking my nose in there, I can't imagine how anyone pulled it off. Ever since the raid-quest cheese came out (which I won't go into) people are using it to get rewards. Every time I see a warrior running around with Argent Avenger or the Warblade of Caer Darrow I think to myself, "you cheap buggers raided it didnt you". I want the damn rewards, I ache for the damn rewards but i'm not gonna cheese them.

As for raids.. well.. try not to fall into the common misconception of a raid being 40 people on the edge of insanity. Think of it more as two or at most three parties, able to cooperate and work together in an instance, instead of a single 5-man. If you've got a good set of friends, a raid feels the same as a normal group, just a bit bigger.

I think the undead side of Stratholme could be five manned up to Rivendare. I am not quite sure how anyone would survive Rivendare though.

[Rinnhart]

Strength: Wearing Plate
Strength: Highest base HP
Weakness: Rage system
Weakness: Lack of weapon-independant damage skills (Eviscerate, Rupture, etc.)
Weakness: Rage system
Weakness: Somewhat gimp in 1v1 PvP
Weakness: Rage system
Weakness: Alliance Warriors overshadowed by the Plate-wearing Paladins
Weakness: Rage system
[right][snapback]68370[/snapback][/right]

Strengths:

Plate
Heals
Virtual immunity to poisons, diseases, roots, snares, and magic based effects.
Dynamic buffs and auras allow for excellent support abilities.
Shields grant a few seconds of invulnerablity.
Damage spells are holy spells.

Weaknesses:

Only one, slow-refreshing interrupt.
Poor AE aggro generation.
Poor snap aggro generation.
Lowest DPS class in the game.
- Almost 100% gear-reliant damage output.
- Nukes are all inefficient at best.