WoWGrrl's World

My wee tanks on Alliance side are progressing through a few different instances, with Wailing Caverns being one of the ones that comes up regularly whenever I put myself into the Dungeon Tool.

Wow, what a series of tests that instance is!

Dungeon Tool Is No Way To Learn Wailing Caverns

This is the first conclusion I've come to, after running 3-4 full WC's on my Druid and my Warrior, and many failed attempts on my Shaman healer.

The logic behind the statement is that Wailing Caverns is a twisty, turny, confusing instance at the best of times, but if you're trying to learn the route, the Dungeon Tool is likely NOT going to be your friend.

This isn't to say that it will ALWAYS not be your friend, but by and large, when I get into a Wailing Caverns group, it's a partially complete run, and your first job will be to find your dungeon mates.

Without dying to wandering slimes.

Wailing Caverns Test #1 and 2: Find Your Teammates (Without Dying)

I got into a fresh Wailing Caverns the other day and while it's a long journey to the end, I personally think that's the best way to get into this particular dungeon, unless you know the route through the instance by heart (which I do, which is why I'm comfortable tanking it).

The party itself was well-built, with a solid heal/tank team and DPS who did their job without causing extra mayhem.

We progressed nicely until running into a bit of extra Druid aggro which resulted in our healer being put to sleep, which resulted in my death, and the scattering of the rest of the group as they panicked and tried to run for the instance door.

The instance door, of course, was too far away for those panicky people to get to, so everyone died and everyone had to run back. (Note to dungeoneers: Fight to the death. Defend someone who can resurrect, to the point of dying yourself. Don't run, it's unlikely you'll make it anyway)

One damage dealer decided to take a Spirit Rez, and then eventually left the group, and the trials of finding a successful new party mate began, while our team continued through the instance, four-manning the content.

We then went through three DPS - and watched each of them die (to slimes, they confirmed) as they tried to get to us. Each of the three waited for a full minute for a resurrection that was never to come, and had to be told to release and run back.

"We're too far in to run back to get you, so run back and be careful not to aggro the slimes again" was what I told each of them. (yay for alt + arrow up, repeating your history of chats)

So they'd release, and try to run back, but being Alliance folk who didn't make a huge home of The Barrens in order to learn the route to Wailing Caverns, all three ended up leaving the party before they found the instance door.

Meanwhile, our team is continuing to progress further and further into the instance, making it more and more difficult for someone unfamiliar with the instance to find us.

Finally one of the DPS make their way to us successfully. We're nearly at the end by the time they do.

Wailing Caverns Test #3: How's My Jumping Skills?

Deep in Wailing Caverns, there are two different places where players need to jump over a gap in the floor in order to progress.

The first Jump Test is the biggest - jumping onto, and then off of, a boulder that connects two hallways.

We've all failed this Jump Test as newbies in Wailing Caverns. This gives us patience to wait for the others who are currently working to pass the Jump Test for the first time, but it also gives us special pleasure as we watch you jump.

And fail.

And Jump again.

And fail again.

It's a little sadistic, but once you can reliably pass the Jump Test, you'll probably get some kind of sick pleasure out of watching others learning the skill as well.

This recent run we had two members who were new to Wailing Caverns and hadn't practiced nor passed the Jump Test yet. They both fell down five times each and had to run back around the loop to try again before they made it across.

Thankfully, the second Jump Test is a lot friendlier in that while the fall down is completely brutal for getting back up, the distance one has to cover in order to "pass" the test is a lot shorter than the first one. Nobody failed the second Jump Test, thankfully.

Wailing Caverns: Good Practice Keeping Focussed

Ultimately, this dungeon (and Blackrock Depths would be similar I'd imagine) is a great one for giving players practice at "letting go".

Letting go of the thought that we should run back to escort a new player.

Letting go of the expectation of having a clear run through to the dungeon group if you join part way through.

Letting go of the thought that it takes 5 to progress through an instance well.

Letting go of the thought that all lowbie instances are fast and easy, and above all, letting go of the thought that dungeons have a linear path from start to finish.

What a great place!

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Related posts:

1. Farming Wailing Caverns, Flailing Around in Blackrock Depths

Tagged as: alliance, dungeon, dungeon runs, dungeon skills, dungeon tool, getting lost in instances, instance, jump test, learning instances, LFG tool, looking for group, playing tests, Tanking, wailing caverns, wc