What content glut?
September 25th, 2009 Posted in Bosses, Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich KingA lot of people have complained that Lich King doesn’t contain as much raid content as Burning Crusade. Personally, I think the problem is elsewhere. The first thing to do is dispel the myths surrounding the number of bosses available:
| Burning Crusade | Lich King | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 4 | Tier 7 | ||
| Karazhan (10-man) | 11 | Naxxramas (10/25) | 15 |
| Gruul’s Lair (25) | 2 | Obsidian Sanctum (10/25) | 1 |
| Magtheridon’s Lair (25) | 1 | Eye of Eternity | 1 |
| Total first tier bosses: | 11 (10-man) / 3 (25-man) | Total first tier bosses: | 17 (10 / 25-man) |
| Tier 5 | Tier 8 | ||
| Serpentshrine Cavern | 6 (25) | Ulduar | 14 (10/25) |
| Tempest Keep: The Eye | 4 (25) | ||
| Zul’Aman | 6 (10) | ||
| Total second tier bosses: | 6 (10-man) / 10 (25-man) | Total second tier bosses: | 14 (10 / 25-man) |
| Tier 6 | Tier 9 | ||
| Black Temple | 9 (25) | Trial of The Crusader | 5 |
| Hyjal Summit | 5 (25) | Onyxia v2.0 | 1 |
| Total third tier bosses: | 14 (25-man) | Total third tier bosses: | 6 (10 / 25-man) |
| Tier 6.5 | Tier 10 | ||
| Sunwell Plateau | 6 (25) | Icecrown Citadel | 12 |
| Total fourth tier bosses: | 6 (25-man) | Total fourth tier bosses: | 12 |
| Total overall bosses: | 17 (10-man) / 33 (25-man) | Total overall bosses: | 49 (10 / 25) |
So, overall, we have about the same number of bosses in Lich King than in Burning Crusade (and I haven’t even counted the loot pinata that is Vault of Archavon). Admittedly, that includes a number of recycled bosses, but in the case of Naxx almost nobody saw it at level 60, and Onyxia is only a single digit drop if we discount her.
No, the problem is this – difficulty level. Those raids who worked hard because they want to see the content now have to work less hard, and get through it more quickly than they did before.
Normal modes are about pitched between the old bosses and the new hard Modes. Many see the content, they see no reason to do hard mode, they get bored. There’s no less content, it’s just easier. Perhaps a little too easy. By allowing more people to see the content, perhaps Blizzard have shot themselves in the foot. Those who wanted to see it before now do it in half the time and get bored. Those who stood no chance before for whatever reason still haven’t.
There’s more content than ever before. The trouble is it doesn’t last anywhere near as long.
3 Responses to “What content glut?”
By Intravax on Oct 2, 2009
Just curious, I’ve added up your numbers multiple times and I’m just not seeing the totals intact. If you add VoA to the WotLK it would come out at 53 bosses. Unfortunately, my math makes the TBC boss total come out to 50 when you combine 10 and 25 man raids. So if you don’t count VoA then BC had 1 more raid level boss than WotLK.
By Namthe on Oct 3, 2009
Evidently I fail at mental arithmetic!
I’ve changed the post above – there is indeed one more boss in TBC than WotLK (not counting VoA). I don’t think that really detracts from my point though. People complain there was much more in the way of raid content in TBC when that isn’t really true.
By Intravax on Oct 5, 2009
I agree. It’s more likely that because the content was so much harder, people didn’t get to see as much…unlike the way it is now.