The Shroud at Level 20

[Draccus]

Thinking ahead a few weeks after Mod 9 goes live...what will Shroud runs look like?

We'll all be 4 levels higher and that is a HUGE increase in raid party strength. Clerics will have far more spell points and every melee character's DPS is going up.

There's been no announcement that the raid is going to be made tougher but we know for sure our characters will be much stronger. How will the players change the way they approach this raid?

Will we start running it on Hard and Elite more often? I don't think so. The only reason to run Hard and Elite, other than the challenge, is for better loot. With the value of random loot dropping every mod, the extra effort is probably not worth the improved loot. Let's be honest, the only REAL reason we run the Shroud is for ingredients and you don't get more ingredients for running on Hard or Elite.

Will we start running it faster? My average Shroud is about 45 minutes without rushing. Will a 12-man PUG or partial PUG shroud be 35 minutes? 30 minutes? Will single round part 4's be the norm? Will speed runs be under 15 minutes?

Will we start short-manning it? I've run Hard and Elite Shrouds. I've run speed Shrouds. I've NEVER seen a short-manned Shroud. I've seen parties wait 30 minutes for a 12th member instead of just running with 11. If we're all 25% more powerful, can we do a 45 minute shroud with 9 people? Will single cleric runs be the norm?

I think we're going to see more and more short-manned Shrouds. Most of my Shrouds are partial PUGs. We start with 5-6 guildies or good friends who are off timer and then PUG the rest. Sometimes we have 10 friends and 2 PUGgers and sometimes we have 4 friends and 8 PUGers but I rarely run a true PUG.

I think we're going to see less real PUGS. I think that guilds who can pull together 7-10 friends are going to call it good and run on Normal in about 45 minutes.

That's good for people with guilds and friends who run lots of Shrouds. It will reduce the wait time for Shrouds since we don't need to fill the group. But it's VERY tough on people who rely on Shroud PUGs.

It's going to be interesting to see how we players run the Shroud at level 20.

[Aerniel]

:cool:solo :)

[Kalanth]

Might start seeing a lot more Elite runs here as people progress through the final four levels. It is amazing how four simple levels make such a dramatic difference in the power curve of a character.

Add in more elite Hound and VoD runs as well.

[MrCow]

Overall damage and survivability will go up, so the stereotype of the squishy melee rogues and rangers will lessen and the lifespan of all monsters goes down.

Wail of the Banshee/Implosion will make clearing monsters in part 1, part 2, and part 4 quite efficient and fast.

Arcanes will probably be able to put out 2000-10000 damage with the extra SP to help speed up the demise of Arreatrikos.

Spell Penetration will be 20% easier for most casters (who progress 4 more levels in their casting class), which for some casters will mean Spell Resistance isn't much of a hurdle in there anymore.

Portals will still be annoying things where you go afk for about 20+ seconds per portal. :p

[Thrudh]

The worst part about this is that it will be very hard to find Shroud groups if you're not level 17-20... which means new players will have to wait longer to start crafting..

[Junts]

Thinking ahead a few weeks after Mod 9 goes live...what will Shroud runs look like?

We'll all be 4 levels higher and that is a HUGE increase in raid party strength. Clerics will have far more spell points and every melee character's DPS is going up.

There's been no announcement that the raid is going to be made tougher but we know for sure our characters will be much stronger. How will the players change the way they approach this raid?

Will we start running it on Hard and Elite more often? I don't think so. The only reason to run Hard and Elite, other than the challenge, is for better loot. With the value of random loot dropping every mod, the extra effort is probably not worth the improved loot. Let's be honest, the only REAL reason we run the Shroud is for ingredients and you don't get more ingredients for running on Hard or Elite.

Will we start running it faster? My average Shroud is about 45 minutes without rushing. Will a 12-man PUG or partial PUG shroud be 35 minutes? 30 minutes? Will single round part 4's be the norm? Will speed runs be under 15 minutes?

Will we start short-manning it? I've run Hard and Elite Shrouds. I've run speed Shrouds. I've NEVER seen a short-manned Shroud. I've seen parties wait 30 minutes for a 12th member instead of just running with 11. If we're all 25% more powerful, can we do a 45 minute shroud with 9 people? Will single cleric runs be the norm?

I think we're going to see more and more short-manned Shrouds. Most of my Shrouds are partial PUGs. We start with 5-6 guildies or good friends who are off timer and then PUG the rest. Sometimes we have 10 friends and 2 PUGgers and sometimes we have 4 friends and 8 PUGers but I rarely run a true PUG.

I think we're going to see less real PUGS. I think that guilds who can pull together 7-10 friends are going to call it good and run on Normal in about 45 minutes.

That's good for people with guilds and friends who run lots of Shrouds. It will reduce the wait time for Shrouds since we don't need to fill the group. But it's VERY tough on people who rely on Shroud PUGs.

It's going to be interesting to see how we players run the Shroud at level 20.



There's a lot of stuff that should drop in the expanded loot table people will want:

non-rr armor 8 bracers
+6 stat/mod fort items, +5 stat/heavy fort items, +5 stat/gfl items!

There's probably still gonnabe so much demand for the shroud that it will be run constantly; its not like people quit pugging the reaver because higher level raids are out, man.

[Justicesar]

With the cap I expect air elemetals....and lots of them. The four mini bosses in part 5 regen to full str every time big red hit 25% increments of his total health...15% hard....10% elite. The portals now have the various guards that we all have enjoyed crafting. Sounds like a hoot.

[Mindspat]

thinking Ahead A Few Weeks After Mod 9 Goes Live...what Will Shroud Runs Look Like?

We'll All Be 4 Levels Higher And That Is A Huge Increase In Raid Party Strength. Clerics Will Have Far More Spell Points And Every Melee Character's Dps Is Going Up.

There's Been No Announcement That The Raid Is Going To Be Made Tougher But We Know For Sure Our Characters Will Be Much Stronger. How Will The Players Change The Way They Approach This Raid?


31337!!1!shift+1!!

[maddmatt70]

The worst part about this is that it will be very hard to find Shroud groups if you're not level 17-20... which means new players will have to wait longer to start crafting..

I think for powergamers the shroud will be the one of primary places to get xp for level 14 to 17. I picture people farming parts 1-4 for it..

[Aaxeyu]

There's a lot of stuff that should drop in the expanded loot table people will want:

non-rr armor 8 bracers
+6 stat/mod fort items, +5 stat/heavy fort items, +5 stat/gfl items!

There's probably still gonnabe so much demand for the shroud that it will be run constantly; its not like people quit pugging the reaver because higher level raids are out, man.

I don't think running shroud for loot will be a good idea.
It's low level compared to the new quests, and it's there we will find the cool stuff.

So I think normal will be standard.

[Junts]

I don't think running shroud for loot will be a good idea.
It's low level compared to the new quests, and it's there we will find the cool stuff.

So I think normal will be standard.

shroud elite will be 19, I would wager that lv 19 quests will drop quite a bit of this stuff when the table expands.

[InfidelofHaLL]

i got a feeling most of the powergamers will do shroud, vod and hound elite the night it goes live for a huge xp boost not to mention i know both my main toons are at 4999 of 5000 for sub slayer

[moops]

If we start seeing useful LVL 17 - 19 Gear, then people will run it on elite. Like if +3 tomes will drop more. . .

I don't run it on Elite that much at this point because all I get is Search Goggles of Dance +5, and expensive gems.