My guild, which is relatively small, isn't a raiding guild. We play on a roleplaying server and create and host events etc.

We've (after a bit of prodding in the right direction by yours truly) we've formed a small raidgroup of guild members and close friends of guild members and decided we would try our luck at Zul'Gurub.

How hard is it? What's it like? Fun? Long? Boring?

I want to hear of your experiences of the raid instances.

Another thing is Molton Core. It is no secret an aim for me in WoW is to get my hunter there. How is that in terms of Zul'Gurub? I know it requires a bit more planning/specific equipment, but what's it like?

I want to push my guild in the direction of the firey depths of the Core, without making it forceful. I need stuff to persuede them and let them make their own decision that they want to go there.

Molten Core is very very boring, everyone that tried it more than twice agree. For a powerfull guild it's 5-6 hours long. For a newer guild it's hard and frustrating.

There is no interaction, it's just a big cave with mobs standing there. Assuming the loot is distributed evenly and you beat all the bosses in 6 hours, it will take at least 150 hours of raiding time before the first players start completing their set.

If you don't know what you're doing, you're going to get stuck at every bosses, the farter, the longer.

Zul'Gurub is more interesting, the loot is weaker than the Molten Core one, and the instance is supposed to be easier, but in my opinion it's as hard, but at least it's fun, and you can get items with the rep.

A good instance to start on would be Onyxia. You get to work on bosses tactics and even if you wipe, you don't have to clean up a big dungeon to try again. There are only 4 mobs in Onyxia's cave. Once you've masteres her it will take your guild only an hour max to down her. The first time my guild managed kill her, we were only 30 in the raid. If your guild can't beat Onyxia they won't be able to beat Ragnaros.

There is also Morale that need to be considered. You are going to die a lot, your items will get red, and you're looking to 15-20 gold repairs a night. (Bring a couple of repair bots). People don't like to wipe all the time, at first when you can't kill many bosses, you'Re going to have trouble making people show up. Epics cost a lot to repair too. I'm wearing mostly epics, and even when I'm not yellow it cost me 20-30 gold, I don't know what yellow and red would cost me, but I don't want to find out..

What I recommend is that you find another guild interested in raiding, and team up with them. Things will go better at first if you do. Once both guild have gotten some experience they can split up and do their own things, but at first a team up is way better. Especially if you can get your hands on some people that were on sucessfull runs before.

If all else fail, find a successfull raiding guild and ask them if you can go once as an observer for your guild (not getting any loot) so that you can see some of the strategies.

So really, I say try Onyxia or Zul'Gurub first, but I think Onyxia is easier than Zul'Gurub.

[ 01-10-2006, 05:31 PM: Message edited by: Luvian ]

I agree with Luvia about ZG, in fact I think its harder than MC for the most part. I have to disagree with you about MC being boring though Luvian. Sure a cpule bosses are but some are pretty fun! I like the Garr fight most I think, especially if targetting gets screwed up somehow hehe. Keeps us on our toes [img]tongue.gif[/img]

And yes your best bet is to ally with another guild. Or a couple of guilds like my guild has done. Start an alliance chat channel that people of the alliance can talk on when not in raid. Have one guild host the sign-ups on thier message board and perhaps start an alliance events forum thier also for discussions. Also you will want to use voice chat, I suggest Ventrilo.

The trash mobs in MC are hard, even the least could beat Drak in UBRS so be ready for that. The bosses are harder, but once you learn them its not so bad. Again as Luvian said be prepared to wipe a lot at first. We did manage to kill Lucicron our first time there so thats a good goal for your first try. And some people will get discouraged and stop going. As long as you have a commited "core" group and can fill out the rest of the raid you'll learn the place and do fine.

Good luck to ya [img]smile.gif[/img]

I don't know, I've done it so much I have 3 Garr epic items. These days we disenchant at least 4-5 epic a run.

*Cries at the thought of DE'd epics*

We'll be de'ing soon, we keep getting new people but so much cenariun/felheart stuff has been dropping that soon(like maybe thursday lol) those will be nexus crystals.

[img]graemlins/crying.gif[/img] **CRIES** [img]graemlins/crying.gif[/img]