In a detailed conversation, top World of Warcraft raiders Max (Team Liquid) and Rogerbrown (Echo) reflected on the competitive state of Mythic raiding. From raid design flaws to the toll of endless preparation, they didn’t hold back, especially on the idea that regional launch times are harming the Race to World First!
Regional Launch Inequality Hurts the Race
One of the strongest points made? If raid launched globally, the pressure to “go dark” (stop streaming progressions for strategic secrecy) would drastically drop. Currently, NA guilds get a full day’s head start, forcing others to hide strats to stay competitive.
“If we all started at the same time, why go dark?” Max noted. “We’d be racing with the community, not hiding from it.”
Burnout Over Strategy: When Preparation Goes Too Far
Max and Rogerbrown emphasized that the preparation meta has reached absurd levels, with raiders maintaining 20+ characters just to be ready for split runs. The result? Burnout. And if the tier ends too quickly, as it did with Aberrus, players feel the effort wasn’t worth much.
“We’re working ourselves into the ground for a race that’s over in 4 days,” Rogerbrown said.
Going Dark: Smart for Strategy, Bad for Viewers
Though keeping boss pulls off stream can protect strategies, both raiders agree it hurts fan engagement. The lack o visibility kills momentum, reduces excitement, and alienates the viewer base.
“It kills the story people want to follow,” Max explained.
Design Critique: Missed Opportunities and Lazy Phases
The recent raid was a mixed bag:
- Gallywix had a unique Phase 1 but fell into uninspired design by Phase 3.
- Mug’Zee promised complex mechanics but launched bugged and dull.
- Stix Bunkjunker felt overtuned for clear reasons, like a “wall boss” by design.
- Pathing logic in some encounters, like the One-Armed Bandit, became a spreadsheet nightmare, with up to 34 different viable phase routes.
The Evolution of Pro Guilds: Skill, Strategy, Salaries
Raids that once took weeks are now cleared in days. Why?
- Player skill is higher than ever.
- Salaried teams can recruit elite players from mid-tier guilds.
- Multiclassing is now essential to stay competitive.
Morale hits hard when flexible players are benched for meta classes, or worse, an entire spec gets benched.
Loot, Skips, and Gold: What Raiders Want Changed
Top raiders called for:
- 10-boss raids for better pacing and loot.
- Weekly skips to avoid morale-draining reclears.
- Fixing the Very Rare Drops loot system, which too often rewards RNG over effort.
- Even with the Dinar system easing some grind, early bosses dropping weak loot discourages progression.
Looking Ahead: Fix the Race, Keep the Hype
The conversation between Max and Rogerbrown makes one thing clear: the Race to World First needs structural changes. From global launch equality to better pacing and viewership integration, the community wants a healthier, more transparent competition.
With the next PTR cycle expected in mid-June, raiders and players are watching closely!
You can watch the 200 minute-long video below!