Random Dungeon Finder Question

[scottvin]

Since I am level 74, when I queue for a random dungeon in WoTLK, I will get placed in one of the dungeons below? The reason why I ask is - I would like to get the quests for these dungeons as well.

Utgarde Keep
The Nexus
Azjol-Nerub
Ahn'kahet: The Old Kingdom
Drak'Tharon Keep
Violet Hold
Gundrak

Thanks!

[Werderx]

Here you go...

Name------------------------Min. level---------Max. level
Utgarde Keep-------------------68----------------80
The Nexus----------------------69----------------80
Azjol-Nerub---------------------70----------------80
Ahn'kahet: The Old Kingdom------71----------------80
Drak'Tharon Keep----------------72----------------80
Violet Hold----------------------73----------------80
Gundrak-------------------------74----------------80
Halls of Stone-------------------75----------------80
Halls of Lightning----------------77----------------80
Culling of Stratholme-------------77----------------80
Oculus--------------------------77----------------80
Utgarde Pinnacle-----------------77----------------80
Trial of the Champion------------80----------------80
Forge of Souls-------------------80----------------80
Pit of Saron---------------------80----------------80
Halls of Reflection----------------80----------------80

[scottvin]

But being level 74, I will never be put in Halls of Stone or harder?

[Werderx]

in theory, correct.

[antacus]

Since I don't have access to source code I can't prove this but I think a lot of things go into the LFG tool when it places you. As Werderx said levels play a large part. I think it also:

- Looks for reputation and won't put you into ones you lack (been blocked from heroic Ramparts till I upped rep)
- Compares your equipment to other peoples... this is a big one. I hang around 5500 gear score while my other two friends are 5200 and 4400. If I lead our group and queue us up it seems like we get put into harder instances then if my 4400 friend leads and queues us. The people we play with also seem to be high GS levels when I queue us. I also noticed that solo as my equipment increases so does the other peoples I am LFG'ed with.
- Quest chains. Not sure on this one but my level 80 that has 9 exalted reps along with most the others honored or revered still can't get into LFG for 2-3 specific instances. Has to be a quest I have not done to get into. I pretty much said screw it and don't worry about it any more but there is something there.

[scottvin]

Thanks for that additional bit of knowledge. These are the dungeons that I have been assigned to the last 2 days:

Utgarde Keep - 0
The Nexus - 0
Azjol-Nerub - 3
Ahn'kahet: The Old Kingdom - 2
Drak'Tharon Keep - 1
Violet Hold - 0
Gundrak - 0

[Kamchak]

But being level 74, I will never be put in Halls of Stone or harder?

You can get into these dungeons, but not using the LFG tool.
As for the post on getting with similar geared or better geared people depending on who que's... this is just not a factor in the LFG function. There are requirements for some dungeons to get in. You can look at what dungeons you cannot get into by selecting the 'specific dungeon' drop-down and look for the lock icon. Then mouse over that name and see why you cant get in.
if I, as a lvl 80 5800GS toon get into a group of other new 80's, GS of 3500 at best (for discussion needs), I will not be able to que the entire group for a level one player cannot enter. If one does not have good enough gear to get in, none of the group can que.
However, I (and everyone) can que for certain runs no matter the GS. I have run random heroics as a 3300 GS along with 5800 GS toons.
If you can get in, the LFG tool just looks to fill a slot, nothing more.
To get into dungeons you are not geared for, you can physically go to the dungeon location as a group and enter. This is not the case with dungeons that requires you to do a quest before you can enter, or require a certain amount of rep first.
My DK has taken many guildies into dungeons to power level them. Consider being run through stocks by an 80... no different. If you are under level 20 you just cant get into stocks, no matter what. Level 20's even in a group cant survive stocks. But, a level 80 can take 1 or 4 other level 20s to get them xp.
All of the LFG abilities and limits mirror that example.

[scottvin]

gotcha.. was just wondering about the LFG tool itself and how it worked.

[Kamchak]

gotcha.. was just wondering about the LFG tool itself and how it worked.

No worries. Was adding and changing some information given to reflect a more accurate description of how LFG works.

[scottvin]

No worries. Was adding and changing some information given to reflect a more accurate description of how LFG works.

I must be geared for the latest two dungeons -
Violet Hold
Gundrak

[Kamchak]

Keep running what you can and get not only the Emblems of Frost (EoF) but the Emblems of Triumph (EoT).
I am presuming you are lvl 80, of course.
If you're not, do at least one daily random on this toon for your EoT. You will use these to get your T9 gear, opening up a lot more than just dungeons.
Also, once you are lvl 76 you can get into Wintergrasp(WG) (I think this early, may be 78). You will want the shards and honor points to get the raw gems you will need for the gem slots on your upcoming T9 gear.

My process.... run randoms and WG until Im so sick of them I puke, then I do 2 more, wake up the next day and start all over.

You may not be into end-game content, and thats fine. If you are, this is the process to follow as the first step. There are few people that will accept a toon that is lvl 4800 GS into ICC.... there are none that will let you pug into ICC with less. Some guilds wont let you into ICC with less than 4800GS. Just the way it is.

[antacus]

I still think there is something to equipment levels. Tellen ya Kam, all my friends are 80's and about the same on reputations but looking around it just seems like if the pally (the lowest GS of my friends) leads / queues I am ALWAYS the highest GS with the shammy coming in 2nd. The other two ppl LFG adds to our group are 95% or more always in the 4300-4800 range.

When I queue us the 2 ppl adds from LFG seem to always be 5000+. Same instance just different person queuing. NOW ... I have run solo and gotten the occasional run where the other ppl I am grouped with are 3800-4500 but that is very rare. When I get tossed into those groups I usually can not DPS at my normal rate, the tanks just can't keep up and I draw threat. Like I said, this is rare and typically solo I end up with like-geared toons. Which if you chew on it makes sense. just about no way a "beginner" level 80 tank is going to hold aggro off of a mage pulling 8,000+DPS.

[Kamchak]

Oh, I'm not doubting what you are seeing. Im just saying this is a random finder. There is no functionality to fill holes in a team by GS. Since this is a third party addon that can vanish at any given moment, Blizzard would not place stock in its use for their own system.
If you can qualify to run the dungeon as an individual player, you will get the dungeon that comes up, with whatever stellar or short-bus special player you happen to get.

[nin88]

I agree with kam...
My Druid was a 5224 gs heals and I'm always grp'd with ppl in the low 4000 to mid 3500 an rarly I get ppl around my gs
and same with my pally tank and on my 5.5k gs lok I always got dot and that's it lol

I still think u r in a line and the next 4 ppl in line go with u too what ever place they all can go too.
That's why I love tanking with noobs b/c I get uk and nexus all the time

[deleon]

I agree with kam...
My Druid was a 5224 gs heals and I'm always grp'd with ppl in the low 4000 to mid 3500 an rarly I get ppl around my gs
and same with my pally tank and on my 5.5k gs lok I always got dot and that's it lol

I still think u r in a line and the next 4 ppl in line go with u too what ever place they all can go too.
That's why I love tanking with noobs b/c I get uk and nexus all the time

Paladin -- 5k gs. Seems to rotate between Halls of Storm and Oculus (I really, really, really, really, really hate Oculus).
Warrior -- 5.2k gs. Violet Hold and Culling of Time (Stratholme) mostly.

Got a Halls of Reflection run earlier this week. Been so long since I'd been there I might have gotten lost if it wasn't a nearly straight run from start to finish (fight in this room, run down this hall and fight the guy in the middle, turn right, run up the path and fight everything that comes your way).