Backfire in your Phayce.

It is time again for stories from the random dungeon at intended level, it would appear. This time, we've come around to Blackfathom Deeps - an instance I've never actually done before at it's inteneded level. Who knows how it would work out when stuff is actually able to kill you, don't die in one blow and the loot is potentially awesome?

But first things first - how we get there. I sign in, no new mail, so I queue up and figure I'll check my bank, fill up on water and other such tasks of a somewhat mundane nature while I wait. Alas, no such luck - the invite box pops up before I can even mount, and the unfamiliar loadscreen suggests I'm headed somewhere naga'y. Cool, I think, time to learn the ropes in an instance I actually DON'T know inside out. Again, I'm greeted by the sight of no-one, with added free XP. Somewhat wiser since the Wailing Caverns-incident, I start running and happily recieve the chatbox welcome of "when you're gonna leave, please say" - oh, boy.

Catching up with the group at Lady Saveress, we quickly fall into place, and move on the clear the instance without any trouble or drama at all - when the tank accidentally pulls during a mana break, he even apologizes. Properly. Unexpectedly. Not "soz", but a full and proper "oops, my bad, sorry guys". I was amazed. Better still, I came away from it with a new set of trousers and a belt. Spellpower, HHOOOO!

Back in Silvermoon, I queue again, empty out my bags, tradeskill a bit, just killing time. And after around 10 mintues of waiting around, I'm starting to wonder if this isn't just a tad bit slow? So I scrollover the LFG-icon, and find something fascinating;


Like Nexus-Prince Shaffar will undoubtedly tell me time and time again in around 40 levels, what is this? The tank is there, the healer is there, we're actually lacking DPS. And suddenly, a theory dawns upon me - interrupted, though, by the sudden arrival of the invite box. Where half the DPS promptly goes on to decline, and I'm put back at the head of the queue. My clever theory re-emerges, and I realize that I signed up as healer exclusively. Not healer/DPS, nonono, nor healer/tank. I signed up as healer for fast queues, is what I did. And when I scrollover the little icon again, I'm greeted by a sight I never, ever, saw coming.


12 minutes. 12 solid minutes. For DPS. Serisously, where's all the DPS? Did they - hang on - did they really - no, seriously? - did they all queue as tank or healer to get fast queues?

Eventually, I return to BFD for a second run, everything up to and including Gelihast is smooth and fast, before the tank (having just won a rather awesome pair of mail gloves) up and fucks off outta there. Heirloom-Heavy Warrior With Aggro-Issues must have smelled the logical next step a mile away, as did we all, and as such, he kinda fucked off outta there as well. Fear not, however - feralcat in greens and whites is here, alongside super-Phayce and awesome-shaman of elementaly goodness! How can we fail?

After ten minutes of waiting for DPS-replacements, we realize we can't. Albeit somewhat slower, we're clearing hard and smooth onwards to Lord Kelris, where we're joined by a mage and Heirloom-Heavy Warrior With Aggro-Issues volume 2. Five minutes later I'm back in Silvermoon, another two levels gained and back to the trainer.

Still, I remain somewhat amazed. 12 minutes for DPS, and 10 minutes for DPS replacements. Is it just slightly possibly that we've painted ourselves into a corner here with our cunning use of smarts? I'm not sure, I may of course have had a massive patch of weird luck. But it's still quite an interesting thought.