Scaled Dungeons: solo mode, normal mode, hard mode

I frequently hear players complaining that dungeons are too easy/too difficult.

I would like to see a choice of standard, expert, or masters level difficulties for all of the dungeons (or solo, normal, and hard modes)

For example:

--Cathedral of Flames as it now stands = Standard
--Cathedral of Flames in Hard Mode = Expert
--Cathedral of Flames (an even harder version or perhaps a timed version) could be added for Masters

--Rhaegar's Menagerie made shorter (i.e., by removing some mobs) and/or a bit easier could be added for Standard
--Rhaegar's Menagerie as it stands = Expert
--Rhaegar's in Hard Mode = Masters

Basically, I'd like to see easier/quicker versions of the harder/longer dungeons (e.g., Rhaegar's or Frostmaw) and harder versions of the dungeons that are "quick and easy" (or so I hear on the forums ) even in Hard Mode--with xp, chest drop rates, rep bonuses, etc., all scaled to match the dungeon's difficulty setting. The net effect would be to open up more of the game to more players at all skill levels.

This would just provide players with more options in how they want to play and what dungeons they can enter.

In easy mode, there is no end chest, mobs only drop white items, and the completion doesn't go into books.

Kill every monster on all floors of the dungeon a for Master's Reward.=P

That would be the "Why Bother?" Mode.

Gold =/= fun.

I personally have no problems cruising through most of the dungeons in normal mode and have only had a few problems in hard mode but I also know that many of my guildmates have problems with many of the easy dungeons on normal mode. Rather than never being able to see most of the dungeons in the game I'm sure they would like to get to the end even if the reward isn't as great.

Chances are most people who struggle with dungeons also struggle with gold so lesser rewards would be typical of the rewards they normally get. If this were to be implemented i would suggest the chest dropped grapes/gold like a normal chest would, no greens, and diamonds but not onyx.

Guild Wars is not a solo game, there are solo missions, but that's all.

I've done all the dungeons fine with myself, heroes, and henchies. I may even through a few team mates, but it's not too hard. Shards of Orr gave me some trouble, but that's about it.

Guild Wars *can be* a solo game. In fact, I'd say most people solo most of the time. Some people solo all of the time. The great thing about this game is that you can play it any way you like -- in most cases.

If I could edit the thread title, I would change it to simply Standard, Expert, and Masters, as I now think "solo", etc., is a bit misleading from what I originally intended. Sry, bout that.

I probably play
--95% solo
--4% with just 1 friend + Heroes
--1% with 2+ people

That, to me, is predominantly a solo game with a multiplayer option.

Its hard enough trying to find hard mode or normal mode teams when you want to. Adding an easy or solo mode would just over complicate that even more.

We would end up with people trying to form 3 different styles of PUGs and it would thin the community out even more.

Normal mode is easy for the most part, most of hard mode can be classified as normal, 2-3 dungeons in hard mode are master where most people would find it impossible to go through with h/h. Theres no need for this, if you can't handle the harder dungeons stay out of them. Theres at least 3 dungeons that anyone can breeze through in nm: Lair of snowmen, Irontoe's Lair, Ooze Pit, Sepulchre, and Bogroot Growths was a breeze to go through.

If you really can't beat a dungeon get your guildees to help out, if you're not in a guild or there's no one that can help you consider joining another guild. Now if you're being stubborn and just don't want to rely on help then that's your own fault.

95% without heroes or henchmen? Because the Sunspear motto 'you never fight alone' extends also to Heroes and Henchmen.

if i think somthing is too easy then if i'm free i do it with 1 less in party, if very easy maybe 2 less, adds somthing new to the game, everyones part becomes more important that way.

You are affirming my point. If you think most of the dungeons are already easy and that Hard Mode is Normal, then players at your level should have the option of entering the same dungeon at an even more challenging mode, with even better rewards.

You are missing my point here. Read the last line of the original post.

As for having three dungeon levels confusing the issue of grouping, this *is* a valid concern and a good point. However, since Normal is soloable and relatively quick, no one will bother forming groups for this level. You aren't really decreasing your player grouping pool by offering a level that people are, for the most part, soloing anyway. (I almost never see groups forming for dungeons in NM.) However, it might be worth having the Standard Level *only* be (h/h) soloable.

I am not advocating an Easy mode here, nor am I saying that the current dungeons aren't soloable or need to be made easier/quicker in every case. On the contrary, MOST of the dungeons are "Standard level" as they currently stand. A small number need a quicker (yes, easier) version, and most would benefit from offering an even harder version, all with benefits, xp, etc., scaled to match.

The GW developers labeled the quests for Shards, Rhaegar's, and Frostmaw "Master's Difficulty" for the obvious reason that in their view (and mine) these three dungeons are harder than the others (except for Slaver's Exile, which is in a separate category). I think it is therefore a reasonable suggestion that there be a "Non-Masters Difficulty" equivalent quest or mode for completing these dungeons.

instead of making an extra-HM just make it so you get masters if you complete it with say 6 or less people in your party in hard mode or something like that

That's an interesting idea. Or have the party size affect the chest item drop rate--the smaller the party size, the better the chance of gaining a green item or gem.

The only problem with increasing the reward while having less people in the party is how 600/smiteable so many dungeons are in hm. This will encourage this type of farming more than anything else imo. Cathedral of Flames for instance, many 600/smite (some real, others with dunk) can open the chest once every 40mins without fail.

I like the idea of greater reward with less people, maybe limit the reward to a one time offer when 6 or less people are used, much like the bonus grind points you get the first time you finish various dungeons.