For the visit to the Molten Core, there is now a definite date for Sauercrowd that will no longer be postponed. And even more: The guild has now so many players at the maximum level in WoW Hardcore that the leadership is considering two raid groups. However, Metashi emphasizes: they do not want to force it.
Why was the raid in jeopardy?
- The original goal of the Sauercrowd project was to visit the Molten Core, the first raid in WoW Classic. They wanted to get as many players, veterans and newcomers alike, to level 60 and give Ragnaros a thrashing.
- After initial enthusiasm, the plan seemed to work out. Despite some setbacks, the players held up well. Then came the first crises: a wrong call forced three high-level players to restart, hundreds of hours of gameplay were lost.
- Finally, Metashi’s statement about the already started The Burning Crusade sounded like the project had reached an early end. The concerns are now cleared, and the first raid is definitely on.
This is currently the goal: After the raid on the Molten Core was originally planned for February 15, the start was postponed by another week. On Sunday, February 22, it is now definitely set to start at 3 PM.
In the last guild meeting, Metashi promised that this date would not be postponed (on YouTube). The guild leader emphasized that they want to ensure that everyone can join and take enough time:
It is and remains the 22.2. […] Raid start will be around 3 PM. Because we are really planning to raid between 5 and 8 hours. We want to do this safely. We want to give it a fair chance for the best possible chances of clearing.
This means, please plan for the whole afternoon, evening, early evening. I must also say bluntly, if we take someone into the raid and they say after two hours: “I have to go because I have another appointment, I have to watch Harry Potter in the cinema”, that would be really Monka.
Metashi on YouTube, around minute 22:31
However, Metashi goes a step further and says that it is quite possible to even start a second raid. After he recently reached level 60 himself and Papaplatte is now also back to maximum level with his second character, the guild already has over 100 players at level 60 – and 20-25 more have good chances of reaching it in the next few days.
There were concerns that The Burning Crusade would end Sauercrowd prematurely. Here is the new cinematic for the expansion:
Over 100 players at level 60, but two raids are not guaranteed
A full raid in WoW Classic consists of 40 players. With 100 characters, one could easily fill two raids, and with the potentially 20 more, even a total of three. However, that does not work so easily, because not just 40 people are enough. The group must “function”:
- there must be enough tanks and healers present
- in Classic, some classes (like Paladins) are important, who can provide certain buffs
- and finally, every group also needs experienced raid leaders who know all the tactics and can make calls, so that not everyone dies at the first ability
For this reason, the guild leader emphasizes in the meeting that they want to make sure to split the groups properly and only establish a second raid if it can be guaranteed that it has a chance of success.
Additionally, you need backup players for all contingencies. Already in progress raids in retail, it is customary to have significantly more players in the “roster” than fit into the group. In WoW Hardcore, it can happen that characters literally die in the middle.
When exactly the second raid will start – if it happens – has apparently not yet been decided. According to Metashi, it is supposed to take place simultaneously. However, the expert Sieglinde believes, as he mentions in his video, that a second date would be more sensible to accommodate more people.
For experienced players, the Molten Core is not much more than a slightly hotter walk. Some of the first guilds at the release of Classic even mastered the raid with green gear
and players below level 60. Especially in WoW Hardcore and without extensive knowledge, the raid can quickly become a disaster: Guild loses 30 characters in the easiest raid of WoW Classic Hardcore, not even a boss fight
