TOPIC: Why did you do more than 5 runs?

As somebody who did 5 runs (one of each, plus Green with Envy) and one TrueGrind, and feel like that was a lot, I was surprised to see people who had done even more. I'm curious what your motivations were if you did more than 5 runs.

I have some theories but I'd love to see an unofficial poll if you don't mind responding. Do you like to run at different difficulties, different groups, do it for the treasure, etc?

Kirk Bauer wrote: As somebody who did 5 runs (one of each, plus Green with Envy) and one TrueGrind, and feel like that was a lot, I was surprised to see people who had done even more. I'm curious what your motivations were if you did more than 5 runs.

I have some theories but I'd love to see an unofficial poll if you don't mind responding. Do you like to run at different difficulties, different groups, do it for the treasure, etc?

different groups and always treasure

lazlo_hollyfeld1985 wrote:

Kirk Bauer wrote: As somebody who did 5 runs (one of each, plus Green with Envy) and one TrueGrind, and feel like that was a lot, I was surprised to see people who had done even more. I'm curious what your motivations were if you did more than 5 runs.

I have some theories but I'd love to see an unofficial poll if you don't mind responding. Do you like to run at different difficulties, different groups, do it for the treasure, etc?

different groups and always treasure

Same - all 4 flavors of dungeon at least, then running with friends, and I enjoy running with at least one newbie group. And always treasure.

I did 12 and wife did 11. Most of them were so we could make sure we survived on Nightmare all 4 of the dungeons. This was accomplished by Run 5 After that it was all about running with our friends in the DDA and also some of the friends outside of the DDA.

455 treasure pulls didn't hurt either(except my elbow and back).

Kirk Bauer wrote: As somebody who did 5 runs (one of each, plus Green with Envy) and one TrueGrind, and feel like that was a lot, I was surprised to see people who had done even more. I'm curious what your motivations were if you did more than 5 runs.

I have some theories but I'd love to see an unofficial poll if you don't mind responding. Do you like to run at different difficulties, different groups, do it for the treasure, etc?

The past few years, I have only done 4 a year. But IF I were to do more, it would mainly be for the reason of spending time with TD friends.

There are so many people I didn't get a chance to run with this year (or in recent years), so it is more of a social thing.

I ended up on 11 runs 4 with my group and 5 others I joined off the forum. This was too many for me I found out Saturday night.

jedibcg wrote: I ended up on 11 runs 4 with my group and 5 others I joined off the forum. This was too many for me I found out Saturday night.

Yeah I found out Sunday, when I almost fell asleep at the D&D game I was at, that 12 is a bit much Plus a grind and three TD101 sessions.

I did 7, for the experiences (different groups, different difficulties, different outcomes), and of course the treasure.

I think next year 8 would be good. Ideally each dungeon twice (at least 1 of each on nightmare).

More than that would be too many for me I think. There are other things I like to do at GenCon too

I'd hate to be the one that says this because I know that pretty much no one will want to hear it, but I think this is a primary contributor to the issues we have been talking so much about concerning newbies having their experience tarnished by veteran players.

I understand the need/want to get a bunch of treasure and also to use all the cool tokens we've collected because I enjoy doing the same (I did 6 runs this year including true grind). By dominating all of the time slots with experienced groups we are drastically cutting down on the slots that are available to newer players or just experienced players that don't have a large set group to run with regularly.

This forces experienced players to plan their runs within the limited confines left to them after the "elite" groups go through and plan their 8,10,12 or however many runs they do. I was able to go through 2 runs this year with a pre-planned group (true grind I don't know is a huge concern for "newbies") so that left 3 runs that were just pick up groups for myself and my girlfriend, who are pretty well equipped for at least hardcore.

I feel we did a good job trying to preserve the experience for new players on those runs (and I do love equipping new players and trying to get them excited about coming back for TD) but during combat I felt like I was walking on eggshells. I'd sit out every other round or so just to give them a chance to slide and do some damage, and my goal when I did slide (most of the time) was to bump their sliders into a number they could hit on.

As much fun as that is though I still feel like I'm missing out on some of the fun. I don't get to do runs on nightmare anymore because I don't have the static group that can manage it, I have to prowl the forums just trying to get a group that has 2 spaces open with the classes we like to play for hardcore. We miss out on the rare completion tokens during years we can't find those groups and it gets frustrating.

I love True Dungeon, and I love playing with new players but I can't help think that part of the issue is that the players that are doing the runs I'd like to be a part of are taking a dozen time slots to fill out with people they already know, and getting into that "next tier" of True Dungeon player is like someone in the lower class trying to become someone in the upper class. Not impossible, but pretty darn difficult.

I personally am a big proponent of bringing back time slots with pre-set difficulties. When we had that I could run the difficulties I wanted to run even though I didn't have 8 other friends that I knew could do it. If a new player joins that time slot and no one wants to run on normal I can't help but think that they set themselves up for that failure as opposed to how it is now that better geared players have to "tone it done for the good of True Dungeon." (Which I don't inherently mind)

This has turned into a bit of a ramble/rant but hopefully my point has come across. I like doing every dungeon once, and I feel that is fair across the board for everyone. Taking up a dozen slots seems selfish and hypocritical, because a lot of those players (you all know who you are) are now preaching that we need to be more understanding and helpful to the newer TD players. Which is fine from atop your perch of 6,8,10,12 or whatever pre-planned nightmare runs where you get 100's of treasure pulls and handfuls of completion tokens. But not so much for the greater majority of players caught in the middle of this debate that have trouble getting into a group that can manage hardcore.

I'm looking forward to discussion on this, and hoping I'm not labeled a leper for such talk against the "upper class" of TD

1 Golden Ticket
1 Underdark combat
1 Underdark puzzle
1 Sable combat
1 Sable puzzle
1 Grind
---
6 runs total

I did three runs, (I had the option via texts to participate in two more, but had time that I had promised to the Auction House already at that point) and for a first year player with no +treasure gear, that was enough for me.

I ran a sable puzzle at normal with Sharkly .. which was an awesome first run (thanks guys) that had a good combination of experienced and new players.

I then ran a nightmare run with ARP's group .. [Where I kept my mouth shut on puzzles until I heard one or two other people start down the correct path .. even then I simply agreed with them.] That was a great run.

After that I was in a 100% pickup group for underdark puzzle that had freed up Thursday night. That time I was able to play 'group leader' as there were only 2 or 3 experienced players in the group. I loaned out basic armour, and a few +1 weapons that I got at loot; along with advice on what I learned as a new player the prior day. We had a great time on that run too.

Next year I think I will shoot for four, one each puzzle and combat.

Because we are insane and love TD