Mythic+, Present and Future: Ideas and Suggestions
Introduction
Hello everyone,
This discussion thread aims solely to talk about the Mythic+ game mode in World of Warcraft: its current state, what it offers, access conditions, issues it presents, as well as suggestions to improve it or enhance its appeal as an endgame content.
All the points addressed here reflect my personal opinion as a “dedicated” and competitive player for whom Mythic+ is the only reason to log in and play with friends.
Endgame Activities: Comparison with Raids
When I talk about endgame activities, I specifically mean group activities involving some level of personal or guild challenge. Therefore, I will set aside normal, heroic, and mythic 0 dungeons, crafting-related activities, delves, achievement hunting, or any solo-style gameplay.
We can thus narrow group activities down to three main categories: raids, PvP, and Mythic+ dungeons. To stay within PvE, I focus on raids and Mythic+.
Mythic+ offers an alternative to raids by providing a comparable challenge through its infinite scaling system, rivaling the most difficult and demanding raids.
Both activities share similar criteria and access conditions: a group of players, a challenge with varying difficulty levels (normal, heroic, mythic for raids; key levels for Mythic+), and repeated attempts to succeed. Mythic+ dungeons require completion within a time limit and a percentage of trash mobs killed. Since the challenge and essence of this mode rely on these two conditions, they will not be questioned here nor compared to raids.
System, Artificial Walls, Game Mechanics, and Rewards
Thanks to its dungeon-based nature, Mythic+ offers a faster and easier-to-organize experience than raids, which require 20 players and fixed schedules.
Mythic+ is the only alternative for small groups or solo players seeking demanding PvE content that tests mastery of their character and game mechanics, from low key levels to world record high keys.
During a Mythic+ season, competition is constant, similar to raids, and the exploits of the best teams persist throughout the entire season.
Major Differences Between Raids and Mythic+
Key Deplete: Mythic+ is an infinitely scaling mode. This means that every player eventually faces a temporary “limit” — a key level that feels like a wall. This limit is a goal and a reason to keep playing and surpass it.
The problem is that the current system only allows one attempt to overcome this limit: if you fail, you lose a key level (key deplete). This restriction is artificially added and causes frustration and abandonment.
Imagine if after a raid wipe, you had to restart the raid at a lower difficulty because the game deems you unfit for this level.
The key deplete system removes the player’s freedom to choose their challenge. They should be able to try as long as they want in a key that the game “thinks” is above their level without fearing to lose progress, especially since it does not impact other players. Succeeding after many tries gives a great sense of pride and accomplishment.
The infinite scaling system should serve as a natural leaderboard where each player progresses at their own pace. Losing a key level is not a “reality check” but a frustrating and useless punishment.
In-Game Rewards
Currently, rewards are very limited despite Mythic+ being the second most played PvE mode. Item level of loot caps at heroic level, for reasons unknown.
Cosmetics are more numerous than before (including a mount), but still far from the quality found in Mists of Pandaria challenge modes. The title awarded to the top 0.1% players feels more like a joke, rewarding time spent climbing keys rather than enjoying the game.
Group Finder and Matchmaking
For a solo player looking for a high-level key, wait times to find a group can stretch to hours. Key owners, due to the punitive key deplete system, prefer inviting overqualified players to ensure their key’s success, neglecting requests from players who haven’t yet reached the required level.
Progression is thus abandoned: fear of losing the key governs every decision. Players reroll to copy the meta and increase invitation chances, sometimes sacrificing their own enjoyment by dropping their favorite class or role.
Ideas, Suggestions, and Possible Solutions
Key Deplete: Resilient Keys
Two possible approaches to fix this issue:
- Approach 1: Improve the current system
Keep resilient keys but make them more useful. For example, once all level 18 keys are completed, players could attempt level 19 keys infinitely. After clearing all level 19 keys, resilient level 20 would unlock, etc.
This system validates the player’s skill on each dungeon before moving up, removes artificial difficulty walls (key deplete rollback), while maintaining normal progression. - Approach 2: Remove key deplete entirely
Each dungeon would be tied to a key via a special Mythic+ menu. Players choose where to go and resume progression at their best level for each dungeon, inviting whoever they want.
Their choices would no longer be dictated by fear of regression. Playing with friends of different levels would also be easier, as there would be no in-game “loss” aside from time invested.
This is the option I would choose, as it offers the most freedom to players.
In-Game Rewards
- Allow item level mythic loot from a certain key level. It’s illogical for loot to cap at heroic when some keys rival mythic raids in difficulty, coordination, and mastery.
- Cap Mythic+ item level separately, restoring the glory of MoP dungeon challenge modes and resolving ilvl discrepancies between raids and Mythic+.
- Implement a reward system by rating tiers, e.g., a bar from 0 to 5000 representing a player’s Mythic+ rating, like a free battle pass. Each tier unlocks cosmetics, rewarding effort and progression.
The top 0.1% title could be integrated into this system.
Matchmaking
- Add an automated group finder system like for normal dungeons or LFR, with key level selection and separate Mythic+ score.
This would ease access for new players and rerolls. - Custom group finder would remain useful for very high keys or specific criteria but shouldn’t be mandatory at lower levels.
- To encourage class diversity and reduce infinite city waits, introduce Bloodlust and battle rez tools accessible as dungeon utilities, currently essential and often reserving 2 out of 5 group slots.
Conclusion
Mythic+ dungeons are an integral part of World of Warcraft’s endgame and deserve full attention.
Recent updates introducing resilient keys show a willingness to fix some issues, but it’s not enough.
This content is the only alternative to raids for PvE players seeking challenge and the only option for small groups of 5. Mythic+ must not be treated as a side activity but as a full part of the game.
I hope I convinced you on at least one point — that alone would be a huge step forward in addressing Mythic+’s current challenges.
Thank you.
Ps: This pos thas been translated from French to English by an AI. Even if i understand English correctly, i’m not qualified enough to translate that much text without sounding stupid. Hope you understand.
