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A screenshot of a player's best times, viewable through the Roster tab of their Guild.
Previewed at BlizzCon 2011, Challenge Modes will be a new system of dungeon challenges, like time trials. Players race to the end of the dungeon, competing for fast times in order to win medals (Gold, Silver, or Bronze).
From the official World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria website:[1]
The clock is ticking. Your group is making good progress, but you realize that if you don't hurry and work as a team, you will never make it in time. You approach the dungeon's last boss with a look of grim determination on your face; you will get that gold medal this time, come what may. He's almost down, but there are only seconds left on the timer. You yell at your group mates to give it their all for one last push, fingers flying across your keyboard. Finally he drops, and your group screams triumphantly: you've beaten the dungeon's best time. You've mastered its Challenge Mode.
Information
From the official World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria website:[1]
Mists of Pandaria's Challenge Mode presents a new way to reward great team players and seasoned dungeon specialists. The idea is simple: if you select Challenge Mode for a dungeon, you and your group will be racing against the clock to finish the dungeon as quickly as possible. The faster you finish, the greater your reward.
You select Challenge Mode before you enter a dungeon. In this mode, your objective is to clear the instance and down all the dungeon's bosses as fast as you can. Your gear will be normalized, meaning that instead of your own equipment you will be fighting using a set of items that's appropriate for the instance. That way, the challenge level will be equal for all players. Depending on how quickly you clear the dungeon, your group can earn one of three possible medals: gold, silver, or bronze. Working together as a team, communicating well, and supporting and encouraging each other is the best way to get those shiny gold medals.
So practice your pulls, lay out your strategies, and remember that communication and coordination are key. Challenge Mode is coming. Are you ready?
Challenge modes should be enabled for all 6 of the expected Pandaria dungeons and the 3 updated dungeons.[2]
Challenge Modes are timed heroic instance runs.[4]
Results and rewards
Rewards are received at the end of each challenge. The best rewards are given to those who can achieve gold medals. Things such as armor, titles, and mounts have been mentioned as possible rewards for those who are willing enough to complete the hardest difficulty and earn a gold medal.[1]
There are three tiers of achievements and rewards: gold, silver, and bronze.[4]
Player's UI will show medal tabulation, record times, rewards, and how much time mid-run until you hit the next bracket.[4]
Completing any challenge mode will reward an achievement specific to that dungeon: dungeon name Challenger
Note: It is not clear if Wowhead DB info was actually pulled from game data or manually inserted based on observation or speculation.
General rewards
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Completing any challenge level on all dungeons gives the reward: Challenge Conquerorωϖ
Gold rewards
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Screenshot of a player recieving a Gold Medal.
Achievement and item
Completing individual dungeons at gold level gives an achievement: dungeon name: Gold
It appears that completing a dungeon challenge mode on Gold will unlock an ability called [Challenger's Path], enabling you to instantly teleport to that dungeon's entrance whenever you choose.[5]
Completing the Gold level on all dungeons rewards an achievement, Challenge Conqueror: Goldωϖ and a full set of class-specific transmogrifiable armor.[6]
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Starting a challenge mode instance can be done through the Dungeon Finder window via the "Challenges" tab.
Challenges
Leaderboard
Example leaderboard for participants
Challenge participants can compare their performance to others who attempted the various challenges, their ranks, times and medals.[12] The UI will give info about potential rewards based on the medals achieved.
They will also be sortable by region and realm.[13]
References
^ abcdChallenge Modes. Official World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria site (US). Challenge Modes. Official World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria site (EU).
^"World of Warcraft: Intro to Mists of Pandaria" preview panel (featuring Tom Chilton, Game Director; Cory Stockton , Lead Content Designer; and Greg Street, Lead Systems Designer) at BlizzCon 2011