Heroic mode

Heroic mode refers to a dungeon difficulty ( & ) and raid difficulty () setting. The difficulty setting for a dungeon is accessed from the party leader's portrait menu; currently the only other difficulty setting is Normal Mode (the default setting). Each of the 5-man dungeons introduced in the World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade expansion pack may be run on Heroic Mode if every member of the party has obtained the appropriate Instance Attunement . In this is done by purchasing a key from the faction Quartermaster once reaching Template:Honored (originally, the keys required Template:Revered, but this was reduced in later patches).

Heroic mode in Wrath of the Lich King behaves in multiple ways. The normal instances have a heroic mode that increases their difficulty and allows you to earn an [Emblem of Heroism] from each boss killed. Raids (such as Naxxramas) now have a heroic mode that changes them from a 10 man to 25 man instance, with each boss dropping an [Emblem of Valor], used to purchase higher level gear than the Emblems of Heroism.

- In Heroic Mode, the mobs and bosses in the dungeon are much tougher, with greater hit points, increased damage, and more dangerous special attacks. All heroic mode bosses drop a [Badge of Justice] at level 70 or an [Emblem of Heroism]/[Emblem of Valor] at level 80 for each party member. Heroic Mode dungeons are on a timer, and can only be run once per character per day. Each dungeon is on an independent timer, however, so a character could run as many as 15 heroic mode instances per day. Heroic timers are reset daily at 11:00 A.M. server time for US servers, and 08:00 A.M. server time for European servers.

In Rare-quality loot drops on some Heroic Mode instances have been adjusted to level 70 quality. Items in Shattered Halls, The Steamvault, Sethekk Halls, Shadow Labyrinth, The Black Morass, and all 5-man Tempest Keep instances remain the same on heroic. All other BC instances have different rare-quality loot. In addition, each boss of a heroic dungeon may drop an epic gem. The last boss of a heroic dungeon always drops one epic item in addition to a Badge of Justice.

Common Requirements

In Heroic mode, all instances get a lot harder, and most mobs have their damage increased and bosses often having their damage and health increased.

When entering a group for Heroics (HC) you want to get the group that is less likely to wipe. Many of the following are stats commonly accepted by PUG Heroics (guild heroics may be higher/ lower depending on the nature of the guild.)

• TANK*

For a Tank should have at least 10k (10,000) health UN-BUFFED and 490 Defense rating (or combination resilience in which case defense is still preferred for mitigation), In a tank should have 20k health un-buffed and 540 Defense. Wrath Heroics are noticeably more difficult in boss encounters as well as the requirements for crowd control and group coordination.

Tanks should have enough dodge/block/parry and life combined to be healed efficiently, but not constantly. Please note that 5 man heroics healing is based upon healing the entire group unlike 10 or 25 man raid healing where tanks may often have a dedicated (or 2-3) healers topping them off.

• Healer*

Healer gear / stats, is often greatly dependent on the tank. If your tank has 15k health and your healer has 5k mana you know he's gonna run out of mana fast. But if the healer has 10k mana, but your tank has < 10k health it's not going to matter, because the tank will die too fast.

On average, a healer should be able to heal 2.2k-2.6k (non crit) with their 1.5 sec cast heals, or for druids, 2.0-3.1k with regrowth.

And at least 3.5k (non crit) with their 2.5 second cast spells (assuming they are healing specced)

A good healer has more than 8k mana, this is necessary for boss fights, and for efficient running (most people geared for heroic aren't willing to wait after every mob for a mana break.

Perhaps more important in the "secondary healer" classes, "Mana Per Second" (MP5) is a useful addition. Try to aim for about 200+ mana regen when out of combat, and at least 100+ whilst casting, this aids with efficient running.

Though less important than the above, Health is also a vital factor especially on low armor healers, especially priests, who can be hit for 8k (non crit) damage in some heroics. Attempt to have 8k+ health, and for paladins and shamans, a shield, which really aids with survivability.

• Crowd Control*

In a majority of non-heroic instances, a good tank can generate enough threat to hold the attention of multiple mobs, and the damage is low enough to be relatively easily healed, thus greatly lowering the need for crowd control. Mages are the most effective, and many Heroic PUGer's wont do a heroic without one, because of the usefulness of Polymorph. Rogues and Retribution paladins are the next best CC with hunters Ice Traps being last. If played correctly, all are viable forms of CC, and depending on the DPS output of your group, you many only need to incapacitate the mob for 10secs, making traps as efficient as polymorph.

• DPS*

Hunters/Mages/Warlocks/Rogues are all considered primary DPS and it its advisable to bring at least one. However some hybrid classes if specced correctly are just as suited. Retribution Paladins/Enhancement or Elemental Shaman/Feral (cat) Druids and Balance Druids can all fill DPS roles, if their gear is correct and their spec is done for DPS purposes.

Warriors often get shunned or pushed aside in favor of other classes for HC's if they are not protection specced. But since the addition of the Fury talent "Titans Grip" Warriors can out DPS other classes if geared properly, so you should not overlook an Arms or Fury warr, they can be useful additions.

Most importantly caster DPS should aim to have 600+ spell power (absolute minimum) And Melee/Ranged DPS 1.2k Attack power.

Most classes should keep their health above 8k to avoid being "one-shotted" and casters should aim to have mana above 8k as well, so sustained DPS can be used on mobs and bosses.

Daily Quests

Since Patch 2.3.0, new daily quests can be aquired.
These daily quests, referred to as "Daily Heroics", involve killing the final boss in a dungeon on Heroic Mode and give aditional Badges of Justice in The Burning Crusade or Emblems of Heroism in Wrath of the Lich King and money as reward.

Reputation requirements

Each key requires Template:Honored reputation with the respective faction. (Lowered from Template:Revered in the 2.3 patch)

Instances	Faction	Key	Instances to grind at 70	Approximate Difficulty
Hellfire Citadel	Thrallmar/Honor Hold	[Flamewrought Key]	Hellfire Ramparts (~633 rep, heroic ~2500 rep) Blood Furnace (~700 rep) The Shattered Halls (~1650 rep, heroic ~2700 rep)
Auchindoun	Lower City	[Auchenai Key]	Mana-Tombs (consortium reputation: ~1200 rep, heroic ~2400 rep) Auchenai Crypts (~750 rep) Sethekk Halls (~1250 rep, heroic ~2100 rep) Shadow Labyrinth (~2000 rep, heroic ~2700 rep)
Coilfang Reservoir	Cenarion Expedition	[Reservoir Key]	Slave Pens (~650 rep, heroic ~1800 rep) Underbog (~1000 rep, heroic ~2500 rep) The Steamvault (~1600 rep, heroic ~1800 rep)
Tempest Keep	The Sha'tar	[Warpforged Key]	The Botanica (~2200 rep, heroic ~3100 rep) The Arcatraz (~1800 rep, heroic ~2600 rep) The Mechanar (~1500 rep, heroic ~2100 rep)
Caverns of Time	Keepers of Time	[Key of Time]	Opening the Dark Portal (~1100 rep) Escape from Durnholde Keep (~900 rep, heroic ~2300 rep)
Isle of Quel'Danas	Shattered Sun Offensive	[70D] Hard to Kill	Magisters' Terrace (~1450 rep)

Note that the Heroic Dungeons introduced in Wrath of the Lich King don't require an attunement.

See also

• Epic heroic-only items
• Rare heroic-only items