The Deserter debuff: New punishment for Group Finder leavers
Blizzard has introduced the Deserter debuff in response to rising community concerns about Group Finder leavers in The War Within.
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Key takeaways
- Blizzard’s new Deserter debuff bars players from joining another dungeon for 30 minutes if they leave early, aiming to improve group cooperation.
- The debuff has sparked mixed reactions from the WoW community. Some players support it as a solution for leavers, while others find it unfair to those stuck in toxic or problematic groups.
- Players suggest moving valuable loot to the final boss drop to encourage party members to stay until the end of the dungeon.
Players who leave Group Finder dungeons prematurely will now face a more severe penalty. Those who abandon their teammates during a run will receive the Deserter debuff. This will bar them from joining another dungeon for 30 minutes. The Deserter debuff aims to discourage mid-dungeon exits, promoting a more consistent and cooperative experience for all participants. However, the new measure has ignited significant debate within the community.
Blizzard’s new punishment for Group Finder leavers
Since the launch of The War Within, players have been exploring the new expansion, embarking on adventures, completing quests, and diving into Delves and dungeons. However, this has also brought an old issue back to the forefront: Group Finder leavers. The leavers often exit Ara-Kara, City of Echoes dungeon, right after defeating the first boss, Avanoxx. Their goal is to secure the Ara-Kara Sacbrood trinket. Once they have it, they’re gone, leaving their party members out to dry.
In response, Blizzard announced a hotfix that will flag dungeon leavers with the Deserter debuff. This debuff will apply to all Group Finder dungeons, not just Ara-Kara, City of Echoes. And it’ll also prevent players from queuing for another dungeon for 30 minutes. While Blizzard’s intention is good, this change has sparked significant debate within the WoW community.
What players think about the Deserter debuff
Many players support the Deserter debuff, believing it will address the issue of players leaving mid-dungeon. After all, when a player quits, a replacement is needed to complete the dungeon, leading to time lost for both the original party and the newcomer. And the newcomer misses the opportunity to obtain the valuable item they need.
Meanwhile, others are concerned about players who might want to leave problematic groups. As an MMORPG, WoW includes not only skilled and friendly players, but also those who are toxic or incompetent. Such arduous runs can last for hours on end. Players who want to exit such groups now have to either endure extended periods of stress or face the Deserter debuff. And the WoW community doesn’t think such punishment is fair in these circumstances.
Players have suggested an alternative solution: moving the Ara-Kara Sacbrood trinket or other valuable items to the loot drop from the final boss. This would require all party members to stay until the end of the dungeon and could potentially address the issue of Group Finder leavers.
What do you think? Are you in favor of Blizzard’s Deserter debuff, or do you have another idea? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Comments
Im confused this isn’t even new… its already been in the game forever