Shadow Fang Keep far superior for Boosting (even for alliance).

I know this won't be interest to seasoned boxers with all the teams they wanted but thought it might be useful for those starting out.
(Perhaps I should have posted in the new multiboxers area - mods feel free to move).

I decided to try Shadowfang keep instead of Dead Mines for boosting a couple of alliance rogues.

I found despite the half hour or so run it took to get my lowbies there (I'm now stationing level 1 RAF summoners at each instance for future groups) that it was far quicker gaining levels in SFK than Deadmines - for the following reasons.

1. Shadowfang is made up of elites, Deadmines is full of non elites.
2. shadowfang is a very small instance while Deadmines is a much larger, sprawling instance in comparison.
3. Shadowfang has a large number of elites that can be collected together at the start of the instance. Deadmines has multiple doors getting in the way.
4. Shadowfang is quick to get out and reset, Deadmines requires a run back round to the beginning and killing trash respawns outside of it to get back in.

Given that I have to run my lowbies up from ironforge to Scarlet monastery anyway I figured I'm not losing any time by running them that bit earlier.
(WIth low levels stationed for RAF summoning I wont have this run time anymore)

Net result I went from 10-20 the quickest I ever have on the alliance side.

With my druid I cleared up to the courtyard doors in cat form.
Stationed the lowbies there. Then went in bear form and did a big loop through the courtyard, up the ramp on the right, back down through the baron's dining room and out into the courtyard. Picked up those I missed in the courtyard, brought them back to the stairs at the entrance of the couryard and swiped the mobs down.

This yielded most of a level (if not a level) each time. I then swapped back to cat and cleared to the end of the instance to avoid hitting the instance reset limit.
At about 17-20 I just did the initial loop pull.

All in about 6 hours something for 1-22. I'm sure others have done this quicker, but It's the quickest I've managed so far.

Yep its pretty awesome for 10-20.

When you enter the instance there is a grate /porticullis thing in front of you. Run the people you want to park up to it and have them stand there.

You can clear up to the butcher in that main courtyard and still be in range. When you gather mobs up and run around on the wall youll notice that you're coming back around towards your people, so even though you're up on the wall theyll still get XP (just make sure you can see them on your minimap).

Even when you get up to arugal, if you wish to go that far, if you run him out the door past where the wolves were and go to the corner of the hallway, your guys can get XP at the grate.

Pretty neat.

=)

My normal RAF boosting method is:

RFC --> ***SFK*** --> RFK --> SM:GY --> ZF

I hit 55 in three days on my shaman. I used a geared arcane mage (before the "base %" mana consumption change for arcane blast). I've since then used that same mage as frost and it's actually easier, with ice barrier and all.

Account #1: Mage, Shaman, and others
Account #2: Shaman
Account #3: Shaman
Account #4: Shaman
Account #5: Shaman

Use 1(Mage)+2(Shaman)+3(Shaman)+4(Shaman)+5(Shaman) to run instances, then grant levels from #2(Shaman)-->#1(Shaman). That way your entire group stays the same level. Can't remember exactly how it worked for me (since you get to grant a level every other level), but it did.

Shadowfang Keep is very nice. Never tried Deadmines, but it seems like it would be just as easy. The kills only have to be in proximity for the XP to count, and it seems like gathering all the mobs on the boat would distribute XP to the slaves no matter where you're at in the instance.

But SFK works best with melee toons in my oppinion. The mobs have quite a few magic resist.

But I love that place... the first place I ever did an instance in - like 2 years ago.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 'Ellusionist',index.php?page=Thread&postID=179724# post179724

Shadowfang Keep is very nice. Never tried Deadmines, but it seems like it would be just as easy. The kills only have to be in proximity for the XP to count, and it seems like gathering all the mobs on the boat would distribute XP to the slaves no matter where you're at in the instance.

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It's the time taken getting through the non elites to the instance entrance, Then the time taken to get through the non-elite and elite trash in the instance, before you even get to the boat. Then you have to run around to get back to the instance entrance (Rather than leave, reset and go back in).
Actually thinking about it, it woud probably be better running back through the cleared instance to the entrance rather than going outside and round.

one little thing to mention:
If you care about loot, simply put it on 'Master Looter' and you can simply distribute the blues to your alts, without having to ever move them away from the gate :)

SFK is by far one of my favorite instances. i would never go to VC even for alliance. who cares if they drop more wool to sell at about 5gold a stack. level faster, get it out the way.

deadmines has these gates you have to open sequentially, so mass pulls are harder to do. sfk has one door. everything after that door is not a mass pull issue.
deadmines has billions of non-elite miners. sure they're easier to kill, but they offer up less exp. annoying, as they run off as well. sfk has no one running off in fear.
deadmines spawn patrols every time a boss is killed along the way. so leaving your alts at the previous boss to do a mass pull can cause a wipe for your team. with sfk, there is only one respawn, and that's after you kill the baron in the dining room (there's the voidies too, but that happens at a boss and it happens immediately so you can easily kill it).
deadmines has a very long roundabout reentry. with sfk, you simply jump off the roof into the beginning once you exit the tower.
deadmines entrace area is littered with miners who will attack your team if you're not careful. sfk has none.

What level is your druid cat ?
If High LVL how come the lowbies still get XP ?
or Am I missing something ?

Well even if its high level, the lowbies allways get xp, only not as much :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 'olipcs',index.php?page=Thread&postID=182783#post1 82783

one little thing to mention:
If you care about loot, simply put it on 'Master Looter' and you can simply distribute the blues to your alts, without having to ever move them away from the gate :)

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On my main, I do master loot then I also pass on loot. This way, only the mobs with greens/blues will sparkle.