Mythic+ Is Both A Blessing And A Curse In WoW: The War Within’s Endgame

I’ve always valued the rich variety of activities available in World of Warcraft, from raiding and PvP to Mythic+. However, my feelings about Mythic+, particularly in The War Within, are somewhat mixed these days. On the one hand, it offers an exciting way to stay engaged with the game, presenting numerous opportunities for progression.

On the other hand, it brings along some significant pitfalls and challenges that are getting harder to overlook. Mythic+ often feels like a double-edged sword: while it provides endless chances for improvement, the accompanying issues make me question whether the rewards are truly worth the effort.

The upside of Mythic+ in The War Within

For many players, myself included, Mythic+ is a cornerstone of WoW’s endgame. I’ve sunk countless hours into Mythic+ dungeons over the years because, when everything goes right, it’s a thrilling experience that is easy to enjoy for extended periods of time. There’s nothing quite like pulling off a clean run on a high-level key with your group. It’s challenging, rewarding, and keeps the game interesting week after week. It’s such a positive addition to WoW that it’s practically become the main event… for better or worse.

Constantly relevant content

One of the biggest perks of Mythic+ is that it’s never really “done.” No matter how many keys you complete, there’s always a higher level to push for, new strategies to figure out, and fresh affixes to tackle. This is perfect if, like me, you enjoy the grind. Every week feels like a chance to prove yourself again, and that’s a big part of the appeal. The way difficulty scales means there’s always something to challenge you, no matter how geared or experienced you are.

A great source of Gear

Mythic+ is also hands down the best way to get gear in The War Within. I’ve been able to gear up quickly just by focusing on these dungeons. The Great Vault rewards you for doing multiple dungeons each week, and the gear you get from it is often just as good, if not better than what you’d earn from raiding. For someone who likes mixing up endgame content, Mythic+ has become an essential part of my weekly routine.

But here’s the catch…

As much as I enjoy Mythic+, it’s got some major downsides that weigh on me more and more. First up is the pressure it puts on Raiders. If you’re part of a raid group, especially one aiming for Heroic or Mythic difficulties, running Mythic+ is basically a requirement to keep up in terms of gear. Unfortunately, this is where the grind starts to become… grindy, and that’s not a good thing.

Mandatory for Raiders

In The War Within, the pressure to run Mythic+ is heavier than ever. If you’re serious at all about raiding beyond Normal difficulty, there’s genuinely no way to avoid Mythic+. It is a requirement. I find myself logging in not because I’m excited to play but because if I skip Mythic+ for a week, I’ll fall behind my guildmates. What used to be a fun challenge has become something I have to do just to stay competitive in raids. This shift—from raiding being the primary source of gear to Mythic+ taking over—is highly exhausting.

You’re punished if you don’t like It

Even if you’re not into Mythic+, you’re kind of forced into it. I know plenty of people in my guild who aren’t fans of the Mythic+ grind, but they have no choice if they want to keep pace. It sucks to feel stuck running content you don’t enjoy just to stay relevant. If you’re a good raider but don’t run Mythic+, you’ll still end up behind in terms of gear progression, and that creates this weird dynamic where players are punished for not liking a certain part of the game, or at least not wanting to grind it all the time. But, if you don’t, you will absolutely suffer in the gearing department, and that just sucks.

Pugging Mythic+ is the worst

Then there’s the nightmare that is pugging (joining a random group of players). Some of my worst experiences in WoW have come from trying to pug Mythic+ runs. The random nature of pugging makes it super stressful, and when things go wrong (which they often do), it’s just a mess. The timer adds unnecessary pressure, and if it becomes clear that you won’t meet the timer, players tend to leave early. Who doesn’t love that? I now avoid pugging unless I absolutely have no choice, which limits how much Mythic+ I can realistically do each week. Historically, pugs have never been ‘the best’ way to run anything in World of Warcraft, but current Mythic+ puts a bright spotlight on the aging problem.

Affixes feel like unnecessary difficulty

More often than not, Affixes add a level of difficulty that can feel more frustrating than fun to play against. Instead of making you come up with creative strategies, they often just punish you for things outside your control. While The War Within managed to fix a lot of these problems, especially by adding buffs to the affix list as well, I feel the main issue remains. While I get that affixes are supposed to keep dungeons fresh, and they do, sometimes they end up feeling like they’re adding spiteful artificial difficulty for the sake of it, rather than improving the gameplay experience with something interesting.

The problem with Raid Loot vs. Mythic+ Loot

One of my biggest gripes with Mythic+ in The War Within, beyond what I’ve already mentioned, is how it overshadows raiding when it comes to loot. The amount of gear you can get from Mythic+ is ridiculous compared to what you get from raiding. You can run multiple Mythic+ dungeons a week and get top-tier gear from the Great Vault, while raids feel incredibly stingy by comparison. This insane loot disparity is a serious issue that cannot be ignored.

Mythic+ Loot overshadows Raiding

Currently, there’s no limit to the amount of loot you can get from Mythic+. Between Raids and Mythic+, there is simply no contest. Raid loot, especially from Normal and Heroic, just doesn’t keep up in terms of power or number of drops. After a few high-level Mythic+ runs, the gear you get from raiding starts to feel underwhelming. It’s a shame because raiding used to be a core part of WoW’s endgame, but when Mythic+ is so much more efficient for gear, it’s hard not to prioritize it over raids. I genuinely don’t blame anyone that does.

Fix the Loot Disparity

Blizzard has addressed this before, but it remains a big problem regardless. Raid loot should be more competitive with Mythic+ gear, especially at higher difficulties. They could increase the item level of raid gear or add special bonuses that make it stand out. Another option would be to limit drop frequency or how powerful Mythic+ gear is so it doesn’t completely overshadow raid rewards. I am not a fan of this option though, because I like that Mythic+ is a great source of additional loot. However, loot from Raiding currently serves only a niche purpose, and that makes the whole effort of putting a group together for a raid feel meaningless.

The current disparity in loot between raiding and Mythic+ is pushing more players, myself included, to favor Mythic+ over traditional raiding. While I don’t dislike Mythic+ overall, it’s hard to ignore that raids take significantly longer to complete yet yield far less loot compared to a mode that not only offers better rewards but also an endless supply of them. This creates a serious imbalance that isn’t being adequately addressed, leading to frustration for players like me who value the raid experience but aren’t being properly rewarded for it.

What needs to change in Mythic+

While I do enjoy certain aspects of Mythic+, it’s clear that the system is in need of significant adjustments, and I’m confident I’m not alone in feeling this way. The current setup is unnecessarily punishing and stressful, especially if you’re not running it with a consistent group. If Blizzard wants to make Mythic+ more enjoyable and less of a chore, here’s what I think they should do:

Get rid of the Timer

Since the dawn of Mythic+, the timer has been a source of artificial difficulty for the game mode. For many players, it’s one of the most stressful aspects of the system, and honestly, I think it should go. It discourages people from pugging and adds unnecessary pressure to every run. Removing the timer would let players focus more on learning the mechanics and working together without the constant fear of failure via the clock hanging over them.

Instead, Mythic+ should emphasize minimizing deaths, rewarding teams with greater end rewards for fewer deaths. The challenge should lie in the difficulty of the encounters themselves, rather than in racing against a timer, which often shifts the focus to route optimization and speed rather than skillful play and overcoming tough content.

Rework Affixes

Affixes need a complete rework. Instead of adding frustration, they should add a challenge that encourages teamwork and creative thinking. Blizzard should experiment with affixes that don’t just ramp up the difficulty but make the dungeons more dynamic and interesting.

Introduce a Loot Goblin affix that adds a chance for one to spawn in your dungeon. If your team can kill it before it escapes, you’ll earn an extra piece of loot. Another potential affix could make enemies explode a few seconds after death, adding a tactical layer to positioning and timing. The key is to move away from affixes that rely on random effects tied to timers: everyone uses addons to manage these anyway. Also, eliminate the flat stat increases to enemies based on affixes, as they add nothing but dull, artificial difficulty.

End Key degradation

Failing a Mythic+ run is already enough of a punishment in terms of wasted time. The extra penalty of key degradation feels totally unnecessary. Removing this would encourage players to push themselves to try higher keys without the fear of losing progress.

In conclusion…

Mythic+ is one of the most engaging parts of WoW’s endgame, but it’s about as far from perfect as it can get right now. The pressure it puts on raiders, the frustrations of pugging, the disparity in loot between Raids and Mythic+, and the stress caused by affixes and the timer all contribute to a system that is overwhelmingly problematic toward the player base. The proof of this statement is everywhere, even on the official WoW forums. With meaningful changes, Mythic+ could evolve into a truly balanced and enjoyable aspect of The War Within. As it stands, though, it remains a blessing rotting in a growing sea of decay, marred by frustration.