Island Expedition – How it REALLY works and how to get mounts

This page is added with new features after I do more runs. All my test runs are streamed as well on twitch.tv/moudi. 

Island expedition is a scenario of 3 players.
This scenario takes you to a random island where you must gather Azerite power faster than 3 other characters. These 3 other characters are either NPS´s or other players.
You choose what type of scenario you want when queuing up. The difficulties are
- Normal mode (against 3 NPC´s)
- Heroic mode ((against 3 NPC´s)
- Mythic mode (against 3 NPC´s)
- PvP mode (against 3 other players)

The amount of Azerite power you need to gather in that island differs depending on what difficulty you choose.

On Normal mode, you compete who gathers 6000 Azerite Power first
On Heroic mode, you compete who gathers 9000 Azerite Power first
On Mythicmode, you compete who gathers 12000 Azerite Power first
On PvP mode, you compete who gathers 12000 Azerite Power first

You gather Azerite power from many different sources on that island (chests, looting mobs, Rare mobs etc).

Stages in Island expedition

There are three stages in island expedition on normal, heroic and mythic difficulty.

Stage 1

When you start the scenario, and start farming Azerite power.

Stage 2

In this stage, Azerite clusters comes up from the ground on a specific area that is announced. These a guarded by elemental adds. This stage offers loads of Azerite power.

How to enter stage 2

This stage is mainly dependent on the total amount of azerite gathered but could also be based on time.

Normal Mode – Triggers when you have gathered around 3-4 k Azerite Power in total between Alliance and Horde (33%).  

Heroic Mode – Triggers when you have gathered around 6k Azerite Power between Alliance and Horde (33%)

Mythic Mode – Triggers when you have gathered around 12k Azerite Power between Alliance and Horde (50 %)

Stage 3

This stage is the main stage you want to get to if you are farming rewards such as mounts. This stage starts a specific event. This event has large enemies entering the island on a specific location that is announced as well. Killing these enemies and looting chests will enable you to have chances on extra loot once you complete the island expedition.

Enemies that enters the event are;
1) Boss with 2 huge chests
2) Several rares and non rares with normal sized chests and satchels.
3) Mini bosses with chests.

Each event have different rewards that you have a chance on getting once you complete the island expedition.  To get a chance on getting a mount it has to be a specific event tied to the mount, and the specific event is also tied to the specific islands.

How to enter Stage 3

This stage is dependent on the total amount of Azerite power collected between Alliance and Horde.

Normal Mode – Triggers when you have gathered 6k Azerite power in total between Alliance and Horde (50%).

Heroic Mode – Triggers when you have gathered 12k Azerite Power in total between Alliance and Horde (50%).

Mythic Mode – Triggers when you have gathered 20k Azerite Power in total (80%).

My thoughts

It goes REALLY fast to run normals when you want to trigger 3rd event. And on mythic it is very tight, because you come up to 20k in total, which means both factions are close to win when 3rd event starts. One player should keep the other faction busy so they do not kill more stuff to win while the other 2 players kill and loot the event chests/satchels. Also, you must have 1-2k free before winning since that is how much you will get by going to the event area, killing the mobs (and maybe mobs u pulled on the way) and kill the leader AND loot the chests/satchels. Honestly, blizzard should nerf it because it is really tight in the end to balance this. If they do not nerf it, then the drop chance to get mounts etc should increase much more. 

Regarding drop chances, A normal run with event feels that it should have a much less drop chance compared to a heroic and especially mythic. Nothing is confirmed tho. 

29 Sep 2018