Originally Posted by Copernicus
I think the main learning curve needed for 10/25-man raiding is a way to ease people into a raiding schedule. For MC, it was possible for a guild to zone in with 35ish people and start killing bosses in there. If I was designing WotLK Naxx, I'd make sure one wing would be built around a 20-person raid for healing/DPS requirements.
I think one of the hardest things in TBC raiding are the many encounters that introduce a new mechanic just for that encounter. Magtheridon, Vashj, Kael, Archimonde, and Gorefiend all have something completely new that can't be taught except on the encounter. Those encounters would have been much easier the first few times if there was something in the 5-mans, questing, or trash that would have taught people how to handle inventory with a combat system or what to do when suddenly controlling a pet.
In terms of teaching basic raid mechanics, Gruul did a very good job of that. Aggro, healing reserves, soft enrages, and raid awareness were all quickly taught with that encounter. And those are things that are difficult to translate into a 5-man fight. I don't see how you can make a "healing longetivity is important" on a 5-man encounter.
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I would like to point out that Blizzard is doing a great job of introducing Raid Concepts in 5man instances though.
One need only think of the first boss in Arcatraz with its Void Zones and compare it to Al'ar or Netherspite.
Shade of Aran Arcane Explosion ? Think the end boss of Sethekk Halls.
There's a whole slow of comparisons like that. Even the growth mechanism of Gruul is copied in Underbog Lords. Similarly, Quagmirran's Acid Spray is pretty much the same thing as the trash in SSC.
I could go on and make a huge list, but I'm sure you'll get the idea.
A huge number of the initial raid 'training' already is in place in 5man instances and the rest is taken care of through Karazhan.
I suppose they think that by the time yer done with SSC/TK that you can figure out raid encounters by yourself.