Tales From The 2012: A Month In

It was four weeks ago I started the 2012 challenge.  At that time, I thought of one or two people who might take part but I certainly didn’t think there would be eight of us already!  Before I get to the others, let’s take a look at how I’ve progressed since the last update as I’ve tacked on a couple here and there.

• Liouxpold is now 81 and closing in on 82
• Carrera has hit 62 as she heals her way through levels.
• Mortevache is the only DK I’ve given any time to and he’s now 62.
• Levache hit 33.
• Saintvache is starting to show me why Paladin tanking is enjoyable.  He’s now level 20.

Those are the main ones I’ve given time to, though I finally created a second priest -a Troll named Schadde.  Pretty obvious if you know your German.  In total, I’m now up to 799 levels.  As I look, that’s almost 30 levels in two weeks.  Not too bad.  I spent some time doing PvP and that yielded mixed results but no doubt slowed what could have been faster xp gain.  That puts me at 39.7% though.  I’m in good shape, no doubt due to the levels I had before the challenge, but I’d like to “step it up” so to speak.  How’s everyone else doing?

• Effraeti updated her efforts in her post yesterday.  1448 of 2012, for 71.9%
• Kuroma got another toon almost to 85 and now sits at 1436, or 71.3%
• Cheetah Dave cranked out several new toons and 100 levels this month to sit at 883 of 2012.  He’s almost halfway now at 43.9%
• Kamalia got her first Alliance toon to 40 (a Mage) and a new alt to 42 as she now sits at 1378 or 68.5%
• Lyla at Harpy’s Nest focused on half a dozen toons and is now up to 1445, 71.8%.
• Hadleigh of Heal-Alt-Delete posted her progress early this morning, and despite deleting a lvl 5 Mage is up to 276.  13.7% is decent progress for a raider such as herself.  I also give a nod to her Human Warlock Macabrelle.  I like it.
• Reluctant Raider has been plague-a-fied and is exempt from math related activities at this time.  Doctor’s note and all.  Get better!
• NEW! we have a new inmate today, as Chuckem from over at Lord of Assets has answered the call (or voices).  As he puts it, he’s a bit behind the 8-ball as he deleted some toons last week.  But, he’s still at 336, or 16.7% of the way!

Friday Top 5: Transmog Guns

Hopping back to Hunters for today, I thought I’d look at the firearms side of things.  I say Hunters because come Mists of Pandaria they’ll be the only ones with a ranged weapon slot.  So while you’re welcome to ‘Mog your gear now, keep in mind the slot will likely be gone by year’s end (Hunter melee weapons fall under the same idea).  While I often use the simplest of firearms on my “gun” Hunters, there are some really great ones out there.

5. Envoy of Mortality looks like a spinal column from one of the nasty creatures we encountered in Wrath.  Hard to say which one, but the design is unique.  It also makes one second guess charging the Hunter courtesy of the dual bayonettes.  The Envoy drops from Kel’Thuzad in the regular 25-man Naxxramas.  As you can see by the picture, it goes great with a Forsaken.

4. Okay, so it might look like it’s out of a Nerf commercial, or Ratchet & Clank, but the Wrathfire Hand-Cannon is still interesting.  Stand it upright and it could be a vaccuum.  Point it at someone and you’ve got five barrels blasting.  If Gnomes could be Hunters (and not eaten by their pet), this would probably be my weapon of choice.  It’s fun looking, but suggests it will turn you into a crater in one fell boom.  It drops from Grandmaster Vorpil in Shadow Labyrinth.

3. The Gunblade actually shares a model with several others in the game, but I went with it for the color combination.  I happen to think it stands out the most on one of the sleeker looking guns (again, complete with bayonette).  Whether you use this one, or a similar gun (such as the Legion Blunderbuss), it looks its best when carried alongsider a Ravager pet.  The Legion Blunderbuss drops in Blood Furance, while the Gunblade is a BoE.  I see it in the Auction House all the time.

2. Dragonbreath Hand Cannon doesn’t really need a description, does it?  I mean, someone mounted a Demon’s eye onto a dragon’s head and put a trigger on it.  Not quite, but it’s not a stretch when looking at it and to me that screams “bad ass.”  You’d have to think any time you go up against a dragon, you’ll draw its attention with this.  If you’re packing heavy firearms, there’s not much better to work with.  If this is your style, you can loot it from Ebonroc in Blackwing Lair.

1. Speaking of packing heavy firearms, the Widebarrel Flintlock is about as heavy as you can get without being over the top.  I mean, someone chained a cannon to a rifle stock.  Personally, I’m betting on a dwarf.  That’s the kind of thing they do.  If you’re a Hunter, brought in to throw down damage, packing your own personal cannon tells everyone just how well you do it.  Not much good came from the Trial of the Crusader, but that’s where you’ll findthis as it drops from Fjola Lightbane.

There are actually a fair number of guns in the game, and I give the developers credit for having a diverse enough selection (compared to some items).  If none of the ones on here today suit your fancy, there’s always other options.  As well, don’t forget that the Ranged slot is currently the only slot in game where the item you’re mogging doesn’t have to match the item you’re mogging it to.  That means you can put a gun over a bow, or crossbow over a gun for example.  It gives you more choice to find exactly what you’re looking for.

To Arms: A Chronology

Just to shake it up this morning, I decided to do a pair of Battlegrounds and journal my tribulations. Keep in mind I’m a level 13 Rogue, with no BoA’s and only a couple of low level Enchants.  I’m by no means twinked.  Onward I go in the name of battle!

• 0:27 Queue for Warsong Gulch
• 0:29 Warsong Gulch begins
• 0:29 Head for Flag
• 0:31 grab Alliance Flag, receive solid heals on run back
• 0:34 mates snag our Flag back and I cap.
• 0:36 return our Flag
• 0:38 grab Alliance Flag for attempted win
• 0:38 dead four seconds later.  Seems they decided to defend finally.
• 0:39 escort a flag run, but they caught up to us
• 0:39 took on another Rogue one level higher and meaner than I
• 0:41 got our flag back from the level 10.  I fear no lowbie!
• 0:44 went into their tunnel…oh hey, there’s four of them.
• 0:44 waited to rez
• 0:45 ganked two Hunters in their flag room
• 0:45 grabbed flag, but their Rogue got me again
• 0:50 we cap
• 68 Honorable Kills, 4 Deaths, 10 Killing Blows, 2 Flag Returns, 1 Flag Capture

You know, it only stands to reason that when I “document” the battleground, everything goes fine.  There was great communication, people worked as a team, and there was success 3-0.  It really goes to show that when people actually work together, bg success isn’t too hard to obtain.

• 0:54 Queue for Warsong Gulch
• 0:54 cringe at Warlock with 140 health at level 14.
• 0:54 jaw drop at level 10 Priest with 800 health.
• 0:57 get it started, sap a Paladin going for flag, then gank him
• 0:59 decide to go for Flag
• 0:01 die after running past four other teammates…none of which though to turn around and run beside me.
• 0:03 Kill Rogue plaguing our casters
• 0:05 Go for Flag
• 0:06 die with Flag in our tunnel >_<…yet again, not an ally in sight…passed plenty
• 0:07 died again
• 0:07 ganked near graveyard
• 0:09 decide to go 1 on 1 with level 14 Rogue…oh he has nice gear.  I inspect this while dead
• 0:10 Others are going for flag, decide to farm honor with a couple teammates
• 0:13 cap 3-0
• 81 Honorable Kills, 5 Deaths, 5 Killing Blows

This battleground, while just as successful, was far more frustrating as a flag carrier. Both times I got the flag I passed teammates who just kept right on going.  Dying in our tunnel was the more annoying of the two, as any help likely would’ve resulted in a capture.  Fortunately we had a couple people drop group and the new ones that came in decided communication is a good thing and they worked together to get our final two captures.

Why Visit Elders

We’re a couple of days in now, and I find myself visiting a few Elders here and there with my plethora of characters.  For one, the Lunar Festival is my favourite in-game holiday (which I’ve discussed before).  But also, because for the ones that are easily accessible for my toons, it’s pretty easy experience.  That’s not the only reason to do the Lunar Festival event though.

Achievements: Whether you’re going for the grandest of the World Event ones, or you simply want as many achievements as possible, visiting the elders in the various zones will get you points in each.  There’s also some fireworks achievements as well.

The “Elder” Title: This could fall under achievements, but perhaps all you want is the title and the achievements are just a secondary.  Myself, I have this on Siori but have debated this year on getting it for Tumunzahar.

Experience: As I mentioned, the Elders are easy xp.  You get to them, complete the quest of finding them, and reap the rewards.  There’s far more you could have to do in order to level.  Heck, it’s something easy to do while you’re in queue.

Guild: Whether you’re looking to kick some experience to your guild, or improve your rep with them, you can get both from doing these.  Again, there are far worse ways to go about it.

Rep: If you seek more reputations, the Lunar Festival improves your standing with the Cenarion Circle.  If you’ve got any non-gathering professions on your toon, there’s a good chance you can find a recipe (or more) you’re missing.

Lanterns: Alliance have the Lunar Lantern and the Horde have the Festival Lantern.  Each one requires 50 Coins of Ancestry (which you receive from each Elder you visit).  If you’re a pet collector, you’re probably all over both by now.  If you’re looking to make some gold, they seem to be 10k on their own faction and double that on the opposing faction.  Again, server amount may vary.  But at this point, it’s not important.  Don’t sell now.  Think about it for a second.  The Lunar Festival concludes and then how do people get the Lanterns?  They can’t for an entire year.  It’s no different from the Winter Veil pets.  They’ll be worth the most a few months from now, so just stash them away if you can visit enough Elders.

If the Lunar Festival wasn’t for you before, there may be a reason or two here for you to indulge now.  Of course, if you’re among The 2012 participants, your toons should definitely be hitting up any nearby Elders for the xp.  Speaking of which, wanted to welcome Effraeti to the challenge now as well, bringing us to eight.

Enjoy your adventures in Azeroth today, as next Tuesday we can expect a normal full day of maintenance.

Display Shoulders

There are some hideous helms in the game. Fortunately, we now have the option of Transmogging them into something nicer, but what if you just want your character’s hair to flow freely? Well, simply turn off display helm. The same thing goes for cloaks. But why not shoulders?

They come in wee, not so wee, and FRIGGIN HUGE!

 Both of those shoulders are cloth, and there are some outfits you can put together where they’ll look good.  But I’m thinking those giant things on my Human Mage or Troll Priest…a bit much.  It’s not just clothies either, some Druids or sleek Rogues suddenly look like behemoths courtesy of their shoulders.  So let me turn them off.  Heck, unless you have heirlooms you spend the first 15-20 levels without anything in your shoulder slot (depending where you quest or dungeon drops) so you can easily get used to not having them at all.  Then all of a sudden you get them, and well sometimes you wish you hadn’t. 

This is one of those things I’ve heard others comment on as well and it’s something that doesn’t change the game at all.  It just gives you one more cosmetic option that you can “take it or leave it.”  Honestly, most robes, shirts, and many other chest pieces are drawn well and with a style in mind.  Shoulderpads (regardless of size) take away from that.  Also, there’s only so many transmog options and sometimes none of them work (my God am I discovering that)

Am I starting to fashion nitpick as I stare at outfits during my Transmogrification obsession (because, that’s what it’s practically become) these days?  Possibly.  Or, it may be the fact that I’m just noticing the little things more and more. 

Amateur Fashion Show Part One

I finally have enough complete outfits that I can actually do a worthwhile post and show some of them off.

 Tumunzahar here is holding true to his Priest roots in this garb.  I know, I know, his boots don’t match the outfit.  But, they do happen to match the staff.  Yes, I suppose I’m grasping a bit.  He doesn’t mind, honest.  You can get the full details of this look over on Tum’s page.

I knew everyone and their brother would be using Tier gear of some sense for their Rogue when Transmogrification hit.  While I have some in Siori’s bank, it wasn’t quite what I wanted.  Plus, she was wearing one of the Jungle hats at the time and I thought I’d like to build around that.  So I played around with MogIt and came up with the look you see here.  The nice thing is, that Robe dropped on my first attempt.  Here‘s all five items.

Liouxpold’s outfit turned out pretty well, though it was a secondary design.  The original outfit I had thought out for him had parts from Karazhan and Sunwell.  Once again, there was one piece of gear that was a bit difficult to come by, and that was the shoulders.  Fortunately for me, I found them in the Auction House one day and they were incredibly cheap.  While I’m enjoying the look, the components of which can be found here, I’ve already come up with another.  I just need the Black Knight to hand over his belt already in Trial of the Champions. 

Okay, so she doesn’t exactly scream “Shaman” in this outfit (let alone Restoration), but I like it.  Apparently other people do as well, because this one garners a lot of in game whispers.  I imagine it’s from some of the more stereotypical players.  I’ll tell you right now, people seem to love the Ironhide gear so this might take you some time to put together.  I’ve got the list on Carrera‘s page.

Fireflint’s outfit has been nearly the same for over a year despite the fact Transmogrification is only several months old.  I got the shoulders in the old Zul’Gurub (so you’ll need to be 85 to get the look these days) and he actually became my banker so there was really no need to worry about his gear.  I built the look entirely around the shoulders and the only thing I might change at some point is the weapon.  In the meantime, here‘s the components.

The last outfit on today’s list is mildly cheating, because it actually doesn’t involve any transmogrification at all.  If I could, I would probably keep this for Oddfodder for the entire time.  The goggles will have to change as he levels (at least until I get leather or mail ones made.  The other items will last until he hits 40 and starts wearing mail.  For now, though, he’s exactly as I imagined the character when I rolled him.  Here‘s what the outfit consists of.

Oddfodder

Armory Info

Outfit #1
Head: Flying Tiger Goggles
Chest: Bloodfang Vest
Tabard: Bilgewater Cartel Tabard
Cloak: Nubish Cloak
Belt: Sea Dog Belt
Gloves: Xavren’s Gloves
Legs: Maggot-Ridden Leggings
Feet: Sabots of Red Waters
Ranged: Bush Chicken Remote Injector

Friday Top 5: Transmog Maces (1H)

Friday’s here, so it’s time to continue our look at some of the best ‘Mogging gear in all of Azeroth.  This is part two of my look at maces, as last week I discussed the best two-handed “clubs.”  Today it’s the single-hand variety.  Before we take a look at the list though, several candidates for this list had to be removed (such as the Spider Splatter Mace) because according to WoWhead, they can’t be transmogrified (shenanigans Blizzard!). 

5. The Cruel Hand of Timmy is one of four weapons with this particular skin.  The easiest to obtain would be from the quest to kill Durn: The Hungerer in Nagrand (he’s been nerfed), but after that it’s probably old Timmy’s Hand in Stratholme.  It’s not an overpower mace in appearance, but great if you’ve got a Necromancer type look going or like the Twilight Cultist gear.  Also, I picked this one (though there are similar skins) because the idea of clubbing someone’s skull in with another skull mildly amuses me.  Yes, I’m an odd sort.

4. Scepter of the False Prophet makes the list for uniqueness.  It honestly looks more like a short staff than a mace.  It’s also one of those items that just doesn’t have anything else in game that compares to it.  Definitely more of a Priest or Druid type “Mace” but depending on your Transmog look it could work with anything.  Unfortunately, you have to kill C’thun and hope it drops.

3. There are several items with this model, but most players can probably get the Devout Aurastone Hammer the easiest.  Whether it’s Justice Points, Champion’s Seals, or Darkmoon Tickets, the Heirloom hammer can be snagged quite simply compared to hoping it will drop in Molten Core or The Blood Furnace.  This is my personal favourite Mace for Tumunzahar, as I love the animation that is a flame of light so to speak.

2. The Crystal Spire of Karabor is a Mace I’d never seen before, but the blue and ebon combination caught my eye immediately.  Not only does it look great, those spikes suggest you’ll be turning your target into a meat grinder victim upon impact.  Relatively speaking, you should be able to nab the Spire more easily than some items…so long as it drops.  You can get it from Illidan and usually the only thing people have on reserve is the Glaives. 

1. The Bloodskull Destroyer.  There’s a couple Maces with this skin, but this one’s the biggest and quite frankly there’s times where size matters.  The molten hot look is always a personal favourite, but the skull face on the head is one of those intimidating extra touches that suggest to me when wielded the hammer would look akin to a flaming skull as it’s swung at a target.  Visit Old Hillsbrad Foothills and kill the first boss, Lieutenant Drake, to wield this bad boy.

There you have it, five ways to bludgeon your opponents to death and look good doing it.  I tried to include a list that suited both melee and caster folk, and I think there’s a nice balance here.  So depending on what look you’re going for you might find something here for you, and if not there are certainly plenty more viable choices in the Mace category.  I know I had to take a long look at things before I could narrow this list down from 10.  Until next week!

Plague Infected Thoughts

First off, this pic is long overdue…

The picture was taken on the 8th, when us five officers were finally all on at the same time.  I had given those bad boys to each of them as a Christmas/Winter Veil present.  Each one of them deserved it too, just for being their awesome selves.  ’Course, I think I literally had to say that to each of them after they opened them (none were on to open at the same time, so I sent them via mail).

Now, begging your pardon, but I find the plague of the New Year never vacated my body, but in fact has come back for an uninvited stay.  Lucky me.  With that in mind, I’ll limit today’s post to some random thoughts as I sip the nectar that is Neocitrin.

• We have another member of the 2012 Challenge, as Reluctant Raider signed up over the weekend.  The more the merrier I say.
• After all, it proves I’m not insane (or at least, not alone).
•  Every once in a while, I actually consider selling some of the gold I’ve acquired in the game.  If the price was better, I don’t know…
• I have these considerations usually about the time I need money, oddly enough.
• I’m afraid of getting banned.
• This would be one of those slow periods in levelling.  I’ll make up for it, I’m sure.  I just can’t focus with the plague.
• Too much Mog, not enough toons.
• Seriously, I get ridiculous ideas and need to sort of mentally store them (and the gear somewhere) until I decide I want to swap my gear.  Problem is, I like what a number of toons have and the other can’t get the damn belt from Black Knight!!! (…and breathe)
• For the life of me I can’t put together an outfit I’m really happy with for my Mage.  Might be because he’s 65, I don’t honestly know.
• Why do people go to a battleground to farm honor and then bitch that the rest of the team fails at winning?
• How did both my wife and I do Ulduar two weeks apart, her with more people and me in hours less time?
• Liouxpold swears at me every time I log on and have to ride my land mount around Hyjal.
• I tell him get a belt, I’ll get him a Hippogryph.
• We swear at each other some more.
• Why is it any range can go over any range weapon, but I can’t replace my Rogue’s stein with a sword?
• Legendaries should not be used for mogging, or able to be mogged.  I said it, I stand by it, and I’m proud of it.  Go Blizz on that one.
• ChinPokeWoW seems to be growing in popularity as some details came out.  Honestly, it doesn’t do anything for me except at this stage I’m not planning to store much in the way of non-combat pets going into the expansion.  Sounds like you can level `em and sell them.
• That’ll screw with the auction house for a while.
• Are all the auctioneers gone to Star Wars?
• Seriously, where’d they go???
• When I schedule guild events, I need to remember to set the time.  There’s a reason people don’t sign up for midnight…or show up for 7:30 as such.  My bad, ride your chopper…nothing to see here.
• Why do blogs that interest me go quiet almost as soon as I add them to my blog roll?  Seems one out of five is a keeper.
• If you’re one of the five, it’s honestly because you’re awesome.
• Heroics are fun when you have laid back folk and people willing to learn and follow direction.
• Heroics suck when you lack any of the above.
• When are my BoA’s going to be just that?  I mean, we’ve moved from BoFoSoA’s, which literally got the F out.  Get rid of the S.
• I was always told the F word and S word were bad.  Now I know why.
• I should level my Death Knight three levels just so I can level his blacksmithing to 525.  Again, focus is an issue.
• Speaking of focus, *cough* *hack* *die*…there goes mine.

More Player Talk

Remember a couple of days ago when I was talking about my wife giving up the other two items she won in OS25 after also winning the Drake?  Today I want to focus on something else I said in that post:  It’s the kind of player recount and gearscore can’t show you.

Image courtesy of curse.com

The dps meters look awesome, especially when you’re near the top of them.  They sound great too, otherwise you wouldn’t hear “ilevel 377,”"27k dps,”X gearscore” (though you don’t hear gearscore much any more since Blizzard implemented the ilevel).  But I’ve maintained all along that ilevel and gearscore only tell you where a player has been rather than what they can actually do.  Dps numbers are equally as inadmissable, because you don’t know the context of how those numbers were generated (buff, specific fight, full raid, what the rest of the raid was like). 

Here’s an example of what I mean.  My 80 Hunter’s dps is probably nothing to write home about.  Liouxpold is a glorified Leatherworker and a character I do enjoy playing but I’m by no means a master Hunter on the charts.  I do, however, misdirect and use my traps or CC abilities well and always protect the healer.  I also learn the fights/follow direction.  Good qualities to have in your Hunter, if you ask me. 

Well, said Hunter is currently doing Heroic Trial Of The Champions on a near-daily basis trying to get a belt from the Black Knight for a new Transmog set (that’s otherwise nearly complete).  Last night I ended up with a Pally tank, two Death Knights, and a Shaman healer.  As seems to be the case these days, the jousting went well once I marked the final three and thus people focused.  I’m still amazed at how hard folks find that, but the usual culprit is “divided we fall syndrome.”

Where was I?  Right.  So now we have the three boss fights.  The first is the Horde bosses, which we drew Troll/Forsaken/Tauren.  The group burned down the Tauren first to get rid of the heals…but then proceeded to wipe from standing in the poison.  Even after I said in party “get out of the poison.”  Got through it the second time, mostly thanks to the healer because again people stood in the poison…just slightly less.

Second fight, we ended up with the Argent Confessor.  She summons her shadow and I proceed to watch the DK’s continue to pound away on her.  If you’ve not done the fight, while the shadow is up this word comes up when you attack her instead.  IMMUNE.  I again explained in party chat to go kill the shadow (and by this point she had nearly healed back up) instead of her, and one of them did.  The other one never moved.  Fortunately we got through that fight as well.  Even dropped an Epic chest for me, which was a nice bonus but killed my hopes for the belt.

Finally came the Black Knight.  Two Death Knights, I’m thinking we’ve got it made.  They’ll both pop Army during Phase Two, Bob’s Your Uncle, instance done.  Second phase came…oh my.  Three of us are still alive at this point.  Then it’s just the healer and I in the third phase.  Growl’s flipped on at this point, along with all my cooldowns.  Healer goes down and I hit Kill Command and the Knight literally dies right before I do.  Dungeon done (and no belt).

The first thing I ask is if either of them popped Army knowing full well I was going to be told no…and that’s exactly what it was.  But the one Death Knight is talking about getting 18k crits three times in a row, talks about repeatedly getting them and how Death Knights are overpowered.  I (foolishly worded) said “that’s why the Hunter killed him?”  I then corrected myself to say, “your damage was really good, but it becomes ineffective when you die.” 

The conversation continued briefly  and I explained that while he clearly knows how to deal damage with his class, success becomes elusive if you don’t know or learn the mechanics of a fight.  You die before your dps actually makes a difference in the fight.  The healer and I carried on the conversation because they understood what I was saying, even if the Death Knight didn’t.

If you have a player who learns fight mechanics, follows direction, and does most things right, you can always help them improve their numbers.  That’s the plain and simple of it.  It can be done.  However, if you have a player who’s main goal is to be at the top of the meters but can’t learn a fight to save their soul (or follow direction in the middle of one)…you can only do so much before you throw your hands up in frustration. 

These are the two sides of what things like recount and ilevel can’t possibly show you.  Now, I admit I’ve shown bias on the non-meter player but I will say the true goal of dps players lies in the middle.  You should be able to learn the fights, be that successful unit that does things right and do well on the meters eventually.  If you refuse to improve your rotation at the advice of others because you’re doing everything else properly, then you’re no better off.  I’ve started doing that with Liouxpold already, because if I don’t then where could I possibly get off saying everything I just did?