PB’s & LBR’s

Last night was the first Laid Back Raid since the new expansion came out.  I wasn’t sure what the turn out would be, but it wasn’t too big of an issue due to the scheduled Ahn’Qiraj raids.  We actually ended up with about ten people.  We flew through the ruins in no time, which wasn’t really much of a surprise.  Even the temple itself posed no challenge against the likes of Dragonray, Repgrind, Arvash, and more.  But, for the first time since we started doing Laid Back Raids, one of the rare mount drops actually fell as the Red Bug dropped!  If that wasn’t a surprise, the fact several of our members already had it sure was.  That lowered the odds and in the end it was won by Delgadita!  We were most excited for her (and rather jealous just the same).

The whole Qiraji adventure took less than an hour.  So, since it was still early (and I knew at least two people in the raid hadn’t done it) I offered up a trip to see Illidan.  Mrs. Amateur is still seeking the second glaive, and as such that is the only item I ever put on reserve.  We lost one or two, but gained one so our numbers were still a fun sized group.  We tore through Black Temple with the greatest of ease.  No glaive this time, though I did notice a plethora of recipes drop on this run (more so than usual).

Prior to the raid night itself, I could be found doing what everyone else is doing: Pet Battles.  I had said a few days ago they were more enjoyable than expected…but the damn things are like digital crack.  Every where I turn my Real ID is full of people talking about and collecting pets.  Some are out and about at strange hours, hoping for rare spawns.  Others are just trying to knock off the achievements.  Some, like myself, are just fattening their collection first and then finessing it later with rares and such.

Now, when you find a standard pet like a Dung Beetle, there is no way of knowing it’s rarity beforehand.  During combat itself, however, you can get an idea if it’s rare.  Navimie wrote a great explanation on how a simple mouse-over can tell you whether a creature is worth taming or putting an end to.  I can confirm firsthand this trick works as it literally helped me snag my first rare -a Fledgling Buzzard I subsequently named Toomes.  Bonus points if you catch the reference.

In the standard pet battles, the Spirit of Competition is ridiculously good.  I can take down most creatures up to two levels higher and when there’s two of the same level it’s almost always a breeze (unless it gets charmed for three rounds by a stupid frog or toad).  In PvP pet battles, it’s a significantly different story.  Thus far I am 1-2 and in one of my losses I got beat by an Azure Whelpling.  Not a team that included an Azure Whelpling, just the whelpling itself.  I got it down to 108 health and that was it.

Also, undead pets I have discovered are fun.  Obviously they’re a bit underpowered, but they have to be because when they’re KO’d they rise back up for a single round where they are completely immune to everything.  I made the discovery with Hoodoo, my Voodoo Figurine.  I’ve had both he and Lil’ K.T. use this ability to mean the difference between a win and a loss.

*sigh* Yeah, I’m as hooked as anyone else is.