Daxynn the Rogue now has the Heirloom Chest (with +100 health ench), Shoulders, and Balanced Heartseekers (daggers w/ +15 agi ench). I plan on buying the Heirloom bow next - yeah, doesn't it just suck when you root a Rogue in place, and you die to their ranged attack? I did that twice last night...haha. I might need to make a macro:
/lol
/Cast Throw
The log goes:
Daxynn laughs at you.
{thrown weapon} does XX damage.
You die.
So, with four Heirloom items (soon to be five) that grow with my level, I'm down to chasing a just a couple of armor items. I bought the AB boots last night as well as the WSG ring. I'm two marks short of the WSG lvl 28 neck and 19 marks short of the AB belt. With my recent influx of cash, I can afford to buy better bracers, legs, and gloves if any are available.
I'm still not wearing a hat, though; there just aren't any somewhat decent ones available, and I've been resisting buying an Int/Spi cloth hat just to add a bit of armor, although I may just have to break down and do that. Or drop Skinning for Engineering...
And finally, I'm up to level 28. I've pretty much stuck to the BGs for my XP gains, but now I'll try even more to limit my play to the BGs so I can milk these last two levels for as much honor and marks as I can before moving on to the 30's bracket. Oh, yeah, the 29 twink bracket is as broken as the 19, so we're moving on.
Personally, with the Heirloom items, I'm feeling much better about just leveling to cap with possible stops along the way if the X9 non-XP BG is viable. I'd like to be rockin' some Epic bracers from WSG as well as picking up the Epics from the other BGs at 60, although I'm thinking that the Outland starting gear is probably better.
If we do move on past 60, I'll be sad to see WSG, AB, and AV fall off the table as far as rewards go. It would be nice if Blizzard was to make level 68 and 78 versions of the slots that are available from each of the classic Battlegrounds. That said, I haven't even peeked at the EotS rewards or Wrath BGs, so I might just be pleasantly surprised. Let's hope so.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
FOR THE HORDE!!!
The deed is done.
Today, when I get home from work, Daxie the Blood Elf priest should be resting comfortably on Andorhal.
Today, when I get home from work, Daxie the Blood Elf priest should be resting comfortably on Andorhal.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Green Light! GOGOGOGOGOGO!!
I got the green light to use a bit of the entertainment budget to transfer Daxie from Kael'thas to Andorhal, from Alliance to Horde.
I looked over all of my Kael'thas toons and have come up with a plan to get four Bind on Account items over to my little rogue - the chest, PvP shoulders, and two PvE daggers.
I've also amassed 5K gold on Daxie, and I'm stock piling Netherweave Bolts on her. See, Netherweave bags sell for around 15-20 gold on Andorhal (6-10 gold on Kael'thas), and one bag takes one slot, but if I make bolts and hold off on making the bag, I can stack 20 bolts in one slot, which equals 5 bags. My aim is to fill every empty bag slot that she has.
So, assuming plenty of Netherweave Cloth, each of my bag slots is worth around 75-100 gold. If I'm keeping junk, I really need to re-evaluate if it's worth 75 gold to keep it or if I can sell it for whatever and put Netherweave Bolts in that slot. It's classic example of opportunity cost.
Unfortunately, there is not an endless supply of Netherweave Cloth, although I might look into the Frostweave Cloth/Bag market and see if that is profitable as well. I'm thinking that it might be due to Andorhal being a PvP server and a chunk of cloth going towards bandages - much more than on a PvE server like Kael'thas.
I looked over all of my Kael'thas toons and have come up with a plan to get four Bind on Account items over to my little rogue - the chest, PvP shoulders, and two PvE daggers.
I've also amassed 5K gold on Daxie, and I'm stock piling Netherweave Bolts on her. See, Netherweave bags sell for around 15-20 gold on Andorhal (6-10 gold on Kael'thas), and one bag takes one slot, but if I make bolts and hold off on making the bag, I can stack 20 bolts in one slot, which equals 5 bags. My aim is to fill every empty bag slot that she has.
So, assuming plenty of Netherweave Cloth, each of my bag slots is worth around 75-100 gold. If I'm keeping junk, I really need to re-evaluate if it's worth 75 gold to keep it or if I can sell it for whatever and put Netherweave Bolts in that slot. It's classic example of opportunity cost.
Unfortunately, there is not an endless supply of Netherweave Cloth, although I might look into the Frostweave Cloth/Bag market and see if that is profitable as well. I'm thinking that it might be due to Andorhal being a PvP server and a chunk of cloth going towards bandages - much more than on a PvE server like Kael'thas.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Lefou, I'm Afraid I've Been Thinking....
"A dangerous pastime"
"I know"
Bonus points to the first person who comments the movie reference.
My wife and I go through this little routine whenever one of us gets a harebrained (or not) idea. And I have been thinkinating...
The fact that I'll transfer one of my toons from Kael'thas to Andorhal is a forgone conclusion. Yes, I will; here's your $55, Blizzard. My thinking has centered around "Which one?"
Here are the non-candidates:
Dwarfvader
Level 80 Hunter
Mining/Engineering
This name would make absolutely no sense if I gave it to an Orc, Troll, Tauren, or Blood Elf. I love the fact that he's a dwarf and has this name. Not gonna move.
Daxynn
Level 39 Paladin
Mining/Herbalism
Too low level and professions don't really help out. Staying put.
Respynot
Level 26 Mage
Herbalism/Skinning
Too low level, name won't make sense on Andorhal (it's a dig at one of my guildies in Blood for Blood), and professions don't really help out. Out of the running.
Vanco
Level 80 Death Knight
Mining/Jewelcrafting
My only Gnome coupled with the one DK per server (yeah, I could delete Daxjin) puts this guy in the do not move pile.
The real candidates:
Daxe
Level 72(maybe 71...) Priest
Herbalism/Inscription
The original Daxenos. He became second fiddle to Daxie during BC due to the Draenai racial being better and never caught up.
Pros: He has dual spec, maxed Herbalism and ~425 Inscription, epic and Heirloom flight, and he's my "extra" priest on Kael'thas.
Cons: Not level capped, and Jay has Inscription covered.
Verdict: Not too likely.
Rysteranch
Level 73 (74?) Hunter
Skinning/Leatherworking
The BC raiding hunter who stepped aside for Dwarfvader.
Pros: Maxed Skinning and ~426 Leatherworking, epic and Heirloom flight, and one of four hunters on Kael'thas.
Cons: Not level capped, and Leatherworking is only useful for my leather/mail wearers.
Verdict: Not too likely.
Smoochie
Level 73 Hunter
Herbalism/Alchemy
Another hunter created to cover professions.
Pros: Maxed professions, Heirloom flight, and one of four hunters on Kael'thas.
Cons: Not level capped.
Verdict: Possible.
Nitrodax
Level 70 Hunter
Enchanting/Blacksmith
Another hunter created to cover professions.
Pros: Maxed professions with some Dream Shard recipes, Heirloom flight, and one of four hunters on Kael'thas.
Cons: Not level capped.
Verdict: More possible.
Daxie
Level 80 Priest
Tailoring/Jewelcrafting
The BC raiding priest that usurped Daxenos and went on to heal quite a bit of Wrath including all of Naxx, VoA, Sarth w/ no drakes, and parts of Ulduar.
Pros: Maxed Jewelcrafting with a lot of Jewelcrafting Token cuts, epic flight, level 448 Tailoring, Raid and Heroic ready to collect badges for Heirloom items.
Cons: Kael'thas loses what is arguably my most developed character.
Verdict: Sold!
But, I'd solicite your comments on the matter. One of the most compelling Pros is the ability to smash through some Heroics with Jay and Robin to collect up badges for the Heirloom items. I'm thinking I might be able to make it happen this weekend....
....oh, and before I transfer, I'll be loading her up with gold, Netherweave bags, and other items that might be useful (Alliance only pets, maybe?). Time to look into any other considerations that I have to take into account before moving.
"I know"
Bonus points to the first person who comments the movie reference.
My wife and I go through this little routine whenever one of us gets a harebrained (or not) idea. And I have been thinkinating...
The fact that I'll transfer one of my toons from Kael'thas to Andorhal is a forgone conclusion. Yes, I will; here's your $55, Blizzard. My thinking has centered around "Which one?"
Here are the non-candidates:
Dwarfvader
Level 80 Hunter
Mining/Engineering
This name would make absolutely no sense if I gave it to an Orc, Troll, Tauren, or Blood Elf. I love the fact that he's a dwarf and has this name. Not gonna move.
Daxynn
Level 39 Paladin
Mining/Herbalism
Too low level and professions don't really help out. Staying put.
Respynot
Level 26 Mage
Herbalism/Skinning
Too low level, name won't make sense on Andorhal (it's a dig at one of my guildies in Blood for Blood), and professions don't really help out. Out of the running.
Vanco
Level 80 Death Knight
Mining/Jewelcrafting
My only Gnome coupled with the one DK per server (yeah, I could delete Daxjin) puts this guy in the do not move pile.
The real candidates:
Daxe
Level 72(maybe 71...) Priest
Herbalism/Inscription
The original Daxenos. He became second fiddle to Daxie during BC due to the Draenai racial being better and never caught up.
Pros: He has dual spec, maxed Herbalism and ~425 Inscription, epic and Heirloom flight, and he's my "extra" priest on Kael'thas.
Cons: Not level capped, and Jay has Inscription covered.
Verdict: Not too likely.
Rysteranch
Level 73 (74?) Hunter
Skinning/Leatherworking
The BC raiding hunter who stepped aside for Dwarfvader.
Pros: Maxed Skinning and ~426 Leatherworking, epic and Heirloom flight, and one of four hunters on Kael'thas.
Cons: Not level capped, and Leatherworking is only useful for my leather/mail wearers.
Verdict: Not too likely.
Smoochie
Level 73 Hunter
Herbalism/Alchemy
Another hunter created to cover professions.
Pros: Maxed professions, Heirloom flight, and one of four hunters on Kael'thas.
Cons: Not level capped.
Verdict: Possible.
Nitrodax
Level 70 Hunter
Enchanting/Blacksmith
Another hunter created to cover professions.
Pros: Maxed professions with some Dream Shard recipes, Heirloom flight, and one of four hunters on Kael'thas.
Cons: Not level capped.
Verdict: More possible.
Daxie
Level 80 Priest
Tailoring/Jewelcrafting
The BC raiding priest that usurped Daxenos and went on to heal quite a bit of Wrath including all of Naxx, VoA, Sarth w/ no drakes, and parts of Ulduar.
Pros: Maxed Jewelcrafting with a lot of Jewelcrafting Token cuts, epic flight, level 448 Tailoring, Raid and Heroic ready to collect badges for Heirloom items.
Cons: Kael'thas loses what is arguably my most developed character.
Verdict: Sold!
But, I'd solicite your comments on the matter. One of the most compelling Pros is the ability to smash through some Heroics with Jay and Robin to collect up badges for the Heirloom items. I'm thinking I might be able to make it happen this weekend....
....oh, and before I transfer, I'll be loading her up with gold, Netherweave bags, and other items that might be useful (Alliance only pets, maybe?). Time to look into any other considerations that I have to take into account before moving.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Still Learning How to go Rogue
I'm going to respec today; no, I'm not going to abandon the Subtlety spec, but I am going to pick up the Improved Sinister Strike before going down the Subtlety tree.
My combat style, as opposed to play style, is slowly but surely evolving into something akin to what most Rogues do - Jump around and spam Sinister Strike. I've got both parts down, now I could really use some Energy savings on the Sinister Strike.
Daxynn is level 23 now, and I'm pretty confident in taking on players three or four levels above me. I will take on anyone in the bracket, but if I get someone solo within 3 levels, I have a good shot at taking them down (unless they catch me at range, then I'm just toast).
Now, I'm not ashamed or timid about using my full powers as a Rogue. I mean, there's a reason Rogues get Cheap Shot, Kidney Shot, Vanish, Dirty Tricks, etc, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SNEAKY SCUMBAGS! Just when you think you have us dead, we Vanish, Sprint, Bandage around the corner, Stealth, and Ambush you! Yep, it's cheap....and not fair.....and whaa whaa whaaa!
An example: I was Stealthed in the tunnel of the Alliance base when a level 26 Warrior ran past. I Sapped him. Then when I saw that he didn't have any back up, I inititated combat.
Ambush hit like a truck, and I quickly got into my jumping/SS rotation. I'd use up the combo points with Eviserate and go back to SS. He got some good swings in on me and after a bit, he was starting to win. That's when I Vanished and Sprinted down the tunnel toward the entrance.
After getting just outside, I ran to the side, Bandaged and Stealthed. His mistake was trying to find me instead of Bandaging. I Sapped him again as he searched around the tunnel entrance and finished him off with another Ambush and a couple of SS.
On Friday, I was talking with Jay and came up with this phrase (I might just have to have it gold plated somewhere on this site):
Ah, the life of a Rogue - making people spittle scream at their keyboards 1000 miles away.
And that little sentence defines what I think is my role in the Battleground, whether it's Sapping them Midfield, snatching the flag in a room full of defenders, Ambushing them (and eventually Stunlocking them), or Vanishing just when they think they have me. It is my full intention to use every single dirty, unfair trick in my arsenal.
It's no wonder people get a perverse pleasure out of killing a Rogue....
On another note, I have my Horde Insignia trinket and most of the WSG gear. I need about 100 more Honor to get the level 18 dagger, and then I'll start saving up for the level 28 gear. I've also started playing Arathi Basin so I can start saving up AB marks.
It dawned on me that the PvP game is designed for the single player. You mostly PuG Battlegrounds, your gear progression is not dependent on others (it's faster if you win a lot, but it still progresses if you only lose games), and everyone in the bracket can contribute (toward the battle) regardless of level or gear deficiencies.
It's funny that way back when I was first starting out, I gravitated toward the PvP side of things for the availablility of good gear without the pain of putting together a dungeon group. Cue music....IT'S THE CIRRRRRRRRRCLE OF LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIFE.....
I feel a new gear list brewing: Rogue PvP Battleground rewards, except this one will be tailored to equipment slot at any level verses at level cap. For example, I know I can get my PvP bracers, weapon, ring, and neck from Warsong Gulch and boots from Arathi Basin.
Anyways, while I know I have a lot of learning and practicing to go, it sure is a lot of fun!
My combat style, as opposed to play style, is slowly but surely evolving into something akin to what most Rogues do - Jump around and spam Sinister Strike. I've got both parts down, now I could really use some Energy savings on the Sinister Strike.
Daxynn is level 23 now, and I'm pretty confident in taking on players three or four levels above me. I will take on anyone in the bracket, but if I get someone solo within 3 levels, I have a good shot at taking them down (unless they catch me at range, then I'm just toast).
Now, I'm not ashamed or timid about using my full powers as a Rogue. I mean, there's a reason Rogues get Cheap Shot, Kidney Shot, Vanish, Dirty Tricks, etc, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SNEAKY SCUMBAGS! Just when you think you have us dead, we Vanish, Sprint, Bandage around the corner, Stealth, and Ambush you! Yep, it's cheap....and not fair.....and whaa whaa whaaa!
An example: I was Stealthed in the tunnel of the Alliance base when a level 26 Warrior ran past. I Sapped him. Then when I saw that he didn't have any back up, I inititated combat.
Ambush hit like a truck, and I quickly got into my jumping/SS rotation. I'd use up the combo points with Eviserate and go back to SS. He got some good swings in on me and after a bit, he was starting to win. That's when I Vanished and Sprinted down the tunnel toward the entrance.
After getting just outside, I ran to the side, Bandaged and Stealthed. His mistake was trying to find me instead of Bandaging. I Sapped him again as he searched around the tunnel entrance and finished him off with another Ambush and a couple of SS.
On Friday, I was talking with Jay and came up with this phrase (I might just have to have it gold plated somewhere on this site):
Ah, the life of a Rogue - making people spittle scream at their keyboards 1000 miles away.
And that little sentence defines what I think is my role in the Battleground, whether it's Sapping them Midfield, snatching the flag in a room full of defenders, Ambushing them (and eventually Stunlocking them), or Vanishing just when they think they have me. It is my full intention to use every single dirty, unfair trick in my arsenal.
It's no wonder people get a perverse pleasure out of killing a Rogue....
On another note, I have my Horde Insignia trinket and most of the WSG gear. I need about 100 more Honor to get the level 18 dagger, and then I'll start saving up for the level 28 gear. I've also started playing Arathi Basin so I can start saving up AB marks.
It dawned on me that the PvP game is designed for the single player. You mostly PuG Battlegrounds, your gear progression is not dependent on others (it's faster if you win a lot, but it still progresses if you only lose games), and everyone in the bracket can contribute (toward the battle) regardless of level or gear deficiencies.
It's funny that way back when I was first starting out, I gravitated toward the PvP side of things for the availablility of good gear without the pain of putting together a dungeon group. Cue music....IT'S THE CIRRRRRRRRRCLE OF LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIFE.....
I feel a new gear list brewing: Rogue PvP Battleground rewards, except this one will be tailored to equipment slot at any level verses at level cap. For example, I know I can get my PvP bracers, weapon, ring, and neck from Warsong Gulch and boots from Arathi Basin.
Anyways, while I know I have a lot of learning and practicing to go, it sure is a lot of fun!
Friday, October 23, 2009
More Rogue Thoughts
I just realized that my little rogue over on Andorhal is just over a week old. It feels like it's been a lot longer than that.
I'm pretty happy with where I'm at playing my toon as well as with what I've been able to accomplish.
My achievements include "1000 Honorable Kills", "{something} Defender" (the one where you kill 100 Flag Carriers), "Not In My House", and "Save the Day". I almost got "The Ironman", but I died once before starting my three cap spree. You can look Daxynn up on the armory to see the full list.
My playstyle and my talent spec have meshed up nicely. I love being in Stealth!! I'll probably never top the damage meter, the killing blows list, or the Honorable Kills column, but, hey, I ain't a hunter, ya know!
What I do bring to the table is more behind the scenes. I love to Sap people as they're running past me in Midfield. I infiltrate the enemy base on a regular basis and either relay information about EFC (Enemy Flag Carrier) location or engage in trying to get the flag back.
As already noted, I also am able to sneak into the enemy base and snatch the flag. In one game, there were four defenders in the flag room - three visible and one stealthed rogue. There was one by the flag and the others were patrolling around looking down the tunnel and such. So, I waited until the two visible ones were by the tunnel, Sapped the one by the flag, grabbed the flag and Sprinted past the rogue out the front door. It was EPIC!
I am really enjoying some of the strategy and tactics that I'm getting to employ from the shadows. The vast majority of strategy that I've used with other classes was pure brute force - I will burn you down even though you see me coming! With the rogue, of course, if they see me coming, I'm pretty much toast (one more level until Vanish), but if I can sneak up to them (and especially behind them) then I have a good chance to either incapacitate them with a Sap or just burn them down.
I really believe that damage meters have taken too large a role when evaluating DPS, and the PvE side is mostly to blame, imho. Since most of the PvE content is free from CC (now), the defining characteristic for DPS classes is damage (well, duh!). I can't remember the last time I had to chain trap as a hunter, and AOE tanking is the norm now.
So, while PvP has been an anathem to me, I am gaining a new appreciation for people playing their classes to their full extent. I see Mages sheeping, Hunters trapping, Warlocks fearing, and Rogues sapping; CC is in full play.
I also have seen the "useless" or quirky spells/talents come alive in the Battlegrounds; I mean, what use in PvE is Ghostwolf form for Shammys, really! But in the BG's, especially the 1X bracket, they're the preferred Flag Carriers precisely because of Ghostwolf form. Also, the fact that Druids can shapeshift out of any ensnare? Totally for PvP.
And don't get me started on innovation! Almost everyone knows that if you are carrying the flag in WSG and you go into Stealth, you automatically drop the flag. Did you also know that you can use that to your advantage?
I was chasing a Druid in the 2X bracket when suddenly, he Stealthed, which did two things: I lost my target and he dropped the flag. Since he planned it out, he snatched the flag back up and took off, while I was left trying to target him again before realizing there was a flag that I had just passed up. Whoops.
By the time I figured out what had happened (just a couple of seconds), he had already grabbed the flag, shifted to travel form, and was bookin' it for the tunnel. Well played, sir, well played.
And that sort of thing is what is exciting. Sure, it feels good to solo another player that's three levels higher than you, but for me, I really get into the strategy and the tactics. How can I grab the flag in a room with four people in it? What can I do to get our flag back? Can I Sap this guy without him sounding the alarm?
It has turned WoW into more of a thinking game rather than a button mashing game, and that, I like.
I'm pretty happy with where I'm at playing my toon as well as with what I've been able to accomplish.
My achievements include "1000 Honorable Kills", "{something} Defender" (the one where you kill 100 Flag Carriers), "Not In My House", and "Save the Day". I almost got "The Ironman", but I died once before starting my three cap spree. You can look Daxynn up on the armory to see the full list.
My playstyle and my talent spec have meshed up nicely. I love being in Stealth!! I'll probably never top the damage meter, the killing blows list, or the Honorable Kills column, but, hey, I ain't a hunter, ya know!
What I do bring to the table is more behind the scenes. I love to Sap people as they're running past me in Midfield. I infiltrate the enemy base on a regular basis and either relay information about EFC (Enemy Flag Carrier) location or engage in trying to get the flag back.
As already noted, I also am able to sneak into the enemy base and snatch the flag. In one game, there were four defenders in the flag room - three visible and one stealthed rogue. There was one by the flag and the others were patrolling around looking down the tunnel and such. So, I waited until the two visible ones were by the tunnel, Sapped the one by the flag, grabbed the flag and Sprinted past the rogue out the front door. It was EPIC!
I am really enjoying some of the strategy and tactics that I'm getting to employ from the shadows. The vast majority of strategy that I've used with other classes was pure brute force - I will burn you down even though you see me coming! With the rogue, of course, if they see me coming, I'm pretty much toast (one more level until Vanish), but if I can sneak up to them (and especially behind them) then I have a good chance to either incapacitate them with a Sap or just burn them down.
I really believe that damage meters have taken too large a role when evaluating DPS, and the PvE side is mostly to blame, imho. Since most of the PvE content is free from CC (now), the defining characteristic for DPS classes is damage (well, duh!). I can't remember the last time I had to chain trap as a hunter, and AOE tanking is the norm now.
So, while PvP has been an anathem to me, I am gaining a new appreciation for people playing their classes to their full extent. I see Mages sheeping, Hunters trapping, Warlocks fearing, and Rogues sapping; CC is in full play.
I also have seen the "useless" or quirky spells/talents come alive in the Battlegrounds; I mean, what use in PvE is Ghostwolf form for Shammys, really! But in the BG's, especially the 1X bracket, they're the preferred Flag Carriers precisely because of Ghostwolf form. Also, the fact that Druids can shapeshift out of any ensnare? Totally for PvP.
And don't get me started on innovation! Almost everyone knows that if you are carrying the flag in WSG and you go into Stealth, you automatically drop the flag. Did you also know that you can use that to your advantage?
I was chasing a Druid in the 2X bracket when suddenly, he Stealthed, which did two things: I lost my target and he dropped the flag. Since he planned it out, he snatched the flag back up and took off, while I was left trying to target him again before realizing there was a flag that I had just passed up. Whoops.
By the time I figured out what had happened (just a couple of seconds), he had already grabbed the flag, shifted to travel form, and was bookin' it for the tunnel. Well played, sir, well played.
And that sort of thing is what is exciting. Sure, it feels good to solo another player that's three levels higher than you, but for me, I really get into the strategy and the tactics. How can I grab the flag in a room with four people in it? What can I do to get our flag back? Can I Sap this guy without him sounding the alarm?
It has turned WoW into more of a thinking game rather than a button mashing game, and that, I like.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
In which my total geekiness comes out
I am a geek.
I like geek stuff - computers, technology, sci-fi, etc.
I like both Star Wars and Star Trek.
I absolutely loved Episode 1 - 3.
...
I like music.
I like a diverse range of music from Chopin to Dragonforce, from Kelly Clarkson to Bowling for Soup, from the Star Wars score to Acapella.
I like the way the Star Wars music has many variations on the main theme as well as how it is adapted to generate emotion for each scene.
...
On Dec. 12th, here in Indianapolis, our family is going to the Star Wars In Concert at the Conseco Fieldhouse.
I'm quivering with excitement...
I like geek stuff - computers, technology, sci-fi, etc.
I like both Star Wars and Star Trek.
I absolutely loved Episode 1 - 3.
...
I like music.
I like a diverse range of music from Chopin to Dragonforce, from Kelly Clarkson to Bowling for Soup, from the Star Wars score to Acapella.
I like the way the Star Wars music has many variations on the main theme as well as how it is adapted to generate emotion for each scene.
...
On Dec. 12th, here in Indianapolis, our family is going to the Star Wars In Concert at the Conseco Fieldhouse.
I'm quivering with excitement...
Oh, THAT'S what they mean....
Disappointment: When reality and expectations collide.
I've been reading Twinkinfo.com for a little bit now and couldn't see what all the fuss about the Battlegrounds changes was all about. Sure, I understood on an intellectual level - long wait times for non-XP games, but the reality of it didn't affect me as I didn't have a twink.
Of course, as with a lot of things, I tend to forget about such problems until I'm confronted with them. That was the case last night as Jay turned off his XP and queued up for a WSG with the Big Boys.
He waited....
And waited....
.....
And waited....
He was still waiting last night when I logged off.
Fast forward to this morning: I emailed him and asked what he ended up doing. He replied that he ended up turning XP back on and proposing that we level doing just BG's.
I have some reservations about leveling just in BG's - most of them related to getting pwned from levels x0 to x5 or so. I'm also not sure how much XP we'll gain at each level. But.../shrug, it's not like we can't readdress later if things don't work out quite the way we planned.
So, I think we're going to go for it!
I've been reading Twinkinfo.com for a little bit now and couldn't see what all the fuss about the Battlegrounds changes was all about. Sure, I understood on an intellectual level - long wait times for non-XP games, but the reality of it didn't affect me as I didn't have a twink.
Of course, as with a lot of things, I tend to forget about such problems until I'm confronted with them. That was the case last night as Jay turned off his XP and queued up for a WSG with the Big Boys.
He waited....
And waited....
.....
And waited....
He was still waiting last night when I logged off.
Fast forward to this morning: I emailed him and asked what he ended up doing. He replied that he ended up turning XP back on and proposing that we level doing just BG's.
I have some reservations about leveling just in BG's - most of them related to getting pwned from levels x0 to x5 or so. I'm also not sure how much XP we'll gain at each level. But.../shrug, it's not like we can't readdress later if things don't work out quite the way we planned.
So, I think we're going to go for it!
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Pee Vee Pee
I figured if I'm going to have a twink rogue, then I'd better get started on the PvP early so I know how to play my toon as well as find out how I like to play my toon, and (hopefully) the two are compatible.
I respec'd to a Subtlety build that focuses on being less detectable, increasing my stealth speed, and reducing my cooldown on Stealth. Basically, I'm thinking that I'll be spending a lot of time in Stealth and want to maximize my abilities toward that end.
So, I played a couple of games of WSG with Jay and tested out how my build works and what it works best for. See, I figure there's a couple of niche jobs in WSG that a rogue can fulfil:
Damage Dealer: This is what Jay is doing. Of course, he has a number of Heirloom items with enchants, so he's ahead of the twink curve, but he also plays in a fashion that is more about engaging in combat rather than sneaking around it. Go Go Midfield!
Defender: Yeah, the boring job. I haven't done this too much, but I figure Sap, Gouge, and other disrupting techniques as well as burning down the Flag Carrier would take precedence.
Flag Retriever: This is what I've been focusing on. I like sneaking into the Alliance base and trying to get the flag back. So far, I've had some limited success, but I like this niche.
Flag Carrier: This is fun also. I think I've capped the flag twice so far. I find that there are times when I can sneak into the opposing flagroom and wait for the flag to be returned (either after our cap or the FC gets killed), then it's grab and Sprint! Of course, if the base is full of enemies, I usually wait for back up, but occasionally, I'll go for broke and grab it anyways.
I have come to the conclusion that I need to bind some keys on my N52. I'm not sure which spells I'll bind, but I'm thinking Kick, Gouge, and Arcane Torrent - yeah, all my interrupts. I might even see if there is a Rogue interface that makes some of this stuff easier.
I'm pretty much saving all my honor for the Insignia trinket; after that, I'll start worrying about honor gear rewards. A get out of jail free card every five minutes would be a welcome relief to some of the situations I find myself in.
I'm at level 17; only two more levels until I turn off XP. Thankfully, when we start grinding out some Instances for gear, I won't have to watch my XP bar. I saw a guy, that looked like a twink, ding 20 in WSG yesterday; I'm not sure if he meant to or not; I just don't want to be that guy.
Robin started a rogue; soon we'll have three of us running around smokin' the Alliance. FOR THE HORDE!!
I respec'd to a Subtlety build that focuses on being less detectable, increasing my stealth speed, and reducing my cooldown on Stealth. Basically, I'm thinking that I'll be spending a lot of time in Stealth and want to maximize my abilities toward that end.
So, I played a couple of games of WSG with Jay and tested out how my build works and what it works best for. See, I figure there's a couple of niche jobs in WSG that a rogue can fulfil:
Damage Dealer: This is what Jay is doing. Of course, he has a number of Heirloom items with enchants, so he's ahead of the twink curve, but he also plays in a fashion that is more about engaging in combat rather than sneaking around it. Go Go Midfield!
Defender: Yeah, the boring job. I haven't done this too much, but I figure Sap, Gouge, and other disrupting techniques as well as burning down the Flag Carrier would take precedence.
Flag Retriever: This is what I've been focusing on. I like sneaking into the Alliance base and trying to get the flag back. So far, I've had some limited success, but I like this niche.
Flag Carrier: This is fun also. I think I've capped the flag twice so far. I find that there are times when I can sneak into the opposing flagroom and wait for the flag to be returned (either after our cap or the FC gets killed), then it's grab and Sprint! Of course, if the base is full of enemies, I usually wait for back up, but occasionally, I'll go for broke and grab it anyways.
I have come to the conclusion that I need to bind some keys on my N52. I'm not sure which spells I'll bind, but I'm thinking Kick, Gouge, and Arcane Torrent - yeah, all my interrupts. I might even see if there is a Rogue interface that makes some of this stuff easier.
I'm pretty much saving all my honor for the Insignia trinket; after that, I'll start worrying about honor gear rewards. A get out of jail free card every five minutes would be a welcome relief to some of the situations I find myself in.
I'm at level 17; only two more levels until I turn off XP. Thankfully, when we start grinding out some Instances for gear, I won't have to watch my XP bar. I saw a guy, that looked like a twink, ding 20 in WSG yesterday; I'm not sure if he meant to or not; I just don't want to be that guy.
Robin started a rogue; soon we'll have three of us running around smokin' the Alliance. FOR THE HORDE!!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Weekend WoW
I got my usual amount of WoW in over the weekend. Well, maybe a bit less as I was at a wedding on Friday.
Anyways, the big thing was working on my empire on Andorhal, which includes my wannabe twink rogue, Daxynn.
Jay decided to level without me (the punk!), so I took some time to level Leatherworking on my hunter to make the Deviate Scale Belt as well as some other useful items.
On one of my DK's trips through WC to collect Perfect Deviate and Deviate Scales, I had a Deviate Hatchling non-combat pet drop. Yay! I ended up selling it for 700 gold, woot!
I also did a great deal of working on my fishing on Daxynn to prepare for the big Stranglethorn Fishing Extravaganza on Sunday. By the time the event rolled around at 2 pm, my fishing was at 227.
So, picture it, two little rogues, levels 14 and 17, out in the wilds of Ganklethorn just askin' for a beatin'. Except....we had a awesome protector!!! Robin stuck with us on her level 80 Orc Hunter of PUREWIN!! She did some great pwnage on the PvE side and the PvP side! I know we wouldn't have lasted very long without her, so I just want to thank her again for being awesome!
Gratz on Jay for fishing up the rare fish that we both were looking for - something Angelfish, which could be turned in for the twink hat. I caught some sort of queenfish that I turned in for some high test fishing line. Yeah, I suppose it was useful, but I'd rather have the stinkin' hat. So, next week, you know where I'll be....
Later on, I decided to join up a WSG to see how I could do at 15. I did ok, but I was pretty squishy and missed a lot. I did get "The Grim Reaper" and "Make Love, Not Warcraft" achieves on that first one.
Jay joined me for the next one and after a pretty long battle, we got the win. I passed 100 kills after just two WSG and the fishing contest. I'm looking forward to being more competitive after getting a couple of more levels, but I do believe I'll be trying to get at least one win a day to take advantage of the daily BG quest.
Anyways, the big thing was working on my empire on Andorhal, which includes my wannabe twink rogue, Daxynn.
Jay decided to level without me (the punk!), so I took some time to level Leatherworking on my hunter to make the Deviate Scale Belt as well as some other useful items.
On one of my DK's trips through WC to collect Perfect Deviate and Deviate Scales, I had a Deviate Hatchling non-combat pet drop. Yay! I ended up selling it for 700 gold, woot!
I also did a great deal of working on my fishing on Daxynn to prepare for the big Stranglethorn Fishing Extravaganza on Sunday. By the time the event rolled around at 2 pm, my fishing was at 227.
So, picture it, two little rogues, levels 14 and 17, out in the wilds of Ganklethorn just askin' for a beatin'. Except....we had a awesome protector!!! Robin stuck with us on her level 80 Orc Hunter of PUREWIN!! She did some great pwnage on the PvE side and the PvP side! I know we wouldn't have lasted very long without her, so I just want to thank her again for being awesome!
Gratz on Jay for fishing up the rare fish that we both were looking for - something Angelfish, which could be turned in for the twink hat. I caught some sort of queenfish that I turned in for some high test fishing line. Yeah, I suppose it was useful, but I'd rather have the stinkin' hat. So, next week, you know where I'll be....
Later on, I decided to join up a WSG to see how I could do at 15. I did ok, but I was pretty squishy and missed a lot. I did get "The Grim Reaper" and "Make Love, Not Warcraft" achieves on that first one.
Jay joined me for the next one and after a pretty long battle, we got the win. I passed 100 kills after just two WSG and the fishing contest. I'm looking forward to being more competitive after getting a couple of more levels, but I do believe I'll be trying to get at least one win a day to take advantage of the daily BG quest.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Rogue Thoughts
Currently, Jay and I are leveling our rogues in the Blood Elf starting areas; last night we completed Eversong Forest and moved on to Ghostlands.
During our time together, we built campfires under water (building fires levels your Cooking until skill point 80 or so), we fished our way to the 100 fish achievement, and we killed a whole lotta bad guys!
We have sort of settled on a method for taking down the single (and some multiple) target pulls. Jay usually pulls with a Throw while I move toward the mob's path. After the mob passes me, I've already turned around and positioned myself for a Backstab; Jay, on the other hand, has started toward the mob in order to engage it in melee.
If we time it right, I get off a Backstab and aggro the mob, then Jay can get off a Backstab. It usually varies who tanks from there, but it really doesn't matter as the mob doesn't last much longer. We almost never have to stop between pulls for healing due to our 1337 dps.
Most of the time, I try to Backstab the mob as it nears Jay, but unfortunately, there are times when I jump the gun and have stopped the mob well before it reaches Jay. Our little strategy doesn't work as well when I do that....
One thing that will help out here soon is getting Feint so we can actually trade aggro at certain times. Between Gouge, Evasion, and trading aggro, we should be able to take down some much higher level or elite mobs with some good coordination. We'd probably need to get the WoW chat or some Vent going for that.
Pretty soon (we're currently level 13), I'm looking forward to hittin' the Battlegrounds. As a team, I'm thinking that we can do a lot more disrupting and just plain killing than we could separately. I also think we'll have a much higher survival rate as our enemies hopefully won't be expecting a second rogue. Two Saps, oh yeah!
I'll have to see where we're at, but I'm thinking that the Tranquillien Exalted rep cloak might be a good substitute for the Sentry cloak. The rep isn't that hard to grind, especially since we can turn off XP and continue questing. There are also two repeatable quests that can be completed with items that can be bought off the Auction House or collected by other toons.
So, Jay lucked out the other day, and I lucked out last night as the poison vendor in Tranquillien had the twink throwing knives in stock. +2 agi is nothing to sneer at! Now we just have to hit level 14 to equip them.
Sarah Palin has a new book coming out, Going Rogue; I'm wondering if reading that would help me out....
During our time together, we built campfires under water (building fires levels your Cooking until skill point 80 or so), we fished our way to the 100 fish achievement, and we killed a whole lotta bad guys!
We have sort of settled on a method for taking down the single (and some multiple) target pulls. Jay usually pulls with a Throw while I move toward the mob's path. After the mob passes me, I've already turned around and positioned myself for a Backstab; Jay, on the other hand, has started toward the mob in order to engage it in melee.
If we time it right, I get off a Backstab and aggro the mob, then Jay can get off a Backstab. It usually varies who tanks from there, but it really doesn't matter as the mob doesn't last much longer. We almost never have to stop between pulls for healing due to our 1337 dps.
Most of the time, I try to Backstab the mob as it nears Jay, but unfortunately, there are times when I jump the gun and have stopped the mob well before it reaches Jay. Our little strategy doesn't work as well when I do that....
One thing that will help out here soon is getting Feint so we can actually trade aggro at certain times. Between Gouge, Evasion, and trading aggro, we should be able to take down some much higher level or elite mobs with some good coordination. We'd probably need to get the WoW chat or some Vent going for that.
Pretty soon (we're currently level 13), I'm looking forward to hittin' the Battlegrounds. As a team, I'm thinking that we can do a lot more disrupting and just plain killing than we could separately. I also think we'll have a much higher survival rate as our enemies hopefully won't be expecting a second rogue. Two Saps, oh yeah!
I'll have to see where we're at, but I'm thinking that the Tranquillien Exalted rep cloak might be a good substitute for the Sentry cloak. The rep isn't that hard to grind, especially since we can turn off XP and continue questing. There are also two repeatable quests that can be completed with items that can be bought off the Auction House or collected by other toons.
So, Jay lucked out the other day, and I lucked out last night as the poison vendor in Tranquillien had the twink throwing knives in stock. +2 agi is nothing to sneer at! Now we just have to hit level 14 to equip them.
Sarah Palin has a new book coming out, Going Rogue; I'm wondering if reading that would help me out....
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Caught!
Well, Jay, over at Fuzzy Soup, tracked me down last night.
Now, I've been pretty much playing by myself (not with, you sicko!), and I was really surprised by my elation at his whisper. I guess I'm not that anti-social.
Anyways, after some chit chat, we decided to level some toons together for the 19 or 29 bracket in the Battlegrounds. So, we hopped over to Andorhal and started our rogues. We got to level 6 by the end of our play time.
I've decided to level my Leatherworker over there (she's a hunter) in order to provide some armor, and my DK is running Wailing Caverns for some drops. I figured I'd get lots of cloth for leveling First Aid, some useful greens, and the Deviate Scale Belt pattern for my leatherworker.
I'm also planning on running Jay's rogue through WC, Deadmines, or SFK for the Bind on Pickup rogue gear, and I think he's planning on doing the same for me. I'm glad that we can turn off XP gains now, so we can run the heck out of these instances until we get what we want. I might even convince him to run my hunter through WC to better collect up the Deviate Scales (hint hint).
I'm not sure if we are going to be able to get the Best in Slot head gear (Stranglethorn fishing contest hat), so I'm thinking that I'll pick up Mining for the extra Stamina and Engineering for the sweet goggles. Of course, Skinning would also be nice for the extra Crit....and Herbalism for the free heals and extra healing from pots.
It looks like once we turn off XP gains, we'll be competing solely with others who have turned off XP, ie twinks, so we need to get geared up pretty good before we start runnin' with the big boys. It looks like a lot of work, but in the end, I'm thinkin' it's gonna be a blast!
Now, I've been pretty much playing by myself (not with, you sicko!), and I was really surprised by my elation at his whisper. I guess I'm not that anti-social.
Anyways, after some chit chat, we decided to level some toons together for the 19 or 29 bracket in the Battlegrounds. So, we hopped over to Andorhal and started our rogues. We got to level 6 by the end of our play time.
I've decided to level my Leatherworker over there (she's a hunter) in order to provide some armor, and my DK is running Wailing Caverns for some drops. I figured I'd get lots of cloth for leveling First Aid, some useful greens, and the Deviate Scale Belt pattern for my leatherworker.
I'm also planning on running Jay's rogue through WC, Deadmines, or SFK for the Bind on Pickup rogue gear, and I think he's planning on doing the same for me. I'm glad that we can turn off XP gains now, so we can run the heck out of these instances until we get what we want. I might even convince him to run my hunter through WC to better collect up the Deviate Scales (hint hint).
I'm not sure if we are going to be able to get the Best in Slot head gear (Stranglethorn fishing contest hat), so I'm thinking that I'll pick up Mining for the extra Stamina and Engineering for the sweet goggles. Of course, Skinning would also be nice for the extra Crit....and Herbalism for the free heals and extra healing from pots.
It looks like once we turn off XP gains, we'll be competing solely with others who have turned off XP, ie twinks, so we need to get geared up pretty good before we start runnin' with the big boys. It looks like a lot of work, but in the end, I'm thinkin' it's gonna be a blast!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
The New Server Experience
I decided to roll a toon on a new (to me) server. The main reason I picked Executus (spelling?) was that one of my son's friends from Alaska rolled on the server, and he and I have gotten to know each other pretty well over the last year and a half that he's been playing over on Kael'thas.
But the secondary reason I was interested in rolling on this PvP server was the opportunity to replay WoW from level one with all the knowledge I've accumulated over the past (almost) three years and no support from my higher level toons. Well...from more established toons. I mean....level 80's.
First off, let me say that I don't just make toons on a new server; I create empires. So, when I decided to roll a mage, I had only played it to level 7 or so before I rolled my first alt - a DK.
A quick aside: The availability of DKs on any server has forever changed the way I go about building my army of characters on any server. Once I'm out of the DK starting area, even if I never level the toon, it serves as a workhorse in gathering linen, greens, and other starting craft materials. I'm not sure how many times I've run RFC on my new serverwith my DK...
Let me also say that it wasn't my goal to be as efficient as possible with selecting my professions, but I did want to be efficient in leveling my professions. So, while picking up Tailoring/Enchanting for my little mage wasn't the most cost effective move, having a DK to collect up cloth and greens to get started was.
Now once I got rolling on putting together professions, I added Mining/Jewelcrafting for my DK. I almost went with Skinning instead of JC, and looking back, I really wish I had done that in order to collect up a good amount of material for my rogue, who is a Skinner/Leatherworker.
Speaking of rogues, my third alt was a rogue. By this time, I was wanting to start playing some of the classes that I hadn't really played before (pretty much anything other than a hunter, priest, or DK). I'm seeing this aspect of WoW for pretty much the first time, which helps with the feeling of replaying WoW afresh.
After a couple of days of toon hopping, I decided to make a bank alt and consolidate my AH and storage. I haven't made a guild bank yet because I just haven't made a whole lot of money, but it's on the todo list.
One of my biggest struggles has been the cash crunch; this is not a bad thing as it adds to the challenge! Since I didn't have any well developed professions to make money with, I resorted to running RFC for money as well. I would send the useless greens to my mage and AH the more sought after greens (mail "of the bear", leather "of the monkey", etc).
Once I got a little scratch built up (and I wanted to boost my Leatherworking), I invested about 9 gold in buying Light Hide and Light Leather to make Fine Leather Tunics, which I've been selling for around 2.75 gold each. So far, I haven't been challenged in this niche, so I'm hoping that I'll be able to continue filling the need for a while. I've already made back the money I invested, so the rest is pure profit.
Another struggle that I've had is my teeny tiny bag space; OH what I would give for some free (to me) Netherweave bags! Uh, wait a minute...if I give something for them, then I suppose they aren't free....ANYWAYS, right now, the aforementioned bags are going for around 10-13 gold, which is just too rich for my blood right now. And the mats aren't too much cheaper, so getting a tailor to make them for me (+ tip) isn't really a good option.
Please don't mistake this all for whining and complaining; on the contrary, I am really enjoying seeing my empire grow bit by bit. I was ecstatic when I could finally make Woolen bags. I was very happy when both my Tailoring and my Leatherworking had caught up to my respective toons' levels. I'm looking forward to starting another alt!
Now....the next time I start on a new server, I'll probably do two things a little different.
For one, I'd pick up gathering skills on my DK in order to boost my little toons' along. I might even switch professions once or twice in order to gather up more mats; it's pretty cheap to get a new gathering profession.
Secondly, I'd make a bank alt first to better establish my empire with a central banking/Auction House character so I won't waste time running back and forth to the city on my new babies.
I'll try to post more on my experience, if I run into anything useful, that is. Or I may just post updates on my progress in recreating my empire on this new (to me) server. Either way, I'm still having fun and still gettin' my money's worth out of my $15 a month.
But the secondary reason I was interested in rolling on this PvP server was the opportunity to replay WoW from level one with all the knowledge I've accumulated over the past (almost) three years and no support from my higher level toons. Well...from more established toons. I mean....level 80's.
First off, let me say that I don't just make toons on a new server; I create empires. So, when I decided to roll a mage, I had only played it to level 7 or so before I rolled my first alt - a DK.
A quick aside: The availability of DKs on any server has forever changed the way I go about building my army of characters on any server. Once I'm out of the DK starting area, even if I never level the toon, it serves as a workhorse in gathering linen, greens, and other starting craft materials. I'm not sure how many times I've run RFC on my new serverwith my DK...
Let me also say that it wasn't my goal to be as efficient as possible with selecting my professions, but I did want to be efficient in leveling my professions. So, while picking up Tailoring/Enchanting for my little mage wasn't the most cost effective move, having a DK to collect up cloth and greens to get started was.
Now once I got rolling on putting together professions, I added Mining/Jewelcrafting for my DK. I almost went with Skinning instead of JC, and looking back, I really wish I had done that in order to collect up a good amount of material for my rogue, who is a Skinner/Leatherworker.
Speaking of rogues, my third alt was a rogue. By this time, I was wanting to start playing some of the classes that I hadn't really played before (pretty much anything other than a hunter, priest, or DK). I'm seeing this aspect of WoW for pretty much the first time, which helps with the feeling of replaying WoW afresh.
After a couple of days of toon hopping, I decided to make a bank alt and consolidate my AH and storage. I haven't made a guild bank yet because I just haven't made a whole lot of money, but it's on the todo list.
One of my biggest struggles has been the cash crunch; this is not a bad thing as it adds to the challenge! Since I didn't have any well developed professions to make money with, I resorted to running RFC for money as well. I would send the useless greens to my mage and AH the more sought after greens (mail "of the bear", leather "of the monkey", etc).
Once I got a little scratch built up (and I wanted to boost my Leatherworking), I invested about 9 gold in buying Light Hide and Light Leather to make Fine Leather Tunics, which I've been selling for around 2.75 gold each. So far, I haven't been challenged in this niche, so I'm hoping that I'll be able to continue filling the need for a while. I've already made back the money I invested, so the rest is pure profit.
Another struggle that I've had is my teeny tiny bag space; OH what I would give for some free (to me) Netherweave bags! Uh, wait a minute...if I give something for them, then I suppose they aren't free....ANYWAYS, right now, the aforementioned bags are going for around 10-13 gold, which is just too rich for my blood right now. And the mats aren't too much cheaper, so getting a tailor to make them for me (+ tip) isn't really a good option.
Please don't mistake this all for whining and complaining; on the contrary, I am really enjoying seeing my empire grow bit by bit. I was ecstatic when I could finally make Woolen bags. I was very happy when both my Tailoring and my Leatherworking had caught up to my respective toons' levels. I'm looking forward to starting another alt!
Now....the next time I start on a new server, I'll probably do two things a little different.
For one, I'd pick up gathering skills on my DK in order to boost my little toons' along. I might even switch professions once or twice in order to gather up more mats; it's pretty cheap to get a new gathering profession.
Secondly, I'd make a bank alt first to better establish my empire with a central banking/Auction House character so I won't waste time running back and forth to the city on my new babies.
I'll try to post more on my experience, if I run into anything useful, that is. Or I may just post updates on my progress in recreating my empire on this new (to me) server. Either way, I'm still having fun and still gettin' my money's worth out of my $15 a month.
I haz a rogue
So, I went ahead and made a rogue on my new server (more on the new server bit later).
Now if I thought that I had to be careful in the number of mobs I pulled with a mage, it's even more important with a rogue! At least with a mage, I can kite mobs with frostbolt; with the rogue, I'm using a lot more health pots, gouge + bandage, and just plain running away.
So far, I used a mix of stealth attacks and ranged pulling for single mobs, depending on pats and the proximity of nearby mobs. For multi-mob humanoid pulls, I sap one and then deal with the other as best I can. I have yet to try a three+ mob pull, but I would be hard pressed to be successful.
Survivability is an issue for me. Evasion, Sprint, and Gouge all help, but it still ends up I'm tanking in leather while having a so-so health pool. And don't get me started on casters...grrrr. Suffice to say, I can't wait until I can stun-lock.
And what kind of rogue would I be if I didn't do some PvP? Well, I did some firsts in my WoW playing - I picked up the Battleground daily (Warsong Gulch) and actually entered WSG as a rogue. My very first (and only) game of the night turned out to be pretty well with my getting "An Honorable Kill," "Warsong Perfection," and "{I forgot the name of Warsong Victory achieve...maybe Warsong Victory?}." Anyways, it was pretty fun sneaking around and Backstabbing the Alliance.
I picked up Skinning/Leatherworking for my rogue....what a pain. It took some grinding and some Auction House buys to get my Leatherworking skill up to where I could make level appropriate stuff. Fortunately, there was a good buy on Light Hide and Light Leather, combined with a void in the market for Fine Leather Tunics, so I expect to make my money back on what I bought.
Overall, I like the rogue. It's definitely a change from the mage, and the stealth aspect presents its own set of options. I'm not sure which spec I'm going to go with (for now, I've picked talent points that I figure all rogues would want - more crits!), but I am leaning toward Subtlety. Suppose I should look up some specs to see what each tree is geared towards....
Now if I thought that I had to be careful in the number of mobs I pulled with a mage, it's even more important with a rogue! At least with a mage, I can kite mobs with frostbolt; with the rogue, I'm using a lot more health pots, gouge + bandage, and just plain running away.
So far, I used a mix of stealth attacks and ranged pulling for single mobs, depending on pats and the proximity of nearby mobs. For multi-mob humanoid pulls, I sap one and then deal with the other as best I can. I have yet to try a three+ mob pull, but I would be hard pressed to be successful.
Survivability is an issue for me. Evasion, Sprint, and Gouge all help, but it still ends up I'm tanking in leather while having a so-so health pool. And don't get me started on casters...grrrr. Suffice to say, I can't wait until I can stun-lock.
And what kind of rogue would I be if I didn't do some PvP? Well, I did some firsts in my WoW playing - I picked up the Battleground daily (Warsong Gulch) and actually entered WSG as a rogue. My very first (and only) game of the night turned out to be pretty well with my getting "An Honorable Kill," "Warsong Perfection," and "{I forgot the name of Warsong Victory achieve...maybe Warsong Victory?}." Anyways, it was pretty fun sneaking around and Backstabbing the Alliance.
I picked up Skinning/Leatherworking for my rogue....what a pain. It took some grinding and some Auction House buys to get my Leatherworking skill up to where I could make level appropriate stuff. Fortunately, there was a good buy on Light Hide and Light Leather, combined with a void in the market for Fine Leather Tunics, so I expect to make my money back on what I bought.
Overall, I like the rogue. It's definitely a change from the mage, and the stealth aspect presents its own set of options. I'm not sure which spec I'm going to go with (for now, I've picked talent points that I figure all rogues would want - more crits!), but I am leaning toward Subtlety. Suppose I should look up some specs to see what each tree is geared towards....
Friday, October 9, 2009
I haz a mage
I started a little mage while I was on vacation (hey, I have to do something while my wife is sleeping).
It's pretty fun! I've avoided any mage blogs so I can "discover" the class as I level (Pyroblast ... is .... the .....BOMB!). With my experience as a hunter, I'm pretty comfortable with kiting, but for the most part, the mobs die before they get more than one or two hits on me.
The one big difference in this class is healing between fights. With a hunter, healing entailed making sure my pet was healed up (and rarely food/bandage/pot myself). As a priest...well, duh, I healed myself. And on my DK, I made sure that I healed up while I was fighting with whatever that strike is that heals yourself.
As a mage, I have no self healing outside of food, bandages, and pots; I find I'm much more reliant on bandages than I have been on any other toon. Add to that the fact that I'm only wearing a thin layer (of very attractive clothing), and it becomes much more important to stay outside of melee range. Frost Nova, oh how I love thee!
I also find myself doing a lot more clearing in an area to avoid adds as well as pondering a bit more strategy to only pull single targets. I may pull groups once I get farther down the frost tree and get the improved Blizzard, but for now, I pull singles. If mobs are connected, then I usually sheep the caster (if there is one) and deal with the other one(s) with a combination of Frostbolts and Frost Novas. CCing a mob near the end of a multiple mob pull is key to getting in a quick bandage.
I've also found out why mages are the ones who can create drinks...cause I'm drinkin' like a fish! I can usually go 2 or 3 single mob pulls before I have to drink, but if I get any resists/misses or extra mobs, then I find my mana quickly depletes. I'm finding that I look forward to the next X0 level not for the new spells, but rather for the improved water!
So, I have two mages - a level 26 Human on Kael'thas (the 10th toon on that server) and a level 11 Blood Elf on a new server (more about that later). I've decided to try to level the Human as fire (which I suspect is the most common spec for leveling) and the BE as frost just to experience both specs and the strengths/weaknesses of each.
Already, I have different spell rotations for each spec when doing single mob pulls; both of which are probably fairly standard:
For Frost(at level 11):
1. Frostbolt. This slows the mob, and with a talent, has a chance to freeze it in place.
2. Frostbolt. Every Frostbolt has the chance to freeze the target in place, so I choose them over Fireballs.
3. Frostbolt. By this time the mob is almost or is in melee range. If it's almost dead, I'll take a hit and use Fire Blast. If it still has significant health:
4. Frost Nova. And straf away to a safe distance.
5. Fireball. Yeah, I like the harder hitting spell after a frost nova cause I have time to cast it and if the mob doesn't die, it still has a bigger chunk taken out of it.
6. Fire Blast or Fireball. It depends on how low on health the mob is at this point. Sometimes, I substitute wanding if I'm low on mana.
For Fire(at level 26):
1. Pyroblast. The 5 second cast time on this spell (and its huge damage) make this a pretty good choice for initiating combat. After the first cast and in the absence of a tank, its effectiveness is not good due to the long cast time.
2. Frostbolt. Again, the slowing effect is the major reason I cast this second.
3. Fireball. Ah luv da smell of burnin' flesh....
4. Fire Blast or Fireball or Frost Nova. Depends on where the mob's health is, but by this time, it shouldn't be much.
That's about it. I'm really enjoying the different playing aspect of this class, and it's got me thinking that I might want to try out some of the other classes that I didn't really enjoy when I first tried them out (*cough *cough rogue *cough).
It's pretty fun! I've avoided any mage blogs so I can "discover" the class as I level (Pyroblast ... is .... the .....BOMB!). With my experience as a hunter, I'm pretty comfortable with kiting, but for the most part, the mobs die before they get more than one or two hits on me.
The one big difference in this class is healing between fights. With a hunter, healing entailed making sure my pet was healed up (and rarely food/bandage/pot myself). As a priest...well, duh, I healed myself. And on my DK, I made sure that I healed up while I was fighting with whatever that strike is that heals yourself.
As a mage, I have no self healing outside of food, bandages, and pots; I find I'm much more reliant on bandages than I have been on any other toon. Add to that the fact that I'm only wearing a thin layer (of very attractive clothing), and it becomes much more important to stay outside of melee range. Frost Nova, oh how I love thee!
I also find myself doing a lot more clearing in an area to avoid adds as well as pondering a bit more strategy to only pull single targets. I may pull groups once I get farther down the frost tree and get the improved Blizzard, but for now, I pull singles. If mobs are connected, then I usually sheep the caster (if there is one) and deal with the other one(s) with a combination of Frostbolts and Frost Novas. CCing a mob near the end of a multiple mob pull is key to getting in a quick bandage.
I've also found out why mages are the ones who can create drinks...cause I'm drinkin' like a fish! I can usually go 2 or 3 single mob pulls before I have to drink, but if I get any resists/misses or extra mobs, then I find my mana quickly depletes. I'm finding that I look forward to the next X0 level not for the new spells, but rather for the improved water!
So, I have two mages - a level 26 Human on Kael'thas (the 10th toon on that server) and a level 11 Blood Elf on a new server (more about that later). I've decided to try to level the Human as fire (which I suspect is the most common spec for leveling) and the BE as frost just to experience both specs and the strengths/weaknesses of each.
Already, I have different spell rotations for each spec when doing single mob pulls; both of which are probably fairly standard:
For Frost(at level 11):
1. Frostbolt. This slows the mob, and with a talent, has a chance to freeze it in place.
2. Frostbolt. Every Frostbolt has the chance to freeze the target in place, so I choose them over Fireballs.
3. Frostbolt. By this time the mob is almost or is in melee range. If it's almost dead, I'll take a hit and use Fire Blast. If it still has significant health:
4. Frost Nova. And straf away to a safe distance.
5. Fireball. Yeah, I like the harder hitting spell after a frost nova cause I have time to cast it and if the mob doesn't die, it still has a bigger chunk taken out of it.
6. Fire Blast or Fireball. It depends on how low on health the mob is at this point. Sometimes, I substitute wanding if I'm low on mana.
For Fire(at level 26):
1. Pyroblast. The 5 second cast time on this spell (and its huge damage) make this a pretty good choice for initiating combat. After the first cast and in the absence of a tank, its effectiveness is not good due to the long cast time.
2. Frostbolt. Again, the slowing effect is the major reason I cast this second.
3. Fireball. Ah luv da smell of burnin' flesh....
4. Fire Blast or Fireball or Frost Nova. Depends on where the mob's health is, but by this time, it shouldn't be much.
That's about it. I'm really enjoying the different playing aspect of this class, and it's got me thinking that I might want to try out some of the other classes that I didn't really enjoy when I first tried them out (*cough *cough rogue *cough).
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
And back to work...
I got back to work on Monday, but I haven't had time to post until now.
So....how's it goin'....?
I've been up to some different stuff as of late, and I'm not sure if I'm going to make different posts or just regurgitate it up all in this post. I suppose we'll just have to see together!
Here are the topics that I'm thinking of writing about:
1. Personal finances are getting put in order!
2. I haz a mage.
3. Starting fresh on a new server.
4. Reflections on the Thomas Sowell book Basic Economics.
If you have a preference, let me know in the comments.
In other news, my wife and I went to a formal dinner and ball last Saturday that was put on by our dance studio. I was really happy to see that we could dance pretty good in the aftermath of my wife's vertigo issue. Of course, we had to keep the spins and turns to a minimum, but still, we did a decent job of cutting the proverbial rug. Now we have to check into getting back on a lesson schedule.
....and it looks like I'll be making separate posts - yay!
So....how's it goin'....?
I've been up to some different stuff as of late, and I'm not sure if I'm going to make different posts or just regurgitate it up all in this post. I suppose we'll just have to see together!
Here are the topics that I'm thinking of writing about:
1. Personal finances are getting put in order!
2. I haz a mage.
3. Starting fresh on a new server.
4. Reflections on the Thomas Sowell book Basic Economics.
If you have a preference, let me know in the comments.
In other news, my wife and I went to a formal dinner and ball last Saturday that was put on by our dance studio. I was really happy to see that we could dance pretty good in the aftermath of my wife's vertigo issue. Of course, we had to keep the spins and turns to a minimum, but still, we did a decent job of cutting the proverbial rug. Now we have to check into getting back on a lesson schedule.
....and it looks like I'll be making separate posts - yay!
Friday, October 2, 2009
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