Sunday, March 28, 2010

A Pet Peeve of Mine

is when people don't understand priests' dispelling abilities.

It's as if when Burning Crusade was released and the alliance got shamans, that alliance players were just so impressed with the class that Purge overtook Dispel Magic as "the offensive dispeller".

Not only that, but at the same time, Mass Dispel was given to priests. The commotion over being able to dispel Divine Shield and Ice Block seemed to mask the fact that priests were able to dispel any magic (especially offensively) before they got Mass Dispel.

I hate when I'm in a group or raid and someone calls for a Mass Dispel for something that doesn't require it, something that the regular Dispel Magic would handle. Or when they don't understand that priests can dispel magic at all.... Get it right!

[/rant]

Saturday, March 27, 2010

NPC Spotlight: Aspen Grove Post

These two traders don't look all that interesting, do they? Probably because they're not.

But what they sell is!

At the Aspen Grove Post in Grizzly Hills, the trader and supplier have an interesting array of items, of which the flavour text clues the player into what's really going on in the zone: worgen.

It's easy to miss these vendors, since they aren't involved in any quests directly. However, they are linked to the worgen quest chain in the zone, and once the quest "Escape from Silverpine" is complete, these NPCs will become hostile to you.

Here are the items up for sale that suggest the hidden savagery:

  • Punctured Pelt - "It seems the punctures were caused by fangs."
  • Shredded Cloth - [no flavour text]
  • Grizzleberries - "Fresh from the bush."
  • Grizzleberry Juice - "Filled with pulp."
  • Raw Tallhorn Chunk - "An unappealing, ragged chunk of meat."
  • Fresh Eagle Meat - "There are still some feathers on the meat."

Knockbacks + tanking = BAD

I hate Typhoon.

Glyph of Typhoon
should be a requirement for PvE Boomkins.

That is all.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

3.3.3 Launched

I should have known weeks ago that this would be patch week. Patches always come out on days/weeks that I'm extremely busy with schoolwork, work, or anything else that means I won't be playing the game much/at all.

The most memorable time of this occurring was when Burning Crusade came out. I'd bought tickets for a concert in Vancouver, and not too much later, it was announced that the expansion would be released on January 16th... two days before the concert date. Great.

Then again, it's not like anything major really happened with this patch. Aside from all the "big" things mentioned in the patch notes (like Frozo), so far my favourite addition is the LFG timer, telling you how long you've been in the queue.

That way, I can know how long I've been "taking a break" from the paper I should be writing....

Saturday, March 20, 2010

NPC Spotlight: Sorely Twitchblade

I love gnomes. They're always so cheery and fun; even when they're being serious and evil, they've got this charm to them that always makes me smile.

Pulling off evil and cute? I think that's a winning combination. And a dangerous one.

So today in the NPC spotlight is Sorely Twitchblade!

Sorely can be found dancing on the bar of the Valgarde inn (in Howling Fjord). This poison vendor doesn't do much for the plot of Wrath or offer any quests, but he's memorable all the same.

If you spend a few moments hanging around, he'll start talking to the bar tender, Coot:
  • You're shayin' you wan... you wan... *hic* you wan' me to dansh on dis bar? *hic*
  • Maeshtro! Cue da mushic! (begins dancing)
  • That hit the shpot! Gimmie anudder one, Coot! *hic*
This actually gives me an idea for a silly gnome feature... there are lots of others like Sorely around Azeroth. :) Keep your eyes open for it.

~Have an interesting NPC on your mind that you'd like to see featured in NPC Spotlight? Leave a comment below!~

Friday, March 19, 2010

Off Topic....

I know this isn't about WoW, but I stumbled across this really cool game that requires teamwork and cooperation with a randomly assigned group. You perform little memory (and other) tasks, and how well you and your teammates perform increases the other teammates' lifeline.

Try it out! :)

The Midnight Pull Strikes Again!

My raiding guild on Draenor has something that we like to call the midnight pull.

A midnight pull occurs at the end of the night - our last pull of the evening - and sometimes seems to bring us the strangest bit of luck.

And this favourite good luck charm of ours rang true tonight, as we got our first kill of the Blood Queen (25)!

Happy times. :)

But oh gosh, my hand hurts from the furious healing....

Monday, March 15, 2010

Table Carvings of Azeroth

My little gnome warrior Desukar was just sitting down to a mini feast today when she noticed carvings on the table from previous diners.

From left to right, the table depicts:
  • "I WAZ HERE"
  • A target with an arrow
  • An unfinished X's and O's game
I love finding little things like these that the developers toss in for flavour. :)

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Going Down? Icecrown style.


My Crashin' Thrashin' Racer ever so selflessly sacrificed itself tonight to find out if you can fall off the edge of the Lich King's platform.

You can.

Of course, this would also be discovered through the Lich King's encounter, but I nevertheless wanted to recognize the racer's heroic effort.

Rest in peace, Racer.

Arathor Battle Tabard


This is something I've always wanted. It's such a beautiful tabard, and so rare, because it requires exalted status with the League of Arathor in Arathi Basin.

It feels like it's unobtainable. My hunter is only barely honoured by the League of Arathor, and it's not as if she's new to PvP... she was able to get the Knight-Lieutenant title, way back when. However, my interest in PvP does come and go regularly, so it has never been a constant effort.

But it boggles my mind to think about how much time I'd have to spend in Arathi Basin to be exalted!

However, starting now, I will try.

And to think that there are people with the Justicar title... something I would also love, but I don't think that I could commit to. PvP is fun, but PvE is my main interest.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

NPC Spotlight: Captain Arnath

The first NPC to enter the spotlight is... Captain Arnath of the Ashen Verdict!

"Even dying here beats spending another day collecting reagents for that madman, Finklestein."

Captain Arnath first appears in Zul'Drak as the captain of an Argent Crusade post, which, unfortunately for Arnath, is where the Crusade's best alchemist, Finklestein, chooses to set up his lab to create a truth serum. Arnath begrudgingly ends up organizing the collection of reagents for the lab, a job he deems below him, and so hires you, the player, to help him collect various ingredients.

Throughout the quests that Arnath offers, he's constantly mentioning how he would rather be on the front line making a more direct impact on the Crusade's efforts like he used to, instead of hanging around collecting reagents. And with the Ashen Verdict's breakthrough into Icecrown Citadel, he gets his wish.

Arnath and the other Pa'Troll-involved captains, as well as Crok Scourgebane, lead the way into the Frostwing Halls of Icecrown to battle Sister Svalna, a val'kyr lieutenant of the Lich King. Depending on the performance of your raid, Arnath may or may not meet his end here.

But what is it that makes Arnath such an interesting character?

If Arnath dies, he is risen by Svalna to be used against your raid... and you can hear such contempt and the need for revenge in his voice as he fights you. You can see how he became consumed by his bitterness at working for Finklestein, and how easily the Lich King's forces can corrupt what was once your ally. (If he kills a player, he explains, "That was for bringing me spoiled spider ichor.")

And even after his second death, after he has turned on your raid, you can still feel sorry for him, hearing his desperation to continue avoiding the alchemist. "Don't let Finklestein use me ... for his potions ..."

Arnath's whole scenario is meant to be comical of course, especially shown through, "You miserable fools never did manage to select a decent bat wing."

One thing I really love is that players can relate to Arnath. As he dies, he laments, "Never ... could reach ... the top shelf ..." a feeling that I'm sure many Pa'Trollers will understand. :)

Thursday, March 11, 2010

NPC Spotlight!

During my guild's raid tonight, we decided to try Valithria for a while after taking out the Blood Princes, since we were short a few raiders to do the end-of-wing bosses. This meant getting to visit a super-cool NPC... Captain Arnath!

Not many people actually remembered who he was, which made me think, "I wish there were a way for these memorable characters to get the recognition they deserve."

Introducing... NPC Spotlight! Every Friday Saturday I'll write a little something about an interesting non-major NPC. Then hopefully everyone will be able to enjoy these gems of characters as much as I do. :)

I find that little memorable things like these are what make WoW so continuously fun to play.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Next Expansion: Compactable or no?

I find all of the Cataclysm abbreviations silly. How can something so short already have three different abbreviations?

Maybe it's to avoid fumbling over the somewhat awkward combination of letters that Cataclysm has... but I still prefer to use Cataclysm over Cat, Cata, or CC.

Friday, March 5, 2010

Fun Speculations on Cataclysm Item Names

With each expansion, I like to guess at the names of general items that will be implemented that are tailored to the theme of the expansion. For example, Netherweave Cloth is to Outland as Frostweave Cloth is to Northrend, or Fel Lotus is to Burning Crusade as Frost Lotus is to Wrath.

This is all for silly fun of course, because not all of the items take the same theme as the expansion's main element; there are always sub-themes. Some items are specific to new zones or bosses (Lichbloom, Borean Leather, Saronite), of which there will be a wide variety in Cataclysm. None of it can be predicted with any certainty.

On to the speculations!
  • Charred Meat (vs Chilled Meat)
  • Shattered Fire/Water/Earth/Shadow/Life/Air
  • Pure Fire/Water/Earth/Shadow/Life/Air
  • Blazing Sphere (vs Frozen Orb)
  • Blistering Leather
  • Swelterweave Cloth/Singeweave Cloth
  • Lavacite Ore
  • Tainted Iron Ore
  • Berylite Ore
  • Enduring Lotus (vs Frost Lotus)
  • Sandthorn (Uldum)
  • Twilight Blossom (Twilight Highlands)
  • Azureweed (Sunken City of Vashj'ir)
  • Wispbloom (Mount Hyjal)

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Waiting on my hearth....

I thought this screen shot would be fitting for a first post. :)

Photobucket

Here's my priest waiting around on the Isle of Quel'Danas after running through Magisters' Terrace for goodies... with only a few minutes left on her hearthstone.