Like, totally cool vibes, folks.
So, like, despite arranging flowers at my family's herb shop in Ironforge, I knew I be looking for someting different and improve my karmic potential. When the Elemental Unrest raged thru the town and we had ta bunker down and hit back, I had a new inspiration. After talking ta an Earthen Ring shaman, I found my calling.
When I finished my Shaman Initiation, I be in Coldridge Valley. Tings werena as quiet as ta older folks in my family said they'd be. I had to do my part fighting back the Troggs. I had recently mastered throwing Lightning Bolts around like some hero of old.
I suppose Hero of Olde sounds better, but I willna be pandering to such labels. It be workin for ta Power Structures, which isna natural.
Teo Hammerstorm taught me a few more tings, so besides sending Lightning Bolt at a foe until they got close, I hit 'em with an Earth Shock and a Primal Strike. Having learnt what I could in Anvilmar, I wanted to see new tings. I was in Stormwind City for the Pilgrim's Bounty and now I be a much better cook den any in my family.
I returned to Dun Morogh and Kharanos, where Halbin Frosthammer be learning me many new tings about da elemental balance of tings, but I still be looking for when I need healing. Maybe someday soon, but I did my part fighting off a Dark Iron invasion which soon found me reportin to ta Council of Three Hammers. Falstad be reasonable, but I didna much trust Moira. Someting didna sound right. I know I should be helping Ironforge in Loch Modan, but instead found myself returning south to da human lands.
I be settled at the Golden Keg in the Dwarven district and be familiar with my way about the town. I be trained in First Aid, altho not quite an Expert yet. Since gold lust be bringing too much negativity, I willna be learning to Mine. Instead I couldn't leave sparklies too far away and enjoy Disenchanting tings to dust. I also want to speed the decomposition of dead creatures, returning them to basic elements as life intends, so I learnt Skinnin.
My most recent journey has led me to Westfall and the enlarged Sentinel Hill fort.
Day Thirty Six - 7 Nov 2010
Maraudon
I first deliberately selected Maraudon Purple. My action bar and macros need improvement as I'm positive I wasn't taking full advantage of the optimal rotation. A warrior DPS kept playing "Off Tank" and pulled or played threat games. It wasn't much fun, but I needed to concentrate on my own duties and let him play his own games. The run was fast, but confusing and nothing fun dropped. I did ding level 41.
I spent a bit of time rewriting macros and redoing the action bars. I had hopes it would be an improvement. This time I allowed RND to determine my dungeon, even if it meant orange or Zul'farak. Instead it returned me to Maraudon Purple. I knew better where to go, but this time I had an overeager and overpowered Rogue that wanted to lead. Things were still confusing although I was doing much better DPS. I wasn't doing any better at managing threat and lost one DPS when he pulled something away from me and I didn't notice until getting ready for the next pull and saw he was dead. The healer was just starting to rez him when I got to him. The rogue was heading on by himself, but survived his solo pull.
In our eagerness, we had passed the boss and needed to backtrack. As an encounter, it went the smoothest since I didn't need to worry much about AoE threat issues. Nothing dropped for me and even the blue bag was a Tumultuous Ring that didn't match my needs.
I first deliberately selected Maraudon Purple. My action bar and macros need improvement as I'm positive I wasn't taking full advantage of the optimal rotation. A warrior DPS kept playing "Off Tank" and pulled or played threat games. It wasn't much fun, but I needed to concentrate on my own duties and let him play his own games. The run was fast, but confusing and nothing fun dropped. I did ding level 41.
I spent a bit of time rewriting macros and redoing the action bars. I had hopes it would be an improvement. This time I allowed RND to determine my dungeon, even if it meant orange or Zul'farak. Instead it returned me to Maraudon Purple. I knew better where to go, but this time I had an overeager and overpowered Rogue that wanted to lead. Things were still confusing although I was doing much better DPS. I wasn't doing any better at managing threat and lost one DPS when he pulled something away from me and I didn't notice until getting ready for the next pull and saw he was dead. The healer was just starting to rez him when I got to him. The rogue was heading on by himself, but survived his solo pull.
In our eagerness, we had passed the boss and needed to backtrack. As an encounter, it went the smoothest since I didn't need to worry much about AoE threat issues. Nothing dropped for me and even the blue bag was a Tumultuous Ring that didn't match my needs.
BA Shared Topic Idea: Home Sweet...
Aldonza was sweeping up dust and gravel from the latest earthquake in Ironforge when her old friend Kallixta came up. "Gave up trying to sleep. Got enough rest, I suppose. Way too long since I slept through the night. In fact, if an hour goes by one night without a quake, it'll wake me up!"
A dry, dusty cloud rose from the bin as Aldonza threw her sweepings away. She had to blink to clear her eyes again. "Very unsettling. No place feels safe anymore. It's even worse at home. You want your home to be a refuge and it isn't."
Kallixta's eyes were tracing a crack up the wall to where it would disappear somewhere towards the high ceiling. "Being human, you don't like all the rock o'er yer head?" She turned the statement into a question, although it was rhetorical.
"No, but you do, doncha?"
Surprisingly, Kallixta slowly shook her head. "I suppose it's undwarvenly. Maybe it's from where I grew."
Aldonza's expressive face showed her surprise, "Not here?"
With a gesture, Kallixta shepherded her friend back to their usual table in the Stonefire Tavern. She needed to sit for this and she wanted some food. Gwenna brought the order to the table as they settled down. "I've told you about Da and his travelling, eh?"
Giving a simple nod, Aldonza was afraid to say anything that might disrupt new information from her taciturn friend.
"It's why we were living at Aerie's peak when I was young. And the Wildhammers love having openings to the sky, fer the gryphons, you see? It's more on the mountain side than here, so it's a might easier to be out'a doors. And if yer a young lass fascinated by gryphons, you might spend more time watching the windriders. It all means I spent my most impressionable years on top of a mountain, not inside one." The paladin's eyes showed the distance of her thoughts. "I think the Wildhammers weren't as fussed about it, neither. They all'd been fighting underground against the Dark Irons, so Underground didn't mean safety to them and I suppose it stuck to me."
"And you miss the Hinterlands?" Aldonza gave Kallixta an indulgent smile.
Acknowledging the truth, Kallixta smiled and shrugged. "That the last place we were a family together. Mum was sent off to Redridge and Da went off fighting, dying at Hyjal, or near enough. Things just weren't the same."
"Things change all the time, Kalli," the human warned the dwarf. "And you can't go back."
"Oh I've been back. It wonderful to revisit Aerie Peak, but yer right in it ain't the same." With a stretch, Kallixta brought her arms out wide, then drew them back in, to pull her hair back. She adjusted how it was gathered at the back of her head. "And much change is fer the better, you know? Lordaeron is recovering some. It's been what, eight years? And the ghastly cauldron fields are lifting. I talked about impressionable years, but that's something else. I watched it happen. The Silver Hand was shattered by Arthas, but they still tried their best. Everything seemed in chaos, but I watched them stay true. And they rescued me and returned me here, but I weren't the same after that. I knew what I had to do. I had to do my part in protecting the places I called home. Places like here and Aerie Peak and the former plaguelands."
Aldonza sighed. "It's so different to me. My home outside Stormwind hasn't suffered like so many. We've had some bandit problems in Northshire, but no invasions or other catastrophe, thank the light."
The pair of friends smiled at each other, in common agreement. Kallixta summarized her feelings, "There's no place like home."
Day Thirty Five - 2 Nov 2010
Kallixta ran through some of the pre-Cata event quests, including infiltrating the doomsday cultists in Stormwind, stopping just short of level 42. The plan was then to run a dungeon to ding.
But the LFD rolled up Maraudon, which I wasn't ready for. I mentioned in party chat that I probably couldn't navigate it well, and somebody immediately dropped group. I was preparing to consult notes outside of the game (Hots and Dots has excellent dungeon advice), when chat turned negative.
I dropped group. I immediately felt selfish and wanted to apologize. I realized I should have at least said something else before leaving the group. Still, how much guilt is appropriate?
I've since consulted Hots and Dots excellent Maraudon Purple side guide and know it should be a fast run. It's just a single boss. If I'd had a chance to review the page... Oh well. Time moves on.
But the LFD rolled up Maraudon, which I wasn't ready for. I mentioned in party chat that I probably couldn't navigate it well, and somebody immediately dropped group. I was preparing to consult notes outside of the game (Hots and Dots has excellent dungeon advice), when chat turned negative.
I dropped group. I immediately felt selfish and wanted to apologize. I realized I should have at least said something else before leaving the group. Still, how much guilt is appropriate?
I've since consulted Hots and Dots excellent Maraudon Purple side guide and know it should be a fast run. It's just a single boss. If I'd had a chance to review the page... Oh well. Time moves on.
Day Thirty Four - 31 Oct 2010
Macros and Rotation
I had been so overwhelmed the last time I visited Kallixta, that it was easier to enjoy Martuska and let her seek Hallow's End achievements then spend the effort of getting Kallixta back up to speed. I finally tried it last night.
I knew the theory behind the new 3X rotation and found some useful macros at Maintankadin, so I hoped I could brush her off and get levelling again.
Something was wrong, but it wasn't until late that I discovered my real problem. I hadn't correctly specced! I selected Grand Crusader instead of Shield of the Righteous! Argh! I wouldn't fix that until after I'd jumped into the queue for a random dungeon. Most dungeons were SM, so what would the chances be that I'd end up in either Uldaman or Maraudon?
Uldaman
I could run us through the beginning easily enough. And my attempts at rotation put me way on top of the DPS recount. I wasn't losing threat. All good, except I had the suspicion that while I was overpowered, others weren't doing their job.
We got passed Baelog and had Revelosh in our sights when two folks dropped from the group, including whoever had the gem! We weren't going to be doing Ironaya. I got a nice bracer drop from Revelosh and one of the newly joined was a little gnome warrior that could really pack a punch. She knew the path better, so we let he lead a bit. She'd still let me tank the bosses, but proved she didn't need my help on trash. The rest of the run was wonderfully smooth. I didn't need to check my map and we were done in short time. I did discover how big a consumer of mana Consecration is. I'll be leaving that off unless I really need it!
Level 41
Somewhere underground I dinged, but didn't notice. All that rested XP zipped me along nicely, so as I looked at spending my talent point, I discovered the speccing error I had made before. I spent less than 2 gold and started over. That was the best money spent recently! I didn't try rewriting my "Nines" macro yet, but I think I'll enjoy a much better rotation when I return, which will be much sooner!
With the level bump, I could equip the Heavy Mithril Breastplate. I visited the Auction House and picked up a few Rugged Armor Kits cheap and pasted those on anything that qualified. I definately boosted my armor with these changes.
I had been so overwhelmed the last time I visited Kallixta, that it was easier to enjoy Martuska and let her seek Hallow's End achievements then spend the effort of getting Kallixta back up to speed. I finally tried it last night.
I knew the theory behind the new 3X rotation and found some useful macros at Maintankadin, so I hoped I could brush her off and get levelling again.
Something was wrong, but it wasn't until late that I discovered my real problem. I hadn't correctly specced! I selected Grand Crusader instead of Shield of the Righteous! Argh! I wouldn't fix that until after I'd jumped into the queue for a random dungeon. Most dungeons were SM, so what would the chances be that I'd end up in either Uldaman or Maraudon?
Uldaman
I could run us through the beginning easily enough. And my attempts at rotation put me way on top of the DPS recount. I wasn't losing threat. All good, except I had the suspicion that while I was overpowered, others weren't doing their job.
We got passed Baelog and had Revelosh in our sights when two folks dropped from the group, including whoever had the gem! We weren't going to be doing Ironaya. I got a nice bracer drop from Revelosh and one of the newly joined was a little gnome warrior that could really pack a punch. She knew the path better, so we let he lead a bit. She'd still let me tank the bosses, but proved she didn't need my help on trash. The rest of the run was wonderfully smooth. I didn't need to check my map and we were done in short time. I did discover how big a consumer of mana Consecration is. I'll be leaving that off unless I really need it!
Level 41
Somewhere underground I dinged, but didn't notice. All that rested XP zipped me along nicely, so as I looked at spending my talent point, I discovered the speccing error I had made before. I spent less than 2 gold and started over. That was the best money spent recently! I didn't try rewriting my "Nines" macro yet, but I think I'll enjoy a much better rotation when I return, which will be much sooner!
With the level bump, I could equip the Heavy Mithril Breastplate. I visited the Auction House and picked up a few Rugged Armor Kits cheap and pasted those on anything that qualified. I definately boosted my armor with these changes.
Day Thirty Three - 24 Oct 2010
Adjusting to 4.0.1
Everybody already knows what a big change this patch was. I had the difficulty that most attention on adapting was focussed upon level 80 characters, not folks halfway. I trained and specced something in the Protection Talent Tree. I tried putting my spells on my action bar, but discovered way too many, and I didn't understand the new ones.
I did buy Dual Talent, since it is so much cheaper. I'd love to explore healing and the Holy Tree, but that has different gearing and I'll need to train how to mash those buttons. This was an impulse purchase because of the price change and I needed to respec Protection anyway.
I wasn't going to count this day as "Real", because it was just a visit, but I did Trick or Treat, and gained a Sparkling Smile and Experience. Therefore it counts despite the short visit and being intimidated by the changes.
Everybody already knows what a big change this patch was. I had the difficulty that most attention on adapting was focussed upon level 80 characters, not folks halfway. I trained and specced something in the Protection Talent Tree. I tried putting my spells on my action bar, but discovered way too many, and I didn't understand the new ones.
I did buy Dual Talent, since it is so much cheaper. I'd love to explore healing and the Holy Tree, but that has different gearing and I'll need to train how to mash those buttons. This was an impulse purchase because of the price change and I needed to respec Protection anyway.
I wasn't going to count this day as "Real", because it was just a visit, but I did Trick or Treat, and gained a Sparkling Smile and Experience. Therefore it counts despite the short visit and being intimidated by the changes.
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