Extended Maintenance Downtime Thoughts

The completionist in me wants to create and level a Demon Hunter, Death Knight, and Evoker on the Horde side so I will have one of each class for Horde and Alliance. But knowing what's in store for all of my alts, it just seems fruitless. I know in the past I haven't kept them up to speed after a new expansion hits. And the idea of getting them all to max level in TWW just makes me cringe. I guess I'll have to see how painful the leveling process is first. As long as we aren't forced to do the same drawn-out death runs (without flying) to complete quests-lines through some kind of time-gating grind for each alt, I could be talked into it. I suppose I should be questing on the beta realm to get the hang of it. But I really want the expansion to have that new feel when I first see it.

Run awaaaay!

Glad they have the tuning down for the memory events. It was a little shaky at first, but they have been ironed out and are working well now. 

Get out and level your alt and/or collect that 480 gear. Don't forget the pets and mount. Now's the time to catch up. I'm sure the greens and blues that start dropping in a couple weeks will be lame compared to these epics...  ;-)

Warbanding it up!

I must admit, I am pretty excited about this whole Warband thing. It's a game changer for a transmogger and collector. I'm a little worried about all of my alts just going stale. I've put a lot of effort into them. But they aren't going anywhere.

But I Like the Lich King Dungeons

What kind of BULLSHIT it this? So now all of my 80+ alts can't do Lich King dungeons? Is it that hard to get people to do the new content? There are a lot of achievements and drops (drakes) that I want from Lich King dungeons. Now I have to go to each zone?

It seems they developed the random dungeon finder for a reason and that wasn't to force us to do specific content, it was so we could do things easier.

Not to mention I don't always have time to spend 2+ hours on new content. Sometimes I want to be able to do a quick instance and enjoy the older content. Some of us don't get to spend hours a day in the game. What a load of crap.

Give me back my dungeon finder!!!!

Mining Obsidium and Experience

I am still on the grind for an epic ride on my pally. I have almost 30 stacks of obsidium now so I hope that will bring in close to what I need. As a nice by-product of the mining process I am 3/4 of the way through level 80 with nothing but experience from collecting. I haven't done one quest. It should make thing easier when I start questing, I guess. I'll be a little ahead of things if it matters much. I have stuck to a simple pattern of mining around a few nodes in Mount Hyjal. I can usually avoid people and get almost a stack per route. Now, if I just had more time to play.

Worgen Ho!

Meet Wilgrane, my worgen mage (in training). This will be my first attempt at a mage. It was a difficult decision to go for a mage but with 2 pieces of cloth heirlooms and no plate heirlooms (for a warrior) I couldn't resist. I also have 2 viable tank classes that I don't use as tanks because I dislike it so much. I think it is more a lack of desire for melee combat. Maybe it's the whole fantasy game genre or the fake feel of the melee combat, I don't know. I have always enjoyed ranged DPS or healing more than physical combat. Now that Meralis is no longer around I am also without a tutor. With all the assistance of Blizzard and the new quests and dungeon finder it shouldn't be too difficult though. I think between this guy and my Pally I should be able to stay in the rested experience range on both characters. I have my Pally to 81 and quite a bit of rested to chew through now that my mage is "feeling normal". The hardest part with the mage is getting to an inn after questing. I can always recall to my bind point but that can make for a long run to get back where I was questing. Now, on with the show!

Experience Boost for my Holy Pally

I just have to take advantage of the new experience boost from 70-80. After getting my Lock to 80 and a 5k gear score I am now working on my Paladin. I started at 70 and have already passed the halfway point to 74 in just a few days. With the Blizzard provided boost and a couple heirlooms (even if they are cloth, they still have int. and crit.) I am at +40% experience, that's really nice.

I must say I am impressed with his healing ability in the new 4.03a world. I know it's a big change for most Holy Pallies but speaking from someone who has never healed as a Pally, it's not bad at all. I have decent burst healing, I can heal on the run and I have have numerous "oh shit" buttons. The only thing I am lacking is a HoT. I am really thinking about glyphing for the HoT with Word of Glory just to try it out. We'll just have to wait and see how things work at 85. I hear it's a whole different world (never tried beta or test realm).

Rocket Fire!

Okay, I gave it to Wilgron even though he doesn't have epic flying. He needed a good mount. And I felt this was more a Warlock mount than anyone else.

Wilgrin's New Ride

After years of wanting and only a couple tries I have my favorite mount. Thanks Avah!

New Recruit-A-Friend mount coming soon

New Recruit-A-Friend mount coming soon:

Continuing the very unusual middle of the night announcements from Blizzard, Bashiok has just posted that the Recruit-A-Friend program is getting a brand new mount soon to replace the Zhevra. Presumably this is to give players with the zhevra some reason to bother with the program going forward.

Beginning in just a few days, players who participate in the Recruit-A-Friend program will receive a whole new reward for showing a friend the ropes in Azeroth: the X-53 Touring Rocket, a two-seater flying mount that automatically increases its speed as your mount skill improves (up to 310% speed if you already have a 310% mount). The X-53 will be replacing the current Zhevra mount reward, which is retiring from the Recruit-A-Friend business after a good run. If you've already claimed a Zhevra (or claim one prior to the change), you'll be able to hang on to it, of course. We'll have more details on the new Recruit-A-Friend mount once it becomes available.



Current Recruit-A-Friend FAQ - http://us.blizzard.com/support/article.xml?locale=en_US&articleId=20588

source

I won't lie, I'll be getting my hands on this mount sooner or later. A two-seater flying mount that will scale up with my 310% mount? That's hard to resist. Well played, Blizzard. I wonder if my imaginary friends want to check out WoW...

Pandaren Monk and Mini K.T. Pets Live

Yes, I bought them both. It's a great deal considering how much people shell out for the card game pets. Besides, it's for charity!

---

Well Blizzard has finally done it. After charging only for out-of-game services like faction changes and character customization, with the release of in-game pets on the Blizzard store, they've finally moved on to selling virtual items for real money. And there's a word, dirty in the mouths of some, that's floating around that some of you may not have heard or understood before: microtransactions. We wouldn't blame you -- some of our own staff didn't even know what they were just a little while ago. But with the decision to sell in-game items for straight cash, Blizzard has entered the fascinating and treacherous world of microtransactions. And if you're going to follow them off into this world, you might as well at least know what they're all about.

And so, we're here to help. Whether you've never heard of microtransactions before, you're convinced that they're the devil and that Blizzard has grown too greedy for their own good, or you can't wait to open up your wallet and get a Pandaren Monk to follow you around, let's take a second and look at the history of the microtransaction model, what it means that Blizzard made this decision, and what might happen to the game in the future.

Continue reading A WoW player's guide to microtransactions

New 80 Hunter!

Meet Wilgrun, he is my latest level 80 character. He's my Dorf Huntard of course. It was a rough decision on who to raise to 80. Having 3 level 70s, a 60ish DK and a couple 56 characters I had a lot to choose from. It all came down to fun and grinding at this point. I have been trying to get some Heirloom gear to help in the process but used the old pre 3.2.2 AV runs instead. It only took a week to get to 77 and the rest was gravy. Maybe I can get some heirloom gear for my Pally next. That way I can pass it on to my DK if needed.

Now I just need to get into some Heroics for some gear. Being the ultimate casual player can make this difficult though. I need to map out where the best gear is and then be pretty careful on my selection. Every run counts when you're casual.

First Cataclysm Character

I'm trying to decide on my first character for Cataclysm. I'm thinking a Worgen warrior since I'm working on the Heirloom plate gear for my Pally right now. And he should easily be 80 by the time it comes out.

Trick Riding

I logged in the other day to this little feat of riding skill, quite amazing indeed.

Daily Quest Route

I have started to realize how beneficial daily quests can be to the casual player. In just a few short minutes I can knock out the cooking and fishing daily quests and earn some good experience and gold. I am going to add the daily quest Break the Blockade to the mix since that is where I am currently leveling. Since I did the daily quests for Kalu'ak reputation, I know those quests as well.

This makes me wonder. Is there a decent route to take via flight paths that would allow me to level via daily quests? At 15k experience each it is almost better than following Jame's guides. Certainly not as exciting but maybe quicker.

I hope to make a route around Northrend making this possible. It would require very little thought and be possible to do in small steps with relative safety (doable from a place of employment, ssshhhh). With 25 quests available every day, you could rack up considerable experience and gold with hardly any effort at all.

This link at Wowwiki should help considerably with that guide.

Matticus's Daily Guide

Furbolg Wand Quest (Raene's Cleansing)

I've been doing this on all my characters just because it's a great item to have. It can be done by Alliance characters in the late 20s.

Wowwiki link Starting in Ashenvale

First, head to Ashenvale and talk to Raene Wolfrunner.

Name, a longtime friend of mine is also aiding the Sentinels here in Ashenvale, but he has yet to return.

He had leads on finding an item that he thought could slow the furbolg attacks on our people--a rod created by a now-dead, evil wizard.

Before he left here, he mentioned seeking out a gem for the rod.

He mentioned the gem possibly being hidden at the shrine in Lake Falathim at the base of the mountain to the west. The gem was being held there before it was overrun.

Find my friend, Name, please.

It's too late for Tenoris as he's already dead. You can find his body on the island in the middle of Lake Falathim where the murlocs are at coordinates 20, 43.

As you rummage through Teronis' belongings, you find a journal that is still in good condition.

You take the journal and leave Teronis' corpse as is.

The only thing left to do is find the gem Teronis was seeking. Raene mentioned it being in the area. Perhaps the murlocs have it...

The gem drops off any of the murlocs. You might need to kill a few before one drops. Then return to Raene.

You'll have to do the research yourself, but from what notes Teronis has made, it sounds like your next course of action is to find the other pieces of the rod Dartol created. I would start by heading to the moonwell east of Iris Lake. When you're ready, follow the road and turn north when you reach a small sitting area on your left.

A dryad there named Shael'dryn is better suited to guide you. Seek her out.

Keep the gem with you--Shael'dryn will need it if she's to help you recreate the rod.

Shael'dryn can be found at coordinates 53, 46. You'll want to head there from the west and not from the east. If you come in from the east around Raynewood Retreat, you'll meet up with level 27 aggresive creatures.

I wish your tidings were better.

Raene is correct, I know about Dartol's creation and the treants in the area--at least I did once. They've become corrupted now, their nature twisted.

If your goal is to find the next piece of the rod, then you'll have to find the key to open the chest it's in.

The wooden key is on one of the treants northeast of here, near Felwood. Once you have it, look for a small glade west of the road near the Felwood border... the chest should be hidden around there.

The treants that drop the key are called Crazed Ancients and Withered Ancients. They can be found along the road north of Raynewood Retreat leading into Felwood.
The box is at coordinates 54, 34 near the Felwood border.

The final piece of the rod was given to the druids of Dor'danil for safekeeping. I have no idea where they hid it. I'm sorry I can't help you more than that.

All I can tell you is to follow the road that leads towards the Barrens. The druids took shelter to the east of that road, but they won't be of much help to you: they were killed recently... it's something I don't like to think about much.

When you find the final piece, bring it to me and I will help you reconstruct the rod.

Around location 69, 82 there are a bunch of slimes. This is north of the entrance to the Barrens and south of Splintertree Post. Start killing slimes and one will eventually drop a chest. The pommel is inside the chest.

Here is the completed rod, . Reconstructing it was simple... it's finding the shrine that has the power to recharge it that will be the hard part.

With some focus and effort it shouldn't be too hard for someone like you, who's already accomplished so much.

Head southeast of here--there are very few paths, so be careful--and keep your eyes to the north. The shrine is hidden within the mountains that surround this glade.

Once there, place the rod within the shrine... the rest is magic. Hehe.

The path to the hidden shrine atarts at 55,54. The actual shrine is at coordinates 56, 49. When you leave the moonwell, follow the mountain's edge to the southeast. Continue to follow the mountain and you'll eventually find the path. It will spiral up to the shrine.

Now you have your wand... If you finish the chain, you will lose the wand.

Hunter, Warlock or Priest?

My Hunter, Wilgrun, hit 70 the other day in a rather dull, unexciting moment deep in the heart of Blades Edge Mountains. This makes my third level 70.

I am now grinding my pet Gorilla up to 70 and farming some gold for flight training. I can't decide whether or not the honor farm is worth it right now. It won't be too long until a whole new range of gear will be flooding the game.

Now I need to decide which class gets the bulk of my effort on getting to 80. Who would you raise; hunter, warlock or priest?

Maximum Characters per Account

Well, I never thought I would hit that limit. I guess I haven't really hit it personaly but my son has.

He likes creating characters, leveling them to 3-4 and then moving on to a new server. He has whole servers filled up with various similarly named characters. They rarely make it above level 5 and never leave the starting areas (He's only 6 himself).

I have since learned that you can have a maximum of 50 characters across all servers. I have 10 on my main server and the rest are all his "alts".

He does have a NE Hunter on my main server that has made it to 24 with a little help from Dad. Now that he can get a mount at level 30 I feel the need to help him out just a little more.