Elkagorasa talked about it yesterday here, but I wanted to quickly share my experiences with the Throne of Tides. Fuu and I teamed up with guildies to give a new dungeon a try. At the time we were all level 81 and that means there were only two dungeon choices. We settled on Throne of Tides. We grouped up, then attempted to queue for it... Wait, what is this? Someone does not meet the requirements? But we're all level 81 and still (at least partially) raid geared. How can this be?
Recall that there is that little new criteria that you have to have discovered the entrance once before you'll be able to queue for a dungeon. So our first adventure quickly became: how the fel do we get to this so-called Throne of Tides? Fortunately, there are those among us that see large whirlpools and think "hey, I bet that'd be interesting to swim into." Don't ask me why. That person is not me. I see giant swirling death.
So, fortunately, there was one among us that knew to use the huge oceanic toilet to get to the dungeon. Yeah, the one smack in the middle of the Shimmering Expanse in Vash'jir. You can't miss it. Those cursed Naga are attempting to burrow into the Water Plane and all that jazz.
Having found the entrance, we proceeded to use the stone to summon folks like myself who were wary about said large vortex (also, who were not nearby). Once the five of us were together, we ventured in. The first thing that was said over vent: "Eww, tentacles". Yes, there are two wavy tentacles that block off a side passageway each. The initial path in this dungeon is straight ahead. Some trash and a quick ride on a jellyfish brings you to a second level where you continue through several fights to the last room. Killing the boss in there will send you back to the front, since the tentacles will have left, opening the final two wings. We went right and then left, as I think you're supposed to do. It can be a bit confusing, especially if, like us, you try to do it without consulting any online resources (but you're here now! ha ha!).
Elk does a great job of running through the bosses and important mobs in the bottom half of the post I linked above. I'm not going to redo the good work. I will say, however, that you can pretty much wing each of the fights. Especially if you have DBM. It'll warn you about the thingy that requires interrupting, as well as warn about some of the harder hitting abilities. In part raid gear, part leveling gear, it was pretty easy, though not without some close calls. A great first instance, say I.
There are two tips I want to give that may not be obvious. The first is to use the teleporter to get back after the tentacles are gone. There is a two-point teleporter in this dungeon. Waiting on that damn jellyfish is stupid. At least, we all got impatient.
The second is that after the final boss makes you huge, don't just stand around gawking at each other and going "well this is cool, but why do we still have a DoT on us?" Because that's what we did. We didn't see the huge sucker-mouth-thingy up on the wall that was spewing... ink (?) and death at us. Since the debuff appears to stack, we were fighting a losing battle after we'd stood dumbstruck for half the fight. We burned and, somehow, I was the only one left standing. We still won though. Just... look for the sucker mouth. It's up on the wall. Sucker mouth = bad. Dunno how we missed it.
Finally, not really a tip but a general observation, we did make use of some CC and "old" tactics here. We did a few LoS pulls. We sheeped some things. While we probably could have gotten by without CC, I think it definitely made things smoother. I've definitely not been enticed to spec into fear yet, but I've found having my Succubus tends to be great as she'll pick out the rogue adds and seduce them. Heck, sometimes we'd not be aware she had a caster all riled up on the other side of the room: "Oh, there's another add left." Dirty, dirty Succubus.
So if you're looking to shuffle things up with a dungeon run, Throne of Tides is a great place to start. Easily do-able for folks in the 80-82 range. Good experience, some decent drops. Nothing to write home about, but it gets the party started. Rather well designed, visually appealing, and boss fights that are engaging without being gimmicky. Just make sure you give yourself a swirly to get in. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to head to the RL throne room.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
The Morning After Pill
Labels: QotD, Reflections 7 comments
Well, we binged yesterday. I find it's good to indulge in a true binge every now and then. Generally, we're quite responsible about our gaming hobby. We keep it to a few hours a night, depending on other obligations. We still go out in the world and interact. We know our neighbors, we're involved in our community, etc etc snore snore.
Yesterday I ate at least two dozen Pixie Stix, downed a good sixer of caffeinated beverage, ate pizza at the keyboard, and played from just about 8AM till 11PM. We took an hour break for a shower and a quick trip to a nearby brewery for grub and beer, then came right back to it. The result is that I now have a level 13 Worgen Druid (balance) and my 'lock is halfway to 82. The DK, sadly, has been untouched as of yet. PvP will just have to wait.
Personally, I think binging is good to do every once in a while. It sort of get's it out of your system. I feel a lot less antsy today at work (though admittedly still pretty antsy) than I otherwise would have felt had I not put in a marathon day yesterday. Also, I'm a firm believing in experiences that you can talk about later. Who doesn't love "back in the day" stories... even if you're supposed to "know better".
Anyways, I wanted to relate my reflections from the morning after the one day stand. I'll keep the thoughts brief, because work apparently collapses if I'm not here for a day (aka, I'm swamped). Here we go:
Yesterday I ate at least two dozen Pixie Stix, downed a good sixer of caffeinated beverage, ate pizza at the keyboard, and played from just about 8AM till 11PM. We took an hour break for a shower and a quick trip to a nearby brewery for grub and beer, then came right back to it. The result is that I now have a level 13 Worgen Druid (balance) and my 'lock is halfway to 82. The DK, sadly, has been untouched as of yet. PvP will just have to wait.
Personally, I think binging is good to do every once in a while. It sort of get's it out of your system. I feel a lot less antsy today at work (though admittedly still pretty antsy) than I otherwise would have felt had I not put in a marathon day yesterday. Also, I'm a firm believing in experiences that you can talk about later. Who doesn't love "back in the day" stories... even if you're supposed to "know better".
Anyways, I wanted to relate my reflections from the morning after the one day stand. I'll keep the thoughts brief, because work apparently collapses if I'm not here for a day (aka, I'm swamped). Here we go:
- Spawn rates are ridiculously high. Sometimes, it can be frustrating as you can't get the mobs to leave you alone. It's great when you're in a highly populated area though. I assume they'll crank it down eventually, so if you want to avoid frustratingly high spawn rates, give it a couple weeks.
- Lothar went through the transformation completely stable as a server. We've had no queues and no crashes as far as I'm aware. Really, just about all you could ask for in a launch. Flawless. Never seen anything like it. Maybe a bit of lag here and there, but totally playable.
- Starting zones are crowded, as expected, but the extensive use of phasing really hides it from you. Sure I see a bunch of people, but it's only really the people that are within 10 minutes of the same place I'm at in the storyline (especially Worgen-wise). I love what they've done here. Sure, there are some natural chokepoints, but for the most part it feels populated without being overwhelming.
- My first Warlock point was spent in Bane. I'm filling that up first. I already had Shadow and Flame filled. Then I'm getting the Improved Soul Fire talent. Haven't looked to see when I get my new spells, probably should do that.
- I'm levelling as Affliction for now. With Fuu and I working together, stuff still seems to die pretty fast. I may switch to Demo eventually, but I want to get more comfortable in the new-ish rotation. I'm also trying to weave Soul Fires in as if it provided a haste buff, just to try and get used to what will be.
- We started in Vash'jir. Beautiful. Well designed. Tons of fun. I love the 3D environment too.
- Sadly, I've already gotten greens to replace a lot of my raid gear. I've broken up my 4 piece bonus and don't even have it enchanted yet. Apparently higher end raid gear doesn't last very long. I'm way under hit cap, which is cool because I'm 81 now, so we can still raid old stuff and I don't have to worry about misses. Plus, you shouldn't be facing anything more than 2 levels above you if you're instancing either. Keep an eye on your hit value, but you should only need to cover two levels which isn't really all that much.
- I feel like I'm missing something with enchanting. I got a few new patterns and the mats are stacking up in my bags, but I can't enchant anything with new mats that is under ilevel 300. The drops are only 275 right now. So I basically can't level it unless I use old mats, which I'm getting none of. Seems kinda dumb to me, but eventually I suppose I'll be fine. And there's always vellums.
- Fighting over Herb nodes is ridiculous! When you first catch a glance of a yellow dot on your screen you better drop what ever you're doing and gather it or you'll be out of luck. Funny story: (This is Fuu btw) I saw a node so I swam to it. Well with our "lovely" High Spawn rates, I had two Naga chomping at me when I finally arrived. Normally, if there is just one, I can Hammer of Justice it, Gather, then continue to kill the mob. With two, you don't have that luxury. I knocked one of them out and attempted to gather. The other took a potshot at me before I finished gathering. To my dismay, a druid watched this entire thing waited until I got interrupted and then sneaked in and picked it before I could do anything about it. TL;DR Don't meander over to a node thinking that 5 others aren't frantically fighting over it already ;-)
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Happy X-pac!
Labels: Expansion 0 comments
Quick post today, because I want to get down to playing. Fuu and I definitely stood in line last night. The thermometer read 14 degrees. There were only about twenty of us at the Best Buy. Not a huge party, but a small crew of dedicated people.
Heck, we all probably could have stayed in our cars, but you have to get in a line, right? We got a free poster and our CE with a regular box on the side. Did the opening last night. Great stuff. I actually got a Warlock starter set out of the cards, so I'm super pysched about that. I love the art books that Blizz does. The Starcraft one was great, and this one doesn't disappoint. The mouse pad is also gorgeous, and I know Fuu is enjoying the pet. We have the music cranked up.
So, yes, the CE is totally worth the $30 for us. So was going to a midnight opening, even if we couldn't play right away. We opted to catch some sleep and hit it early this morning (instead of try to go at 3AM... it is the middle of the week!).
Anyways, our server is up (and apparently stable!) and I'm standing next to Prince Liam Greymane as I write this, listening to him yell stuff. Mr. Wow has a name now :-). Our plan is to level through the Worgen starting zone, and then get going on our mains. Pizza and caffeinated beverages stock the fridge. It's going to be a good day!
So happy gaming blogosphere. We'll be down there in the trenches with you!
Heck, we all probably could have stayed in our cars, but you have to get in a line, right? We got a free poster and our CE with a regular box on the side. Did the opening last night. Great stuff. I actually got a Warlock starter set out of the cards, so I'm super pysched about that. I love the art books that Blizz does. The Starcraft one was great, and this one doesn't disappoint. The mouse pad is also gorgeous, and I know Fuu is enjoying the pet. We have the music cranked up.
So, yes, the CE is totally worth the $30 for us. So was going to a midnight opening, even if we couldn't play right away. We opted to catch some sleep and hit it early this morning (instead of try to go at 3AM... it is the middle of the week!).
Anyways, our server is up (and apparently stable!) and I'm standing next to Prince Liam Greymane as I write this, listening to him yell stuff. Mr. Wow has a name now :-). Our plan is to level through the Worgen starting zone, and then get going on our mains. Pizza and caffeinated beverages stock the fridge. It's going to be a good day!
So happy gaming blogosphere. We'll be down there in the trenches with you!
Monday, December 6, 2010
X-pac Eve
Labels: Expansion 11 comments
A holiday in its own right, X-pac Eve is upon us. Fuu and I plan to be bundled up outside of the Westfield, Indiana Best Buy promptly after our raid ends (so a bit after 11pm). I'm going to try to wear my red Alliance Lion baseball cap (if it's not too unbearably cold) that says "Fulguralis" on the back. You probably won't be able to see the T-shirt I have as well (also with my name and realm on the front, but black), you know, due to the coat and layers. Still, if you're in the area and want to say "hi", look for the red hat. I was sad when no one found me at GenCon, but then again, the only person I know that plays WoW that lives sorta nearby is Abi of Kungaloosh. Well, and one of my guild mates who I work with, but I see him every day.
In any case, we'll be in line at midnight. One CE and one regular edition on pre-order. I'm not sure whether we'll stay up another three hours, waiting for the midnight hour to reach the west coast. We might just nap and wake up early to get on. We did take the day off. Either way, there will be Pixy Stix, Mountain Dew, and Pizza!
Speaking of taking the day off, how many of you guys are? Is it something you're open and honest about: "Yes, I'm taking tomorrow off to play a video game?" I'm of two minds about it.
On one hand, I feel that its my personal day, I should take it however I want and you shouldn't judge. Hence, personal. Still, people, being people, will judge. And, like it or not, video games are still not judged a viable hobby. Yet, that's exactly what it is! The guy who sits next to me takes entire days off to go sit in a box and shoot at deer. Is that any less valid? Does anyone here accuse him of being "addicted" to hunting? No, because deer hunting is an accepted (and almost expected) hobby around where I live. Midwestern boys are expected to have shot a rifle by the time they're 18. Don't ask me why, I didn't make the rules. I didn't get my first hunting experience until I was 20. I was the same way with rollercoasters: totally late to the party. And flying on a commercial plane. I didn't do that for the first time until I was in college either. Tell people those things and they look at you funny. Kind of like how they look at you when you say you're going to take a day off to play a video game. Or that you write novels in your spare time. ("Like... wrote a book? Why?" I'm batshit crazy, that's why.)
I get a bit riled up about it because: Hey! Accept my hobby too! At the same time, I get it. I may not like that society has yet to accept gaming as a valid hobby, but I get it. It's nothing new. If anything, it's a lot better than it has been in years past. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, right? So, I don't trumpet the information. I simply say I'm taking a personal day. I don't elaborate. I'm not an activist here, I don't need to march for anything. I'm not preforming a "game-in" tomorrow as a form of peaceful protest. It's not for them. It's for me.
Gamers catch a bad rap. A few bad apples have set expectations for us to be slovenly and unproductive members of society. It doesn't matter if that's anywhere near the truth, it's a stereotype. And there's probably a certain amount of truth to every stereotype. It's just that the generalization doesn't appear to keep up with the changing reality. Maybe there was a time when all gamers were unkempt and overweight, but that's simply not the case today. What is the norm of gamer culture? Are we steampunk? Are we goth? Are we nerds? Don't we have everything from hard-bodied military types to cuddly old grandmothers (or, crotchety if you prefer)? Parents playing with children. Families kept together despite distance? Is there even a "norm" anymore?
After re-reading the above... maybe I'm really of just one mind. It certainly does evidence a clear bias: I'm a gamer and I'm not ashamed of my chosen hobby. I will stand out in the cold for a midnight release, "just 'cuz." I will take a day off to enjoy my hobby. I take good care of myself, my wife, and my career just fine, thanks.
My solution remains the same as it's always been: honesty. I may not run around the office babbling about my midnight plans, but I'm not going to hide it if you ask me either. So far it's served me well, and I suppose that I've been lucky. I know a lot of people that would get canned for being so honest, and I feel for them. I get it, though; I'm fortunate to not be in such a situation. One should never be held accountable for something that has no affect on their work. Whether you want to make real sandcastles, or virtual ones, it shouldn't matter. It's a hobby.
So this X-pac Eve, wherever you are, I hope it finds you in good health and good spirits. Those of you who can celebrate, celebrate extra hard for those who can't. I'll certainly tip one back for the closet gamers out there. And, don't worry, the pizza's on pre-order.
Happy Expanding, Azeroth!
In any case, we'll be in line at midnight. One CE and one regular edition on pre-order. I'm not sure whether we'll stay up another three hours, waiting for the midnight hour to reach the west coast. We might just nap and wake up early to get on. We did take the day off. Either way, there will be Pixy Stix, Mountain Dew, and Pizza!
Speaking of taking the day off, how many of you guys are? Is it something you're open and honest about: "Yes, I'm taking tomorrow off to play a video game?" I'm of two minds about it.
On one hand, I feel that its my personal day, I should take it however I want and you shouldn't judge. Hence, personal. Still, people, being people, will judge. And, like it or not, video games are still not judged a viable hobby. Yet, that's exactly what it is! The guy who sits next to me takes entire days off to go sit in a box and shoot at deer. Is that any less valid? Does anyone here accuse him of being "addicted" to hunting? No, because deer hunting is an accepted (and almost expected) hobby around where I live. Midwestern boys are expected to have shot a rifle by the time they're 18. Don't ask me why, I didn't make the rules. I didn't get my first hunting experience until I was 20. I was the same way with rollercoasters: totally late to the party. And flying on a commercial plane. I didn't do that for the first time until I was in college either. Tell people those things and they look at you funny. Kind of like how they look at you when you say you're going to take a day off to play a video game. Or that you write novels in your spare time. ("Like... wrote a book? Why?" I'm batshit crazy, that's why.)
I get a bit riled up about it because: Hey! Accept my hobby too! At the same time, I get it. I may not like that society has yet to accept gaming as a valid hobby, but I get it. It's nothing new. If anything, it's a lot better than it has been in years past. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, right? So, I don't trumpet the information. I simply say I'm taking a personal day. I don't elaborate. I'm not an activist here, I don't need to march for anything. I'm not preforming a "game-in" tomorrow as a form of peaceful protest. It's not for them. It's for me.
Gamers catch a bad rap. A few bad apples have set expectations for us to be slovenly and unproductive members of society. It doesn't matter if that's anywhere near the truth, it's a stereotype. And there's probably a certain amount of truth to every stereotype. It's just that the generalization doesn't appear to keep up with the changing reality. Maybe there was a time when all gamers were unkempt and overweight, but that's simply not the case today. What is the norm of gamer culture? Are we steampunk? Are we goth? Are we nerds? Don't we have everything from hard-bodied military types to cuddly old grandmothers (or, crotchety if you prefer)? Parents playing with children. Families kept together despite distance? Is there even a "norm" anymore?
After re-reading the above... maybe I'm really of just one mind. It certainly does evidence a clear bias: I'm a gamer and I'm not ashamed of my chosen hobby. I will stand out in the cold for a midnight release, "just 'cuz." I will take a day off to enjoy my hobby. I take good care of myself, my wife, and my career just fine, thanks.
My solution remains the same as it's always been: honesty. I may not run around the office babbling about my midnight plans, but I'm not going to hide it if you ask me either. So far it's served me well, and I suppose that I've been lucky. I know a lot of people that would get canned for being so honest, and I feel for them. I get it, though; I'm fortunate to not be in such a situation. One should never be held accountable for something that has no affect on their work. Whether you want to make real sandcastles, or virtual ones, it shouldn't matter. It's a hobby.
So this X-pac Eve, wherever you are, I hope it finds you in good health and good spirits. Those of you who can celebrate, celebrate extra hard for those who can't. I'll certainly tip one back for the closet gamers out there. And, don't worry, the pizza's on pre-order.
Happy Expanding, Azeroth!
Friday, December 3, 2010
He Melts Her Ice Stone
Labels: IC Fridays 2 comments
The world was ending. Certainly it was. There was no other explanation for it. Such were Decedereful's thoughts as she stared at the baby blue curtains now adorning the windows in her brother's manor. Baby blue. The Mage color. How had that come to pass?
"You like the curtains, deary?" Minerva asked cheerily, appearing beside Decedereful.
"They're bright," Decedereful observed guardedly.
Her brother would set those on fire the second he stepped through the door. The problem was, he wasn't stepping through the door. It had been several hours since they'd left him and the Captain in Stormwind, and they'd heard nothing. Surely, they'd have heard of a success by now.
Minerva had been blinking around the room, tidying up various things as if she'd been handed a personal quest by Sylvanas herself to eradicate all messiness from the world. Abigora was deeply entrenched in one of her tomes at the kitchen table, though she did look wistfully at the door every now and then. That basically left Decedereful to her own devices, which was grating on her like claws scraping a block of ice. She didn't know who she was more worried about, her brother or the mysterious Mr. Wow.
Light! She didn't even know his real name! She was going to have to remedy that when she got her hands on him again. The moment they'd ported in, he'd run off headlong into a pile of those mildly irate elementals. Burn him! What did he think he was doing? Sure, they'd been bearing down on the group from behind, unseen, but why did he have to be so blasted heroic about the whole thing? Sacrificing himself to distract them. That sort of chivalry didn't exist anymore. Well, he'd better have gotten away. If not, she was going to kill him!
Ugh! What was she even doing? Going on like this about a man she hardly knew. Unbidden memories of kissing him after the fall of the Lich King resurfaced vividly in Decedereful's brain. His warm body pressed against hers. Hot and cold, melding together. Melting, warm and wet. There was just something so... natural about him. She hated to admit it, but he really appealed to her more animal instincts. She felt like a felling druid in heat. Decedereful sighed and then looked at the undead Mage who was staring up at her thoughtfully. Not for the first time, the Death Knight was glad she couldn't blush.
Minerva smiled knowingly, then blinked away to a nearby table to begin dusting it off. What was that woman playing at? Decedereful had a hard time seeing her as the mother of the hard nosed Paladin she'd come to know as her brother's wife. Fuubaar definitely took after her father.
Speaking of her father, where was he? And the rest of them! By the Light, she was going to put them all in a block of ice when they got back. Why had she even agreed to leave? She should be helping, not hiding out in a manor, waiting for her world to fall apart around her.
Decedereful stalked over to the wall and stared blankly at the calendar pinned up there. Idly, she noted that the month had been changed. Fulguralis's minions must have been keeping the place while they'd all been gone. Speaking of them, where were they? Normally, she'd come back to find them all sitting around the table playing board games or hanging from the ceiling talking in tongues, or whatever it was demonic minions did in their spare time.
Ever so slowly, the actual letters of the month settled in on her. She glanced out a nearby window. For a moment she was puzzled, then her mouth dropped. Could this be right? How had this happened?
"Abi," Decedereful said with trepidation. "Come here."
The bookworm stood up and sauntered over. "Hmm, that's odd," Abigora announced, putting a long finger on the calendar page. "It seems someone's marked of months-worth of days in advance."
"Or..." Decedereful offered, pointed out the window.
Minerva blinked over and took a look, "How strange. It seems as if time itself has been distorted on us."
"Impossible, time is linear," Abigora argued. "Clearly, a mistake has been made in the calendar."
"Then how do you explain that," Decedereful asked, pointing once again out there window, where the foliage seemed to match the calendar.
"Perhaps some sort of disease or fungus?" Abigora offered.
Minerva had summoned up a complex image of what appeared to be celestial bodies. She was studying it intently. "No disease, I'm afraid," she said. "Look here," she pointed, "the movement of the stars seems to match the month too. I'm afraid we've been transported through time."
"You did this!" Decedereful sputtered. "You... your... Magey portals!"
"I did no such thing, young lady!" Minerva said, crossing her arms. She blinked over to the door and opened it. "Oh, dear," she moaned.
Decedereful hurried to her side. The vista outside was alien to her. Where she should have seen the unbroken rolling plains and grassy knolls of the countryside, she saw pockets of charred land. Ruined structures dotted the landscape, remnants of other homesteads. The landscape had been drastically changed, though the manor seemed miraculously untouched.
"What happened?" Decedereful asked the obvious.
"A Cataclysm, of course," Abigora answered matter-of-factly.
Decedereful glared at her. "How long have we been gone?"
Minerva responded, "It's hard to say, dear. Everything is... rather disheveled. I'm not sure why. Several months for sure, maybe even a year."
Decedereful issued a tinny whistle, "Then who knows where our loved ones are now. They could have back already and out searching for us."
"That is," Abigora interjected, "assuming that the second portal was the one that malfunctioned."
"My portal did not malfunction!" Minerva said, folding her arms.
"All the same," Decedereful replied, "we ride to Stormwind. Hopefully we'll be able to track down what happened once we get there."
"You like the curtains, deary?" Minerva asked cheerily, appearing beside Decedereful.
"They're bright," Decedereful observed guardedly.
Her brother would set those on fire the second he stepped through the door. The problem was, he wasn't stepping through the door. It had been several hours since they'd left him and the Captain in Stormwind, and they'd heard nothing. Surely, they'd have heard of a success by now.
Minerva had been blinking around the room, tidying up various things as if she'd been handed a personal quest by Sylvanas herself to eradicate all messiness from the world. Abigora was deeply entrenched in one of her tomes at the kitchen table, though she did look wistfully at the door every now and then. That basically left Decedereful to her own devices, which was grating on her like claws scraping a block of ice. She didn't know who she was more worried about, her brother or the mysterious Mr. Wow.
Light! She didn't even know his real name! She was going to have to remedy that when she got her hands on him again. The moment they'd ported in, he'd run off headlong into a pile of those mildly irate elementals. Burn him! What did he think he was doing? Sure, they'd been bearing down on the group from behind, unseen, but why did he have to be so blasted heroic about the whole thing? Sacrificing himself to distract them. That sort of chivalry didn't exist anymore. Well, he'd better have gotten away. If not, she was going to kill him!
Ugh! What was she even doing? Going on like this about a man she hardly knew. Unbidden memories of kissing him after the fall of the Lich King resurfaced vividly in Decedereful's brain. His warm body pressed against hers. Hot and cold, melding together. Melting, warm and wet. There was just something so... natural about him. She hated to admit it, but he really appealed to her more animal instincts. She felt like a felling druid in heat. Decedereful sighed and then looked at the undead Mage who was staring up at her thoughtfully. Not for the first time, the Death Knight was glad she couldn't blush.
Minerva smiled knowingly, then blinked away to a nearby table to begin dusting it off. What was that woman playing at? Decedereful had a hard time seeing her as the mother of the hard nosed Paladin she'd come to know as her brother's wife. Fuubaar definitely took after her father.
Speaking of her father, where was he? And the rest of them! By the Light, she was going to put them all in a block of ice when they got back. Why had she even agreed to leave? She should be helping, not hiding out in a manor, waiting for her world to fall apart around her.
Decedereful stalked over to the wall and stared blankly at the calendar pinned up there. Idly, she noted that the month had been changed. Fulguralis's minions must have been keeping the place while they'd all been gone. Speaking of them, where were they? Normally, she'd come back to find them all sitting around the table playing board games or hanging from the ceiling talking in tongues, or whatever it was demonic minions did in their spare time.
Ever so slowly, the actual letters of the month settled in on her. She glanced out a nearby window. For a moment she was puzzled, then her mouth dropped. Could this be right? How had this happened?
"Abi," Decedereful said with trepidation. "Come here."
The bookworm stood up and sauntered over. "Hmm, that's odd," Abigora announced, putting a long finger on the calendar page. "It seems someone's marked of months-worth of days in advance."
"Or..." Decedereful offered, pointed out the window.
Minerva blinked over and took a look, "How strange. It seems as if time itself has been distorted on us."
"Impossible, time is linear," Abigora argued. "Clearly, a mistake has been made in the calendar."
"Then how do you explain that," Decedereful asked, pointing once again out there window, where the foliage seemed to match the calendar.
"Perhaps some sort of disease or fungus?" Abigora offered.
Minerva had summoned up a complex image of what appeared to be celestial bodies. She was studying it intently. "No disease, I'm afraid," she said. "Look here," she pointed, "the movement of the stars seems to match the month too. I'm afraid we've been transported through time."
"You did this!" Decedereful sputtered. "You... your... Magey portals!"
"I did no such thing, young lady!" Minerva said, crossing her arms. She blinked over to the door and opened it. "Oh, dear," she moaned.
Decedereful hurried to her side. The vista outside was alien to her. Where she should have seen the unbroken rolling plains and grassy knolls of the countryside, she saw pockets of charred land. Ruined structures dotted the landscape, remnants of other homesteads. The landscape had been drastically changed, though the manor seemed miraculously untouched.
"What happened?" Decedereful asked the obvious.
"A Cataclysm, of course," Abigora answered matter-of-factly.
Decedereful glared at her. "How long have we been gone?"
Minerva responded, "It's hard to say, dear. Everything is... rather disheveled. I'm not sure why. Several months for sure, maybe even a year."
Decedereful issued a tinny whistle, "Then who knows where our loved ones are now. They could have back already and out searching for us."
"That is," Abigora interjected, "assuming that the second portal was the one that malfunctioned."
"My portal did not malfunction!" Minerva said, folding her arms.
"All the same," Decedereful replied, "we ride to Stormwind. Hopefully we'll be able to track down what happened once we get there."
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Cataclysm Leveling Specs
Labels: DK Spec, Expansion, Pally Power, Specs, warlocky 13 comments
Got a nice little request from reader Zorch the other day to share my leveling plans for Cataclysm. We are on the cusp of the expansion where we will once again be encourage to reach a new plateau. This one is only five levels away, so might go by quicker than those of years past. The levels are much higher, though, so we may be surprised at the length too. Either way, it's been a while. We also have new trees to contend with, so there's plenty to discuss. I'm going to try to talk about both my 'lock and DK, and I've convinced Fuu to pass on some brief Paladin info too. I'll mash it all up into this post for one stop shopping. 'Tis the season.
Affliction Warlock Leveling Spec
My primary spec remains Affliction. It's what I plan to raid with, even if it's not the top spec, so I'll want to get some practice in with it on the route to 85 as well. With the pared down trees, I don't really need to spec differently for a leveling build. I can just work toward what I plan to raid with at 85.
The Affliction spec will have good self healing that will make it useful for questing, but really I'm interesting in dungeon running with it. Rumor has it we may be called on to CC a bit, and with elementals being the big baddies in Cataclysm, Banish may come in handy quite a bit. Additionally, Soul Swap provides a powerful spell that serves to make us dreadfully efficient in the dungeon, target-at-time paradigm.
My starting spec will be what I'm raiding with now. See this post for specifics. First, I plan to fill up Bane and then move on to Improved Soul Fire. ISF will entice me to utilize my instant-cast soul fires a lot more in order to give me a temporary haste boost. I imagine it'll almost be sort of like how we used Life Tap with the old glyph. We'll want to use it to start, and then a couple more times throughout the fight. We probably will not be able to keep it up like we did with the LT buff, but it will be helpful like a trinket.
The last point will likely go into Demonic Embrace for the Stamina buff. It'll add a bit more survivability to the spec and seems to be the best of the low hanging fruit. The only choice I can see is that I might want to take a point or two in Improved Fear if it's usage as CC becomes vital. That may be my only respec. If you find yourself using Fear a lot, don't be afraid to shuffle a point or two that way. I'd take it out of Demonic Embrace and likely just use one, but really it just depends on if the utility is worth it. There is that glyph out there that helps too.
Demonology Warlock Leveling Spec
I've traditionally really enjoyed having a Demonology off-spec for soloing. I expect this not to change come Cataclysm. Demonology traditionally provides hardiness and better burst ability. Depending on how fast stuff seems to be dying, I like to have this spec to pop into. Also, the AoE capability of this spec far outstrips anything else, so it's great for farming and kill quests. Really it just depends on you can survive the gathering or not.
Like Affliction, I'll start here, and then fill up Shadow and Flame and Improved Soul Fire. In this case, that basically does it. The time to use this spec would be for AoE and quick dying trash. If I need to be precise or have CC, I'm going to roll with Affliction. This is a great spec to have in my back pocket, as it were. I like to use this if I PvP on my 'lock as well. The Hand of Gul'dan spell and talent makes it pretty effective, though I normally PvP on my DK, since it's what I rolled her for. So pretty simple here for my secondary spec.
Dual Wield Frost Death Knight Leveling Spec
I plan to PvP level this toon. As such, my spec reflects PvP utility while still being pretty solid for group DPS. I'll start here, and then fill out Improved Icy Talons, Epidemic, and Bladed Armor. I love howling blast with the slowing effect for PvP, as well as utility of the Frost spec. I think the DW makes it a great PvP spec. DK's can be pretty solid against casters, who seem to have the upper edge right now. I popped in a spell reflect meta-gem, and your anti-magic shield really comes in handy. Plus you can grip and rip, which is fun, and Icy Chains provides a nice root. A Killing Machine powered obliterate is great for a killing blow. The added bonus to my 'lock self is that I still get to play with DoTs here.
Fuubaar's Paladin Leveling Plans
Yes, I'm cutting in because, damn it! I'm important! I'll be continuing to level Fuubaar as Protection like I have every expansion. Now, leveling as prot is a bit easier for me because I have my pocket DPS. If you've never leveled as prot, I will warn you, it is a bit slower but you will never die. The main idea was that you would round up some mobs in the area and AoE them down. Now, from what I've heard from people in the Cataclysm Beta is that these mobs hit harder and are not meant for a DPS class to be able to pull more than a few at a time without running into trouble. Now, I'm going to assume since we have more survivability and lack in the DPS department that we would still be able to pull more mobs than a DPS but it will just take even longer to burn them down if you're soloing. I would highly suggest when pulling questing mobs, to test them out first before going head first into 10 of them at once o.0
Anyways, Fuu's talent plan will look a little different than what she's using now for Raiding. Mainly, from what I've found is that as long as you have the "Core" Talents, pretty much everything else is a bonus.
Major "must have" Talents in the protection tree are:
If you would like to read further information regarding some highly theorycrafted Talent breakdowns, glyphs, gems, enchants, etc. I highly suggest you pay Theck over at Maintainadin a visit.
Ful's Meta Plans
I haven't worked at all on a tanking spec for my DK; I just don't feel like doing it since the death of DW Frost tanking. That was sort of a fun little niche before, and I haven't really gotten excited about speccing into the Blood tree. I've heard tales of disease-less tanking, but I just don't have the motive or opportunity to try it out yet, hence why I've not updated my guide. I will likely remove the link. I may get back to it in the future, but for now it's on hold. Also, I'm going to hold off on updating the Enchanting List until I get more familiar with the expansion. For now, those enchants are still pretty solid, though you'll want to watch out for things like taking spirit as a 'lock because it's worthless now.
Quite simply, these are my plans for leveling in Cataclysm. My 'lock will be leveled through dungeons and quests. My DK through PvP. I also plan to roll a Druid Worgen from scratch for a healing capable toon. I'm sure I'll write some about that along the way. It seems to me that the pared down trees make things like a specific "leveling" spec a relic of the past. The only wild card is really how much you, individually, will be required to use certain CC spells. Thus, you may want to shift one or two points around, but the base is still there. I can't say I'm altogether displeased with the simplicity of speccing, though it does make for less interesting writing. Look for some reflections once I get rolling and I'll update my guides once I hit 85. Definitely hit me up with any questions you might have along the way, and I'll at the very least try to research and make an educated response, even if I haven't experienced it yet. Otherwise, pleasant leveling!
Affliction Warlock Leveling Spec
My primary spec remains Affliction. It's what I plan to raid with, even if it's not the top spec, so I'll want to get some practice in with it on the route to 85 as well. With the pared down trees, I don't really need to spec differently for a leveling build. I can just work toward what I plan to raid with at 85.
The Affliction spec will have good self healing that will make it useful for questing, but really I'm interesting in dungeon running with it. Rumor has it we may be called on to CC a bit, and with elementals being the big baddies in Cataclysm, Banish may come in handy quite a bit. Additionally, Soul Swap provides a powerful spell that serves to make us dreadfully efficient in the dungeon, target-at-time paradigm.
My starting spec will be what I'm raiding with now. See this post for specifics. First, I plan to fill up Bane and then move on to Improved Soul Fire. ISF will entice me to utilize my instant-cast soul fires a lot more in order to give me a temporary haste boost. I imagine it'll almost be sort of like how we used Life Tap with the old glyph. We'll want to use it to start, and then a couple more times throughout the fight. We probably will not be able to keep it up like we did with the LT buff, but it will be helpful like a trinket.
The last point will likely go into Demonic Embrace for the Stamina buff. It'll add a bit more survivability to the spec and seems to be the best of the low hanging fruit. The only choice I can see is that I might want to take a point or two in Improved Fear if it's usage as CC becomes vital. That may be my only respec. If you find yourself using Fear a lot, don't be afraid to shuffle a point or two that way. I'd take it out of Demonic Embrace and likely just use one, but really it just depends on if the utility is worth it. There is that glyph out there that helps too.
Demonology Warlock Leveling Spec
I've traditionally really enjoyed having a Demonology off-spec for soloing. I expect this not to change come Cataclysm. Demonology traditionally provides hardiness and better burst ability. Depending on how fast stuff seems to be dying, I like to have this spec to pop into. Also, the AoE capability of this spec far outstrips anything else, so it's great for farming and kill quests. Really it just depends on you can survive the gathering or not.
Like Affliction, I'll start here, and then fill up Shadow and Flame and Improved Soul Fire. In this case, that basically does it. The time to use this spec would be for AoE and quick dying trash. If I need to be precise or have CC, I'm going to roll with Affliction. This is a great spec to have in my back pocket, as it were. I like to use this if I PvP on my 'lock as well. The Hand of Gul'dan spell and talent makes it pretty effective, though I normally PvP on my DK, since it's what I rolled her for. So pretty simple here for my secondary spec.
Dual Wield Frost Death Knight Leveling Spec
I plan to PvP level this toon. As such, my spec reflects PvP utility while still being pretty solid for group DPS. I'll start here, and then fill out Improved Icy Talons, Epidemic, and Bladed Armor. I love howling blast with the slowing effect for PvP, as well as utility of the Frost spec. I think the DW makes it a great PvP spec. DK's can be pretty solid against casters, who seem to have the upper edge right now. I popped in a spell reflect meta-gem, and your anti-magic shield really comes in handy. Plus you can grip and rip, which is fun, and Icy Chains provides a nice root. A Killing Machine powered obliterate is great for a killing blow. The added bonus to my 'lock self is that I still get to play with DoTs here.
Fuubaar's Paladin Leveling Plans
Yes, I'm cutting in because, damn it! I'm important! I'll be continuing to level Fuubaar as Protection like I have every expansion. Now, leveling as prot is a bit easier for me because I have my pocket DPS. If you've never leveled as prot, I will warn you, it is a bit slower but you will never die. The main idea was that you would round up some mobs in the area and AoE them down. Now, from what I've heard from people in the Cataclysm Beta is that these mobs hit harder and are not meant for a DPS class to be able to pull more than a few at a time without running into trouble. Now, I'm going to assume since we have more survivability and lack in the DPS department that we would still be able to pull more mobs than a DPS but it will just take even longer to burn them down if you're soloing. I would highly suggest when pulling questing mobs, to test them out first before going head first into 10 of them at once o.0
Anyways, Fuu's talent plan will look a little different than what she's using now for Raiding. Mainly, from what I've found is that as long as you have the "Core" Talents, pretty much everything else is a bonus.
Major "must have" Talents in the protection tree are:
- Divinity- Mana and healing are going to be extremely important for healers and easier you can be on them, the happier they will be. We love our healers & we wont them to love us back. <3 Also, I know that I ranted a bit about this talent before being so worthless in Wrath but our other options aren't really all that great either.
- Judgements of the Just - Survivability
- Toughness- Survivability
- Sanctuary- Our Crit Immunity
- Hammer of the Righteous- Our AoE tanking ability
- Wrath of the Lightbringer- Huge DPS/Threat Boost Talent
- Shield of the Righteous- High Single target Holy Power Dump Threat Move (also triggers Holy Shield)
- Vindication- Attack Power Debuff on Mobs/ Bosses aka Survivability
- Holy Shield - Now passive. Is triggered by SotR and now increases our Damage Blocked (10% increase) rather than increased block rate.
- Sacred Duty- Passive Threat Bonus. "Set it and forget it!"
- Shield of the Templar- Avenger's Shield Cooldown.
- Ardent Defender- Our, now, new non-passive 1UP
If you would like to read further information regarding some highly theorycrafted Talent breakdowns, glyphs, gems, enchants, etc. I highly suggest you pay Theck over at Maintainadin a visit.
Ful's Meta Plans
I haven't worked at all on a tanking spec for my DK; I just don't feel like doing it since the death of DW Frost tanking. That was sort of a fun little niche before, and I haven't really gotten excited about speccing into the Blood tree. I've heard tales of disease-less tanking, but I just don't have the motive or opportunity to try it out yet, hence why I've not updated my guide. I will likely remove the link. I may get back to it in the future, but for now it's on hold. Also, I'm going to hold off on updating the Enchanting List until I get more familiar with the expansion. For now, those enchants are still pretty solid, though you'll want to watch out for things like taking spirit as a 'lock because it's worthless now.
Quite simply, these are my plans for leveling in Cataclysm. My 'lock will be leveled through dungeons and quests. My DK through PvP. I also plan to roll a Druid Worgen from scratch for a healing capable toon. I'm sure I'll write some about that along the way. It seems to me that the pared down trees make things like a specific "leveling" spec a relic of the past. The only wild card is really how much you, individually, will be required to use certain CC spells. Thus, you may want to shift one or two points around, but the base is still there. I can't say I'm altogether displeased with the simplicity of speccing, though it does make for less interesting writing. Look for some reflections once I get rolling and I'll update my guides once I hit 85. Definitely hit me up with any questions you might have along the way, and I'll at the very least try to research and make an educated response, even if I haven't experienced it yet. Otherwise, pleasant leveling!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Portals: I Wish I Could Take 'em or Leave 'em
Labels: Hot Topic 9 comments
Before it gets too cold, I wanted to touch on one of the hot topics in the blogosphere currently. Namely, the removal of portals from the game. I've read a plethora of articles, ranging from outraged to supportive, and wanted to throw in my two cents. I promise to talk about leveling in the expansion as a Warlock tomorrow (as requested!). For today, we're going to talk portals.
The issue appears to be pretty dichotomous. People are either completely against the change and the new time sink it represents, or supportive of forced voyeurism. I find myself firmly in the middle. Sadly, while a rant would probably be more entertaining, I just can't get worked up about this topic either way.
On one side, we have the time sink issues. I get it, traveling a large world is a bitch. Look no further for sympathetic ears. I rode around on my spiffy Dreadsteed all of last Wednesday, surveying the damage. It was painful. I was reminded how much I miss flying and the freedom it represents. Flight points just aren't the same once you've experienced the roaming nature of Outlands and Northrend.
Boats hold no appeal to me either. I mean, you have to find the correct dock, and it's not always clear which boat travels to which destination. Sure, I understand that the ambient decoration gives you a clue, but is a wooden placard to much to add saying: "This boat takes you to Darnassus, Realm of the Nelfs and Goats!" At least then I would feel more confident. Not that sittin on the dock of the bay holds any specific thrill for me either, though I'm all right with the song. Actually, I find the lyrics especially apt: I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay, wastin' time. Anyone else have that roll through their head whilst waiting on a ship?
Yet, on the other hand, I've come to appreciate the grandeur of the docks again. The revitalized attention to aesthetic detail that characterizes the "new" old world. The familiar, yet unfamiliar. The Shattering really is a sightseers paradise, replete with ooh's, ahh's, and wtf is that's. I'm also remembering all those things I used to do while in flight. My addons are in tip top shape. My bags are organized. My quest log is focused (text read!). My UI has never looked better. As an added bonus, the kitchen gets cleaner, my bladder thanks me, and the guitar that is perpetually near my desk is finally back in tune.
There are benefits to boring travel. The world feels bigger. The action is more appreciated. The pacing is less frenetic. Lack of flight is only temporary, so some relief is on the horizon, though it won't help you get to Outlands or Northrend expediently. Still, with the majority of people trying to level to 85, I have to wonder how much of a problem it's going to be. I mean, are we going to be traveling back to those places a lot once the new content is open? I suppose only time will tell. My point is just that today, now, is the worst this feeling is going to get. It's only going to get better.
I've always striven to not simply complain, but to complain and offer alternative solutions. This case is no different. I have several ideas that would make me feel better.
First, and foremost, a thinly veiled shot at mage identity: Grant a couple other classes some sort of ability to teleport to all the major cities. I think part of the pain right now is that we're beholden to only one class to get around expediently. This almost gives mages an additional, profitable profession. Back in my days with Final Fantasy (the old one, not the new one), White Mages were the other people who could port as well. They used to make a living standing on the street corners and selling their services. It disgusted me then, and it disgusts me now. Still, I'm probably prejudiced about that point. Maybe a better idea would be to tie it to a profession that everyone could get, should they choose to level. Make engineers portals work to main cities (and not random places in the world). On principle, I dislike being enticed to roll a class simple to get around effectively. How does this fit at all in the "bring the player, not the class" strategy?
Maybe that's too harsh, though. After all, porting is really a staple of the mage identity. I'd hate to give them a complex (/snicker). Instead, what if we set up some NPC mages that will port you to cities for a set price. Something to regulate the market, sink some money, and provide convenience. Maybe something like 10 gold for a port. Prohibitive for low levels, but not for max toons. The attractiveness in this option lies in the flexibility of choice. You would save money by traveling "normally", but it would cost more time. Seems to fit with a lot of the other choices within Azeroth, no? Time or Money has always been a trade-off.
But, you're a warlock, you might say. You have summons! Summoning doesn't help me get anywhere. In fact, summoning, to me, seems very counter-intuitive to the whole Warlock sense of self. I mean, we're supposed to be selfish, right? Hence why we've traditionally lacked buffs and really haven't complained about it. How does summoning benefit us? I can count on one hand the number of times I've helped someone get somewhere, and do you think any of them deigned to tip me? No way. Maybe if we could be summon by a special Warlock coven in each city. That'd be pretty neat. Perhaps that's another solution, allow class specific teleports to certain places. They already kind of do it for Druids, but make it convenient, useful places.
Really, the overarching solution to everyone's complaints seems to be this: We crave options. Whenever you tell us there's only one way to get somewhere, we're probably going to be a bit miffed. Right now, there is really only one avenue to get to each of Outlands and Northrend. There's sort of two to get Ironforge from Stormwind if you count the Tram, but what about to Darnassus? Only boats. Sure you can come up with convoluted ways, but I'm talking direct routes. We're a society that puts added value on things like direct flights and digital downloads. For better or worse, we just like having the choice to Buy It Now, even if there's added cost. At least then, it's up to us.
Yes, my biggest and only beef with the current non-portal situation is the lack of choice. Maybe today I want to stop and smell the roses, but maybe tomorrow I don't. People changes their minds, and since WoW is all about accommodating as many people as possible, why so narrow a field on travel? If they can make raiding accessible to so much of the population, then I'm sure they can come up with a better solution to the travel than is currently implemented. You can argue that there's such a thing as "too accessible", but all I'm asking for is consistency. Don't go zig one way and zag the other.
Like I said, maybe it won't be a big deal once the expansion and new content drops. I'm certainly willing to give it the benefit of the doubt before I fly off the handle. Either way, I'm just going to make the best of it because there are a so many other really cool things they've done. I suppose one confusing decision shouldn't negate dozens of other well thought out ones. It all matters on the view from where you're sitting. On this boat, the view may be vexing, but it sure is dazzling.
The issue appears to be pretty dichotomous. People are either completely against the change and the new time sink it represents, or supportive of forced voyeurism. I find myself firmly in the middle. Sadly, while a rant would probably be more entertaining, I just can't get worked up about this topic either way.
On one side, we have the time sink issues. I get it, traveling a large world is a bitch. Look no further for sympathetic ears. I rode around on my spiffy Dreadsteed all of last Wednesday, surveying the damage. It was painful. I was reminded how much I miss flying and the freedom it represents. Flight points just aren't the same once you've experienced the roaming nature of Outlands and Northrend.
Boats hold no appeal to me either. I mean, you have to find the correct dock, and it's not always clear which boat travels to which destination. Sure, I understand that the ambient decoration gives you a clue, but is a wooden placard to much to add saying: "This boat takes you to Darnassus, Realm of the Nelfs and Goats!" At least then I would feel more confident. Not that sittin on the dock of the bay holds any specific thrill for me either, though I'm all right with the song. Actually, I find the lyrics especially apt: I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay, wastin' time. Anyone else have that roll through their head whilst waiting on a ship?
Yet, on the other hand, I've come to appreciate the grandeur of the docks again. The revitalized attention to aesthetic detail that characterizes the "new" old world. The familiar, yet unfamiliar. The Shattering really is a sightseers paradise, replete with ooh's, ahh's, and wtf is that's. I'm also remembering all those things I used to do while in flight. My addons are in tip top shape. My bags are organized. My quest log is focused (text read!). My UI has never looked better. As an added bonus, the kitchen gets cleaner, my bladder thanks me, and the guitar that is perpetually near my desk is finally back in tune.
There are benefits to boring travel. The world feels bigger. The action is more appreciated. The pacing is less frenetic. Lack of flight is only temporary, so some relief is on the horizon, though it won't help you get to Outlands or Northrend expediently. Still, with the majority of people trying to level to 85, I have to wonder how much of a problem it's going to be. I mean, are we going to be traveling back to those places a lot once the new content is open? I suppose only time will tell. My point is just that today, now, is the worst this feeling is going to get. It's only going to get better.
I've always striven to not simply complain, but to complain and offer alternative solutions. This case is no different. I have several ideas that would make me feel better.
First, and foremost, a thinly veiled shot at mage identity: Grant a couple other classes some sort of ability to teleport to all the major cities. I think part of the pain right now is that we're beholden to only one class to get around expediently. This almost gives mages an additional, profitable profession. Back in my days with Final Fantasy (the old one, not the new one), White Mages were the other people who could port as well. They used to make a living standing on the street corners and selling their services. It disgusted me then, and it disgusts me now. Still, I'm probably prejudiced about that point. Maybe a better idea would be to tie it to a profession that everyone could get, should they choose to level. Make engineers portals work to main cities (and not random places in the world). On principle, I dislike being enticed to roll a class simple to get around effectively. How does this fit at all in the "bring the player, not the class" strategy?
Maybe that's too harsh, though. After all, porting is really a staple of the mage identity. I'd hate to give them a complex (/snicker). Instead, what if we set up some NPC mages that will port you to cities for a set price. Something to regulate the market, sink some money, and provide convenience. Maybe something like 10 gold for a port. Prohibitive for low levels, but not for max toons. The attractiveness in this option lies in the flexibility of choice. You would save money by traveling "normally", but it would cost more time. Seems to fit with a lot of the other choices within Azeroth, no? Time or Money has always been a trade-off.
But, you're a warlock, you might say. You have summons! Summoning doesn't help me get anywhere. In fact, summoning, to me, seems very counter-intuitive to the whole Warlock sense of self. I mean, we're supposed to be selfish, right? Hence why we've traditionally lacked buffs and really haven't complained about it. How does summoning benefit us? I can count on one hand the number of times I've helped someone get somewhere, and do you think any of them deigned to tip me? No way. Maybe if we could be summon by a special Warlock coven in each city. That'd be pretty neat. Perhaps that's another solution, allow class specific teleports to certain places. They already kind of do it for Druids, but make it convenient, useful places.
Really, the overarching solution to everyone's complaints seems to be this: We crave options. Whenever you tell us there's only one way to get somewhere, we're probably going to be a bit miffed. Right now, there is really only one avenue to get to each of Outlands and Northrend. There's sort of two to get Ironforge from Stormwind if you count the Tram, but what about to Darnassus? Only boats. Sure you can come up with convoluted ways, but I'm talking direct routes. We're a society that puts added value on things like direct flights and digital downloads. For better or worse, we just like having the choice to Buy It Now, even if there's added cost. At least then, it's up to us.
Yes, my biggest and only beef with the current non-portal situation is the lack of choice. Maybe today I want to stop and smell the roses, but maybe tomorrow I don't. People changes their minds, and since WoW is all about accommodating as many people as possible, why so narrow a field on travel? If they can make raiding accessible to so much of the population, then I'm sure they can come up with a better solution to the travel than is currently implemented. You can argue that there's such a thing as "too accessible", but all I'm asking for is consistency. Don't go zig one way and zag the other.
Like I said, maybe it won't be a big deal once the expansion and new content drops. I'm certainly willing to give it the benefit of the doubt before I fly off the handle. Either way, I'm just going to make the best of it because there are a so many other really cool things they've done. I suppose one confusing decision shouldn't negate dozens of other well thought out ones. It all matters on the view from where you're sitting. On this boat, the view may be vexing, but it sure is dazzling.
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