Ding 30

I've come to the conclusion that levels 20-30 suck bad.  I don't know why.  I just hit 30 on my paladin and just found some motivation again to play. I got her all decked up in iron armours and stuff and today just finished getting to 150 skinning.  I really need a leatherworker with 8 skinners on my squad. bur!  I am thinking of dropping jewelcrafting. I'm not 200 yet but its summat boring.  I also hit 300 Blacksmith this weekend. Yay! Now all the 1-300 gear is available to me.  I would like plans for golden scale shoulders. Steel plate helm too. Someone remind me to visit the trainer in BB.

3.3

3.3 came out but my main has an AIL (average item level) of 170 or so, and you really need like 250 to be able to go.

I ran around ungoro instead and levelled mining to 300.

Gah

My friend got his polar bear mount today from the daily bag in Storm Peaks.

I would love this mount.

Thanksgiving Week Update

Just got my second [gold] Balanced Heartseeker last night.  However, I equipped it on my rogue and damge is so much higher with the gold sword, so I did make the right call after all -- slow sword in main hand, fast dagger in off hand.

To sum up where i am:

80 Warlock
73 Hunter
71 Mage
60 DK
60 Paladin
55 Paladin
54 Priest
35 Rogue
20 Paladin
10 Paladin

I'm trying to rush everyone but the last three to 60, and then when CAT comes out, I will do them in the new zones, as well as getting a goblin and worgen to 20 just to see the new zones.

This week I've run

45-49  Running Pirate Bay alot for AOE xp.
50 Tanaris
51 Feralas
52 Feralas
53 Hinterlands
54 Tanaris and Searing Gorge

And I also got my other Balanced Heartseeker but the damage does not compare to the gold main hand/sword so I think I'll keep doing that with the rogue.

Meh

I had a wild itch to play a mid level hunter again, so I moved on my 31 hunter.  I want to grind her to 70 and then stalk STV and gank allies.  However, if Cataclysm comes out then I can use her to level too.

Altoholic mod, i love u

Now I can track all my alts in one mod!!!

Money!!

About a month ago, I had 7000 gold.  This week I'm down to 3800.  Where it all go, Joe???

2K went to PaladinA and PaladinB dual talent spec.
1K went to a loaner.

I guess that puts me at about 6800... the other 200... blown on hookers and crank I suppose.

Blood elf hookers.

40 Champ Seals

I took it easy last night and basically just got my eight champion seals for the night, bringing me to 40/120.

That's 33% to two Balanced Heartseekers.  I truly wish they were Gladiator Slicers but boo. I also saw on another wow page that maybe I should go sword/dagger instead of dagger/dagger.  Too bad there is no option for sword/sword.  I guess I should just get the Avool Sword of Jin x2 and suck it up.

Dual Talent Spec

I held off on getting dual talent spec for a long time because, at 1000 gold a pop, it isn't cheap.  Well, in the past two days, I've splurged... popping it off for my 60 paladin and my 44 paladin.  I should still have 5k left, so I'll have to get an epic flying mount or something.

New objectives:
* Get two Balanced Heartseekers for rogue
* Level Paladin3
* Get Rogue1 to 40
* Get Rogue2 to 20

Badlands Run LOL

So my friend Liz decided she wanted to run to Badlands to turn in the 30-some quest Martek the Exile.

She ran from Grom'gol Base Camp to Redridge and tried to go through Burning Steppes.  I can only imagine the hilarity of 58 after 58 stomping her down as she tried to get to the next zone (Searing Gorge/40-50) and then through the pass to the Badlands.

Later, I set her straight and we ran the regular way (Tarren Mill > Wetlands > Loch Modan > Badlands).

A plan for paladin

My new paladin has been hovering around the low 30's.  I think I've gotten two levels (33,34) before being diverted by blacksmithing, and my 33 rogue.  Anyways, this was my original plan...

31,32  Thousand Needles

33 Razorfen Kraul

34 Scarlet Monastery

35 Stranglethorn Vale

36 Dustwallow Marsh

40 Tanaris, Camp Mojache

I've also been leveling my blacksmith, jewelcrafter and enchanter skills to 150.  I need only go to 300 imo, as 300+ is rather expensive.

What now!

In the past week, I've...

* hit 60 on the paladin, so time to get the priest to 60.

* hit 19 on warlock B.

* tried to keep from rolling a rogue (wait til 3.3!)

* got my bloodied arcanite reaper.

* hit 3000 gold on my farmer/warlock/daily.

* was surprised that the rare flyer was only 275 gold, not 650.

* switched gears to getting heirloom leather set for a rogue

WOOHOO

Last night I farmed my argent tournament dailies and stopped at 89 Champion Seals.  That means 6 more and I can get my Bloodied Arcanite Reaper.

I already have the cloth shoulders and chest, and the plate shoulders and chest.  I also dream of equipping my rogue, and to a lesser extent, my hunter (73), but with only seven levels to go, the benefits seem minimal.  Regardless, five heirlooms are pretty swank.

Up All Night...

Hmm. Not really. The plan was to go to bed at like 10pm and then me and a guildie started questing, and finally hit the next level around 11:25ish.

I also have been using jewelcrafting to send level 10 rings to a few of the lower guildies, and then trying to organize the bank.  So far we have a lot of thick leather so if you have a leatherworker, the sky's the limit.

Best line of the week:
[barrens chat]: omg.
[barrens chat]: what?
[barrens chat]: my sister wants to style my hair and make me look like edward from twilight.

New Patch

The new patch came out yesterday.  As expected, there was lag everywhere as everyone and their mother tried to milk Onyxia for purples.  I would be in there too but another dude told me that I needed 2500 or 3000 DPS just to be a player.  sigh.

I did get to run BFD with a 22 Tauren warrior and 24 Undead priest..  It was long and ugly but we got the instance done.

Then I ran RFK on my 55 Paladin for another group.  To be honest it was 1030 and I should have been in bed, but I figured this run will be quick.  It was fairly quick but still took us til 1120 to get everything done.

Speaking of, my paladin hit 55 after doing some Felwood quests. I still have a bunch there and expect to hit 56, then do 57,58 in Winterspring, WPL, EPL.  I really hope not much in WPL and EPL as aggro is outrageous there.

My shadow priest was stuck at level 52, but by running all the green quests in Hinterlands, I was able to ding two levels. I decided to try WPL/EPL for 55-58 but its too hard. Gonna have to go back to Felwood and then Winterspring for 58 perhaps.

Faction changes are out. I wasn't sure whether or not to take advantage of it but I finally decided to take the plunge. My 70 human mage only had the option of becoming a 70 blood elf mage -- good thing I like blood elves. Everything converted over and now all I have to do is level to 80.

Hmm

I'm not sure if I like the new changes that are coming in the next expansion pack.

Apparently, things like Defense and Block will be disappearing and stats more of the focus.  It's just that it took me a long time to figure out how things worked the last time -- haha!

Also, Tauren paladins??

I've been running around with my 46 Paladin. Two weeks ago, I joined a new guild mostly because I was teaming up an awful lot with the guild leader Hercularies and his friend Cutenessanna so it was just like three paladins all the same level running around together. Last night, I knocked out 90% of the quests in Feralas with them (get Gordunni cobalt, find beast museik, get grimtotem horns, get Wildpaw manes, etc.) and wearing the Tattered Dreadmist Mantle (which traded armor for 10% experience boost), I was able to spike to 48. Wahoo! At this point, I only have three quests left that I will do here... Darter Sprite Museik, Kill Stinglasher and kill ten silithids. After that I should be near enough to 50. If not, I'll clear our Searing Gorge, and then proceed to Felwood, and maybe Hinterlands. I hope WPL/EPL and Badlands can take me to 58.

But of course, vacation is next week so nothing is really going to happen.

Hey Blizzcon starts today! I hope some wonderful news comes out.

Patch 3.2.2

According to various sites, 3.2.2 should be released soon, which updates Onyxia to 10-man and 25-man instance, with better loot... like T-2... huh?  Why would you do a 10/25 for level 70 gear.

My priest hit 51 last night.  I've finished up the moderate quests in Feralas but Ungoro is 52-54's.  Those bloody tar lurkers followed me all the way to the river.  I think I either need to go clean up Searing Gorge (40-50) or Felwood.  Staying away from Swamp of Sorrows/Badlands/Hinterlands/WPL at the moment... I hate random aggressive wandering creatures.

Tattered Dreadmist Robe

Final Tasks which Exalted me with the Argent Crusade

• 1000 rep from four Argent Tournament quests.
• 2000 rep from a quick heroic Nexus run.
• 800 rep from three Argent Crusade quests at Argent Vanguard in Icecrown that I forgot I needed to do but were there to put me over the edge.

I love my 10% xp bonus!!

In other news, it looks like Cataclysm is the 3rd Expansion Pack for WOW. They are unleashing Worgen and Goblin races for the factions so people can level all the way back to eighty again. Yikes!

Well I caved. Last year, I knew I wasn't going to have time to get geared/raid/powerlevel into Ulduar... but then I wanted heirlooms, and to get heirlooms, you need argent crusade reputation [rep], and to get rep you have to do heroics, and to do heroics, you can't be the tard in all blues.

Gear Bought From Auction House

Ebonweave Robe (level 200) +105 spellpower, +68 hit, 1500 gold

Ebonweave Gloves (level 200) +77 spellpower, +51 hit, 300 gold

Enchant Weapon +50 spellpower, 150 gold

Enchant Gloves +28 spellpower, 150 gold

Sapphire Spellthread, +50 spellpower to pants, 150 gold

I also changed spec to destruction, and now my little lock is at 1750 spell damage. It's a big boost from 1499, and I am really mowing things down in as little as 2-3 buttons.

Last night, I got in groups for heroic Nexus and heroic Utgarde Keep. Each dropped about 2000 rep, so now I'm cruising at 18500. I will shoot for an instance tonight and with a few dailiestomorrow, I should be exalted.

Wow. As in, I was in a 5 man pug heroic UP and wow, my DPS was sad. After about half the instance, the number two guy (warlock) had 70k damage and I had 7k. Granted, I am not in raid spec (destruction). I am not in raid gear (epics). To be fair, I was probably about as threatening as a fly on a horse's rump. Gumdam, I knew all this going in but still...

So just FYI...

Level 80: You are in 80-90% blue gear and should be doing about 1500 DPS. At this point, you run heroics constantly for more blue gear (probably approaching 1700 DPS, which you enchant to about 1850-1900 DPS).

1900 DPS: Now ready for end game raids, also known as "instances that drop purples". Basically run Naxxramas to start, then Ulduar and Trial of the Champion in Icecrown until the next patch (Icecrown) where you and your 2000+ DPS friends take down Arthas.

I guess that's basically it. What wasn't in there was endless running of all the instances for Emblems of Triumph and Epics tokens. The enchant for spellpower on a sword alone is 900 gold. That's nine days of [casual] dailies.

I guess this is why casuals take the easy way of upgrading gear: expansion packs.

Terms used today:

UP: Utgarde Pinnacle, an dungeon at the top of Utgarde Castle meant for level 80 players.

DPS: Damage Per Second, used contextually to mean I filled a damage dealing role (not tank or healer). 1500 seems to be the concensus of where you start once you hit 80.

Dailies: Repeatable quests (like kill 10 kobolds) that are available every 24 hours.

So about everyone I have talked to is disgruntled with the new Coliseum in 3.2.

Here are the steps to use it:

1. Become exalted with Argent Crusade so it unlocks

2. Beat it on regular mode (drops Champion Seals which btw, right now only item of value is an epic weapon; I'm not going to mention the collector mounts/tabard/banner because they're collectibles). BTW, the instance is just a round arena where 1-5 bosses come out and you down them... instance done thereafter (and fyi, Blizz is only unlocking one boss per week).

3. Do it again in heroic to get an emblem of triumph

4. Turn in 40/50/60 emblems of triumph for one piece of T8 gear.

It's actually a lot easier for a casual like me, but at the same time, running it 50 times for one piece of gear... yuck.

So last night was several rounds of login fail or server crashes. If you made it past that you were faced with a wall of lag crits.

I hopped on this morning and some differences I found:
- Undercity on the map has a new, darker color.
- Changed the quests of some of the Argent Tournament
ie, previously
Kill 10 scourge is now Kill 10 converted heroes.
Kill 15 scourge is now Kill 15 undead cultists.
Kill 10 scouts, 3 lieutenants, 1 commander is now Kill 3 commanders.

There were a few new quests from Sunreavers and two easy Black Knight quests that rewarded one and three Champion seals.

Warlock land mount cost all of 33 silver.
Paladin epic land mount cost 1 gold 45 silver (no questing required, just buy from trainer).

FYI, I am still only 6600/21000 until exalted with Argent Crusade, so as of yet still cannot see what the Argent Crusade quartermaster is offering.

OMG! 3.2 is out

Today is patch day... August 4, 2009.

Which means;

All of my level 20 alts will be getting land mounts..
Three level 40 alts will be getting epic mounts..
I may try to get 50 mounts on my warlock..
I have 70 Champion Seals, enough to get one heirloom from the Argent Crusade Quartermaster (unfortunately CAN'T -- need 15000 more rep with Argent Crusade)..

The sad downside is my brand new Death Knight is getting sapped by the slow ebbtide of DK nerfs. No more free powerlevelling until level 80.

Albino Drake Mount

I saw a paladin riding this the other day and wondered how I could get one. Random googling returned a slew of predictably random and only half-baked information.

Fortunately, wowwiki.com shows you all the different drakes and proto-drakes that are attainable and what you need to do to get them (in very readable table format also):

Mounts at wowwiki.com

According to the table, he collected 50 mounts. Now I can see getting seven in each of your five home cities for thirty five. Add two more for warlock and six more for the flyers. I also have one of the five available PVP mounts (frostwolf howler). That still requires a little bit of effort to get over fifty mounts. The flyers are also not fairly cheap. I may take a stab at this when patch 3.2 comes out and land mounts are one gold, epic land mounts are ten, and the base flyers are fifty.

Total cost:
4 base land mount x 5 cities x 1 gold = 20 gold
3 epic land mount x 5 cities x 10 gold = 150 gold
3 base flyer mount x 50 gold = 150 gold
3 epic flyer mount x 100 gold = 300 gold

Grand Total: 620 gold for 41 mounts

Preparing for Patch 3.2

The bags on my level 19 bank alt have been absolutely bulging lately, and a slew of mails with 64 other unwanted items (ores, gems and cloth) just had no place to go. It was time for a fire sale. I slashed 10% of some decent items but sold a hunk of things for 3-5 gold just to get rid of them. The worst offender was about eight stacks of silk that went for 50 silver each.

Still, I netted about 450 gold when all was said and done. Biggest item was 90 gold for 9 units of titanium ore.

Today, I got to finish all the dailies for Argent Tournament AND the Orgrimmar faction of Sunreavers. I have 19 Valiant's Seals so in a day or two I should be ready to start my final leg for Exalted reputaiton with Thunder Bluff. Ultimately, I need to be Exalted with Argent Crusade (I just hit Revered) and Exalted with the five home cities (Exalted in all except TB). Once you do this, you get title Crusader of the Argent Crusade, and the Argent Crusade Quartermaster in 3.2 unlocks! To this end, I am aiming to have at least 120 Champion's Seals so I can get the heirloom shoulder and heirloom chest (20% experience bonus on alts).

In other news, my paladin hit 43 wandering around Dustwallow Marsh (the Mudsprocket quests are 39-41 it seems), and my 48 priest is still struggling to grind for levels. I find 45+ a stagnation zone, even though Booty Bay, Hinterlands, Feralas and Tanaris are open. Some of the creeps at this level just take a long time to kill and that makes for a long grind.