Beneath the Tides of Nazjatar

Ever since the 8.2 patch, all I want to do is wander Nazjatar. I have the Exploration of it except one spot, the Shirakess Repository. I’ll find it!

Usually, a place with lots of underground spaces wouldn’t appeal to me, but in Nazjatar, it just adds to the mystery of the place. It’s exotic and a wonder. That strange Rim of the World skyline is just entrancing.

I’m not getting pounded as I was at first, so that makes me happy.

There are plenty of quests, always a good thing.

I am not so pleased with my “ally”, who I not only have to drag all around with me, but I have to do three specific quests a day in order to finally at some point get him to Rank three for yet another quest.

Companions and allies are just awful variations of escort quests, for me. They get in your way, they get you killed. You can never get out of combat because they keep fighting everything. So annoying! I cannot wait to drop this guy off. If they think I’m taking another one out after this, they’re bonkers.

Puzzle Me This

I happen to like Puzzles. I also really like World Quests (except the jumping on bubbles in the air puzzles).

So how cute to get The Shell Game.

The Runestone Game I liked once I figured out how it worked. All I could get the stones to do at first was swap places, and nothing happened. I looked up the quest to see if someone could explain how it worked, but there was much hate for this quest, and lots of comparisons to Candy Crush which I’ve never played.

I finally figured out all you do is swap two runes so you momentarily get three of the same color in a row and a bunch of runes drop down, destroying some of the runes you’re trying to destroy. Once I had that going, it was easy to finish. A fun quest in the depths of the world.

Happy New Year from The Last Chapter!

World of Warcraft

After having so much fun working in Neverwinter, I had to break to do some of the Winter Veil activities.   Just as with the last couple of holidays in World of Warcraft, I approached the many requirements half heartedly.  There are too many activities for this busy time of the year, and having three PVP ones is a real pain.

So I did the gnome/battlefield one, entering the Isle of Conquest for the first time ever in a skimpy gnome Santa outfit.  Because I’d lose my gnome form if I shape shifted to my feral cat form or a bear or moonkin form for that matter, I had to go in as my Elf Self transformed.  I used my secondary talent set for which I have no talent never ever having used it…restoration.  I can confess here because I feel guilty that I was concentrating on my toolbars and skills and when I entered the battle ground I went in marked dps as always.  I suspect this saved my miserable gnome hide from instant death because I just looked like the only Santa gnome in the place, but not a falsely labeled one.  Shame, shame.

We tried some dungeons as a guild to get some of those achievements.  Only I and my husband and son and nephew dungeon dive, others don’t.  So we did a few, just us, to test things out, then got in the dungeon finder queue.  Unbelievably our first one had this Pin Brain From Mars who was critiquing everyone’s dps and skills and blah blah blah.   Obviously we were doing fine and didn’t need the Head of Bone and we should have drop kicked him sooner, but we waited till the end.  Luckily the next guy was just normal and we sailed along.  Not so confidence inspiring to those who we can’t talk into dungeons at all most days, and to me playing my dread rogue who I know is just awful, thanks for applying the brown sauce.

I’ve been running my shaman through some dungeons trying to level her up to use in the group instead of the rogue.  I’ve had trouble with her in the past which is why she is my lowest level class.  The dungeons in the 50 levels are just torture.  I am always so grateful to qualify for Hellfire Peninsula at 58.  I have been running into one after another of what I call “draggy tanks”.  They aggro one group of mobs then just chain drag them and everyone else through the whole place. Gack.  THEN there was the gnome who was playing his healer with his tank on follow or was it the other way around.  Nobody but me spoke up and said how bizarre that was, and when he died immediately because his following character got stuck on a wall, then everyone died…I got dungeon deserter for leaving that fun time behind.  How I love dungeons.

In an effort to have my spouse help me with a Winter Veil quest, I logged in his guy to just get him set up.  Lo and behold he has an in game email from the devs inviting him to try Raiding.  Hello?  He’s never going to try raiding.  Did any of my characters get it? NO.  Grrr.  Not that I’ve been raiding either but I do play.  

Rift

Aimlessly working on my Pyromancer in Rift.  Am at level 24.  I was trying to do every quest in Silverwood but I couldn’t stand being there forever so I made sure my gathering skills were to level, finished what I could and stepped over the border into Gloamwood.  It is all gloomy and spidery, not looking at all like Duskwood from Wow but having that ambience.  A nice change and I feel like I’m making some forward progress.

Dearth of Games for PC yet again

I was thinking this year how in years past there were always maybe five games out in the fall I wanted badly and I’d ask for them for Christmas.  I can’t even think of the last time I asked for a computer game.  It is not as if there are a bunch on another platform I’d be buying either if only I didn’t love my keyboard/mouse so much.  There is not much of interest released if Action/Adventure is your genre.   I do not count those stoopid find the hidden picture puzzle games as Adventure.

There are a few upcoming lists with some possibles, but not much.

Board Games

New additions this season are Forbidden Island and Carcassonne.  I and my team mates liked both and appreciated the cooperative nature of each.  We are going to see if we can’t re-institute our board game day here, maybe we can eventually lure in others on a regular basis.  Snacks and board games, hard to beat that for entertainment and relaxation.

Repopulation

They’ve got my attention with the new game trailer and Kickstarter for the Repopulation.  They are sidestepping what I thought was a hardcore pvp game and practically stepping out of the video saying if you loved Star Wars Galaxies pre-NGE you will love us play play play!   Am I someone who could resist that?   I’m supporting the Kickstarter and if they bring that puppy up I’m going in for a look.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/therepopulation/the-repopulation-a-sandbox-mmorpg

Happy gaming in 2014!   Atherne and the crew of the Last Chapter

Why don’t you noobs get some gear before you come and do bgs?

Well, honestly, that was next on my list.  I did want to go in and see if some of my new class skill gave me more survivability in a battleground.   (Warsong Gulch today)

I can say not much, but they were useful in fights, and I did annoy the Horde nasty boys enough so they kept seeking me out for quick death.

Someone noted the Horde players weren’t taking any damage.  I noticed all the ones I saw were level 19, higher than most of us.

The Horde play differently, in my observation.  They spend most of their time routing out and killing the Alliance, especially at the graveyard.  Alliance players in just about every instance are scattered and don’t work together at all.

We are doofs.

 

Edit:  Ha ha went back in with my uber level 10 Warlock, got a decent Alliance group, took out numerous bad guys!  Won VICTORY!!!!!!!

World of Warcraft Patch 5.3

You probably thought now that Children’s Week is over I wouldn’t be doing anymore PVP because I’m PUNY and a WEENIE.   That isn’t the way I work.  I know I can get good at this, so my method is to start a new character, toss them in and learn the battlegrounds, learn techniques, and what can help scoot my little beaner along.   Yippee kay ay, boneheads.

That said, this patch is all about the escalation of the war between the Horde and the Alliance!  Yo ho.  Because there is general interest in a couple of new games that will be PVP oriented (Camelot Unchained and Elder Scrolls Online) I think Blizzard decided to ratchet things up a bit.  It is also possible their new game thought to be revealed at Blizzcon this year will be a big PVP fest because first person shooters are so popular.   Whatever.

I’ll have to look at the patch notes in depth to see how they affect my little PVP punching bag.

There are only two things I haven’t tried in the game yet, Raids and Scenarios.  I think scenarios will be easy enough.  I’m reluctant to start Raids just because the time sink of them is so tremendous for what reward?  Have a level 71 Paladin I thought would be a good character to toss into a Raid.  She’s just cooling her heels waiting her chance.  I’ll stick someone else in a scenario and see what I think since apparently scenarios are the flavor favorite of Blizzard developers at this time.

I shall report back when I have gone in.  Glug glug.

School of Hard Knocks: 1 of 4

Despite my efforts I only managed to get Eye of the Storm.  I’m fine with it. I learned a ton. I have a year to learn the battlegrounds and get proper gear so I’m not killed so easily.

I’ve always disliked PVP and have really hated to see any part of the game altered for everyone in order to please the PVP players.  It happens alot, in my opinion.  They’re vocal, they’re hardcore.  Even having spent some time in this environment, I still think that if changes are going to be made to classes and gear or anything at all, the changes should be designed so they only affect players within battlegrounds or arenas.  Don’t let people PVP outside of these places and you can write the rules and shape things to balance things for this type of play without making everyone suffer.  Or if you must, let people PVP outside in the larger world but make anyone doing that have to go with PVE rules.

I don’t use add-ons at all and people who use them in dungeons to say who has done the most damage or to report their quest/objective progress are just annoying.  In PVP, I see that you really can have some big advantages using them.  I was surprised by teammates letting everyone know which enemy players hadn’t any talents yet (when I played a lower level) and there seemed to be one where people could tell what gear everyone had.  I think my son told me once you have to use add ons for PVP.  Still not going to do it, but interesting.

For next year, I should be geared properly and know my way around.  Should have some good tactics and know how my skills and the skills of others work or not in battlegrounds.

I’ll make sure not to take my Orphan out until right before I am going to get an objective.  Having him out seems to inflame both your teammates and the enemy because you’re some weasel PVE player and not worthy to be in their battleground.  We shall see.

Load up on Swiftness and PVP Resilience Potions.

Get a speedier mount.

Arathi Almost…

I enacted my bold run to the mines plan this morning and no teammate dogged me. I thought Victory was MINE!   Suckerbite, five Horde guys got there right when I did.  Hahaha. Dead dog.

I have an all new plan, an even better plan.   I go for the stables, hitting a Swiftness potion at just the right moment to beat my teammie to it. Muahahaha. How can it fail?

 

Eye of the Storm, Yo

After going in these battlegrounds over and over I finally got the achievement for Eye of the Storm “Capture the Flag”.   I should have researched this because I had tried this two times but I had my “fast” War Tiger Mount so I zoomed down, grabbed the flag, waited to hear the ding ding you got it but oops nada.   All the way to it this other player is going “Pleeeaase let me have the flag, its for Children’s Week”.   Hello?  Would I be in this godforsaken place for any other reason myself?   Bozo that I am, I had a second where I had to think I must be supposed to bring the dang flag someplace.  Luckily in dim memory was a time I had run this same battleground with my brother in-law and sister and I recalled sitting in one spot bored, bored and I made for it.  Voila!

Arathi Basin:    It finally dawned on me that I wasn’t going to be able to get this unless I rushed out of the gate and went for a flag.  The stables (?) are right in sight close by but no way you’re getting that I thought after a try or two. So I look at the map and where we start and the Horde start and figure the mines are the best shot.  Orphan out, I ruthlessly ran for it (mounted on my “speedy” mount).  One of my “teammates” ran right along side me and got there first.  There is a juncture where you could go there or the blacksmith and I think he was going to beat me to whichever one I picked.  Nice.  But what do you expect from the crowd who spend all their time whooping and getting whooped?  Suckers.

Warsong Gulch:  It is going to be pure chance that I have the opportunity to grab the flag and put it back after it drops or is attacked.

Alterac Valley:  Pure chaos with up to forty players on either side.  Unlikely.

On the plus side I’m gaining points and am going to try to aquire pvp gear because I hate to say I am having fun and I always have something to prove as a gamer being female and ancient.  Yipee kay ay, buds, I am pretty sure I can get better.  I am  looking at the leaderboards after each battle and I’m moving up all the time.  Whap, whap!

 

Things I’ve learned.  I need those faster riding skills that cost moola.

Don’t take the Orphan out till right before you need him because his presence marks you as a helpless noob, and when you try to stealth the little bozoid runs clunkily right beside you giving you away.

Knock Knock

All I have left to get the Children’s Week achievements is The School of Hard Knocks.  After tossing myself in Warsong Gulch like five times and dept of doh realizing I don’t just need to make it through the instance to the end I have to pick up a fallen flag and replace it criminy! I thought to try Arathi Basin.  Seemed easier in a way, but now I see why my brother in law just hangs out by a flag and fears and such everyone who comes by.  I’m thinking while everyone is fighting I can just slink up and capture a flag and nobody will notice but of course that is exactly what they’re trying to keep from happening.  At least I see that it could be done.  Gonna beat  my head against these four battlegrounds over this weekend and hope I get em.  I would not have thought it possible, but if I’m determined I can do anything.   Plus for 2000 honor points I can buy a War Saber Mount, and collecting all the mounts in the game is another level 90 goal so heh heh I’ll accomplish something here.

Warsong Gulp!

I did a few quests last night to get a few in on the first day.

Home Alone only required that I use my hearthstone with my orphan out.  Easy.

The orphan who has a name given by the Orphan Home matron just had Human Orphan over his head.  I quickly became attached to the sprite anyway.  He had a series of quests which I did.  I liked best taking him to Sentinel Hill and riding a two seat motorcycle with him touring the giant breach caused by Cataclysm.  Spunky lil’ guy had a great time.  I also bought him ice cream and a kite.  What a pal.

 

This morning I think I’ll squeeze in Warsong Gulch.  Hahahahahaha.  I decided today I’ll just follow the rest of my team and kill whoever they’re killing.  Went pretty well for a bit actually, then it came time to defend the flag we’d nabbed and I was feared, stunned, you name it.  And…you know it goes when the fighting is intense.  All my skills kept coming off my toolbar.  Must lock them for the next try….

I think, looking at the scoreboard, that I didn’t do so badly for a first shot.

I was really good about pulling my orphan out after every death just in case we won.

For next shot:

Research strategies for a noob Druid in a battleground.

Use my health potions!

Look through the bank for pvp resilience potions I know I have in there.

Lock toolbar.

 

World of Warcraft: Children’s Week

I got my druid to level 90 and had plenty to do.  She is the leader of our small family guild so I’m always checking potion and other resource supplies.  I have meant to have her finish all quests in Pandaria then work her way downwards through the continents completing every quest.

I planned to get every achievement I could get.  Then I noticed that as much as she had done getting to 90, she did not have a single Title to display.  How was this possible?  I should have earned something, right?  But nooo.

 

I had to look up what the deal was that made me sooo puny I was titleless.  It turns out there are a bazillion titles you have to do specific things to earn:

http://www.wowhead.com/titles

As it turned out, most in game holidays offered a title once you had done a number of impossible things.  I started with the Lunar Festival and got all but two of the requirements completed.

When Love is in the Air came up I was ready to go, printed Wow Insider Guide in hand.  All my characters can now be Fools for Love.

Noblegarden was easier in some ways but with only a week to complete I really had to drop any other game activities and just grind away.  I made it, and am “The Noble”.

Now we have dread Children’s Week loaded with PVP.  I tried to prepare by sending my low level Warlock into Warsong Gulch a few times.  I thought I would toughen up and practice in each of the required battlegrounds.  ha ha haha.  I looked at Wowhead and elsewhere for tactics and particularly Warlock PVP tactics.  I reek, truly.

Not to be defeated, reekishness or no, I’m going to try to do this anyway.  I’ll be a weenie and do all the non-pvp parts and try to ooze in a battleground daily.  The gory details will appear here.