Writing a blog is a lot like exercising: You stop for any period of time and it is damned near impossible to get back into the groove. In addition, I've three posts sitting in the bucket that had gone unfinished. It is customary for me to write up a post, get sidetracked, and then leave said post waiting for a grand finale. I'd like to get these old posts published soon, just for the sake of completion.
I would like to apologize to my readers about the lack of posts, but that would be assuming I had any and that they still exist. I will try harder.
A lot has happened to me in the two months since I last posted here. I found out I would be laid off on June 30, our guild started progressing in Ulduar, and I still haven't gotten Origin of Nightmares. I've had 17 attempts at Grobbulus and still no drop. That's over four months' worth of Naxxramas.
But I digress. I will leave my WoW commentary to a more cohesive and well-designed post. I merely come here today stating I want to be more focused on writing my thoughts here and I intend to do a better job at it.
Until the next Faerie Fire...
-Lushious
3/3/09
Someone Done Hoodoo the Hoodoo Man
I've been stewing about the upcoming Survival of the Fittest and Heart of the Wild changes. And said stew isn't turning out to be a delicious blend of vegetables and spices.
It has even crossed my mind to quit WoW. Things have become fairly mundane for me in WoW. Heroics are a joke; I barely run those now. Naxx, Maly, and Sarth have been on farm for me for the past three months. Ulduar is the only thing up and coming (plus the new Vaults of Archavon boss) that makes my whistle whet. And all of that doesn't help when Blizzard is poised to make bears the same as warriors, paladins, and death knight tanks.
I won't quit WoW, though. Until they have methadone clinics for WoW addicts, I'll forever be hooked.
This massive change has had me reevaluating my current bear build. I used to think my build was pretty good, but I'm seeing some major flaws in it now and for in the future.
First off, Improved Mark of the Wild is a must now. The passive 2% increase to stats that this new talent provides in 3.1 cannot be disputed (thanks, Karthis!)
Why did I have two points in Shredding Attacks? Somehow I thought the two rage points (4 in a rotation) would prove to be beneficial in the long run. Goodbye!
So, I am dropping Shredding Attacks and Brutal Impact completely. Brutal Impact was a talent I appreciated a lot in Heroics, particularly as I was gearing up. If I lost aggro on a mob I could just stun them and have a few extra moments to focus on them. I've always respected it as a PvP talent, but this is just a case of taking some PvP mentality into PvE.
Omen of Clarity: This talent has left me in a bind. In BC I wouldn't have been caught dead without it. Rage is hardly an issue now for any tanks that use that mechanic. I appreciate its usefulness as, say, cat or resto, but no longer for bear. Plus, I've gotten along just fine without it for all of LK.
King of the Jungle is giving me some trouble. It'd be a nice threat boosting talent, at least when initially pulling (I always have enrage up when I pull). However, in the middle of a fight it's not so useful as #1 aggro. It's either two points in this or I cave and put a throwaway point in Omen of Clarity and this for only a 5% increase in damage.
Unless any one of the two readers of this blog decides that Omen of Clarity is more useful than two points in King of the Jungle, I'll be working with this build.
Until the next Faerie Fire pull...
-Lushious
It has even crossed my mind to quit WoW. Things have become fairly mundane for me in WoW. Heroics are a joke; I barely run those now. Naxx, Maly, and Sarth have been on farm for me for the past three months. Ulduar is the only thing up and coming (plus the new Vaults of Archavon boss) that makes my whistle whet. And all of that doesn't help when Blizzard is poised to make bears the same as warriors, paladins, and death knight tanks.
I won't quit WoW, though. Until they have methadone clinics for WoW addicts, I'll forever be hooked.
This massive change has had me reevaluating my current bear build. I used to think my build was pretty good, but I'm seeing some major flaws in it now and for in the future.
First off, Improved Mark of the Wild is a must now. The passive 2% increase to stats that this new talent provides in 3.1 cannot be disputed (thanks, Karthis!)
Why did I have two points in Shredding Attacks? Somehow I thought the two rage points (4 in a rotation) would prove to be beneficial in the long run. Goodbye!
So, I am dropping Shredding Attacks and Brutal Impact completely. Brutal Impact was a talent I appreciated a lot in Heroics, particularly as I was gearing up. If I lost aggro on a mob I could just stun them and have a few extra moments to focus on them. I've always respected it as a PvP talent, but this is just a case of taking some PvP mentality into PvE.
Omen of Clarity: This talent has left me in a bind. In BC I wouldn't have been caught dead without it. Rage is hardly an issue now for any tanks that use that mechanic. I appreciate its usefulness as, say, cat or resto, but no longer for bear. Plus, I've gotten along just fine without it for all of LK.
King of the Jungle is giving me some trouble. It'd be a nice threat boosting talent, at least when initially pulling (I always have enrage up when I pull). However, in the middle of a fight it's not so useful as #1 aggro. It's either two points in this or I cave and put a throwaway point in Omen of Clarity and this for only a 5% increase in damage.
Unless any one of the two readers of this blog decides that Omen of Clarity is more useful than two points in King of the Jungle, I'll be working with this build.
Until the next Faerie Fire pull...
-Lushious
2/27/09
I'll Be Crying this Weekend
GhostCrawler's official response to the 10% Heart of the Wild nerf:
"If druids slip behind..." Why is there an "if" modifier there? Why are we even being nerfed? It's pretty clear we do have a significant lack of mitigation, avoidance, and cooldowns, now that we'll be equal to the other tanks in regards to stamina.
Until the next Faerie Fire pull...
-Lushious
In order to keep our goal of having all 4 tank classes capable of handling Ulduar, we need to get tank health pools a little closer together.
While I won't hide that this is a nerf for bears, we also don't want to get to the point of having a "mana sponge" tank, now that we are making mana more of an issue for healers.
If druids slip behind as a result of lack of mitigation, avoidance or cooldowns, we will buff them.
"If druids slip behind..." Why is there an "if" modifier there? Why are we even being nerfed? It's pretty clear we do have a significant lack of mitigation, avoidance, and cooldowns, now that we'll be equal to the other tanks in regards to stamina.
Until the next Faerie Fire pull...
-Lushious
My Work Related Cop Out
Work is crazy and hectic today, so gone is the planned post. In its place, though, is a recommendation to read Kalon's latest entry.
My official commentary on this change is that I can only wonder what my role will be in Ulduar. At this point, with the ~6k armor nerf and now a ~3k health nerf, what serious guild is going to pick a Druid bear to tank when Warriors, Paladins, and DKs will be so much better.
I'm already having a tough time, as I pull about 5.5k TPS, whereas the warrior and Pally tank in my guild are pushing at least 2k more. And believe me, it's not for a lack of trying on my part.
I get more and more disheartened about being a bear tank with each successive Lich King patch. I am, though, addicted to being a bear. I will not give up so easily, Blizzard, even in the face of genocide*!
Until the next Faerie Fire pull...
-Lushious
* Added for dramatic effect.
My official commentary on this change is that I can only wonder what my role will be in Ulduar. At this point, with the ~6k armor nerf and now a ~3k health nerf, what serious guild is going to pick a Druid bear to tank when Warriors, Paladins, and DKs will be so much better.
I'm already having a tough time, as I pull about 5.5k TPS, whereas the warrior and Pally tank in my guild are pushing at least 2k more. And believe me, it's not for a lack of trying on my part.
I get more and more disheartened about being a bear tank with each successive Lich King patch. I am, though, addicted to being a bear. I will not give up so easily, Blizzard, even in the face of genocide*!
Until the next Faerie Fire pull...
-Lushious
* Added for dramatic effect.
2/25/09
Who is the Lushman? Part I
August 9, 2007. That is the day I got my first "hit." Realistically, it probably was a few days before, but the record books only tell of that day. It was when I first subscribed to Azeroth and all it has to offer.
My friend, Doublevision, separated by 160 miles between us, finally coerced me into playing WoW. It was a way we could "hang out," without actually driving three hours either way to do so.
Now, I'd been adamant about playing WoW since it first came out. As a full-time college student, going to one of the toughest business schools in the nation, the thought of dropping out of college on account of an all-consuming video game was very real to me and, as such, much opposed.
See, I have an addictive personality. :P
Suffice to say, I did get to see my fair share of Warcraft adventures. A good college friend of mine was very active in the game and I watched him play from time to time since launch. I would only sit and watch, never taking the reigns. In time I could carry on decent conversations with players, even though I was not a player myself.
Once graduated and three months into the workforce, on that fateful August day, Doublevision finally twisted my hand and I caved. I joined the ranks of Alliance and Horde to vanquish a common foe.
The biggest decision I had to make, of course, was what kind of character would I be? Double and I discussed this greatly. He was happy to inform me of the inner-workings of all of the classes. In the end, I had it narrowed down to three classes:
* Hunter
* Shaman
* Druid
The hunter interested me because of their pet. How cool would it be to sick Fido on a pack of killer crabs? Having a partner-in-crime as I leveled is a cool component of the class and I nearly rolled the dice on this class.
The Shaman was an easy choice for me. As a master of the planet's natural energy, Shaman's particularly connected with me. I grew up in a house that admired and respected the Native-American culture, and the Shamans embodied their spirits closely. I chose against the Shaman, though, because I fell in love with the following class.
The Druid. That was it. I knew instantly. Incorporating the natural angle of the Shaman (though to a different extent) and the unique hook of shape shifting, there was no doubt in my mind. And, of course, the ability to mimic any other classes' playing style (melee, caster, healz, or tank) only sealed the deal. In a lot of ways, the Druid mimics who I am. I am a vegetarian with strong values that acknowledges, appreciates, and respects the earth's life force. Some might be quick to label that as being a "hippie," but I wouldn't say that of myself. "Eco-nerd" is what I said once to a co-worker, and I feel that describes me pretty accurately.
And that is Part I of my origin story. Part II intends on detailing my venture into bear country and how I survived and only got a t-shirt. Tune in to see what happens next!
In other WoW news, I am totally digging Druid Tier 8 armor (male and female). Tier sets 1, 5, and 6 have always appealed to me. Their art style of incorporating various aspects of nature (and sixth's Native-American influence) embodies the Druid spirit. So, naturally, Tier 7 was a pretty big letdown for me (in addition to it just being a slightly modified tier 3). How does that have anything to do with druids, other than the snake on the shoulder pads and the green color? Seriously.
Tier 8's return to nature, complete with the Ulduar motif of creationism and stone golems, is a sight to behold. Bravo, Blizzard! I will wear Tier 8 with pride!
Until the next Faerie Fire pull...
-Lushious
My friend, Doublevision, separated by 160 miles between us, finally coerced me into playing WoW. It was a way we could "hang out," without actually driving three hours either way to do so.
Now, I'd been adamant about playing WoW since it first came out. As a full-time college student, going to one of the toughest business schools in the nation, the thought of dropping out of college on account of an all-consuming video game was very real to me and, as such, much opposed.
See, I have an addictive personality. :P
Suffice to say, I did get to see my fair share of Warcraft adventures. A good college friend of mine was very active in the game and I watched him play from time to time since launch. I would only sit and watch, never taking the reigns. In time I could carry on decent conversations with players, even though I was not a player myself.
Once graduated and three months into the workforce, on that fateful August day, Doublevision finally twisted my hand and I caved. I joined the ranks of Alliance and Horde to vanquish a common foe.
The biggest decision I had to make, of course, was what kind of character would I be? Double and I discussed this greatly. He was happy to inform me of the inner-workings of all of the classes. In the end, I had it narrowed down to three classes:
* Hunter
* Shaman
* Druid
The hunter interested me because of their pet. How cool would it be to sick Fido on a pack of killer crabs? Having a partner-in-crime as I leveled is a cool component of the class and I nearly rolled the dice on this class.
The Shaman was an easy choice for me. As a master of the planet's natural energy, Shaman's particularly connected with me. I grew up in a house that admired and respected the Native-American culture, and the Shamans embodied their spirits closely. I chose against the Shaman, though, because I fell in love with the following class.
The Druid. That was it. I knew instantly. Incorporating the natural angle of the Shaman (though to a different extent) and the unique hook of shape shifting, there was no doubt in my mind. And, of course, the ability to mimic any other classes' playing style (melee, caster, healz, or tank) only sealed the deal. In a lot of ways, the Druid mimics who I am. I am a vegetarian with strong values that acknowledges, appreciates, and respects the earth's life force. Some might be quick to label that as being a "hippie," but I wouldn't say that of myself. "Eco-nerd" is what I said once to a co-worker, and I feel that describes me pretty accurately.
And that is Part I of my origin story. Part II intends on detailing my venture into bear country and how I survived and only got a t-shirt. Tune in to see what happens next!
In other WoW news, I am totally digging Druid Tier 8 armor (male and female). Tier sets 1, 5, and 6 have always appealed to me. Their art style of incorporating various aspects of nature (and sixth's Native-American influence) embodies the Druid spirit. So, naturally, Tier 7 was a pretty big letdown for me (in addition to it just being a slightly modified tier 3). How does that have anything to do with druids, other than the snake on the shoulder pads and the green color? Seriously.
Tier 8's return to nature, complete with the Ulduar motif of creationism and stone golems, is a sight to behold. Bravo, Blizzard! I will wear Tier 8 with pride!
Until the next Faerie Fire pull...
-Lushious
2/24/09
Howdy, Stranger
Wow. A lot sure can happen in a month's time. Just a quick recap of where I've been and what my Azeroth adventures have led me to:
* Left my stalemate of a guild to join one that is equally serious about progression as I am. My first week in the guild had my tanking Sarth with three drakes up and led us to our first 3 drake victory.
* I am now best in slot, except for Origin of Nightmares and Gatekeeper.
* I've been working a LOT. This has been counter-productive to my blogging, as any free time has been spent playing the game and not writing about it.
* In my guild I've had to cat-scratch a lot of bosses, when not tanking. This was met with groans initially, but I've come to enjoy the cat rotation now.
* I snagged the Nobles Deck in just one week after posting High Rollers Only. And at the cost of only 8000 gold before the changes to Inscriptionist's ink!
As things begin to wind down in my work life, I should find myself posting more often. On the plus side, WoW news is aplenty right now.
3.1 hit the PTR today. I've had just about 15 minutes to play with it. I wish I had more, but I've been encountering nasty memory crashes every 3 minutes. So, I cannot offer any opinions on the fun stuff, like swimming mounts or dual-specs, but I can speak about the following:
I lost about 6000 armor in bear form with the redone Survival of the Fittest. That stings really, really, really badly right now. I'm sure as I begin to acquire the latest Ulduar gear I'll work my way back to the 33,000 armor I had before the patch.
Yes, I'm still putting stock in armor. I'm not too worried about my crit chance, since I'm already of the mindset of stacking agility. I think as long as I keep my current mindset of stacking armor, health, and agility I'll be in a good place for Savage Defense.
Goodbye Outfitter. Blizzard's new outfitter-esque interface item is awesome. It sits in the Character item screen, in the upper right-hand corner. Ala Outfitter. It works the same way, really. I am of the mentality that the less Add-ons running, the better. So, any opportunity to replace a Group Calendar or an Outfitter is a good thing in my eyes.
Get ready to replace Trollwoven Girdle with Death-warmed Belt.
Until the next Faerie Fire pull...
-Lushious
* Left my stalemate of a guild to join one that is equally serious about progression as I am. My first week in the guild had my tanking Sarth with three drakes up and led us to our first 3 drake victory.
* I am now best in slot, except for Origin of Nightmares and Gatekeeper.
* I've been working a LOT. This has been counter-productive to my blogging, as any free time has been spent playing the game and not writing about it.
* In my guild I've had to cat-scratch a lot of bosses, when not tanking. This was met with groans initially, but I've come to enjoy the cat rotation now.
* I snagged the Nobles Deck in just one week after posting High Rollers Only. And at the cost of only 8000 gold before the changes to Inscriptionist's ink!
As things begin to wind down in my work life, I should find myself posting more often. On the plus side, WoW news is aplenty right now.
3.1 hit the PTR today. I've had just about 15 minutes to play with it. I wish I had more, but I've been encountering nasty memory crashes every 3 minutes. So, I cannot offer any opinions on the fun stuff, like swimming mounts or dual-specs, but I can speak about the following:
I lost about 6000 armor in bear form with the redone Survival of the Fittest. That stings really, really, really badly right now. I'm sure as I begin to acquire the latest Ulduar gear I'll work my way back to the 33,000 armor I had before the patch.
Yes, I'm still putting stock in armor. I'm not too worried about my crit chance, since I'm already of the mindset of stacking agility. I think as long as I keep my current mindset of stacking armor, health, and agility I'll be in a good place for Savage Defense.
Goodbye Outfitter. Blizzard's new outfitter-esque interface item is awesome. It sits in the Character item screen, in the upper right-hand corner. Ala Outfitter. It works the same way, really. I am of the mentality that the less Add-ons running, the better. So, any opportunity to replace a Group Calendar or an Outfitter is a good thing in my eyes.
Get ready to replace Trollwoven Girdle with Death-warmed Belt.
Until the next Faerie Fire pull...
-Lushious
1/8/09
Momentarily Away from Keyboard
Sorry for the lack of updates (I'm sure all one of you regular readers are sad), but work has been busy and has been spilling into my personal time.
However, I did want to offer my condolences to Big Bear Butt. I wish you and your family the best during these trying times. Keep your big furry bear head up!
Until the next Faerie Fire pull...
-Lushious
However, I did want to offer my condolences to Big Bear Butt. I wish you and your family the best during these trying times. Keep your big furry bear head up!
Until the next Faerie Fire pull...
-Lushious
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