Noblegarden

 Last night in Warsong Gulch (I know I spend way to much time there!), I was on my pally having fun with the "turn your group in to bunnies blossoming branch" and one of the team stayed in rabbit form and actually ran the flag.  

Good times.

(before anyone asks, no this is not my usual UI setup, but how I have it for classes I don't play often - pally/shammy/rogue.

WoW Warsong Gulch weekend

Battleground weekends aka now known as Call to Arms start Thursday and runs through Tuesday.  Extra honor and experience (leveling) are worth participating in the featured BG.


Thursday night my druid went from level 46 to 50 just in Warsong Gulch (one of my favorites especially with the 20 minute time). Although I did hear someone complain yesterday "not another drawn out 20 minute win".  I had to laugh and asked if he remembered when WSG could literally take 45 minutes to a few hours - he didn't.  I'll take the 20 minutes.

1. Yes turtles exist but they always have.  
2. Yes graveyard campers exist but they always have.  
3. Yes people farming HK midfield exist, but they always have.

I hadn't realized WSG was the Call to Arms, and so surprised when my druid was leveling every two or so wins.  Nice XP gain there!  Dinged 50 Thursday evening, proceeded to level the lock and hunter both to 40 (4 levels each) and the second hunter is sitting at 38 on Friday.  I'm going to try and get her to 40 too.  Then work on the pally and rogue tomorrow.

BGs and PvP are back

All battlegrounds are fun imho, but thoroughly enjoying the newest to join the Wrath battlegrounds (Strand of the Ancients & Wintergrasp) - Isle of Conquest.

Isle of Conquest

I love Isle of Conquest. It's fun, fast paced and has a bit of everything and you get to pvp!

• Capture the flag
• Defend your keep/leader
• Take and defend resources
• Man siege machines
• Carry bombs to break down gates
• Flying machines that you jump/parachute into the opponents base

What more could you ask for?


Warsong Gulch

Warsong Gulch has the new 20 minute timer which I'm trying to view in a positive light. I definitely approved the time limit in Warhammer scenarios, so good to see Blizzard adopt this for what can often be a turtle-fest in Warsong Gulch. I like this bg, but having been in ones that have gone on literally for a couple of hours - it can be a huge time sink.

The downside, one quick flag cap and excellent defense/turtle will win. I'm hoping that won't be the case, but it could very well be.

I did one Warsong on a mid 20 hunter. The xp gain was between 500-600xp. I don't remember what quest xp goes for at that level, but for 20 minutes and gaining honor/marks it's full of win for me! It was a typical PUG, good/bad/whiners/complainers - but fun.


Arathi Basin and Eye of the Storm

The lower resource points needed to win from 2000 to 1600 - I'm not sure I get the need for that. Neither of those two bg's are very long, but I did notice in the couple I did yesterday, alot more running to cap and alot less defending. The map constantly changed in AB. It will be interesting to see how much of a difference that makes. I haven't tried EoTS yet. AB xp gain for around 16K on a lower lever 40's player.


Alteric Valley

The only change here - more people likely to queue for the huge xp gains. Playing this at different levels it's a completely different game. The 50's and 60's can be a slog/back and forth more destroy and defend along the way with a split offense/defense. While the 71-80 seems to be constant zerg to kill the leader. I haven't tried AV at level 80, but level 62 DK the xp gain was close to 57k.


Wintergrasp

I'm admittedly still lost in Wintergrasp, so do alot of random running, killing and dying. But then I've only been in a few so far! Supposedly the lag issue has been fixed. That would be great, but I'm not holding my breath - Dalaran, Wintergrasp and the Tournament Grounds are horrific at times.

It's good to have the change of being able to fly over WG as long as you stay up high as I've been unmounted a couple of times not paying attentin flying about.


Battleground XP

I've not read anywhere online how the xp is being calculated, but I'm glad they've added it! The complaints in the lower brackets of the OP twinks dominating will be gone as the majority of twinks will turn the xp off (10g cost) and will only be facing other xp off opponents. I'm hoping this won't kill the twink brackets (I've only made casual twinks, but it's still fun). I'm assuming many twinks will migrate to a few of the more active battlegroups. Hint, hint - it would be great to offer free transfers for them Bliz!

I'm curious to see though if some will 'twink' a toon for world pvp. As they can turn off xp, gear up and have lots of fun! I can see the level 19 twinks ganking the 20-30 level people - I'm sure the GM's will hear lots of complaints. But it may bring back more world pvp on the pvp servers - yeah!

I can definitely see more people that like pvp leveling in battlegrounds. Maybe not at all times, but a nice way to level in addition to dungeon crawls and questing. As an avid lover of pvp, I'm sure I'll spend time in the different level bgs.

PvP pug style

**This is written mostly for Warsong Gulch as I've been in quite a few of those as of late, but it's just as true for any of the BG's. **

Yesterday in one battleground, I was on my 'lock and asked if the three hunters in our group could please call out positions. The response "Open your mini map. It's the guy with the flag." Hmmm. WoW. The guy with the flag - /smackhead Why didn't I think of that?

I responded, "I play with it open, but YOU can see everyone on the field with tracking including which direction the EFC is going BEFORE he/she leaves our base." Not to mention how many players are with him/her.

"So?"

"Can you please call out their direction."

"Just look at your map."

This is going no where obviously. "Fine forget it, just thought you could be useful." Thinking huntard, huntard huntard to myself, but I didn't type it!

The next response was priceless from one of the hunters - "All you have to do is dot, dot, dot. How hard is that?" I had to stop myself from saying as hard as standing 35 yrds from someone while my pet kills them or sitting midfield farming honor. My other response was - you're wrong we dot, dot, drain! Had to stop myself from typing that. Argh.

Which led me to writing how to be helpful in a Warsong Gulch (or any BG).

++++

The majority of us are in battleground PUGs (pick up groups), as premades are generally guild or twink type events.

Many people (yours truly included), enjoy battlegrounds and accept the fact you'll have people in there for a variety of reasons:

• those that like battlegrounds
• those that just want their mark and will do as little as possible
  
• those that want to top the kills or else
• those that are just after another achievement

Whatever reason(s) a person is there, it's great if they're a contributing member of the team. I know, no-brainer right? But how many BG's have you been in where the healer doesn't heal, the dps (generally hunters) sit midfield and just rack in the kills, the lowest level person on the team is screaming 'help me, help me' as they tried to get the flag by themselves, or the really treat - the guy that yells at everyone for being useless noobs, crap team, L2P, blah blah blah.

The disintegration of the team is pending as they implode in a typing match of insults!

Some ways to be a better team-mate. COMMUNICATION IS THE KEY!

1. Flag carriers - don't outrun your support/healers just cause the 'boots' are there, then complain no one helped. Let the team no what you're planning to do. Especially if no one is with you when you pick up the flag. A quick 'going tun/gy/ramp' can help your team get to you to escort you or stop the other team.
   
2. Healers - heal!
3. If you're part of the offense then work together (rogues and druids) can state positions/member with the EFC. It's easier if you know there are three healers in their base on the roof then going in blind!
4. If you're part of the defense - call out incoming. This is especially easy for hunters as they do get to see the 'dots' on the map with their tracking ability.
5. IF you're on defense and the flag is picked up - call out a direction. It saves time for those going to stop the flag carrier - 'EFC Tun, EFC ramp, EFC gy'
6. Warlocks tab dot everything
7. Warriors hamsting everyone
8. If healers are helping the FC or healing you - protect them!

I'm looking forward with trepidation to the upcoming changes to BG's as I think it will be helpful in some respects being able to level in battleground, but I'm not sure yet how this is going to affect the twink community.

It may be interesting or a whole 'nother round of furious forum fighting until Blizzard changes things again!

Random happenings

Sithi has always thought Draenei are hot (Sass - another character - is like that with Taurens. Inter-race relations ftw), so she's always giving them a second glance. This hottie, Commander Steele, in Shattrath is one she especially admires, although he's very tall, even by elf standards!! While Draenei shopping, this was spotted - Grand Anchorite Almonen (apparently has two female heads chained to his shoulders! Some odd scale of justice? Why human for a Draenei? hmmm

The new guild had a bit of fun trying to kill the dragon Emeriss, in Seradane (Hinterlands). He didn't want to go down without a fight.It was hilarious as this dragon deals some seriously wicked damage, and has around 840K HP. I spent alot of time dead sprouting as a mushroom. It was fun, even though we didn't end up killing him. I guess maybe it should be attempted before 2 a.m. when people are more awake!


Frothe, the 19 casual twink had got her 1,000 honorable kill. She's alot of fun to play, even getting her butt walloped by a much better warlock (awesome gear/abilities) yesterday. I'm sure he was feeling very uber as it was hunt the gnome to kill her again in WSG - lol! The random heavy 'hunter' ones are definitely no fun, but she still tends to be high on the damage/kills every BG - dot, dot, drain - lol.
I found out on my current server the chance of getting her the necessary +power enchants are close to zero, as they're Molton Core rare drops. Possibly might find one on the Horde side if I can talk via the forums and get it to the neutral AH. Argh. So either she'll need to move or live without them. I'm actually thinking to wait and see how the patch changes battlegrounds before making any decisions!


Horde side
The other Sithi, was chasing Alliance through Ashenvale. I've seen them going the opposite way, but never been on their tail. All we needed were some WWII fighter sounds!
She's gone up two levels roaming Azeroth during the Midsummer Fire Festival and is sitting in the Swamp of Sorrows at level 42.

Frothe

I thoroughly enjoy Battlegrounds (BGs) in World of Warcraft as I’ve mentioned before. It’s one part of WoW that keeps me playing.

Sass played so many I maxed honor 2x and that was with a full set of PvP gear, mounts and other 'stuff'. Keg is a blast to play, even in the 10-19’s dominated by rogues and hunters, as a hunter, I’m still enjoying him.

As, I wanted to try another class, I looked through the cast of characters and decided to level my warlock -

Enter Frothe!

Cute as a button, pink pigtailed gnome warlock that I made back in 2007. She was created during Brewfest on my second attempt at WoW, (the first way back in 2004/5 I hated the game!)

Why a pink haired gnome warlock? To annoy my "Horde onto death" daughter that crosses continents to kill gnomes. What better way to have lively family debate then to roll a gnome?

Frothe did Brewfest (dinged level six and has her wolpertinger), I ended up rolling another Horde character (a mage), so Frothe had a long nap!

Until two months ago.

I started researching what was involved with a warlock (seriously no clue on how you got soul stones at that point or what was this drain mana/life thing), but I figured she was sitting around – how many hunters could I play anyway? No comment - I'll incriminate myself!

Soooo, we redid her professions to engineeringfor the goggles and minor recombobulator and herbalism for the lifeblood buff. She's ran instances (DM, WC and BFD) and 'discovered' areas she'd need prior to level 19. She's still in need of a different weapon, but the staff is not dropping and the enchants she needs are not readily available (may have to level an enchanter just to do them!).

After playing Horde primarily, I'm really get a kick out of playing a gnome - a true PvP magnet! I'm learning how to play a warlock and I’m sure by warlock standards I’m pretty laughable, but she’s doing okay in BG’s so far, as well as out in the world!


Unfortunately, Frothe, like Keggard, is doomed to be an unfinished twink for a few reasons.

Mostly, I'm not sure I'm that dedicated to twinking - are there casual twinkers? I view the twinking a bit like raiding from some of the things I read. While I admire the dedication of raiders and twinkers, I'm not sure that interests me! I’m just not that hardcore.

There are also, obstacles to overcome.

• No level 80 to get the BoA (bind on account) gear
• Enchants she needs are hard to come by as in unavailable or outrageously priced.
• AGM (Arena Grand Master) trinket is now an achievement, so Gurubashi is populated with many level 80’s
• Sunday is not a day I play much WoW, takes the fishing tourney out(no hat/no boots!) let alone compete in it!

We’ll keep plugging away at getting her enchants, and staff, but the rest may not ever happen!

Frothe, like Keg, is holding her own – minimal deaths and high up on the dps/kills scoreboard. I even forced her/me to carry the flag once. LOL! I have no talent in that direction nor desire, but she did it.

Battlegrounds and twinks

I've finally leveled Keggard to 19 running thru Dead Mines one last time trying to get a drop. No joy, so he's likely done as he's 43% to level 20 and I'm keeping a healthy margin - just in case!

Keggard and Widget his spider

Keg is a semi-twink, as I don't have a level 80 to collect badges for BoA gear, and he missed out on the grandfathered in twink things. I'm really glad we bought some of the things for him back in January before moving to Darrowmere, as some enchants/gear I still haven't seen for sale on this server! The downside his 100 HP chest enchant was nerfed with the last patch, so he's back to a 50 HP. I do need to get an enchant for his hit rating, but I'll confess I barely understand that, sooo we'll see!

So, he's fairly competitive, but still missing some of the key 'twink' gear. Here's his armory profile - Keggard. We're working on the Alliance trinket now.

I'd like to get the AGM (Arena Grand Master) trinket and the Fishing Tournament gear, but doubt this will happen! This was my first attempt at a twink, I'm happy - he's a hunter (I LOVE that class) and I'm having fun so its all good!

This is what he did the first two days playing at level 19 -

Ir's a bit embarrassing but I actually had to run the flag - not my favorite - but the healer didn't want to so I did. I'd rather defend the base or go on O to support the flag runner, than actually run a flag. Just not my thing!

I did get an invite to a twink guild, but don't see any reason to at this point. Although I do want to make more twinks - hunters definitely, but also thinking of a 'lock, or warrior or shaman for the 19's. I'm not sure I'd be good at any of those classes but it could prove to be fun!

As for the actual battlegrounds, it's been an experience. You get the gambit from the passing through 'I hate twinks', to the twinks that scream at everyone and how horrible they all are, to the rest of us that are trying to have fun!

I do feel bad for people leveling thru with the twinks, as some get really upset that twinks exist. But from all I've read/know they're not interested in those players, you want the competition of the other twinks, otherwise its a slaughterfest. Nothing is more enjoyable to me than trying to burn down the hard to kill rogue or other hunter or paladin. There are some awesomely geared players that really know their class - lol - half the time I want to stop and watch them!

I rememeber my first BGS on my mage and shadow priest - they were so painful - but I had that L2P learning curve, I'm still a horrid mage (why she's at 22 after two years!), but have learned some strategy in playing. The only bad side is playing both Horde/Alliance some times you forget which side your on - lol! Good times!

Warsong Gulch 10-19

Keggard dipped his toe in the 10-19 bracket as a semi-twink! Didn't do to bad at level 18.  I'm not sure I have the desire for complete twinkage as I don't want to 2v2, or feel the need to one-shot level 10's.  It is nice though to not die quite so easily  - lol!!  

The big BUT - I need to learn to NOT argue with the @#$#^ twinks that hate everyone but themselves. Most seem to be okay but there always has to be one in almost every BG - the guy that constantly types negative things about eveyone else, and how unfortunate the are to be in this BG, etc.  The one the other day, OMG!!!  Irritating beyond.  No one but him knew how to play, no one but him could play, no one but him was worthy of being in that BG.  We were all (all 9 of us) eight year old nubs that couldn't follow direction.  So, I had to point out to him that as I was an eight year old nub (he couldn't spell well either), I most definitely could NOT follow direction as I was too in awe of his 1337 abilities!  It degraded from there - lol!  I finally apologized to the rest of my team for the wall of text argument and /ignored that jerk for the rest of the game.

I'm practicing a new mantra - of ignore them, ignore them, ignore them - so I won't feel the need to get down to their level of stupid. They always win. /sigh

Here he is with new pet spider - Widget.  Both Widget and Jack (hyena) are making appearances in Warsong Gulch.