World Explorer

W00t! Finally finished World Explorer and have the tabard to prove it!

Silly me, did NOT realize that Cold Weather flying could be purchased BEFORE Artisan (still 1500g to go), sooo I've been riding and using public transportation. When I found out, after ranting for a half hour, I grabbed it and set off to finish Exploring Northrend.

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!

More screenies

Blizzard's never ending love of poop quests.

Dig through it in Hellfire Pennisula. More poop digging in Borean Tundra. Now in Grizzly Hills - it's your own fecal matter that needs to be examined! You actually have to 'give up' some seeds that you gobble up. Mmm Amberseeds
starts this quest chain (three parts.)

Blackroot Stalks are transform into a purgative. Master Woodsman Andorhol, will send you to the outhouse for 'recovery'. This is complete with animation and sound effects - oh my!

Found a potion on the ground in the Sewers of Dalaran, stuck it in my bags. When I saw it last night, I of course being daring, drank it - ah life as a winged insect!

Fluttered a bit. Not bad. Until I tried to move off the lawn in Dalaran. A warning came up that I was not in a suitable flying zone - ROFL!!! But I'm a bug!

Turned back in to an elf very quickly. Thought it would have been fun to fly around with my wolf and vanity pet out! (The addon Livestock is fantastic if you have a ton of vanity pets. It will do the same for mounts.)

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.

Iron Construct

This quest chain that begins with Walt, Explorers League cracked me up!

You are helping build an Iron Construct to infiltrate the Iron Dwarves and see what they're up to. There are a few steps collecting items, and a plane ride back. I was warned don't take it as it's too long. Hey I'm a tourist! I must go see what's over the next horizon!

** you can see a full view of the Titan statue (next photo down) from the plane ride.Once you've collected everything you become the Construct. Another fun 'dress up' quest. It's actually humerous. You jump off and take no falling damage, have pads to jump around the mine. Can 'bluff' the guards. Apparently as an Construct you have a sense of humor -
At the end you're on a long flight with a risk of blowing up over Howling Fjord.
Hey it's better than bring me 10 rat ears, right?

Achievement time

Sithi has moved to a new guild. We're crossing fingers/toes this one will be fun, as this is a stretch - she may actually start getting geared for raiding. No promises, but going to try and push our comfort zone a tad!

A well guarded secret was revealed to the guild on the first day - I don't duel. I know heresy, especially from someone so in love with pvp. The person that recruited Sithi to the new guild, is a death knight. We have grouped together a few times, he's a very enthusiastic player, while we were waiting for the rest of the group to do our daily summon Ahune, he asked Sithi to duel.

We did. He won - barely.

I didn't say we're bad at dueling, just not something I seek! He asked again while we were outside Coilfang - not a good idea DK! I have room to move now - bwaaaha.
You could have heard a pin drop in guild chat. Level 76 (at the time!) and you've never won a duel? Someone finally asked.

I said well in truth this is the third or fourth duel she's been in and the other two were pre-achievement time!

The downside to our duel. We had just recovered to full health and a level 80 pally from the Horde came along caught the DK, he was almost dead when I sent my wolf on him. Apparently they hadn't seen me, but being the supportive guildie that I am I jumped in - lol! Now it's dead wolf, and a pissed of pally! I tried dropping a trap as death was approaching
oh well, score two for the pally!

I didn't have vent up so missed the dialog there, but this led to an invitation to group with some of the guild. The group ended up being the GM, co-GM, and two senior officers. Not to bad Sith! We blew through three instances in Coilfang, Underbog, Slave Pens and Steam Vault, performed at best adequately, definitely wasn't beating the level 80's in dps! But also kept my pet in control, managed to not get lost, die or anything else very lame - all while trying to get my vent working. A new weird one - I'm in vent but no sound. Argh!

Three more achievements under the belt as - you're right - the first time in any of those instances! I'm sure they're in shock, but I did tell them I had solo'd on this hunter most of the content.

Apparently Sithi did okay as she was promoted after only three hours in the guild! LOL! A good day.

She's sitting right now at level 77, frantically working to make money for her artisan/cold weather flying skill (1500g to go) with two swift gryphons in the bank waiting. The albino drake is getting closer!!!!

The big question after this will Sithi NEED to go for the mountain of mounts? 100 mounts - oy! It would be only for the achievement, not that keen on the dragonhawk!

More Howling Fjord fun

Sithi hasn't completed all the quests in Howling Fjord, but we're getting close! Exploring is so much more fun though than playing kill 10 bats, bring me 5 lizard tails - lol!

The quests she has been on are very green/easy especially as she's back with her favorite gorilla tanking away and these are level 65-71 quests being done at level 77!

Sithi chose to take the gorilla out, as it speeds things up dramatically. She should keep leveling the wolf for eventual grouping/raiding, but for solo the gorilla is so full of win!!!

This group of quests Sithi did, continues on killing the vrykul now in in Gjalerbron. Freeing prisoners, slaying warriors, sleep-watchers, summoners - taking out the usual variety of nasties! Watch out for the sleep-watcher if you solo, as someone is going to be taking a nap!

There are also a couple of squeamishly ugly mobs there, in fact I must say these two - Putrid wight and sepulchral overseer have to be two of the creepiest ones I've seen in the game! The overseer according to wowhead.com there are 17 other mobs with this same model. Go figure, I don't have a clear memory of it anywhere else!

There is apparently a quest to go back and kill more Gjalerbron residents, one that is listed as (2) player calling a

Gjalerbron's King Ymiron is inside the main palace. Another place to explore on the next visit!



On our wander around Gjalerbron, Sithi ran across this nymph encased in ice -
As Sithi has not tried the Argent Tournament, the nod for this quest npc to the Athurian legend surrounding Excalibur. Checking wowhead, she's apparently part of a daily quest chain there. More fun to come!

Oh if you like grinding on kobolds (the no take candle guys) there's a bunch up the mountain behind the Maid.


Segueing, if you do dailies - for the fun, the grind, the money or all three - this one at Steel Gate is thoroughly enjoyable - Steel Gate Patrol.

There is a quick quest that leads up to it hauling bags of ore from the mine up to the surface. It really is quick and painless.

The follow up quest, is what will become your daily. You're given the keys to one of their noisy, smoking planes to patrol, i.e. take out gargoyles. Just keep moving and shooting its that fast.

This quest is so quick and easy it's not be missed! When it's done you parachute out of the plane too! <3 this one!

Sithi has moved towards Grizzly Hills and has completed a couple of dailies there too. Cold weather flying will make all of this so much quicker though!

Howling Fjord

HOWLING FJORD

Howling Fjord is a fun area from a lore perspective, as this is where Arthas first landed in his pursuit of Mal'Ganis. He then burned his boats so they could not leave, stranding his soldiers and we all know what happened to Arthas! Those humans and dwarf descendants have been there ever since fortifying Valgarde.

It's a great area for skinners or those harvesting meat as there are many herds of shoveltusk roaming around (borean leather, scraps, artic fur and meat all sell well on most servers).

The quest Let's Go Surfing Now on a blazing arrow was a quick way back down to Valgarde from the vrykul town of Nifflevar up top.

The dialog between the vrykul is worth reading in this quest - The Echo of Ymiron. Interesting bits of lore sprinkled through the area. Don't forget while you're in the spirit form, make sure to visit the Lich King for his dialog.

Twinks and Patch 3.2

Patch 3.2 is going to have some interesting changes for Twinks.

• Battleground experience has arrived!
• Players will now be awarded experience for completing objectives and actions that yield honor in Battlegrounds (honorable kills not included).
• Players who do not wish to gain experience through PvP can visit Behsten in Stormwind or Slahtz in Orgrimmar - both located near the Battlemasters in either city - and turn off all experience accumulation for the cost of 10 gold.
• Disabling experience gains will prevent a player from gaining experience through any means available in the game.
• Players with experience gains turned off who compete in Battlegrounds will face off only against other players with experience gains turned off.
• Behsten and Slahtz can reinstate experience gains for players, for a 10 gold fee of course. Any experience that would've been accumulated if experience gains were enabled cannot be recovered.

Twinks are finally accepted! Kudos Blizzard finally! The whole XP on/off will allow those (like me) that like to pvp to do so against other twinks (no xp) or against anyone in the xp side. I'm very glad that Blizz 'borrowed' this from Warhammer as the XP while pvping in scenarios was a favorite of mine in that gam.

WHAT WILL TWINKS DO?

1. Will this cause longer queue's for twinks?
   
2. Do twinks need to consider relocating to more populated battlegroups?
   
3. Join twink guilds?
   
4. Band together for fun?
5. Quit?
6. Play on xp enabled new toons?

It would be considerate with these changes for Blizzard to allow twinks free server transfers as nothing will be worse than finally having battlegrounds that can be twink v twink only to queue for an hour or more as there just isn't that many twinks available!

Add to that the new change that WSG (Warsong Gulch) will now have a 20 minute cap - good for the XP in BG's group, for the twinks it will be too short. A battle that is 40-60 minutes would make more sense. How lame would it be to queue for 15 minutes or more only to be in for 20 minutes? The timing needs to be re-thought especially for the no xp gain group!

Those are not the only changes - there is also the mount availability starting at level 20 - that will change the 20-29 bracket I imagine. The 10-19's will be different with hunters, shamans and druids getting their speed boost now at 16! That will be fun to try to get that FC, although much discussion centers around the fact that premade or twink heavy BGs are played differently than PUGs. More midfield activity, less starting heavily defending an more coordination of team effort.

WHY I LOVE PUGs in BGs
At any level, a PUG group that can pull it together and win is fun to me. Can we mount a good offense and defense from 10+ unaligned people?
No vent and work together to win.

Getting people to communicate is the hardest part, but one I really push for. I'm a tad chatty in BG's in that I give positions, tell incoming - not three inc tun. But two hunters and a lock inc tun! Druid taking farm! It helps decide what to do - imho - based on the class and also the incoming players. Six DK's incoming stables is more helpful than inc stables help!

MY TWINKS

As for my own growing band of twinkies - I'm not sure what to do. I've been fairly resistant to joining a twink guild. Mostly because of some of the twinks I play against and their need to exploit/hack the game. What's the point? When you have 1500-2K HP already, do you really need to hack the game? I guess if that's all that is left to accomplish. I fully understand trying to craft the best twink out there, but if hacking/exploits is the way to go - no thanks! The ones that have the dedication to get the fishing gear, run an instance umpteen times or get an AGM - I congratulate your efforts.

Combine that with my imagined view that a twink guild is going to be like a raid guild with mandatory attendance, etc., and I'm not sure I'm up for that. Better gear would be sweet (dreams of AGM's), along with a fairly equal footing regarding player levels/abilities/gear, the chance to try arenas in the lower brackets, etc..

Need to mull it over. Maybe if I found a twink guild that played fairly (no cheats, exploits, hacks), were competitive without losing their minds over it - fun is what I'm looking for - I need a casual twink guild. Is there such a beast?

Since I have the two alliance casual twinks (lock and hunter), I'm now working on the horde side - again a lock and two hunters one for 19's/29's (really considering a pally though!).

After that I'm really going to stretch myself and work on a warrior (level 2 now). My level 19 acciental warrior (RaF while you're tired is not a good idea - thought I was leveling a pally but leveled a warrior!). Yeah, I know lame! I have major suckage as a warrior I will admit. Heck I have trouble in bear form on my druid! But then again those are such low played alts I'm really guessing as to what to do!

Anyway I did go through one WSG and it was dismal on the warrior! I managed to gain three achievements but it was a real L2P experience! The whole rage generation I'm still getting the hang of against live people. It's not hard against NPC's I've found. So, I'm not sure how successful this will be! More practice before I work on the lvl 2!

I had thought to roll a healer, and may still or maybe dust of the mage that's been on ice for a couple of years - lol.

I did level my very un-twinked Priest under a variety of specs in BGs (holy, disc, sp, blend). She actually capped out honor I think 2 or 3 times and was fully geared before she was level 70. So, I know I can tolerate healing - I just don't love it like some do! My former guild constantly harangued me to ‘go level’ but battlegrounds called and I was off! May have to throw her back into the mix too!

There are also a few higher level characters I'm working slowly on for the 29's, 39's and 49's. I'd love to do the 59's as you get such a good variety of BG's, but Death Knights have made it, well not a whole lotta fun, so I'm not sure I want to at this point.

Now that Blizzard has made so many new BG’s for the level 80’s though I may just want to get a couple of the gang there to try them out – especially before 3.2 and the new one!


TWINK INFO
If you're interested in twinking two resources - PwnDepot and TwinkInfo as well as the WoW Forums (specifically the battlegroup forums) have loads of information. Most of the 'true' twink community is very knowledgable and willing to share information - not hand it to you, but help. The /wrist noob comment group - well they're everywhere and need to be /ignored!

Dalaran at last!!!

Sithi's finally in Dalaran. It's been a long six months waiting to go, but I wasn't going to have this new city adventure ruined! I've been avoiding all things Northrend, as I wanted the surprise and fun exploring a new area without commentary!

Shattrath was so anti-climatic after having my hearth there for 40+ levels. But I didn't know any better, the guild were helping me - a total nooblet. Now as irritating and as slooow as it can be, all characters take the boats/zeps/birds around until they can go through the portal at level 58!

None with hearth in Dalaran until they do the quest either. I know weird, but that's the way it will be!

Travel will be a moot point soon since patch 3.2 there will be a direct route to the dark portal from Org/SW with a direct flight to Shattrath on the other side.

Personally, I've enjoyed that heart-thumping ride though Outlands as a new level 58. I would have loved to go through the portal for the first time when Outlands was fresh and new - it would have been fantastic! Now it's a maniac ride -

• Hoping the flying gankers don't notice me.
• Hoping I don't aggro ever beastie on the way and get dismounted.
• Hoping not to get stepped on so many times by the Fel Reaver this time

It's such a relief to finally reach Shattrath - but oh so fun!

The downside to Dalaran - lag and d/c time! My PC froze every time Sithi took a step. Four freezes later, I went to the forums. Delete your cache, move the WTF and Interface files. Try again. No joy! I finally deleted off all the games I'm not playing (backed up to external HD), did a disk cleanup and defragged and that seemed to work.

Tried it on low settings, with the standard UI - all works. Relog with normal - a bit choppy down to 22-25fps at times, but at least I have my UI!!!!

As for Dalaran! Wowzers! I really like the city. Pretty, easy to get around and the layout is great. It's all there but some things are hidden so you're forced to explore. If Bliz can get it to be a bit more stable it will be perfect.

So Sithi is at home in Dalaran. She's already working the daily cooking & fishing quests. She's closing the gap to cold weather flying (short on cash at the moment so being industrious!! Level 77 will bring artisan and cold weather flying along with the albino drake! I'm so excited for that!