We didn't quite clear three wings tonight, but we had a couple of less experienced people along. Mixing up the numbers a bit is starting to balance things out, and more people are becoming familiar with the encounters, and gearing up to boot.
I got Embrace of the Spider. That leaves one ring and my cloak to replace before I am fully epicked -- albeit mostly level 200 purples.
I intend to try and finish off Storm Peaks and Sholazar Basin by the end of February. All this Lunar Festival shenanigans has me distracted somewhat. Tonight after raid, I managed to get the following achievements: Elders of Kalimdor, Elders of the Horde, 50 Coins of Ancestry and Lunar Festival Finery.
All that remains is slaying the drag- erm, locating and speaking to the Elders of Northrend and its dungeons.
Last night, my guild leader promoted me and one other person in guild to be officers. I don't take such a responsibility lightly at all and intend to fulfil my duties as best I can, as a mature, responsible and selfless player.
Had I the chance to give an inauguration speech it would have gone something like this:
Gaiwyn rubs up against Guild Leader and farts loudly.
/train
Peace, yo.
Gaiwyn of Proudmoore
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Unholy Changes
We killed Malygos again on Wednesday night. I was outrolled on Gown of the Spell-Weaver. Maybe next time.
I respecced to Frostfire for our Thursday Naxxramas raid -- which never happened. I had a chance to try it out in five-man though, as we cleared Oculus -- I got my Champion of the Frozen Wastes achievement / title -- and a timed Culling of Stratholme run.
I respecced back to Frost today. I know that running two five-man instances isn't a real indication of how a spec feels, but I just like Frost too much, and feel that I am contributing more as a Frost mage. Play what you enjoy, imo.
It seems that a lot of people are choosing to go Arcane, and I am hearing reports of 7k on Patchwerk, 8k+ on Thaddius. With a 2-min cooldown on Evocation, I guess it's not surprising that people are jumping on the Arcane bandwagon. It will probably be normalised a little over the following weeks or maybe nerfed with the next patch.
I have also been playing my Death Knight a little bit. He is level 73 now. I respecced to Unholy and have been giving that a bit of a play. It's pretty cool having a permanent pet, and killing stuff is very easy when you just grab a big group.
The biggest problem I have found is that I am not walking away from a fight of five mobs with 99% health, as I was as Blood. It is something to get used to. I guess I need to remember to use my various protective spells more.
Gaiwyn of Proudmoore
I respecced to Frostfire for our Thursday Naxxramas raid -- which never happened. I had a chance to try it out in five-man though, as we cleared Oculus -- I got my Champion of the Frozen Wastes achievement / title -- and a timed Culling of Stratholme run.
I respecced back to Frost today. I know that running two five-man instances isn't a real indication of how a spec feels, but I just like Frost too much, and feel that I am contributing more as a Frost mage. Play what you enjoy, imo.
It seems that a lot of people are choosing to go Arcane, and I am hearing reports of 7k on Patchwerk, 8k+ on Thaddius. With a 2-min cooldown on Evocation, I guess it's not surprising that people are jumping on the Arcane bandwagon. It will probably be normalised a little over the following weeks or maybe nerfed with the next patch.
I have also been playing my Death Knight a little bit. He is level 73 now. I respecced to Unholy and have been giving that a bit of a play. It's pretty cool having a permanent pet, and killing stuff is very easy when you just grab a big group.
The biggest problem I have found is that I am not walking away from a fight of five mobs with 99% health, as I was as Blood. It is something to get used to. I guess I need to remember to use my various protective spells more.
Gaiwyn of Proudmoore
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Patch 3.0.8
Time for an update. And what better time than when a new patch is released.
3.0.8 brings about quite a few tweaks and changes. Go read the patch notes if you haven't already. I tend to immediately look for Mage changes as well as profession changes that affect my mage. Even though I play most other classes and have every profession, everything else takes less importance.
That said, let's look at the mage changes:
* Arcane Blast: This ability has been significantly changed. Arcane Blast now increases the damage of the next Arcane spell by 15%. However, using Arcane Blast itself does not consume the charge itself. Each time you cast Arcane Blast, the damage of Arcane spells is increased by 15% and the mana cost of Arcane Blast is increased by 200%. This effect stacks up to 3 times and lasts 10 seconds or until any Arcane damage spell except Arcane Blast is cast.
Good new for Arcane mages, getting that extra damage for your Arcane Barrage or Arcane Missiles (on your Missile Barrage proc).
* Arcane Flows: Now also reduces the cooldown of Evocation by 1m/2m.
Much needed for Arcane mages who burn through mana like it was sugar-water.
* Elemental Precision: Renamed to Precision and now works on all spells.
Can't really comment on much here. I guess it's a good move -- except it pretty much forces Arcane mages to get points from the Frost tree.
* Evocation: Cooldown reduced to 4 min.
Nice. As a Frost mage it's not going to make a difference, but for Frostfire and Arcane mages, being able to recover their mana every four mins (every two mins for specced Arcane mages!) is a great option for mana management.
* Improved Blizzard: The snaring effect has been reduced to 25/40/50%.
Unless I was a farming spec, more than one point in this was pointless anyway. Still, 25% is better than not slowing mobs at all.
* Incanter’s Absorption: The amount of spell damage a Mage can gain from this ability is now capped at 5% of the mages health.
No more battleground cheating, imo.
* Mirror Image: The Mirror Image Polymorph ability now has a range of 8 yards. In addition, Mirror Images will no longer have excessive threat values assigned to them when they are created.
Not good that mobs will no longer think that your Mirror Images are you. The reduced polymorph range won't make too much of a difference if you are in the thick of things, but it won't be quite as cool when standing back and no longer seeing random sheep (or penguins) appear.
* Slow Fall is now castable on others.
Wow. I didn't see this one coming. I can imagine the organised air assaults on Blacksmith now. I see them nerfing this in the next patch or taking away its effectiveness while pvp flagged or in battlegrounds.
* Torment the Weak: Now works with Arcane Blast and does bonus damage against targets afflicted with any type of slow (such as the combat slow from Thunder Clap).
This is what I was waiting for. TtW will now give my Frostbolts 12% extra damage. How cool is that?
Now, for professions:
Enchanting
* Many high level enchantment recipes have had the amount of Infinite Dust and Greater Cosmic Essence requirements significantly reduced, but with Dream Shards being added to them.
This is good. It should make levelling Enchantment a little easier overall.
* Increased the Fire damage inflicted by the Icebreaker weapon enchantment.
Meh.
* Reduced the armor penalty granted by the Berserking weapon enchantment.
Great for melee peeps wanting this enchantment.
* Increased the amount of healing from the Lifeward enchantment.
Good, I guess.
* Increased the amount of damage caused by the Icebreaker enchantment.
Meh.
* Added a new recipe to enchant bracers with Stamina. You can buy this recipe from Vanessa Sellers in Dalaran.
Excellent. This should be in much demand!
Tailoring
* Reduced the cloth required to make a Bolt of Imbued Frostweave.
I was waiting for this to be implemented. I have a heap of bolts to imbue. XD
* Simplified the materials required for Shining Spellthread and Azure Spellthread.
Good change.
* Reduced the eternals required to make Brilliant Spellthread and Sapphire Spellthread, but increased the number of Iceweb Spider Silk.
Silk, schmilk. Good change.
* Greatly reduced the materials required to make the self-only tailoring leg enchants (Master's Spellthread and Sanctified Spellthread), but these recipes no longer grant any skill gains.
Skill gains, schmi- -- you get the picture. :p
* Reduced the training cost for the normal Flying Carpet.
o.O Seriously, who cares.
* Ebonweave now requires the tailor to be in the Maw of Neltharion in Dragonblight to creating it.
Good, but porting out of the old place was no problem for a mage. :p
* Spellweave now requires the tailor to be at the Azure Dragonshrine in Dragonblight when creating it.
Ya, having everything in Dragonblight is good. Now if only I had a use for creating these cloths...
I got my Tier 7.5 gloves the other night, from Archavon: Valorous Frostfire Gloves.
Have yet to make a dent into Storm Peaks but I will eventually get there. Too much else to do, it seems! For example, I finished exploring Azeroth, landing me the achievement World Explorer and the title, "the Explorer". I also killed Baron Rivendare a few more times in Stratholme. 24 kills and not a peep of his coveted horse. One day...!
I was also present for a Malygos kill. I won the roll for Necklace of the Glittering Chamber, but the loot master gave it to the wrong person. Reassignment is still being sorted out. :/
We will be clearing three wings of Naxxramas tonight, with the other wing and our Sartharion kill tomorrow night. One of our regular ten-man healers is away, so I guess we will see how it all goes. Achievements can wait.
Speaking of more achievements, I just have to do a heroic Oculus and I will be a Champion of the Frozen Wastes. 27 more heroic achievements for Glory of the Hero and my Red Proto-Drake. XD
Gaiwyn of Proudmoore
3.0.8 brings about quite a few tweaks and changes. Go read the patch notes if you haven't already. I tend to immediately look for Mage changes as well as profession changes that affect my mage. Even though I play most other classes and have every profession, everything else takes less importance.
That said, let's look at the mage changes:
* Arcane Blast: This ability has been significantly changed. Arcane Blast now increases the damage of the next Arcane spell by 15%. However, using Arcane Blast itself does not consume the charge itself. Each time you cast Arcane Blast, the damage of Arcane spells is increased by 15% and the mana cost of Arcane Blast is increased by 200%. This effect stacks up to 3 times and lasts 10 seconds or until any Arcane damage spell except Arcane Blast is cast.
Good new for Arcane mages, getting that extra damage for your Arcane Barrage or Arcane Missiles (on your Missile Barrage proc).
* Arcane Flows: Now also reduces the cooldown of Evocation by 1m/2m.
Much needed for Arcane mages who burn through mana like it was sugar-water.
* Elemental Precision: Renamed to Precision and now works on all spells.
Can't really comment on much here. I guess it's a good move -- except it pretty much forces Arcane mages to get points from the Frost tree.
* Evocation: Cooldown reduced to 4 min.
Nice. As a Frost mage it's not going to make a difference, but for Frostfire and Arcane mages, being able to recover their mana every four mins (every two mins for specced Arcane mages!) is a great option for mana management.
* Improved Blizzard: The snaring effect has been reduced to 25/40/50%.
Unless I was a farming spec, more than one point in this was pointless anyway. Still, 25% is better than not slowing mobs at all.
* Incanter’s Absorption: The amount of spell damage a Mage can gain from this ability is now capped at 5% of the mages health.
No more battleground cheating, imo.
* Mirror Image: The Mirror Image Polymorph ability now has a range of 8 yards. In addition, Mirror Images will no longer have excessive threat values assigned to them when they are created.
Not good that mobs will no longer think that your Mirror Images are you. The reduced polymorph range won't make too much of a difference if you are in the thick of things, but it won't be quite as cool when standing back and no longer seeing random sheep (or penguins) appear.
* Slow Fall is now castable on others.
Wow. I didn't see this one coming. I can imagine the organised air assaults on Blacksmith now. I see them nerfing this in the next patch or taking away its effectiveness while pvp flagged or in battlegrounds.
* Torment the Weak: Now works with Arcane Blast and does bonus damage against targets afflicted with any type of slow (such as the combat slow from Thunder Clap).
This is what I was waiting for. TtW will now give my Frostbolts 12% extra damage. How cool is that?
Now, for professions:
Enchanting
* Many high level enchantment recipes have had the amount of Infinite Dust and Greater Cosmic Essence requirements significantly reduced, but with Dream Shards being added to them.
This is good. It should make levelling Enchantment a little easier overall.
* Increased the Fire damage inflicted by the Icebreaker weapon enchantment.
Meh.
* Reduced the armor penalty granted by the Berserking weapon enchantment.
Great for melee peeps wanting this enchantment.
* Increased the amount of healing from the Lifeward enchantment.
Good, I guess.
* Increased the amount of damage caused by the Icebreaker enchantment.
Meh.
* Added a new recipe to enchant bracers with Stamina. You can buy this recipe from Vanessa Sellers in Dalaran.
Excellent. This should be in much demand!
Tailoring
* Reduced the cloth required to make a Bolt of Imbued Frostweave.
I was waiting for this to be implemented. I have a heap of bolts to imbue. XD
* Simplified the materials required for Shining Spellthread and Azure Spellthread.
Good change.
* Reduced the eternals required to make Brilliant Spellthread and Sapphire Spellthread, but increased the number of Iceweb Spider Silk.
Silk, schmilk. Good change.
* Greatly reduced the materials required to make the self-only tailoring leg enchants (Master's Spellthread and Sanctified Spellthread), but these recipes no longer grant any skill gains.
Skill gains, schmi- -- you get the picture. :p
* Reduced the training cost for the normal Flying Carpet.
o.O Seriously, who cares.
* Ebonweave now requires the tailor to be in the Maw of Neltharion in Dragonblight to creating it.
Good, but porting out of the old place was no problem for a mage. :p
* Spellweave now requires the tailor to be at the Azure Dragonshrine in Dragonblight when creating it.
Ya, having everything in Dragonblight is good. Now if only I had a use for creating these cloths...
I got my Tier 7.5 gloves the other night, from Archavon: Valorous Frostfire Gloves.
Have yet to make a dent into Storm Peaks but I will eventually get there. Too much else to do, it seems! For example, I finished exploring Azeroth, landing me the achievement World Explorer and the title, "the Explorer". I also killed Baron Rivendare a few more times in Stratholme. 24 kills and not a peep of his coveted horse. One day...!
I was also present for a Malygos kill. I won the roll for Necklace of the Glittering Chamber, but the loot master gave it to the wrong person. Reassignment is still being sorted out. :/
We will be clearing three wings of Naxxramas tonight, with the other wing and our Sartharion kill tomorrow night. One of our regular ten-man healers is away, so I guess we will see how it all goes. Achievements can wait.
Speaking of more achievements, I just have to do a heroic Oculus and I will be a Champion of the Frozen Wastes. 27 more heroic achievements for Glory of the Hero and my Red Proto-Drake. XD
Gaiwyn of Proudmoore
Monday, January 12, 2009
The Fall of Naxxramas
We finished Naxxramas last night, garnering me two more pieces of loot and more achievements:
[Chestguard of the Lost Vanquisher] from The Four Horsemen (one of whom is actually a horsewoman) yielded my T7 chest: [Heroes' Frostfire Robe]. Killing them also attributed me the achievement The Military Quarter.
Sapphiron gave me both [Cowl of Winged Fear] and the achievement Sapphiron's Demise.
Killing Kel'Thuzad earned me both Kel'Thuzad's Defeat and The Fall of Naxxramas.
We went on to give Malygos a few attempts but it wasn't terribly successful. Still, experiencing him was good. You gotta start somewhere.
I rolled a Warlock the other day to use as my bank toon but thought, what the hell (pun intended), why not have a bit of fun levelling when I feel like playing something different. So now I have a toon of every class.
I also tried out Arcane before switching back to Frost.
Gaiwyn of Proudmoore
[Chestguard of the Lost Vanquisher] from The Four Horsemen (one of whom is actually a horsewoman) yielded my T7 chest: [Heroes' Frostfire Robe]. Killing them also attributed me the achievement The Military Quarter.
Sapphiron gave me both [Cowl of Winged Fear] and the achievement Sapphiron's Demise.
Killing Kel'Thuzad earned me both Kel'Thuzad's Defeat and The Fall of Naxxramas.
We went on to give Malygos a few attempts but it wasn't terribly successful. Still, experiencing him was good. You gotta start somewhere.
I rolled a Warlock the other day to use as my bank toon but thought, what the hell (pun intended), why not have a bit of fun levelling when I feel like playing something different. So now I have a toon of every class.
I also tried out Arcane before switching back to Frost.
Gaiwyn of Proudmoore
Saturday, January 10, 2009
More Upgrades
Last night, I hit 41x [Emblem of Heroism], so I grabbed the [Sundial of the Exiled] trinket.
Today, I got two upgrades from The Violet Hold: [Solitaire of Reflecting Beams] and [Azure Cloth Bindings]. Carrying enchanting mats is great because I can enchant new gear and equip it immediately.
I'm contemplating speccing Arcane just to see how it is, damage-wise. Slightly different playstyle and the only thing I give back to the raid would be [Slow]. Still, I think it is worth seeing first-hand, as it interests me.
Gaiwyn of Proudmoore
Today, I got two upgrades from The Violet Hold: [Solitaire of Reflecting Beams] and [Azure Cloth Bindings]. Carrying enchanting mats is great because I can enchant new gear and equip it immediately.
I'm contemplating speccing Arcane just to see how it is, damage-wise. Slightly different playstyle and the only thing I give back to the raid would be [Slow]. Still, I think it is worth seeing first-hand, as it interests me.
Gaiwyn of Proudmoore
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Three-quarters Cleared
We cleared three of Naxxramas's wings last night on normal (10-man): Arachnid, Plague and Construct. One wipe each to Grobbulus and Gluth wasn't too bad, considering some were there for the first time (my first Gluth fight) -- also, especially since we wiped the floor with them the second time around. I was the only person to die on Thaddius, and I'm still not sure why. One second I was moving to my +ve companions; the next: dead.
It was a good raid, anyhow. We will be clearing the Military Quarter on Sunday, as well as taking down Sapphiron and Kel'Thuzad. I look forward to 25-man raiding, but that may be a few weeks away yet, as we continue to gather the numbers. Normal Malygos raiding should be coming up pretty soon, too.
Last night saw me attain two gear upgrades too: [Grieving Spellblade] and [Spaulders of the Lost Vanquisher], which I turned in for my [Heroes' Frostfire Shoulderpads]. And I crafted, gemmed and enchanted some [Glacial Slippers] in preparation for Sapphiron (may not need them until we do it on heroic).
I continue to quest in Icecrown, ever so slowly. Once finished there I will clear The Storm Peaks, hopefully gaining me enough Sons of Hodir faction to get new shoulder enchants.
Here's to Sunday. ;)
Gaiwyn of Proudmoore
It was a good raid, anyhow. We will be clearing the Military Quarter on Sunday, as well as taking down Sapphiron and Kel'Thuzad. I look forward to 25-man raiding, but that may be a few weeks away yet, as we continue to gather the numbers. Normal Malygos raiding should be coming up pretty soon, too.
Last night saw me attain two gear upgrades too: [Grieving Spellblade] and [Spaulders of the Lost Vanquisher], which I turned in for my [Heroes' Frostfire Shoulderpads]. And I crafted, gemmed and enchanted some [Glacial Slippers] in preparation for Sapphiron (may not need them until we do it on heroic).
I continue to quest in Icecrown, ever so slowly. Once finished there I will clear The Storm Peaks, hopefully gaining me enough Sons of Hodir faction to get new shoulder enchants.
Here's to Sunday. ;)
Gaiwyn of Proudmoore
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Blind
My guild cleared Naxxramas last week. Now that I'm back from holiday, I will have to learn all the fights and experience a full clear myself. This week will be a good week. :)
Check out this video if you haven't already. Amazing machinima -- best I've seen. The song was so catchy that I downloaded more from the same artist, Namie Amuro. Japanese singers FTW. XD
Gaiwyn of Proudmoore
Check out this video if you haven't already. Amazing machinima -- best I've seen. The song was so catchy that I downloaded more from the same artist, Namie Amuro. Japanese singers FTW. XD
Gaiwyn of Proudmoore
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Where Ya Been?
I was away on holiday for Christmas and the New Year. I went to Tokyo, came back to my town to teach on Christmas Day and then spent eight days in Kyoto. Hence no updates. Hence no playing.
Got my Ebonweave Robe crafted, which puts my mage way over the hit cap right now. It will even itself out though, as I get more gear upgrades from Naxxramas.
Gaiwyn of Proudmoore
Got my Ebonweave Robe crafted, which puts my mage way over the hit cap right now. It will even itself out though, as I get more gear upgrades from Naxxramas.
Gaiwyn of Proudmoore
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