Giving Back: Calling All Gamers...

A few years ago I lost someone close, to cancer. And In my 27 years on this earth, I've witnessed how it can affect families, friends, clients and colleagues...

Everyone has been touched by it in some way.

Every year for the past 10 years or so, I've donated a little of my time and energy to the fight against cancer. This May 1st-2nd marks the return of Relay for Life, here locally--and I'm asking for your support. I along with my team of Union Bank, Bankers, will be out at the event 'round the clock, and we are currently seeking donations. I know money is tight these days, but every dollar donated is a step in the right direction. 

I've included links to my personal donation page both in this post, and on the right-hand side of my page, and urge you to pledge whatever you can to support Relay for Life, and the American Cancer Society.

This year, join Sated in the fight against cancer.

Dude, where's my car?

I wanna take a minute to talk about backseat drivers.

They don't work.

You can't reach the pedals from back there.

And when you try, you really just frustrate the people in the front seat, watching you...

Last night in 25-ToC (yes, 25-Trial), there was some, well, confusion, or, disagreement (among officers, no less) while we attmepted (yes attempted) The Twins the first time. Let me preface by saying that I played absentee for the first few fights. Serious lag had caused me to troubleshoot, delete game folders, re-configure addons, etc...I fought on Jarraxus, and then bowed out for a couple of Champs wipes. But, I came back, and was good to go.

Anyway, after 3 wipes on champs, I was able to get back in, and we downed em fairly easily. On twins though, well, things started to get hairy. Darth called for the one group strat that we always run; this is the only way we've ever been successful on 25. I watch as people don't stack, and some are running around getting orbs--we wipe. Here's where it all comes to the forefront. All of a sudden, the stacking model doesn't work. We need to try something different. I don't understand this. Why deviate from normal practice? Why deviate from the only method we were ever successful with on a consistent basis? And why argue about it over officer chat? That's what gets me. ToC: old news, proven strategy. Why are we all of a sudden wanting to change? Who's leading the raid?

Sometimes people just need to execute better. Case in point: Faction Champs. There were 3 wipes last night with no change in strat.

The difference between a success and a wipe: execution.

After all the latency issues and disconnects, I just really wasn't in the mood to re-justify the single group model-- we used the 2 group method, and downed em (with 90 sec till enrage). I just find it funny that people will go and question one strat after one wipe, when it was the most efficient way of doing it when the content was current. Oh well.

Needless to say we lost a few peeps lst night.

LF Competent 5k+ DPS to fill out our 25 again.

Healing: The Other Side of the Story

Take it from Mr. Collins--we always need to hear both sides of the story.


Here's mine:

Cristorpheus (My Pally) dinged 80 approximately 48 hours ago. I gave up my ret spec, hung up my axe, donned myself in whatever healadin gear I could find, and went to work with Hazl on a "how to" exploration into the way of the light.


Started in some regular dungeons--and have gradually worked my way into heroics. And..........


(Drumroll)
(Don't ever let anyone know I said this to you)
(First rule of fight club)
(Drums still rolling)
(I swear if you tell anyone I will flog you)
...


I kinda like it.


Truth be told, I sort of thought I would. I like the challenge. And, this healing aspect of the game, is presenting itself to be a very refreshing one.


On my DK, I can smash through most heroics with disregard to aggro--cause I kill everything so fast. If I pull a mob, it dies without landing a punch. Anymore, I find myself doing more talking, and less playing. And, the only realy thrill I get anymore, is working on raid bosses. So, when I don't raid, its all kinda....well....bleh (save for holidays, helping friends out, etc.).


On the Pally, all the fights are new again; the mechanics are completely different. Sometimes I need to stand close in, others further away...need to wait for this silence, or this interrupt. It creates a sense of urgency--and I enjoy putting myself under pressure.


I'm finally understanding (this is for Haz) the importance of always being in the right place at the right time. Meaning, I more closely see dps being in places they shouldn't be; running into HoL whirlwinds, standing in poison, not paying attention to threat, running out of LoS (Yes, I said LoS)...these things are all taxing...especially on an undergeared healer =P

I'm learning the intricacies of healing on the pull, and what it means to healer-aggro. I'm getting frustrated at the stupid CoS zombies, people standing in shit, and overgeared dps disregarding my tank; I'm becoming an asshole.

I never thought that I'd become an asshole. Maybe I'm over thinking it and am just in telling people like it is. The role reversal here has really got me trippin. As a dps, if I take a bit of damage, no sweat...I have ways to self heal. As a healadin, when I see party members taking damage, panic starts to set in; I clench my teeth, stop breathing (yeah Jules, it happens quite a bit), and get to clicking as fast and furious as I can, all while trying to make sure my cast time allows for a landed heal and smooth transition...

To all the healers out there...I'm sorry.

shyste the love fool...

Real men wear dresses.


Just kidding.


However, I did find myself strangely fascinated with the way I looked in the little black chiffon number that I got from the Love is in the Air Holiday. I guess I just like Tauren curves...


Anyway, the holiday has come and gone, and I hope each of you took the time to show someone how much you care.


I was hoping to be able to make some puns about showing you my Big Red Love Rocket (haha); I really wanted to get it and petition Blizz to make it a 2-seater (ya know, so someone could ride my love rocket, LMAO--anyone else just start hearing KISS' "Love Gun" start playing???) but sadly, I did not see that damn thing drop once. Truth be told, I wasn't nearly as diligent in running that boss as I was for Brewfest.

/sigh


I guess my rocket will have to wait till next year.

If you're wondering about the screenies...

Well, What else is there to do at 4 am besides going to Org and dueling in dresses? There's nothing like smacking someone upside the head with a bouquet =)

The lovely Di, here, won our duel. She cheated though. while I was completely naked under my frock, she somehow was concealing a helm and bow o.O

/cheater

In Loot Council We Trust or The Loot, The Loot, The Loot is on Fire!

The term "Loot Council" is usually enough to scare any would-be raider.

Often times, the basic function that it's meant to serve is degraded and abused so much that its meaning dilutes itself into an abyss of nothingness; raiders then question the inherency of its resolve, and ultimately are left unsatisfied. Many guilds have become extinct over its basic practice.

That was never my intent for Sated.

For the longest time, my own jaded opinion of the "Loot Council" kept me at a distance. I wanted a fair system, but something that didn't require hours of calculation like DKP. I wanted a system that allowed everyone that helped take down a boss, a chance at 25 man gear. After careful consideration we adopted a simple method that we thought would be effective, and distribute loot evenly across all of our raiders, strengthening our 25 core: A very simple, highest roll, one item won per night...

Somewhere over the course of a few months, this system went awry.

The hopes we had for gear to be dispersed evenly, grew thin. Week after week, the same players seemed to win rolls, leaving their colleagues wanting. I, myself, as GM, after months of 25 raiding had failed to win any rolls or procure any gear from our raids. I tried to suck it up--after all, my dps was still consistently good, and I knew that it benefited the core somewhat. But then there were others that were in the same boat.
If you've ever been there, you know how frustrating it can become. I watched as friends all geared up, then geared up their alts, all the while being stuck in a constant state of, "what the fuck."

After one particular night in Ice Crown, my Officers came to me in search of a solution. They too could see that loot ditribution had been poor (and I think a few of them had felt sorry for me too). And after some heavy contemplation, and a defining of terms, they came to a reprieve. Sated would attempt a Loot Council system that was fair, but rewarded those players that were deserving and consistent to our raids.

Rules for Consideration:
1. Keep Loot Class-Specific (leather to leather, plate to plate)
2. Length of Time Since Last Upgrade
3. Appropriate Replacement (does this person have a 232 or higher version? Are they really trying?)
4. Attendance, Effectiveness, Overall Participation

Since that time the Officers have been able to put gear in the hands of players that they believe are deserving--and ultimately it seems to be working. We still keep a running log of how gear is distributed and to whom; we're actually seeing it dispersed across the board.

Our intentions lie within the preparedness of our raid to take down 25-man ICC bosses. So far the system seems to be working well...but only time will tell. I'll keep you all posted.

Who Down wit OPP (the over powered paladin)?

A couple of weeks ago I was presented with an opportunity to finish leveling my 55 Pally with the lovely, and talented Diona...and I couldn't resist.


At the time, we only had one Healadin (the Notorious Hazl...aka Father Time...aka Old Man River...aka "Walked with Jesus"...aka...Dirt), so I thought I'd help the guild out in the best way I knew how, and level mine to go Holy. All of my officers have alts. Geared alts. Some of them are better geared than I am =/. So I figured it was my time duty to have another 80.

Leveling to 55 on this guy was a chore. It wasn't fun. I wasn't good at that time.


Fast forward to today. My Pally is specc'd Ret, he's a level 77--and I RAPE FACE.


It's just not fair how OP these assholes really are. Di (on her druid) and I will pull 15 mobs, I can heal as necessary, bubble if I get into trouble, regen mana at will, LoH whoever the fuck I want...it's incredibly ridiculous.


Case in Point: Di and I 2-manned (and woman'd) the Pit at level 73....without having trained since 70. And I wasn't using Crusader Strike (I forgot about it till after I hit 77). Di seems to think its mostly due to the fact that we, ourselves, are just Pure Win....I think it's more that my Pally's an OverPowered Asshole.=)

Whatever the case may be, it's been refreshing seeing the world through another characters eyes. Don't get me wrong--I will always be a DK at heart...but this Pally concept is pretty interesting at the moment. The goal is to hit 80 this weekend and smash all over some random heroics till he's in T9. Wish me us luck (don't forget Di).

  =)

I'm coming home...

I've taken a little hiatus from posting these last few weeks.

Mostly so that my raiders could easily see our new raiding requirements.

I've got some new stuff coming up shortly. Good shit; My OPP Paladin alt, shiny purples, overall epic entertainment...


Stay Tuned =)