Hunting Corncob...

Meet Corncob.

As you can see, he's not very well geared.

Still a number of 226 pieces, and no real raid gear.

Regardless, there is one item in Corncob's arsenal that makes him annoying as shit: Time.

Corncob (and lackies) appear to be unemployed--because the majority of the day they're hanging out in Wintergrasp, waiting to prey on innocent horde passerby's in line for VoA or parusing the quartermaster.

Corncob's MO: Stealthily attack from above, he'll drop flight form, hit insect swarm and moonfire, or if you're mounted, he'll blast you off in hopes to get a falling kill. He likes to drop onto the steeples of the towers, where he can attack and somewhat blend-in. He can easily be 2-shot (at least by my DK), but getting to that point can be tricky. He has an engineers cloak for slowfall, and is fairly quick to run and hide when someone catches up to him (like all alli).

Yesterday, Darth and I went Corncob hunting.

I ran into WG to vendor some stonekeeper shards, and happened upon Corncob and friend killing a fellow horde. This was ultra rare, as both were just chillin on the ground--so I ran up, heartstriked a couple of times which killed the friend, but was just shy of cob. He flew away, and I quickly began getting pelted without so much of a chance to see where he went.

The hunt began.

Usually, we just let him be.

Yesterday, I think we were just bored.

We flew around, trapping him in various places.

I think he killed me as many times as I was able to kill one of them.

If you're looking for something to do on Blood Furnace, I emplore you to hunt for the evasive owl known as Corncob. I promise it to be an entertaining experience.

The State of DPS in 3.3.3

The gang over at elitistjerks has sim'd all the specs for 3.3.3, and the reports are surprising...

DW Frost seems to have taken the lead for DK DPS Specs, followed by Unholy/Frost.

Always wanting to be the best possible DPS for our raids, I went DW again to check it out for myself. I have a couple of ilvl 251 axes I've accumulated from the gunship--so I respec'd, re-glyphed, equipped the axes and went to work in ICC. I'm at 11% hit with a trink equipped, and have played DW before (pre-nerf), so the semi rotation/priority system is still familiar with me.

In T10/ 251 gear, Rime and Killing Machine proc a shit ton. It makes trash epic fun, but with no threat reduction, definitely makes you pop CD's and death pact to survive. On single targets, though, I was less than impressed. Hit and expertise capped, I expected more damage. ToT didn't seem to be procc'ing nearly as much as it should be, and frost strike didn't seem to be critting very often with KM up--so it felt kinda wasted. As DW I'm at 34% crit unbuffed--so I don't know if something was wrong with the way things were working out, or if it was just a bad RNG night.

*** I've since respec'd and gone into ICC as Unholy, and the same goofy mechanics seem to be happening; on some attempts I'm critting a ton, and others none at all. It's almost as if there's something screwy with close quarter combat. I'm gonna keep looking into this...***

After a night playing DW Frost, I had to go back to Unholy-- So I spec'd into the reapingless Unholy/Frost
build that elitist has deemed to be the most bang for the buck. And it is.

On the Subject of Getting Hacked

In the wee small hours of the morning (Sinatra anyone?) I was forced to  /gkick Hazl and his alts from the Sated roster.

I watched as he she depleted the GBank of epic gems, chanting materials, and pygmy oil.

I followed him her out to the Tournament grounds in Icecrown.

I watched as she stripped herself of her T10.

And then, as she stood there, naked, I watched as she proceeded to DE everything in her bag.

At first I thought to myself, "damn. Haz is DEing his shit again." It's nothing new. He's DE'd his current legs, gloves, chest. The GM's probably know him by name, he calls in so frequently.

I knew this was a special case though, when after he DE'd his shit, he put on crap PvP gear. Haz doesn't PvP on the Paladin.

At this point, I knew he had been hacked. I tried calling him. No response. I opened a GM ticket. They couldn't do anything for me. So I screenshotted his WoW-Heroes pages just in case.

And then I tried talking to the hacker.

Just a warning...

The conversation will probably offend many of you. It was early, and my anti-semitic/racist/obesist/cursing was really not on par.

Now that the disclosure's out of the way, Convo after the Break.

Fail Pugs are Fail

Ari said that it was national whiny blogger day--so I'm coming through in the clutch. All this shit happened in the last 2 days, mind you.

Three. 3. Tres.

The number of times we wiped in PoS when 2 fail heals joined our group. The first, a failadin who didn't quite understand how the rock mechanics worked on the first boss, and who definitely didn't know what bacon was...I watched his stacks grow and grow till they reset. I watched as everyones health dwindled to nothing. I watched as...well...you get the picture. Oh, did I mention I was dead prior? Apparently, the fantastic melee shaman had found a way to aggro on one of those big skeletons in the zone, just as our tank pulled. I gripped it off the healer in time to save him, but paid the ultimate price...

Enter fail Priest (healer numero dos). Doesn't quite grasp the concept of tank damage on the ramp...twice.
At this point, I'm just appreciating the fact that the healers are taking the initiative to leave group themselves so we don't have to kick. Luckily, our guildie bear tank is main spec'd resto. He went heals, I went tank, and somehow, we made it look easy.

Forge of Souls: I'm healing. Pally tank is rushing through everything--everything's going really well...then...at the first boss pull...he drops group. Dick. No warning. No DCing. He pulled the boss and left group. /Wipe.
Enter Warrior tank in 213/226 gear-- he's slow, but we get through it.

DTK-- yes, dtk. How can someone be fail in DTK, you ask? Lemme tell ya. Di's tanking on her Drood,  and I'm healing on the Pally. We get in, I buff, and theres a warrior a little slow to come in. He meets us at the pull, and the first thing he says is: "Pally. Crusader."
Now...do I really give shit about my Aura in a 5 man? No. You wanna know why? Cause as long as someone doesn't do something stupid, I can heal the whole fuckin place with holy shock. No lie. I've done it even in HoS.

Anyway, I respond with "No. I like to go fast."
Thinking this would be funny...I then start to be lectured on how fail I am, and yada yada yada...and that he's got a 5k scored Holy Pally himself, and I'm fail cause I'm in PvP gear....
Fuck.
He got me there. I forgot to switch back.
I thank him for noticing.
I switch my spec, then change into my PvE set.
He immediately shuts the fuck up.
Since I changed spec, I need a new Aura.
"Hey Monster (the warrior), this one's for you."
Crusader Aura activated.

[Silence]

I hate goblins...

Once upon a time, Shyste was a young DK somewhere around level 70ish...
As a young DK, Shyste was also very foolish--some would even say an ass-backwards ruh-tard.

One day, a fellow guildmate had a great idea, and asked help of a few members to achieve his Bloodsail Admiral title...

It was the worst thing I've ever done.

And I didn't even get the title.

I didn't see it all the way through--just to the point where I was extrememly hated by all the goblin cartels.
At that time, I was really still learning the game, what reputation was, and the consequences of getting myself into shit like this.

All in all, it really hasn't been too bad, save for Holiday events and anytime a guildie needs help in a goblin region.

There was a silver lining this weekend...

My Pally and Di's Druid got to 80 a while back, and one of the things she was reaaaaaally looking forward to, was farming the Ravenlord mount in Sethek Halls. Yesterday, I convinced her to get it going. Well, it didn't really take much convincing--it was more like asking myself if I wanted another chocolate chip cookie (no brainer). So we stroll into Shadow Labs, Crypts, and Sethek for a bit of rep grinding to get her to honored: it doesn't take much--maybe 5 or 6 clears. Labs gives the best bang for the buck, btw.

Anyway, so we're running through, I'm pulling mobs by the room full, and Di is scavenging all the loot she could...and we end up with a shit ton of netherweave =)

So I get to thinking...

Maybe I'll just take all this netherweave and run my happy ass to gadgetzan, and turn it in for some rep, right?

/Denied

Fuckin goblins want mageweave.

End of story.

The KISS Guide to the Blood Princes

We're nubs.

I'm gonna preface this post by saying, I understand that quite a few of you may be farther along than we are, and when you read this, you'll probably say to yourself, "well duh..." To that, I don't care. Just bare with me...

Last night we're attempting the Princes.

One, two, princes kneel before you. That's what I said now =P

Anyway-- we're on the princes, and we're wiping everytime we hit Keleseth. Fucker. Everything up until that point is fine; we're keeping the beach balls up in the air, DPS is target switching and staying away from eachother on the rifts...but those damn black orbs are fuckin us up. We wiped maybe a dozen times. I tried tanking them, and was still losing em when I needed them most.

We were theorycrafting sons-o-bitches; trying to figure out different ways for the OT (me) to grab em fast and furious like when Keleseth became empowered. It worked, somewhat--but still failed. We couldn't figure it out. Some were claiming bad luck (RNG), some were convinced that dps was mis-targeting--at the end, I just knew we were doing something wrong.

Now-- I'm a huge fan of simplification. I like to take a step back, look at the problem, and think of the easiest possible way of solving it.

I couldn't think of shit last night.

Sometimes, my guys (and gals) are sooo in tune with their toons and the game mechanics that we tend to view things very microscopically; tearing down minute details as opposed to taking a step back and looking at the big picture.

Today, I consulted my RL friend that has a tight Alli raiding guild on Cenarius (don't hold the alli thing against him, he's good peeps).

Anyway....Here's the solution......




DRUMROLL PLEEEEEEASE

Move the fuck away.

Yeah--thats it.

The OT builds a shit ton of aggro, then right before Keleseth gets empowered, he picks up orbs and moves out of the way of the rest of the raid (Keleseth won't move); that way no one can cleave or accidentally AoE the orbs on him, and as long as dps watches their threat, everything is mother-F'n peachy.

/sigh

I'm ready to one-shot the shit out of these asshats.

/Screenies incoming

The Healadin's UI

For the past few days I've been thinking quite a bit about my UI, and ways to improve on its appearance and functionality. I'm constantly catching glimpses of UI's that are so put together and clean, that it makes me want to try something new to mine.

Now, I'm a minimalist at heart. I enjoy the real estate on my screen, so anything that deters from that openness is no good. I do like some players minimal use of kgpanels, covering the action bars and chat frames, while still leaving open spaces--although I'm not exactly sure how to go about constructing panels...

Here's a picture of my Pally's UI. As you can see it's pretty basic; I only have out whats absolutely necessary.And, I've since removed my bags and repositioned the Aura bar a little more out of the way.

Unit Frames
After a few weeks using xperl again, I decided to go back to pitbull. While I do like Xperls functionality, using it for party and raid frames is a bit overwhelming for me--its too busy. I like pitbull because it allows me to add or delete modules in-game; so I've deactivated most. I keep my frame and target frame centered so that I can see everything at a glance. I keep up player, pet, target, target of target, and tank frames, and forsake all others. The one thing I did miss about xperl, was the castbar latency function--but Quartz is a nice replacement for that.

For the party and raid frames, I just can't get away from grid. It shows me only the important things; HP, curses, and things that need to be cleansed. While I did enjoy seeing buffs on xperls frames, Grid is just a much neater package and easier on the eyes, for my taste. 

For my action bars, I'm most definitely in love with bartender. Its fast, and super simple to configure. I've got my main spells macro'd in with my CD's and placed in the number row-cause everything's pretty much keybound to my Naga (which I absolutely adore).

Buffs/Debuffs
I've got a list of buffs on the right of the screen (via Elkano's Buff Bars), just under my sexymap. I keep 'em fairly transluscent so I don't notice them as much-- But the debuffs fairly large and much more prominent. That allows me to see via periferal vision when I'm hit with something important (even though it shows up on Grid also).

Tracking
In-between my frame and grid, I keep track of all my important Pally specific stuff: Sacred Shield, Bacon, JotP. I think the addon's called CLPT--and it's very nice. And, what UI is complete without Recount... it generally sits in a small area to the right of the screen. For boss timers I've been using Deus Vox--its light weight, easy to configure, and I think the announcements work better than DBM.

I've been running this setup for quite some time on my DK--but I'm completely open to suggestions. What addons do YOU have that you can't live without? Holler...

Photos of things I never posted.

In my constant search for credible topics....well...who am  I kidding? I only post whatevers usually on my mind...


At any rate--I was sifting through my screenshot folder and found a bunch of stuff I had thought about writing about...but never did. So here's some fun for you....


Di's Proto =)

After a few weeks of mishaps and failed attempts, we finally got Di her Glory of the Hero for the red proto drake. I think I asked begged her for days to write a little something...I've yet to see it =p
I dunno why, but I still love the way these proto's look...


More after the BREAK...

...And the Professor Falls

Last night.                           One attempt.                         One shot, one kill =)

'Twas a thing of beauty. We had about a dozen wipes on previous attempts--mostly getting a feel for timing and learning the nuances of the fight. Our prior best was somewhere around 10% pre-buff...but after all those tries, we have it down fairly cold.

Tricks of the fight: DPS fast/ Heal good = win

After the fight, ran into blood wing to mess with the princes (still hear the Spin Doctors everytime I walk in there)...and are now getting used to this clusterfuck of a fight. More to come tonight...


for haz... and Ari =p

WTH Happened to DR???

Arena.

Started this season on the Pally for fun. At first I anticipated myself going Ret and rofllmaostomping all over everyone, but the cost of PvP gear, along with my newfound enjoyment of healing, coupled with the fact I picked up 3 Holy-PvP pieces in Vault helped me decide to stay Holy in Arena.

I don't have any arena experience (about 50 games under my belt now). The last time I stepped in was on my DK with Nicc a few seasons back. Healing in one is a whole 'nother story. PvP gear just doesn't have the throughput that PvE gear does. Well, at least mine doesn't. I'm working on moving my way up--but for the time being, I'm only at 500 resil--and it definitely shows. If any of you out there know the ways of Holy PvP, and can give me a few pointers--Holler! 

So we're running 3's: Di's Hunter, Darth's Shammy, and Myself. A far cry from RMP, I know--but we've had our share of successes none the less...

Anyway-- that brings me to our losses. Now, Di and Darth are no slouches when it comes to damage and CC. But it seems that when we lose (and lose bad), the issue isn't so much that teams are that much better...it's more that they effectively take one of us out of the game. Which, I guess, would technically make em better, but whatever happened to DR?

Match against a Druid/Lock/DK-- I'm cycloned 7-8 times consecutively...no apparent DR.
Match against a Lock/Warrior/Something--I'm feared 5-6 times consecutively with no apparent DR.

As I get better I'm sure I'll find a solution  other than bubble or HoF, but what gives? Did DR change recenlty? I don't ever remember it being that bad...

Oh well.

DK Tanking, Frost Style

This one's for you, Amorgan...

First things first--there are really only 2 successful ways to spec as a DK tank: Blood or Frost. While Blood has some general benefits against single targets (ie. raid bosses), for everyday tanking, Frost is my spec of choice. It has some nice burst threat generation, bonus armor and great cooldowns to use on a consistent basis.

Thing #2-- Forget about DW tanking. Yes. You heard that right. I don't care how cool it looks, or that you're swinging faster and thereby generating more threat, or yada yada yada. I've played it. 2H weapons are better itemized for DK tanking--making it easier to hit and expertise cap. And, once these criteria are met, that big 2H wep should be hittin hard enough to make up for the faster swings of DW.

Peep the spec: FROST TANK

You have 3 utility points here. Personally, I'd take 3 points from Scent of Blood and trade for Morbidity for faster DnD cooldown. However, the added runic power means more runestrikes and froststrikes...so it's gonna mean a difference of single target vs. AoE threat...

Rotation(s):
Single Target Rotation - IT-PS-OB-BS-BS IT-PS-OB-OB RPDUMP = RS/FS
Multi-Target Rotation - DnD-IT-PS-Pest then TAB-HB/Pest/BloodBoil RPDUMP = RS/FS




Now that the niceties are over, let's get down to business. DK's aren't Pally's. We can't pull threat then go afk to make a sandwich. We don't have a swipe or cleave, and can't tab-sunder. Tanking is work, and we are a workhorse.

As dps gear increases, you'll find that holding threat on multiple mobs will be a chore. Technically, as dps gear increases, their dps output should increase linearly as well, allowing them to kill shit before it becomes an actual problem.

How to hold threat:
Apply diseases to everything. IT, PS, Pest. This, on top of a DnD is a good start. After the initial pull, pop Empower Rune Weapon to free up some abilities, or Blood Tap to use a Blood Boil. Utilize whatever abilities you have that affect multiple targets. The idea here is, the more damage you do to everything, the more threat you hold on everything. Keep an eye on diseases, and dont refresh until they're about to fall off. Runewatch is an excellent addon that will help you watch disease times...
And if you find yourself in a GCD situation with extra runic power, tab-Frost Strike to spread the love =)

Proc's: For extra burst threat, make sure to Howling Blast whenever you see Freezing Fog and Killing Machine up. This is a FREE Crit on everything in range. If you want to make attending to these buffs easy, pickup an addon called "needtoknow." It's a little bar timer that pops up for whatever buffs you tell it to, and counts em down till they expire. Put these two in, and when you see em pop up, HB without thinking.

Macro's: Rune Strike is your friend. Macro that shit to all of your abilities, and put em all on your bar. Its free damage and free threat.

#showtooltip SomeAbility

/cast SomeAbility

/cast !Rune Strike

This macro will cast your ability and then queue up runestrike. It's money.


Survivability: I like to tell new DK's to get used to using your taunt instead of Deathgripping. Taunt, lay DnD, and then apply diseases. This way, if one of your over-zealous dps pulls a mob off you, you can DG it back (which is like giving em the finger and a big F-U). This method basically just gives you some added utility if something goes bad. Also-- you have cooldowns for a reason. Anti-Magic Shell, Icebound Fortitude, Trinks, Unbreakable Armor...these are all at your disposal. Use them consistently, and use them often. They're all on relatively short cooldowns, so unless you're waiting for a fusion punch to the face, make the healers life a little easier and pop em at will.

Other things to note: Gem for stam. Always. Our healthpools are noticeably lower than the other tank classes, and while added parry and dodge are nice, gemming for stam will allow you to live through that one extra hit...

Remember, DK's are about all damage, all the time. Maximizing it is the key to holding threat, and our CD's are paramount for our survivability. Do these things and you will succeed.

If you build it, they will come.

More About My Smexy Belf Pally...

Its been about a week or so since Cristorpheus (I know a lot of you are wondering about the name, maybe I'll excerpt the meaning at the end of this post) hit 80, and he's been snappin necks, and cashin' checks ever since.

ToC-10--Healed through without any wipes. Picked up a belt, boots, and shield (a damn smexy shield).

ICC-10--Yes. You see that correctly. My noobadin healed ICC last night, and it was awesome. Truth be told, it was kinda easy (and i suspect its cause Di is just that incredibly epic).

Origin of the name: Cristorpheus [Chris+Orpheus]

I always use some sort of variation of Chris or Shyste or both...makes it easy for peeps to guess who it is.

Orpheus: Son of a Thracian King in Greek Mythology--his story was very epic:

The most famous story in which Orpheus figures is that of his wife Eurydice (also known as Agriope). While fleeing from Aristaeus (son of Apollo), Eurydice ran into a nest of snakes which bit her fatally on her heel. Distraught, Orpheus played such sad songs and sang so mournfully that all the nymphs and gods wept. On their advice, Orpheus traveled to the underworld and by his music softened the hearts of Hades and Persephone (he was the only person ever to do so), who agreed to allow Eurydice to return with him to earth on one condition: he should walk in front of her and not look back until they both had reached the upper world. He set off with Eurydice following and in his anxiety as soon as he reached the upper world he turned to look at her, forgetting that both needed to be in the upper world, and she vanished for the second time, but now forever. *(via wikipedia)