Shyste Chris: Tales of a DK

Survey Says....

2010-04-15T11:50:00.000-07:00

This NEW server is /win.

After being here for a week, I can honestly say its been one of the best decisions we've all made as a guild.
Some observations:

A. No basement virgins trolling in trade chat
B. No spamming of "LF non-fail...."
C. Players seem to be more mature, friendly, and generally of a higher caliber
D. Even at midnight on a Monday night I was able to get into 25-VoA and the weekly Raid...
E. And, if that isn't enough, even when we PuG we have players coming back for a 2nd night of raiding...

We're still looking for some ranged DPS, but we've acquired some great people since we've been here.
Last week, Haz, Cozz and I healed in a 25-ICC that someone set up, and Di dps'd. Topped the charts. We got Sated's name out there, and players are wanting to come over more and more each day. It won't be long till the guilds rockin' a few Shadowmourne's.....

9 Manning Festergut

2010-04-07T12:11:00.000-07:00

Before I delve into the awesomeness that it this post, I gotta give a quick shoutout.

Whoapaw, the big, loveable Boomchicken that he is, will be taking an undisclosed amount of time away from the game--and he will be missed. I could reminisce about the good times that we've had, but that really wouldn't be my style. Mostly I'm upset cause now Haz and I will have to find some poor, new sap to be the ass of our jokes. /sigh

But in all seriousness, I hope the break treats you well, my friend.

Now on to SRZ Bidness...

We 9 manned festergut last night.

Lemme explain...

We had 8 log on to raid (told you I kicked everyone), so I just decided to pick up a couple in trade. I didn't gearcheck. Ended up with a Ret Pally and a DK (I healed, so it was cool). The 2 had never downed saurfang, and the DK was in pretty much ilvl 200 gear.
We one-shot everything up to putricide. He took 3 attempts.

But the amazing part was Fester. We ready-checked it up, I explained the fights, told the DK's to army, and started the pull.

I guess I forgot to mention that the door closes.

The pug DK got locked out.

We 9 manned Fester, and didn't even come close to enrage.

/motherfuckinunstoppable

Taking Putricide down with pugs was a nice feeling too.

Man I can't wait to get back into 25's....

When it's time to go...

2010-04-05T10:12:00.000-07:00

For a short time, Sated was among the most sought after guilds on Blood Furnace; our players are knowledgable, friendly, willing to help with gems/chants/etc--they're just good...

For a short time, Sated was raiding 25 ICC (pre buff) and making it look easy...

For a short time, Sated had players in the top 3 of their respective classes (still do)...

But things change.

In an epic downturn of events, I ended up pissing off 8 people, and we've lost the majority of our raiders to real life issues (work, school, economic hardship). I've since been trying to recruit to fill core spots, but raiding late, and being on a low pop. realm really don't help the cause. At this point, its pretty much a wipe.

I've kicked all the non-active players from the guild.

Don't be sad for me, though.

I've got 10-12 of Sated's finest (including all of my Officers) in queue to transfer to a new, medium pop. server, where Sated will start anew.

We've run our course with trials and tribulations. We've developed and ameneded guild policy, found out what works for us, and now, we can implement it from the very beginning. We will hand pick our raiders, and cultivate a tightly woven 25 man team, forsaking all others. We're not looking to be the biggest guild on the realm, only the best =)

We're taking this week to get things in order and sell off the junk we really don't need to take.

Next week, Sated will have a new home...

WoW: Why We Play

2010-04-01T18:40:00.000-07:00

The breakfast topic over at wow.com the other day, was about late night wow sessions.
It got me reminiscing about all nighters, fun times, and the ingredients that keep me logging into the game over and over again...

My most memorable nights started after I made my DK at 55. I had started playing WoW with my friend Ant, but by the time we hit 55, he had found other means to occupy his time. From the DK forward, I flew solo; spending each night questing through a different zone, learning the game, and seeing new, beautiful landscapes for the first time.

But once the questing was over, the game started to change.

I found myself actually looking at the green text chat, and engaging in conversations.

I downloaded vent.

And thats when I fell in love with the game.

I've always had an inherent need to storm the last castle and save the princess--but WoW's story is always changing. Each and every penultimate challenge merely one more chapter in the tale. So, unlike other games that get played, and beat, and then rest upon the shelf until a feeling of nostalgia persuades me to rediscover the story-- this game, and its characters, interweave themselves in a very complex way. Characters are not defined by the events that happen in-game, but are intrinsically developed by the people behind them: their wants, desires, emotions, frustrations--all interwoven between earth and azeroth, dynamically change the way people and gameplay intersect.

People enter and exit from the story; some quietly, others dramatically. And as relationships among characters develop and evolve, we find ourselves (I find myself) logging on, not to rescue a princess, but rather to see how the other story unfolds...

For me, friendship is the backbone of the game's success. While I enjoy raiding, and PvP, the pixels on the screen aren't what keeps me attached to the game. It's the people.

It's Darth-- who is a wealth of both useful and useless information. That remembers fight mechanics photographically, and has knowledge of every spec and every class.

It's Whoa--who I still remember running around as a little boom-chicken when I levelled my fishing, whispering me about EZ- E and Snoop Dogg, and partyin' in the barrio.

It's Haz--just cause he's old and I miss my Great Great Great Grandpa--just kidding.

It's Di--who's single handedly reintroduced me to PvP, and who has stood by me since Sated's conception. Whose become a really close friend, and is one of my absolute, favorite people...

If it weren't for these people, the game wouldn't mean nearly as much as it has. It's been these people (along with others--not forgetting you, Bu and Stink) that create the opportunities for memorable moments; a late night vezax kill, dueling in dresses in front of Org, soloing the pit at 70, levelling to the wee hours of the morning--chatting over vent and really getting to know someone....

Hunting Corncob...

2010-03-29T13:45:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-25T14:28:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-22T13:44:00.000-07:00

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.

The ironic part about it all: the hacker tells me he loves me.

Haz woulda said the same shit o.O

Moral of the story: Buy an authenticator =)

Fail Pugs are Fail

2010-03-17T11:12:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-03-15T09:43:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-12T15:22:00.000-08:00

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

2010-03-12T13:03:00.000-08:00

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.

2010-03-11T13:54:00.000-08:00

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...

Cluttered UI

This is what happens when weird latency issues causes me to delete cache and WTF folders...
In mid-raid, just trying to get to a point where I can see the screen to deeps. After a few minutes of this, I had a headache for 3 days...

FUN in WG
I've been running Arena on the Pally--so to gear him up I spend a great deal of my free time in BG's. Ive noticed this season that there's really no compensating for resilience; you either have a shit ton of it, or you're dead. Anyway, here's some pics of Di's hunter and I runnin around WG. If you look closely....yes....I'm dancing =p

...And the Professor Falls

2010-03-11T12:38:00.000-08:00

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???

2010-03-09T14:24:00.000-08:00

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

2010-03-03T10:18:00.000-08:00

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...

2010-03-01T14:21:00.000-08:00

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)

Giving Back: Calling All Gamers...

2010-02-27T23:44:00.000-08:00

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?

2010-02-27T09:20:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-22T11:56:00.000-08:00

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...

2010-02-20T23:46:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-02-19T12:04:00.000-08:00

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)?

2010-02-18T13:52:00.000-08:00

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...

2010-02-17T13:57:00.000-08:00

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 =)

Upcoming Raid Changes

2010-01-28T11:33:00.000-08:00

Sated's raid progression has been phenomenal to say the least. Things that were once hard, are now a walk in the park. Ulduar is run for fun and we hardly flinch when entering ToC. Once ICC opened its door's to us in December, our guild has gone in weekly to demolish the first wing (which is practically on farm now, both in 10's and 25's) and we have been hammering at the second wing, gradually making headway.

However, for the past couple of weeks, we seem to have hit a wall when it comes to progression in ICC. Our 10 mans are being made slaves to the Plague Wing and in our 25 man, we make Deathbringer Saurfang fall before us, and then don't dare set foot in the Plague Wing. In order to work past this, we have decided to make a few changes and rules when it comes to Sated Raiding. The goal of this, is to continually progress in ICC, particularly when it comes to our 25 man runs. There is no other way to progress besides putting in the time, these changes and rules work to accomplish just that.

Starting on Tuesday, February 16th we will be running our 25man ICC at 9:15pm. We will pick it up again the following night, once again at 9:15pm. The raids will run till 12:30am and will be ended at this time, regardless of where we are. If we wipe during an attempt at 12:00, we set up to try again. If we wipe at 12:15 or later, we call it a night, to ensure that we do not run past 12:30 (this is all in servertime). 10man ICC runs can be scheduled at any other point during the week as long as it does not conflict with a 25man run.

Invites for 25mans will be sent out at 9:00pm sharp. If you wish to participate, you must be on by then. You should not be tied up in a RH, any other instance or doing dailies. If you are, you are expected to leave the groups you are in, and you are expected to use the 15 minutes prior to incoming summons at 9:15pm, to repair, get flasks, get reagents, enchants, gemming and whatever else you need to do to get ready to raid. If you need more that 15 minutes to get ready, plan ahead! You know when invites are going out and you know when you are going to be summoned.
If, at 9:15pm, you are not ready to accept your summon, you forfeit your spot in the raid to someone else. We have plenty of people who are more then willing to come and who want to come.
We know that on occasion something will come up that may hinder your immediate availability to prep for a raid. If this is the case, it is your responsibility to inform an officer who is partaking in the raid of your circumstances so we can hold your spot for a short time. These cases will be tracked so ensure that no one takes advantage of this. Also, the reason you are giving, will be evaluated by the officers.

There are also going to be rules for AFKing during raids.

At no point may a player go afk or "brb" during a raid unless there is an extreme circumstance. This is to ensure that we can dedicate as much time as possible to fights and progression. We all know about the chain of afk's that spring up the second the first one is unleashed.
Any afkness will also be tracked. If a pattern of this is found, it is highly likely that the individual will not be asked to raid for a while.
We will have designated, timed breaks. These will be for a duration of two minutes after each boss that is downed. In the event that we are stuck at a boss, which is going to happen, a break will be scheduled.
A readycheck will be brought up at the two minute mark, and everyone is expected to be ready to hit "Yes". This allows for tracking of afkness and ensures that we are ready to proceed.
Resetting computers is going to be lumped in with AFKing. We understand that if you need to restart your computer, you need to restart your computer. However, these will also be tracked to avoid any excessive restarting.

Please keep in mind that this is aimed at allowing Sated to further progress in raiding. Afterall, Sated was created on the grounds of being a Raiding Guild. Meaning, that our primary focus is just that, raiding. Until now, Sated has tried to accommodate its 30+ active raiding members, but it is becoming harder and harder to do, almost daily. When it comes down to it, the reason a WoW player joins a guild, is because the guild has similar goals as that individual and fits their schedule. It is not up to the guild to somehow manage to meet the requirements of ALL of its member, it is simply impossible. We know and acknowledge that this new raiding schedule will not work for all members, and we truly do wish that we could make it work for all of you. But it is time to setup guild standards and to see who is willing to adjust and willing to put in the work.

With this new raiding schedule, there is still plenty of time during the week, and even during raiding days, for guild members to fit in their weekly raids, RHs, dailies, play on alts, PvP or whatever else it is that they wish to do. With this small change we have increased the time spent in our 25man ICC runs from a choppy 4-5 hours to a solid 6.5 hours a week.

Something that is going to come with more time spent raiding harder fights, are wipes. There is going to a wipe, followed by another, and then another. What needs to be taken away from wipes, is the opportunity to improve our strategy and learn from it! Anyone who has set foot in any raid, knows that wipes are going to occur, and that we are going to reach a point where we are seemingly backed into a corner with no way out. The only way to beat the beast that is ICC, is to come back at it kicking, punching and pew pewing! For more on wiping with purpose, you can read a previous post made on this blog titled "The Price of Progression: Wiping with Dignity".

We look forward to making our way through ICC with all of you and making Sated one of the top competitive guilds on Blood Furnace!

The Game of Life: Chance

2010-01-25T00:03:00.000-08:00

As of late, there really hasn't been much going on, WoW related, for me to write about. I mean, other than our newly deemed weekend Karaoke in vent, our 25's have been chugging along, making headway here and there, and I've actually considered leveling my Pally to 80; everything's going well.

So well, in fact, that I've been able to let my mind drift on to other things. I know, thoughts other than WoW? I must be mad... But who really knows where thoughts come from? Sometimes they just appear (maybe it was Favre letting me down). And since I really don't have any other outlet to direct them to, I might as well expound on them here.

So I want to take a couple of moments to talk about Fate...

I used to think of Fate as someone that opened and closed doors, serendipitously; and that these doors magically correlated to specific life changing events.

In my epicness (age), I've renegotiated my viewpoint slightly. I no longer view Fate as a Wal-Mart greeter, able to alter ones destiny with an act as trivial and mundane, as stepping through a doorway.

Rather, I view Fate as showing us glimpses of all things in this world with possibility; would be's and should be's, ought be's and could be's. These glimpses aren't static; they move and change and are intrinsically woven through every fiber of our being...

And that's the key. These glimpses aren't doorways. They're not waiting around for us to walk through them. They exist merely to test our resolve; our drive for the things we most desire, the strength to choose the path to reach them, and faith to follow that path when we are at our weakest.

Glimpses that exist but momentarily--tiny, reflective notions of memories that are yet made, calling our character into question; asking us which path we will choose.
I guess the point is, that if you happen to be fortunate enough to see one of these glimpses, you should have the guts to go after it; unfalteringly. Bet on yourself. Let go. Jump.

Frost very eloquently chose the path less traveled by. But I believe that he spoke of that path, and his life, retrospectively.

My path, on the other hand, changes with each step that I take. As I walk through the trees, my glimpses on the other side of the forest, light the night sky...I walk with the resolve to trudge along un-weathered ground, the strength to always move forward, and the hope that my glimpse will welcome me when I reach the other side.

A January Romance....

2010-01-21T17:25:00.000-08:00

So last night (this morning?) I'm in the middle of some good conversation, when GChat starts blowing up...

Apparently all the good shit happens when I'm normally fast asleep.

It seems as though one of my guildies has an admirer.

This guildy, who shall remain nameless to conceal her sexy female tauren ass, is apparently being serenaded over vent--merely a channel above where I was at.

Its better than I expected.

It's soooooo delicious.

I almost shit myself.

I spit crown and coke all over my computer screen.

It's here for your listening pleasure.

*Special thanks to Joe for being smart enough to record it*

Guild Progress: It was the Heat of the Moment

2010-01-21T14:32:00.000-08:00

Saurfang 25: Check.
Festergut 10: Check.

The state of the guild is looking very, very good. Great players gearing up each week, synergy smelting together like the 2 hot nurses I've been dreaming about peanut butter and jelly; every week I see progress being made--gearscores, dps, heals...its amazing.

We're almost completely outgeared of 25 ToC, save for a couple tinkets *Cough*

And next week we'll start delegating all 3 nights to 25 runs. Its time to push it to the limit.

Surprise! I'm dualboxing!!! And I'm in a world ranked guild...

2010-01-08T17:03:00.000-08:00

I'm lying.
I would never dual box.
I think its dumb.
But more importantly, I think its disrespectful.

Here's the scoop:

So Stinky and I jump into a random the other day to partake in a little free frost give-away.
Nexus.

Stinky- Bear Tank
Me- 1337 dps
Hunter- 4800 gearscored
Lock- 4400 gearscored
Pally- 5000 gearscored Holy

So we're runnin through this place, Stinky's pullin 5-6 iceblocks at a time, pulls the boss--and I'm mashin close to 7k on the chart. Hunters at 2200 and some change. Lock is hittin around....I dunno....650.

No lie.

And the Holy Pally is playin tank the etire time, pullin groups, runnin ahead, pullin more groups, starting boss fights...

Stinky: "So it looks like we have another tank."
Me: "WTF is this guy doing?
Stinky: "I should go cat and let him holy tank."
Me: "Fuckin do it! This guys doesn't need to be pullin this shit..."

Anomolus pulled. Everyone dead. Stinky healing himself. I rush in--the two of us take him down to about 15% before we wipe.

Hunter Exits.

I first call out the lock for the absolutely shitty dps. He's just walking around basically.
Me: "Dude--WTF are you doing...besides walking around with a thumb up your ass?"
Holy Pally: "Trying to heal."

This assmonkey has been keeping us in combat so we couldn't kick his fail ass. He's been intentionally pulling shit so we'd have to keep fighting--fucker knows the system; If you're in combat, you cant kick (I didn't even know this till then).

Enter Rakshas. Shaman from Sated. Vote Kick the Pally--I thought the lock would bounce too. This was not the case.

Fail-Lock: "blah blah blah...something, something, something, you shiteater...I'm in a world ranked guild....blah, blah blah."

Me: Buh Bye.

Shit. Can't kick a second time.
Enter Aldoraine, a Sated Hunter. Misdirect Keristraza to Lock. Dead. We burn in hopes it goes down before lock runs back in.

Miss it by a sec.

If you're gonna have the balls to be shitty and dual box. Do it with your own guild. I will endure a completely retarded repair bill to piss you off.

You are warned.

NERF to Deathwhisper.......NOOOOOOO

2010-01-05T12:30:00.000-08:00

It's official.
Deathwhisper has been nerfed.

From Bornakk:

The Lady Deathwhisper encounter has seen the following changes in the 25 player normal version: mana pool has been reduced, the health on all adds has been reduced, and Adherents will wait a little longer after spawning before they start casting.

Damn.
This sucks.
This was the first real fight that tested individual competency and prowess in 25 man.
It was work.
I'm really kinda upset that we didn't get her/him down before this happened.

Alternate 25 man Strategy
Credit goes out to Palmy on this one...
Groups stack behind Deathwhisper--watch the vid HERE.

******UPDATE******

One-shot after nerf.

No problems or issues. No creative strat.

Fuckin EZ mode now.

The Elitist: 80's Fresh off the Boat! (in greens and blues)

2010-01-04T23:28:00.000-08:00

Dark/Soth contributed a post to Clearcasting last week that drummed up some major attention...

The post depicts a struggle that many of us seem to face when queueing for random heroics; being paired with undergeared (and/or underskilled) players for dungeons reaching the upper echelon of the level 80 spectrum. During Naxxramas days, I remember the avg dps needed for heroics was somewhere between 1300-1500 dps, and 1500+ to clear Naxx-10. After reading Dark's post, I wanted to see how that held up under todays specs.

The Argument: DPS should be pulling 2k in heroics as an overall average.

The TEST: Set up a group in greens and blues, send them into heroics, and record the data.
Test Group: Bear Tank, 2 DK's, Lock**

**I wanted to get a hunter in, but none were online at the time of my trial**

All DPS wore crafted blue items (savange saronite for the DK's), and visited the AH for miscellaneous items like neck, rings, etc. All purples were unequipped for this team, and we purposely, randomly selected the AH green items. I wore level 70 agility stat weighted items, left one trinket slot empty, and equipped sphere of red dragons blood in the other. After fully equipping the greens and blues, I had a base strength of 700, a crit chance of 31% and a hit chance of 3% (interesting enough, my base crit chance was higher in this gear than my ilvl 232-251 gear).

Enter Queue for Random Heroic: UK

The Observation:

Let me preface by saying that I was utterly surprised at the results. With 1/3 of my normal strength and hit chance, I expected to do much worse than I actually pulled.

As you can see from recount (ok- I "misplaced" the overall recount pic), all dps members hovered right around the 2k mark. Slan (Lock) was sitting about 1.9k, Buick (DK) 2k, and myself about 2.2k. Even neglecting hit chance, these numbers were easily obtained, and were constant throughout the instance. These numbers also reflect the total average dps for the run.

(screenshot after one of the mobs)

Things to Consider:

We all know what we're doing. Don't laugh. It's true. Buick and I consistenly top the dps charts in current tier raids(Slan has multiple toons)--so I can say without a doubt, that the 2.2k I was able to pull was the product of a near perfect raid dps spec, rotation, and glyph set. I can't get any better than what I was doing (unless I can and just don't know about it).

Now, subtract out 100-200 dps for a less-than-stellar spec, and another 200 or so for not utilizing a correct rotation (priority) and/or glyph set, and the base dps for a true n00b 80 hovers right around the 1500-1700 mark.

That being said....

I'm calling it.

(insert voiceover here) *Big, Booming, Official Sounding Voiceover, possibly Mr. Samuel L Jackson*

OFFICIAL DPS FOR A N00B 80 to RUN HEROICS: 1500-1700 (and I hope they burn in hell!)

Most DPS should have a clue by the time they ding 80. Others though, may need some help; a good point in the right direction, if you will. I personally think that 1500-1700 dps is easily achieveable in quest/AH purchased gear--and should definitely be considered the floor-median for DPS players looking to run Heroic Dungeons.

Sated's Guide to: Deathbringer Saurfang

2009-12-31T09:31:00.000-08:00

Ok guys. Here it is. Before you tear me to pieces, I realize the quality of this video is questionable--apparently my macbook isn't powerful enough to run wow, vent, safari and capture video at the same time.
The next one will be better. Oh-- and I know I probably sound like a douche; I improv'd the whole voice over at 2 am this morning....so cut me some slack =p

Raiding.

2009-12-30T15:55:00.000-08:00

Last night, after sending 2 groups into ICC10, there were a few in Sated that were left out of the action. I even saw a few statements in g-chat that posed the question: how do I get a raid invite?

Let me preface by saying, I hate leaving people behind. It sucks. I know it. But, unfortunately, I can't control who no-shows, and I can't regulate how many we have on, on any given raid night. What I can do, is offer up vent space, resources, strats, friends from my friends lists etc, to help the odd numbered out players, if they wish to get a group going. In the realm of 10 mans, this is what we got.

That being said, as we have more and more log on for 25's, eventually the officers and I will assess the player base that we have, and create a CORE 25 consisting of the best raid configuration possible.

You want an invite?

Here it is as blunt as I can be:

First spots are reserved for Officers. Not only becuase they are consistently on, helping guildies, working their asses off to ensure we have flasks, chants, gems, mats, etc. But also because they know how to get the job done. And in the end, being able to execute is key.
You need to be the best in your class. And by this, I don't just mean beating up recount. I mean, knowing what's going on with your class, being able to execute multiple, prioritized- objectives, correctly gemming and enchanting your gear, being able to take initiative and pick up slack if needed.
You need to have a raid ready setup; have flasks, pots, other consumables, DBM or Deus Vox up and ready, mic plugged into vent--if you want to run current tier 25's, these things are a necessity.
DPS/HPS/AVOIDANCE-- if you're in full T9 and only pulling 2k dps in heroics, there's a problem here. Figure it out. Similarly, the mana pool and healing throughput for ICC25 requires gear to be on par for the raid level. If you're having mana issues, gear up. Tanks, the more health and mitigation you have the better. If you're wanting to tank with an avg gear score of ilvl 219-- you need to gear up more.

You basically need to prove yourself. An invite to Sated doesn't equate to a raiding spot. Show me that you're dedicated, that you can follow direction, that you have what it takes to succeed. You want your gear to rival the server's best; then act like the server's best. Be on and ready to go 15 minutes ahead of schedule. Think another heroic run might be cuttin it close? Opt out of the heroic, and take a few minutes to read up on the encounters, strats, watch the vids, etc.

The difference between casual and cutting-edge raiding:

Dedication, Consistency, Communication, Resiliency.

As a GM I'm looking for a group that is skilled, dedicated, and consistent. If you can meet these requirements, you just might make the cut.

Meme? WTF is a Meme???

2009-12-30T10:39:00.000-08:00

Ok Arioch, I'll bite (byte?).
I guess this thing's like a chain-letter, and since I fucked up the video-capture in ICC last night, I don't have much else to do today. I did manage to record Saurfang though =p
That vid should be up soon...

1. How long have you been blogging? What made you start? Who inspired you?
My first post went live on Aprill 22, 2009--I originally got into it as a way to showcase raid information, talk strats, basically keep my guildmates informed. Up until that time, there were only 2 blogs that I checked daily: WoW Insider, and skeletonjack. I wanted to do something fun, display some info, and maybe spark some conversation with peeps that love to play the game, outside of azeroth.

2. About how many hours a week would you estimate you spend on your blog?
Maybe a couple. I actually spend more time looking for ways to enhance the look and feel of it; the architecture. As far as the posts are concerned, I'm really an "off-the-cusp" kinda guy. Sometimes I have something to talk about, sometimes I don't. I go in, write the post, publish, and proof it after its already up. =p

3. What kind of experience or background do you have with writing?
Other than countless philosophy papers--absolutely none. Does it show?

4. Talk about how you come up with blog topics. Where do you get your ideas? What or who inspires you? Where and/or how do your brainstorming?
Most of my topics come up during the course of play the night before. Some are spurred by conversations with guildies and friends, and very rarely some ideas do originate from other bloggers. I like to discuss issues that are at the forefront of my mind--funny things that happen in game, ways to better yourself as a player, frustrations I'm having, things I want to know more about; and on the flip side, things I want other people to know about. There's really not a whole lot of brainstorming. I just let the shit flow naturally.

5. Do you have any blogging rules or guidelines you follow? Is there anything you will not blog about?
A gentleman never kisses and tells...I on the other hand would broadcast that shit American Pie style if I had the chance. I guess it's just been a while.

6. Do you have any sort of a publishing schedule in terms of day of week or topic? Where do you do your writing?
I like to try to publish 3-4 times a week. Actually, I'd really like to publish something daily, but often I'm either preoccupied with actual work, or just don't have a topic for discussion. Don't tell anyone, but I usually do my writing from work, shhh..... I'm writing this post from work. Right now. Really.

7. How many drafts of potential blog posts do you have right now? In what medium do you draft your posts? How often do you completely scratch or delete drafts or blog post ideas?

Here's a fun one to answer: None. Nada. Zilch. Nil. I have absolutely no items in draft. I'm not that clever. And, I think I've only ever deleted 1 post that I was working on. And that was because I was just being lazy. lol

8. If you had to leave your blog in your will to another blogger, who would you choose? To ask this in a slightly less morbid way, are there other blogs that you feel are similar to yours in content, style, or voice?
Eh. Who would really want this anyway? Chances are, before I kicked the bucket, I'd redirect the domains to someplace of my choosing. *Ahem...*
That just happened!

9. Has anything surprised you since you started blogging?
The number of people that find the blog and engage in it. It's a cool feeling to have people other than guildies send me an email, or seek me out in-game, to reference it. Oh, and the number of bloggers out there that are genuinely entertaining. I've come across a lot. I'm actually reading more now than when I was in school.

10. What are your goals or plans for your blog going forward? Any specific goals or plans for your blog in 2010?
I'd like to incorporate it more into the guild site that has yet to be...well...finished. I'd like to get more people involved in it also--maybe find a way to contribute topic ideas, etc.
I wanna go fast!

Tier-Gear Attunement

2009-12-22T16:36:00.000-08:00

Let's get something straight before you dive in and rip me a new one. I'm not elitist. I consider myself far from it, actually--and anyone who has been on one of my successful Ony-25 one-shots (w/ players in greens and blues) knows it.

That being said...

I don't think I like the way T9, ilvl 232 gear has become patch 3.3's quest blues. Actually, I know I don't.

You're probably asking yourselves, "why?" Right? There are sooo many pros to it...easier to gear alt's, don't have to worry about winning rolls, yada yada yada--yeah, I like these aspects of the system, too.

But I hate it. And here's why::

The distinction between raiders and casuals has become too blurred. Normally, I wouldn't care. However, I just don't see ICC being forgiving enough to accomodate players that don't quite make the cut. Deathwhisper requires competent dps to get adds and mana shield down, and an avg of 4.5k is absolutely necessary to best Saurfang...

Tier 7 was money; you saw a player in Tier gear you knew they had the chops to best patchy, the horsemen, KT. Now, everyones runnin' around with tier gear, and it's troublesome to get a raid going and see a player 5/5 T9 struggling to break 2.5k.

Here's my solution: Attunement.

Create a weekly raid for the current tier of content. Example: Create a quest chain to go in and kill Saurfang. Make the reward an attunement token--not necessarily something that can be redeemed, but that will grant you access to purchase Tier gear (like reputation unlocking a quartermaster). This way, when you see someone running around with Tier pieces, you know they had to work for it: they've passed a "bar" of sorts.

Then, when you're making a raid sometime later, you don't have to /facepalm yourself over and over because a player is completely underwhelming you.

=)

How the battered hilt creates morons....

2009-12-22T10:07:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Di and I queue'd up for the daily random heroic, and scored PoS.

A Pally Tank, Sham, and rogue met Di and I as we zoned in--their gearscores hovering right around the 4500 mark. We buff, wait for Sylvana's spiel, and wait....

Where's the tank?

(He/She/Shim had made a B-Line to the left, pulling skeletons)

"Hey, whaddya doin?"

He wants to farm the hilt.

It doesn't drop there.

I politely inform him of the change to the hilt droprate/location.

He keeps pulling.

I don't have time or patience for this shit.

"Seriously--the hilt doesn't drop there...read the notes."

Tank gets pissed (pretty sure he rides a short bus) and leaves. First Failadin I've seen in a while.

Tanks don't need the hilt. Period. Go farm some dailies.

Thankfully Sin logged on--so I pulled him in to finish.

Blue Post regarding the hilt:
In light of this change, we are also removing the chance for the Battered Hilt or any other epic item to drop from the Skeletal Slaves in the Pit of Saron. The need to “farm” these creatures for the Battered Hilt should be reduced by our first in-game fix and will no longer result in a chance for epic loot or Battered Hilts.

See more blue posts here

DPS Check: Deathbringer Saurfang

2009-12-20T22:54:00.000-08:00

After 12 wipes over the course of 3 days, and roughly 4 different theories tested... we finally downed Saurfang.

2 Tanks, 2 Heals, 6 dps--we had ranged burn down the blood creatures at spawn, using chains of ice, and frost traps to slow them down. We got him to about 35% before his buff spilled over and put his mark on one of our hunters. The hunter went down, but Saurfang was never able to land enough hits to place another mark on anyone else.

The key to this fight is having some amazing ranged dps. They have to be quick enough to kill the beasts and get back on the boss before the next batch spawns; think Deathwhisper on steroids.

Congrats to: Richet, Stinky, Buick, Nebit, Coop, Aldo, Raydric, Vic, & Grok. Good job guys! =)

"We Just Need to Execute..."

2009-12-18T14:44:00.000-08:00

These were words spoken by newly appointed B of A-CEO Brian Moynihan, about the company's strategic vision...

These words echoed in my head all last night.

25 Icecrown. Wiped so much the trash respawned. First attempt went to 15%.

At this point, the strats have been theorized, tested, evaluated, re-evaluated.

It's time to go to mother$%*!ing work.

....See Post Below....

Week 2 in the Citadel

2009-12-17T08:56:00.000-08:00

Last night was our second venture into ICC-10. Last night was the second time I caught an upgrade because Buick was generous...I think he's starting to feel sorry for me at this point. Nevertheless, I'm sitting just shy of 2k strength unbuffed, and it feels (in Borat voice) very nice.

The group I took with me this time was a tad different from last time. And we had a few that hadn't been before. Last nights makeup:

Warrior, Druid Tanks / feral, 2x DKs (3 melee) / Pally, Tree, Sham Heals.

Had to alter the previous strat to Marrowgar since we lacked the 3rd ranged dps. But that proved to be ok. Deathwhisper is a bit of a pain with 2 ranged dps. It's do-able, but much easier with 3 ranged. 3 seem to burn adds faster and switch back more quickly to mana shield. The gunship fight really doesn't matter-- although we did find that healers could just step to the edge of Orgrim's Hammer and heal the tank from across the void. Takes another variable out of play on that one. On Saurfang, 3 ranged dps proves invaluable--So moral of the story, choose group composition wisely grasshopper.

What I have been noticing more and more, is that as the fights progress, there's less and less compensating that you can do. Everyone needs to know what they're doing, and stick to the plan to succeed. And while that's a good mantra to raid by anyway, it's definitely true to form by the time you hit Deathwhisper.

On Marrowgar, if someone slacks on breaking the huge icicle, buick or I can run over and save 'em. No big deal. On Deathwhisper, if someone's spending too much time on the shield, then adds don't drop quickly enough for the other dps to get at the shield before the next wave comes. The fight becomes problematic. Especially when you're having to work against the whole physical-immune or magic-immune thing. Everyone needs to know what their role is, and be on their game--only deviating from the plan when it is absolutely, the only way out.

Remember kids, execution is key =)

So what did we learn today?

1. Create a Group Comp. that will suport your strategy with ease
2. Lay out roles for your players--make sure they know what they're doing
3. Execute said plan with navy seal precision
4. /pure win

Shout! Shout!

2009-12-15T10:24:00.000-08:00

Let it all out. These are the things....well....err..you get the idea.

The Tears for Fears impromptu vent concerto is just one more of the many reasons to venture into the Ice Crown Citadel. And, if you've been, you probably know why. Trash is epically (sp?) fun. More so than Naxx used to be. And the overall feeling of the place--has more meaning I think. You've got the Ashen Verdict running around the place. It really feels solid.

Last night we went in with a mission, and pwn'd face in ways only Ash can describe. After 2 months of losing rolls to Buick, he finally threw me a bone and let me walk out with the Citadel's Claymore, which means I finally tossed out that hunter sword I was using. I rolled an 8 against him btw. He rolled a 67. Whatev. He gave it to me, I'm happy.

Anyway, we stumbled around a little bit in there--adjusting strats to suit our group. I wanted to impart a little bit of knowledge on ya'll, just to make it a wee bit easier.

Our 10-man Composition:

Druid, Warrior Tanks/ 2 Melee 3 Ranged DPS/ Druid, Priest, Shaman Heals

Marrowgar
Burn Marrowgar. Bust player impales. Stop DPS before aggro dump. Repeat.
The fight mechanics themselves aren't too difficult--just remember the nuances of the fight and you'll be ok. I basically paired a healer and ranged DPS together, they spread 15 yds from eachother around the semi-circle in the room, tanks and melee in the center. This is so ranged can beak an impale of the healer next to them, and another group is close enough to do the same. Tanks need to be butt buddies on this one--and always move together. Remember he drops aggro after bonestorm, so DPS needs to stop and wait for tanks. If the tanks aren't close enough to eachother when one is picking him up, its game over. During Bonestorm, ranged just needs to stand where they are and take the whirlwind damage (they have a healer right next to them). Rinse and repeat =)

Lady Deathwhisper
Burn mana shield and adds. Focus Fire Sloth. Burn Deathwhisper. Interrupt frostbolt cast.
Group in the center of the circle. Tanks will split off to different sides of the room to aggro adds as they spawn. We Bloodlusted at the beginning, and all dps had a good 10 seconds to blow CD's and get to work. I had all dps burn adds quickly, and work on the mana shield during the downtime. She doesn't even come close to the 10 minute enrage this way. Adds after they're resurrected will get a shield that needs to be burned through, and occasionally Deathwhisper will turn an add into Sloth from the Goonies. Don't try to tank it, kite it and have ranged focus fire it down. Drop mana shield to 1 or 2 %, then when all adds are down, break it and have tanks pick it up. Burn her and interrupt all her casts. She casts on a nearly exact timer with mind freeze.

Gunship Battle (I'm on a Boat!!!)
Melee man cannons. Spam 1 then use 2. Kill the Frost Mage. Repeat.
Some strats tell you to split the raid and kite Bronzebeard on the Alli ship for the duration of the fight-- THIS IS RETARDED (Dee duh Dee) and highly unnecessary. Have melee on cannons DPSing the Alli ship--when the frost mage comes out (every 25%), the melee will be kicked from their frozen cannons. Have the 2 melee, a tank, and healer RocketJump to the Alli ship-- Tank kites Bronzy while the melee kills the mage. Takes 10 seconds. Once mage is down, jump back to horde ship, and get back on cannons. Rinse and repeat. Ranged dps a tank and 2 heals stay on horde ship and take down adds. EZ mode.

It was pretty late by the time we made it to Saurfang. He's the only one we weren't able to get down. I think the strat is gonna look something like this, though: Ranged at max range, Tank and melee stop dps at creature spawn, Ranged snare and dps the blood creatures. Got him to about 40%--but will definitely have him down either tonight or tomorrow.

Happy Hunting

There is NO Muthafucking SANTA CLAUS

2009-12-11T09:21:00.000-08:00

I was wondering why I wasn't seeing bigger numbers. I coulda swore that shit was better tues night....I'm going back Blood.

Death Knight Forums via Ghostcrawler

Reasons behind the Scourge Strike nerf:
Players have made several requests for more explanation on the Scourge Strike nerf. I tried to find a post to respond to, but the ones I found were very angry and I didn't feel like a response in there was going to do anything to discourage more angry posts. So I'll just do it here.We initially started mucking around with Scourge Strike based on numerous requests and complaints from Unholy DKs that their talented strike wasn't very appealing. At the time a lot of Unholy DKs were just using Obliterate instead, especially in PvE. Their logic made a lot of sense. It's obvious that the tree is built around Scourge Strike to some extent. There are many talents that are less interesting without Scourge Strike.

Side note 1: *You* personally may have been happy with Scourge Strike as it was. We don't take a public vote on these things. When players make a lot of sense, the designers sit down and discuss whether we agree with them and whether than warrants any changes. In this case we thought it did.

Side note 2: We have a design law around the office, named for one of the designers here, that anything overpowered is fun. There was a time when Scourge Strike hit for silly numbers. Many DKs knew it did too much damage. Others were nostalgic for that day, perhaps even subconsciously. I've read several times before something else that makes a lot of sense: too many DKs want a class that hits as often as a rogue but hits as hard as a warrior. You can see the problem there. As long as DKs do so much spell and disease damage, their strikes can't hit for really big numbers. (If you don't care about spells and disease damage, then you're probably playing the wrong class.)

In any event, we tried a lot of different things with the talent. You can probably find my old posts. There were many, which makes these claims that DKs were ignored ring a little hollow. We couldn't make it just hit as hard as a physical swing since it completely ignored armor. The problem was that in a raid environment in which armor was routinely sundered / exposed or otherwise bypassed, Scourge Strike's smaller base damage fell short. Again, you can find more detail in older posts.

That's why we came upon the answer of letting Scourge Strike do half physical damage. Half of the attack would respect armor (and therefore sundered armor as well) but the other half could still benefit from all of the DK abilities that improve Shadow damage. As a side bonus, this made the armor penetration on so much of the dps plate slightly more attractive to Unholy DKs. Players argued that this made the ability less interesting or even compromised. We understood the logic there, so we tried to let the physical and Shadow portions crit separately. We knew there was a risk of it feeling too RNG, and some players brought up that risk. But remember we were still trying to solve two other problems (SS needs to hit hard and not be boring) so we decided to try it anyway.

The parses that came out of the PTR weren't too bad. There were some big hits of course, but they didn't happen too often and in PvP the damage didn't seem out of control. Remember though, our PTRs are voluntary. We get some great players trying things out and sending feedback, which is awesome and much appreciated. We have great internal testers who beat on the raid encounters over and over again before they're ready to go public. But none of that testing compares to the flood of data we get the day something goes live. The handful of Icecrown raid parses grew by thousands over night, and many of those had Unholy DKs doing much higher damage than was warranted. Go check out any parse by a decent guild for the Icecrown raid. Once you skip over all the Mutilate rogues, there are all the Unholy DKs.Maybe in retrospect we made a mistake messing with Scourge Strike at all. Maybe a superior solution would have been to let some Unholy DKs just migrate over to Obliterate or whatever. Just remember as passionately as you feel about things now, many DKs felt just as passionately back then when they urged us to reconsider Scourge Strike. As another designer commented recently "You rarely see indifferent players come to the forums to post their indifference.

"Will it stay this way for long? It's too early to tell. This implementation has a chance of working out, but we also want to see the Icecrown hard modes start up as well as the new Arena season kick in.

One Word. Gunship.

2009-12-09T16:14:00.000-08:00

Getting on a boat: 1 Woot.
Getting on a boat in the air: 2 Woots.
Fighting Alli's on said airboat: 3 Woots.

Seeing rockets attached to Stinky's ass: Priceless

Patch 3.3 First Impressions

2009-12-09T10:23:00.000-08:00

I don't really have any first impressions for 3.3.

I was stuck on the loading screen for HoR for like... I dunno.. 2 hours.

Actually, after the dust settled, I was able to run through the new 5 mans--which are definitely a breath of fresh air from the other WotLK heroics. And, I have to say, the live versions feel so much better than the ptr. Trash is a little more epic, and by the time you get to HoR, you're screaming for more.

The Quel'delar hilt dropped for just about everyone but me (I rolled a 1)--and I'm told that the quest line is good fun. For now, I'm still stuck with my huntard-sword =(

Did some random heroics with the new LFG interface. Two words: Fricken amazing.

Late last night stepped into the ICC-10: Trash is muh-tha-fuckin epic. A definite DPS check. And, there's a whole room full of that shit. Tried Marrowgar a couple of times, but it was late, and we just weren't in the groove. We'll head back in tonight for some more action.

The Real "Winners"

2009-12-07T09:43:00.000-08:00

Before I delve into the actual content of this post (as if there really was content), let me preface by saying, I give mad props to anyone willing to start pugging an entire 25 ToC on our realm. Really. It's work. One of my guildies can't make raid during the weeknights because of his ultra-early service regiment. So, he does the best he can to jump into things on the weekends. This weekend, it happened to be 25 ToC.

I wasn't involved in the initial offering of the group--but his pug, with no vent, one-shotted the beasts, 2 shotted jaraxis, and made a couple attempts at the champs. It started falling apart here.
There were 6 or 7 spots open, so he turns to guildchat to find some more. I coerce some of the geared players, and we jump in to help. I post up the vent info, and he asks me to talk strategy to the raid.

Cue the winners:

Winner#1-- 4300 Gearscored DK who says he doesn't need to get in vent cause he knows the fight.
I say, "really? Explain your role." No Response.

/rw Get in vent if you want to roll on loot

ding.ding.ding.

DK Leaves. 1 wannabe raider down.

So I pair people up for CC cycles. We have enough CC in the raid to legitimately make this easy. couple locks, couple mages, couple boomkins...right? Wrong.

Pull the shammy to start the fight. No one interrupts but me. He heals. He heals. Others are running rampant, CC appears non-existent. Wipe.

Try #2. Go over pairings again, reiterate single target dps, get a good feeling and....same shit. This time I noticed a ret-failadin consecrating over all the CC'd mobs. /facepalm.

Cue "Winners" #2,3,4,5,6,

Winner#2--Says something about splitting the raid up to dps multiple targets. I ignore him.
Winner#3--wants to put a tank and healer into each group and all take on different targets. He's done this before, he assures me it'll work. I'm somewhat amazed that his group took 5 tanks to 25 toc. I actually call him retarded over vent.
Winners#4,5,6-- Decide they want to blame the wipe on me--because although I'm topping dps chart, and have done the fights one handed before (true story), apparently I'm a fail leader.

I wished them luck, left the raid, and kicked them from my vent.

Moral of the story: There are soooooo many "winners" out there that we can learn from. Remember, "winners" are like you and me....but better. So we should definitely listen and take heed to their ingenious, cutting-edge strategies. Who needs vent??!! If they say we can do without, by all means, vent is probably just a waste of RAM anyway. The next time you run 25 ToC, be smart about it. Get 5 tanks in there so when you hit the champs its smooth sailing...

Drumroll Please.... 3.3 DK DPS Spec's

2009-12-03T11:03:00.000-08:00

(Revised just for Ari=)

With 3.3 around the corner, I thought I'd lay this out for all you DK's out there. Scourge strike is back with a vengeance, and the new loot in 3.3 will make it easier than ever to make sure you're stat-weighted the way you want it =)

Let's dive in, shall we?

Unholy 17/0/54
This is a good time for us guys...so make me proud =p
Keep your 4 pc of T9 until you've accumulated 2 pc T10.
Pop your army 2x as much, watch boneshield at that 5 min mark.

Single Target:
PS-IT-BS-BS-SS-DC-HoW
SS-DC-SS-SS-DC
(Repeat!)

Stat weights (after hit/expertise cap): Str>Crit>ArP

Blood 51/0/20-- Same as 3.2

Single Target:
PS-IT-HS-HS-DS-Dump
DS-HSx4

Stat weights (after hit/expertise cap): Str>ArP

Glory to the Hero. Shyste be Thy Name...

2009-12-03T08:38:00.000-08:00

I am a Golden God. No, really. Ask anyone.

So we're (the guild) is toolin' around Dal on Tuesday night after a round of Ony-10's, when Jango asks about doing some OCC achieves. I con a few others into joining us and...

BAM!
I haven't attempted that in months. Wasn't too painfully difficult this go round. That achievement left one outstanding on my quest to ~~immortality~~ the Red Proto:

BAM!
First attempt. Last night. One cast. We went in with a mission, and made it look easier than...well...Whoapaw (he's really ~~slutty~~ easy).

GOLDEN GOD/ P I M P Status

The Alienware Debacle: From M17 Stuttering to Just Under the CEO

2009-12-02T10:51:00.000-08:00

For those of you following my little WoW blog over the past couple of months, you've inevitably seen a post or two concerning the problem I've been facing with my Alienware M17--that I just received in September.

Now, playing on this machine is a far cry from the 11" macbook that I levelled on. With Crossfire disabled, one HD4850 along with the quad-core handle Dalaran at full load at about 50-60 fps.

The Issue
At first, the audio/video stuttering was very infrequent--happening once a week for the first month. Friends had thought that it might be a memory leak associated with Vista's sidebar. After that first month though, the problem became progressively worse, and now its a nightly occurence.

Internet research points to a number of possible causes, and traces the stuttering back to quad-core only rigs (apparently core 2 duo machines don't suffer from it). The most widely-accepted cause is heat related; the heatsink on the quad isn't adequate without some sort of aftermarket compound--some modders even going so far as to creating a copper shim to dissipate heat even further.

Whatever the problem may be, the one thing it should not be, is present in a Brand New Alienware M17 gaming rig.

The Solution: Or Lack Thereof
Over the course of a week, I spent 4 nights and 12 hours with different AW Tech's remotely controlling my M17; testing, reinstalling, flashing, etc. The results of all these tests was that the machine was running too hot. On the 4th night of said tests, at approximately the 12th or 13th hour of remote access, I was given an RMA number, and a return address label.

For 4 weeks my NEW M17 sat at their repair facility. I called after week one because I hadn't heard anything. Was told that it successfully endured the trip there--but no notes could be found on it. Only after I explained the issue did the Tech say that they would check heatsinks and temps, blah blah blah. Called on week 2 to find the prognosis: nothing. Not that they hadn't found anything, but that they didn't know where my machine was, and didn't have any notes. After an hour long wait, it was decided that my M17 was now en route to another facility in Florida. Third call on week 3 lead me to believe that they were replacing heatsinks and video cards...cause that's what the guy on the phone said. But then I got an interesting email. It was a request for more info, because they could not replicate the problem. I immediately called in to provide support, and although the sender of said email could not be located, another Tech took down my information.

Later that week, I received the M17, unannounced, along with a work related shipment. Inside was a note, detailing the work they did.

Alienware did Nothing.

So I started calling.

I didn't pay $2700 for a gaming rig that has audio/video stuttering. Thats ridiculous. What's worse, is that they did nothing to fix it. 4 weeks. 4 weeks it was at their repair facility, and they did absolutely nothing. I don't think that Alienware has any way to track customer relationships; what I mean is, the average length of time it takes any Tech to find out any information for you: 35 mins (after 30 minutes of waiting before anyone answers). Its like they physically walk down to the lab, look for a machine with your name on it, and read the sticky note attached...

I request a replacement or a refund. I'm cited a 30 day return policy by 3 or 4 people. I guess they have a very long chain of command. It takes me basically chewing some guy out to get an "escalated response."

It takes a few days, but here's what I get:

"My name is Charles Mamakos and I work for Alienware’s Critical Issues Department. I am contacting you regarding the issue your system is experiencing. I would like to offer you a VIP repair as well as expedite shipping. This repair would have the system go to our repair facility and moved to the top of the repair queue. Once repairs are complete I would have the system shipped to me here in our Miami HQ so that I may personally inspect the repairs and thoroughly test the system. If I find any fault with the system I would personally correct this issue before shipping it back to you. "

I try calling. No answer. I leave a voicemail. I get no call back. I respond via email:

"Charles

Thank you for your response in this matter-- I left a voicemail for you yesterday (Tues 23rd), but understand you must be busy.

Thank you for your offer for a "VIP" repair, but at this junction, that is simply not enough. Your technical advisors have spent more than 15 hours testing, reinstalling and troubleshooting software remotely, and had a month to diagnose and correct the issue. This was not done. Actually, nothing was done (as stated on the note that arrived with my machine). And, on top of my M17 not being fixed or re-certified, each member of your support team had a different story to tell me when questioned about its status during its month-long stay. I purchased from Alienware because of its reputation--but after this experience, it will be easy for me not to recommend the company to anyone. I have never experienced worse customer service from any major retailer.

The fact of the matter is, the M17 I purchased is faulty. The problem first occured within the first 30 days of my taking receipt of the M17--and after countless attempts to fix it, it is still having its moments of adio/video stuttering. At this point, I am seeking restitution in the form of a new, comparable replacement (since the M17 is no longer purchasable on your website), or a full refund. I personally don't think that's too much to ask.

If you, yourself are incapable of rectifying this matter, please forward this email to someone that can."

The Nut-flexing(testacles) ensues:

"Hello again,
Your only option at this point would be to have the system brought in for repair. I understand that the system is still very new but this is the only option available.

You have reached the highest level of customer support available. I work under the office of the CEO.

Please let me know if you would like to proceed in this manner.
Thank you"

Really?

Apparently I've reached the pinnacle of Alienware's Customer Support, which just happens to be, well....none.

The shit part about this is, is that it's not only happening to me. There are others out there experiencing the same negligible "customer support" from this company. The stuttering issue is all over the internet--from forums to blog posts, many people experiencing this issue and having their computers returned to them, only to find that nothing had been repaired.

I have one thing to say about it. It's a known issue. It's happening to hundreds (if not thousands) of people. Something is poorly designed, and its fucking up. All over the place. Take a stand for what your name used to stand for, and make things right with all of us. As a retail banker, I understand the importance of customer relationships--and I refuse to sit idly by and let this douchebaggery commence.

Fix it.

[Fast Forward to 3 minutes in...]

Player Competency

2009-11-30T09:53:00.000-08:00

So I was sitting in Dalaran last night, after the guild's second ToCr-10 for the week, chattin away with some guildies over vent, and spamming my recruitment macro over trade--when a trade chat discussion erupted:

"[Sated] is looking for seasoned raiders for ToCr and the upcoming ICC. Core positions available to tank-healers and competent dps (4k+)."

Trade1: "That's a word I don't hear nearly enough in trade. Competent."
Trade2: "Yeah, it's always the fail, LF non-fail blah blah blah."

I thought about that for a sec.

The two terms may be semantically similar (in-game), but they're actually completely different. As a GM, I'm not looking for "non-fail." I want competent. I want the "I-can-trust-you-to-know-what-you're-doing-and-get-the-job-done-so-I-don't-have-to-pick-up-the-slack-or-compensate-in-other-areas-of-the-raid-for-your-lack-of-(insert area here)" person.

I want people that come face to face with the wall...and barrel through that fucker without looking back.

Runners typically characterize "the wall" as a point in a run where they are inclined to shut down; to give up. Pothead's generally characterize it as one of Pink Floyd's more memorable albums. I tend to look at the wall as being the 3k dps barrier. Some players never seem to see the wall, let alone acknowledge that it was ever there. Others, no matter how much gear they obtain seem incapable of scaling it. This is an issue. And, I'm only mentioning dps here, but "the wall" also applies to healer through-put and tank efficiency. It's about wanting to be the best, standing out in the crowd--its about shining.

The Test
I was in 3 Ony-25 pugs this week. All failed. 20 wipes of geared players, hardly even making it to phase 3.

One of these attempts consisted of 5400 gearscored tanks and the respective healers from fairly known progressive guilds: these were known players. These were known players that failed at breaths and couldn't hit the consecrate button quick enough to grab welp-aggro...

Now let me tell you about our guild run.

I decided to take whatever members of Sated I had on. I didn't gearcheck. I also took members of our sort of sister guild, Deathgrip, some of whom I knew were undergeared. I had players in greens and blues with me in Ony 25.

One-shot.

Oh, and about 20% of the raid were first-timers.

Competency, as defined by me: being able to carry out a specific team strategy while performing your duties as a player. This may include, but is not limited to, being able to quickly adapt to a changing situation, communicate effectively with other raiders and team lead, and setting personal issues aside to the benefit of the team.

Sated wins.

My Apologies...

2009-11-25T11:12:00.000-08:00

I've been neglectful with my non-existent posts the last week or so...so to the 5 of you active readers out there, I'm sorry =P

Truth is, there's been a lot I've been wanting to do, but finding other junk getting in the way.

I think I've just been tired. I've been fighting Alienware over this POS M17 they sent me--has an audio/video stuttering issue. After 4-weeks of being in their hands to fix, I get the machine back with a note saying they did absolutely nothing to it. WTG ALIENWARE!!! By far the douchiest company I've ever dealt with. I'm constantly taking video of my jagged framerates and audio of my guildies voices over vent; just in case it comes down to small claims. Right now I'm still trying to get them to replace the rig or refund my money-- to exhaust all possible options, I've even had to file claims with my credit card company just in case.

Been trying to recruit more for 25's--and been trying to pug out ToC25...have had little success. Too many AFK's, slow going attempts. I think I need to step it up and be more of a dick--kick low dps and those not quite getting it. Something to think about.

On another note, we still need some shammies, a warlock or two, and some mages for sure. So if you're looking for a home and a place to raid at 10pm CST-- lemme know.

More posts to come soon.

Oh-- and if there's one piece of advice I leave you with. Don't ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever buy anything from Dell or Alienware. These guys are a piece of work. Their tech's lie about your rig--everytime I called to check the repair status, I got a different story--and their customer service is about the worst that I've ever experienced, hands down. They're too afraid to call, so they only send emails, and never respond to voicemails--even if they are the "person" assigned to handle your case. I've had 4 different "persons" already.

The Death Knight: Back to Basics

2009-11-10T10:10:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to write one of these for a while, now. A night or so ago, a fellow DK in a friends guild asked for a bit of help improving his dps--after a few other random whispers from others on the realm, it finally pushed me to delve into this thing, head first.

So let's begin at the beginning.

Runic System: The Basics
Unlike other classes that use mana, or generate rage, DK's have Runes. 6 to be exact:
2-Frost, 2-Unholy, and 2-Blood. Each of these runes has its own specific cool down, and each of our abilities (strikes) needs one rune, or a combination of runes to work. Upon using these abilities, we are filled with Runic Power (which is used to power other abilities).

Because our runes have an ICD (internal cooldown), the consensus is that in order to maximize our potential for damage, we need utilize our runes in a way that makes use of all of them in a determined amount of time.

Diseases
Another staple mechanic of DK damage is disease. Diseases, when applied act as a DoT (damage over time) effect on the target. When applied to one target, the damage done by diseases is nice. However, when facing multiple targets, the spreading of these DoT's will help maximize dps (and threat if you're a tank).

The two main diseases are Blood Plague and Frost Fever. Blood Plague is applied using Plague Strike, and Frost Fever is applied using Icy Touch.

Talent Tree Independant Abilities
All Deathknights have abilities that are independant of the talent tree they choose to spec themselves into. These abilites are single rune abilities (with the exception of Death and Decay), and I generally categorize them into two groups: Single Target Abilities, and AoE(Area of Effect, or multiple mob) Abilites.

Single Target Abilities: Icy Touch*, Plague Strike*, Blood Strike

Multiple Mob Abilities: Pestilence, Blood Boil, Death and decay

***Icy Touch and Plague Strike, while single abilities, may be spread to
multiple targets using Pestilence***

Talent Tree Dependant Abilities
So you've got down the basic Death Knight abilities up top, now let's talk about what makes each tree unique. The talent trees are broken down and categorized just like the runes we have: Blood, Frost, and Unholy. The talents in each tree are designed so that they boost stats, or damage, or develop synergy between certain abilities. However, each Tree also utilizes a specific Strike, native to that particular tree.

Blood has Death Strike
Frost has Obliterate
Unholy has Scourge Strike

If you notice, all of these abilites have one thing in common: they all require a frost and unholy rune to use...

Rotation Rotation Rotation
A rotation is basically a list of abilities that can be used sequentially to produce the maximum amount of damage (or from a tanks perspective, produce the max amount of threat)
Rotations are created while keeping a number of factors in mind: applying diseases, using our hardest hitting abilities, and making use of all of our runes in such a way that when the rotation is finished, our runes are available again to use. A rotation may also potentially fill us with enough runic power to open up some of our other abilities to use.

Runic Powered Abilities
Some of our abilities don't require the use of our runes. These abilities are instead, fueled by runic power (RP). Some are designed to deal damage, and others to mitigate it. RP damage dealing abilities are generally used at the completion of a rotation, when it is at its max level, however they can be used at any time you have enough RP to fire off an RP ability. The basic DK damage dealing RP ability is Death Coil, however there are others that are talent tree dependant, such as Frost Strike, Gargoyle, and Dancing Rune Weapon.

Putting it All Together
Putting it all together can be daunting, so I'll simplify it the best I can.

1. Spec
2. Rotation
3. Stat Weighting
4. Practice

The first thing you need to do is decide which tree you like playing, and create a spec that fits your needs. You'll find cookie cutter dps specs here on my blog, and in the DK threads over at the EJ forums. I always recommend looking at these first, due to the extent at which they have been tested. The links you'll find should come complete with optimal glyph choices as well. I like to compare sticking to a widely accepted Spec and glyph combo with building a solid foundation to a house: its not just the ingredients that make a foundation strong. It's the synergy between the ingredients...

Along with the spec/glyph combo, you'll find a rotation of abilities that has been optimized either for single target dps, or multiple mob (AoE) dps. Again, these abilities have been proven to do the maximum amount of damage, and should be learned inside and out. Completing a rotation is very easy on stagnant fights, but you'll need to know your abilities inside and out on movement fights, and fights when you'll need to pop damage mitigating cool downs to survive. Spend some time on a practice dummy practicing your rotation--run around, get a feel for it. Run out by Ebon Watch and practice on one of those gigantic skeletons...knowing a rotation like the back of your hand, and how your abilities work together, will allow you to get back on track if something gets borked for some reason.

Now that you've got your spec and rotation mapped out. Let's take a look at your stats. More importantly, are you hit capped? Expertise capped? Hit cap ensures that you can hit your target, and expertise ensures that your opponent doesn't dodge or parry them.

Hit Cap is currently 8% (on mouse hover) or 262.3 Rating
Expertise Cap is 26

If you've already obtained these stats, then you really want to fill your gem slots with Strength gems...

You'll notice other stats on your gear though: critical strike rating, haste, armor penetration, etc. To learn more about those, and how they affect your spec click HERE. =) You'll find that each tree benefits from stats differently, so I highly recommend you give it a glance. Oh, and if you're looking for a list of gems and gear enchants: HERE.

***Note: the previous page hasn't been updated to reflect epic gems***

Wheeeeeew!!!

Now that you've got the basics down, time to put them to practice. Run some heroics, some 10 mans, some 25 mans, and then evaluate yourself. What are you doing well? What can you do better? Is the stat weighting on your gear optimized for the spec your playing? Or has it shifted to benefit another? When you think you're ready to explore the finer details and nuances of the Death Knight, head on over to elitistjerks and delve into the class forums there. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Gearscore in Practice or When Shyste Hijacks YOUR Raid

2009-11-09T09:38:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday night I successfully (meaning Sated) ran a 25 Ony. This is nothing to scoff at. I was in 4 or 5 fail-ass pugs in previous weeks before I eventually was able to clear it. I set out with a concise plan: 3 Tanks, 5 Heals (all Sated) and then I'd pug DPS. Stinky spammed the trade, Hazl gear checked those wanting to attend, and 20 minutes later we had a full group.

First Attempt we wiped at .8%--RNG made for a couple of bad fears...all in all a good attempt.

Second attempt: Success.

Fast Forward to Saturday. Was picked up in LFG for a ToCr-25. The Guys were gear checking pretty consistently, making sure everyone was geared enough. My gearscore addon showed everyone at 4400 rating or higher, so the group looked promising.

6 Wipes on Icehowl.

Sunday I received an invite from the same leader, this time for a 25 Uld. Players are being checked again...maybe 1 or 2 slip in just under the requisite. We're clearing trash on Leviathan, about to start, and I notice all the towers are lit. The following short debate ensued:
Me: "Uh, guys....we have 4 towers up, and we haven't coordinated whose gettin launched"
P1: "No shutdown. We'll just stack pyrite"
Me: "Have you ever done 4 towers without a shut down?"
P2: "Better loots! Let's do it."
Me: "If you've done 4 towers before, link the achieve...this can't be done without a shutdown. Take down Storms and Life...we'll make this doable."
P2: "Awwwww...come on. We can do 4 towers."
Me:"Have you done them before? You know what they do?
****Silence****
Me: "Increased HP to Leviathan, and 200% more dmg. Let's get to clearing these 2 towers."

This is where I hijacked the raid.

Quite a few of these players passed the gearcheck, and had never done these fights before. The didn't know their abilities in the vehicles, they didn't know trash abilities in XT or in the Antechamber, and most couldn't evacuate the area when getting hit with light bomb or gravity bomb...and they certainly failed at Kolo's eyebeams. I led them up through Kologarn...but most weren't talented enough to get the fight down. So we left.

I then took a 10 man in(guild alts in blues), and we 2 healed up to Auriaya. These are raiders...

In T-7, it was easy to spot our kind: we were the only ones in Valorous gear. My tier gear screamed "Raider," and it was a good feeling. Now though, tier gear is bought with emblems. They can be accumulated by running a daily heroic. With enough patience, everyone can get ilvl 232 gear...and ilvl 245 rings, trinks, offhands...this ultimately fucks gearscore.

I'm not in complete disagreement with the current, acquiring-of-the-tier-gear-system. On the contrary, I actually like the fact that I can gear myself, and make myself more viable as a raider. I like not having to hope for a certain token drop...

But on the other hand, As a raid leader, I like to be able to check a player at-a-glance. I guess there are other options out there: asking for achievement link, looking for non-emblem pieces, wep, trinks, etc. This is just more time consuming. And seems a little elitist. It was much easier when all I had to do was look at a players shoulders to know whether or not they could hold their own. At least this was a more passive approach. Maybe 5 mans just need to get harder. The new generation of players are skipping over content that will make them better, teach them mechanics, coordination, and improvization; qualities I've seen less and less of as the game has progressed.

I guess the moral of this convoluted story is: don't ever expect your pugs to know what they're doing, regardless of gearscore. Always take the time to explain things out--and omit the details that will confuse them (lol). And, if I end up in one of your pugs, and no one appears to be "leading," don't be surprised to see me step into the drivers seat.

LFR: Looking for Raiders

2009-11-05T10:34:00.000-08:00

I dislike running 10 mans.

Let me rephrase.

I dislike the fact that certain items are only available to 25 man groups: trinkets, weapons, etc.
I think this is a dumb philosophy. Mostly because for smaller guilds, and guilds building a foundation of raiders (like Sated), sometimes 25 just isn't feasible. Does that make 10 man raiding any less end-game? I mean, if yoggy dies in 10 and again in 25, is there any other difference besides HP pool?

Currently I'm a little peeved at the fact that I'm forced to pug 25's in order to properly upgrade.

I'm talking ToCr here.

Don't get me wrong, clearing 10 each week has helped boost my stats, but when it comes down to true weapon and trinket upgrading, there just is nothing in 10 itemized for melee. The expertise trink is bleh, and the sword is right proper for a hunter...so where's all the melee love???

It's in friggin 25. Or Heroic ToCr(hard mode, better known as ToGCr 10).

I'm venting.

I need more raiders. I need more competent 2500+ geared raiders. To fill our 9.30 -12pm CST time slot. That's the one thing that kinda sucks about a low pop. server: player pool.

So, if you're looking for a great group of people, hop on over to Sated on Blood Furnace.

Another Post on Knowing Your Class...

2009-11-02T11:36:00.000-08:00

I was on MMO-Champ early this morning, and I saw a forum thread regarding the validity of the EJ Forums, and its information (pertaining to Unholy DK's).

The player that posted the thread was having difficulty increasing his dps after switching to a recommended build and rotation from the EJ community. As it turns out, the build he had been using was pre 3.2--but this really got me thinking about all those players out there that don't understand stat weighting and gear itemization...

For all specs, there are stats that are considered to be "bread and butter." These are things like Hit (until 8% for 2H), Expertise, and Strength. No matter what your spec is, these stats are mandatory for you to be doing any sort of competitive dps. These are what you gem for. So what about all the other junk you see on gear: ArP, Crit, Haste, AP???

We see these "secondary" stats creep up on the gear we use everyday--the trick to utilizing it, is knowing what it does, and figuring out which of it is important to the spec we play. So let's explore.

ArP (Armor Penetration Rating)
This stat allows you to ignore a percentage of your opponents armor. For a DK, its pretty useful in all specs, but really shines in Blood, where most of the attacks are physical (as opposed to frost, which is frost, or unholy, which is shadow). In the current tier of gear, ArP is all over the place, so coming into an abundance of it is easily done, if you're looking for it.

Crit (Critical Strike Rating)
This is a money stat for Unholy 4-piece T9 right now, and has always been a decent stat for frost. It's rated very heavily for unholy because disease ticks have a chance to crit--after its nerf in 3.3, the weight for this stat will drop in value drastically.

Haste
For a DK, haste has limited playing field. It affects white hits in all specs, but plays a viable role for Unholy. Haste affects our ghouls, our gargoyles, and Necrosis; which is why next to crit, its an important stat for unholy DK's to have at the moment.

AP (Attack Power)
This is one of those stats you really don't want to see much of--because, if you are seeing this on gear, it means that you're not gearing strength. AP is usually seen on gear without strength on it, usually itemized with agility. For a DK, 1 strength= 2 AP.

Put into Practice:
Let's compare 2 different items: Dextrous Brightstone Ring (ilvl 245) vs. Strength of the Automaton (ilvl 226). In terms of item level, the Dextrous band wins hands down. But when we look at the stats, we see that overall, the Automaton has 72 str = 144 AP vs the Dextrous' 101 AP. The Dextrous edges out in terms crit, but as a DK, the strength outscales it. So in this scenario, that shiny new ilvl 245 ring isn't an upgrade over that old ilvl 226 one.

Moral of the Story:
Be smart when it comes to gear selection. A few poor selections and and your itemization is all over the place. I tend to base my spec from my gear--so if I'm heavily ArP'd I go blood, if I find myself crit/haste heavy I go unholy (not to mention 4pc T9). Stat weighting is sure to change in 3.3, but the knowledge behind it remains the same. There's a reason why the games top players min/max, so choose your gear wisely.

BELF No More!!!!!!!

2009-10-27T12:08:00.000-07:00

This just in: I had a donkeyodomy. Really. Blizz's race change system went live today, and Shyste went Tauren.

What can I say? I'm tired of being a belf. Honestly, if I weren't such a noob when I started playing WoW, I never woulda rolled one... =)

Resurrecting Scourge Strike: Unholy 3.3

2009-10-26T13:31:00.000-07:00

Its almost upon us! What's that you say??? Cataclysm? Fuck no! Who cares about Cataclysm when mothereffin Scourge Strike is coming back!!!

News and numbers keep rolling in from the PTR regarding scourge strike; its fully functional--and constantly being tested by the fine folks over at the EJ forums. Word on the street is that it's goooood. Unless you've been hiding under a rock these last few patches, you undoubtedly know that the unholy strike was nerfed beyond all repair (to compensate for arena). First we had to gear ArP and use obliterate, then with 4 pc. T9 our diseases helped roll us to the top of the charts again--but no more shenanigans, my friends. Scourge Strike is making its way back into our arsenal.

Essentially, scourge strike has been redesigned so that its damage is split between two (2) parts: physical and shadow.

Physical
Scourge Strike's physical damage portion hits like any other physical strike.

Shadow

"The shadow portion of the attack does double dip into certain buffs/talents
(Blood Presence, Desolation, Two Handed Weapon Specialization, Bone Shield,
Ferocious Inspiration, Subversion, Vicious Strikes, Dark Conviction) and it does
benefit from shadow/magical damage specific modifiers (Ebon Plague, Black Ice).
It can crit separately from the physical portion (although if the physical
portion crits, the shadow portion will have its damage increased accordingly,
whether or not it crits - which means when both parts crit, your SS can do
ridiculous numbers). The shadow portion cannot be dodged or parried, nor can it
miss. It can be partially resisted. " -credited to Consider over @ EJ
What this basically means, is that scourge strike will be buffed significantly, and we'll get to see some insanely high crits like we used to... =)

3.3 Spec and Rotation

17/0/54

This proposed spec is very reminiscent of the 17/0/54 of old. However, it does drop IUP due to the unholy tree changes over the last few patches. And, the rotation's gonna play slightly different because of disease rolling:

(1a) PS- IT- BS- BS- SS- DC- HoW- DC
(2a) PS- IT- SS- SS- DC- DC

These will be the opening rotations to get deathrunes activated, and trinket procs to roll high AP diseases. Once you've got the AP where you want it:

(1b) SS- Pest- BS- SS- DC- HoW- DC
(2b) SS- DC- SS- SS- DC

Keep in mind that even though SS is fully functioning on the PTR, it is still subject to change at any time. Keep your fingers crossed, though =)

Getting Ready for Trial of the Grand Crusader-10: NBE

2009-10-23T11:27:00.000-07:00

Are you ready for the challenge? More fire. Bigger heals. Spawn timers.

If you've entered ToCr on regular and tamed the beasts, raped the champs, and generally laughed all the way through anub, then I think it's time you tried the heroic version. We've pretty easily cleared the regular version for a few weeks now--so its time to step up the game. Heroic.

Gonna be a lot of improvising here, so be prepared. More fire. Bigger heals.

A Digression from WoW...

2009-10-21T14:34:00.000-07:00

I'm a little irritated.

I'm not a rich man. So when I decided to purchase a gaming laptop, I made sure that it was going to be a sound investment (I thought I did at the time, anyway); made sure it had the power to run games with ease, process video and graphics, have a nice display, and enough memory so that I wouldn't need to upgrade for quite awhile.

Found the rig I have today, and there really weren't too many horror stories when I made the purchase. Certainly not like I'm finding today.

I've been all over the net, blogs, reviews and forums, and have found a very striking conclusion: QUADCORES SUCK. In laptops, anyway. Apparently theres an issue with the heat sink not making good contact, combined with an aptitude to heat up quickly, which causes the graphical/sound "stuttering" that I've been experiencing.

To solve this problem, Alienware attempted to remove heat from the system
through a BIOS update (version B14) which undervolted the CPU. Admittedly, the
stuttering was reduced after installing B14; however, it does still occur.
Additionally, by undervolting the CPU they caused massive instability
issues. (Apparently no stuttering issues in dual core processors).

I'm no rocket scientist, but this don't look good.

I called Alienware today to see what the possible solutions are for the problem, and was given crap responses such as: they'll check speakers, replace vid cards, reformat, etc. And when I brought up the issue of the faulty heat sink, the ESL (english as second language) person on the other end of the line became very defensive. No es bueno. Now, I've read plenty of horror stories from consumers returning their quad-core rigs multiple times, each time, having it return home with the same issues. I'm not that guy. I don't have the patience to deal with those guys again today (who mostly seem to lack customer service skills, other than Dennis--mad props homie), so I'll probably call again tomorrow and request either a re-configuration, or a refund. Either way, wish me luck.

Just in case you're wondering:
Alienware M17
2.0 GHZ Q9000 Quad Core CPU
4 GB DDR3 @ 1067 MHZ
1 GB ATI HD 4850 x2 (Crossfire)
250GB x2 7200RPM sata HD (Raid-0)
Vista x64

Death to Video Cards...and Sound...and HD graphics...and...shit

2009-10-21T09:09:00.000-07:00

I had a date with Alienware last night. Lasted 3 hours. No Barry White, no candles, no romance. And I still got screwed.

Anyway, so I'm on the phone with Luis, describing my very sporadic video/sound stuttering problem. He's insisting that its GPU overheating. The night before, with the aid of Dennis (An extremely cool Alienware tech) I replaced pretty much all of the drivers, upgraded bios, directx, flash, you name it. He stressed the gpu for a few minutes, and found it to be ok. Tonight though, was a different story. After 3 hours of installing and uninstalling, running tests, analyzing fan speeds and temps--Luis came to the conclusion that I had overheating issues. And no sound--something he did deleted all sound from my computer, so it has to go back now.

I'm not gonna pretend that I'm computer tech savvy. Maybe it is an overheating issue. However, the sporadic nature of the problem, sometimes occuring even upon startup, would leave me to believe that its not. Oh well, they're replacing the cards, the OS, and whatever else they deem necessary. I hope its just a faulty card. It's gonna be a 3 week process. I hope its less.

Jumped on the trusty old macbook. Had to download the last patch, and update my addons--but my latency is far better on OSX, even if the graphics are comparable to playing Zelda on the old NES. I don't know how I did that for so long. I levelled to 80 on a 13 inch screen. Man. This is gonna suck.

/QQ

P.S. I'm in the process of making Hazl a shirt ( a real one he can't DE); cause for some reason he likes to DE the stuff that he's wearing at the time (he's on item #3, btw). For a slogan I've got:
"I DE'd my other shirt."

Anyone have any suggestions for a picture?

When Video Lag is the Most Interesting Aspect of the Game...

2009-10-20T11:46:00.000-07:00

I'm in a slump.

Have been for the last week or so. Its not that there aren't enough challenges left in the game--I think its more to do with me not being able to get to them. I wouldnt mind spending a few days on Uld hard modes. Would love it even more to work on heroic ToCr. But we don't. There's so much content I feel the need to clear each week; VoA 10, VoA 25, Uld 10, Ony 10, ToCr 10-- and I'm out geared for all of these. Yet those triumph badges call out. 4 pieces of T9, and still, I can't stop running. These aren't even challenging any more. /no more fun

We've been collecting players, trying to get them ready for 25's. Inevitably, our list of raiders is dwindeling. Lose a Holy Pally because our Lead Healer asks him to try a new spec (to get rid of the PvP talents). Lose another because we're bringing him into raids too quickly (wtf?). Lose our Spriest because someone complimented her dps (still don't understand this one). Lose our rogue because he's dating the spriest. My 25 man hopes have now been set to the side.

So instead of moving forward, I'm back to choosing a 10 man squad from 16 players. This sucks.

I try to pug 25 Ony. /Fail.
I join a pug 25 ToCr. /Fail.

Only real exciting thing is the video lag, Stop/FastForward graphics error I've developed over the last week. Makes the Headless Horseman more entertaining. Real shitty though on the 4th phase of Mimiron. Oh well.

3 Drakes: Shyste of the Nightfall

2009-10-17T00:05:00.000-07:00

I was almost logged and in bed tonight, when a couple of guildies asked me to join a Sarth 3D try. Now, we attempted this a few nights ago, and the closest we came was about 9%. Since then, further research reminded us that Tenebron is usually kited at enrage, allowing dps the precious time required, to finish-off the old dragon.

We're fairly well geared. Easily pulling over 5k--closer to 6 and 7, and Artagnan coming in at around 9k. No matter how hard we tried the other night, we just couldn't close. Fast forward to tonight. 2 others (dps) in the group different from last time: Another Mage, and a Shammy, geared ilvl232 or better...

DPS looked like this:

3 tries. 3 wipes.

4th try: We pull out the numbers you see above...and still die. I watched diseases tick Sarth down from 50k on...each tick dropping her HP lower, and lower, and lower, and lower, and lower, and lower, and lower...until......... BAM!

We pulled it off. All of us except for Buick, who had accidentally rez'd. That really sucks man, but we'll get it again for ya. I rolled an epic 41 for the Black Drake. /sigh

Unholy, Oh How I've Missed You...

2009-10-14T23:28:00.000-07:00

I'm a perfectionist. I'm constantly in search of new raid strategies, DPS theories, pretty much anything that will help me (or my team) edge out the competition. Back when Tier 7 was in full swing, I was an unholy DK--out deepsing some of our servers best DK's (still have some screenies to prove it) and...it...was...AWESOME.

But, since the Great Scourge Strike nerfing (of 3.2?), the spec just hasn't been the same. I recently tried it a few weeks ago, if you recall, and reported that it sucked balls. I jumped the gun.

ElitistJerks reports that Blood out-deeps' Unholy when it comes to single target dps. The margine may be narrow, but these peeps sure know their math on the subject, so I trust their calls. What I have forgotten, lately, is that these guys sim-out BiS gear. Which I definitely do not have. I am, however, rocking 4 pieces of T9, which gives a nice chance to crit my disease ticks--and as I'm looking at the top DK's on the server (I'm #16 currently), I'm noticing that most are unholy. This got me thinking...

So I go crawling back to my old flame (Unholy), last night; head in hands, a bottle of wine and some Barry White...and she accepts me with welcomed arms.

Top the charts in VoA-25, and then again in Ony-10 (hit close to 11k during welp phase). Even against a single target, the triple disease-critting ticks are too much even for Bloods ample cooldowns. Oh how I've missed unholy...

I still don't recommend the spec if you don't have the 4 piece bonus from T9, but damn, it's so worth it if you do.

WTF Moments...

2009-10-12T23:57:00.000-07:00

I wouldn't say that I'm an angry player. Quite the contrary, actually. But there are some things in-game that really cheese me off.

#1- PvP, Pallies, and bubbles.
#2- Struggling through content.

#1 is easily avoidable-- I only arena once or twice in a very blue moon, which leaves the only real bane of my frustration at #2.

Before we get into that, let me tell you a little more about me as a n00b 80. I say n00b, because it really wasn't until I hit 80 that I really started exploring the games finer points and nuances. When I turned 80, I was wearing mostly quest blues, I was spec'd frost dps, some of my gear had defense rating on it, and the group of guildies I ran with consistently struggled through OK and HoL. We didn't even dare step foot in HoS or Occ...and we were definitely known to challenge Archavon's enrage timer. Things were different back then; ilvl 213 was tops (226 to get technical, with KT and Maly), and stats weren't quite as inflated as they are today.

During my time as an early 80, I definitely had my share of WTF moments. My Army taunting bosses, wiping groups, my bloodworms eating AoE heals, etc. I made tons of mistakes as a new 80, but I always learned from these mistakes, and definitely never tried to fake my way around. I learned a lot hands on, and since then, I've paid my dues.

Last night I experienced another WTF moment. Not much going on with the guild, I put myself in LFG as a dps to run some heroics with people. Not long after I received a whisper. H CoS.

I entered the group and the first thing I see in party chat:
"Dude, that 78 was heals...whose gonna heal?"
"I'll tank, you heal. noob healer+noob tank = chaos"
"I can heal, won't be great, but we'll live"
"I just tanked DTK fine, we got this"

This was 2 Pallies talking. Normally I'd be concerned, but I know how to stay alive, and could probably solo dps the thing if I tried...so I let it be.

Fast Forward to the pull: Tank took off running the wrong direction, I grab first wave and kill it while the hunter is off killing skeletons by himself, the dps dk in greens and blues and no sigil is off with the tank, left me and the healer. 4.5k dps = crisis averted. Everyone reforms, and wave two comes: Pally can't hold aggro (how?) hunter is doing god knows what, and the other DK is attacking a random target. Wipe.

Now, I understand, that this place can be a tad overwhelming for someone that hasn't been there before. However, everyone assured me that they'd run CoS multiple time before today. I suggest that I (having infinite wisdom of this place) do the tanking. I try to be diplomatic about it--not QQing, and try to give a few tips along the way. I succeed; my tanking goes without incident. Get to the final gauntlet and it's somewhat nerve-racking, because, apparently all the dps thought they could just run out and start attacking shit. Somehow I manage to pull it together without wanting to poke my eyes out anymore than I previously wanted... until we get to the end of the gauntlet: we're missing Arthas. Damn. WTF.

You know what happens if you run without Arthas? Shit respawns.
Ran that gauntlet 3 times...was in CoS for like an hour. Someone even had the nerve to ask about making the timed run.
/facepalm.

And how the hell, does a DK NOT have a sigil? We're all given one! For FREE!!!

WTF

Pew Pew Kachoo!

2009-10-06T15:17:00.000-07:00

After 2 attempts at Anub'arak the other night, the big spider (or beetle) dropped to it knees, yielding to us its purple-pixelated shinies in all their glory. The 10 man story of ToTC finally came to an end, revealing to us its Heroic couterpart.

/Happy Ending

Fastforward to the first attempt at heroic: wipe. wipe. wipe. /cursingattheworldWTF

Wipe. This shit is ~~hard~~ ReDONKULOUSLY hard.. Damage is increased by like 1000000000%, we have spawn timers to deal with now, more fire, more fire, more fire. We kill the magnataur, but sustain casualties. Jormungars aren't even phased by us...dead.

/sigh

SATED Raiding: Invites and Expectations

2009-09-30T11:26:00.000-07:00

There has been a recent influx of players into the guild as of late, so I'd like to take a minute or two to discuss how raid invites will be determined, and my expectations as GM.

I've always been envious of the hardcore progressive guilds that run 25's. They see the best fights, and their gear is constantly ahead of the curve--I think a lot of you are on the same page.
However, in order to get to this point, I, as GM, need to be as smart in my decisions in creating a 25 group composition as I have been with our 10.

For those of you unaware, SATED's Core 10-Players consistently perform; Ulduar to mimiron (including some hard modes), and TotC at Anub. They are geared, know their classes inside and out, and are constantly working on making themselves better. Moreover, these players, have geared themselves out of 10 man's and are ready to tackle 25's.

Progressive is a term with multiple meanings. If you look at the top 15-20 geared players in SATED, they have all worked their way from heroics, OS, all the way through Naxx-10 and 25, and into some of the hardest fights the game has seen. They have proven themselves, and paid their dues. And to that respect, it doesn't make much sense for me to try and create a 25 core group with players on different playing fields. In order to succeed, we need to even it out. As most of you saw last night, 22 players with a wide range of gear rating can roll over sarth, but in the new tier of bosses, the dps just didnt cut it.

So, with regard to raid invitations--invitations will be passed to the players that are within the gear level of the raid. This information can be found on wow-heroes, and tells me where a player is at in terms of gear. This does two things:
1. Tells me who has the stats necessary for the fights, and
2. Puts loot into the hands of someone who has worked their way to it.
Gearing for 25's has never been easier-- conquest badges can be used on ilvl 226 gear, which will take you into 25 status, and triumph badges will take you into ilvl 232, which will help make our 25's get off the ground. Heroics is a great place to start, but doesn't give the experience that we will need to successfully run 25 raids. What I would like to see, is a secondary 10 push their way through Uld, get gear, and learn the fights; that way, when we are ready to emerge as a 25, the group has a decent grasp on the core mechanics of the encounters: it's much more fun to down bosses, than it is to struggle.

This week I will schedule a secondary Uld team to get off the ground, and will support them with strategies, raid consumables, and vent support (if I'm not in-raid) to help motivate their success.
So check your calendars-- let's work on gearing ourselves, and preparing for 25 success!

And remember, if you're in need of something, seek out an officer or raider for guidance:
JC--Chris and Peach
Chants-- Hazl and Norwin
Leather--Froshok and Bokuwa
BS-- Richet and Rose

How to: Twin Val'kyr

2009-09-29T11:36:00.000-07:00

At first glance, this seems like its a complicated fight--so I'm going to attempt to simplify it as best I can.

Premise
The fight consists of 2 Val'kyr: 1 Light, 1 Dark. Around the room, there are both light and dark portals, which can be clicked on, that will give you either a light or dark essence (buff). Damage is increased when opposite-buffed targets are attacking the Val'kyr (ie. dark players attacking light Val'kyr).

The raid is split into 2 groups: each with a tank, healer, equalized dps, and each team is assigned to a different Val'kyr. Team "A" that is assigned to Lightbane, charges themselves with the dark buff (except the healer, who charges light). The tanks pull, and dps goes to work on their assigned target. During the fight, black and white orbs float around the room--same colored orbs give a buff (that at 100 stacks= increased damage), and opposite colored orbs deal damage when touched.

Roles
DPS: damage the boss, pickup same colored orbs to stack the buff. When your Val'kyr starts casting Vortex, you must change your color to match the Val'kyrs, so that you are immune to the nova at the end of the cast. After the nova occurs, you change back to the opposing color, and resume dps.

When one of the Val'kyr starts Twins Pact, a shield is cast that must be broken by damage. If your Val'kyr has the shield, no action is needed. If the other team's has it, you'll need to quickly switch your buffs, and dps the other team's val'kyr until the shield is broken, and the cast has been interrupted. Then, change your buff back, and resume dps on your teams target.

Healers: Remember how you have a different buff from the rest of your team (but the same as your val'kyr)? This is because if your val'kyr gets the (same colored) orb, its a buff of increased damage, and if it hits your tank, its 5k damage--so run over it, it won't hurt you. You really only need to mess with the orb if its close to the tank and val'kyr, otherwise, leave em alone. Remember, your dps will be grabbing up the orbs that can damage you, so you are safe.

Tanks: Tank and Spank. You won't ever change colors. Keep your vision clear, and close watch on your raid as always. Save your cooldowns for your val'kyrs vortex to help out the healer. Its much easier when each tank calls out commands for their own team.

***For more information regarding the encounter, visit wowwiki here.***

One-Shotting the Champs (and Molesting the Twins)

2009-09-29T00:07:00.000-07:00

Tonight, SATED stepped into the arena in pursuit of the faction champions. They weren't very cordial to us on our first visit, nearly two weeks ago--and I was expecting none the better tonight. Our very first attempt...without solace or mercy, we crushed those champs like a little kid holding a good humour bar, when a bigger kid runs over and smashes that icecream all up in the little kids face =)

Our Draw: Holy Pally, Resto Sham-wow, Mage, Hunter, Warrior, DK.

We focused on the Heals first; Holy Pally wore the skull. Had droods cyclone the shammy, hunter (sleeped the pet), and warrior, rougue sapped the mage, mage sheeped something...and we all went to town. Bloodlust right off the back, wailing away at that mofo. At about 20% had to start interrupting so he couldn't bubble, and before I knew it: dead. Our CC'ers had to switch it up cause of DR, but did an awesome job--switched right over to shammy and started taking him down. The shammy went much quicker. 2 down, all dps left...cyclones holding guys up in the air, hunters pet running around so I deathgrip it and make puppy chow out of it (cause it was annoying as F%#@), then we switch to the warrior, and he can't even get a whirlwind off before he's kissing the ground. The last 2 were a joke. Curb stomped both of em, SATED style.

Congrats to the ~~guys~~ Team for one-shotting the champs. It really was mind over matter on this one. And grats on defeating the Twins without incident (I really was expecting a more difficult time with them). This week we take on Anub!

Tonight's Team:
Myself, Rakshas, Whoapaw, Maeda, Norwin, Konata, Bokuwa, Artagnan, Cooplan, & Righteous

A Shyste Story: What It's Like to be GM

2009-09-28T09:10:00.000-07:00

Rewind to December 2008.

I'm on the phone with my buddy Anthony, after having just installed WoW, and he's walking me through the character options. Moments later, a level 1 Pally and Lock go shredding through Durotar, killing all the boars in sight...

Levelling was frustrating at first. I got lost easily, and it was a real struggle when Ant wasn't there to help me out. But, things gradually came together, and as I approached 55 I became intrigued with the Death Knight. So I rolled one...and never looked back. I found SkeletonJacks site--which got me learning about game/class mechanics, addons etc. And about a month after I opened as a level 1, I dinged 80. I never really instanced much while I levelled. The guild I was in at the time, was really a waste of space. They were unhelpful, and not very friendly. It wasn't until Deathroses invited us into H&G that I really started enjoying a multi-player experience in the game. After all, it was then, that I met a lot of the people that make up SATED now.

Fast Forward to a Month ago.

Friendless in H&G (besides Di), I decide to go rogue (not re-roll, but being mischevious) and create a guild to try and get all the people I enjoyed playing with, back together. Some had moved on to Impact Players, others to Deathgrip--and I remember thinking to myself, "man, I hope this doesn't fail."It was a little slow going at first...I even had my doubts. The first week was the toughest.

Fast Forward to the Present.

SATED is in full swing; tackling the raids that once seemed impossible to get through. I still remember back to when Di and I were the only ones in the guild. As it turns out, my doubts about forming the guild couldn't have been more wrong. 10 man (and woman) progression has been the pinnacle of our success: working on TotC and the very end of Ulduar. The guild is almost ready to step into the 25's arena, and I couldn't be more excited.

There are pros and cons that come with being a GM. I don't mind the scheduling, or the research. I enjoy the fights, and watching others get geared, fighting for top dps, downing a boss for the first time. It's cool to watch players graduate from Naxx to Uld, and wax intellectual about game mechanics, class nerfs, etc. But probably the greatest satisfaction I get, is from watching how guild members interact and help eachother. If there is a lone attribute that really contributes to the strength and synergy of the guild, that's it; and it makes all the difference.

The hardest part of the game for me, is in choosing the dodgeball team. We've got a lot of good players. A lot of good, geared players--it's really unfortunate to be forced to choose who goes and who stays. I absolutely hate leaving people out--I would never want to be left out, myself. Unfortunately, its just that part of the game we're trying to wade through, and hopefully, it will pass very soon.

So until that time that SATED is rolling 25 deep into Uld, and TotC, know that I'm trying my best to work people into the rotation (puff, puff, give), and still maintain a decent group composition. I'm right there with ya, so please be patient. It really is the hardest part of the job.

A Farewell to Firesong (but not goodbye)

2009-09-25T10:20:00.000-07:00

If you've played with us a while, you undoubtedly know Firesong and Amorgan. They arrived late on the scene in H&G, but quickly became staples in the groups progression. Their Alt Guild, "Pug Life" was created as a stepping stone to raiding--a place where they could help gear people, and eventually graduate them to SATED's level.

Last night, before having to depart the game of WoW for an unknown time, Firesong and Amorgan came home. Wish the best for them, safety for their travel, and hope of a quick return.
/Salute

In the meantime, you can keep up with Firesong by following her Blog HERE.

3.2.2 DK DPS Specs

2009-09-22T11:14:00.000-07:00

Patch Day! Which means another day of respeccing or rotation tweaking for all of us DK's out there. Here are the most optimal DPS specs for 3.2.2:

Unholy 2H 17/0/54
Glyphs:
Ghoul
Dark Death
Icy Touch

PS- IT- SS- BS- BS- DC- HoW- DC
PS- IT- SS- BS- BS- DC- DC

*Trust me on the Icy touch here...you need the added Runic Power to fire off Deathcoils, as this will be one of the harder hitting abilites for unholy. Haste in 3.2.2 has also been found to be the next highest weighted (secondary) stat, after hit>expertise>str.

Blood 2H 51/0/20
Glyphs:
Dark Death
Dancing Rune Weapon
Death Strike

*Blood dps has pretty much remained unscathed during the patch process--still hits hard as ever, with the exception of the nerf to heartstrike's cleave, which now hits the second target for 50% damage. What is notable to watch out for, is whether or not Blizz added deathstrike into the Sigil of Virulence, which would quickly make it favorable for blood.

DW Frost is still the same as ever, though I didn't list it here, cause, frankly, obtaining the hit needed to successfully utilize it is a bit out of my reach-- and I really haven't seen anyone on the server (personally) gear it to a successful end. With BiS gear, or the right wep's with hit rating trink(s), DW is very nice. Having to gem for hit though just took away too much AP for me...

***UPDATE 09/25/2009***
I tinkered around with unholy the last few days, and I can say that I am thoroughly dissatisfied. It is consistently lower on raid boss dps (single target) than blood--Running with 2 pc/T8 and 2pc/T9 gear. That will definitely change after receiving the 4pc T9 set bonus, but until then, it is still very lackluster. Even with the nerf to ArP, blood is still able to edge it out.

BrewMaster Shyste....almost

2009-09-21T23:22:00.000-07:00

I'm probably gonna get shot for posting this, but I think its crazy ridiculous. After 48 hours of Brewfest, I've managed to procure not only Direbrew's Remote, but also BOTH limited-edition, commemorative, Brewfest mounts: Great Brewfest Kodo, and the Swift Brewfest Ram =)
Needless to say, they guys are pretty jealous of my awesome 1/6 drop rate =p

El Ramador

El Beer Kodo

I know this was uber lucky this go 'round, so good luck to everyone still looking for em. 2 more achievements to go before I'm officially Brewmaster.

The Secrets of the Ranks

2009-09-21T15:04:00.000-07:00

If you've been with SATED from day one, you know that I like to have fun with rank names (they were all TOPGUN call signs, I was Maverick). They've since changed, and I've had a few people ask about the ranks, and what they mean, essentially. So here they are:

1. GM rank (thats me)
2. Co-Founder (Diona)
3. Officer
4. Raider
5. Goonie
6. Ninja
7. Pirate
8. Chunk
9. Sloth

Di and I more or less share the same abilities. She's a great person, trustworthy, and a tremendous asset (even though her friggin cpu is broken atm).

Officers are persons that I consider to be intelligible advisors. They have proven themselves to be adult, fair, and supportive--they are definitely people to refer to with questions regarding classes, abilities, game mechanics, etc. And, they all have the ability to lead a well-run raid. Officers have the power to invite and /gkick, as well as full access to all bank tabs.

A Raider, by my definition, is a player that is geared to raid and has proven their ability to do so. With the exception of the gem tab, they have full access to all other functions, including editing officer and public notes, etc.

Now for the fun news: All other ranks with the exception of Sloth, are identical. I don't really see the need to change the limitations 9 different ways--but I wanted to have a fun set of ranks all the same. Pirates and Ninjas (and Goonies) is just plain cool. =)

In regard to rank design, I wanted access to go where access belonged. Gbank tabs 1 and 2 are filled with glyphs, pots, mats, etc for everyone to use, Tab 3 houses the guilds gem supply, and Tab 4 contains raiding items such as fish feasts, epics, patterns, etc. Eventually, I'd like to keep enough item enhancements there so that no one ever needs to use an AH (ie. leg armor, spell thread, etc.). Most of you know by now, that gems and enchants are yours free, so long as we have the mats, and theres usually not a problem. Hazl generally keeps enough enchanting mats for a small army, and we typically have enough blue quality gems for everyone (epics slowly building up). So don't hesitate to seek someone out if you need something =)

Free is the SATED way.

Runnin down a dream (red proto-drake)

2009-09-17T09:34:00.000-07:00

It was probably a couple of weeks ago, after earning some random achievement, that I actually checked my "Glory of the Hero" standing.

To my delight, after a solid 9 months of running heroics and attaining over 1500 emblems, I found that I had amassed the majority of the achievements--so the hunt for the red drake has begun.

To date, I'm missing 8 total achievements. I'll keep ya posted on the progress, and hope to fraps some of the hardest achieves for you all to see.

Wish me luck!

**update**

Ruby Void/ Emerald Void

One of the simplest explanations for the fight I've found.

09/21/2009

This weekend I along with 4 other uber SATED players strolled into H Occ trying for this achievement. It's a bitch. After several attempts, our closest encounter gor Eregos down to about a one shot (17k)...and we couldn;t seal the deal. =(

This will be happening again soon.

Expectations

2009-09-16T10:50:00.000-07:00

First off I wanna say that I am very proud to see Sated accomplish so much in just a short amount of time. Every night I am more and more amazed--we're doing something that we've never been able to get done before, and it feels reeeeally good. Last week we mowed over everything in Uld up to Mimiron... and this week I'm hoping to see Yogg.

What I really want to know, is what YOUR Expectations are.

I'm a bit of a perfectionist. I look at all the things in this game to be accomplished, and I'm ready to set out and get em--titles, achieves, boss killings, gnome rapings, etc.

What I'd really like to see this week:
*Yogg Saron
*Faction champs down

So what do You want out of the game? Out of the site? Any comments and ideas are greatly appreciated!

Into the Chamber...

2009-09-14T12:10:00.000-07:00

Another night. Another raid. Another Sated first!

A One-shotting of Hodir last night has officially left SATED with merely 4 bosses left in Uld: Thorim, Mimiron, Vezax, and Yogg (not including Algalon). Gear is getting good, but teamwork is looking great! That being said, I really do see some big accomplishments coming over the next weeks; time for Vezax and Yogg to come down...

Another Night, Another Raid...

2009-09-06T00:09:00.000-07:00

Another SATED First!!!

Live action tonight! Iron council: DEAD... Freya: DEAD

It's as if nothing will hold us back! Every night we stroll into a new chamber is a night when that boss is DOA. Epic heals, awesome dps, epic tanks (including yours truly)...we are becoming a force to be reckoned with, and it feels damn good.

Didn't really bat an eye at Iron council. Those guys saw us and keeled over. Freya, on the other hand, was a huge bitch--but after a few wipes and a bit of practice, she went down like Alanis Morisette in a theatre =)

Sated: Ignis Guild First!!!

2009-09-03T09:49:00.000-07:00

Last night Sated ventured into Ulduar, after picking up more of its core players, and the results couldn't have been better! 6 Bosses downed in less than 2 hours...No wipes, and 6 deaths total.

And, the best part about it all: Sated one-shot Ignis!

That fire-crotch bastard has given us hell when we attempted him--but last night, we RickRolled him easier than the police bustin' up a highschool kegger. It was a beautiful sight. Sated is here.

See this Douchebag Behind Me???

2009-09-01T15:19:00.000-07:00

PWND!!!!

Jaraxxus was one of the most rewarding kills I've had in a while--and I can honestly say that I'm looking forward to a few more this week. Sated's core group is coming together, and I foresee some great things ahead...

Trial of the Crusader: Lord Jaraxxus

2009-08-26T09:48:00.000-07:00

A Great guide to the Jaraxxus encounter was just posted HERE.

Read this one first before checking out the vid...

Trial of the Crusader: Northrend Beasts

2009-08-25T10:12:00.000-07:00

Ok guys, here it is for your viewing pleasure...the best Northrend Beasts vid I could find. Watch it. Know it. =)

*Video Courtesy of BOSSKILLERS.COM*

Sated Spotlight: Diona

2009-08-19T09:24:00.000-07:00

Every week I'm going to try and sit down with a player--get the full scoop about who they are, what they like to do; maybe out a few skeletons if the chance arises =)

Todays Spotlight: Diona! (lvl 80 BE Priestess)

About Di (Real Name: Julie)
The Co-Founder of Sated, I first met Di back in the H&G days...elite heals, always willing to lend a hand--I found myself running heroics with her and Porel on a consistant basis. Really can't say anything bad about her, she's got a great personality, awesome vent voice (haha), and is an amazing asset to the Sated team.

Shyste Asks

Q: Have you bested the shite economy? Are you currently employed?

A: Just a student for a little while. Quit my job because of poor management and getting treated like crap =)

Q: So I take it you have lots of TV time...do you have a favorite show?

A: My favorite show is The Soup on E!. I never get tired of laughing at people doing stupid things for all the world to see!

Q: Kinda like Nagu (love ya nagu)! Changing the subject, let's move on to more important things. What do you most like to eat? Drink? Adult beverage of choice?

A: Eat? Anything with chocolate =) It tastes so damn good, and can always make me feel better if I've had a bad day. As for the "adult" beverage, I'm not a big beer fan, but when it comes to doing Carbombs, I can put em away all night long! Fun to drink and I don't have to babysit my drink all night long.

Q: Mmmmm. Carbomb. Yummy. So what else do you like to do outside of WoW?

A: When I'm not sitting on my butt playing games, I generally just enjoy having fun. I enjoy anything from fishing to going out to bars, dancing and socializing all night. I have always been into sports and greatly enjoy the outdoors. Camping is one of my greatest pastimes; sadly school, work, and a lack of money hasn't allowed me to enjoy this recently =(

Q: So now that we've established your partying background, while you're out drinking, are you neglecting any little ones at home?

A: There has not been a day in my life where I have had to come home to an empty house. Currently, I have 3 dogs and a love bird. The newest love of my life is Thisbe ("lover" in greek), my 4 and a half month old pitbull puppy. She's the simply incredible =)

Q: Ok, I've digressed too far. Back to the game. Do you have a favorite WoW moment?

A: I have two. Solo healing Heigan. The only reason it astounds me to this day is because up until that night, I died during the dance EVERY single time. Yet, I somehow managed to do it over and over =) My other favorite moment is when I ALMOST solo healed Grobulus. If the blobs hadn't gotten out of control, it woulda been done and there was going to be mana to spare! =D

Q: Nice. So both moments have to do with Raiding--is that what you enjoy most in the game?

A: Yes. My favorite in game activity is raiding. I love the advancements that are made, even if they are made slowly. I also enjoy getting to work with my group of friends striving towards a common goal. And it never hurts to get a new piece of awesome gear =)

Yes. shinies are very nice...

Thanks again Jules for taking the time to sit down and chat. Stay tuned for next weeks installment of the Sated Spotlight!

DW Tanking, and Why it SUCKS

2009-08-17T10:29:00.000-07:00

I can't take it anymore!!!!

Everywhere I look, DK's are trying to DW tank, and it makes no frickin sense! So much potential lost on stupidity...

Let's examine the basic principles of DK tanking, and why DW sucks ass. I'll try to esplain the best I can.

Why Anyone would want to DW Tank: Myths/Beliefs
1.) It Looks Cool
2.) Stats are better on 2x 1H's vs. 2H
3.) Greater TPS (threat generation)

Ok--so now you have some reasoning behind actually equipping 2x 1-handers to tank. Now, for some edu-muh-cation:

Threat:
A DK's threat (other than DnD) is based on damage. The higher the damage, the higher the TPS (threat per second). A DK's strike damage (as well as all other classes) is normalized, and based on weapon speed. Melee weapons are broken down into 3 categories: 1.7, 2.4, and 3.3--the slower the weapon, the greater the damage, thus the more threat is generated.

Now, with the inclusion of Threat of Thessarian into the Frost tree, it is semi-plausable to create a DW tank-spec. I say semi plausable, because maximizing DW costs an additional 4 points vs. its 2H predecessor. 4 points that would have to be removed from either Bladed Armor, or other beneficial points in the unholy tree. With Nerves of Cold steel, and Threat of Thessarian maxed, theoretically, strike damage would be up to par with a 2H build.

Now, there are 2 problems with this:
1.) Hit Cap
2.) Strike Normalization

Obtaining 8% hit cap for a 2H tanking build is easy. DW is another story. At 13% hit rating, DW still misses a large chunk of the time. Missing causes problems, not only with rotations and runes, but also for generating threat (especially since all Tanking 1H's are fast, thus the damage created is on par with daggers). DW tanks also need a solid amount of expertise to avoid parry-gibs. The expertise cap for DW is 64 skill (500 rating)--obtaining this number is quite difficult. If not capped, then DW tanking with 2x 1.6 speed weapons actually increases the chance of being parry-gibbed by 3.75x...

On average, dual wielding tanking weapons add an extra 2% avoidance (but lose out on AP stats like strength, which translates into damage), however, the amount of attacks more than doubles, thus increasing the chance to be parried as such. Boss parry-haste can stack multiple times, therefore attacks against you have the chance to come faster and faster. This causes more damage more quickly, and places added stress on the healers; in endgame it can ultimately cause a wipe (think steelbreaker).

Conclusion
Trading out a strong 2-hander for 2x 1-handers may lead to additional defense skill and avoidance, but really neglects the basic principles of DK tanking. Be able to hit the boss, be able to hit the boss hard (TPS), and don't be parried. DW tanking begins at a disadvantage in all of these areas. So while it may look cool, and may be functional for trivial things like heroics and SM runs (at lvl 80), it is not at all acceptable for endgame raiding.

Everyone knows you don't go full retard.

Sated: A New Hope

2009-08-14T09:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, in a big *raise fist against the man* sorta way, I bought a vent server. I was already guildless--so why shouldnt I be able to still talk to my friends while we ran heroics? I'd been wanting to get a private server for a while now. So I did.

As I logged on, I got a hi from "Charlie" (anonimity here)--so I passed out the vent info, and we sat talking for a bit. We told some stories about the past, spoke of things to come...and when the topic of guilds came to the table, there was a sort of, pregnated silence--an unspoken solution, if you will. We had been looking for so long, but realized we were already home =)

Sated was born.

It was almost surreal. Word spread quickly, as if by some dark magic, whispers began appearing from the peaks of icecrown to the valleys of azeroth. And I stood, like kevin costner in a field of dreams-esque kinda way; they started to come.

Before I knew it, I had acquired 2 tanks, and 2 healers, and more would follow...

Guild Memorandum
Sated was created because by some divine intervention, a group of players that once loved to play together, had now split apart. We can't have any more of that.

A "guild", as defined by me, is a group of friends playing together with a common interest. And so it shall be (in big booming god-like voice).

Sated shall be home to good peeps, who enjoy playing together, gearing up, and progressing. All players shall be respectful and courteous to one another, and have fun playing dammit. There will be no negativity or finger pointing (unless its to laugh at someone), and players will occasionally be required to jump in and lend a hand when someone's gettin ganked.

This is our credo.

In all seriousness, I had no idea that things would move in this direction. But now, I'm glad they did. If you're looking for a hardcore, stalin-esque "you suck balls fix that chant" kind of guild, then sated is not for you. You will find that I am much more kick back, but organized none the less. When we're ready, we will focus on progression, and raids will be scheduled roughly around 9pm (like they used to be). I want people that enjoy playing together, that can have an open mind, discuss things from multiple points of view, and understand that true progression is sometimes measured in wipes.

In return, I promise that you won't find a more funner place to be =)

Guildless

2009-08-13T08:32:00.000-07:00

/GQuit.

This command isn't something I take very lightly, nor jokingly toy with. Truth be told, I've really only used it once before. Ever. As Ant and I levelled through the days of SM, we were approached by a guild that turned out to be unfriendly, not helpful, and full of pre-teens trying to cyber the one female that let her self be known: /GQuit was very easy to use back then...

Fast forward to the days of Honor and Glory--a guild that has been quite the opposite. Its full of friendly, knowledgable people; H & G is where I met the people that I really do consider friends now. We've ground heroics, bested Naxxramas, honed our skills, and ventured into Ulduar. For the most part, we've done all of this, and come out the other end, unscathed.

But as of yesterday (and I say this with a heavy heart), the Honor and Glory I once knew, is no longer.

Most of the players I enjoyed playing with have moved on, with a few exceptions--and the roster that I had once known inside and out, is filled with names and faces that I don't really recognize.

/GQuit

It was one of the most difficult calls that I've ever made.

In the end, WoW is a game. I play because its fun. I play because I enjoy the company of the people I play with. I guess you could say that I've grown attached to a select few--and the "fun" part of the game hinges on playing with them.

Maybe I just want to be with my friends.

I've been approached and have the opportunity to rejoin H&G and help to restore it to the tight-knit group it once was, but I just don't know if its in me to do so. The crew that I belonged to is all but gone, and I'm thinking that it may be time to make way for the new class.

For now, I'm guildless...

Raiding 101: So you think you can raid pt. 1

2009-08-03T14:18:00.000-07:00

So you think you can raid is intended to be a n00bers guide to beginning raiding. Despite the title, the series will include useful tidbits of goodness that should prove useful to everyone.

You've dinged 80, grabbed up some purples in heroics, maybe a tier piece or two--and maybe even stepped foot into OS or Naxx once or twice. Now that your feet are wet (and even if they aren't), let's take a look at some ways to help make you a raiding pro:

1. Communication:
Is very important in raids (which is why it tops the list). Skilled raiders may be able to navigate on their own, but split second decisions, or call outs "hey get out of that retard circle!" could save a life, or even a wipe. Ventrilo is the preferred communications program for raiders everywhere, so download it, and make sure your mic is tested and functional before you begin the raid.

2. Deadly Boss Mods (DBM):
If you have no other addons, have this one. Will effectively give you enrage timers, special abilities, reminders, etc. on screen. Even if you know the fights, and all of the tells leading to a specific boss ability, this little addon is the icing on the cake.

3. Consumables/Reagents:
Feasts, Flasks, Pots, Reagents (kings, candles, etc.); stock up, and carry some on you at all times. You never know when you might need to pop a health pot to stay alive, or might need the added dps from a flask. Remember, one flask might not seem like a big advantage, but multiply all that added AP by the number of total DPS in the raid, and you'll see a big potential.

4. Class Specific Addons:
Unfortunately, I'm not proficient in every class, so you might need to do some research on curse.com for yourself. But, there are definitely some very useful class addons to help maximize your playing experience.

For example, Runewatch, for DK's, is a useful addon that graphically represents runic power, timers for the diseases, and unholy blight uptime. This allows me to see how long i have before i need to refresh diseases, and then adjust my rotation accordingly.

Another useful addon is Needtoknow: this one is a highly customizable bar frame that allows for multiple bars, and can monitor things like self or target buffs/debuffs. On my DK this addon tracks when "unholy strength" and "greatness" proc, which allows me to summon my ghoul during this time and maximize dps. On my hunter, it keeps track of my stings, and also Lock N Load (when I get there).

My suggestion is to search around curse.com in the class section, and see if anything there strikes you as having utility. While it may not be necessary to track these things, it certainly is an improvement.

5. Ask Questions
Don't hesitate to ask. Ever.
I'm hoping that leaders will discuss strategy and details before the pull, but if there's something you're unsure of, don't be afraid to ask--you might actually jog someone's memory on something they've forgotten =p

Player Spotlight: RALLIAN

2009-08-03T11:14:00.000-07:00

About Rallian:
Coming up in the ranks of H&G as the next big thing, Rall's tanking skills leave little to be desired. I often think of the Prot Pally as Kallion's protege, however Rall is definitely his own man. So, if you're looking for an energetic, experienced tank, look no further. Oh--and you'll almost always see Rall as either a pirate or ninja. It's kinda like his trademark, so don't be alarmed =p

Shyste Asks:
What's your favorite breakfast cereal?
hmm... anything with chocolate usually tends to be tasty. I have a lot of favorites really

All time fave band/group?
well, I don't really pay attention to singers in a band
BUT, my favorite band, is by far, Dragonforce

What do you do for fun, other than WoW?
Visit with friends, they mean a lot to me. So I spend a lot of time with them. which is funny, cuz it's usually on WoW xD

Favorite Sport?
Soccer and tennis

Favorite 80's movie?
umm... idk, I wasn't really raised in the 80's and don't think I've really watched any movies from the 80's either... so yeah...

What do you do?
I currently work at target, from 2:30 am to about 8:00 am

Favorite Kool Aid flavor?
Raspberry lemonade

Favorite Dr. Seuss book?
damn... umm... probably One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish... because it's the one that sticks out the most in my head.

Favorite cartoon character?
Beastboy, from Teen Titans

Do you have a favorite WoW dance?
Human / Pirate dance =D

Favorite WoW moment?
Anytime I overcome incredible odds... it's like an achievement all in itself

Anything you;re looking forward to, in-game?
Gearing my pally, getting my lock to 80, and of course the next patch.

Of Minced Words; from Conflation to Inflation

2009-07-30T10:55:00.000-07:00

Somehow, something last night went awry.

What was meant to be a discussion on Guild organization, quickly turned into a debate about progression, and what the best path is. Out on the table was an organization structure much similar to that of a high end raiding guild: multiple raiding teams, including organization amongst healers, dps, tanks, etc. On the surface, I understand where players think that the top end players will be only raiding with themselves, leaving the others out in the cold...this was not intended to be the case.

Progression
When we speak of progression, we speak of multiple layers:
*Heroics (OS, VoA)
*Tier 7 (Naxx, Emalon)
*Tier 8 (Ulduar and beyond)

What was discussed by Kallion, Stone and myself, was a system designed to maximize the overall efficiency (and proficiency) of the players wanting to raid--creating 10 man groups consisting of 2 core veteran players, along with a group of similar gear level and experience. This would provide for a well run raid, but still allow a group to grow and learn to play together as a team.

What we particularly liked about this idea, is that not only does this establish consistent groupings and raid times, but it also helps move the group down the path of progression. Raiders will gear up together, learn to strategize on boss encounters, and synergize much the way that the Ulduar group did just merely months ago. Doing so also gives the aforementioned raid leaders more responsibility (and flexibility) over their group and times that they raid--and will generally get players into the raids that may have otherwise been left out.

What we typically want to shy away from, are farm runs in which 7 uber geared raiders are carrying others for gear. While it may be fine for alts of players that know the fights--there is a point when it becomes detrimental to player development. We want raids to be organized and planned (and fun =), but we don't want them to be AFK fests (dying on heigan and waiting for loot, dying on grobb and waiting for loot, dying on thadd and waiting for loot... you get the picture).

On Raid Scheduling:
It isn't as easy as one may think. Its easy to calendar a couple of raids. Difficult to get people to show, frustrating when they don't, and even more so when someone is left out. During my brief stint as a raid coordinator, I got to see this firsthand. And, believe it or not, players will send feedback to you both good and bad. Thankfully, most days were filled with good mail messages--but there were days with bad. Players that were left out, players unhappy about a loot roll or decision, etc. For this reason, the multiple group format was an attractive way to get other players involved in the whole process--there are some leaders out there in H&G, that we're aware of, and it would be nice to watch them take a team and make it successful.

Perhaps the ability to paint this picture clear is what was missing last night. Either way, merger or no merger, if you care or if you don't, this message needed to come across the right way; the way it was originally intended. If it was perceived as elitist, or seemed as though we were leaving players to fend for themselves, I do apologize. I think that one of the attributes that makes Honor and Glory as unique as it is, is our willingness to help our guildies-- heroic runs, gems, chants, general knowledge, levelling runs--and I would hope that no one would ever assume that that would ever stop.

Let's Talk About Stats, Baby

2009-07-27T09:09:00.000-07:00

...All the good things and the bad things, that may be.

As of late I've noticed more and more players un-gemmed and un-chanted--so this post is a straight up attempt at educating everyone on how to tinker (enhance) your gear.

Raiding in PvP Gear:
Any hardcore raider is gonna tell you, "Don't do it." Now I'm going to tell you why. PvP gear is stat-weighted for PvP; this means stam is typically weighted higher, and you gain resilience at the expense of other, necessary stats, such as critical strike or hit rating, spell power, etc. Since hit rating is unnecessary in PvP, raiding in this gear could effectively render you useless. So, while it may be easy to get, if you really want to raid, I suggest grinding heroics, and grabbing some coin to pickup the crafted epics for your class. You can use addons such as Atlasloot, or check the armory to find the heroics that you can benefit from. Worse comes to worse, the badges will always do you good.

Gemming:
This is one area where many players can improve. First I want you to ask yourself, "what is my goal?" My answer to this is: "to increase my dps." If you're a dps player, I hope your answer is the same. That being said, lemme lay down the basics:

Melee DPS- Ret Pallies/DK's/Warriors
Hit>Expertise>Strength

This is what you need to gem for. Period. Hit Rating until 8%, Expertise to at least 15 skill, then all STR.

Now let's talk about why:
A. If you don't hit the target, you're not dps'ing
B. If you get parried, you're not dps'ing
C. Strength scales much better than any other stat. 1 Str= 2 AP.

Never gem for attack power. Ever. Ever. I'm serious. Never gem for crit either. Crit comes from gear, and raid buffs already give you a nice crit boost--No top of the charts dps ever gemmed for crit. Trust me on this.

Which brings me to the issue of sockets. Rule of thumb here, is to make sure your meta gem is activated, and then ignore all the other colors (JC's can use their dragons eyes for this). Socket bonuses suck; +4 stam, or +5 crit at the expense of 32 AP is just retarded. And everyone knows you don't go full retard.

Enchants:
Many enchants require Reputation. Do the dailies. Grab a tabard. Its worth it.
You can chant every single piece of armor you wear. Let's start at the top:

Head
DPS: Arcanum of Torment Ebon Blade (Reverred) AP/Crit
Caster:Arcanum of Burning Mysteries Kirin Tor (Reverred) SP/Crit
Heals:Arcanum of Blissful Mending Wyrmrest (Reverred) SP/Mp5

Shoulders
Unless you're a scribe, you're gonna have to do the Sons of Hodir questchain for this slot. Its a long grind, but worth the epic shoulder chant. Epic enchants require exalted rep, but there are some available at honored.

DPS:Greater Inscription of the Axe AP/Crit
Caster:Greater Inscription of the Storm SP/Crit
Heals:Greater Inscription of the Crag SP/Mp5

Back/Cloak
There aren't too many attractive options here. +22 Agi, +23 haste are about the best...unless you're a tailor.

Chest
+10 All stats. This is the only chant, and its expensive due to the mats-- I strongly recommend you to find a nice guildie for this one.

Bracers
Some options here: +15 expertise, +50 AP, +23 SP...

Hands/Gloves
+44 AP, +20 hit, +28 SP, +20 Agi

Waist
Add an eternal belt buckle...gives you an additional gem socket /ftw

Legs
Epic choices here...
DPS:Icescale Leg Armor AP/Crit
Caster:Brilliant Spellthread SP/Spirit

Boots/Feet
Either AP or hit/crit for your choices here. Not much else worth it...

To see the biggest improvement, get yourself hit capped (except healers), and then gem for your "Golden Stat." I promise you'll notice a difference.

Auriaya Down!

2009-07-24T12:20:00.000-07:00

Another week, another boss killed. We're really rolling over these guys at an exponential pace. With the full weekend before the reset, I definitely think we'll see a few more fall. Ignis is on notice, as well as Thorim and Iron Council.

Good Job Guys!

And as a bonus:

Player Spotlight: SHYSTECHRIS

2009-07-22T08:29:00.000-07:00

(Shystechris)

Name: Shystechris (BE Death Knight)
Alt1: Shysteshot (lvl 24 Tauren Hunter)

About Shyste:
A Dark Archon of Honor and Glory. Epic DPS =), will tank when I'm asked. Got into gaming a couple of years ago via the 360; COD4 and L4D--then was dragged into WoW by Antslock and Moonicknight. Rolled a Paladin my first round, was into it ok until I learned about the Deathknight. I wanted to carry a sword and smack shit with it, so I switched.

Shyste Asks Himself:

What's your favorite breakfast cereal?

Unfortunately, I don't usually have time to eat a good breakfast these days--as a kid, my fave was Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Now, its Basic 4.

All time fave band/group?

This one's a toss up between Weezer, Third Eye Blind, and Jack's Mannequin/Something Corporate.

What do you do for fun, other than WoW?

Hangin with friends, golfing, going to concerts and sports games--camping, fishing, the list goes on...

Favorite Sport:

Don't really have a favorite. What I watch: hockey, football, golf, tennis, and baseball if its live.

Favorite 80's movie?

Oh, where to begin? Princess Bride, Spaceballs, Real Genius, Lost Boys, Breakfast Club, License to Drive...so many good ones to choose =p

What do you do?

I'm a banker by trade (9 years)...but that may change. I dunno. Have 2 qtrs left for my bachelors, but i'm still paying on the college I've already had--this economy has kinda got me stuck.

Favorite Kool Aid flavor?

Raspberry Lemonade is the schizz. Always brings out my kool aid smile.

Favorite Dr. Seuss book?

Cat in the Hat. Hands down. Watched a kid perform it at National's (Speech & Debate) back in highschool--awesome. It was always my fave.

Favorite cartoon character?

Hmmm...so many growing up. Gonna go with either Danger Mouse or Kit from Tale Spin.

Do you have a favorite WoW dance?

I like the way undead rock out, but I also like the Tauren's dance....its a toss up.

Favorite WoW moment?

Tanking KT and the adds. Out DPSing better geared players. Coming back in Arena to kill a pally after the bubble; these are all things that make me happy. New achievements, new boss kills, new feats of strength, each new one is a fave WoW moment.

What are you looking forward to, in-game?

Unfortunately, gear can hinder a players ability somewhat--but with the new gear structure in 3.2, I really think we'll be able to compete with more progressive guilds. We have the talent, now we'll have access to the tools. I'm looking forward to downing Algalon--wrapping up hard modes, and trying to piece together Vala'nyr. I'm looking forward to downing the coliseum, and working toward that server first. I think we can do it. =)

FL +2 Nuff Said...

2009-07-20T23:38:00.001-07:00

Allies are Retards (and everyone knows you don't go full retard)

2009-07-20T09:24:00.000-07:00

So I'm flying into Cross roads last night, on my way to turn in some quests for the huntard (which is lvl 22 btw), and I see the notorious "Crossroads is under attack" being spammed in my chat frame. After I landed, it took a second for me to realize that I wasn't flagged for pvp. I did a quick recon: couple of 80's, couple of 60's lvls. DK's and Pally's. Over vent, I asked Darth and Hazl for help, then switched over to my main, and headed out.

Now, I don't know about your server...but on ours, Allies are like child molestors; they prey on the young and weak, and lift their skirts to run away when someone their own size comes along. I swear, the ally on Blood Furnace must all be 12 yr old girls...

Anyway, I get there, single out the 80 pally in pvp gear, and instead of fighting me, he bubbles and runs, vagina blowing in the breeze. I really think ally balls are on a global cool down with their bubbles. Once he was gone, that left a couple of other DK's.

Now let me tell you, these two DK's (80's) have to be about the n00biest pair I've ever encountered. To make a long story short, they thought they could rez together and take me out...as other players were running around looking for more, I literally sat on their corpses, hoping to draw fire. They would rez, both drop D n D (morons) and do whatever they could do to take me down 5% (meaning i still had 95% HP left). A few of my Scourge strikes later and one is a whisper away from dead, and the other, is uhh, wearing frost resist gear. Morons. Don't they know they AREN'T suppose to go full retard?

/sigh

*Check out the pic up top--I <3>

Shyste Rolls a Huntard: Shysteshot

2009-07-16T11:33:00.000-07:00

Born Wednesday, July 15, 2009 at 11.00pm (pst), Shysteshot entered Mulgore weighing approximately 250 lb (if I had to guess).

(Shysteshot and Lovesgnomes)

Other than raiding, there isn't a whole lot that I really need to do on the DK besides fishing and cooking, and dailies for cash. I bought some heirlooms for my Pally, thinking that I might like to finish him from 55, but everytime I go back to him, I realize why I left. I'm just not a Pally player.

I don't know what realy prompted me to want to roll another toon...Realistically, the thought of levelling again sucks to me. But I like Taurens, and I think Huntards are kinda cool; so there ya go. Ranged DPS /ftw.

Shysteshot is level 6 Tauren Hunter currently killing shit in Bloodhoof. I'm sure you'll hear more about my misadventures on a weekly basis--Currently, he does about 3-4 dps. I can't wait till I get a pet =)

Speaking of.....peep out the poll I've got going regarding pet names =p

Player Spotlight: STONEHOOFX

2009-07-15T08:49:00.000-07:00

(Stonehoofx)

Name: Stonehoofx (Tauren Warrior)
Alt1: Ionisa (BE Mage)
Alt2: Kalionys (BE Paladin)

Meet Stone:
Second GM of Honor and Glory. This guy's been around a long time, and like Kallion, has an Epic Toon for just about everything. Most notably about Stone, is his humongous achievement list...sitting at over 5ooo achievement points, I have yet to run across a player with more...or more titles for that matter.

Shyste Asks:
What's your favorite breakfast cereal?
Plain 'Ol Cheerios

All time favorite band/group?
Tool

What do you do for fun, other than WoW?
Hang out with my family and friends, listen to music, and take care of my girl

Favorite sport?
Football

Favorite 80's movie?
The Outsiders

What do you do (occupation)?
In-between jobs. Previously a AC/Heater Assembler

What's your favorite kool-aid flavor?
Orange in general, but I usually mix shit up and make up something

Favorite Dr. Seuss book?
Green Eggs and Ham

Favorite Cartoon Character?

Mayor Adam West (family guy)

Do you have a favorite WoW dance?
Ogre/Boomkin/Chris Farley Dance

Your favorite WoW moment?

When I got my diaper helm 2 years ago on my warrior and became...FRANKINTAUREN! "Dun Dun Dun!"

What are you looking forward to, in-game?

Raid progression, end-boss kills, gearing up the crew, and getting my achievement points higher than a gnome punted off of Dalaran!

(Ionisa)

When H&G gets bored...

2009-07-12T16:09:00.001-07:00

We tend to like to try ridiculous things...We've got Naxx on farm, so we're running 10-man with alts, and a couple still needing some gear. I make one pass around the room with Grobbulus, and think, "wouldn't it be fun to kill him on the way to Gluth?"

So there it is...I kite Grobb up the stairs, aiming for the pipe--almost got him there, but our DPS was just too beastly. He died up top.

Somehow, Rallian went down on KT (~~do not~~ insert dirty joke here), so I had to pick both him and the adds up. I'm really feeling confident about my tanking this week. One-shotted 25 Emalon with me tanking adds, and now this...

Player Spotlight: KYRATHOS

2009-07-12T11:18:00.000-07:00

(Kallion pictured Above)

Main: Kyrathos (Tauren Hunter)

Alt1: Kallion (BE Paladin)
Alt2: Stormripper (Orc Shaman)

About Kyra:

GM of Honor and Glory. He's got an 80 toon for just about everything and is an all around epic player. Whether its DPS, Tanking, or even healing, you definitely want this dude on your side.

Shyste Asks:

What's your favorite breakfast cereal?
Pops

All time favorite band/group?
My own band "Liquid Metal"

What do you do for fun, other than WoW?
Write poetry, play guitar, run around and take dirt-bikes out for a cruise

Favorite sport?
Rugby

Favorite 80's movie?
no thanks. lol

What do you do (occupation)?
College student, construction worker, general associate at Party City =P

What's your favorite kool-aid flavor?
Cherry

Favorite Dr. Seuss book?
The Lorax

Do you have a favorite WoW dance?
Orc's MC Hammertime

Your favorite WoW moment?
Me and Raven doing arena, and me 1 shotting the piss out of guys that were more geared than us
What are you looking forward to, in-game?
Honor and Glory server first at the Colisem =)

(Stormripper pictured below)

What Kind of Player are You?

2009-07-09T09:13:00.000-07:00

Prompted from some discussion late last night, I'm curious to find out what kind of player you are...

After a few wipes on Flame Leviathan +2 (25%, 15%, 4%), the group decided that they wanted to take down an additional tower to down levi, and move on to other content. My initial reaction pushes me to keep trying--mostly, because I love the challenge. Hard is what I'm here for...But, on the other hand, there's still a lot of Ulduar that remains to be seen, so taking down a tower for the sake of progress is fine by me. Later on, this provoked a discussion about fights, and either the presence or absence of luck. Personally, I don't really believe in luck--I like to have more faith than that. I look at the group we're running with, I know what everyone is capable of, and I'm good to go. Now, this isn't to say that I don't believe in glitches....Maexxna shooting invisible wraps across the room is a glitch. Invisible flame walls in OS is a glitch; there's no escaping these things, and they cannot be controlled. On the other hand, 2 sentinels spawning at the same time at razorscale: shitty, but manageable. Big ring of death spawning under Steelbreaker right before a fusion punch: really shitty. Manageable? Perhaps...

The point I was trying to make last night (whether I was able to come close to it or not), was that these fights are hard. Any minute thing can cause a wipe. No matter what Murphy may have in store for us (referrring to his law), I cannot let this disuade me from trying a fight. We should know by now that these are coordination fights...if we are all individually good at what we do, yet we can't seem to get something to work, then, either is true:

(a) Someone is messing up or
(b) We are all messing up or
(c) We need a new plan
***************************************

When working on difficult fights, its very easy to write one off as, being "too difficult," or say things like "we don't have this" (blaming either group composition or player ability). After 6 or 7 wipes, I might concede to this way of thinking...but I don't expect to go in and one shot every boss. When I read blogs from progressive guilds, or tweet with some reknowned players-- I get to see that they stumble just as we do. I see that some fights take 8, 9, or 10 wipes to get the hang of (think back to the very first night of 3.1, working on leviathan for over 2 hours). They don't attribute success to their gear, or to luck, or to God. They attribute their accomplishments to their hard work. Because they're in there, every night, wiping, and wiping, and wiping; theorycrafting, trying to find the strategies that best work for them. This. Is. Resiliency.

So I'm curious to see what kind of player everyone is...

I myself, probably should be in an extremely hardcore raiding guild--But I enjoy Honor and Glory waaaaay too much to ever consider leaving (you guys really are the best. Never had so much fun as I'm having right now). I like challenges, and I try to push myself to the limit, without being overzealous. Do I want to try X2-002 hard mode? Absolutely. Do I think its feasible right now? Not quite. FL+2? Fuck yeah. FL+4? Not even close....yet. Sarth+1? SOON =)
This is me. I want it all. Money, cash, clothes, diamond rings. Fo Shizzle.

What kind of player are you? When we raid, am I pushing too hard? Or not enough? What are your goals?

Pro-Nun-See-A-Shuns

2009-07-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

I don't know why its so difficult to pronounce names correctly. Look. Read. Speak. Seems easy enough....

After a night full of raiders tongue-fucking eachother's names up, here's a list of correct prunuciations:

1. Shystechris = Shy-stee
2. Hazl = Hay-zill (you should know this one by now)
3. Darthnishiki = Darth (for short) or Darth-ni-sheek
4. Whoapaw = Like Whoa! Whoa-paw (not Hoo-Pa?)
5. Maeda = My-aid-uh (not muh-day)
6. Erilis = Air-eh-liss
7. Firesong = Fire-song (if you don't know this, I recommend calling Levar Burton over for story time)
8. Stonehoofx = Stone
9. Kallion = Kall
10. Amorgan = B.o.B. (is that right fire?)
11. Nagu = do you really need help on this one? Its like Ragu, with an "N"
12. Eruibard = Air-ew-bard (Bard for short)
13. Lovesgnomes = Gnomes. (please don't call him loves, thats just weird)

I hope you've enjoyed the time we've spent together....next up: conjunction junction, followed by reading rainbow =)

The Etiquette of Looting

2009-07-06T09:42:00.000-07:00

So you're pugging Naxx-25, just pwned the horseman, and before emblems are finished divvying themselves out (eating up valuable chat frame real estate) you see something purple linked, a yellow roll, and an item given out. What was that??!! You scan back only to find that Armageddon has dropped, that beautiful 2H of an upgrade you've been waiting for, and it went to the guildie of the loot master very stealthly, before you even knew what hit you. You just got Ninja'd (that just happened!!).

We've all been there at one point or another. Ninja'd items, plate/mail classes rolling on leather, and now the absurd I'm dual spec'd so I'm rolling on everything attitude. With the inception of dual spec's, the mechanics and etiquette of looting have changed over night. It's time to revisit loot distribution, what is acceptable, and what is fair.

AS THE LOOT MASTER:
The general consensus is that loot rules are given in both verbal and written forms (over vent and raid chat), after the first ready check but before the first pull. This gives new raiders, or raiders new to your group, time to ask questions or leave if they have a problem with the loot system. For example, when we run Heroic Raids, our loot system is designed to maximize loot distribution; 1 epic, 1 BoE, 1 Tier Token per raid night--Main Specs only. This is explained at the beginning of the raid, and should no main specs need an item, then and only then does it go up for off-spec rolls. I like this system because it promotes a "sharing the wealth" mantra. Loot is spread out to as many people as possible, and raiders will generally keep coming back, because of how fair the system is.

AS THE LOOTER:
Whether you realize it or not, how you (the looter) conduct yourself with regard to loot rules, has the ability to impact the way the other players experience the raid. By adhering to the rules, only rolling for your main spec, and not rolling if you've already won an item in that category helps keep integrity in the system. When players disregard the rules, roll out of turn, roll in a category they've already won, or roll and say "offspec" when other mains are rolling, only muddles up raid chat, and generally pisses off the players making legitimate rolls. And, if the raid leader is organized, they have a running notepad detailing who won what items, so you're probably pissing them off too. That's an easy way to not be invited back.

Just like the designated hitter detracted from the purity of baseball, the inclusion of dual specs into the game has detracted from the purity of the loot system. As with all new systems, it won't change overnight. Here is a good time for you to think globally, and act locally. Start with yourself. Be honest about looting. Roll for your mainspec--if you're invited into a raid as your secondary spec, ask the raid leader/loot master what is appropriate to roll on. Speak up over vent, show your concern to be fair and honest...lead by example. Raid leaders appreciate this--not only does it show your maturity regarding the matter, but it also shows that you value their loot system.

Stick to these general guidelines, and you'll soon find that in the big tea party of looting, your etiquette has become second to none. =)

Recruitment: MMO-Champion Post

2009-07-03T11:49:00.000-07:00

Honor and Glory [Horde-Blood Furnace, US] consists of players that love to play the game. We're easy going, don't believe in harsh raiding requirements, but are organized none the less. The guild was created pre-BC by Kyrathos and Stonehoofx, and has stood the test of time, even as players leave the game to pursue other opportunities.

Our roster consists of over 100 casual players.We are currently looking for skilled, PvE oriented players for Heroic Raiding of end-game content. Our 10 man is currently in Ulduar, working on Auriaya.

Raiding Days/Times:
Thurs-Sun 8pm pst to 11pm pst (or 10-1 server)

At the moment, we have 15 geared, skilled, and dedicated raiders, and are looking for the following classes:

*Priests (shadow, disc, holy)
*Druids (Resto/ Oomkin)
*Hunters
*Mages
*Locks
* We are also looking for 1 more geared Tank

If you're currently looking for a group of fun individuals that enjoy raiding together, send a tell in game, or email with race/class/and a little bit of your raiding history/accomplishments.-

-Shystechris
http://shystechris.blogspot.com/

Email Submissions: shystechris@me.com, darktemplar96@yahoo.com

Blood DPS Revisited

2009-07-02T09:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon, I spent a good amount of time catching up with DK dps spec's; both current and PTR configurations. I've been playing unholy 12/05/59 with the same set-up for so long, I wanted to revisit blood 51/0/20 to see how it compared. I deleted my tank spec for the time being, glyphed for blood, and headed into Naxx 25 with the El Veritas crowd.

The overall boost to damage with blood is awesome. Veteran of the Third War added about 100 Str, which translates into a sizable AP boost--and +400 to overall damage. The stat increase alone was enough to make me swoon...now to put it to use.

Starting in Arachnid Quarter, dps on Anub was ok. I ended up in top spot just a couple hundred dps above everyone else. Not too bad. Faerlina was a tough battle, ended up in the top 3 for overall dmg, but was about 4th in actual dps. We AoE'd all the adds achievement style, and even with Heart Strike's free cleave, I just couldnt cut it.

When I changed back to unholy, the next couple of fights I out dps'd the group by 1000. /0.o

Now, I've seen the WWS stats and spreadsheets to know that blood has awesome potential. I just don't think that its my style anymore...

Cool Downs

CD management for blood kinda sucks. With unholy, my ghoul is up 100% of the time, and can live through just about anything. Gargoyle is a button press, and requires no effort, really. Diseases refresh with Glyph of Scourge Strike, so the only real boost that needs managing is bone-shield.

Blood, on the other hand, requires more...you have to self cast hysteria, then DRW (and if they're macro'd together, you have to make sure that theyre both off CD), and these are short lived, so in between popping these CD's, you have a short term ghoul to mess with. The CD's are so short, that half the fight is popping CD's--and then DRW requires that you are constantly attacking; its not free dps like gargoyle is.

Sooooo.....

No matter how simple the rotation is, this DK will take diseases anyday. CD management in blood just seems a bit too messy for me--especially on fights that are movement intensive. I'm just too unholy at heart to want to switch. =)

The Price of Progression: Wiping with Dignity

2009-06-30T14:03:00.000-07:00

Nobody likes to wipe. Whether it's an issue of inadequacy, or frustration, or a combination of both or none at all, no one relishes in peachy thoughts and candyland dreams when they are in the process of dying. This should come as no surprise.

As the guild progresses further and further into the antechamber of Ulduar, we should be expecting a higher frequency of "wipes." Fights become more and more complicated--so this should be the natural tendency.

I think we sometimes forget that.

The deeper we delve into the content, the less the margin for error becomes. A heal that doesn't get off in time, a spell-steal that goes awry, a misplaced interrupt....all have the ability to wipe a raid. Take into consideration not having a lock for soul stone, or a priest for mass dispel, or shaman for bloodlust, and that margin further closes.

As wipes go on, practice makes perfect--and the more often we engage in an encounter, the more we learn, the better our reaction time gets, the better we are able to theorycraft strategies for it.

I want to remind everyone, that progression comes with a price...and although sometimes that price is measurable in gold, the actual cost hinges on our resiliency. If we want to survive as a group, we will need to learn to wipe with dignity. This means getting back quickly, rebuffing, swiftly discussing the things that went wrong, how we can make them better, and then climbing back up onto ~~Tonto~~ Silver (the horse). The better we understand and expect the wipe, the better we will be at picking ourselves up after they occur.