The Healadin's UI

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That was never my intent for Sated.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Raiding.

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.

Week 2 in the Citadel

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

DW Tanking, and Why it SUCKS

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.

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

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

Let's Talk About Stats, Baby

...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.

The Price of Progression: Wiping with Dignity

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.

Gearing up to Raid: Priorities

So you're level 80 and you've decided that you want to start raiding. Everywhere you look, raid leaders are looking for geared healers with large mana pools, 3.5k DPS, and 30k HP unbuffed tanks...and you might be wondering where to start.

Stats/ Spec
The very first thing you should put into priority are your stats. Are you hit capped? Do you know what the cap is for your toon? What are the bread and butter stats to optimize your gear? Knowing this is the first step to greatness: it means the difference between knowing a true upgrade versus one that is sub-optimal. If you have any questions about stat-weights I encourage you to visit the EJ Forums. You may also want to try a cookie cutter spec and rotation--there is a lot of smart math behind 'em.

Pre-Raid Gearing
Heroics. Its as simple as that. There are a lot of great drops in heroic dungeons. Ask friends and guildies, pull up loot on the armory or on Atlas Loot (in-game), make yourself a list, and run religiously until you get what you want. I remember running H UK everyday for a month looking for Staggering Legplates to drop. Also, a lot of decent gear can be bought with heroism badges that will last you long into your first few raids: T7 pieces, Trinkets, Neck, etc. Heroics are really a win/win in this regard. And for a few pre-raid pieces, look to Reputation rewards to fill gaps. Tabards are easy to pick up, and rep grinds come quickly while you're running all those Heroics. Chances are you'll be grinding dailies for cash anyway.

Item Enhancement
You'll be pretty hard up to find a top raider w/out enchants on all of his/her gear. When you end up nabbing that piece of gear you want, chant it up to maximize its potential. Check the AH, ask a guildie chanter/leatherworker, and go to town. For a full list of item enchants, click here. Keep in mind that you'll have to grind out that long road to Sons of Hodir-Exalted if you want that Super Smexxy shoulder chant: Greater Inscription of the Axe.