Dude, where's my car?

I wanna take a minute to talk about backseat drivers.

They don't work.

You can't reach the pedals from back there.

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

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

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

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

The difference between a success and a wipe: execution.

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

Needless to say we lost a few peeps lst night.

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

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

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

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.

Pew Pew Kachoo!

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

How to: Twin Val'kyr

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)

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

Trial of the Crusader: Lord Jaraxxus

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

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*