Break time

The holidays are over, raiding for the non hard core is really ramping up and I think I must bow out of the game for a while.

This is not a I hate Blizzard, or they screwed the game up or anything like that. My issues are more with the players or at least the ones I've dealt with.

If you haven't seen my post about the dread of the xfer it will explain it more. After that I had one bad experience after another.

• A guild that I joined, brought me in to tank, then said "it will probably only be in a pinch, or heroics to gear the guild".
• Another who claimed they were 12/12 HM ICC, wen in and wiped for 4 hours on Magmaw 10 man while their tank who was wearing greens drained the healer of mana prior to the chain phase. I was outside the instance so they could bring in a 4th healer and soulstone the tank. But "I could come back in for trash"
• After a  45 min talk w/the GM of a 10 man guild, I joined the guild and felt like they were going to be a good fit. I logged on at raid time and watched 6 people G quit. The reason? The GM just logged on and gave the guild to an officer and quit the game for good. The day after I talked to him.
• I posted in the guild recruitment forums, I received multiple offers to go to guilds that had 5 members or East Coast servers who started at 5pm. After asking for replies of those who start their raid after 9pm EST.

After weeks of looking I found a guild, a good fit. The GM came to my server and hunted me down. He talked to me for over an hour. Hell we talked about non wow things. It seemed like a guild that I wanted to be a part of. While in talks they were 4/12 25 man Cata. Close to where I was. The raid times were what I needed. All in all it was a great fit.

I had to xfer again. I was leery and talked to the GM prior to the Xfer. He said w/the app I put in the whole guild was waiting for me. They were willing to allow me to make "new" mistakes ans all in all they were excited to have me there.

As I arrived on my new server, I did a /who to find a guild member, only 1 85 was on but it was late so that was expected. I whispered him "is an officers on, this is the new xfer" He says....OH F*CK another one. Sure let me get him. As I was for a reply he is trolling trade w/racial slurs and more.

I get a tell, this is **** what can I do for you? I tell him and the guild was really cool. We talked and it looked like things were on the right foot.

I log on the next day, Say hi and *crickets*...Oh, well. I wait about 5 mins, there is roughly 40 people on. I ask, "anyone for a random H"? *crickets* Five minutes later, a warrior pops on and says "lets do a random" and 15 people answer up. Not a shocker that happens.

A bit later another group is starting so I say I'll tank. This is a guild that is 7/12 now. We get Stonecore (I hate that place) and can't get past the 1st boss. The SP is doing 5k (alt) the rogue is in 3/4 epics and is only doing 8k and a pug hunter who was doing a good amount of DPS. They boot him. Yep the vote kicked him cuz they wanted to bring in a guildy.

Everyone was in agreement to reque for another. The SP who was in group was a rager! He was in guild and just didn't shut up. He was annoying. We got Grim Batol and the guild they brought in had to go.We get a pug warrior. We WIPE repeatedly on the 1st boss. Not enough DPS and no CC on the purple add. The SP rages, says he ill be right back on his warrior. He didn't solve the CCon the add but sure brought turbulence to the run. He blast the other warrior for his DPS. Tells me on vent, not by my name of course but as "tank" I'm going to pull off you, don't F*ck it up.

He didn't quite pull off me all the time but alot. He was doing 18K DPS and hit 21K on the boss. The next boss was a mess. Tons of wipes later and about all I could take with this warrior who was cussing out the healer for his lack of heals as he stood in the fire and didn't get kept standing or a B-Rez. He pulled threat n the pull. This Dbag was the worst player I had grouped with. He was in all shiny epix and did 18K DPS but couldn't stay alive or keep under my threat. He literally yelled at me for BoP'n him when he was creeping on threat. I salved him every pull.

Who was this guy? I looked atthe guild screen, he was an officer and the Raid Leader. Really? This is what I had xfered for? Well after a few more wipes, belive me...I'm not a pro tank but threat is very rearly an issue. Not with this guy, but DPS need to watch too and well, he said F*ck omen. A few more wipes and we all give up. The healer couldn't keep me alive, the dps wouldn't wait on threat....oh and the rogue wasn't tricks'n me either.

After the run we were in vent and all I heard how terrible that tank was, and how bad he hates this game and how this guild was recruiting BADDIES!

I don't think I can do this, I don't think I want to deal with people who treat a game like life or death. I deal with life or death at work, or I used too. I guess I could go raid and down a few bosses with these guys but I'm not sure hearing yelling over vent, like I did in that 5 man is something I'm willing to do. Hanging on and grabbing gear just to have it while I 'm miserable logging on is not something I want to do either. I want to build a loyalty to a guild, a guild I'd love to enjoy wiping with guild, but I don't think it will be this one.

I'm done for now, for a while. I'm going to give my beloved Chasey a break. I enjoy WoW, I love to tank. I've hit a string of bad luck and need to get out. To use a card playing metaphor, I'm changing tables after getting a string of bad hands but headed to the bar 1st.

Talk to you all soon. I'll check back every now and then.

Patch 4.0.6 upcoming changes!

Breaking news ~ Prot has an interrupt, read all about it...


Let me say this is only in the PTR during the time I post this. Things could change and probably will as it has already changed a bit since yesterday.

Paladin (from MMO-Champion 1-7-2011)
•Inquisition is no longer dispellable.

•Rebuke can now be trained by all paladins at level 54. Existing characters will need to visit their trainer, even if they had talented Rebuke before.

To me this looks like Prot will now have an OCD Interrupt, REALLY? Do we really get an interrupt? Oh and what now replaces this will be the source of QQ and tears will fill buckets and flood basements of dwellers everywhere.

Holy
•Denounce now has a spell overlay.


Retribution
•The Rebuke talent has been replaced with a new passive talent, Sacred Shield. Paladins who had Rebuke before will automatically have Sacred Shield. Sacred When reduced below 30% health, paladins gain the Sacred Shield effect. The Sacred Shield absorbs X damage and increases healing received by 20%. Lasts 15 seconds. This effect cannot occur more than once every 30 seconds. Undispellable.

Rets now get a 20% heal buff, an absolution of damage and it can happen ever 30 seconds for 15 seconds. Is this only for rets? I can't wait to see the official forums fill with "dear blizz pallys are OP, that is all".

•Zealotry is no longer dispellable.


Bug Fixes
•Word of Glory will no longer reset the swing timer.

More blues news - (MMO Champion 1-5-2011) Since this is a paladin blog I will update you on the racials and  how it affects paladins.

•The draenei racial trait Gift of the Naaru now heals 20% of the target's health over 15 seconds, rather than a scaling value.
•The dwarven racial trait Stoneform now reduces all damage taken by 10%, rather than increasing armor by 10%. It also increases the dwarf's size when used.
•The human racial trait Every Man for Himself has been reverted back to a 2-minute cooldown, down from 3 minutes.

Does Dawrf become the min/maxers choice for pally's now? The goats now have a differnt kind of cooldown but its not game breaking.

Paladin
•The mana costs of Blessing of Might and Blessing of Kings have been increased by approximately 217%, making them roughly equal to the cost of Mark of the Wild.
•Crusader Strike weapon damage percent has been increased to 135%, up from 115%.
•Divine Plea now lasts for 9 seconds, down from 15. It grants 4% mana per tick, instead of 2%, for a total of 12% mana, up from 10%.

Not really sure about the increased mana cost but I think it makes glyphing for these worth it now, thus making our minor glyphs mean sort of something.

Oh Crusader Strike has its damage boosted, which is more a buff for ret's damage who is sort of on the low side according to the leet DPS. It also make threat more of a NON-Concern for tank which I can see in the future our threat getting nerfed, along the lines of Rightous Fury in 3.1 or 3.2 (my memory fails me).

I'm sure that this will change. I'm sort of on the excited side about an interupt, I mean really this to me is outstanding. With just the heroic fights in Cata if you don't have someone in the group you aren't screwed or sitting on Avenger shield hoping Hammer of Justice is ready. I am very fond of this patch full of notes. I guess will see how it changes and what the experts say.

The Cataclysm Dungeon Hero!

Thats me!

I am now a hero! and it feels pretty good.

I had que'd for randoms (with or without) my guild. I had downed all bosses besides Commander Springvale in SFK. LFG is totally random or so they say. I had only once got The Stonecore, the group fell apart on our 2nd wipe on Ozruk. I ate shield spike and it one shot me. I had that silly monstrous fight explained to me and I didn't get out of pound. Bad tank is bad, or so they said. Group fell apart and I started looking that fight up.

I got Vortex Pinnacle and finished it off. It was fun aside from the boss that throws you all around which is at best a dumb mechanic. I had one place left to do. A place I loathed, a place that made me nervous...

I'm a tank, am I supposed to say that? Do you guys have places you dread to go? I had to face my demons.

I knew the fight, I knew what I had to do.

One shotting a tank-

It seems that The Stonecore is Blizz's big FU to Wrath. Lots of movement, and mechanics in every fight that will one shot you. All bosses in there are capable of killing the tank or anyone else if you don't have total focus. In one shot.

Lets not forget the stupid ass trash that jumps, twirls and cleave everyone! oh, lets not forget the crystals that allow you to take more damage per stack.

The more I looked the more I seen tanks and groups in general having issues with this boss and this place in general. Now don't get me wrong, its not undoable or even luck its lots of awareness and movement. I have never, even most raid bosses are not as brutal on tanks as this 5 man heroic.

Ascared?

I had to face my demons, or stone asshats. I wanted to tell Blizz FU for the FU to us. I want to concur my past failures.In its essence its not a hard fight, I can do it. Cuz, I am not a fail tank...I think.

Well I have had my past issues with others failing in heroics. I mean hard, see my last tanking adventures post to see my 17 death run or my first time in Tol'vir were we wiped over and over on the Croc. I'm good at this game, not AWESOME, not PRO but good. I take pride in my play style and know my class.

We wiped a few times on Coborus due to bad dps or low dps. We one shot the 2nd boss and move do Ozruk.

I was nervous and this was pure pug! I had little room for error, the group was snide and edgy as it was but I wanted to get this done. BAD!

Ozruk-

In case you don't know, he has 3 abilities: Ground slam, Shatter and Paralyze, oh a few other lil dandies but this is not a guide on how to do the fight.

1st pull (oh we didn't one shot him) Got him to 2%, really I did this pretty well. I got caught by Ground slam standing between his legs. I thought I was far enough behind him but I guess not.

The DPS was asking if I knew how to do the fight. I said yes, I got it but I made a mistake and said sorry. The fury warrior, a blood elf pulling 4k dps said, l2side step that and it won't be an issue.

2nd pull, I did the most pro move ever, I pulled the trash and we wiped. The DPS was really giving it to me, I said sorry and told them I made the mistake and it won't happen again.

3rd pull, got him to 20%ish and caught ground slam again between his legs. I really thought I was under him enough but again. WOW this fight is brutal. I was feeling the pressure, and the DPS was killing me. It got really bad and I told them, "look I'm learning the fight I've mad a few mistakes but either kick me or keep it informative".

4th pull, I'm nervous now big time. I'm shaking not out of being scared but pure wanting to get the boss in my past. I really IRL need to accomplish this. It sounds weird but its a hurdle I have to get past in my tanking career and life. I don't remember a fight were so much relies on one tank to do so much. I mean, hold aggro, move around him, not pull extra mobs and keep the boss in range and oh, manage cool downs and make sure the healer is ok to heal after paralyze.

I throw my shield and grab this brute up! I'm going to do it this time. I noticed his timer is off, at least in my head he is a few seconds off. DBM is off too.This is going to require my total concentration of position, and awareness to get my job done. Things are going smooth so far he is about 50% and I'm still middle of the tunnel.

I got this!

25% he enrages, IDC I pop guardian and hope I can make the movement in sync with him and his shabby casting.

DOWN GOES Orzuk! I got him and let these silly DPS know it. Yes, I was overboard! but I did it, I slayed my dragon.

The DPS gave me gratz and then bagged me for being a baddie.

Last boss, I say watch the adds and stone throws. I get one shotted by a stone hitting the ground. HEY, give me a break its my first time. I seen the graphic and knew what I was looking for now.

We pull again and:

Not bad for my 1st time in the place and I don't think I'll ever go back again. Yes most have this done now but I'm pretty proud of this due to the fact it the fight bothered me so much outside the game.

Can anyone think of a fight so brutal on a tank, other than maybe Brutallus or a very progressed raid? In a 5 man?

Tanking Adventures

Happy New Year everyone, I hope you had a safe and fun weekend!

Grim Batol

I love this place. I really do! Great rep cool fights will challenge players skill a bit. The fights are not face rolls. Not entirely complex but you can't round them up and burn them down. But it was a PUG.

My fault for doing this, it was New Years morning about 6 AM server time, 9AM for me. I looked and no one was on in guild beside a "friend and family" level 25 shammy.

I every so brilliantly PUGGED! I know what you are thinking, why? Well I wanted to knock my Valor points out for the day. In all honesty as I zoned in the group make up was not bad.

Me
Priest heals
MM Hunter
Rogue
'Lock

Gear wasn't bad and a few even said "hi" as we zoned in. I gave kill order and CC order. Things went smooth and stuff was dying fast. The 'Lock DC'd 3x's and a vote kick went out. She was removed. Incomes a DK. He was a gem. He arrived w/"sup, never been here b4".

He proceded to pull 3k DPS on trash and our 1st boss attempt. Somehow we wiped on trash and had the healer rez him.

We got to General Umbriss, his DPS went up to 4k. We wiped at about 40%, the healer had to rez him. The rouge tells him stop being a lazy ass and rez. He says "I've never been here before, I don't want to get lost"

We wiped 3 more times on Umbriss, for some reason the healer wanted to stand on top of me. I was charged 3 times. My fault for not moving but it was an insta kill for the healer. Usually I can live thru his charge. The helm dropped, the hunter took it and left group. I was sad, she was a smart hunter. She was replaced by a lock.

Me to 'Lock- are you glyphed for fear? What is that? o.O

On the next boss Forgemaster Throngus we wiped A L O T! Four times in a row were 2% ish wipes. The lock and 3k DK left and were replaced by a Shammy, who was wearing PVP gear "cuz its just fill in til i get good stuff".

The shammy and DK died on his fire phase. They both left and were replace by 2 toons that zoned in and DC'd. They never came back. In comes a 'lock and a DK.

Me
Priest heals
Rouge
DK
'Lock

Lock SS DK, we all go "WHAT?" oops sorry wrong target. Pull boss, DK dies in fire. Uses SS and dies in fire...........LOL

We finally get him dead, the wand drops, healer needs takes it and drops group.

Druid heals comes in, we pull to Drahga Shadowburner wipe a few times because people are unable to get behind him during the drakes flame phase. This was for a brief second, my fault "cuz tank doesn't have aggro on boss" "use taunt so drake doesn't turn towards group"

OMG

We figured that out, lost the lock, got a mage and killed the boss. All was good, a decent group with great DPS and nice make up for Erudax and slowing his adds.

I tell group how we should set it up -  Mage help w/both adds. Rogue take left, DK take right. Slow adds and kill them before we get to the eggs to hatch.

Rogue "I can't use crippling poison, it will hurt my DPS"
Mage "I don't have a frost spec, I can't slow"
DK "I'll chains them both, others burn them down."

It didn't work like 4 times. Some way, shape or form these three guys couldn't get the adds before the birds got hatched. They were all at 7k dps or better and couldn't do it.

Healer drops, DK drops, Rogue drops. 3 hours into this place....I'm at my wits end but soooo want to finish this. I'm so close to my valor points, I don't know if I can stomach redoing a heroic today to get them.

The mage stayed with me, zoned in are a shammy healer, MM hunter, Frost DK , me and the mage.

Mage give run down of boss, and says, what I have said about 15 times....Kill adds fast and we win.

We wiped. But I noticed something the hunter and DK were doing 12k dps. Oh, could it be, could we have a chance to do this?

DK says I'm so sorry I messed that up. We got him next time and....

We did!  I was so excited for killing this simple ass boss I could have hugged all those toons IRL for real.

In case you lost count: TL, DR:

17 wipes
3 1/2 hours (9am til 12:10pm)
17 players (plus 2 more that zoned in and dc'd and never came back)
96g in repairs
70 valor points
one very patient tank who used every CD he had multiple times (including LoH 5x's)