New Year's Resolutions

It's New Year's Eve and I find myself thinking about my WoW goals for the upcoming year. Even though it's dangerous for me to post my intentions...you know, that rebelliousness thing of 'I'm not gonna do what I'm supposed to do'...I'm gonna post them anyway.


Gear Goals

1. Finish enchanting my new Bear gear items.
2. Get enchants on new gear within a couple of days of acquiring it. (I'm really bad at this.)
3. Finish upgrading my Kitty gear.
4. Assess my healing gear and begin upgrading those items. (Resto bloggers, please post a list of good healing gear from badges, heroics, and Kara for me!) :)

UI and Interface Goals

1. Clean up my UI.
2. Better organize my Bongo Bars.
3. Get the shift key on my Saitek game controller thing to work.
4. Get rid of add-ons that I'm not currently using.
5. Actually make and use macros.

Organization Goals

1. Clean out my bank.
2. No, I mean, really clean out my bank.
3. Get bigger packs.

Pet Goals

1. Get a Disgusting Oozeling.
2. Get a Hyacinth Macaw.
3. Get Peanut.
4. Get Peddlefeet.
5. Get a Rocket Chicken.

Content Goals

1. Finish all the instances in Heroic mode.
2. Finish Zul'aman.
3. Finish Tempest Keep.
4. Finish SSC.
5. Finish The Eye.
6. Finish all the end game raiding content before the expansion.
7. Finish my Netherstorm quests.

Blogging Goals

1. Make and remember to use labels for posts.
2. Put labels into old posts.
3. Update my blog role once a month.
4. Have at least two informative posts per week.
5. Get the item pop-up thing to work.
6. Get the 'Featured Posts' thing to work.

There ya have it! My goals for next year. I'm feeling overwhelmed already! ;p

Busy Time of Year

I just thought I'd let you know that we're approaching my busy time of year. I do accounting and all my clients are on a fiscal calendar year. So, January will be spent closing the books for all my clients as well as getting out 1099's, 1096's, Sales Tax reports, etc.

Bleh.

I will try to post as much as I can, but it most likely will not be very consistent or with lots of uber analysis...or even un-uber analysis, etc. I will probably just post 'story' type posts about what I'm up to as those are usually quick and easy to churn out and save the more informative and, therefore, more time consuming, stuff for February when things slow down.

I'd also like to thank you all for reading and commenting on my blog. I've really enjoyed blogging and look forward to being able to avidly blog again in a month or so. Please be patient and don't give up on me!

Christmas Pictures!

I had a good Christmas! I got lots of pets and toys, including the awsome dragon kite! So, I'm going to try to post pictures for you all to see.

I'll first post pictures of the pets Pk and Hags gave me which I told you about a few weeks ago.

Here is me with my Snowman that Hags gave me.

Here is the Firefly Pk gave me along with the Yeti that Great Father Winter gave me. Also, Zen gave me a Yeti he made with his own two virtual hands!

Than Balrokk gave me an Azure Whelpling that he farmed for all by himself!

And then of course, the Rock 'em Sock 'em Robot from under the tree!

Then my wonderful hubby gave me the Paper Airplane Manual card from The Trading Card Game loot cards. Here are a couple of pictures of me throwing my airplane around. You can see it in the upper left corner.

And now, for my favorite gift of all and from my favorite hubby! The Dragon Kite which came from a loot card as well. This picture is the green kite.

Each time you bring it out, it has an equal chance to be green, blue, or red. Here is the blue version.

And now for the red version of the dragon kite.

The kite also gets struck by electricity...which travels down the string and electifies me...every now and then, but unfortunately, it shorted out my camera when I tried to take the picture of that. ;p

Merry Christmas!!!

I'd like to wish you all a Merry Christmas or a Happy Holiday(s) of choice! Whatever you celebrate I hope you all enjoy the spirit of it as well as the joy from giving rather than just receiving. :)

I had fun this year giving out a plethora of pets to my guildies. I think I bought, wrapped, and mailed close to 200 various kittens, cats, moths, owls, parrots, bunnies, prairie dogs, and dragonhawks to my guildmates. I suppose it may seem a bit crazy to some, but it had to be done. :D

If you're on Detheroc server and want a pet, send me an in game mail and I'll be sure to get you one!

Merry Christmas!!!

The Lurker Below Swims with the Fishies

After killing Hydross Tuesday night, we went in Wednesday night to see how we would do against The Lurker Below. It took quite a few tries, but we did finally down him!

Mainly, we had to experiment with a strat that worked for us and with our group composition. It seems that no matter how many strats we read and try, we always end up finding a different way of doing things that works for us.

Now, since my last post about Hydross a couple of my guildies (Warriors, actually...you know how big their egos are. ;p ) have posted on our forums about how they are waiting anxiously for my post about Lurker and what I'm going to say about them. Sadly, the pressure of their expectations along with a 'Christmas To-DO' list as long as Santa's has stifled my creativity in writing amusing boss kill stories.

In fact, I wrote those first two paragraphs Thursday and have sat down a few times to 'finish' it, however it just hasn't happened. So, I'll post what they said and you all can fill in the blanks...

Maulmorr said:

Uh oh...I can't wait to read up on your post about our Lurker attempts "and Maulmorr, unprepared for the onslaught of Lurker questions, decided to experiment..."

Baklor said:

i got yer post covered Nae Baklor stood before the foul beast, sword in hand, and in an act of awesomness tore the soul out of Lurkers slimy scaled covered chest. In the background you could hear the quiet whimper of Gankszor saying " i never got a chance to stab him"

Nae = Mooire and Gankszor = hubby

Nae is my gaming name that has stuck with me since Asheron's Call.

My response to Baklor:

I like to be, at least, somewhat factual in my blog.

Maulmorr's response:

But that is factual! Protection warriors never lie!

Lung replied:

Maul is correct, we don't have the Intellect to lie.

Well, there you have it! You now may fill in the blanks however you wish. :P

Hydross Again!

Tuesday evening, we went in for another go at Hydross. We didn't down him as quickly as we did on Sunday, but getting him on the 8th attempt is still respectable.

One of our hiccups was the adds. This time, instead of having 5 tanks, we had 4. Since one of us is tanking the boss, that left 3 of us to pick up 4 adds. Shouldn't be a prob, right? Well, if you have me giving out directions, it is!

So, we're standing there looking at Hydross. We decide that I'll pick up two of the adds. Darma, our other Feral Druid, will pick up one and the Warrior who isn't tanking his Water or Poison form will get the 4th. I quickly announce that I'll take the two East adds. Darma says he'll take the SW add. And Maulmorr says that he and Baklor will take the NW add depending on who is not tanking at the time.

Awesome! We all know our job and we jump in and start the event!

It's time for the first transition where the tank drags Hydross in or out of the transition area to switch him from water to poison form or visa versa. When he switches forms, he spawns 4 adds. In anticipation of this, I move over to my East side so I'm right there where my two new best buddies will appear. I snag one and move over to get the other and...Darma has my add!! He has good threat, so I go pick up the one wandering through the ranged group. We down the adds with a bit of confusion and carry on with DPSing Hydross.

Then it's time for the second transition. I make sure I'm on my East side so I can quickly get my adds. They pop up and I jump on one and Darma is on it too!!! That's supposed to be my add!!!! Well, ok, I let him have it...again...and run off to get my other East add and the one making new friends with our Warlocks and drag them back to Hydross so they can see what fun Seeds of Corruption is.

Third transition, again, I'm on my East side, ready and waiting for my adds. They pop up and I grab one, then go to the other and Darma has him!!! That's MY add!!! Mine, mine, MINE!!!!

Mooire whines to her hubby, "Why is Darma always on my add?"

Hubby replies, "I don't know. I just stab stuff."

Hubby stabs stuff.

This continues for a while...both Darma being on my add and my whining to my hubby.

After we wipe and people point out that the adds not being contained quickly enough is a problem, we then go over our assigned adds. After much debate, pointing, verbal direction spouting, left and right and front and back usage it is determined that North is not the direction that Mooire faces.

O.O

It's not?

But, that little pointy thing on the map was pointing towards Hydross which is the direction I was facing, so shouldn't that be North?

Apparently not.

North is...

/points in some random direction that probably still isn't North.

that way!

So, after tossing verbal commands such as North, South, East, and West, we decide to use left, right, front, and back. Which is still risky as I'm left handed and tend to get those confused too.

/sigh

After double checking with my husband that what I think is right is indeed right and not left, we go in for another go. Things go more smoothly with the adds and we eventually down him.

Poor Darma. All that time he was on the add he was assigned and I was the one confused! I just hope he was laughing at me and not cussing me. ;p

/hugs Darma

BBB's 'Judge my Cat Gear Challenge' and Pre-25 man Kitty Gear Choices

BBB has challenged us to post our cat gear and submit our selves to heckling...ummmm...I mean assessment. I'm sure he's hoping for some awesomely tricked out suits all properly assessorized and such. However, as I tank mostly, my poor little kitty outfit is horribly out of date.

Thankfully, as I'm almost done with my badge upgrades on my Bear suit, I'll be focusing on my Cat gear soon. In preperation, I have already looked through pre-25 man raid goodies and picked out items to focus on getting. As I post my current gear, I'll also post my 'to get' items.

Head

Current item - Cowl of Defiance from Netherspite in Kara.
'To Get' item - Grimgrin Faceguard from the last boss in Zul' Aman but, if I get the points for the Vengeful Gladiator's Dragonhide Helm before the Grimgrin Faceguard drops, I will get it...but, must get the Merciless Gladiator's Maul first! (see notes under weapon below)

Neck

Current item - Mithril Chain of Heroism from the Chess event in Kara.
'To Get' item - No better pre-25 man raid item other than Haramod's Bargain from Consortium rep (exalted) and I prefer the Mithril Chain of Heroism as it has stamina.

Shoulders

Current item - Mantle of Malorne from High King Maulgar in Gruul's Lair.
'To Get' item - I'll be keeping the shoulders and hands of the Malorne set for the 2-set bonus. I'll discuss my reasoning for these two items after I'm done with my gear list. But, if I were to switch this item out, I would pick the Shoulderpads of Dancing Blades from the Lynx boss in Zul' Aman.

Back

Current item - Drape of the Dark Reavers from the Shade of Aran in Kara.
'To Get' item - No better pre-25 man raid item available.

Chest

Current item - Vengeful Gladiator's Dragonhide Tunic, Arena season 3.
'To Get' item - None. But, if you don't do Arenas, I recommend Vestments of Hibernation for 75 Badges of Justice.

Wrists

Current item - Bracers of Maliciousness from The Maiden of Virtue in Kara.
'To Get' item - Master Assassin Wristwraps for 35 Badges of Justice.

Hands

Current item - Guantlets of Malorne from the Curator in Kara.
'To Get' item - I'll be keeping the shoulders and hands of the Malorne set for the 2-set bonus. I'll discuss my reasoning for these two items after I'm done with my gear list. But, if I were to switch this item out, I would pick Trickster's Stickyfingers for 60 Badges of Justice.

Waist

Current item - Socrethar's Girdle (quest item)...I don't know why I still have this on when I have a Girdle of Treachery from the Chess even in Kara. I'll have to fix that today!
'To Get' item - Waistguard of the Great Beast for 60 Badges of Justice (I have one for my Bear suit, I'll have to check and see if it's better than the Girdle of Treachery with Bear gems...otherwise, I'll get another and gem that one for kitty.)

Legs

Current item - Clefthoof Hide Leggings from a quest.
'To Get' item - Shallow-grave Trousers for 75 Badges of Justice.

Feet

Current item - Edgewalker Longboots from Moroes in Kara.
'To Get' item - The Footwraps of Wild Enchroachment are a minor upgrade, but I'm not sure it's worth another 60 badges as it's very minor. I have them for my Bear set, but I believe the bear gems keep them from being better than the Edgewalker Longboots.

Ring 1

Current item - A'dal's Command
'To Get' item - Ring of the Overseer from Shartuul in Blades Edge.

Ring 2

Current item - Garona's Signet Ring
'To Get' item - Garona's and the Ring of the Overseer are the two best pre-25 man rings available.

Trinket 1

Current item - Hourglass of the Unraveller
'To Get' item - Bloodlust Brooch, 41 Badges of Justice

Trinket 2

Current item - Alchemist Stone (Why am I wearing this? LOLWUT?)
'To Get' item - Skyguard Silver Cross for exalted with the Sha'tari Skyguard.

Weapon

Current item - Terestian's Stranglestaff
'To Get' item - Merciless Gladiator's Maul season 2 Areana weapon.

Idol

Current item - Everbloom Idol for raids for the bargain price of 15 Badges of Justice and Idol of the Wild from a quest reward for everything else.
'To Get' item - I think those are the best, but I'd have to do some research.

Malorne 2-Piece Set Bonus

The Malorne 2-Piece set bonus is just too good to give up:

Your melee attacks in Bear form and Dire Bear form have a chance to generate 10 additional rage. Your melee attacks in Cat form have a chance to generate 20 additional energy.

Using Emmerald's 2.3 gear lists draft beta 2, the best Malorne items to keep are the Shoulders and Hands. This was determined by assessing the delta between the Malorne items and the best pre-25 man upgrade item available.

Item	Head	Shoulders	Chest	Hands	Legs
Upgrade Item*	240.04	156.84	240.80	157.54	219.55
Malorne Piece	198.17	148.28	189.92	119.52	157.99
Delta	41.87	8.56	50.88	38.02	61.56

*Upgrade item used is the one referenced in my list above.

As you can see, based on the Sustained DPS points that Emmerald's calculations assign, the shoulders and hands are the items closest to the upgrade items I have listed above. The head item isn't too far behind, so keeping this piece for kitty rather than the hands wouldn't make too much of a DPS difference. However, keeping the chest or legs is not viable as there are other items which will significantly boost your DPS in raids.