The Good
My new laptop finally arrived, to much rejoicing. It came in a comically large box which contained a succession of smaller boxes within it until I felt like Alice in Wonderland. Thankfully at the bottom of it all there was a white rabbit (tardy) and a laptop. My God, is everything shiny. So fucking shiny. My first act, once I had actually got past all the updates, was to install WoW, crank the graphics up as high as they’d go and take to the skies.
Look at the beautiful world! And it's mine, all mine, mwahahaha!!!
And then go on a fishing holiday
Gone Fishin
There’s something quite iconically Tam about this image. Whenever my druid goes fishing he always sits on the bank with his picnic umbrella out and his big cow feet dangling happily over the water – altogether the picture of tranquility and contentment. Tam, however, has waded right out into the icy waters of Lordamere Lake, like he’s mortifying the flesh or something, and he’s clearly hooking fish with bloody minded determination. Well, as long as he’s having fun, I guess.
The laptop has been christened Hotblack Desiato because of this: “Every time you try to operate one of these weird black controls that are labelled in black on a black background, a little black light lights up black to let you know you’ve done it.” This has already led to, errr, hilarity. I was attempting to mark up a pack of mobs in the Old Kingdom; I usually do this via the numpad. Except somehow numlock had become depressed (“wah! I’m so unhappy being a computer key!”) which meant that when I hit what should have been the “mark the most dangerous target with a skull” button, it was in actuality a “run face first into the mobs going swaaaaad” button. And die. While everybody laughed.
The Bad
Alas, devoid of an OT, we could not raid. I am saddened by this. So much so I might try to level a tank.
The Ugly
Me: Um, pugged hunter, sorry to ask a weird question but I’m genuinely curious. You see, I’ve never played a hunter but as a general rule, in fact, almost universally they seem to come with, y’know, a hunter pet.
Huntard: Oh, yeah, lol. I don’t like mine.
Me: Um, have you thought about maybe getting one you do like?
Huntard: They die too quickly.
Me. Ah.
Huntard: And I hate rezzing them.
To be fair, he wasn’t BM or anything but surely even if your pet goes in there and does 100 points of damage and then faceplants, surely that’s still 100 points of damage.
Linky linky:
We (I?) spend so long bitching about PUGs that it’s intriguing to occasionally read something positive on the subject – here’s Shintar on why pugs can sometimes be superior to guild runs.
In case that inadvertantly restored any of your faith in human nature, here’s Calli with the failpug of the week (there should be a proper award for this!)
Also there’s a comprehensive and genuinely impressive look at raid frames over at Jaded Alt – probably a useful resource if you’re anything like an OCD about your UI as I seem to be getting. Especially since I know don’t have to worry about slowdown so I can accumulate as much pointless crap as I like.
I’m also aware that many of the blogging community may, y’know, be married and settled and, *shudder*, even have children – this may prove a vital resource in ascertaining whether or not your youngling is a murloc.
M’Pocket Tank was recently waxing lyrical about her shaman – nice to see that it’s enthusiasm shared (apologies if this link causes some kind of incestuous, never-ending trackback that blows up the universe). Clearly with all this shaman-love sloshing about, I need to get it together and defend my sissy robe.
The prettiest elf wants me to link to Sylly for indulging her vanity.
There’s a fantastic ranty post over at Shadow Word: Blog about Blizzard’s response to the low shaodw priest DPS. I link it here because although dual-speccing shadow has given me much more in-game utility I’ve actually been struggling to generate anything like decent DPS. True, it’s not my natural interest, true I’m not properly geared for it but it’s bloody depressing just how far I seem to be lagging between similarly badly geared casters of different classes. I know, I know I’m providing lots of team bonuses but, come on, can I also do some damage, plz?! As I say, I’m naturally attuned towards DPS but it’s kind of reassuring to know that it’s not just me sucking, even as it’s frustrating that Blizzard seems unwilling to acknowledge the problem.
And to end: some whimsy.
Get yer silly pictures of Moonkin here and learn about Azeroth’s worst sailor here.
I really love screenshot posts, like Syrana’s Screenshot Sunday. I find these little glimpses into someone else’s Azeroth utterly fascinating. WoW is so much a game of moments; it’s wonderful that something so fleeting and so personal can sometimes be shared. So I’m glad to find that there’s also a Screenshot Friday over at Dots and Hots. This week’s is particularly pretty.
Yay, yay, yay! Grats on your new computer, the shots are gorgeous.
Btw, omg, what am I gonna do with a linkback *scared*
Love it and huggle it and call it Tarquin?
Seriously, I don’t think you’re meant to do anything – except take a quiet satisfaction in the fact that somebody thought you were awesome
But it was a fantastically useful post – my UI still unsatisfies me. Argh!
Yay, yay, yay! Grats on your new computer, the shots are gorgeous.
Btw, omg, what am I gonna do with a linkback *scared*
A hunter without a pet is a huntard,
no excuses
Just tame a wolf and set as passive
The Furious Howl ability (http://www.wowhead.com/?spell=64495) itself will grant him 320 AP through out the fight…
Chances of dieing is very small. (Since it just sit next to the hunter)
Kick him before the fight if you got a chance
He was still pulling over 1.5k dps which is basically all you need for a heroic, even if it’s heroic ToC so it was really worth kicking him for the sake of efficiency and Just Getting It Done TM.
Also I tend to be a bit too diffident about acknowledging tardism. In my head I’ll be thinking “that’s blatantly stupid” but I found I was making excuses to myself “well, maybe I just can’t see his pet, maybe this is a rare build I just don’t know about…” etc. etc.
But no. Hunter sans pet = fail.
Heh. Makes me think “are you on my server?” I’ve met that huntard. He annoyed us greatly and we won’t pug with him again. Sadly, I figure you are not on our server, and there’s actually multiple huntards That Bad.
We’re on Emerald Dream. To be fair, he was actually not annoying or anything and, apart from the self-gimping, perfectly sensible – if that’s not, in itself, a contradiction.
But why would you choose to be a hunter if you didn’t like pets?
A hunter without a pet is a huntard,
no excuses
Just tame a wolf and set as passive
The Furious Howl ability (http://www.wowhead.com/?spell=64495) itself will grant him 320 AP through out the fight…
Chances of dieing is very small. (Since it just sit next to the hunter)
Kick him before the fight if you got a chance
Heh. Makes me think "are you on my server?" I've met that huntard. He annoyed us greatly and we won't pug with him again. Sadly, I figure you are not on our server, and there's actually multiple huntards That Bad.
Just wanted to share I was in a great pug to Onyxia today! Good times. Wiped once, but no one complained. Everyone did their job and was friendly. I want more!
Oh congratulations – lucky you
I’m jealous! It’s important to remember that PUGS can go well as badly though – especially for the sake of one’s own sanity!
Just wanted to share I was in a great pug to Onyxia today! Good times. Wiped once, but no one complained. Everyone did their job and was friendly. I want more!
Woot, thanks for the linkback. I didn’t expect the post to get THAT ranty but everyone loves the snowball effect.
Absolutely – also I genuinely despair of my DPS as a shadowpriest so it’s nice to know it’s not *entirely* my own incompetance.
Woot, thanks for the linkback. I didn't expect the post to get THAT ranty but everyone loves the snowball effect.
So you are missing a tank eh?
Oh so tempting
And Grats on the new pc!
Hehe, thanks for even thinking about it – but we’d drive you up the wall. We’re genuinely hopeless
Just out of curiousity. Do you play on The Sha’tar or Emerald Dream?
Emerald Dream – why?
I just had sneaking suspicion you were on one of EU RP servers, but not the one I am on (Argent Dawn). So I got curious!
So you are missing a tank eh?
Oh so tempting
And Grats on the new pc!
Just out of curiousity. Do you play on The Sha'tar or Emerald Dream?
Ahhh… I love the feeling of a new computer. The shiny… that new computer smell… *starry-eyed* Congrats on yours! I hope you get great milage out of it :p
…and mileage too. >< my spelling is terribad, sorry!
Oh yes, the new “thing” smell. New computers, new books, and new boardgames always smell delicious
Does that make me sound creepy?
Obviously I prefer people … I mean, I’m not rolling around alone with my nose pressed into some shrink wrap or anything … okay this is getting worse.
*stops urgently*
Aww thanks for the link Tam!
I was really happy with that shot too. I first saw it when I was running away from a huge pack of mobs. I had to go back and clear the area before I could take the picture.
I’ve since made that picture my desktop.
Ahaha, it’s even better now that I know the circumstances – hard-won tranquility
Emerald Dream – why?
Ahhh… I love the feeling of a new computer. The shiny… that new computer smell… *starry-eyed* Congrats on yours! I hope you get great milage out of it :p
…and mileage too. >< my spelling is terribad, sorry!
Aww thanks for the link Tam!
I was really happy with that shot too. I first saw it when I was running away from a huge pack of mobs. I had to go back and clear the area before I could take the picture.
I've since made that picture my desktop.
Grats on the new shinies! I can’t wait for my new mouse to come, hopefully soon…
Sometimes pugs can be amusing. Last night my guild run had to pick up a rettie to fill out the group for the daily heroic, Gundrak. We were all on our raiding mains. After the first boss died in 33 seconds, he said, “wow, you guys are epic111!
”
He actually didn’t do too bad, contributing 2200 dps, but he was far behind on damage, as I did my (now usual) tanking in dps spec/tank gear. No boss took more than a minute, and the poor rettie couldn’t stop commenting. By the third boss, he was pleading, “you gais want to do sum more heroix af ter this?” (typed pleadingly as he sprinted to keep up)
I certainly don’t mind pugs these days, and they do seem to be better in general overall. But maybe it’s just the gear… I dunno.
Oh, and for some reason it won’t register my blog with the extra ’s’ – it says I’m not a member of the blog, when I most certainly am! I’ll keep working on that…
I had mouse travails earlier – there’s a ranty post on the subject knocking around here somewhere.
2.2k dps is pretty respectable for a heroic run, i’d say, especially for a non-raiding geared DPS. I struggle to hit that on my shadow priest but then I’m a) bad at DPS and b) under-geared.
I have to say, I generally don’t like running with heavily geared raiders, because I feel like there’s noway for me to contribute to the group.
Grats on the new shinies! I can't wait for my new mouse to come, hopefully soon…
Sometimes pugs can be amusing. Last night my guild run had to pick up a rettie to fill out the group for the daily heroic, Gundrak. We were all on our raiding mains. After the first boss died in 33 seconds, he said, "wow, you guys are epic111!
"
He actually didn't do too bad, contributing 2200 dps, but he was far behind on damage, as I did my (now usual) tanking in dps spec/tank gear. No boss took more than a minute, and the poor rettie couldn't stop commenting. By the third boss, he was pleading, "you gais want to do sum more heroix af ter this?" (typed pleadingly as he sprinted to keep up)
I certainly don't mind pugs these days, and they do seem to be better in general overall. But maybe it's just the gear… I dunno.
Oh, and for some reason it won't register my blog with the extra 's' – it says I'm not a member of the blog, when I most certainly am! I'll keep working on that…
The number of hunters I’ve seen lately that aren’t using their pet seems to be rising. I may have to rant about this…
I genuinely don’t understand it. Surely if you *choose* to be a hunter, there’s a part of you invested in the idea of having a pet. Otherwise you’re just an inadequate and slightly flavourless archer.
But, yes, you should write a rant – it’d make great reading
The number of hunters I've seen lately that aren't using their pet seems to be rising. I may have to rant about this…
Love it and huggle it and call it Tarquin?
Seriously, I don't think you're meant to do anything – except take a quiet satisfaction in the fact that somebody thought you were awesome
But it was a fantastically useful post – my UI still unsatisfies me. Argh!
He was still pulling over 1.5k dps which is basically all you need for a heroic, even if it's heroic ToC so it was really worth kicking him for the sake of efficiency and Just Getting It Done TM.
Also I tend to be a bit too diffident about acknowledging tardism. In my head I'll be thinking "that's blatantly stupid" but I found I was making excuses to myself "well, maybe I just can't see his pet, maybe this is a rare build I just don't know about…" etc. etc.
But no. Hunter sans pet = fail.
We're on Emerald Dream. To be fair, he was actually not annoying or anything and, apart from the self-gimping, perfectly sensible – if that's not, in itself, a contradiction.
But why would you choose to be a hunter if you didn't like pets?
Oh congratulations – lucky you
I'm jealous! It's important to remember that PUGS can go well as badly though – especially for the sake of one's own sanity!
Hehe, thanks for even thinking about it – but we'd drive you up the wall. We're genuinely hopeless
Absolutely – also I genuinely despair of my DPS as a shadowpriest so it's nice to know it's not *entirely* my own incompetance.
Oh yes, the new "thing" smell. New computers, new books, and new boardgames always smell delicious
Does that make me sound creepy?
Obviously I prefer people … I mean, I'm not rolling around alone with my nose pressed into some shrink wrap or anything … okay this is getting worse.
*stops urgently*
Ahaha, it's even better now that I know the circumstances – hard-won tranquility
I genuinely don't understand it. Surely if you *choose* to be a hunter, there's a part of you invested in the idea of having a pet. Otherwise you're just an inadequate and slightly flavourless archer.
But, yes, you should write a rant – it'd make great reading
I genuinely don't understand it. Surely if you *choose* to be a hunter, there's a part of you invested in the idea of having a pet. Otherwise you're just an inadequate and slightly flavourless archer.
But, yes, you should write a rant – it'd make great reading
I genuinely don't understand it. Surely if you *choose* to be a hunter, there's a part of you invested in the idea of having a pet. Otherwise you're just an inadequate and slightly flavourless archer.
But, yes, you should write a rant – it'd make great reading
I genuinely don't understand it. Surely if you *choose* to be a hunter, there's a part of you invested in the idea of having a pet. Otherwise you're just an inadequate and slightly flavourless archer.
But, yes, you should write a rant – it'd make great reading
I had mouse travails earlier – there's a ranty post on the subject knocking around here somewhere.
2.2k dps is pretty respectable for a heroic run, i'd say, especially for a non-raiding geared DPS. I struggle to hit that on my shadow priest but then I'm a) bad at DPS and b) under-geared.
I have to say, I generally don't like running with heavily geared raiders, because I feel like there's noway for me to contribute to the group.
I just had sneaking suspicion you were on one of EU RP servers, but not the one I am on (Argent Dawn). So I got curious!
[...] noticed a disturbing trend recently both in game and as anecdotes on other blogs: hunters that aren’t using their pets. At all. Like, they don’t even summon [...]