Wednesday, July 18, 2012

How To Be Pro In Low Level Dungeons And Beyond.

Leveling. Some love it, some hate it. I HATE leveling right now but that's partially due to the fact that I've been through the zones 17+ times.  Don't ask me why. Maybe I'm a masochist and I'm a glutton for punishment. Whatever the case I'm leveling yet another character with a friend.
Meet Ivybubble, the tauren pally.



We're doing a little mix of questing and dungeons. He's trying to freshen my experience up a bit by taking me new places I haven't been and quests I haven't done during my days of OMG I HAVE TO GET TO 85! ( The quest line where your the quest giver is amazing by the way. If you haven't done it, DO IT)

Now during our short period of leveling so far I have noticed some things in dungeons.

Things that bother me.

Greatly.

I'm too big of a pansy to say something though in fear of being ganged up on for being "that elitist jerk". No matter how nice I put it, if I try to help it will blow up in my face. So I'll just post a nice little tip section/ guide here on how to be pro in low level dungeons and beyond.

First of all, Tanks:

For the love of god do NOT let things hit you in the back. Sure you have a shield but how are you supposed to block an attack from behind like that? Seriously

While we're talking about the inability to block. Paladins, you cannot block while casting. Stop hard casting exorcism while actively tanking something.  Just stop it.

Next, tab target is your friend, especially at low levels before you get a aoe attack.

Example, Bears.

Step one. Run up

Step two. Hit something with your mangle. Now tab.

Step three. Hit another with maul rage, god willing, permitting.

Rinse repeat and pray to magically get swipe.

If your dps aren't none caring jerks or haven't read this no one should pull aggro.

Speaking of dps, it's your turn.

Please please please, don't pull for the tank.  Sure the heirloomed kids can handle just about anything but that guy in quest gear and that healer in some greys yet can't. Plus some people may just now ( I know shocker here guys) are learning how to tank /heal. Don't put extra pressure on them they may not be able to handle.

The tank is the first line of defense for you and your healer. YOU are the second.  Yes that's right. You can defend yourself. Several classes have different abilities that make them able to slow or trap a enemy or even drop aggro completely. ( Be careful with the last one. When dropping aggro you might set your healer up as the next snack.)

Mages have frost nova that roots enemies in place.

Hunters have concussive shot.

Rogues have gouge.

These are just some low level examples.

Also, since you are the second line of defense, if the tank makes a error and doesn't correct it right away, protect your healer! Use some of the abilities listed above or if your a higher level, misdirect or even trap something going after your healer. Fear it (if your glyphed only). Maybe even blind it.  The point is you have wonderful abilities that allow you to be a hero.

Which brings me to your crowd control abilities period. Learn them, love them, use them.

It's list time.

Hunters- Ice trap. Even more useful and easy to easy to use with trap launcher!

Rouges- Sap. Only able to be used outside of combat. Make sure you do this before the pull and feel free to use Distract if you feel iffy about the situation.

Druid- You have several tricks up your sleeves depending on the situation. Hibernate can be your best friend against beasts and dragonkin.  While other times entangling roots may be useful for melee mobs.

Shamans- Hex. Makes things into a cute lil helpless froggy.

Mages- Polymorph. This has many different varieties. So many I can't choose a favorite form.

Paladin- Repentance.  Only for ret paladins but still very useful.

Priests- Like druids priests have a few tricks depending on the situation. If going against undead shackle undead is fabulous. Now if your glyphed and only if you are, you can use psychic scream and cackle as your enemies tremble before you.

Warlocks- Even more tricks. Fear (AGAIN if glyphed), seduce ( a succubus ability) and banish. All dependent on the situation.

Warriors- Yea... your out of luck with cc.

Deathknights- You too buddy.

One more helpful thing. Make sure you have a target of target macro. I believe the stock keybind is F. I could be wrong. Please correct me if I am.

Now onto healers.

Like dps, please don't pull for the tank. Just because your bored doesn't mean you have to ruin their groove and stress them out.

Watch healing aggro. Yes I know it's usual business to hot up the tank if your a druid and a good tank will have no problem with it, but not everyone is prepared for everything to run by them wanting to eat you.

Now, if your on a stock computer with no fancy button mouse or.. god forbid.. on a laptop using a track pad like me mouse over macros are your friends. (Yes that's how I play. I AM FREAKING PRO!)

World of matticus wrote a nice post on mouse over macros. It's where I first found mine.

PERSONALLY, I use the /cast [target=mouseover] name of spell here macro. Super simple right?
It allows me to watch, say the bosses health or cast bars while healing.

Get a healing addon. I use VuhDo which pretty much comes out of the box ready to go but is very versatile. You could also use Grid or Clique. Try several ones out and see what you personally like better.

My next tip. DON'T play like my husband. ( He is the one who said this and promptly gave me a /rude when I said I was going to use it.)

Most of the things you find on the ground is not your friend, but he thinks they are.

Fire.

NO

Poison.

NO

There are few things you actually want to stand in. Like a druids evanescence or a priests circle of sparkly.

Last but not least. The best tip of all. For the love of the earth mother.....

HAVE FUN!






Friday, July 13, 2012

The World of Warcraft is not real and my name is not Ivyhoof.

It's Falon.


After being moved by Battle Chicken's post from a personal understanding of what she has went through, I decided I would take her july challenge and make a personal post about myself.
The real life character behind the druid.
So some of you may know and some of you may not, I take LOTS of medications.  Medications for bi-polar and anxiety disorder, PLUS sleeping issues.

Now back in last October, my husband and I were on shaky ground. He was in Germany at the time and I was stuck in Japan. I discovered some other things and went into a fast spiral down into a pit where I staid for a long time.  Nothing in real life mattered to me. Not eating, sleeping, my family, nothing.  I lost myself in wow. That's where my friends were and when they were on was the only time I laughed. Why they were better then my real life friends I'll never understand.

I ignored my health.

My hygiene.  Shower? Whats that? Pfttt, brush my teeth.

My pets. I NEVER took them outside. As a result they used the house as their personal potty grounds.
Yes it was gross but every time I stepped outside of my room and saw it I cried and went back to the safety of my computer.

About a month of this and being on suicide watch I woke up one morning and went, "What the hell am I doing?"

I knew better then this.

I called my doctor and went on some medications, called my friends for help with my wrecked home and started trying to piece everything back together.

I made them swear to drag me outside even if I hissed when they called or came by.

My husband came home and we started working on things, slowly. When he heard what happened he paniced a bit and was really worried but I wouldn't talk to him then.   Things are getting better in that department.

Here's us a few months after my ordeal.

WoW is still a huge part of my life. I'm a horribly bored stay at home wife who just cooks and cleans and plays a video game.  

All my friends are else where in the country, hell the world, so the only way to talk to them without phone bills is WoW.  Only made 2 friends while here. 

One I geek out in D & D with.

The other...... tries to "make me into a girl."
How she makes me feel sometimes.

Without having a car it's hard to get out there and make new friends. 

It's hard having something out of the house to do.

So for now... my husband my friends (no matter where you are) and wow are my life.

Still working on balancing stuff but the good thing is that I AM trying to work on it.

I'm trying to find cheap hobbies to occupy me, but those are few and far between.

Back in Misawa, snowboarding was huge for me. Until I developed some irrational fear of hurting myself.  

See. No fear here.

I'll force myself back on my board or my skis this winter.


I also enjoy putting together gundams. Though I'll have to use the powers of the internet to get them now.

My first and only one. I got started late.
You wouldn't believe it by looking at it but one small part has about 12 other small parts in it. 0.o

We should be getting a car soon and hopefully I can find a job to sustain a new hobby.

Thats about it for now. If you guys have ideas for hobbies please feel free to post in the comments. I'm up for trying anything!

Till next time, good hunting!










Friday, July 6, 2012

What to do?

So at the moment I'm at even greater odds with myself. I was going to level Ivy to be a tank in MoP, but now I'm concerned I may not have a spot in my guild to tank. I was going to move my priest over to my new server and am now unsure if I should level her first and be a healer for the expansion instead.  Then again, I could always play as a dps on Ivy. Though self observance here, I am a terrible dps. A guildie of mine will argue that but what I think holds higher over my head.

 So tonight I'm hunting down my guild leader and having a lengthy discussion with her over what I should go as. I REALLY want to raid in MoP. I just have to figure out my place.
                  Which at the moment is on my nest, thinking hard about the current situation.
                                             (yes, this is where all my druids come from)

Let's see some pro's and cons of each role I could go as.

Tank

Pros:

1. I get to play my favorite role in the game
2. I get to make jokes about people hiding behind my huge fuzzy butt.
3. Tea bagging the dead without having to change forms.
4.Getting to be the most awesome tanking class because come on, who can be more awesome then someone blocking with their head and paws?

Cons:

1. It can be very stressful.
2. If you miss a day, god forbid, you may have just held up 9-24 other people.
3. It will be difficult to get a raid spot possibly.
4."L2P noob. Keep up with my T13 heroic mage you new 85 tank!"

Healer

Pros:

1. Not as stressful as tanking can be.
2. Playing wackamole can be fun at times.
3. I enjoy having peoples lives in my hands.
4. Seeing half green health bars while dpsing or tanking gives me a itchy trigger finger.

Cons:

1. I haven't healed in a serious sense on a druid for so long. I will have lots of relearning to do.
2. I'll have to glyph to get my permatree form back so I can hear STACK ON THE TREE!
3. "Heal me noob!"


Dps

Pros:

1. Not as stressful as healing or tanking.
2. Come on, pew pewing is always fun.
3. If I miss a day (which I RARELY do) the raid isn't filling in a dependent spot.


Cons:


1. Besides trying to get the best numbers while doing a lil jig are there actually con's to dpsing?


Big thanks to Kittykat of the Wolf pack for some ideas.


So lets see your ideas on pro's and con's of each role. Let me hear from ya!




Edit: after speaking with my GM I was told "to play what makes you happy and we'll find a spot."
I'm so lucky to have found a guild like this since I lost my beloved Mischief Makers to the timezone boss.