Blog Archives
Why the PVP Hate?
During my “what the Hell am I doing on the road before the sun even peeks over the horizon” drive to work, I was listening to the Convert to Raid podcast (Episode #152). Koltrane was reading an email from a listener, and for once it was something I could relate to. After all, CtR is a raiding podcast and I’m not what you would call a raider (unless you’re talking about raiding the fridge, in which case I can get pretty hardcore). The listener’s email involved PVP hate.
“Hey all, I would really like for you to discuss on the podcast why people do not like PVP. Especially those who go out of their way to proclaim PVE content only, like you do on your show. There are many reasons why people may cite, including “I just don’t like it”, that are perfectly acceptable. I’m not suggesting that someone who hates beets eats beets, cause beets are yuck. I think there is more to this issue than a simple dislike. PVP is fun. PVP is more challenging than playing against a scripted PVE encounter. You will learn more about your character, its strength and weaknesses, and teamwork, in PVP than you ever will in PVE. and more importantly, there is no part of PVP that will diminish any part of PVE. It’s win-win. I think PVE people are missing the most important part of the game – the unexpected.”
As a PVE player who has been doing a fair bit of low-level PVP recently, I feel I can weigh in on this subject. Also, blog content baby. I can see why people hate PVP. The CtR hosts touched on it as well during their response. It all boils down to a single word: frustration. Your tolerance for it will determine how you feel about PVP.
When my Windwalker Monk rolled into Warsong Gulch for the first time, I was ready to wreck stuff. Halfway down the field, I was sapped, then feared, then rooted, then blown to pieces. Rinse, repeat. And repeat. And repeat. And repeat. And… well, you get the idea. That is frustrating, and one of the biggest causes of PVP hate (and rage nosebleeds). That feeling of helplessness when you don’t know what you’re doing, or knowing there’s nothing you can do, sucks donkey balls. There’s no learning curve with PVP. You don’t dip your toe into the water and slowly ease into it. You jump into the deep end and get stabbed in the throat, kited by hunters, and either doggy paddle or say “screw it” and sink.
Engaging in PVP does have its pro’s and cons though.
PROS
CONS
Does PVP suck? Not really. The frustration sucks, and how people deal with it determines if they will continue with PVP. I used to stay far away from it, but after learning more about the Windwalker Monk I’m definitely doing it more. I still get kited by Hunters because screw those guys, and shanked by rogues because screw them too. But I kill my share, deal with the BG losses, and it all kinda works out.
What are your thoughts on PVP? Yay or nay?
Easy Timeless Chest Loot
A few weeks ago I took Herculees to Timeless Isle for the first time. I didn’t know much about it except that it was where the cool kids were hanging out, also epic gear fell like rain. Seriously, the stuff was just laying around waiting to get scooped up. I did a cursory search on the Internet to see if Blizzard had truly given up on equipping characters and just said “please wipe your tears away with this purple gear.” It turns out that Timeless Isle was the place to get gear, it was in fact just laying around (in chests), and that I should expect to die alot.
I downloaded locations for the Timeless Chests spread out across the island. With a little bit of hustle, I managed to get to most of them (while dying a few times – even the damn mobs were elite). I picked up quite a few pieces of purple loot, and amassed a few thousand Timeless Coins. I had no idea what I was going to use them for (damn funny money), so I ignored the cash (?!?) and sorted through my epics (!!!). Luckily most of them were plate, and since 90% of the classes I play are Death Knights, that’s a smackload of win.
Then I cam across this video.
MOAR COINZ! GIVE ME ALL TEH THINGZ!
I had maybe 5500 Timeless Coins, enough for eleven keys. But with the coins I picked up during my chest opening spree, I probably ended up with closer to twenty keys. And after the smoke had cleared, I ended up with about two hundred Timeless coins, no Pet, and four epic pieces of gear.
Leather pieces of gear.
Go figure. I just happen to know a guy who may need an epic shirt.
Death Knight Transmog
Okay, I know you came here for the sweet sweet eye candy, but I have something else to talk about first.
Calm down, the pics are coming.
MMO Champion posted a question that was asked of the Blizz Developers regarding the limit of only one Death Knight per server:
Any idea when we might see this lifted? I’ve seen on MMO-Champ a few times where it’s been stated this limitation is outdated and no longer needed. It was also said that they likely will remove it, I’m just wondering if there is any sort of time frame for this planned at all?
I’d really enjoy rolling another Death Knight on my home server, on the Horde side, just for the benefit of heirloom gear and to experience the horde storylines and what not, hence the inquiry.
This is a valid question. The fact that we’re two expansions removed from the introduction of DK’s, and with a higher level cap, should offset the boo hooing that usually comes with mentioning DK’s at all. “But they get to start off at level 55! They leave their starter zone with blue gear! I have far too much sand in my vagina!” You know, the usual complaints from Death Knight haters.
The Blue Post reply was, well…
Honestly, there’s no update I can provide on when this will be lifted, but we’re aware of the feedback. It may be a possibility for the future though.
Same shit different day.
And now what you have been waiting for – SWEET DK TRANSMOG SETS OMG!!1!
Here’s what Herculano was wearing before:
Kinda looks like a post-apocalyptic hockey player, or Casey Jones from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (sans trusty baseball bat of course).
Now here’s the look he rocks currently –
I’m not a big fan of the dress kilt, but it’s tough to find pants that go with this outfit.
Here’s my question to all both of my readers: Which one do you prefer? Before? After? Neither?
Leave me a comment below! TGIF!
Furtive Father Winter
Anyone who has spent any time with me knows that I’m a very giving sort of guy. (Editor’s Note: That is not entirely accurate. He always asks for separate checks, and will stick someone else with the extra appetizer that he ordered.) On my blog I try to offer tips for classes and gold making. In my various guild(s) I often donate gold, mats, and crafted items. Even my Battle Pets are fed a constant diet of battles. (Editor’s Note: Okay maybe we stand corrected.) So you see, my awesomeness is surpassed only by my modesty. (Editor’s Note: And boom goes the dynamite.)
Pictured here: Mister Modest.
Death Knight Rep Gear for Mists of Pandaria
Where does he get all those wonderful toys?
Much like Forrest Gump, I am not a smart man. Unlike Forrest Gump, I cannot play the Hell out of Ping Pong. I do like playing the Hell out of World of Warcraft though, which means making the most of my character. All roads lead to gearing, plain and simple.
There’s three ways to gear up in MoP – Heroic Dungeon drops, Raid drops, and Valor points (well, four including questing but you can practically fall into that equipment). Each has their own gateway to the goods. Heroics means getting in there, getting your ass kicked, hoping your loot drops, and then hoping you win the random roll for it. Raiding provides better gear, tougher mobs to get through, tougher bosses to drop, hoping your epic loot drops, and THEN praying to the RNG gods that you beat the nine to twenty-four other people who may be rolling on it.
Valor gear has its own grind, mostly involving rep. Blizzard has spread out Valor gear across several Pandaren reputation vendors, and tucked most of them in behind the sexy Revered tag. This makes it potentially more time consuming to get Valor geared up. Oh joy.
So where do you go for what? Well, over at WoW Insider, Daniel Whitcomb posted an excellent article on Rep gear for Death Knights in Mists of Pandaria. Since I’m a huge fan on not reinventing the wheel, I thought it’d be easiest just to use that list to find the appropriate rep gear. By all means, head over to the Lichborne post too for some great background information and just clever writing. I’m sure they would appreciate the page hits too… all both of those hits that would be coming from this site.
Rokk Talk 