July 2007

I love shaman and clerics

stargrace July 15, 2007 3Comments

Dasie’s spell cast is 106% so she casts over 100% faster then she would typically cast. Now that rocks.

Saturday raids are typically a mish mash of our “regular” raiders and a few others who can only make weekend raids. So we ease up and this weekend was no different, we decided to do LoA and HoS (that’s Lyceum and Halls for those who are unfamiliar with the acronyms). I’m typically in the melee / off tank group due to my dps buffs + dirge dps buffs + necromancer who can life burn a whole lot easier with two healers keeping him up. My partner in crime used to be Thunderwalker, who played a mystic, but is now Sahvek, who’s a defiler. Both are great healers and I trust them completely on our raids. Shaman have a spell called alacrity (single target) that stacks with my divine retribution, and as you can see from the image on the post, it’s dang nice. Having a 106% spell cast for 30 seconds on an inquisitor is amazing. I typically hit DR when the necromancer is about to life burn, so that me and Sahvek can keep him up easier. I also have my hp buff on him so that he has more hp to burn away. Dasie may not be the most “uber” inquisitor out there, but she’s still a lot of fun to play, especially when I have great people in her company.

The raids were wonderful. I wish, really really really wish, that they were consistent. That’s about my only qualm. We died twice between the two zones, once due to a weird fear issue that pulled some named from a few rooms over some how, and once to Venekor who decided it would be cute if he punted our main tank directly into the statues that surround his room, instead of into the back corner with us like he typically does (or she? I have no idea, I try not to look that close to dragon parts).

Dasie got a new wrist piece, which means I really just want one more upgrade for her (other wrist) and I’m hoping maybe I just get DT access for that. Aside from Claymore, and the fabled version of her hammer, I have nothing else that I want, well, maybe a new breast piece. Nothing besides that though. I REALLY want to try to farm her set gear, having 6 out of the 7 pieces will warrent her another 33% spell cast that’s static. With her 14% from aa, as well as 5% reduction from her chel’drak ring, she’s pretty dang set. I know she’s not all uber, but considering I hadn’t played this character in a very long time and I’ve been trying to get her caught up for a bit now, she’s done very very well.

Kilanna is back! I’m so excited about that. I have missed her oodles, it’s funny how used to talking to someone you can get even if it’s just on line. She is the voice of sanity in the early mornings when I’m ranting away about something. Gothun was promoted to member in The Inquisition, always nice to see. Other then that, things are going the same as always. Deciding which alt I should work up next. I need to find myself a whole lot of rough pearls too before I can start betraying the defiler.

And another one bites the dust.. (Ding, Misako 70)

stargrace July 14, 2007 4Comments

Misako, the defiler (who is going to betray back to mystic..) hit level 70 finally

I started Misako quite some time ago, and those who knew me well asked me every day when I was going to delete her because I’d never stick it out with a shaman of any sort. I’d deleted them religiously time and time again once they reached the 30th level. There was just something about only being able to prevent damage at the lower levels that made them a little more difficult to level. Today in Obelisk of Blight she finally hit 70, and I’m happy and proud of it. After some contemplation – I’ve decided to betray her back to a mystic.

Who didn’t see that one coming eh. I betray so many times. She’s got a few masters but not enough for me to be concerned about, and she’s not in any raids currently, and with RoK a hop skip and jump away, I’m not worried about any she just HAS to have. I have not really played a mystic, aside from a quick peek at one guildie. I like the idea of bolster, and of oberone, they also have two more heal-type spells / constant regenerating wards. They’re pretty much like templars / wardens in the fact that they get one or two more heals then their counter parts (templars get glory of battle or whatever it’s called, and wardens get spores). I am also still going to betray my conjuror back to a necromancer one of these days. So many things to do.

People ask me all the time, which characters would I like to play. It is actually quite a hassle for me. I have never specified a preference. I now have 4 level 70 characters, 3 level 50+ characters, and quite a few smaller alts. Yes, I realize this means I have no life or I play too much (it’s actually just a whole lot of free time that I use in game instead of watching tv or what have you). Anyhow, I think people would be surprised if I actually listed in order the characters I have that I enjoy, and the order I find them in. So what is that order?

Necromancer->Bard->Shaman->Ranger->illusionist->Inquisitor->Fury

I do have a few more alts. They can be placed in there some where. It’s a shame that out of them all, the fury is the best geared, but the one I like to play least. I’ve always longed to play a pure dps class. Why? Well, aside from thinking I’d be fairly good at it, I have always played something that requires a lot of responsibility to a raid. Healer, or support like an enchanter. I’d like to not do that a time or two. Weird eh? Well, maybe not so weird. I’ve never even played a necromancer to end game before but I’ve seen some very good ones (I’ve also seen some pretty crappy ones). Bards are just so interesting to me, as are shaman in general. I’d like a wizard or a warlock for another class, and a warden. Other then that I’m pretty content with what I have. I do have my 24 monk, a 37 coercer who I’ll level one day, a 6 swashbuckler, I even have a level 7 zereker not that I’ll ever play her.

HoS tonight, then two days of raid-free bliss. I imagine I’ll be helping a warlock in guild, and maybe working on Misako’s betrayal, and maybe my necromancer. We’ll just see how it goes!

Ring of the Four Winds, and some days I just hate people..

stargrace July 13, 2007 1Comment

A vision into the future rewards this very pretty ring after you kill Chel’Drak, now Dasie, Stargrace, and Arysh each have theirs

Dasie was so far behind her Mystic Lake quests at the beginning of this week, I had really thought she’d be getting her ring next week. However, karma is nice some days and she ended up getting it last night. I managed to catch her up (with some help) to the Nizara portion of the quest. Then a group of guildies were doing it and two of them logged off early, they happened to be the main tank and the defiler, their templar also left. So as I mentioned in a previous post, me and a few other guildies took their spot and completed the zone. There were quite a few of us who needed the updates. Since Chel’Drak was cancelled on Tuesday due to quite a few essential people missing, we scheduled it for last night.

We did a portion of Deathtoll first, granted some folks were unhappy that we also skipped two of the named, the splitting globule one as well as cruor. We did it to save time I suppose, though I can understand their frustration. Especially since it took us 4 (real) pulls to down Chel’Drak. Disappointing after we got him down the first pull the week before. I don’t understand the lack of consistency. People should be doing the exact same things every time we raid, or so you’d think. The first wipe was not exactly anyone’s fault. for some reason again when we zoned in we found Chel’Drak on top of us, none of the trash spawned in the long hallway, and just happily died. The next few wipes were just silly really. The main tank was dropping far more then he should have been. People not paying attention. I burned through my power roots (I LOVE those house plants that give roots.. having 6 roots that give you between 10% and 22% power back with a very small re-cast timer is amazing) and knew there’d be no way we could down him if some groups had no power regen. So we added some to the raid, switched groups around, and finally had a flawless pull (and kill). There’s still a lot of drama and issues going on in the guild which I know is quite common for any guild, but I really hope they dissipate some time soon. It makes for a very uncomfortable playing situation, for a simple game that we all pay to play.

So Dasie has her pretty ring, the 3rd character I’ve taken through that quest line. Next she’ll need to work on her Claymore. Since she already has MoA, and SoD, I’m not planning on doing Godking with her — though she does have the quest and is almost finished it, so we’ll see how that goes. If I can get claymore and DT access done for her I’ll be happy. I’d like them done before RoK comes out, if I pushed claymore I know I could complete it in the next two weeks, but I doubt I’ll be pushing for it. I’m finally getting her geared up to where I’d like her to be. She needs two bracelet upgrades (hence why I’d really like to get DT access done on her) and then most of her gear will be at least fairly nice. She could also stand a new breastplate as well, hers is not horrible, but it’s not the best.

Today it’s nice and wet and raining out. I’m contemplating just quietly crafting. Goudia is going to buy a new home in Neriak, so then I’ll own a 5-room in Qeynos, Freeport, and Neriak. The rent is actually not that bad at all, since I can work the status on the other homes down to 0 easily enough, and the homes are about 20g each in rent (the Qeynos and Freeport ones at least) the Neriak one is barely even 7g if I remember correctly. Addicted? Sure why not. Need to have some place to put all those L&L trophies and HQ’s.

Goudia (and everyone else) gets a work out

stargrace July 12, 2007 4Comments

This little troubador couldn’t be more happy with her new gear and levels

A friend is working up (power leveling) their warlock in order to have them raid-ready as soon as possible, so for the past few days I’ve been helping them out on various characters. It was suggested that since they were already working up the warlock, why don’t I try to level up another one of my characters with them. Since Misako is already 69 with no real push to get to 70 since I’m not raiding with her, I decided that it was not a bad idea. But who would I level? I have a 53 conjuror who’s just sitting there, a 52 ranger, and at the time, a 50 troubador. I love my baby bard, I really do. I’ve betrayed her back and forth between troub and dirge for some time now, having completed the betrayal quest approx. 6 times with that character alone and never managing to settle. The first time I did it, it was actually for the books, so that I could buy the vendor sold one from either Qeynos or Freeport to add to my collection. Yesterday was a great day for the troub, as she not only hit level 51, but also 52, and then 53. She finally got to wear that pretty cobalt armor that I’d had stashed away for quite some time now. She visited instances she’d only dreamt about, and all in all, did very well. Of course it helped to have the 55 warlock and 70 zerker as well as my 70 fury all mentoring her *grins*.

As she was nearing the last 4% of her level, some guildies asked if the zerker and myself (as Dasie) would not mind helping them out in Nizara. Apparently their group had lost two healers as well as their main tank in frustration over the zone. I was a little bit leery, wasn’t exactly in the mood for the zone, you have to really know what you’re doing or you’ll be there for quite some time. They’d cleared to the third named or so, and off we went. Dasie was actually on the part of the Four Winds ring quest that needs Nizara, so I of course had some hidden motivation.

Two hours later, and the final mob fell. Yes, we died. In fact we died a lot, but it was still not bad and we still stuck it out and accomplished our goal. So now Dasie just needs Chel’Drak (which we’ve been downing without too many issues for some time now) and she’ll have her ring of the four winds that gives a 5% reduced cast time. Essential for any mage or priest. The ring (as well as the one before it) is also an upgrade in general, and free upgrades where I don’t have to spend dkp are always a good thing.

Misako also received a new baby dragon for her home yesterday, a huge thank you on that. With all the furniture updates incoming I’m taking my time working on her house and I will update as I go along. Especially with all of the wonderful plants and status items that I want to add to it.

Guild leader actually talked to me a bit yesterday which was nice after four days of pretty much silence. Not on the warmest of terms, but it’s a start, right? Still looking forward to Kilanna coming back so I can ramble about my adventures.

The housing continues

stargrace July 11, 2007 5Comments

Misako looks around her new (empty) 5-room in NFP

So Stargrace has a some what impressive 5-room in Qeynos, it was only natural that I’d want one on the evil side as well. Housing is not what it used to be, I remember when the 5-rooms were way out of range of anything anyone would have ever paid, and were considered guild halls by most. Now the status and the items needed to complete them are not as difficult as they once were. Arysh is settled into a 3-room (though her’s is also coming along quite slowly) Dasie has her home set up in a 2-room + loft in EFP, leaving me with plenty of creative ideas for each home. With GU37 introducing a whole lot of even nicer and newer furniture, it’s difficult for me to decide what I want to do with all of it. I admit, I am a housing fanatic, I’ve admitted it for quite some time now. I love decorating. There are a few things that Misako has ‘wish listed’ for her new home, such as a baby crib (collection in unrest) and a few crafting tables, but they’ll have to come with time. I also want to work faction for some display cases (sighs, Stargrace is such a slacker!) and some other pretties. Then there are of course all of the book quests. I love having a unique house tailored to each character. Is that silly? Hrms, maybe.

Last night due to weather / computer issues I did not attend raids, so nothing much to say on that front. Kilanna is away for a few days on business, I hope her trip is going well and am looking forward to her return.

I’ve been helping Geabrial (an alt of a guildie) level up some, which is always fun. Yesterday we decided to try to box Nizara (it did not go so well, though we DID down the first named!) and Unrest (again, we got the 1st named then realized we would have to cut it short for time). It was a lot of work but also challenging and fun at the same time, if that makes any sense. Due to some “issues” in the guild, the leadership has been giving me the third degree for a few days now, which is really a shame because I actually thought we were becoming good friends. I will never understand people. I don’t imagine that I will be in the guild too much longer, which is also a shame. It’s just not a comfortable place to be. When people used to talk to you all of the time, and ask you to log onto vent to chatter, and group up, and then suddenly drop it down to nothing not even a hello any more, it hurts. I apologized for my side in the matter and had figured that all was ok and we could move on or what ever (it was not even that big of an issue.. just two different views more then anything) but such is not the case. Oh wells. I’m not sure what to do about the entire matter yet, so I’m giving it some time to just cool down and make sure that I’m not just acting on impulse.

I spent some time harvesting yesterday, which was great in it’s simplicity alone. It’s been a long time since I spent any amount of time harvesting or really crafting all that much, though I did make quite a bit of things for Misako’s new home. I have rough ideas of what I want, but it will take time. It was also stupidly expensive, and after I had changed all of the walls and floors to my liking I had spent about 5p in total.

Gothun seems to be eating up the levels, though I know he finds it slow still, it’s fun to watch. I got an email in game from someone I had not heard from in a very long time, and it sort of caught me off guard. I’m not sure if it’s in a good way or a bad way yet, I’ll figure that out later. I’m still stunned I think.