2010

Lets Talk AddOns

stargrace May 18, 2010 8Comments

Everyone has their favorite AddOn to use in World of Warcraft, and since I’m still relatively new to the game I don’t really have the faintest idea on which are ‘essential’ to get. So let me start this post off by saying that if you’ve got an addon suggestion for me by all  means leave a comment below so that I can check it out. I play a priest if that makes any difference.

I don’t use too many addons and those I do use don’t really affect the game per say but add to it. I do use recount for my own personal tracking system but it’s not something I ever put into group or brag about to others. I use gearscore but again this is for my own personal knowledge and not because I want to belittle others. I want to improve myself, and these tools allow me to do that. I also use a hotkey mod called dominos just to allow me to cust0mize my UI layout, I like keys in a certain place. For anyone who knows me you’ll know I am a huge fan of lists and keeping track of things both in game and out. Yesterday I installed a mod that allows me to scan my current profession recipes and lists all of the recipes that I do not own, and where they come from. This mod is probably my favorite, and one I’ll end up using the most. I think it’s incredible, and also just a lot of fun. On that same hand I installed fishing buddy, which allows me to track which fish I have obtained, and where they came from. I learned yesterday that fishing is actually a lot more complicated then I would have once thought. It was a refreshing revelation.

Aside from exploring Mana-Tombs for the first time, I also inched my enchanting to 350 – which means I trained for Grand Master enchanting. That’s right, for the first time ever I have enchanting and tailoring at a Grand Master level. I am also fairly close to grand master fishing, although the skill ups are so far and few between it will take a few hours / days to reach the goal. My cooking is already grand master, and I imagine one of these days I’ll work first aid up there just so that I can have all three secondary professions. I love doing daily missions, even though so far I have only found the cooking one in Dalaran. Once I reach level 70 I’ll be able to do other cooking dailies.

I’m still having a lot of fun in game, despite my burn out on EQ2 right now I know I’ll return as soon as that passes. In the mean time, I’m having a lot of fun in WoW, and I’m happy for that. Safe travels, and happy gaming no matter where you find yourself.

Mana-Tombs and other Instances

stargrace May 16, 2010 1Comment

Inching my way up through the 60’s is pretty slow, but it’s also due to my reluctance to use the LFD tool too much. Number one, I don’t want to get burnt out from running dungeons, and number two since I play a heal spec’d priest these dungeons can be VERY FRUSTRATING. I’ve been working on smaller things I can do to improve my healing without using addons that do the healing (and curing) for me. We all know they exist but that’s not what I’m interested in, I want to actually play the game.

Yesterday was my first time through Mana-Tombs, and (what little I managed to see of it when I wasn’t massively healing everyone and watching those health bars) any new zones is incredibly difficult for me the first time around because I’m never sure exactly what to expect. This zone in particular was more annoying (each zone has something annoying about it) due to some Terrors that like to fear, and dots I have to constantly cure, as well as mana drains. I’ve been using oils on my weapon for mana regen, as well as stocking up on mana potions when ever I can, and of course drinking in between pulls. So far it’s been going fairly well. Since my return to WoW I think we’ve only actually wiped once or twice, and a few people have died for whatever reason (like standing in the fire of a dragon). My most difficult challenge so far has been trying to keep people aside from the tank alive. What I mean is, typically the group set up is tank (warrior Manos), and a combination of DK / Paladin / Mages. Then the plate wearing dpsers think they can tank, and run off and pull, or taunt, or do something else to give themselves agro at the same time as the actual tank. Unlike EQ2 where I have three single target heals and two group heals as well as two emergency heals, I have ONE group heal (that takes an incredibly long time to cast) and a selection of single target heals as well as wards and death preventions.

I lost out on a roll for a pair of really nice boots, but at least there were no deaths, and I got to see a new zone. I find dungeons much more stressful higher level but they also have a lot less rude people in them (or so has been my experience so far). I tend to get instances with people I have already grouped with before, and that also helps me prepare to heal them. Healing in different MMOs may not be that drastically different, but finding out how to work everything extra to your advantage is and that’s what keeps me playing them.