PVE Healing = Prot Vs Holy

I've mentioned previously that my little 10 man guild is intent on getting hard modes. One of those next on our list is I Love the Smell of Saronite in the Morning, which is the General hard mode. We also intend on 2 healing it as we really don't have many options though my partner is a kick ass priest.

General Vezax is a mana control fight as there is basically no way for me and my partner to regen mana via normal means such as Illumination, Arcane Torrent, Replenishment, Divine Plea or Shadowfiend. While researching the fight, I learned that you can use a pot so that will be the sole way for us to regen mana and has to be used as a last resort after the Saronite Animus comes out. I also learned that healers can use Spark of Hope to minimize the cost of spells.

Why We Raid & Loot Drama

I've obliquely revealed that I quit my 25 man guild and started a 10 man guild with my boyfriend and other friends.

As a 10 man guild, I think we have been fairly successful. We've only been established 3 weeks and in those 3 weeks, we have cleared Yogg Saron and gotten more hard modes than the ones we got while we were still in the 25 man guild (Heartbreaker).

I am probably one of the most enthusiastic in the guild pushing for hard modes. This is because most of us have 25 man gear and farming 10 mans for loot will rapidly cause disinterest in the game. Every WoW player needs goals and challenges to look forward to or there is no point in being a WoW raider.

Sure, it can be frustrating and demoralizing when you are in for a night of wipes when learning a fight but it makes all the more sweeter when you get that elusive first down. That feeling of everything coming together in a cohesive, well-oiled running machine during raid is so very satisfying and every time it happens, you remember why you raid.

Loot is just your reward, your gravy on top of your mashed potatoes. That said, loot can also cause a lot of drama, especially if you feel loot is being distributed unfairly or unevenly.

So if people raid just to raid, why does loot matter?  

PVE Projections for Holy Paladins in 3.2

Blizzard seems to have made it their policy in WotLK to design fights around stressing healers to the limits of their abilities. As such, mana regeneration is a vital standard to tweak. Mana regen for healers was deemed too high by Blizzard and spirit based regen was famously nerfed.

Now in 3.2, Replenishment will be nerfed. On top of that, holy paladins in specific will be targeted as Illumination and Divine Intellect is nerfed. Holy paladins are therefore facing a 3 pronged attack to their mana regen mechanics.

Currently, holy paladins favor stats like intellect, crit, haste and spell power. Mp5 is a stat that is mostly ignored for reasons I have detailed in previous posts explaining how mana regen works for a holy paladin.

So with the nerfs to Replenishment and our talent buffing our own intellect along with "buffs" to itemization allocation of mp5 on gear, will things change much for holy paladins?

This is my own opinion formed through my experience on the PTR, my current healing experience and my knowledge of my class. So feel free to disagree with me (respectfully if you so please).

Glory of the Hero & Ulduar Achievements

At long last! My bf surprised me with this when I logged on. I was only missing 20 min Occulus. He's so sweet *sparkles in eyes*

I love that it is red, I can finally put away my green proto drake =)

So far, the new 10 man guild has been doing well though we still need to recruit more people for a more stable roster. Easier said than done, of course.

However, we have cleared 10 man Ulduar (except for Algalon) and done a bunch of hard modes. Our newest Achievement was I Choose You, Steelbreaker and I got the quest item! I can't wait to work towards unlocking Algalon =D

Till next time!

Leaving My 25 man Raiding Guild

I was reading random blog entries about guilds such as giving negative or positive feedback and it made me feel quite off put about my guild. I was relatively happy when I first got invited into guild because it was an actual raiding guild rather than the previous dictatorship ruled guild that I had come from. We downed stuff in Naxx, Malygos and Sartharion with relatively few hiccuups (though some such as failed 25 man 3D) along the way. It is when Ulduar came out that our weaknesses as a guild became glaringly apparent.

Now, I understand that everyone plays this game to have fun.

But.

When you are in a guild that raids, it is important to remember that you are part of a team. Being part of a team means you need to carry your weight. Even if you cannot, the point is to try.

Don't wipe the raid. Don't stand in crap. Stand in stuff. Don't pull aggro, do have enough threat. Don't have connection issues. Don't run OOR of healers. Don't stack up, do stack up. Follow instructions and play your role.

Your reward is the loot that the entire raid earned together. Teamwork, it's a beautiful thing - a symphony of harmony at its apex.

Update: Hiatus Lifting Soon

Sorry for the lack of posts recently, my dear readers =)

I've recently left my 25 man raiding guild to form a 10 man raiding guild. I've always found 10 man raids more fun, more intimate than 25 man raids. My old guild did some things I disagreed with and an incident happened that was the breaking point, basically.

I was a part of a group of raiders that were mostly core raiders and our exodus from the guild basically forced their break up. We were definitely painted as the villains but honestly, if people are unhappy raiding, why should anyone stay?

Anyway, some real posts incoming!

Algalon Quest Event

The top Hordeside guild on my server was able to grab the server first for 10 man Algalon, thereby completing the quest. They announced it in trade that they were going to start the event soon and everyone clustered around the sculpture near the Alliance bank (South).

I liked the event but it seemed people felt gypped as we got a scripted speech from Rhonin, de facto leader of Dalaran. I just thought it was cool how night turned into day from the blazing light arising from the sculpture. The speech also reminded me of the Independence Day speech made by the President, "We will not go quietly in to the night!"

I think even after patch 3.2 comes out, I will always want to kill 10 man Algalon. Heroic Algalon is a near impossibility for me right now =T

Anyway, I hope some of you experience this event. Till next time!

Happy 4th of July!