Guild Change

The last two years I have been running with the same guild. As of about two weeks ago that is no more.

This was one of the most agonizing decisions in-game the two of us have had to make. I told you when friends transferred. This was a trigger. We started thinking about our game and guild.

I talked to different officers. I talked with those outside guild. I consulted other bloggers. All of the discussion came down to one thing, I needed to break up.

The decision to leave guild was painful. There are really good people there and coming to the conclusion took me weeks. But when I did make the decision I referred to Matticus’ input as an officer and GM about how to leave guild.

The current goal is to NOT transfer off server so we can still be with friends on Farstriders. I talked to friends I know in the four 25 man raiding guilds on server. Keeping up those friendships became a huge asset in this change. The basic things I was interested in.

1. What are the raid times?
2. Can they use a Rogue and Warlock?
3. Will we realistically be able to raid 25s with guild?
4. How is loot distributed?

Timing is everything. The server is Central time but we are Pacific Coast. That would usually put us home just as raid starts or even 30 min after. This one question eliminated two of the four guilds.

Everyone can use good players. I added in the third question because… well… when I started to talk to people I got excitement that we were even THINKing about applying. A good raiding reputation is good.

Since we are a melee and range dps package that added a barrier. We are not even a couple that MUST RAID TOGETHER ALWAYS. As long as most raids are together we are good to be separate. But all we bring is dps and that will not suddenly change. Evasion tanking I don’t think counts. /casts lock heal?

Loot seems where most guilds have their drama. I was mostly looking for if they had a loot system. If bosses dropped bag, mounts, pets, and emblems I would be happy. I know others are not.

I watched the answers I received to see if friends were being nice or if they could truly use us. We were already sitting out in all raids, moving guilds to just do more of that would be counter productive to all parties.

Come to find out that the individual I was talking to at Night Shift was not only a member but was an officer. He told me straight out what they were looking for a rogue and that one of their locks was getting deployed. Plus I had been running with a few members in my PuG 10 man TOC.This is only the third guild that we have been a part of in over three years.

Downloader for 3.3.0 Active

Be aware that it will start when you exit the game. It is a 448MB patch.

Hunter Pre-raid Gear a Lock’s Tip

Euripides over at Outdps.com posted Eidotrope’s Guide to Pre-Raid Hunter Gear.

This was written the day after Moly hit 80. I know Rip posted this in anticipation of all my Hunter questions in BA chat. The first starting off with “Does normal 5 man TOC drop a trinket for hunters? Armor Pen?” then the “Where else can I get trinkets?” … because we have 2 slots you know. Which Rip answered my first few questions and then directed me to the post.

So my lock tip is this…
Pre-raid gearing check out Eidotrope’s Guide to Pre-Raid Hunter Gear.
For button pushing head over to www.raider101.com.

As warlocks we are experts at watching DOT timers, cooldowns, and talent procs. Utilize that knowledge to keeping stings up and watching when things are off cooldown.

Running groups with both my lock and hunter has taught me 2 things.

1. I want Disengage on my lock.
2. I want Life Tap on my hunter.

How I am addressing these new found issues.

1. I am going to adjust my key binding to put Demonic Circle and Disengage on the same key binding.
2. Play my lock more. *grin*

One Reason I Love Him

[Hydra] I keep looking at these scorpions in Blasted Lands they are so pretty. I want to tame one. But they are not good raiding pets.
[Guildie] Don't you want to bring a bad ass pet and not a pretty one.
[Husband] Doesn't Hydra always bring the bad ass?
[Hydra] Awwwwwwww. <3 *hug*

Think Pink

Saturday I participated in Raid for the Cure. Big Bear Butt initiated this event. By the look of things, he had a great help on Horde and Alliance side to create this unified effort. BBB has a nice video and more screenshots up.

I was going to try and make it to level 20 for my mount and reduced aggo level. That didn’t happen. Hey, level 9 is not so bad! The whole time I couldn't help but think about the song Think Pink from one of my favorite movies Funny Face.

Pre-event entertainment is always fun.I didn’t go all the way to Darnassus so I /dance-d while waiting.Then they showed up…We ran and ran. I saw a lot of familiar names, Grimmtooth, Fulguralis and Fuubaar, Kestrel and so many others.I even found Bre, formerly of Gun Loving Dwarf Chicks. *more hugs*We group up with the Horde at Crossroads of all places.Together we took off to the boats in Ratchet to Booty Bay.We all made it.It sure was a lot of fun seeing everyone there! The Warcraft community is the best!

Hunter Makes Three (or is Horde always number one?)

I now have a third level 80. Moly the Hunter was brought up on PvP and late night questing. If I get to it I will regale you with the few world leveling PvP stories she has participated in. I stopped randomly questing at level 78. I enjoy leveling. Running around and gaining experience for leveling. But take out that... and I fail. I cannot seem to convince myself to quests for the sake of questing once I hit level cap. Only questing I do is to open flight paths, factions, special events, or reputation. I am at a loss to think of any more reasons I would.

Before I hit 80 I wanted to get a few things done...
Sons of Hodir reputation open for dailies,
Ebon Blade reputation open for tabard, and
Icecrown phased flight paths open.
I would have stopped questing once I dinged 80. But I was informed of the new epic Quel'Delar quest line. This will give 251 weapon as quest reward. All the details have yet to be known but I am sure one of the news sites will tell us soon. But rumor has it it is an extension to one of the long lines in Icecrown. Not knowing which one I am choising to do them all. (They could be telling me all of this to MAKE me quest, which is highly probable.)

Skinning and mining were my professions while leveling. I have made a lot of gold with the two gathering professions. Plus they don't clutter your bags while questing with materials for craftables.

Now at 80, I want to level a crafting profession. I think I am pretty set on swapping out my mining for Enchanting. I was going to keep mining instead of skinning for the high gold value of the profession. Truthfully I can never see myself farming mining nodes. I don't do that now on my Alliance server. I cannot see myself doing it Horde side.

Plus, so far my experience in raids has shown a low number of people actually having skinning in 5, 10, and 25 mans. Every corpse unskinned is gold left behind. I am there anyway and it KILLS me to leave that much gold rotting on the floor.

A friend gifted me with some epic gloves, wrists, and legging. I had a teary moment. Yes, I am weird. Poor Moly has never had much and has used what scraps a leveling toon can get. So getting all that at once was shocking.

Everyone should use it, so lets say it together...
www.raider101.com.

I went to the trainer and bought duelspecilization. Since I have yet to read a lot of detail information on huntering in raids, www.raider101.com is a perfect place to start.

Also I am specing into Survival for the first time. So as we all know as we should all take a moment to learn the new talents. THEN CHECK THE TRAINER AGAIN. I spend a bunch more gold learning abilities I have never had before.

A lot left to do before I deem Moly a raidable toon. Even so a while after dinging 80 she was in 5-man Heroic TOC. Were I picked up a new pair of epic gloves.

I am Beastmaster because ever since 3.0 added exotic pets I wanted a worm. Not any worm but a pokey pretty multicolored worm from Northrend. After a lot of complaints that I didn't name my worm after the first few levels of having him he was given the name Wiggles. Or more properly called Mr. Wiggles.

Now I will have to get some pets in order. I have all tenacity pets a bear, a boar, a gorilla, and a worm. I want a wolf and spider to diversify. I am planning to get the diseased wolf from Felwood. I have also been fond of the glass spiders. I may change my mind on the spiders, they make funny sounds.

That is what I have been doing for the last few weeks.
... long rambling post happens when I don't blog for a while (plus it is 2 in the morning). *grin*

Azeroth United’s 1st Annual Hearts, Hands, and Voices

You may have heard about the Azeroth United’s 1st Annual Hearts, Hands, and Voices for Child’s Play. Child’s Play provides toys and games to children in hospitals.

The event started on November 1st and continues thru December 13th, 2009. Already the donations have exceeded expectations. We must have more!

This is absolutely a charity that a little bit will go a long way. So take some time to learn more on the Azeroth United website about how to participate.

When I was seven years old I spent some time in the hospital. I have vague memories of sleepless nights and pain. Ultimately through all the uncertainness I had, there was boredom.

One memory cuts though it all was a volunteer who brought me a doll. Not any doll, but one that had to be constructed and built. She was cut out of foam and sown together with yarn. Had button eyes and printed on smile. All the extra foam was pulled off and used as her stuffing. That doll made the days go by much faster.

(This was also the time that my step-dad gave me the red notepad that had “Bitch Bitch Bitch” written on the cover. I cannot believe knowing that, he still married my mother two years later.)

Take a look at this great organization and see how you can contribute.

Fifty Fifty of Fifty

*Hydra messes with Aurum's bags and post items on AH. Meanwhile, Husband munches on Hydra made cookies watching.*
[Husband] Does that say 50 thousand gold?
[Me] Maybe ...
[Husband] You have 50 thousand gold?
[Me] No, I do not.
[Husband] ... *Husband bites into cookie*
[Me] I have 65 thousand. *highlights over 50 thousand to see total gold*
[Husband] If we ever get a divorce, I am including your gold in the settlement. I get half.