Patch 3.3

Patch 3.3 is live and has been since December 8. My thoughts on when it would it were pretty much on target. This patch brought so many changes. Not only was the LFG tool introduced but a raid weekly change- no more daily heroics here- they are all in the LFG tool, the emblem changes, and new content. It's been a whirlwind, complete with Winter Veil occurring in the middle.

If I had to pick the single biggest impact on the game that was introduced- it would be the LFG tool. All you need is time, and lots of patience. You can run heroics non-stop now if you like.

Icecrown Citadel – a staggered released instance- has proved to be fun. There is some challenge in there. New bosses can provide that, and it is a bit of a check for the listening impaired. It's not the face roll that ToC25 was. I don't really see a lot of nerfs anytime soon there either. I was surprised with the changes that they slid in on Lord Marrowgar. I do expect the achievements to be a pain in the butt – but I think they are designed that way because they want to give you something else to work on. Lady Deathwhisper is strategic on dps placement. The Gunship is probably the best fight in the game, in my opinion – it's just fun. Deathbringer Saurfang – he is such a combination of fights I remember. This one is strictly clean execution and positioning. The next wing in ICC is due out January 5. Three bosses, and not a lot is out there on the last one. It will be an adventure.

Latest PTR Build Thoughts & Insights Part 1

The latest PTR build notes have illuminated me with some insights that I just find interesting. The first change (thankfully) is that any one can use meeting stones – there are no maximum level caps. This is awesome – just think of doing the Headless Horseman in Scarlet Monestary! The only catch is that there is a minimum level of 15. No biggie there!

The next change that caught my eye was the AoE damage cap change. It has been redesigned (we'll see if it makes it to the live realms this way) to have a cap of on the total damage done. The cap is designed to hit 10 targets- so for example if you have an AoE spell that does 1000 damage to each mob – the damage cap would be (10 * 1000)= 10000. If you hit 20 mobs instead of 10, basically what happens is you would take the maximum damage done on 10 mobs and divide it by 20 – so 10000/20 = 500. This means each mob would take 500 damage instead of 1000.

The latest PTR build also has health and mana regeneration buffed by 200% for low level characters. It decreases as the character levels but by the time the character hits 15, it is reduced to normal regeneration gains.

Taunt Diminishing Returns has been changed on the PTR build. The system for diminishing returns on taunt was modified so that creatures do not become immune to Taunt until after 5 taunts have landed. The duration of the taunt effect has been reduced by 35% instead of 50% for each landed taught. To add to this, most creatures in Azeroth will not be affected by taunt diminishing returns- instead, just if the mobs have been specifically flagged for that behavior. This leaves me guessing that the adds on Yogg will still have it but overall, I'm think our tanks will like the change.

Naxxramas has been changed as well. Most people will only be running this place for new 80s or badges. (Likely the latter) Once 3.3 hits, you no longer have to clear all wings. Instead you can tackled whichever part of the instance in whatever order you like. Teleportation orbs are being added in Sapphiron's lair to allow players access to and from it.

Occulus also got a face lift. This place is generally dreaded by most folks. Blizz definitely implemented a lot of changes here. The Azure Ring Guardians agro distances have changed from 50 yards to 40 yards. Many bosses and creatures in Occulus have had their total health reduced as well a nerf on their specific abilities, effect durations, damage, and health. Mob groups have been dropped from 5 packs to 4 packs. Vehicle scaling has been changed to increase the vehicle more powerful for the player's item level.

That's a quick rundown on a few things that stood out. I'll be posting more about the PTR a bit later this week.

Pilgrim's Bounty Update

The event starts November 22 -28; It's allot of quests to cram into the 6 day time frame.

Here's a shopping list - compiled by the folks at wow.com

25 Teldrassil Sweet Potatoes/Mulgore Sweet Potatoes (purchased from Pilgrim's Bounty vendors in Darnassus or Thunder Bluff respectively)
25 Tangy Wetland Cranberries/Tangy Southfury Cranberries (purchased from vendors in Ironforge or Orgrimmar respectively)
25 Ripe Elwynn Pumpkins/Ripe Tirisfal Pumpkins (purchased from vendors in Stormwind or Undercity respectively)
25 Wild Turkeys (from Elwynn or Tirisfal)
25 Simple Flour (for Spice Bread, purchased from any Cooking vendor)
25 Mild Spices (for Spice Bread, purchased from any Cooking vendor)
125 Honey (purchased from Pilgrim's Bounty vendors in any major city)
75 Autumnal Herbs (purchased from Pilgrim's Vendors)

Pilgrim's Paunch

Bountiful Tables will spawn in or around each faction's capitol city, and at each Table you need to stuff yourself on each holiday dish -- turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, pie, and cranberry chutney. The Spirit of Sharing buff is gained when you eat all five dishes. You have to run to each of your faction's cities, park yourself at a Bountiful Table, and eat!. Repeat until you've got all four cities done. One thing to note - if you're a reputation grinder - this buff is your best friend and lasts for an hour.

Perky PUG – A Play on Names

The latest version of the PTR introduces a new pet- Perky PUG. He seems to either be a random award, possibly as an achievement from using the new Looking For Group system that Blizzard will introduce in Patch 3.3. The model was gleaned from the latest PTR build – 10747. The puppy itself will probably be highly sought for. The speculation is that this is a reward for grouping with 100 random players. As most experienced Warcraft players know, a PUG in game refers to a Pick Up Group. I think the new system and variety of achievements/awards linked with it are ways that Blizzard is trying to encourage more random grouping in game. A large population of the game avoids PUGs, but it seems that Blizzard is definitely putting measures into place to encourage it. The pet is called a "Perky Pug".

Pilgrim's Bounty - Nov 8 - Nov 14

Keeping in the spirit of adding even more holidays, Pilgrim’s Bounty is the next upcoming, newly added holiday in our World of Warcraft. This holiday comes complete with a title and cool pet, provided you can complete the requirements during the week it’s available in game. Most of the achievements/quests are pretty straight forward. The quest available are listed here.

The meta achievement and title requires these quests to be completed. At first glance, it doesn't seem too hard. You need to keep in mind that you have to complete the daily quests available for this holiday to complete one of the requirements for the meta.

Pilgrim's Progress is the achievement for completing the dailies. This quest leads one to believe some new recipes will be entered into game. Below are the requirements to "complete" Pilgrim's Progress.

As you can see, you are basically sent on a set of quests to help make the dinner. Each quest sends you to a different capital city, and from reading the quest descriptions, it sounds like you can make these dishes if you have cooking high enough and the ingredients. Never fear, I'm sure enough capitalist folks will be putting these items on the Auction House. If you find yourself unable to cook these dishes, you might ask a guild member. Keep in mind each recipe sends you to a different area in Azeroth.

Here are the individual quests.

Starting with Can't Get Enough Turkey- you have to travel to Elwynn Forest. The turkeys are apparently running around there - plus the additional ingredients that you'll need to purchase from the holiday vendors. Mind you, this holiday falls in between the Canadian holiday and the American holiday.

The next quest on the list is Easy as Pie. This quest sends you to outside of Stormwind so you should pick up what you need from the

area at the same time. It turns in at Darnassus but the pumpkins need to be purchased from the Pilgrim's Bounty vendor outside of Stormwind.

The next quest is We're Out of Cranberry Chutney Again.

This quest sends you to Ironforge to acquire the Cranberries from yet another Pilgrim's Bounty vendor. Again, the quest sounds like there should be a recipe available.

This leads us up to Don't Forget the Stuffing!

This is probably the easiest quest to complete. It requires spice bread (level 1 recipe) and autumnal herbs. That leaves us with just one more daily quest to go.

The last quest that you need to complete for the Pilgrim's Progress is She Says Potato!

The potatoes should be picked up when you are turning in the quest in Darnassus. The Pilgrim's Bounty merchant there sells the items.

On the whole, the holiday quests don't seem to be overly complicated, even getting people to go into Sethekk Halls to kill King Ikiss (granted you have to be dressed up in holiday attire). What isn't known is where you end up purchasing those items from (maybe a vendor) or with what (think back to brewfest). You have to have the Pilgrim's Hat and either Pilgrim's Robe, Attire, or Dress. Alot of people will probably try to get a druid to come along for a chance at the Ravenlord mount. The recipes range from level 1 - 56, so a variety of cooking skill will be required. You may have memories of the putting out the enemies fires as you try to complete Pilgrim's Peril.

For anyone wanting the title, you better get your cooking leveled - as you will still have to cook up each one of these dishes. Keep in mind, at least this recipes count towards the cooking titles and achievements. Depending on if there are NPCs or not required for Turkey Lurkey.. we may all be hanging on in Dalaran looking for rogues to pick off. On the whole, for just a week long holiday, they have crammed tons of activities into it.

Day of the Dead - Revisited

Well Halloween is over in game and out, which brings the onslaught of this new holiday – even as short as it is. Some things to note now that’s it is here. Yes, it’s still only November 1^st and November 2^nd. Where is the elusive Catrina? She appears outside of any capital city Graveyard. To get the achievement “Dead Man’s Party”, you just have to /dance with her.

To get the cool pet, you have to complete a quest called the Grateful Dead. The recipe “Bread of the Dead” is purchased from Chapman, the NPC next to Catrina. You will need simple flour

and ice cold milk to make the bread. You’ll also need either Orange Marigold or a Bouquet of Orange Marigolds from Chapman. Note- the only difference here is that the Bouquet is a multi- use item and the Orange Marigold is a single use item. Important items to mention- you can only pick up the “Grateful Dead” quest at your character’s capital city’s graveyard. You can also only see the quest giver using the Orange Marigold or Bouquet of Orange Marigolds. The bread can only be cooked at a ghostly fire. The ghostly fire is located close to Catrina- it is blue.

Once you complete the quest, you receive gold and the Macabre Marionette pet. The pet itself is very awesome. My only complaint is that it isn’t permanent. You only have the pet during the Day of the Dead celebration. I believe Blizzard will get tons of complaints over that decision but who really knows if they change it or not.

Day of the Dead

Blizzard's went out of their way to add more holiday/seasonal type events. Earlier this year we saw Pirate's Day, with it's own achievement. November 1 and 2, we'll see the introduction of Day of the Dead. It's on Blizzard's Official Event Calendar. What we don't know is where is this Catrina that we need to dance with? It seems to be a reference to Día de los Muertos, which is a Central American holiday to honor dead relatives. One thing is for sure, we'll all be looking for Catrina come November 1^st. Who can miss out on an achievement called Dead Man's Party?!

Vault of Archavon – Toravon the Ice Watcher

With the introduction of patch 3.3 and Arena season 8, a new boss will make an appearance in the Vault of Archavon. Enter Toravon the Ice Watcher. Following with the same themes of the other VoA bosses, this is an ice giant. The abilities haven't yet been gleaned. It's pretty safe speculation that this boss will drop tier 10 pieces, and with his introduction, the emblems in the 25 man version will change to Emblems of Frost, with the 10 version dropping Emblems of Triumph. You're probably wondering where are they going to fit in this boss? They've added a new wing. See the map below for clarification. WoWWiki.com is my source for most of this information so stay tuned to that site as 3.3 and Arena Season 8 approach!

How safe is your character?

As you develop your character, you spend a lot of time getting achievements, reputation, pets, and all those shiny epics. In a blink of an eye, it can all be removed. Sad as it is, hacking is a common thing in WoW. You see good players with geared toons get hacked frequently. You log in to find your toon someplace you didn’t leave him/her. The toon is naked, stripped, your banks are empty, and your guild bank has been violated. You get a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach… and you get angry. Can it be recovered? Yes, but it’s iffy if you will get everything back exactly the same. Since the guild itself has seen a handful of members hacked, it brings up a solid issue of security. Personally, I’ve never been hacked, but just the thought sends my stomach quivering in anxiety. With the recent influx of victims, I think a brief overview of the topic is warranted.

How did it happen?

Well, there are varieties methods at the hackers’ disposal but below are the most commonly used ones:

Keylogger: A keylogger or keystroke loggers are pieces of software which sit in memory, capturing your keystrokes when you enter the game, the Blizzard account, or Blizzard forum web sites. A keylogger program does not require physical access to the user's computer. It can be downloaded on purpose by someone who wants to monitor activity on a particular computer or it can be downloaded unwittingly as spyware and executed as part of a rootkit or remote administration (RAT)Trojan horse. A keylogger program typically consists of two files that get installed in the same directory: a dynamic link library (DLL) file (which does all the recording) and an executable file (.EXE) that installs the DLL file and triggers it to work. The keylogger program records each keystroke the user types and uploads the information over the Internet periodically to whoever installed the program. (Source)

Phishing: A phishing web site (sometimes called a "spoofed" site) tries to steal your account password or other confidential information by tricking you into believing you're on a legitimate web site. You can even land on a phishing site by mistyping a URL (web address). Is that web site legitimate? Don't be fooled by a site that looks real. It's easy for phishers to create web sites that look like the genuine article, complete with the logos and other graphics of a trusted web site. Important: If you're at all unsure about a web site, do not sign in. The safest thing to do is to close and then reopen your browser, and then type the URL into your browser's Address bar. Typing the correct URL is the best way to be sure you're not redirected to a spoofed site. Phishers are becoming more and more sophisticated in designing their phony web sites. There's no surefire way to know if you're on a phishing site, but here's some hints that can help you distinguish a real web site from a phishing site. (Source)

The Friend (Not!): This is the person that you were leveling with and felt safe- or this is the leveling service you used. You shared your password with this person, and now, either this person is no longer your friend, or the service you paid for is up and you never changed your password after sharing it. This is a simple avoidable situation – don’t share your username/password. It also is advisable to use a strong password, something that cannot be guessed by people that may know you well. It’s best to be greater than 8 alphanumeric in length, a combination of upper and lowercase characters and numbers. Another good practice is to use a different username/password for any Warcraft sites you may belong to and frequent.

The Best Prevention

Buy an authenticator: the cost is about the same as an Extra Value Meal – a whooping $6.50 – and this will provide you with two-factor authentication. Not only your user name and password, but a generated password that expires in 60 seconds. How does it work? After you enter your normal username/password, you will get a dialog for the authenticator generated code- get a code by pushing the button (unless you have a mobile application of it), enter it and you’re protected. The catch is you need to keep it safe because while you can recover your account should you lose it, it isn’t easy. It requires a phone call to Blizzard’s Billing and Account services to verify lots of information. You can order an authenticator from the Blizzard Store or you can purchase the mobile application (it’s available for several phones) at Blizzard’s Mobile Store. If you do decide to purchase an authenticator, you should write down the serial code and keep it in a safe place (wallet, etc).

Wiping – Is it really a waste of time?

Progression.. it's a simple word really. It is measured in WoW terms by a variety of things- achievements, bosses killed, hard modes completed, gear level, reputation level, and the list can go on. It rarely happens over night. It takes effort, planning, and cohesiveness of the group to accomplish things. After all, one person isn't soloing Ulduar. It takes time and attempts to learn the mechanics of fights, and to figure out what strategy needs to be deployed for the group to be successful. Until the entire group understands the mechanics, how it works, what each person's role is and how to perform it to the best of his/her ability – it takes practice. Ever remember that old cliché phrase your mother used to say to you: "Practice makes perfect." Well, it holds true, even in WoW. Of course, it's easier to swallow the cost of learning if the guild bank is paying. At this point, it isn't about the "numbers" of WoW, be it TPS, DPS, or HPS – it is about the execution. Do they factor in? Absolutely- if dps is pulling aggro off the tank, we have to figure out the problem. If we are dying, and we do not know why, we have to figure out the problem. At this point, it's about staying alive (**theme music "staying alive staying alive"**). The numbers are what comes after everyone knows what to do, and we're getting to the point that the numbers are an issue is something else entirely. At that point, we have to work on how fast or how well we kill things.

Can progression be rough? Aside from bad leadership and loot, it's in the top three issues that KILL and CRUMBLE guilds. If you've been around this game long enough, you see blocks in the game. Usually they are put there as gear checks, or strategy/execution checks. Today's World of Warcraft has even created separate modes for "harder" instances – so if you choose to go that route, you can push your skill level. The point is, why settle? If it was easy, would you really want to do it? Isn't part of the satisfaction knowing that you are doing something or you've done something, others haven't? Wiping in Warcraft is a lot like going to the track for practice runs. You'll never win the race if you do not know how the car handles, especially in a pinch or on an unknown track. Just because you have spent a fair amount of time wiping on boss, it doesn't equal you are unable to do this. It means you have to learn what you are doing wrong and correct it. If you are lasting longer, getting to a different point, and learning – then it isn't a waste of time, but rather an conscious effort to succeed. This is really what progression is about.. guilds spent months stuck at different bosses throughout the game – for a variety of reasons. It goes with the territory.

Abyssal Shatter

This is a new enchanting spell that they've put out on the PTR 3.3. It was actually supposed to be released with 3.2's content but for some reason it was left out. It's back on the 3.3 PTR but the interesting thing is that the rumor mill has it being hot patched into live servers, supposedly with Tuesday's maintenance.

The beauty of this is for guilds that have ample supply of these crystals and not enough of the other materials required for enchanting. This recipe is available from an enchanting trainer (or will be when it hits). It takes one Abyss Crystal and will randomly turn it into either Greater Cosmic Essences or Infinite Dusts. I was actually curious as to the ratio. I know for some guilds, their banks are full of crystals, but they may be lacking either of these other two materials- and with some enchants taking between 20-30 Infinite Dusts, it's easy to run low.

I experimented on the PTR with a pre-made character to see exactly how consistent the results were and if it was really worth it. Out of 8 shatters (there's no cool down):

• 4 turned into Greater Cosmic essence - 2 Greater Cosmic essences each shatter - for a total of 8
• 4 turned into Infinite Dust - 8, 7, 15, 10 = for a total of 40, averaging 10 dust per crystal

Depending on server prices, this is probably not a great way to make money, but it is a good way to save some - for guilds and guild members that supply enchanting mats. Also, depending on the economy, it may just be more cost effective to sell the crystal and buy the mats needed.

WoW Economics Article

The link above shows another resource (probably far more indepth with shattering abyss crystals than I've done)

Shattering crystals requires an enchanting skill of 445 and can reportedly yield as many as 18 dusts or 4 essences.

So with that.. and the fact it is already on the EU servers... it will more than likely be this Tuesday.

New Map PTR 3.3

Last night I finally got the client installed. I am still working through what mods will work or not. So far, my challenge has been getting Xperls to work (I may have to switch to a different set of frames-currently I can't see my target). The mods I started with are: bartender 4, xperls, totemtimer, dbm, ora2, and omen.

Of course, Ice Crown has received an overhaul. I flew around trying to find the new 5 mans, and I definitely have a solid idea of where the new raid instance is going to be. This led me to looking at my map. All I can I say is wow. It's changed. I did not have any quest helpers loaded. As you can see they've integrated the quests, with the map. Overall, I believe I do like it. I installed TomTom because I want to see how well it works with this new map. If you click on a quest, the information appears below the map.

WoW Jones: Tradeskill Etiquette

Sooner or later, at some point during your character's lifetime, you'll have to barter, trade, or arrange for an item to be crafted. Generally, within guild, most outside trading can be kept down to a minimum, and offsets tips and fees because generally guild members do these things as a service to their own community.

With the rare patterns and drops, orbs (both runed/crusader) and the mat lists that total 1000s of gold, trading can be intimidating. Before you enter into a trade, you need to be very clear about what you are getting, and what you paying for an item.

There's a distinct difference in words- and it is something I would encourage every person entering a trade to determine- what is the fee being asked? If the person says a tip, you should clarify what they expect- such as, what is the minimum tip you normally receive? You need to have a price settled before materials ever change hands. Generally most people are trust worthy but you need to ensure that everything is agreed upon up front so that it leaves less room for misunderstandings. The last thing you want is to gain a reputation for being "cheap" (making it hard to get items made) or a reputation for charging to much. Most of this is common sense, but unfortunately not everyone uses common sense. Even in a virtual world such as Warcraft, there are still interactions with people, and etiquette should be followed.

Perspectives

"Do not let what you cannot do interfere
with what you can do."
- John Wooden

Raid composition used to be a top priority because each class brought something unique as a benefit to the raid. In today's WoW, most of that has changed. Multiple classes crossover on that benefit, and as such, it's one of those things where Blizzard has made it for guild to "bring the player, not the class". Today's raid composition is entirely a lot looser than raiding in Vanilla or BC World of Warcraft. It isn't just skill, it's also knowledge of game mechanics and each raider's own class.

One of the most frustrating things I've found in this game is the inability of people to think outside the box. It's an old cliché "think outside of the box" but I'm really at a loss of how else to describe it. I suppose it comes from my direct disregard for the word "NO" or "You can't" because, frankly, I rarely take those words to heart. There are many World of Warcraft sites on the internet, and from scouring them, you can find a wealth of information on your choice of subjects. Specifically of interest to most raiding guilds, boss strategies, with diagrams, and other people's experience abound. I know of guilds that prefer to do things "blind" and some that always will, as they are the first ones there, on the PTR, hammering out the new encounters, while the majority wait for the content to be released and tidbits of news/tips/tricks.

This guild may use strategy xyz, but guilds are not all cookies cut from the same cookie cutter. Each guild and raid core has members that are real people. These people have strengths and weaknesses. The key to any successful strategy is to utilize those strengths and compensate for those weaknesses. The idea is to be able to re-group when strategy xyz doesn't work, and adjust to the talents/skills of the people and players on hand. Gone are the days of Player A, can you step outside because we really need a <insert class here> for <insert ability here>. Is it different? Absolutely, but that's what makes this such an interesting game; There is no "one method" that works for all guilds~ it isn't about what you do not have, but what you can do with the composition and people you do have. The next time someone suggests something, keep an open mind, and just remember, just because YOU haven't done it that way, it does not mean that it is impossible.

Recruiting

If you are a raiding guild, recruitment is something that is inherently a part of the guild's life – much like breathing is to you and I. Obviously no guild ever starts out with a full raiding core, even if the guild was formed as the result of a split. Recruitment is a continuous process, and stabilization can also be a contributing factor to the success of a raid encounter. It's something that I have done in a couple of guilds and in some aspects, it never really gets easier. NQG keeps a roster of 35 raiders. We allow alts and casual members, but that roster is our raiding core. Our roster size makes sure we rarely have to a cancel a raid due to lack of raiders.

There are a few things that always weigh in if you are trying to fill a specific role or class on your roster. You always have to worry about overfilling the slot (roughly 3 is a magic number for most classes). You have to worry about how your existing members are going to take to the new member. This isn't even looking at performance, because some folks could bluster out great performance in raid, but could be struggling with a solid mesh with the guild's atmosphere. The recruit could also be struggling with adjustments, due to a variety of factors such the guild's current progression level and raiding style.

For NQG, we really strive to ensure a solid fit. Our application is a bit daunting, and it's continually under improvement and adjustment, based on our own applicants' history and experience. We ask everything from the basic questions such as raid experience, a possible sample WoWWebStats or other meter form, to a simple question of if the person has cold weather flying. All of our raid applicants are asked and required to fill out an application. We try to keep our expectations posted and updated, as well as our website. Upon completion, the application is posted in a members' only forum for review by the guild. This was actually a revised process- at one time the applications were kept in an officer only forum. We've actually found by opening it to all guild members, we get better input. Diversity can be a great thing, and the varying input can assist with the right questions to ask. The last thing we want is to bring in someone and that person not be happy, which is even more true as this guild mainly consists of transfers. The quality of the application speaks volumes. It can tell you just how interested the potential member is. Often, it can give insight to how well they may fit in. Lack of raid experience is not an automatic "no", and the person's progression experience is just weighted. It's something that has to be done with a guild that pushes forward on progression. Also, some people may not understand what it takes to learn a fight, wiping, etc – and this has to be covered as well other expectations. Previous raid experience (and a few in-depth questions) can assist in finding out if the person has ever had this type of experience.

If the application looks sound, we then send an email asking to take our application process to the next step. Once a time has been arranged, we will conduct a vent interview. If there are questions over the application, or spec/gear choices, we'll usually ask them at that time. This vent interview may just contain a guild officer, or it may contain a few folks from the guild. We usually find out if the applicant understands the loot system, and what kind of expectations the interviewee has of the guild. It's imperative that we cover our expectations and the expectations of the person applying. If all goes well, an invite will be extended and a hard transfer date setup. Forum access is usually granted at this time. If we have some concerns, we note them as the application is moved to a private area. We have a two initiate period to see how an applicant is going to adjust/mesh.

Where do these folks come from? Many guilds struggle with recruitment. As a guild is like any organization, it is continually evolving- people are leaving, due to a variety of reasons, and people are joining. There are many areas to look for potential guild members. Most guilds will look to recruit from their server. This method has some positives, as you can run heroics/instances with the potential guild member and evaluate skill level. Some guilds spam the recruitment channel and/or the trade channel. Other guilds may just post on the server forums. If you are seeking to fill a specific role, you need to ensure you use a variety of methods.

NQG typically does NOT recruit on server. With that said, we will post on the Guild Recruitment – Alliance World of Warcraft forums. We also use a variety of sites, such as WoWMatcher.com, lookingforguild.net, recruitgamers.com, and forums such as MMOChampion.com. We post ads and search for potential folks, and we respond to folks. We try to follow up on occasion with contact in game, because we aren't just filling a role, we're looking for an exceptional person to join our roster. In the end, a solid fit is what we are after, and seeking emotionally sound and drama free individuals can sometimes be a challenge but with persistence and hard work, it can be done.

Raid Lockouts - Extend your game!

This was a hot topic before 3.2 hit, but the advantages are really nice. It’s something we’ve avoided due to having new members that needed gear. After going through the first bit of Ulduar this week, we disenchanted entirely too much loot. With that said, it’s time to figure out how to use this feature.

The first thing that you have to do is hit O and pull up your guild/friends/raid tabs. Notice on the top right the "RAID INFO" button. Click here. As you can see from this point, all of your active raid instances that you've been saved in are listed. Notice the button on the bottom- EXTEND RAID LOCK.

Here's a better view of it- it will show you the instance, version, and when the lock expires.

You can then select the appropriate instance, and click Extend Raid Lock. This is not something anyone can do but YOU. Before you start panicking, you are probably wondering a bit more how this works-well keep in mind, if you change your mind you can remove the lock and if you forget to extend the lockout, you are able to do so after the reset.

Once you have extended the lock- notice the green "Extended" text, and the button changes to Remove Raid Lock Extension. Basically, this is going to allow alot more control over what you want to work on and when- once you've accomplished what you were after, you'll have to wait for the current raid week to be over for the reset, but for guilds struggling with attendance, or composition, this tool can come in handy.

Patch 3.2

Patch 3.2 hit this last week and with it, of course, came tons of bugs. The bright side is that if one wants to a raider now, there is no reason not to be able to get your toon suitably geared for content. It may take a week or two, but if you do daily heroics, you should be able to knock down quite a few badges and items this way. Lots of people (geared and under-geared, as well as skilled and unskilled) are all chain running heroics these days.

In addition to the emblem changes, you also have the opportunity to get the triumphs by doing the daily. New Crusader quests are available, and some have changed considerably. New pets have been introduced, and the Northrend Orphan's week went live as well. Mount changes for your alts so that at level 20, you can ride from Redridge to Darkshire insteading of walking- and they've made it affordable as well.

Most exciting is the new 5 man instance- that drops Nax ilevel gear- and the new raid instance. Although the raid instance is being released in Sunwell style- one boss a week, first impressions are everything. The Northrend Beasts encounter wasn't as bad or hard.. albeit, challenging as I had hoped, but hey, that's what Heroic is for.

Raid Fallout

Well, it's about time I got back to updating our blog. We've been working overtime on tightening up our raid. While this last week brought major changes to the guild as whole, we've proven we can survive the many curve balls that Blizz and just the lifecycle of a guild bring us. This week we lost a few offtanks.. well in honesty, 1 offtank, and two dual spec/two role offtanks and a single dps- but this is the way things work sometimes. The focus of this guild hasn't changed from the day of inception- simply put, we are here to raid, and to have a great time doing it; we are adults (18+ for the most part) and we're here to be damn good at what we do, and make the most of the time we have to do it. The stress of a guild focused on this type of progression, involving multi faceted focus isn't for everyone. For that we lost our OT, and one dps- because to them, the enjoyment of the game was gone- and that is something no one in this guild wants. I call it fall out- simply because when you get to points like Yogg or a hard mode- it can cause frustration. The point is to learn from your mistakes. Some people have issues with repeated wipes. All in all, no one guild ever walked or cleared all new content without at least some wiping and learning the fight. And even with learning it, it doesn't mean that the tactics may not change.

This last week has made me reflect on just the type of members this guild holds as its heart and core. The drive/ambition/motivation to continue forward and not "go quietly into the night," albeit kind of frustrating, it's very easy to overcome. As I think of each of members, and where this guild started last year, we've come a long way. Based on guild feedback, I've adjusted our application to allow us to more easily screen applicants- as there is no sense in wasting anyone's time or money. The quality of applications varies – but we quickly replaced the folks we lost. Our current openings are down to just a couple of DPS but we aren't hurting by any means. Sunday night we had an amazing turnout- and 36 people online around raid start time.

What astounds me the most about this last week is that while I was shocked, and some folks did the mature thing- posted their goodbye- one cowardly transfer in the middle of the night- was that our core wished them well and happiness in their endeavors. The only concern ever raised was the reasoning behind leaving- if this guild isn't for you, that's fine- but be honest about it, because I promise you, we'll honestly tell you if things are not working out. This has been something that has really made me go back over our policies as well as ensuring that the players which join this guild are here for the same purpose – casual members aside, the raiders that are here- have the same goals and determinations. There is no one person that cannot be replaced, but in the end, the guild core makes this guild what it is. I look forward the next weeks as new bosses die by our efforts. All these departures were just dust in the wind.

Hard Modes, Morale, and Raiding

There's a lot of talk at various blog sites and WoWInsider about Hard Modes, specifically in relation to Ulduar and the next patch changes with 3.2 and the new raid instances. Discussion has ranged from a variety of, you should even consider a HM until you have cleared Ulduar to people trying to achieve HM when they are far below the capability- and how devastating that can be for the raid roster. I know just within our guild there was some discussion- but I firmly feel we arrived at the best solution for us- simply put, we will attempt a HM, and give it 3 solid attempts- and based on those attempts, call it and do the boss normally, or try again. There is no reason to ever burn someone out wiping.

We've gradually been building our experience up on the towers. Perhaps we'll try 3 towers up on FL this time and see how the attempt goes- but it is nice to know up front what limitations we have in place already. As far as DPS race HMs, there is really no reason not to try for these every time- because they cost nothing. We can increasingly push ourselves harder/further. Since our focus is currently Yogg and Iron Council Medium Mode, we've been pushing through content quickly to have time to focus on these fights; it's paid off too, because we are mastering Yogg's phases, and IC would have been cleared if we would have had a second hunter Sunday night.

Recruiting has really paid off, and we've also very quickly filled our immediate needs, and hit "critical mass" as far as our roster is concerned. With our latest additions, I really feel it will definitely make our first HM- IC – Med, very possible, which will then unlock the way for us to begin working on other HMs. Guild Bank Repairs on Sunday also helped as we were working through Yogg, and we did a 180 on improving our number of attempts for the time we had available. On the whole, aside from some miscommunication on 10 man raiding (I swear bliz loves to put these things out there just to test guild mettle), our core is stronger than it has ever been, with a great group of core people. The choice is always that YOU choose who YOU raid with. I love my decision!

A New Reason to do the Fishing Daily

When 3.2 hits the live realms, players will have a new reason to do the fishing daily. Aside from the possible pet, the extra gold from vendor greys, and the possible storm jewel gems, the next patch will offer the chance for the Bag of Fishing Treasures to contain a Waterlogged Recipe. The quest available from the Waterlogged Recipe requires 350 currently to accept.

Cooks, don't get too excited. This operates in a similar fashion as the Sealed Vial of Poison. The only difference is that the Waterlogged Recipe can currently be traded. Once you start the quest, you have to deliver the recipe to Christi Stockton, a Wine Vendor located in Dalaran's premier shop- One More Glass. Frequent cooks haunt this location in search of wine and cheese for cooking dailies. Basically you talk to Christi, and she offers to buy the recipe from you. You receive 5 cooking badges, 250 Kirin Tor reputation, and of course, gold. For now, on the PTR, these waterlogged recipes are tradeable- making it possible to sell them on the auction house. This could provide a way for some chefs to get their chef hats. I personally thought it would have be neat to offer a new recipe drop this way but obviously this is not what the developers had in mind.

Northrend Children's Week – PTR First Look

One thing I did notice on the PTR last night was that they are testing the Northrend Quests for Children's Week. It starts in Dalaran. The Orphan Matron is located close the fountain in Dalaran- she offers you a choice of orphans- either a Frenzyheart or a Oracle orphan to keep for the week.

On Onyxtotemz, I picked up the Oracle orphan. To complete the opening quest and unlock the quest chains, you first have to talk to the matron about both orphan types; note, you can only pick one faction. Once you have done that, with your orphan out, you complete the opening quest.

The first three quests are The Biggest Tree Ever, Playmates, and the Bronze Dragonshire. These quests are very straight forward.

The Biggest Tree Ever has you taking the orphan into Grizzly Hills to see Grizzlemaw. Grizzlemaw is the giant tree that has hostile furblog type creatures in it. To get credit for the quest I landed inside of Grizzlemaw, summoned the orphan, and moved slightly- quest complete.

Playmates takes you to Borean Tundra to visit the Winterfin Retreat camp. Here your lil' oracle orphan will meet with the kid murlocs and you get to see some really nice dancing.

The Bronze Dragonshire takes you to Dragonblight, just northeast of the Wintergarde Keep. Once you get here and summon your orphan. At this point you realize that your orphan is going to grow up to become the leader of his tribe. He chats with an elder here for a minute, and of course, you end up with more quests.

The Dragon Queen is also in Dragonblight. You just need to take your orphan to the top on Wyrmcrest Tower, and chat with the Queen for just a bit.

Meeting a Great One is the last quest outside of Dalaran. You get to take the orphan thru the waypoint in southern Sholazar Basin. Once you enter, summon your orphan, go up to the large guy on the left of the ramp.

Then it's back to Dalaran. A Trip to the Wonderworks quest has you purchasing a paper plane. You "play" with your orphan, throwing the plane back and forth. Once this one is complete, you turn him back into the Matron.

In the mail, you receive a letter from your orphan, and a mini orphan as a pet. Neat idea, but kinda freaky if you think that this is supposed to grow up to be a leader of a tribe; all in all, the quests are very straightforward.

PTR Trial of the Champion (5-Man) – First Looks

We managed to get two groups and attempt this new 5 man as it came up during our organization process. BTW, we need DPS on the PTR.

First Phase – You know all those Argent Tourney dailies.. well I hope you are good at them, and if you aren't, you need to start practicing your jousting now. The first phase is mounted, and you are jousting 3 Horde factions; these 3 groups can vary, judging by the groups we had spawn between the our two 5 mans.

If you thought Rag had a long speech, prepare to be bored- because the opening is very long. Also note: if you wipe, you get to go through it again; Let's hope Bliz changes that. You enter the room , and there's a ring with horses along the edge; Equip your lance, mount up up, and start that long intro. Each of three random factions will move in, with their respective boss. The object is to defeat each of the factions, and then each boss, on horse. The PTR was really buggy (go figure, eh?) and if you died, the client crashed, if you dismounted, the client crashed. Once this phase was over, you had to fight the 3 heads of the factions again, on foot. After that, we have no idea; it seemed to bug out repeatedly for both groups.

Here's the video- note you will not see loot etc. The video stops where I crashed from dying =) -edited, unfortunately YouTube would not allow the Kid Rock audio of Cowboy- Boo on YouTube so here's our version hosted by Blogger =)

Lootwise this instance drops epics- 200 and 213 iLevels; the list of loot is available here: MMO Champion

A Great Holiday Weekend!

Well, for those of us in US, this last weekend was Memorial Day! Despite the holiday weekend, we still filled Sunday night's raid. We had quite a busy weekend- some folks working on achievements, some old world content, and 10 man Ulduar as well. We finished up Nax, and got some of our casual raiders into the mix. There were some nice gear upgrades for some folks, and some nice offspec pieces to be had as well. We even rounded out recruitment, with just one position open- a mage slot. With the next upcoming month, I suspect we'll be seeing great progress in Ulduar, but at least for now, if nothing else we are consistent.