Rusted Drake Farming

Our off night groups have taken a detour to visit Ulduar. We just got a second 10 man group through to get their drakes – minus a few people needing a few more dwarves, the meta requirements are completed. Not only is it nice to have completed this a couple of times, but to have a 310% mount as well for those that do not complete the holiday achievements. Alagon is on the agenda, holding the Starcaller title. For our 25 man raids, and this guild's focus, we are working through the same meta for the ironbound drake as well. For now, here's a picture of the 10 man drake:

Drakes Away!

As Wrath is ending and whispers of Cataclysm events are on the horizon, it has found us looking at what we need to get our drakes from Ulduar and ICC. We have been farming OS3D for quite a while now. As you can see, it's quite a collection, complete with a few folks having their Ulduar 10 drakes. For 5 minutes time, it's a nice invest in our members. We also opted to complete Full House again for some guild members that weren't present or joined afterwards. What are you planning to do or hoping to accomplish before Cataclysm launches?

Through the Looking Glass

In WotLK, people choose to spend their time doing different things on off-nights (non raid nights). For us, we put together all types of runs. Typically we have one or two ICC 10 mans up, as well as an alt/main of ToC or Ulduar. Then, about every two or three weeks, we have an old world run. "Old World" runs are basically any raids prior to Wrath of the Lich King. Last month, several folks finished up their "Classic Raider" achievement.

ROFL'stomping through these instances – facing the bosses that I still remember wiping and spending time – learning the mechanics, with the greatest of ease. It was fun to see Ragnaros again – on a character that hadn't stepped in there before, or Black Wing Liar. I think the best part of the last Old World run was actually doing AQ 40. I remember when this place was released. (The server lag was HORRIBLE.) Seeing armor pieces drop that used to be a status symbol in Vanilla WoW, the raid team gets a little of the epic feel the boss used to present, even while the boss's appearance reminds most as being Yogg's predecessor just from his appearance. And let's not forget BUG MOUNTS!

The real key here is community. While not everyone comes, or people come on new toons, it's a blast. The whole point is not only to get your achievements, but to sit back and have a good time. Execution can still be a requirement but it's just a matter of letting folks who didn't play in "Vanilla" WoW see content that they missed. Burning Crusade players are often referred to as "BC Babies" which really makes me wonder what Wrath players are going to be called. On the agenda this month: Outlands Raider Achievement!

Achievements Anyone?

This guild does not focus on 10 mans. It is usually an off night thing. The 10 mans are posted on a volunteer type basis. People sign up in the appropriate forum thread and the group takes off from there. As a result, our 10 man rankings and achievements are just, well pathetic. Lord Soth, the guild leader, decided we would make some effort to change that.

In our Off Night Fiascos thread, he posted an "achievement whore run". It peaked allot of interest. Our 10 mans have been filling up on the weekends since ICC released. His agenda this past Monday was to start small- OS3D, Malygos 6 Minute Kill, and we actually ended up completing Nax as well. We gathered a fair amount of achievements during the process, missing the Undying due to the bear tank being color blind (ok he's not really but he missed the giant swirl under his feet on KT).

All in all, we spent 4 hours running through old content. Personally, I gathered a few new achievements, and others gathered even more. It was fast. No one was complaining about a wipe here in old content as we all were a bit rusty. It makes me look forward to next week and to see what Soth has in store for his "achievement whores".

Festergut - ICC 25

This guy took us a bit to figure out. He's a DPS/Gear check as well as an execution check. We struggled at the start to figure out the right compositions, the correct execution, and then, of course, to up our dps.

The first kill came with using 2 range groups and a central melee/healer group. We ran with only 5 healers- utilizing the Aura Mastery buff, with the DS/DG Combination that you can gain with a pally tank. The five minute enrage timer is a pain - but doable. It takes work, and everyone on the same page for popping hero and what not.

The week we went in without having a pally tank- instead, we had our normal (and awesome) warrior tank and a bear tank. Last week, we ran with 5 healers, and this week we ran with 6. But the difference is, the dps brought it. Execution was flawless, it was a very clean kill, and running the extra healer. It was a great night. It also goes to show you, understanding the mechanics and being comfortable with the fight is a solid course of action to increase raid DPS.

Our own attempts we learned it takes 3 ranged on 10 man, and 7 minimum on 25. This is to prevent the vile gas from hitting melee and what ranged are stacked in the melee. Gas spores on melee had to run between his feet slightly so that the tanks got inoculation.

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.

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?!

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.

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 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.

The Winds of Change

What a week in review… from a stellar start to a vast amount of changes have blown a lot of debris from the guild. Unfortunately it's also put us back into recruitment but even more focused on keeping the founding principles of this guild at its core. The dust has settled and a lot of loyal people are remaining. If there is one thing about adversity, it's that it can pull people together.

Some major changes have been in process, with just 3 officers- and yes, we are still looking for a solid raid leader, it would be impossible to ensure we have someone available for invites online most 90-% of the time. We've since opened up our applications to be viewable by all guild members, and we've allowed swashbucklers the ability to invite. A solid guideline has been presented. Allowing members to read the applications gives everyone a feel for the people we are recruiting and what we are looking at. It's also allowing specific input on those classes.

Everyone has pulled together, and Thursday saw us running Ulduar 10 Man with alts tanking. Granted, their gear wasn't the best, but they damn sure played their classes as though it were their mains. We spent 3 hours in Ulduar that night- and we killed 3 bosses. Not too shabby =) Sunday we worked on Iron Council, still working with one alt tank and a new DK tank that we've added to the roster. After some very close attempts, we decided to give Kologarn a try- and he was a one-shot. Back to Iron Council went our little 10 man, and they came damn close to bringing him down. We should see that boss kill on the front page soon.

Our roster is filling back out rather rapidly. We've got a couple transferring in, and a rogue. We've already picked up a priest and DK tank. We're currently still on the hunt for a MT. We've also got a several interviews lined up for tonight. I think by the end of the week we will be back in 25 man content.

Due to recent departure, and the nasty little flames, it brings some discouragement, but out of the ashes rises a phoenix- brighter and more full of fire than ever. As a guildie related, a forest fire started naturally is part of the process, the brush and deadwood needs to be burnt out to let the forest grow rich and thrive. It was a very astute observation, and one who's sentiments I share whole heartedly. We're here, and we're going to be better than ever!

Welcome To the World(of warcraft)

So...where to begin. I guess i should start by saying now not only will Onyx be doing the blog but she hired Oryxlea and I to help out. So here I go with my first postNow onto the stuff ya’ll want to hear about! As many of you are aware, we have taken our first steps into Ulduar but we have gotten the server first achievement for Flame Leviathan! That’s right ladies and gents. No Quarter Given is server first for Heroic: Orbital Bombardment. Congratz to all who were there and all who were sitting on the sidelines cheering us on. Also in news, the Argent Tournament is in game. If you haven’t checked it out yet I strongly recommend it. It is located in the northeast corner of Icecrown (just look for the part of your map that isn't filled in). Many daily quests that are new, exciting and best of all...actually make you earn your way! So I urge you, young knights, to grab your lance tight in your hand and thrust forward into the dark depths of the unknown! Yeah it gives Silver Covenant faction/reputation gains.

In other more speculative news...the next Xpac. What will it be? When will it come? How will it change the game? Who will be the big bosses? Why the hell am I writing like this? Check the public forum and add your thoughts.


I leave you with my words of wisdom "Be kind to your knees. You'll miss them when you're kneecapped by a lone shark."

Questing 101 - Add Ons to ease the grind

Lightheaded uses wowhead's database to add comments in game for quests. This can be a 50/50 chance sometimes because sometimes people do not always put accurate information. The good news is that you can see all the comments. If you have TomTom installed, you even can just click on the coordinate links to be able to set the way point on your map. The really nice thing about these two addons is that the author updates them FREQUENTLY- a must for new content.

Lightheaded adds panel to your existing quest log. In it, you can scroll through comments posted by other users on the wowhead website. They often share tips/tricks/and things to avoid for a quest. It makes questing much more efficient.

Add On Basics - A Step into the Matrix

I've raided for a really long time. From a guild that transitioned into raiding from being casual, the one statement that used to make me cringe was, how do I install an Add On? Required raid mods are nothing new. Every raider usually has some type of threatmeter, depending on the guild, Deadly Boss Mods and/or Big Wigs for the tools they offer since they took the place of the standard CT Raid mods, and some type of raid frames- because the Blizzard raid frames, well, they suck. Most raiders use Grid now, although I've personally never tried it. I use X-Perl. There are alot of raid frames available, so it is a matter of taste. With the release of an expansion, it's back to questing again. Some people run QuestHelper, but I'm a huge fan of Lightheaded, with a coordinate mod- TomTom and UberQuest. But the real reason I'm writing is because it is a huge pain to try and explain to someone not tech savvy how to install a mod. There are so many variations- such as where WoW was installed, operating systems, and even permissions that can vary for each individual person.

Enter WoWMatrix. This is every guild's dream. A guild member actually introduced me to it. This is AWESOME. It's basically a database of Add Ons. It installs Add On automatically, and it will keep your mods up to date. You just have to be able to search and click a button.

The first step is heading to http://www.wowmatrix.com/ and downloading this program. It does NOT have to reside in your World of Warcraft directory. Once you download and install this program, you may want to make sure you have a shortcut to it on your desktop. Simply run the program. When you launch the program you will get a view like the screenshot above.

There are two tabs. One to maintain your existing addons, and one to add new add ons. It doesn't get much easier than this.