The Gaming Lizard

The beta test started waaaaaaaaaaay earlier than I anticipated, but that's a good thing right? It means Mists will be released during my summer holidays!

Having signed up for the annual pass programme, I am certainly entitled to a beta pass but strangely, I'll not be questing through the beta this time round. Cata's beta was fun but having experienced all the content simply make the release....kinda boring. When Cata was released in Dec, I've already run through Hyjal through Twilight Highlands, making a 2nd run through fun but the 3rd time (on my hunter) fun meter just decline rapidly. Till now, I prefer dungeoning to questing for my other alts (Boomkin's unquested zone includes Uldum, half of Highlands and Hyjal)

BUT, I might be rolling a monk to see how it feels (unlike the Deathknight, it doesn't really compel me to change my main) as well as the other class changes (Perma demonform for warlocks sounds really cool)

But one thing's for sure, I'll have a difficult time deciding who I'll be playing in Mists.

In the midst of all the raiding and uni work, I've just realised that I've been WoWing for 5 years! Since picking up WoW in 2007, I've never stopped playing....ok fine, there are periods of rest but still, WoW is still the first game to have survive past the 3 year mark. With Mist of Pandaria coming out soon(tm), I foresee more years of WoW.

So, see ya soon in the World...of Warcraft.

Mists of Pandaria has been revealed to be World of Warcraft's 4th expansion pack, bringing us not only new player race but surprisingly, a new base class. This expansion basically destroys everything we've known about WoW and attempts to build it from the ground up. And frankly? I can't wait for it.

Pandarian Race

The panda race was probably anticipated although the fact that they are cross-faction probably make many people pee in their pants. They look really cool and bouncey although I don't get the "THIS IS MY RACE" feel I get from Worgens. Maybe because they can't be Deathknights?

Speaking of which, Pandarians not being DKs is a logical step (although it removes to notion that DK is open to all class). They can't be Warlocks nor Paladins; Druidism is out of their league as well. I'm slightly more skeptical of Panda Shamans as they don't seem to be the elemental-worshipping type.

Monk Class

While not a Hero Class, the Monk Class still proves surprising as Blizzard has stated that balancing 10 classes is difficult enough. Not that we're complaining thou: Monk is a versatile class in the same vein as Paladins. They do not use auto attacks (shocking) and seems to have 2 kinds of resources.

The Brewmaster is a tank-type, how it works without auto attacks remains a mystery.
The Mistweaver is a healer: This brings us up to 5 healing classes, which should reduce the healer crunch.
The Windwalker is melee DPS: Not surprising although we don't really need more Melee now as it is. We'll see what is MOP's encounter mantra as range still remains superior to melee dps.

Strangely, Worgen and Goblins can't be Monk! Outrageous. Forsaken makes less sense as a Monk than Worgen. However, the only race I'm taking for Monk is good ole' Pandarian.


New Talent System

It's not just a revamp, it's tearing down the system then building a new one! Cataclysm streamlined a lot of the talent trees but ultimately, they are still cookie cutters *coughDeathknightcough*

The new system uses the 3-choose-1 system, with "tier" of a common utility (AOE, Control ect.) and every tier at every 15 level. It works but I'm worried for the new expansion.

I love the new system as this gives players even more choices than before. However, some talents are clearly for PVP usage. All these is still subject to changes thou, we might see better talents next Blizzcon.



That's all for the more shocking part of Today's Blizzcon. There are certainly more features to blog about but for now, we'll leave it as that!

Thanks to MMO-Champion for the images.

Of all the exciting future patch toys to come, none has certainly garnered so much excitement and buzz as the Transmorgrification feature of 4.3 which allows toons look like they're wearing a different set while retaining the lastest gears' stats.

I for one, have began hunting for potential armor sets to wear in 4.3. Should I go with the Dragonbones PVP set of the WOTLK era? Or back to the Lich-King inspired design of T9?

One thing's for sure thou: DKs clamoring for Greatsword of the Ebon Blade to be used as a skin will finally get their wishes granted.

It's been a while (*cough*) since my last post before laziness and procrastination took over once more. Coupled that with various camps cropping up prior to my entry to university and we got one very lazyass blogger indeed.

4.2 have been out for almost a month now and many good guilds have downed up to heroic 4/5. H Rag kills seemed to be on the quiet side thou and that's fantastic.

The Molten Front dailies hub is wonderful, with a sense of a real war going on in the background. Spawns come freely in here and as long as you don't touch anything, they'll not touch you. One real issue thou is the FPS. Is it due to the improved polygons or simply the Dalaran-effect once more?


Firelands raid is a blast to be in although the trash are too much for my own taste. Clearing enough trash to spawn Shannox is tiresome and I hope Blizzard can cut down on the number of trash packs in the place. None the less, they still provide challenges for the raid.

Having downed only Shannox and Beth'tilac, I can say that they are comfortably difficult, like the 4.0 raid bosses. Shannox is definitely easier to attempt on 10m than 25m simply due to the number of people vs. the number of traps. More people means you get a higher chance of a inattentive raider stepping on a trap. Beth'tilac has a bit too much aoe damage flying about, from her lava piss to the spiders-on-a-web.

All in all, patch 4.2 is fantastic even if we're still stuck with doing between 2 heroics and the annoying fact that people are still stupid enough to fail on them.

Till next time, hobey ho.

After a terribly long absence from blogging (I blame the lack of news), 4.2 is set to hit us any time from this week to Soon(tm). The Rage of Firelands will bring us many more non-raid loots set at ilvl 365 which is an upgrade from normal raid gears.

With so many choices to choose from, let's take a First Look at the quest vendors offer by handing in Mark of the World Tree.

Deathknights

Neck: Fireheart Necklace
A decent neck upgrade featuring EXP and MASTERY which is useful to both Frost and Unholy DKs.

Ring: Meteorite Ring
Crit isn't that good of a stat compared to Haste and Mastery.

Ring: Moon Blessed Band
If you are hit capped from other slots, this ring is practically useless.

Belt: Rickety Belt
A most wonderful upgrade, it is a must-have.

Relic: Relic of Lo'gosh
With hit and crit, it's an ok upgrade from our valor reward.

Trinket: Dwyer's Caber
The crit proc makes it not so hot for Frost DKs (pun unintended) since they already have a 100% crit chance proc. The trinket's effect makes you toss out a tree for miserly damage so it's more of a vanity effect.

Hunters

Feet: Lancer's Greaves
Haste is a decent state for most hunters although BM hunters have it lowest of the 3 secondary stats.

Ring: Band of Glittering Light
A combination of crit and haste makes it a pretty good upgrade.

Ring: Matoclaw's Band
Hit and Crit makes it a better ring than the previous one.

Trinket: Ricket's Magnetic Fireball
Since all hunters favors Crit, this trinket is a must-have. Again, the effect deals small amount of damage, making it a vanity effect although the passive portion is a nice convenience.

Boomkin

Ring: Spirit Fragment Band
Oddly enough, there is only 1 ring for spellcasters and non featuring SPI. Crit and Mastery makes it an OK ring.

Neck: Nightweaver's Amulet
This is the must-have upgrade for fellow Boomkins, who favors both Haste and Mastery.

Belt: Fireplume Girdle
Another piece of nicely itemised gear. No complains.

Off-Hand: Globe of Moonlight
Off-hand suffers from the same fate as ring, with no SPI version available for Trees and Priests. An Ok item at most.

Trinket: Moonwell Chalice
Summons a Moonwell as visual effect. The 2 min CD and Mastery on-use effect makes it a good trinket for boomy. Again, no healer trinket is in sight. Disappointing.

So there we go, stay tuned for Valor gears First Look tomorrow!