The Naxx Nekkid Bug

You might have noticed that I changed the color scheme of the blog the other day. While I liked the blue background which was purposely done to show my allegiance to the Carolina Tarheels, I thought the page was getting a little hard to read. So I made a drastic change to black, and added a cool black and white photo of a tree. As I told Jess, I decided to try to sophisticate this place up a bit. Jess said I was getting all serious.

Yeah right... me... serious? Case in point, the topic I'd like to discuss today. What is up with the bug that makes you sometimes see raid members without their clothes on? I call it the Naxx Nekkid bug, and I was hit with it last night when I zone into Naxx and see Jess, Alorya, and Heidilux with nothing on but their skivvies. Other guildies have mentioned this has happened to them before, but this is the first time it has happened to me. Thus, here is how I saw Jess tanking:

It was a little disturbing and distracting to say the least. Jess' strategy must have been to stun the bosses or something?

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What I thought then vs now

DIATH, I can't get this spreadsheet to be readable on the page... reproduced below.

a. What I thought as a relatively new healer
b. What I think now

1a. When you get aggro, you should run around wildly, screaming, arms flailing to make sure you get the tank's attention
1b. When you get aggro, run towards the tank

2a. When a tank dies it's your fault
2b. Ok maybe I need to pay attention a little more and try harder... but it's not necessarily my fault. It could be tank's fault. ZOMG!

3a. When a dps dies it's your fault
3b. Naughty dps got aggro! (heh sorries dps, we do love you)

4a. A healer's performance is only highlighted or noticed when they do poorly
4b. Great healing is noticed and appreciated by others

5a. OMG someone is standing in fire/hockey puck of death/green poisonous slime, I must heal them!
5b. OMG you iz noob. You no deserve my leet healz. Don't stand there, kk?

6a. Must have big healz!
6b. Big healz are good. But big healz + right timing is even better

7a. Healers should just listen and take instructions
7b. Healers have a great perspective and could provide valuable insight into raid strategy

8a. Good healers just stand back and heal
8b. Great healers tell the tank and dps what they need from them whether it’s a slight positioning or timing change

9a. Good healers react quickly
9b. Great healers are reactive, but also proactive

10a. Healers rock
10b. Healers rock

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In honor of Phaelia, K does math

You've probably already heard by now that Phae at Resto4life is closing down her doors in a couple of weeks. I've mentioned many times that she is the big sister tree to all of us. She was my inspiration to start blogging, though I knew that I would not be even close to all the theory crafting and calculations that she did. I'm happy to hear about her bebeh sapling on the way, but quite sad to see her go.

She's definitely left big shoes to fill. I'm sure someone else in the resto druid community will pick up the theorycrafting and calculations, though it most certainly won't be me. Here is about the extent of the math you'll see on this blog:

x=probability of success in Naxx

a=number of Mr. Bigglesworth kills
b=number of deaths on the slimes to Grobbulus
c=number of deaths on Heigan
d=number of falls off tube on way into Gluth

Hahahaha... /sigh. The lesson here? Sorries Mr. Bigglesworth.

Anyways, thanks for all you've done for the tree community Phaelia, we'll miss you!

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Purty herbs

I'm not afraid to admit that I am an herbaholic. My guildies know to call me out if they see me in Sholazar Basin or Storm Peaks too long (though I have started herbing more lately in Zul'drak as well). But... just... one... more... herb...

Have you really looked closely at how pretty the herbs are? Can you identify all of these herbs?

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Sixth screenshot

Keeva at Tree Bark Jacket tagged me for this challenge that has been going around to go to your sixth folder in your screenshots and post the sixth image.

Well I don't have subfolders in my screenshot folder, and I am playing on a different laptop than I started WOW on, plus my hard drive crashed back in December and I lost a ton of old screenshots. But, here is the sixth screenshot:

It was my first look at Halls of Stone and I thought the floor was just so cool and pretty where you do the Tribunal encounter!

I think most of the blogs I read have already been tagged... but I will ask Jess, do you ever take screenshots? Do you have any?

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Which one are you?

I posted a couple days ago about this game's role in my life and wondered whether I would be here in a year. Well, why do I still play? As trite as it sounds, it is for the people. Well in every family people play certain roles, do they not? So what does the Left Claw family look like?

Here's my vote for who would be who:
* The Drama Queen or The Princess: Jess (I mean come on, Jess' blog is called Pretty in Plate...)
* The One That Always Gets Hurt: Vel and Alorya (because one of these two mages are always the first to die) or Ash (because she often finds herself in painful PUGs)
* The One That Always Swears: K
* The One With The Bad Memory: K again
* The One Thats Up To No Good: Our rogues Atania or Terrondris (because rogues are sneaky and always up to no good)
* The Tiny Dangerous One: Buns, Pyth, and Nkm (our three gnomes)
* The Cutie Pie: Buns, hands down
* The Pimp: Dest (because our Spriest loves purple, is always dressed well, and generally just rocks)
* The One You Can Depend On: Our two gnomes Pyth and Buns (because they have yummy cookies and a cool ass summoning portal) or Khayven (because he can be our off-off tank if Jess or Wut dies)
* The Gangster: Heidilux (because he says things like Boo-yah and other funny phrases I can't remember at the moment)
* The Ladies Man: Wut (with his ever changing hairstyles) or BigMu (did you see BigMu's poem to me here?)
* The Geek: Jess (because of the raid lectures... which are necessary, but we still make fun incessantly)
* The One That's Always Hungry: Vel (she's always eating during our runs)

How about you? Which one are you?

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Gluth and Thaddius down

I would say that our guild takes it a bit easier in terms of progression, in that we aren't rushing each week for progression. There were a couple of weeks there where due to schedules, we just didn't have the time over a week. Now we've probably had maybe 3 complete nights or so of attempts on Gluth. In the past, we just didn't seem to have the right combination of successfully kiting the zombies and the two healers keeping the kiters and the tanks alive. But everything seemed to just come together effortlessly, and Gluth went down very easily. I must say we loved our friend Landroval's earthbinding totem.

We then had our first look ever at Thaddius. The first time, the tanks weren't aware that the first two guys have to be tanked towards the back of the platform, and some lightning thingies hurt us. Second time, yes, people got confused which side was positive and which side was negative. And this second time, I didn't make it onto the platform... my jump sucked and I fell into the lava. But finally the third time, I made it onto the platform (huzzah!), we figured out the sides, and it was pretty easy.

Wut was afk for a while afterwards, which is why we have here the WOW screenshot equivalent of closing your eyes... a shot of Wut's backside in the screenshot. Oh and I won the roll on the T7 leggings, so now I will have to consider how the 4 set bonus to nourish plays into my healing.

So I guess we need to start preparing frost resist gear now?

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A look inside a healer's mind...

...when the two healers are the last ones standing in a 10 man Naxx run:

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Two trees for two years

So today is my second WOW gamiversary, or K's second birthday. I started this crazy game two years ago. They say that getting older always makes you evaluate what you are doing and where you are in life. I think my gamiversary in addition to some ingame and blogger friends leaving or considering leaving the game has made me assess where I am in this game. As Jess asked, will we be here in another year?

Who knows if I will be playing in a year. I'm definitely not considering leaving right now or in the foreseeable future. But I figure its always good to take stock of where you are in your life, and as WOW figures into mine, it is part of the evaluation.

Ok that's enough blah blah blah psych talk for now. :)

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Gifts for a tank's birthday

Today's is Jess' second birthday! This crazy white ponytailed tank was born in Teldrassil two years ago today. Hmmm, what gift would be appropriate for Jess' birthday, I wonder?

Well, Jess is my meatshield so how about

+

Or how about some

Or an appropriate poster?

Or some nice tank apparel?

Or a nice lecture podium from which Jess can deliver all of our raid instructions?

Or perhaps a promise from Vel and I to behave, not make fun of Jess, and actually listen for just one raid night without passing notes?

Or Tank's CD Sex, Love & Pain? Really is this what a tank's life is about? Hmmm...

Or maybe I should just say Jess, thanks for being my tank and not only saving my ass in game, but keeping me sane in my real life! Happy birthday!

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The tree gets serious... an actual healing post (gasp!)

Ok its been ages since I've actually done a real healing post. Lest you think I am just all about silliness, this tree actually heals too! Some updates:

Spec: A while back I switched to what I guess, is the most popular resto spec, 11/0/60. With picking up Nature's Splendor, I last longer. I am a virile tree. Oh dear... I'm sliding back into silly again. Focus K, focus!

Glyphs: In terms of glyphs I have Glyph of Regrowth, Glyph of Lifebloom, and recently switched to Glyph of Swiftmend. I'm still getting in the habit of using swiftmend more often. I just haven't had to use it for a while, and I am working on bringing it back into my regular healing as opposed to just "Oh crap" healing .

Healing spells: Check out my spells from a couple bosses in Naxx. Note, this was 10 man Naxx with myself and Heidilux (holy priest) healing.

I am obviously all about regrowth now. I am curious as to what other resto druids are doing now in terms of their heals. See what I mean when I say I need to use swiftmend more?

Gear: In terms of gear, I've been pretty lucky on drops. Funny enough, I was over spirited (Rah rah rah! Sis boom bah!) when I recently picked up Spirit-World Glass. Thus I went back and redid some of my enchants and gems to go back to stacking spell power. It's probably also a combination of the fact that my dps-ing Left Claw guildies have geared up a lot since we first started raiding, so I don't have to last as long. Heh. K! Stay out of the gutter! /sigh

I also picked up Loop of the Kirin-Tor a while back for 6,400g. It gives me the port to Dalaran, and my hearthstone is set for Sholazar Basin where I do half my herbing. I am planning on doing a post soon about my crazy herbing/alchemy/gold making addiction.

In terms of upgrades, I am going next for Signet of Hopeful Light, available at exalted rep with Argent Crusade. I would also really really love Je'Tze's Bell a drop that is on the Drenden AH lately for 9-10,000 g. We'll see if I bite the bullet and just get it.

Oh and you'll see from my last Salty K post that I am now back to wearing a purty dress. So purty that I can finally show my face again.

Weapon: War Mace of Unrequited Love. I love the name of this mace... its kinda sad, but pretty.

Off-hand: Handbook of Obscure Remedies

Idol: Idol of Lush Moss

Head: Noth's Curse.

Neck: Hateful Gladiator's Pendant of Restoration. Yeah, I've got a pvp neck here... with mp5 (vs spirit) nonetheless!

Shoulders: Heroes' Dreamwalker Spaulders

Back: Wispcloak

Chest: Heroes' Dreamwalker Robe

Wrists: Plague-Infected Bracers. I am wondering whether I should be concerned at all about catching the plague from my bracers...

Hands: Heroes' Dreamwalker Handguards

Waist: Vine Belt of the Woodland Dryad. Huh? What the heck is a woodland dryad?

Legs: Splint-Bound Leggings

Feet: Earthgiving Boots

Ring: Loop of the Kirin-Tor

Ring: Solitaire of Reflecting Beams

Trinket: Spirit-World Glass

Trinket: Winged Talisman

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I am salty! And pygmy silliness

Some nights you get on WOW and have serious business... other nights are more about serious silliness. Last night I finally got my fishing achievement done, and now I am salty! Its actually a pretty proper title for me, as those who have heard me over vent well know that I've been known to hurl some salty words now and again. Jess says venting wouldn't be the same if I didn't say "Damn it all to hell".

Now the biggest hurdle to the title for me was re-doing One That Didn't Get Away, where you have to catch one of the rare fish. The annoying thing is that I am pretty certain I caught one of those before achievements were tracked... I just got rid of it at the time because it didn't do anything. But I finally got Dark Herring from a pool of Fangtooth Herring from the lake south of Gjalerbron in Howling Fjord.

This meant the only thing I had to do was Deadliest Catch. I knew Vel wanted to do it as well, and we decided to take along a meatshield with us. Here we are after taking down Gahz'ranka.

We then decided hey, let's try Hakkar in Zul'Gurub. Can one tank, one dps, and one healer do an old 20 man raid boss? Uh... not so much. It wouldn't have been so bad if Jess didn't keep getting mind controlled and Vel kept getting silenced. Jess said some website mentioned that a small group of reasonably geared 80s could do Hakkar easily, but apparently by the term "small group", they meant more than 3.

To round out the night, we went back to Dalaran and decided to get drunk on Pygmy Oil. This is what happens after you drink a bunch.

Here we are shaking what our momma's gave us. Look how cute Jess is with the bebeh shield.

We caused a bit of commotion in Dal... here is our poor unsuspecting friend Suzzy who was afk (probably fortunate for her).

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Basic laws of nature... need not apply

Another change that came with the last patch that I am happy about is that you no longer need simple wood to create a fire. You just need some flint and tinder or you can just carry around a Gnomish Army Knife. With it being so easy to create fires now, they are all over the place in Dalaran. It seems kinda dangerous... especially for us trees. The last time we did OS 25 with our friend Rapunzel and her guild Emerald, Rap made a fire dangerously close to my bootie.

But tell me this... in what kind of alternate universe can you make a fire under water? Apparently basic laws of nature do not apply!

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We can dance baby!

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ZOMG! Save the squirrelz!

As a tree, I feel its important to keep everyone updated on all tree-centered news. I don't know if you guys have heard about the fact that there was an extreme acorn shortage this year. The oaks are just not producing acorns in many parts of the US. I'm not really sure what's going on... are the trees too busy healing or something? Anyways, I'm a little sad for the squirrels.

Some links to articles around the acorn crisis here, here, and here.

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Naxx raiding update

Its been a while since I've given a raiding update. Its probably because its been a couple of weeks since we've gone for progression in Naxx due to schedules and what not. But this past weekend we had our second attempt at the Four Horsemen. If you remember, our first attempt a couple weeks ago was quite amusing.

We had our two tanks and other two healers up in the front two corners. Then we had our DK Khayven and warlock Pythagorus in the back with me healing them. Jess had initially told me to stand on the back steps of the little platform the four horsemen start on. But it ended up being too close to both corners and I was getting both of their effect thingies (technical raiding language FTW). And when I moved back, I was out of LOS of the corners due to these stone pillars. So I ended up having to throw some hots on Khay, run over the platform to the otherside to heal Pyth, heal myself, rinse and repeat. I almost lost Pyth a couple of times, but it worked out and the four horsemen were one shot. I forget to take a screenshot.

We then moved onto our first view of Patchwerk. Nothing big here, basic tank and spank. Patchwerk, you were one shot you big silly ogre baby you!

The funniest part of the night (for me at least) came on our walk to Grobbulus. Those damn little frogger slimes. Now let me just say that I have become an expert on Heigan's dance and haven't wiped on Heigan since our first night at him. However, these slimes pwned me. Even when I or Alorya or Ash weren't even close to them, they shot up and ganked us. Damn you slimes, damn you! Seriously, I died more on these slimes than I did the entire night. Poor Ash made it across once and tried to come back to rez me, only to die herself. The ironic thing about all of this is that I was the resident high scorer on Frogger when I took my old school Atari with me to college.

Anyways, in going over to Grobbulus, our two priests levitated us so we could walk over the green slime streams. Here's a funny shot of all of us.

Now Grobbulus was a little more interesting. Our first attempt was a wipe because I think we just had to learn the timing of Grobbulus' clouds and where to put our clouds. It ended up working well for the first people who got the injection to go up on the ramp and we ended up getting him on the second attempt, though there were still a lot of clouds everywhere. Next time we'll have to make sure injected folks go behind the wall. To end the night we did make one attempt at Gluth, but had some trouble with taking down the zombies when we needed to. But now that we've seen it once, I think we'll get him next time.

Some other funny screenshots from the run. Here we are getting ready to run in the tunnel to Gluth.

I love the new summoning portal warlocks can create. It makes me think we're about to watch some puppet show. Though as someone pointed out, probably not a puppet show they'd want their kids to watch!

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