Blog Update!

Hello to any readers I still have or may come my way! I swear I have not abandoned this blog, though it may seem that way. I’ve done something completely different.

I started a podcast! It has been such a fun, yet time consuming, adventure. I miss doing the blog. I don’t want to quit it yet. For now though, until I get editing time down and become more experienced/efficient with recording, the blog will have to hibernate a bit.

If you enjoy podcasts at all, or are just curious and want to check it out, I would love for you to listen! It is called Dungeon Fables. Episode times range from 15-20ish mins. I take a look at the lore behind a dungeon each week, discussing stories of the bosses, how the dungeon has changed post-Cataclysm, and fun tidbits.

I include background music from the zone the dungeon is in as well as music from the dungeon itself. I even insert fun voice clips from the game which I get really excited about doing. I’m pretty proud of how my little podcast is doing so far. I still have much to learn though. You can find the show on Twitter @DungeonFable and listen to it through Google Play, iTunes, and SoundCloud.

As I get chances, or more free time, I will update this blog. Most likely it will be posts like the Midweek Randomness stuff. Short and fun. Because life is to short and we all need some fun! Until next time, take care!

Midweek Randomness: Johnny “Jerkface” Awesome

When we last met Johnny Awesome, we had to give up the “Invincible Reins” item for a quest. Breaking the hearts of all of us who have sought after this mount for weeks. Then he rubs it in that he already has one. Jerkface.

I did this quest a few weeks ago. I didn’t check my mail due to being busy with vacation, starting a new project, and adulting. I finally checked it tonight. Yes Johnny, I was sullen. That was a good way to describe it! I will own that mount! One day…..

I love these little details that Blizzard adds to the game. It’s not huge content, story line, or epic loot. It is something simple. These simple details is part of what makes Warcraft feel like a quality game. They care enough to add this in which just increases our love for this world.

Atal’Dazar Dungeon

I figured, since I’ve given much love to Alliance side dungeons, it was time for me to give some love to Horde side. Atal’Dazar! This troll temple dungeon was quick and easy. Beautiful as well!! 4 bosses, including a zombie skeleton dinosaur type boss! There are enough adds that I am assuming it would be more challenging on mythic.

The whole place is very temple-like with typical troll type mobs. I suggest taking a second to look at the artwork of the temple when you are there. The details of the temple, the flora and fauna, and even the sky. It is worth taking a moment to “smell the roses”. There are specks of gold falling down the waterfalls!

After some adds, you get to the first boss. Since this is just normal, mechanics didn’t need to be followed. Something about being highlighted in gold and soaking blood puddles. There are pools of liquid gold on either side of her as well. I wonder if that will play in to mythic mechanics!

Then we get to one of my favorite parts. I call it the (*cue dramatic music*) THE STAIRS OF DDDDOOOOOOMMMMM!!!! Bwahahahaha!! The number of deaths that will happen on these stairs due to fire is going to be extreme. Friends will laugh at friends. Strangers will laugh at strangers. Some will learn their lessons, others won’t. Each of these masks shoot out fire.

Obviously, this dungeon has plenty of dinosaur adds. Which I personally enjoyed. You make your way over to your next boss fight. An undead dire troll named Vol’Kaal. He’s dealin’ with some bad voodoo mon.

While you are on the bridges making your way around, you consistently hear a “thud”, “thud”, “thud”. Eventually you’ll notice the zombie like dinosaur stomping around on the ground floor. He’s really cool looking! You accidentally reanimate some of his dino buddies, you get feared, and eventually win.

After some dramatics including a staircase opening up to you, you run up some stairs, trying to avoid void spiders. They drop purple goo and which will probably do a lot of damage. I sadly didn’t take a picture of the last boss because that fight went too quickly.

All in all, it was a cool dungeon. Overly easy on normal but I have no doubt that it will be more challenging on heroic or mythic. Even if you are Alliance, I highly suggest you take the time to check out this dungeon!!

Midweek Randomness: Hunter Robin

I was doing some questing with a friend in the BfA beta today and we came across this easter egg. I found Winnie the Pooh!! The whole gang is here. Broken honey pots everywhere (and some rib bones, because why not…..you don’t want to know what Eeyore has been up to). The pot in the middle was actually a treasure chest with a junk item and a bit of azerite power. Just one of those fun details that Blizzard puts into the game that makes us smile. Clever!

Have a great rest of your week everyone!

Heart of Azeroth UI Update

When we last left our hero, the Heart of Azeroth, we had a temporary user interface in the beta. It was boring, left a lot to be desired, and sad. The update to the UI left me much happier and rather excited about it! (Remember though, I am easily amused.)

The UI is now a wheel, much like what we saw at Blizzcon last year. As of now it only has three layers so I don’t know yet what happens when we get our artifact necklace to level 4. When I was given the chance to choose my first talent, the UI suggested I pick between two. When you pick one, the wheel turns to lock that talent in place. The animation reminded me of cog wheels turning. It was pretty cool!

I did some work on my priest, getting her Heart of Azeroth to level 2 to see what happens. Basically the same thing, just the next wheel down. It feels rather fun to make that choice and have the wheels turn! As of now, the third wheel selection just increases the item level of that particular Heart of Azeroth gear by 5.

No word yet on how the reforging is going to work. I visited the reforging npc, which does exist. However, nothing happened. I’m still hoping that this means that Blizz is undecided on how to handle reforging. Their current plan feels as though it punishes multi-spec classes. For example, since I switch back and forth between shadow and holy for my priest as my guild needs me to, I’ll be spending a lot of gold to reforge my Heart of Azeroth talents. No 5 million gold mount for me!

All in all, beyond not knowing about reforging details, I really enjoy how the new UI works. It’s easy to understand and it’s satisfying to select your choice and make the cog wheels move!

Midweek Randomness: Invincible

See this mount? This highly sought after mount hurts my soul. According to wowhead, Invincible’s Reins has a 1% chance of dropping. Which means I should get it eventually. Right? This zombie horse needs to be mine. I’ve been reading the book Arthas by Christie Golden. In this wonderful book you read about Invincible’s birth, the accident that lead to his death, and his resurrection. (I’m only on chapter 9 so I haven’t gotten that far yet.) Between his death and resurrection, you learn about the impact this horse had on Arthas as he mentions it often. I do too Arthas. I get it.

I have ridden it! In the BfA Alpha. I loved this opportunity so much! But it hurt when Alpha was wiped, as well as my ability to ride Invincible.

I have looted Invincible’s Reins! During the Postmaster quest line. That sent me into a phased ICC. I had to grab this item for delivery to another person. It hurt my soul to loot it and have to give it up. To see in my chat window that I looted it yet not obtain it.

I’ve wanted this mount since I raided, fairly hardcore, ICC back in Wrath. I’ve run this raid countless times on many alts. I’ve tried begging the Lich King. I’ve tried dancing for him during his long roleplay (sounds kinky). Jerkface won’t give it up!

I’ll even try right now as I’m typing this!! *pause for a moment* Nope. To the vendor the items go. I’m not giving up. Invincible will be mine! Not sure when, but I will own this!!

A Weekend In The Mountains

Grizzly Hills, my peaceful zone!

Sometimes we all need an escape. In and out of game. Life gets busy and hectic. We’re surrounded by doom and gloom in the news. We run into toxic players in game. Some people, myself included, get so wrapped up in being the best they can be. Trying to be everything for everyone. They forget to just be.

Be present in the moment. Be yourself and love who that self is. Be aware of your limits. Be still. In the wise words of the Pandaren, “Slow down. Life is to be savored!”. Take time for yourself. Life can push you to the breaking point. Don’t be afraid to take care of yourself. Do you have something in game that relaxes you? Do you have a favorite zone to be in that let’s you feel at peace? A favorite activity to chill with? Fishing, pet collecting, mount running, old school questing?

How about in real life? Beyond Azeroth. What makes you happy? Where are you at peace. Don’t forget to enjoy life outside of the game once in a while. I’m heading up to the mountains this weekend for reals. Unplugging. Getting my head on straight. Taking time to just be. I encourage you all to do the same some time soon. Take a break from getting wrapped up in obligations, energy zapping (even though sometimes fun) activities, work, and taking care of everyone else. Take care of yourself.

Thanks for reading and see you on the other side of the mountains!

Midweek Randomness: Flynn Fairwind

Meet my friend, Flynn Fairwind. This seemingly Han Solo inspired Alliance npc will be with you, and seen often, as you quest through the Alliance side of BfA. I like him a lot. There’s some good humor and bad-assery going on with him. I won’t go into details. What I will share with you are the voice lines he has when you click on him multiple times:

“Ahoy”, “What’s the word?”, “A job’s a job mate”, “What’s your story”, “I’m all ears”, “Blood or gold, everything has a cost”. These are all basic npc type things. With a pirate flair (<3). They get better….

“Are you thirsty? I’m thirsty”, “Ahh the open sea! A shanty on your lips, the wind in your chest hair, now that’s freedom”, “Well unless you’ve been pressed into service with the Navy. Or captured by pirates and then captured by the Navy”. The voice actor for these lines is fantastic!

However, these are my two favorites: “Easy sailor! I know I look good but we’ve got work to do!” and “What are you, drunk? And you didn’t even think to share? I’m hurt!”

Soooo good!! I can’t wait for you all to get to know Flynn. Have a great rest of your week!!

Meet Freehold

I may have a new favorite dungeon. Humor, pirates, and great scenery. You can’t go wrong! Let me introduce you to Freehold!!

After killing some mobs, you meet your first boss: Skycap’n Kragg. While you’re clearing that trash, he’s flying overhead on his giant parrot named Sharkbait. Bombing you from the skies. Jerk.

Following riding across some cool bridges, you spend some time in this next area. There you have two options. You can kill a bunch of trash in the next couple of sections. The alternative is to follow a dog around until he digs up the keys to free the caged guy in the middle. He will give you pirate costumes to help you blend in. PIRATE COSTUMES guys. This is clearly the best choice.

 

The buff that helps you realize how much you jump while you game!

I do want to take a moment to point out one of the most annoying, and hilarious, debuffs I have ever seen in this game. You get it in this area as you are clearing trash. To my knowledge you can’t remove it.

 

You carry this debuff to the next boss. Council o’ Captains. These captains are sitting around a table, having themselves a drink. Here we are interrupting them. How rude of us! It’s a pretty cool fight with lot’s of pirate phrases being yelled at you. You may also have a barrel thrown onto your head. Your party mates are supposed to attack the barrel to break it off. While you have the barrel, your screen is black and you’re disorientated. An annoying, yet unique, mechanic!

After this you make your way to the Ring of Booty!! The first time I did this fight, I laughed pretty much the whole time. First off, booty (hehe!). Secondly, you start the fight by chasing a greased pig. Yep, that happens. Thirdly, you fight a turtle named Ludwig Von Tortollen, complete with funny introductions and nods to TMNT. Turtle Power! Finally you go up against Trothak, The Shark Puncher. Who literally is wearing sharks on his hands which he throws at you.

The dungeon wraps up with the boss Harlan Sweete. This slimy, villainous pirate is your pretty typical “don’t stand in the fire” fight. He throws out dice to determine what buffs he gets. Easy boss. I’ll be curious to see if this one gets any harder in mythic. It felt like a pretty anti-climatic end to the dungeon. However, the treasure background is really cool!

That’s it, you win. You took down those evil Irontide Raiders. Those scoundrels. Flynn Fairwind would be so proud of you! Don’t know who Flynn Fairwind is yet? Stay tuned!

Midweek Randomness: Midnight Salmon

The BfA beta finally put in a Fishing Trainer. Though you can only train up to Pandaria fishing that the time I’m writing this, you can still fish up BfA fish in the pools. Out of curiosity, I threw out my fishing line wanting to see what I would get. This is what I found:

Yay for night fishing! This is an interesting concept. Similar to Pokemon (and apparently Animal Crossing according to a friend of mine) where you can only get certain Pokemon at night. I’ll be curious to see how this sells on the AH!

Have a great rest of your week!