With 8.2 just around the bend, this will mark the first time I've played an entire WoW expansion cycle. Usually I drop out before or just after the first major content patch due to the huge dry spells. So this week has been all about the "oh, god, oh, god-- what do I still need to do?" bits until I remembered that it really doesn't matter.
Strev is close to level 48 on the necklace and would be at the 50-level max if I had not been quarter-assing it for a few months. There's supposed to be a new advancement mechanic for the stupid necklace so it works more like a Legion artifact, where you collect "essences" and unlock what amount to talents for your class, so worst case I should be able to get the last bit without stressing over it.
Anythe (Horde) is sitting around 10k rep shy of Exalted for Honorbound, so I wasn't able to finish the "other side's" 8.1 War Campaign in time, but that's ok. It isn't going anywhere and I'll just finish it up at my leisure once I get to the point of getting tired of whatever the new daily grind will be on Strev.
Acannasta (Void Elf victim of random name-generation) is sitting pretty at around level 43. Last night for funsies I ran her through Westfall and started in on Lakeshire between dungeon runs. Without a doubt she's the most fun I'm having right now. Since her progress is irrelevant in the long run, she will get mothballed when 8.2 drops, so I'm enjoying the ride for now. On a typical run "Canna" is usually second or third on the DPS charts, behind the tank and maybe a DPS. (Tanks at this level have ridiculous AoE and since they try to pull the world usually, they stay in the #1 spot. I'm ok with this.) I took the level 30 talent that give my PW: Shield's target a 3 second speed boost, so I'm usually running "support". In between fights, I'll boost the tank along to make the run go that much faster, off-heal when the "real healer" needs it, drop a shield just before the tank engages, levitate when the dungeon calls for it (Screw you, Gnomeregan). Then there was Scarlet Halls.
I've commented before that run at this level are generally smooth. Operative word: generally. Every now and then, you'll get a new tank who pulls things one at a time (longest Wailing Caverns run since Vanilla there) and the DPS decides to start "helping", then it just gets hilarious, but this… I can only guess it was a new healer without anything on their tray. At first I thought the shaman healer was afk, but they were tagging along, not contributing to DPS… and not seeming to heal either. DPS was never healed and every now and then I'd see a tiny sliver on the health bar indicate something was healing the tank, but by the second Near Death Experience for the tank, I started full-bore healing. As shadow. Kill me. Twice the tank died due to me being silenced or stunned, and I took a death myself and I have no idea if the tank ever knew I was the only reason he wasn't tasting floor much more often. The shaman never said a word-- we just continued like that for another 9 minutes and cleared the place.
Shame on me for replacing Recount with a snazzier DPS meter. I haven't bothered to learn how the thing works yet, so I didn't try to figure out what the shaman was or was not doing. Still we were all new or tried to play hopped up on Ambien once. Hopefully, they'll get the hang of it.
No comments:
Post a Comment