About the Bloggers: Kelly Aarons
About the Bloggers introduces you to the people behind WoW Insider. You can find articles on more of our staffers in earlier About the Bloggers profiles.
What do you do for WoW Insider?
I use my wacky art skills to draw the WoW Insider's Weekly Webcomic. Safe Passage: The Prologue is the story that's currently running. I'm also the resident Photoshop wizard when someone ... needs something Photoshopped, I suppose.
What's your main?
My main is Cadistra, a female Tauren feral druid. She was my first character that I made on a trial account, and I couldn't be happier. She's also the co-star of my webcomic, World of Warcraft, Eh?
What's the best 5-man instance in the game? What's the best raid?
The best 5-man? A bizarre tie of Halls of Reflection, the new Deadmines, and Oculus. HoR, because when I looked behind me after Arthas had fended off Sylvanas and he started walking after me, I was scared like you wouldn't believe. That steady, unyielding pace, while myself and the rest of my team was frantically slaying the undead ... I will always remember that. DM, because it's genuinely fun, and Oculus, because I enjoyed the dragon mechanics. Also, I adore the voice acting for Ley-Guardian Eregos.
I don't raid, but I love doing old content. My favorite raid is the Temple of Ahn'Quiraj. That place felt epic. Gross, but epic.
What's been your favorite expansion?
Honestly, I would say Wrath of the Lich King. Each expansion has its strengths and weaknesses: Cataclysm was ambitious, and The Burning Crusade was game-changing, but Wrath has (in my opinion) the perfect balance. It has the most cohesive design (visually, musically, lore-wise) and really felt like its own self-contained pocket of Azeroth. While I love Cataclysm, Wrath will always be my favorite.
Horde or Alliance?
For the Horde! But I have no hard feelings against the Alliance. They're cool people.
What's your favorite thing to do in Azeroth?
Explore! I love exploring! I'm the kind of player who can easily spend several hours just poking around the dusty nooks and crannies of the world. I also love questing and generally faffing about and being industrious with crafting.
What's your favorite piece of loot?
The Pillar of Ferocity, from the Battle of Mount Hyjal raid. I fell in love with it so much that it became Cadistra's in-comic weapon.
What's your favorite mount?
Coincidentally echoing Matt Walsh, it's my Cenarion War Hippogryph. Reading up on the lore, it's apparently a huge honor for a druid to get their hippogryph, and I worked really hard to get that. It's also very much an in-character mount for Cadi, as she rides it whenever she's on "druid business." My ground mounts are a tie between Anzu, the Raven Lord and my White War Talbuk. Nothing says a powerful druid like taking an invader from the Emerald Dream and making it your mode of transportation.
What's the best way to make gold?
Be diligent with your dailies, and play the Auction House.
What's the #1 thing Blizzard has done great?
Made an amazing game by people who are truly passionate about what they do.
What's the #1 thing Blizzard could do better?
Nothing honestly comes to mind. I'm not a rabid fangirl, but I am very easy to please.
When I'm not playing WoW, I'm...
Working at my full-time job, drinking tea, and drawing. I run the webcomic World of Warcraft, Eh?, which is a webcomic starring Cadistra the Tauren druid and Kissless the Blood Elf paladin. I've had to take a bit of a break, as life didn't allow for comics, but I'm chomping at the bit to get back to it.
I also do a weekly video gaming podcast called Polygamerous with a few other fellow gamers. It records every Monday at 8:30 p.m. Pacific.
What accomplishments are you most proud of in game?
There are a few achievements I'm proud of, but mostly I'm just proud of my amazing guild! Although I am sad that I haven't yet gotten Stood in the Fire. Come to think of it, I haven't even seen Deathwing torch a zone yet! Is he avoiding me?
