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20 observations from a leveling tank
My main is a druid tank and healer, but on occasion, I've returned to two low-level warrior alts and braved leveling in the Dungeon Finder. Most leveling groups are a bit like the proverbial little girl with pigtails: When they're good, they're very, very good ... and when they're bad, they're horrid. The following is a list of somewhat random observations I have collected after several expansions' worth of tanking for low-level groups. 1. Don't take shortcuts on trash packs. The time you save sneaking past one of them will be eliminated by the time you'll lose when someone blunders into them and dies. 2. Someone will almost always blunder into them and die. 3. Despite common complaints on the forums, the vast majority of players are actually really nice people who are perfectly willing to tolerate mistakes and the learning curve. The actual occurrence of true, unforgivable jackasses seems to be about one per five groups, although this depends on when you're queuing.
Sunday Morning Funnies: Middle-up
It's the last Sunday before Christmas, but whether you celebrate it or not, we'll have a treat for you next week on the 26th! Several comic artists are collaborating on a Secret Santa (or Greatfather Winter?) swap. They each have the name of another comic but do not necessarily know who all is participating and don't know who will be drawing their comic. This should be a blast! Incidentally, if you emailed me and entered as a participant but did not receive my reply email, email me again or check your spam folders. Enough business; here is the list! It even features several new comics: Jinylee. *New! WoW, eh?: A Hot Side of Beef Away From Reality: There's No Aggro Like Snow Aggro Penny-Arcade: A Priori. Also: Wolf of the Year Dork Tower. Also check out the one previous. *Never previously featured! Out of World: Beneath the Shadow part 4 and part 5 Disciplinary Action: Episode 17 Chainsawsuit: Wow What a Difference. Also: Wow This Is Great! *Not previously featured! Beyond the Tree: Quest Complete and Dear Edwin Teh Gladiators: Gun vs. Cannon: Round 1 Complex Actions: A Moment with Silk's New Rogue and Or Your Azerothian Destination of Choice Tales from the Crossroads: Into the Fire Safe Passage Coffin Comics: Just a Bad Dream Coffin Minis: Buddum Chh What's Shakin': Page 15 Torment of the Week: Long Story Short GU Comics: Whassat? and Shave and a Haircut and Intervention Dark Legacy Comics: Battle Fourth Wall: Simple Like That Lorgrokni's Travels: Goblin Loan 1 and Goblin Loan 2 and Lovable Oaf Blood and Thunder: On Procrastination The Daily Blink: Yes, I'm Aware, I'll Get Letters and Poster #3: Mekkatorque and A Flyer in the Auction House Arena-Inside: Indeed He Does! and Indeed He's Not... and THIS ... IS ... CHRISTMAS! Travels with Tenthunders: Neither an Alliance, nor a Horde. Discuss LFG #417 and #418 The Warcraft Hero in: How to Fight Your Dragon NPC: The Future of Shopping Is Now and The Couple That Wows Together... Guilded Age %Gallery-98595%
Sunday Morning Funnies: Change is good
It's super secret Santa time! The suggestion was put forth by Azarizotza last week in the comments section, and there seems to be some support for the plan. So, if you run a comic that gets featured here from time to time and you would like to participate, shoot me an email by 8:00 p.m. EST December 18. I'll shuffle the names and email them back out. Edit: If you don't have my email from our gallery correspondence, you can always use the WoW Insider tipline. Now, for the list: From the Thunder and the Storm's crossword is now playable online. Slash AFK: Not Prepared. Tales from the Crossroads: Out of the Frying Pan... Blood and Thunder: On New Class/Race Combinations. Safe Passage. Torment of the Week: Pray for Peace. Travels with Tenthunders: Stuff Green People Like. Teh Gladiators: That Tank Looks Familiar. Arena-Inside: Cry 'Havoc' and Let Slip the Dogs of War... craft. Also, ... undersized furbolgs? Lorgrokni's Travels: Girl Gamers and Little Flashing Buttons and On a Budget. Out of World: Beneath the Shadow part 3. DLC: Ashes to Ashes. The Daily Blink: Your Epic Fan Poster. Also: Take Two Potions Daily and The Maelstrom. NPC: Perfect. Also: Computed and A Whole Old World. Complex Actions: Offer May No Longer Be Valid. Also: The Morning After. Beyond the Tree: Excuse Me Mr. Equine Transport Officer, Would You Mind Stopping Pronto. Fourth Wall: Bad Idea and King of the Hill. Away From Reality: Midnight. The Warcraft Hero in: Super Guest Comic. Guilded Age. LFG #415 and #416. What's Shakin': Page 14. Coffin Minis: Fly Troll Air. Coffin Comics: Re-Zoned. Disciplinary Action: Episode 16. GU Comics has a slew of WoW-related comics this week: Real Quick. Release Day. Crevasse Hole. Rotating the Buffet. He's Back. This one may only make sense if you follow the comic, but reading the short blurb at the bottom should help.
Sunday Morning Funnies: A long wait
With Cataclysm descending on Tuesday, excitement is mounting. To help you cope with the anticipation, this week's list of comics is extra long! As always, post your tips in the comments section. Three Panel Soul: On Cataclysms Demolition Squad: WoW Cataclysm Blood and Thunder: On Bad Puns and Future Mums and On the Emergence of Deathwing NPC: Worgenation Travels with Tenthunders: Nuggets! Complex Actions: Artisan Worldbreaker Wanted. Also: Aspect of Noob and Light My Fire Fourth Wall: Masochist Healers Daily Quests: Stood in the Fire Safe Passage Nerf NOW!!: Preparations and Fiery Revenge Away from Reality: Minimum Settings Drunken Pirates Guild: Let Sleeping Dogs Lie (a little NSFW) Disciplinary Action: I, Gerald The Daily Blink: Double Secret Reverse Psychology. Also: Role Reversal and For Unemployed Readers Beyond the Tree: Faster and More Intense LFG: #413 and #414 GU Comics: Rwil Mluuglilwr! Torment of the Week: Happy Thoughts Ctrl+Alt+Del: Shattered Uponst Out of World: Beneath the Shadow and Beneath the Shadow part 2 Cru the Dwarf: Cold as Ice (NSFW) The Warcraft Hero in: Deathwing Is Not Happy Coffin Comics: Gamon's Revenge What's Shakin': Page 13 Coffin Minis: Game Time Lorgrokni's Travels: Grouping Up Also: Pet Selection Tales from the Crossroads: Filler! When Real Life Attacks! Then for the comic: There Goes the Neighbourhood Slash AFK: WTB Personal Space Also: Rrrgrl-stuffed Dark Legacy Comics: A Deal With Deathwing Guilded Age I missed Arena-Inside last week (sorry!), so we have some catching up to do. In descending order: Once a Hunter, Always a Hunter... She Brought Her Paper of Pain A Cataclysmas Carol King's Orders Expect the Unexpected! Too Much? %Gallery-98595%
Sunday Morning Funnies: The late edition
Comic news: Disgraph is back! Slash AFK sent me (slightly NSFW?) love! For Amanda Miller... <3. For reasons that are definitely not biased, this is Totally Comic News. The Adventures of Disgraph T. Dwarf: Never Frog-et. Daily Quests: Identity Crisis. Tales from the Crossroads: The Thought Plickens. Arena-Inside: Part 55. Also: Part 56. LFG #397 and #398. The Warcraft Hero in: Escape Plan. Away From Reality: Heavy Petting. (totally safe for work) Disciplinary Action: Episode 7. Slash AFK: See above! Also, I Like Trees and Brain Sucker. Torment of the Week: General Gushma. Beyond the Tree: Parting Ghotis. Also: Dead Mines Tell No Tale. Fourth Wall: Provocateur Amateurs. Safe Passage. WoW, eh?: Apology Accepted. Out of World: At the Ball part 15. Dark Legacy Comics: Thief. What's Shakin': Page 5. Coffin Minis: The Winner. Coffin Comics: ... vs the world... of Warcraft. Guilded Age. Teh Gladiators: Ze War Rages On! Click forward three or four times! Blood and Thunder: Goblins: The New Race part 1. Featured comment from last week's list: Disgraph said: Oh, hey. So I noticed this guy started updating again: http://disgraphtdwarf.net Something about a new web address or other such nonsense. Frankly, it's about time. I was getting tired of Disgraph being such a bum and falling off the face the earth. Although I have to admit, the author seems very familar ... %Gallery-98595%
Sunday Morning Funnies: Stylin'
Comic news: Congratulations on your 100th comic, Away From Reality! Tokkar is ill. We wish you well! Out of World has started a new chapter. Also, there are two new comics on the list this week, so keep an eye out. NPC: A Cavern to the East, a Tunnel to the West. (Click back two for non-WoW-related lead-up) Daily Quests: And Still Just as Grumpy. Also: Not Eggxactly What I Was Hoping For. Sorry for missing you last week! Arena-Inside: Part 53 and Part 54 Out of Ink: There's No Place Like... and The Trash The Warcraft Hero in: That's so Goblin
Sunday Morning Funnies: That is a strange word
The comics: Kelly Aaron's new comic, Safe Passage, hosted at WoW Insider Slash AFK: Nothing to Scratch About. Also: G for the G-Bag and Braces, much? Away From Reality: Failure is Gnot an Option Travels with Tenthunders: Brewfesht Mem... Memorish... Memoriesh WoW, eh?: The Big Reveal What's Shakin' Torment of the Week: Inevitable Complex Actions: A Holy Douche. Also: Dire Straits LFG #393 and #394 Teh Gladiators: It Is Mine! All Mine! Coffin Minis: Peacecraft Blood and Thunder: On Bad Drinking Jokes. Also: On How He Got His Spec Coffin Comics: Happy Brewfest Fourth Wall: It Always Ends in Tears. Also: Die for Me Nerf Now: Operation Gnomeregan Tales from the Crossroads: [Edit] The Eagles, Rolf! Beyond the Tree: Carrot on a Plate NPC: DPS DnD RPG (Click back twice to see the not-WoW-related lead up.) Arena-Inside: Part 50. Also: Part 51 and Part 52 Out of World: At the Ball pt 14 Dark Legacy Comics: Super Donald #2 Guilded Age Last week's featured comment: The discussion last week was so good that I'm just going to link you to the comments page! Thanks for getting the discussion going, ladyaxolotl (of Out of World). %Gallery-98595%
The Care and Feeding of Warriors: Heroics, protection spec and build 13033
The Care and Feeding of Warriors is about warriors, who hurl themselves into the fray, the very teeth of danger, armed with nothing more than the biggest weapons and armored with the absolutely heaviest armor we can find. Hey, we're not stupid -- we're just crazy. Last week, I said that we'd see changes to protection. This week, we're seeing them. It's build 13033, also known (to those of us who care) as the protection warrior pass. Last week firmly started balancing fury's DPS, but this week is definitely protection's turn. Today, in fact, just hours before this patch went to the beta servers, I got done writing a long post talking about protection in the beta, what I saw as its strong points and its weak points. Every single one of the weak points was addressed in this build. Every single one. This is what you call serendipity. It also means I have to completely rewrite my column with not a lot of time to spare, so as you may understand, I am at once pleased to see things improved and irritated that I spent all that time writing a column that will never see the light of day. It should be noted that these changes are on the PTR, not live on the beta as yet. It's a little odd to see the PTR get updated first, but I'd expect the beta servers will see a new build soon as well. Having been 85 for a week, as well as having transferred over two level 85 premades, I've been running around testing out various alternate specs and taking them into instances. Why did I do this? Because, as we have already established, I am certifiably insane. Even before this patch, protection stood out as the strongest of the warrior leveling specs, and now it should see increased power as a tanking class. Vengeance is amazing for a leveling protection warrior. It takes the greatest strength of the tanking classes -- the ability to soak up damage -- and turns it into offensive power.
Sunday Morning Funnies: Lions and tigers and dragons
Comic news: Fyreuni announced that "Daily Quests is on hold while I work on Emergency Kindergarten Lesson 2!" I am definitely a little disappointed, but I think the project will be worth it. Tokkar was also kind enough to point out that Shawn Tommelleo of Coffin Comics has a new project called What's Shakin' that Tommelleo (aka Coffinshaker) described as not set in "WoWland," but it does feature the same characters. Sorry I missed it; the end of August and beginning of September were very hectic! To answer tr_rrr, Cru the Dwarf and other comics that do not update very often will not necessarily show up on the list as soon as they update, because I don't have the time to check every comic that ever posts something WoW-related each week. I rely on tips and comments and my own whims to learn about them. This is also why Kuo was only added again last week, for example. Thanks for tipping me off that it has updated, though!
Sunday Morning Funnies: Don't smile anymore
Comic news: Kelly Aarons of WoW, eh? drew a comic about her time at PAX 2010, and Silkspinner of Complex Actions drew a blog post/comic about her experience as a canary. Glad you're okay, Silk! Guilded Age has started its 7th chapter, and we even have a bonus comic this week from Working Daze. New to the list: Blood and Thunder! Let's start with the first one, and next week I'll begin posting the latest. Kuo: I'm Just Here to Dance! SMF used to feature Kuo, before it went on a hiatus. Thanks for the tip that it is posting again, Coffinshaker! Also check out Keen. Check out Arena-Inside, from the beginning. Comics: Out of World: Dead in the Wall. Coffin Comics: Meet Me Half Way. Teh Gladiators: The Mysterious Monolith. (part 1 of 2) Beyond the Tree: To the victor.... Slash AFK: Angry Typing. Also, Oh Those Wo-Hos and Home Girl, Vroom. Tales from the Crossroads: Lost and Found. Away From Reality: Bewildered. NPC: Braggart. Also, Insufferable and Conditional Fun. Complex Actions: Operation: Errand Girl. Dark Legacy Comic: Bad Attitude. Also: Picnic. LFG #389 and #390. The Warcraft Hero in: No Contest. Coffin Minis: Don't Tweet Me. Last week's featured comment: lazymangaka said, "These comics always make me want to start my own WoW comic."%Gallery-98595%
Garrosh, a raid boss?
I don't necessarily agree with everything we highlight here on WoW.com, but just because a post seems wrong doesn't mean it isn't interesting to talk about. Such is the case with Loregy's latest post -- they suggest that after all is said and done, the much beloved (whoops, not) Garrosh Hellscream will end up at the wrong end of our weapons. They say that the big fight between Garrosh and Thrall (rudely interrupted by the Wrath of the Lich King) means that Garrosh is in for a whooping at some future point. Matt basically said as much in his post a while back -- Garrosh is a flawed hero, to say the least, and it's likely that sometime here, those flaws are going to catch up with him, possibly in the form of us players.Now of course whether that's true or not is an entirely different question from whether that's what you want or not. Kisirani has already said that there are sides of Garrosh we haven't seen yet, and Blizzard could go either way with him -- either put him through some troubles and teach him to learn some lessons (right now the guy is pretty dumb), or do what Loregy is suggesting and turn him into a raid boss (wouldn't be the first faction leader with such a fate, to be honest). Personally, I think Garrosh is headed for a little redemption -- all he really needs, to my mind, is a little experience and humility, and, as I understand it, war can teach those pretty well.
