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Pilgrim's Bounty FAQ
Around the feast areas, at least on my own server, I've seen the same questions keep popping up about the new holiday, Pilgrim's Bounty. I thought it might be helpful to try answering them here. By necessity, these are a little general; if you want a closer look at getting the holiday achievements, please read our updated guide to Pilgrim's Bounty achievements. Help! Where do I go to get started? Go to any of your faction's major cities and find the feasting area. For Alliance, head to Stormwind, Ironforge, or Darnassus: for Horde, head to Orgrimmar, Undercity, or Thunder Bluff. While you can start the holiday in either the Exodar or Silvermoon, it's a little faster to start in any of the "classic" cities because you don't pick up any quests in their BC counterparts.
The OverAchiever: Guide to Pilgrim's Bounty 2009
UPDATE: Pilgrim's Bounty is now live on my server as I write this at 4:30 AM EST Sunday, and this guide has been updated. We've also written a Pilgrim's Bounty FAQ to answer the more common questions we've seen concerning the holiday. Pilgrim's Bounty is a brand-new holiday that in 2009 will run between 1:00 am server time Sunday, November 22nd and 11:50 pm server time Saturday, November 28th. Because it's new, expect to see this post updated extensively in the 24 hours after the holiday goes live. We'll have new information on quests, items, and vendor locations, plus screenshots of WoW's newest holiday. As an FYI, Pilgrim's Bounty is not part of the yearlong meta What A Long, Strange Trip It's Been, so if you fall short on any of the achievements below, you're not running the risk of having to wait another year for a crack at a violet protodrake. However, you will miss out on the Pilgrim title and plump turkey pet that are rewards for completing the Pilgrim meta. Let's get started! "FOOD FIGHT!" (Alliance) and "FOOD FIGHT!" (Horde) This is a pretty simple achievement. The Bountiful Tables located around each capital's feasting area (all of them are very large and easy to spot) are actually vehicles. Each of the 5 chairs at the tables is dedicated to one of the specific dishes (mouse over them and you'll see them named "The Stuffing Chair" or "The Turkey Chair"), but for this achievement you don't need any particular food. Take a seat, target a fellow player at the table, and use the first option (to "pass" a dish), and rather than passing the dish you'll smack them over the head with it and get your achievement.
Brewfest 2009: Coren Direbrew's new level 80 loot revealed
With Brewfest now underway, I hope everyone's had a crack or two at seasonal boss Coren Direbrew -- I myself am going to try to get a group for him as soon I'm done writing here. If you have, there's probably two major things you've noticed: He's level 80 now, and he has some new loot.Let's take a look at his loot, both old and new.
The OverAchiever: Guide to Midsummer Fire Festival achievements
It's that time of year again, folks. Frankly, I'm glad to be back in the realm of more reasonable and just plain fun holiday achievements, because I hated School of Hard Knocks, and wound up giving up and quitting the achievement after hours of fruitless battleground deaths. Fortunately, the Fire Festival has a lot less potential to drive you to the nuthouse, and a lot more potential to grant experience, gold, and cool items. From what I've seen, Blizzard hasn't changed the holiday since its 2008 incarnation, which is actually a good thing in a number of ways because last year's revamped and expanded Fire Festival was great. A note on eligibility: your character will need to be at least 50 to hand in the items needed for King of the Fire Festival, and at least 65 to get the higher-level quests necessary for killing Lord Ahune in Slave Pens. With that said, we still recommend that lower-level characters participate, because you'll wind up with a ton of experience and gold even if you can't complete the meta-achievement.Should you complete the meta, you will be awarded the "Flame Keeper" title. I've listed all of the required achievements in the order I think will be easiest/fastest for the average player to do.UPDATE: Your character is currently unable to honor/desecrate any flame (including city flames) that you've honored/desecrated in 2008, which will make getting enough Burning Blossoms to purchase Midsummer clothing difficult, if not impossible. I'm still trying to find official confirmation that this is a bug (and I assume it has to be, as otherwise the meta-achievement isn't doable), but it also appears that fires have been added to Northrend as well. I'm heading ingame right now to assemble a list with coordinates and will update the post later.%Gallery-25803%
You may be a Love Fool after all
If you played WoW at all during the Love is in the Air holiday event that ran in early February, then you surely heard the moaning about the meta achievement, Fool For Love, which grants the title, Love Fool. Whether you wanted to celebrate this month or not, anyone seeking to complete their long and strange trip and acquire the coveted Violet Proto-Drake, had to be a Fool For Love.One of the requirements was to complete the achievement, Be Mine, which had players running back to old world capital cities, dousing themselves in smelly concoctions, and begging the guards and citizens not to break their hearts. This gave us one chance per hour at obtaining the elusive Bag of Candies that would allow players ten chances to create, ideally, eight unique candies. The drop rate for the bag was so poor and the holiday so short that people begged Blizzard to improve their chances. While the drop rate for the bag was increased at the last minute, many people who put in a superb effort still did not acquire their title. Blizzard has since crunched the numbers, and some great news was handed down by Zarhym that should put everyone's mind at rest. While the Be Mine achievement is not being removed as a requirement for completion of the meta achievement, instead of needing all eight candies, you will only need to have obtained six!Not only that, but you won't have to wait until next year. As of patch 3.1, all you will need to do is login to be granted your achievement, as well as your title, as long as you had made at least six unique candies. Many players would still like to see that particular achievement removed from the meta entirely, but Blizzard stands firm that the point of What a Long, Strange Trip it's Been and its reward is to be something that only a dedicated few will earn each year. They aren't about to make it too easy.If you missed this requirement, will you be getting your title on patch day, or are you still feeling disgruntled?
Insider Trader: Love is in the Air edition
Love will soon be in the air, and it's time you worked out your game plan. Chances are that it won't be just the city guards and leaders that will catch your eye (or eye socket). Whether you're looking to reel someone in, set up a romantic excursion, or send an enemy a delicious surprise, you'll find that preparation is the key. This year, crafted items are the hot new trend. What better to say, "Darling, I can't get enough of the way your eyes puss" than with handmade?First, you have to look the part. For all of you gents out there, I recommend seeking out a tailor for your very own Tuxedo Jacket, Tuxedo Pants, and coordinating Tuxedo Shirt. Alternatively, a Festival Suit will have you standing apart from the crowd, while a Colorful Kilt will set up some easy access to um, cultural traditions.For the gals, we have the lovely and sophisticated Festival Dress, or the elaborate and vaguely desperate White Wedding Dress. If you want to attract a different sort of attention, then try the Red Winter Clothes on for size! They aren't just for Winter Veil, and are snazzier than anything Victoria keeps secret.
A pet collector's guide to the Darkmoon Faire
Even if you haven't been a long-time collector of non-combat pets such the Azure Whelpling, the Spirit of Competition, or the Phoenix, now is the perfect time to begin. On October 14th, when patch 3.0.2 descends, so does the achievement system, and with it, "Shop Smart, Shop Pet...Smart," the achievement for collecting 50 non-combat pets. The reward is of course, another non-combat pet, along with achievement points to help you feel 1337.The Darkmoon Faire offers you the opportunity to easily and cheaply acquire three of the five frog pets in the game. While you'll have to shell out a bit of money, you might be able to make a profit in the end. For higher levels, the cost won't even be noticeable. Here is what you can acquire: [Wood Frog Box] [Tree Frog Box] [Unhatched Jubling Egg] that will transform into [A Jubling's Tiny Home] after one week.
Rounding up Brewfest
Brewfest is upon us, and for those of you who missed out on the festivities last year, we're rounding up all of the events from the first ever Brewfest 2007, as well as the previews we have for this year. Brewfest 2007Information Check out the tips and tricks for completing the quests and earning tickets. Discussion Read up on how players spent their Brewfest last year, including what they purchased with their tickets and what their overall goals were. Check out the reader poll that assessed how much of what people wanted out of Brewfest was actually achieved. Extras Check out Brewfest, the movie! Last year's Brewfest was pretty buggy from launch, and we had the details, including the buggy quests and Dark Iron raids. While some of their fixes worked well, others were patchy, at best. Brewfest 2008Previews The mount system from 2007 that allowed players with enough tickets to purchase a [Swift Brewfest Ram] is gone. This year, the Alliance will have access to rams, while the Horde will get a kodo. Needless to say, people are not pleased by the change. A new holiday boss is being implemented, with loot that is definitely worth the effort! Check out the Grim Guzzler! %Gallery-8222%%Gallery-8945%
Sunday Morning Funnies: Of edible size
This week we have a new comic up for scrutiny concerning Blizzcon, a comic depicting the humorous side of the Midsummer Fire Festival, and some pretty aggressive battle strategy. A new comic has sprung up about the adventures of two 'durids' attempting to get to Blizzcon. It makes use of a bit too much lol-speak for my tastes, but what do you guys think? The fellows of Dark Legacy Comics are going to require a Plan B if they hope to reclaim their place on the top of the hierarchy. Also, I am jealous of their murloc action figure. On LFG, the gnomes are coming to save the day! This episode actually stands well on its own. When stealth goes wrong. NoObz. Episode 21 of The Adventures of Disgraph T. Dwarf is A Midsummer Night's Dream. Are you ready to vote?
Blizzard's holiday contests
It's the time of year for goodies and cheer, and all of Azeroth is celebrating Winter's Veil. The good folks at Blizzard have kicked off two contests that will let you tap into your creative and festive self, as well as giving you a chance at some nifty prizes. The Royal Photographic Society of Azeroth has hereby declared that they are in need of top notch screenshots featuring your WoW holiday celebrations. If you would like to brush up on the fundamentals and technicalities of in-game photography, check out our tips for taking screenshots, or read through Blizzard's guidelines. If cooking and baking are more your style, then whip up a batch of something delicious and festive, take a photograph (or have a friend do it for you) and submit it. As I will be preparing holiday goodies this year, I would send in my own photographs, except that the contest is only open to (most of) the United States. I will have to settle for merely munching on them, and perhaps posting one or two Well Fed Buffs, instead. Make the jump to learn about the prizes you could win, and what sorts of entries are likely to be picked.
