A Little Chatting Over Coffee
I don’t feel like writing a coherent, thought out, potentially useful post today. So I’m not going to. Instead I’m going to sit here with some coffee (ok, I’m lying, I haven’t taken the coffee machine out of the moving boxes yet – I’m actually drinking beer) and ramble. I’d apologize but I’m not sorry and I know you don’t mind anyway.
I didn’t answer comments
I didn’t answer any comments from the last post. Don’t worry, I read them all and I love that so many of you took the time to share your own drinking-during-heroics strategies. I edited in a reply to one of the points that came up a few times (you can’t miss it: italics at the end!) but otherwise I thought it best to leave the comments section alone. I had already explained the logic behind my strategy and the comments were everyone else’s turn to share their own strategies.
I’ll say this, though: I like my heroics fast. Like really fast. Like once I even got annoyed at some dps who were eating instead of letting me heal them.
I think most healers underestimate themselves. Ok, I don’t know most healers. Let me rephrase that. I think most vocal-in-the-blogosphere healers underestimate themselves. You guys kick ass, you really do. You can squeeze way more out of yourselves than you believe. And it’s fun to be challenged at times.
Of course, just because you’re awesome doesn’t mean that its ok for your pug-teammates to be rude. And yes, standing in shit, hitting random mobs instead of the tanks’ target, breaking CC, ignoring the healer, etc. is rude. Just making sure I’m not misunderstood here!
Strength in Numbers
I’ve been getting all my Marks of the World Tree and capping my Valor Points for the past few weeks. There was a lot of chatting about To Cap or Not To Cap awhile back. Me, I stick with my Social Contract theory. If your team as a whole tends to cap VP, then you’ll want to cap VP. You don’t want to hold them back. If no one caps their VP and you do, though, it’s a different story. You need to be uber motivated or else you’ll get very frustrated very fast.
As I mentioned earlier, I’ve been capping my VP. And to my utter and deepest delight, so have most of my teammates.
Just not at the same time as me.
When you’re only killing one, maybe two raid bosses a week, running the same two instances 5-6 times every week is tedious. That’s when I discovered Real ID.
Real ID + Twitter = Weapon of mass dungeon obliteration!
Whenever I needed a friend, I shouted out it on Twitter. I’ve been teaming up with Entropia, Anslym and Jed over the past few weeks and it’s been wonderful. (I share my real name with a celebrity so if anyone googles me, they’ll think I’m a rather attractive gaming company CEO. I don’t mind being mistaken for her.) I’ve been getting to know them better, hanging out on vent with them and laughing with them about nothings. And after a few hours of good times with friends, I end up with all these Valor Points.
Lodur even joined Entropia, Jed and I one night, finally earning me the ZA bear run achievement. I’d been wanting to do it since forever, but I haven’t gotten lucky with pugs. (I also teamed up with Lodur for dailies- we’re on the same server- and OMG they’re so much smoother when you do them with a friend!)
Oh, and one night my raid leader fished in his Real ID list and pulled out WoW Insider’s Fox Van Allen! I got so giddy fangirly, you’d never believe it! I don’t think I was able to type in a single thing all run.
So I gotta say, going out of my way to VP cap every week has been frustrating at times, but it’s also has some really awesome moments. As proud as I am of my associalness, I have to admit I’ve been converted to Real ID.
Gossip Corner
If I were reading this post, my eyes would be instantly drawn to the gossip section.
So, the decision everyone (well, not everyone, but everyone who has to put up with me on a regular basis) has been waiting to hear! I decided to stay with my guild for now. The general sentiment has been one of wanting to get more serious about raiding. And my sentiment has been that I’ve been looking for a project. Also, if you remember my post on the kind of leaders I want to follow, you’ll be interested to hear that the post was inspired by the common traits of a few of the WoW leaders I’ve met in my life. Including my current raid leader. (He doesn’t read my blog, so I can flatter him all he wants without worrying that he’ll get embarrassed.) While I do miss 25 mans and more progressive raiding, I think that, at the moment, I’m pretty spoiled.
Oh and there is also certain, um, possibly good news IRL. Which has nothing to do with my guild. Or WoW even. But its very exciting and fun. And that’s about as much as I can say on the blog. For now…
Explore posts in the same categories: General WoWTags: comments on blogs posts, heroics and me, rambling posts, real ID, running instances with friends
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The Bossy Pally and the Giant Spoon 
August 11, 2011 at 10:11 am
It sounds like you’re in a fabulous place and finding happiness and fun where you can. I couldn’t be more happy for you. It’s too bad the Real ID grouping wasn’t an option when I was still a Dwarf priest. I would have totally grouped up with you! I could have gone shadow and you could heal or I could heal and you can go LOLret.
I still squeal over the fact that I’m in a guild with Avalonna. Hearing her call me “Princess Bitchface” just feels like a hug from Jesus sometimes.
😉
August 11, 2011 at 12:13 pm
A guild with Avalonna has got to be a good time! Damn MMOs and their time-consumness or else I’d pop in and visit!
August 11, 2011 at 2:00 pm
Quite a few people from Twitter or the blogging world have alts in our guild. They may not play them often or they may not stay long, but they pop in once in a while. Ava’s been pretty good about selling the guild and encouraging people to at least try the game and see what it’s like.
You’re busy doing your thing and doing it well! we understand!
❤
August 12, 2011 at 10:48 am
Hello, I recently found your blog. Your pally tips and theories are great reading material. They’re great subject matter when I discuss stat gearing strats with my pally friends.
I noticed from your previous guild from your earlier posts that you’re in the same realm as me. Small world huh.
So if you ever need a tank, feel free to hit me up.
Grats on your bear run and continue blogging.
Florismart
August 17, 2011 at 1:18 pm
You’re on my server! No way!! I’m totally adding you to my friends list! (My pally is Rykga)
Thanks for dropping by!
August 12, 2011 at 3:52 pm
I’ve only gotten to RealID run a few times but I have enjoyed it a lot! I don’t know too many bloggers, but not having to worry about a Z’A that fails over and over on trash, or a Z’G that cannot finish Jindo is such a relief when you have a full group of excellent gamers.
August 17, 2011 at 1:20 pm
Exactly!
If you want to team up sometime, send me a DM on twitter or an email. I’m not online often these days (I’m working pretty much every night I’m not raiding), but when I am, I’m usually looking for people to run heroics with.
August 25, 2011 at 12:34 pm
Just saw this now, maybe I should turn on track comments or something! 😛
And will do.
August 18, 2011 at 2:48 pm
Grats on the bear run! the real ID thing sounds like a blast. Too bad everyone I know is not horde ><
August 19, 2011 at 9:45 am
I loved your drinking-during-heroics post, although it didn’t really apply to me since I don’t ever purchase drinks. I’m either too lazy or I don’t want to waste the gold. I think it might be a bit of both. In any case, aside from the occasional snack some monster drops, I have nothing to drink in heroics, but my mana remains okay for the majority of the time (unless we’re doing a Bear-ly Made It ZA or such). However, in raids (I’m currently doing the nerfed BWD/BoT 10-person) my mana tends to drop to about 25% while the boss remains at 75%. ALL of the other people I’m raiding with (non-paladins), apparently, do not have this issue. I’m wondering how your mana is during raids, and possibly what you do about it. Thanks, and sorry about the wall of text.
What times does your guild raid?
Also… what’s the good news? =D
August 22, 2011 at 12:58 am
From talking to other paladins (and other healers), there seems to be two trends in paladin raid healing: paladins who use up then regain their mana and paladins who are careful and never go below 75%.
I follow the former.
I rarely run dry, but I empty out my mana bar during fights. (I do better for mana on movement fights though, because I can’t cast as often) I get it back by using Holy Light + Cooldowns, judging every cooldown and meleeing. If you can, try standing with melee. The difference in mana return is amazing.
August 22, 2011 at 11:20 pm
That must be the secret! The melee, that is. I’m a tad busy being a leveling priest at the moment, but this news makes me anxious to raid again as a paladin. The only thing I wonder wonder is how to balance casting heals and swinging my mace so that I don’t suffer too much on the meters.
August 24, 2011 at 1:54 am
I just saw your priest ;D You should have said something! I feel all rude now, but I swear I didn’t know until just a few minutes ago!
August 20, 2011 at 11:01 am
[…] reading about the post from Ophelie where she talked about running Heroics with bloggers using the new Real ID grouping feature, I realised that I’m missing […]
August 22, 2011 at 11:47 am
If you weren’t Alliance, I would totally do Real ID grouping with you. Plus, next time you’re in Edmonton we definitely have to meet up again… even though I know I’m not really the most exciting person to talk to. 😛
I also drink while instancing, just usually a Coke to keep me awake. 🙂
August 24, 2011 at 1:55 am
I’ll be in Edmonton this Friday and Saturday! Leaving early Sunday morning because I have to work in my home store at 10.
August 22, 2011 at 1:30 pm
I’m not being a good raider right now, I’m not capping my valor points. I did for a few weeks but then real life has kicked me in the teeth.
However, I agree. I hate low instances 🙂 I’m always telling our tanks ‘Go go go go , we’ll be fine. Go go go go.”
August 24, 2011 at 1:59 am
I had to stop capping my valor points too due to being too busy IRL. Helping the guild is good, but IRL guilds shouldn’t be neglected in the process!
I haven’t done a low instance in forever. I don’t remember them being too painful, but then my expectations are so low that it would have to be absolutely awful for me to be discouraged!
August 22, 2011 at 10:23 pm
Whereas a few weeks ago I was not capping VP, right now I am managing to do so, because my gear is sufficiently good enough to cope with fail pug tanks and low dps in troll runs; I still have to pull out all the stops now and again, though, which is ok if I’m up for the challenge, but not so much if I’m tired and just want to get them over with asap!
Another benefit is we are killing more bosses in Firelands, so I don’t have to do as many trolls per week as before.
August 24, 2011 at 1:53 am
Haha, I’ve been counting my boss kills in Firelands as “X less troll heroics”
August 24, 2011 at 10:36 am
I have to say I have really enjoyed the Real ID grouping, though haven’t been able to do it much, but since we are both alliance, if you ever need a tank or dps let me know, hit me up on twitter (@ceraphus).
The Real ID dungeon finder has been one of the best features blizzard has put out in a while.
August 25, 2011 at 2:33 am
I always need a tank or dps ^_^ Or at least, when I’m playing, I’m always need a tank or dps. Been taking time away from the game outside of raids due to crazy ass work schedule, but I’m hoping it’ll calm down in September.
August 24, 2011 at 8:11 pm
I envied your Real ID Heroics after some quite fail random ones, so now I’ve taken the initiative to try and get some going over in Europe – assuming there’s some players actually playing on this side 😛 But I’ve found a few so far.
August 25, 2011 at 2:37 am
I’ve just been posting on twitter that I’m looking for someone to run heroics with and usually there are a few takers. Twitter is a great tool for finding others! (If you’re more private about your name you have to be more choosy over you who accept to run with, but I’m sure there are lots of fantastic people on your side of the pond too!)
August 25, 2011 at 3:56 am
On my holy paladin (I’m still levelling her) I’ve tried standing with melee to get some mana back. I’ve not got a mana problem at the level I’m at but I want to get into good habits for later should I ever want to raid with her. But it’s something I’ve got to consciously remember and make myself do. And then I’m scared someone will criticise me for trying to fight & heal and tell me to focus on the latter!! Or do people know that is something holy paladins should be doing?
August 25, 2011 at 4:27 am
I don’t think anyone will look that closely ^_^
You don’t have to actively fight (beyond judging as often as you can). If you’re in melee range and you auto attack (which will happen after judging), you’ll get some mana back between heals.
I don’t think I’ve ever been criticized for standing in melee range. There are some fights, especially at max level, where standing in melee range is a pain and you shouldn’t do it (if the boss does some sort of melee AoE, for example), but for the most part, as long as people are getting healed, they don’t care where you stand.
August 25, 2011 at 8:48 am
That being said I was called out on “dpsing the wrong target” once 😛 But I attribute it to the guy not realising I was the healer.. nor did he realise that my brother was the tank when he boasted that he did more dps than him *lol*