Blowing in the wind

How many wipes will it take till he knows that too many people have died.  The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind (Apologies to Bob)

To state the obvious, I am not on the bleeding edge of raids (or oh no - yet another gold making blog with 'guild' posts)

Last weekend Arozcaldo (all 4 of us that were on) took some associates (from Death's head aux and More than raids) into Throne of the four winds.  My aim for the raid was to have a look, and see how far we could get.  I can read strategies and watch videos, but for me nothing replaces doing as a way to learn.  Only one of us had even stepped into the raid before.  All the rest of us were 'virgins'.  Some of us are undergeared, and we are underperforming for the gear we have. 

We are following the strats from wowpedia. The diagram from the almost identical wowwiki page was also useful (even if the diagram and description disagree on what toons to bounce between the east & north platforms). 

On Saturday, we made it into the first transition, with many avoidable wipes.  Wipes due to lack of knowledge are OK.  We are learning.  Wipes due to lack of concentration are regretable, but also are expected; especially as the evening wears on.  I am as guilty as others. We also rotated many players between initial starting platforms so that players could see what was required.


The ultimate aim is to down the 3 bosses, with at most 1 minute between boss 1 and boss 3.  However, we are wiping soon after the first transition.  So our next 'task' is to survive multiple transitions.  We are struggling on healing, with only Daakoren feeling 'sufficient to the task'.  Also, next time I try to heal 6 toons, I will do so as holy (not disc).  To address this, damage taken/healed will be everyones responsibility:

• Check your enchants and gems.  I will randomly check to see if you are a bimbo.  Basic enchants (even northrend if you dont yet have the shoulder/head reputations) and basic cata gems are acceptable.
• 6 wipes of consumables: + 90 food, cata guardian elixir (preferably prismatic for DPS & healers, but a flask is OK).  These are optional for the first pull of the evening, and for the a pull after changing toons, but otherwise are mandatory.  I will NOT be providing barbeques, as it is only +60 food.
• DPS on the west platform : Allow tanks to establish agro, both on the boss and on the adds.  This is dungeon 101 stuff.
• At the first transition, you need to take more responsibilty for your own health.  This includes DPS as well as tanks.  You will be expected to have healing potions and use them.  Use damage reducing abilities (eg tanking stance, hyperspeed, stoneskin, iceblock) or off healing abilities (bandages, gift of naru, boomkin healing).  Is there room in your talent choices for additional damage mitigation?
• I may experiment with 2 tanks, 4 healers, 4 DPS. 
• Arozcaldo will provide guild repairs to guild members.

I have a 525 cook and alchemist (well, most professions).   I am happy to help with consumables before the run.  I will also stock the Arozcaldo guild bank with a supply upon request.

Calendar invites have already gone to all Arozcaldo members, and all members of last weekend's raid.  Calendar invites will also be issued to interested toons.  Foofixit or Voladan will calendar invite anyone who shows an interest (whisper, in game mail, or Arozcaldo vent).  The raid will start 8:45 pm Saturday Caelestrasz server time (AEDT), with raid invites being issued from 8:30.

Initial raid invites will be issued to those that accept the calendar invites.  You will not be in the initial invite list if you are still tentative at 8:30 server, though you may still be invited according to available spaces.  If there is an excess of certain roles (possibly healer?) then guild membership and known role effectiveness (includes bringing consumables) will be considered.  For the record I consider Foofixit - my toon - to be the weakest of the guild healers, but he has a shadow spec too.

The intended initial raid makeup will be 2 tanks, 3.5 healers and 4.5 DPS.  I expect to move this back to 2 + 2.5 + 5.5 later.

If you accept the calendar invite but are not on at 8:45, you are risking not recieving future calendar invites.  I will provide my mobile number upon request if you are worried about last minute real life issues.

If you would like a raid invite (and do not already have one) and have an 85 toon on Caelestrasz Alliance with heroic dungeon experience, please whisper/in game mail Foofixit or Voladan.  This applies to old friends and to those that wish to become new friends, or even those that just want to raid.  Casual raiders are welcome.  Guild invites are available but are not required.