Lich King attempt this week

This post is primarily for Arozcaldo and Death's Head members, plus regular ring-ins.  However, if you wish to be considered as a reserve, please whisper/in game mail Foolich on Alliance Caelestrasz.

Sindragosa is dead.  How I ended up with a lockout that required me to down Marrowgar again, but allowed to move directly to Sindragosa is somewhat confusing.

Due to in part running with Death's Head guild and swapping players back and forth, and some weirdness with lockouts extended over patches, we now only have Lich King standing. We have only a week to down him.  Some of us (notably me) have never seen the fight.

Order will be :

• Lich King 

Requirements for attendance:

• Have read up or watched at least two sources for the Lich King fight.  WowWiki and Tankspot are suffiicient.
• Fully Enchanted and Gemmed.  You will be checked to see if you are a Bimbo.  If you have financial difficulties, please let me know.
• Epics.  We are not going to be entirely undergeared.  If you see a shiny on the AH or on a recipee book, and need financial assistance, talk to me.
• Be prepared to wipe.  It will happen.  Lots.  Morale is important.  Quiet desperation is permitted.  Whispering to a GM (between pulls)  - either Deaths head's or me, is permitted. Public ranting at other players is not.
• 2 Tanks, 3 Healers, 5 DPS.  I will be one of the tanks. 
• All healers will have a healing library addon - Vuhdo, Healbot, Grid all include one.  Other addons are fine as long as I see what heals are incoming.
• Attend at least one briefing session / attempt during the week.
• Bring personal buffs including flask, potions, and any other consumable.  For Saturday night assume at least 20 attempts.

Being a Lich King attempt, there is a possibility I may ask you to be a reserve, even if you meet all the above requirements.

Raid times:
I normally only raid Saturday nights.  This week I will make an  exception.  I want to have training attempts during the week.  I will only be available for a few attempts each night, but I  deem those attempts to be worth it.  During the week we will discuss strategy, review gear, and make a few attempts, generally starting 8:30 - 9 pm server time for about an hour.

Saturday night attempts
Logged on your raiding toon by 8:30 unless you have specifically confirmed an alternative login time.  You may be asked to be a reserve.  

Loot Rules.  Master looter:  For what it is worth.  In two weeks you will not care.

• Need if you need, but you will lose a roll to someone who has won less than you.
• Greed if you want

I am breaking a personal rule, doing 3 ICC bosses out of order.  For the record, the bosses I personally have left to kill - out of the entire expansion, are:

• Algalon (H Ulduar)
• Halion (Ruby Sanctum)
• Blood Prince Council
• Professor Putricide
• Blood Queen Lana'thel
• Lich King

I wanted a full set, completing Nax roughly Jan 10, progressing at my own pace, in order, raiding once a week (sometimes twice).  I will not get that this expansion, but will get a full set for Cata.




This post is also a static page.

TL;DR:
I have stepped into ICC 10 a grand total of 8 times as of update.  I hope to down Lich King before Cataclysm

Ethics

Tonight I offended someone in game, who's opinion I respect, over a matter of ethics.

Readers may be aware that a guild member found a way to farm volatile water (since fixed by Blizzard).  The three of us that were on obtained mats. 

I was informed that Blizzard sometimes takes a dim view on cheating, and was reminded of the Lich King world first being withdrawn, and I would not enjoy an account suspension for a week.  Being gidy with the thought of selling the volatile water, I made a stupid comment about using a son's account.  Putting another players enjoyment at risk for my own profit crosses the line.  I acknowledge that.  It was  unworthy of me, and an insult to the person I was talking to.

For the record, his advice is that if you already have cata mats (this post is still 12 days till Cata), you should destroy them.

I am unsure of my own opinion or advice.  There is evidence that Blizzard turns a blind eye.  I have knowingly exploited the game environment (like many others).  I do not know if I will post those mats I have, or encourage others to buy them.

What I will do will be at my own risk, on my own account.

Welcome to our new transport system

Imagine a world where there

• are no capital city portals in Dalaran or Shattrah.
• is more than one flight point in a zone.
• is a flight point in the starter towns just ouside your capital city (Kharanos, Goldshire etc)
• is a flight point at every quest hub I have seen so far
• you can fly in the (remade) old world

Oh look - amongst all the QQ regarding the first point, we missed what we have been given with the rest.
 Wondering around Wetlands  I found (alliance) flight points in the middle, and on the border with Arathi Highlands.  This would have been so useful when I originally quested there, and will be usefull on my next alt.

But lets assume you are stuck in Dalaran.  There is still one portal left - to the Caverns of time.  For Hordies, take the portal, ride to Gadgetzahn and the flight point to Thunderbluff/Origmar.  Similarly for Alliance, you can fly to Darnasus (admitidtly a long ride), or to Wetlands/Ratchet and catch the boat.

The flight points between some cities are short enough : Thunderbluff <-> Origmar and Ironforge <-> Stormwind, but the travel between other cities is hard?  There is plan B

All the cities still have the portal to just out of the Dark Portal.  From there, run to Outlands; to (but don't take) your flight point.  Looking behind you, there is a portal to Stormwind (alliance) or (I assume) Origmar (horde).  This makes the Exodar or Darnassus -> Stormwind run relativly short.

(This post was originally planned for last night, but the hotfix/listing of volatile water took precedence).

Very few of my toons (if any) will be hearthed in Stormwind

Volatile Water for sale

(Edit: I bring to your attention Breevok's comment below)

The Cataclysm crafting water element.  Yes.  Now.

During a gold rush, you make gold by selling shovels.  Water Walking was that shovel.

A guild mate saw something I didn't know about.  For a very brief window you could farm Volatile Water.  Not useful for anything now, but an incredibly valuable head start to any server first profession toons.

He asked that I keep it quiet and not blog about it.  In order to both honour that request, but still to get a 'scoop', I did the next best thing.  I advised readers to make Water Walking elixirs and fishing aids.

The trick (now fixed) was you needed to be between Wetlands and Arathi Highlands, walking on water and fishing.

So, if you want a head start on those professions, have a look at your AH.  There just might be volatile water or Cata fish.  Be warned - there is not much supply, and should be priced accordingly.  (Yes I do have a limited supply)

If you are after that professional server first, you will need every bit of assistance you can get.

Fishing in Cata

Fishing in Cata (and maybe even before) will be an important skill.  Not only will it be needed for the guild perk for the new fish feast, but it will be an important source of volatile water.

Fisherman can help this by fishing up Glassfin Minow from the lake/river in Crystalsong forest, selling these to alchemists who can make an Elixir of Water Walking. DK's and Shamans (and maybe Priests) can all walk on water and fish

Engineers can make Aquadynamic Fish Attractor to give +100 fishing.

I expect demand for both of these items to skyrocket before cata hits.

UPDATE: Blizzard fixed the issue that made Elixir of Water walking a must have.  It is still worth stocking up on fishing aids, but no longer essential.  Yes I knew something I didnt say.

Caelestraz Alliance glyph sellers are idiots

Every single one of you (Did I ever mention I sell glyphs on Alliance Caelestraz?)

If in doubt - create/use a horde toon and have a look at the horde AH prices.  I picked Warrior glyphs and looked at the first two pages.

Glyph of Demoralizing shout : Horde 99g; Alliance 44g
Glyph of Enduring victory : Horde 100g; Alliance 13g
Glyph of Mortal Strike : Horde 125g; Alliance 13g

Do I need to continue?
Some of us need to sell glyphs to the other side.  Many of us already have access to children, spouses, guildmates who can help us shift glyphs.

My fellow competitors, if you don't do it, I am going to start.

This is today's second post.  If you missed it, you may also like to read Convert Ink of the Sea immediately?

Convert Ink of the Sea Immediately?

I don't know.


www.wowconfidential.com says in 4-0-3 jessica sellers now trades only blackfallow ink for other inks, in turn quoting WoW insider and MMO champion.

I am expecting another fortnight of Nothrend herb gathering, plus a couple of weeks of herb dumping come the Cataclysm.  I am relying on this to produce Ink of the sea.  I have converted all of my existing Ink of the sea down.  I already had guild bank tabs of herbs, and I bought about 5000g of herbs last night. I will busily mill more inks tonight before shutdown (and I don't normally do milling).  I wont be able to mill everything before shutdown.

I already have a large stockpile of glyphs (most of which I have more than 30), I use KTQ and Gnomeworks, with /ktq queue 50 glyphs to give me an approximate weighting of what type of inks I should stock.  If that sounds complicated or you dont have those addons, use Breevok's ink weights to know what to buy.

As an inscriptionist, if you only have northrend herbs or northrend inks when Jessica stops trading, you will be at a significant disadvantage.  As a levelling alchemist or inscriptionist, you will similarly want to have your levelling pack put together.

If Jessica will play nicely for the next 2 weeks, I will have converted sooner than I needed to.  Either way I will need to restock on Ink of the Sea.  If Jessica gets upset by the shattering, I will be better off.

Welcome to our glyph market

On our server we have some hardened glyph sellers.  In total we have 65 pages of glyphs for sale:

• Moonvengence : 24 pages of glyphs
• Foobarfoo/fooglypha/fooglyphb : 7 pages of glyphs
• Fiorina : 6 pages of glyphs
• Neoriv : 4 pages of glyphs
• Epicbanker : 3 pages of glyphs  

Moonvengence is a new name.  Welcome.  I suggest you read up on our market:

• War, what is it good for?
• Glyph (This site), and
• Glyph Experiment - Coffee, Smokes & AH fees

We welcome any commentary you have, or a link to a website.  We play for keeps.

Making gold - with style

We all want bling and that enchanting smile, and we are prepared to pay for it.  This means that Jewelcrafting and Enchanting are solid money earners, with a slight preference for Jewelcrafting being the more 'complicated' of the two.

Use Lil Sparky's Workshop, Auctioneer and Ackis Recipee List (see the setup post in this "whatprof" series) to work out what will sell.

Advantages

• Everyone raider, every PVP'er feels they needs enchants (as opposed to most players choosing dungeon/reputation clothes)
• All level 85 toons will be replacing their entire Gem set and enchants.
• New raids are your friend
• Toons will be juggling stats for a while to come, meaning that lots of extra enchants and gems will be needed.
• Every raider feels they need JC gems (some PVP'ers use vendor stuff - I think)
• The AH is full of stuff to crush
• Daily quest to get best JC recipees - less competition
• Enchanters get to crush unwanted BOP gear

Disadvantages

• JC will most likely have a lot of new competition, as toons switch out of Inscription
• Not as good as other professions for those that don't like complications

Levelling Jewelcrafters will want to make as much as you can with stone.  Stone is cheap and plentiful.  Gems can be hard to find, so prospecting ore - both for your personal use and resale is generally worth it.  Lookup the value of ore vs likely value of gems (Auctioneer is great).

Max Level JC's will have a licence to print gold.  You should get the Illustrous but difficult to obtain recipees (Ackis Recipee List is good.)  In the Wrath, this mostly meant JC dailies (or later prospecting titanium ore).  Prospect for gems.  Hit gems (both primary and secondary colors) will sell well at the start of Cata, being replaced with other gems later in the expansion.

Enchanters need to know that the Auction House is your friend.

• It has scrap armor and weapons to be disenchanted.  Auctioneer will help you work out what is worth disenchanting.  Disenchant for both your own mats and for selling on the AH
• Enchanting Vellums are relativly cheap.  A mature AH should keep some in stock.  Failing that, make a business relationship with a inscriptionist or two.  You can apply your enchants to these vellums and sell them via the AH.
• Offer to crush surplus levelling items for other tradeskills - for a percentage of the mats gained.
• Sell a mix of enchants on Vellums on the AH.

Levelling Enchanters 

• Keep your enchanting up at least to the point of being able to disenchant BOP gear you wish to discard.
• Sell via the AH a mix of levelling enchants you can make on vellums, especially once the mats start to cost a few gold. Lil Sparky will let you know what enchants sell best, but if in doubt make a mix and sell them all.

Max Level Enchanters will also have a licence to print gold (probably a little less than JC), and again should seek Illustrous but difficult to obtain recpiees.  Twinks will be looking for the best enchants in their brackets (not always the highest levels), but some of these will take a while to farm or be very expensive on the AH. 

Pilgrims Bounty

Pilgrim's festival is a once a year opportunity to level your cooking on the cheap.  It is also the last regular festival before cata drops (ignoring pre-cata events).  Caveat Emptor : This is a speculative post based on the assumption that the event is largly similar to last year, with a lot more recently levelled alts running around.

Other sites (including wow.joystiq.com) will contain a breakdown of this event (this link is last years faq), but I have a few things to add.  Many alts are currently being levelled, many of which don't have cooking. (even some of mine).  For those toons that get the festiva'ls shortcut to 300, many will push on to 450.

• Tracker snacks allow you to track turkies for the turkinator.  People wont buy them unless you advertise it in trade/outside the relevant areas.  Once you advertise, others will enter the market.  So make a stack or two, post them (individually) then advertise them.
• Recipees to fill the gaps - essentially 300+ will be popular
• Raw mats to for the 300+ recipees will sell out -extra points for posting mats for the easily obtained recipees.  If you are planning on levelling skinning or fishing soon (or now), keep this in mind.
• Northern spices - obtained via the Dalaran cooking dailies will be in short supply.  If you do dailies and have cooking, add this daily to your list.
• For those that do get near 450,  noting that many (most?) festival participants won't, mats for Small Feast and Gigantic Feast will be in short supply.
• Mage portals will be very popular
• Enterprising warlocks who can co-ordinate a small raid might be able to hustle in on the portal business - with the added bonus of directly porting toons to the festival grounds.