Descent into Shadow

Though it will be less epic than I would like, this post is about the shadow spec.  Which I have never been particularly interested in until I came upon a new guild which seemed perfect.  Except they did not need a holy priest. They needed a shadow priest.

So here we are ladies and gents.  My descent into the abyss.  My fall to the dark side.

But seriously, I am enjoying it a lot.  I leveled as disc and had every intention of only playing disc.  But at this point I am playing holy and shadow more often these days.  But enough chit-chat.

Shadow is similar to affliction warlock which I have played to some acclaim.  So I am comfortable with watching dot timers.  Everyone knows shadow priests get a big chunk of their damage from dots so you keep VT, SWP and DP up at all times.  Even to the point where you clip mind flay to keep it as close to 100% up time as possible.

But what I did not know was that mind flay is quite the trickster to get used to.  Not only do I have to watch for the ticks but I have to make sure if I am going to clip it I do so right AFTER a tick not before.  Hence getting maximum time from both spells.  It is pretty fun balancing this aspect of dps and watching boss timers and fire etc.

Shadow Tips I have learned:

• VT is extremely powerful and is worth clipping for. 
• DP also
• SWP is the weakest dot, but it buffs mind flay so keeping that up is paramount (albeit extremely easy)
• If you have to move, refresh dots and get a tick or two of mind flay if possible.
• Know when to Divine Hymn.  While your primary goal is of course to dps, if a healer dies and the boss is at 5% a Hymn could save the day.

Hah I found this picture and I enjoyed it, hopefully you will too :)

Cataclysm Talent Changes

On the same day Blizzard jumped the shark (I think I am using that phrase correctly, but who the hell knows) on the RealID business, they also announced a much better idea. Cutting the fat from all the talent trees and bringing them back to pre-Burning Crusade style with 31 point talents being the deepest one can spec.

Personally I love this idea. Love love love.  The trees were just starting to get so big and honestly, most of the choices were not choices at all.  So it just felt like blah blah of course I'm getting that +10% healing and -cast time on the spells I use.  The idea to pick a specialty and be locked into it is intriguing.  Some people think this is strange and not a good idea.

I disagree.  I think it makes the talents more exciting.  Especially a lower levels when it is pretty boring and it seems like you have one button to spam.  Makes new players feel more powerful right away which is great. Unfortunately the only info we have is that the talents are changing, but not how exactly.  We dont have any inkling on what they will look like besides the size.  So I will post another big article once they post.

Until then, sleep those sweet dreams of things to come.

PS: Of course they shut down the RealID forum changes. We all saw that coming. the almost 50k post thread made it pretty clear none wanted this change.

Obligatory "RealID is a bad idea" post

Blah blah personal information blah blah.  You know the drill.  Real ID on the forums is a terrible idea.  There are many other ways to make it un-anonymous.  Ask Facebook's little brother twitter.  Instead of giving First and Last name on forum posts, just require a handle to each account.  You can never change this and when you post it is always under this handle.  Problem solved, no private information divulged.  How hard was that Blizzard? Apparently Activision has a hand (or two hands) in this decision so the word is that most Blizzard employees are not happy about it.

The lull in the posts defending it by blues could mean a few things.  It could mean they are reconsidering the idea due to the outcry of the community (41k posts and counting) or they are just giving us a big middle finger.

Personally I never post on the forums anyway.  Its just as bad as any forum out there for information. Here is something really good on the 2100 page long thread about it, not sure who wrote this but it was quoted and Im not digging for the author:

Bobby Kotick spins in his chair "Welcome Young gamer, I have been expecting you. you no longer need those" 

Kotick gestures and the bindings over your keyboard fall off. 

Kotick says "game developers.. leave us." 

The developers leave the room. 

Kotick says "I am looking forward to completing the game testing, in time you will call me... game MASTER" 

You say "you're gravely mistaken, I won't be converted to facebook the way you turned my guild." 

Kotick says "Oh no my young gamer you will find it is YOU who are mistaken... about a great many things.." 

Ghostcrawler deeply says "His cata beta key" 

Ghostcrawler hands the beta key to Kotick. 

Kotick says "ahh yes, a gamer's weapon. Much like your guildies, by now you must know your guildies can never leave wow, so will it be with you" 

You say "You're wrong, soon my charecter will be gone and your game with me" 

Kotick laughs "Perhaps you're referrin to the emminent attack on our servers from our outraged fans? Yesss... I assure you, our servers are quite safe from their pitiful attempts" 

You speak "Your overconfidence is your weakness" 

Kotick turns "Your faith in blizzard is yours" 

Ghostcrawler deeply says "You should join facebook, it is pointless to resist.. my friend" 

Kotick says "Everything that has transpired has done so according to my design. You're friends over there posting on the forums are walking into a trap. As is anyone else who uses it. It was I who allowed the community to find out about the facebook integration early. It is quite safe from your... pitiful attempts to hack into it. An entire legion of the world's best hackerz would be needed to get in. Oh, i'm afraid the servers will be quite operational when the game goes live..." Kotick leans back and smiles. 

Everyone in the room looks over at the beta tester's playing the game. 

Kotick states "come boy, see for yourself. from here you will witness the final destruction of WoW, and the end of your insignificant guild" 

You look down at the beta key beside him. 

Kotick states "Oh you want this don't you?" 

Kotick carresses the beta key. 

He says "The envy is swelling in you now, take your beta key. Use it. That computer is unused. warn your guildies in game, give in to your anger. With each passing moment you become more my servant." 

You say "no..." 

Kotick leans forward "It is unavoidable. You, like your guildies... are now mine." 

He says "as you can see my young gamer, your guildies names are now mine. now witness the full hacking ability of this fully developed and operational battle.net system. Troll at will gamers!" 

One gamer stands up at a booth "This forums using my real name... the credit scam is operational!" 

Another gamer stands up at an adjacent booth "All gamer's prepare to cancel wow accounts!" 

Gamer 1 says "You may not get another chance to tell them what you think, this may be your only shot. We gotta give it more time" 

Gamer 2 yells "We have no choice! Blizzard cannot repel trolling of this magnitude!" 


Kotick looks back and chuckles before saying "Your game is lost. and your guildies info is now open. There is no escaping from facebook my young gamer. The WoW will die, and your guildies will leave." 

Kotick closes his eyes and uses the force. "Goood I can feel your anger. That pc is still unused, take the beta key. Plug it in and you're journey to battle-net will be complete." 

You look away, look back and snag the key only to find Ghostcrawler is now occupying the pc. 

Kotick laughs as you throw Ghostcrawler off the keyboard. 

He says "gooooooood let the desire to play flow through you." 

Ghostcrawler stands and calmly states "Nin-tendo Wii has taught you well." 

You say "Your thoughts betray you ghostcralwer, i feel the desire to save WoW, the conflict. 

Ghostcrawler says "there is no conflict" 

You respond "You couldn't bring yourself to ban me from the forums before and I don't think you will now" 

He says "You underestimate the power of the facebook deal, If you will not join then you will be banned!" 

He bans your pc but you manage to hide in another booth watching another tester play. 

He looks around the room to no avail before saying "You cannot hide forever gamer. Give yourself over to the battlenet, it is the only way to join your friends. Yes... your thoughts betray you. Your feelings for them are strong, especially for... sister... yesss you have a sisster that has facebook. Soooo you have a twin sister that uses facebook? Your feelings have now betrayed her too. Nin-tendo Wii was right to hide her from me. Now it's failure to entertain is complete. If you will not turn to the battlenet, then perhaps she will." 

You scream "NOOO!" before jumping up to fight Ghostcrawler for the last Pc beta spot. During the fight you manage to break his pc. 

Ghostcrawler moans "arrrggbh" 

Kotick chuckles "Gooood. Your desire to play has made you powerful. Now, fulfill your destiny. Take his place as head developer at my side." 

You throw away the beta key and state "Never! I'll never turn from WoW! You failed your kotickness. I am a wow player, like my guildies before me." 

Kotick coldly looks at you and states... "So be it... gamer, if you will not be turned.. you will be destroyed!" Muzyka attacks and leaves you crippled from the tracing of IP on the the permaban. 

He says "young fool... only now at the end do you understand the power of the battlenet" He attacks again. "Your feeble WoW expansions are no match for the power of Activision. You will pay the price for your lack of vision. and now my young gamer... you will die" 

You writhe in pain "Ghostcrawlerrr pleeeease don't let him ruin wow!" You writhe in agony. 

Kotick says "and now young gamer, you will die!" Attacks with the finishin touches on the IP ban. 

You writhe and scream "GHOSTCRAWLER PLEEAASSE YOUR A GAMER YOU KNOW THIS IS WRONG STOP THIS AHHHHH" 

Ghostcrawler looks back and forth before picking up Kotick and throwing him into the WoW cata forums. Faintly, you both can hear Kotick screaming as he is harrassed to death. 

Ghostcrawler weakly falls over and feebily says "Gamer, tell your fellow gamers.. blizzard was saved" 

You respond "But Ghostcrawler, you'll be fired and banned?" 

He responds "Nothing can stop that now.. Just for once, let me be one of the gamers.. on my own terms..." 

You nod and stand up. 

He says "Now go... my gamer... leave me." 

You say "No Ghostcrawler you're coming with me I'll not leave you to be fired I've got to save you. 

He smiles "You already have, you were right about me. You already have. Tell your sister not to use battlenet.." 

A party is held in the gaming world for hours as music and celebration is infinite as blizzard is saved from the might of the evil empire. 

/que star wars end music.