I feel dirty

My mage alt is a scribe, and I’ve been selling the glyphs that I’ve been making as I level Inscription. One of the glyphs I put on the AH was the Glyph of Consecration, which, as we all know, is a terrible glyph.

So I’m greedily pawing through various “Auction Sold” letters on this alt yesterday and I got the gold from selling said godawful glyph. From the name of the character that bought it, I could tell the unlucky purchaser was a tank.

Even though she’s only lvl 37 (as I discovered via the Armory), I feel compelled to send her a tell to implore her not to use the glyph and perhaps offer to sell her a better fitting one. Anything to alleviate my guilt over enabling this budding tank to trod the dark path.

Anything except a refund… I have a business to run after all.

Metagemming your tankadin

As I’m sure some have noticed, there was a major glaring omission in my previous guide on pally tank gems: meta gems. Metas are perhaps the most important gem you will socket, because in addition to a nice stat boost, you get a little bonus to an ancillary tanking stat.

Here are your options:

• Austere Earthsiege Diamond: +32 stamina (365hp) and +2% more armor
• Effulgent Skyflare Diamond: +32 stamina and 2% spell damage reduction
• Eternal Earthsiege Diamond: +21 defense rating and +5% block value

The only clear non-choice here is the Effulgent gem. It’s really more of a situational gem, and would be best fit in a secondary tanking helm you’d keep aside for resist or heavy magic damage fights (I’m thinking Sarth or Malygos mainly). Don’t use this gem for everyday tanking.

Now, where I am personally torn is between the Austere and Eternal gem. Since I first picked up the Arcane Shielded Helm in Heroic Nexus I’ve had an Eternal gem in my helm. Now, I’m beginning to question this. Let’s look at the math and figure out what’d be more beneficial.

Right now I have a base, straight-from-items, non-talented 20823 armor, for 57.8%. With the Austere gem I’d bump up to 21239 armor, for 58.2% damage reduction. A gain of .4% damage reduction.

Not a huge number, but let’s say a boss hits me for 25k (physical damage). As is, with the base armor numbers I have now, I’m only going to take 10550 damage. With the gem socketed in my helm I’ll take 10450. So 100 damage reduced from that hit.

Let’s look at block value now: according to Warcrafter I have somewhere on the order of 1222 block value (this is before the metagem and the bonuses from the Libram and Lavanthor’s Talisman). The Eternal gem gives me a bonus 5% block value on top of that number, for an additional 62 block value.

This means that every hit I take that I block I shave an extra 62 damage off the top. Which, of course, is where the rub is: I have to block the hit to see a damage reduction. Armor reduces damage if you’re stunned or fail to block, and even when you do block. The Eternal gem only works when you block a hit and all the factors line up to give you that DR bonus.

There are other benefits to the Eternal gem, of course. The 21 defense makes it easier to hit the defense minimum aside from other gem sockets. And on top of that, 21 defense works out to a nice bit of avoidance: .84% chance to block, parry, dodge, miss.

You’ll have to do the math to figure out which is best for you, but personally I think I’ll get more damage reduction benefit from the Austere gem. And I have enough avoidance elsewhere that I can comfortably replace that with the effective health, instead.

All this math aside, there’s nothing wrong with keeping a second helm with the Eternal gem for trash tanking or sweet ShoR crits.

I’ll be regemming when I get home tonight.

Stocking up for 3.1

3.1 is coming very soon (my money is on next week) and with it will come some wonderful changes to our class, as well as the long-anticipated new raid dungeon in which much blood and tears (and consumables and repair gold) shall be shed.

So you don’t get caught unawares or smacked hard in the face by the laws of supply and demand, I suggest grabbing the following things in advance so you’re ready to go on Patch Day.

Glyphs

• Glyph of Lay on Hands: This glyph is awful for us now, but in 3.1 it’ll change to slice 5 minutes off the cooldown. Considering how terrible our Minor Glyph choices are to begin with, this is an excellent choice to fill one of those slots.

Mats

• 2 Ink of the Sea (or 5-10 Northrend Herbs) and 1 Resilient Parchment for Glyph of Divine Plea. This (very mandatory) glyph will be taught by the trainers so any Inscription buddy of yours will be able to whip it up on Patch Day. Might as well supply your own mats.
• 7 Lichblood, 3 Crystallized Life, 1 Frost Lotus, 1 Enchanted Vial will now get you 2 Flasks of Stoneblood (buffed to 1300hp!) in 3.1. If you buy mats for flasks do so now before prices skyrocket for the new raid.
• 4 Abyss Crystals, 8 Greater Cosmic Essences, and 1 Titansteel Bar for the new enchant Blade Ward.

Food

• Progression is a hungry man’s pursuit and as a tankadin you’ll need lots and lots of Dragonfin Filets. Start fishing now and keep the raw fish on a bank alt or something waiting to be fried up.

Gems

• This may be wishful thinking, but you never know, you might pick up an upgrade or two those first few nights (especially if your guild goes right into 25 man). Keep a few Solid Sky Sapphires, Enduring Forest Emeralds, and Thick Autumn’s Glows in the bank now while prices on raw gems and cuts are low.

Don’t spec 12/53/6

I’ve seen a really dopey idea being discussed in certian quarters regarding how to spec when 3.1 drops. We only have one real “oh shite” cooldown to use, the argument goes, so the solution suggested is to create a new one with the Improved Lay on Hands talent. The spec to make such a “cooldown” is this.

This is a bad spec, don’t do it.

Here’s why: as a tank you have two primary jobs. One is to stay alive as long as possible, and the other is to generate enough threat to keep the mob on you. Just out of curiosity, how does spending valuable talent points on increasing your heals by 12% help either of those?

The ultimate goal with this silly idea is to turn Lay on Hands into an 11 minute (with the new glyph) +50% armor value boost.

But, as always, the devil in the details, and the details bear out that Imp LoH isn’t as great as it seems.

To use myself as an example, I have 23391 armor, which provides 60.6% damage reduction. Physical damage reduction. Keep that in mind, the word physical here is key.

If I popped Imp LoH I would boost my armor to 35086, and my damage reduction would jump to 69.7%. A gain of 9.1% damage reduction. And even if you had more armor, damage reduction from armor is capped at 75%.

Once again though, this is all physical damage reduction. Say what you want about Pallies, we are not hurting in the physical damage reduction department. What’s primarily keeping us from being ideal Sarth 3d tanks is magical damage, which we are just about defenseless against.

All this spec does is saddle us with unnecessary talents for a weak “cooldown” that doesn’t even help where we hurt the most.

I want a new cooldown as much as the next guy. Gimping ourselves is not the way to do it.

Death to the(ir) king(s)!

This actually happened last weekend, but Enveloping Shadows did a strike against all four alliance leaders. I’m not going to lie, I didn’t think it would go as well as it did.

We had about 30 or so guildees, and pugged the remaining 10 spots. While our forces mustered on the shores of Stranglethorn Vale, the rank and file amused themselves by dueling outside of Grom’gol and repelling any dopey alliance who attacked the settlement while a 30-strong force of Horde sat nearby.

I still question why none of those alliance who saw our huge group didn’t put 2 and 2 together and warn their friends that an attack on Stormwind was probably imminent. Did they think we were putting two concurrent ZG raids together?

Anyways, when everyone finally arrived the shamans cast water walking on the raid and the DKs put up Path of Frost. We then marched north up the coast, along the Westfall littoral, and regathered just south of Stormwind Harbor so we could summon the stragglers. When everyone was ready and buffed, we then let out some cheers of “FOR THE HORDE” and rode north into the Harbor.

We dashed through the city until we made it to the keep. Initial guards were dispatched and I sprung forth, cast my shield at the long-faced thug-king of the Humans, and pulled him into a side room where we would assassinate him in peace. Some token Alliance resistance sprung up attempting to disrupt our attack, but a contigent was left at the entrance to the side room with the charge of keeping the defenders out.

In no short time Varian Wrynn departed this mortal plain (at least until next respawn) and, triumphant and with the taste of blood on our tongues, we exited the Keep and rode for the Tram.

Once in Ironforge the Allies were clearly onto us, and there were some stragglers feebly attempting to protect the Dwarven king. But we smashed through their resistance and once again I pulled the king and held him next to his throne. Magni does this very annoying knockback move that drops threat so I found myself taunting him back more than I cared to. He also hits like a girl as far as I could tell.

In any case, we downed him fairly quickly and the mages hastily threw up portals to Orgrimmar so the raid could escape to safety.

Everyone was then told to regroup at the Zoram’gar Outpost in Ashenvale. After a needed break, and perhaps a little more time than it should have been, the full raid mustered again and we once more buffed. Path of Frost and water walking was spread around and we dashed up the coast to Auberdine where we would hijack a ship to Teldrassil.

Luck favored us clearly, a ship was there waiting for us. We all ran aboard, slaughtered the deckhands, and rode the vessel to the shores of the Night Elves’ new world tree. This time no defenders showed up to stop us, probably based on the fact that no one wanted to trudge all the way out to Darnassus. In any case, Tyrande was put down easily. (More like Whimperwind, amirite? …sorry couldn’t resist.)

And last but not least, Prophet Velen. We took the ship back to Auberdine and found again that there was a boat waiting to take us to the Dranei islands. We hopped aboard and upon exiting quickly stormed the Dranei capital (which was conveniently located right next to the dock). Velen was annoying to kill because he had the audacity to heal himself, but nonetheless he put up little resistance.

The raid victorious, we all trickled away to share our war stories with all those who didn’t care to listen and to collect those large bears that Thrall had helpfully crammed into our mailboxes.

Lok’tar ogar.

/sorry

Apologies for the light posting these last few days. I’ve been slammed at work and haven’t had much time to think about, let alone post, anything remotely interesting (hence that lame abortive April Fools “joke”).

I’ll write some stuff this weekend in advance so I can post next week. Fill up the chamber in advance, if you will.

Have a great weekend everyone.

I can’t fight this feeling anymore

I’m respeccing holy when I get home tonight.

I’ll rebrand this blog Righteous Wavy Fingers tomorrow.

Edit: That was lame, I’m sorry. Though could be worse …

When am I supposed to leave the podium crying?

Siha at Banana Shoulders was exceedingly kind enough to name me as one of the seven bloggers she wanted to pass the Honest Scrap blog award on to. I’m touched, and I refuse to mar such an auspicious event by taking to long at the podium to deliver my thank you spee–and I ramble.

I’m informed there are rules aside from collecting the generous prize mone–oh right, no money. Hrm.

1. When accepting this auspicious award, you must write a post bragging about it, including the name of the misguided soul who thinks you deserve such acclaim, and link back to the said person so everyone knows she/he is real.
2. Choose a minimum of seven (7) blogs that you find brilliant in content or design. Or improvise by including bloggers who have no idea who you are because you don’t have seven friends. Show the seven random victims’ names and links and leave a harassing comment informing them that they were prized with Honest Weblog. Well, there’s no prize, but they can keep the nifty icon.
3. List at least ten (10) honest things about yourself. Then pass it on!

Here are the next victims as this meme-award spreads:

• A Touch of Arcane, where Dreaming has been writing very interesting posts about what’s going on in the PTR.
• Honor’s Code, a prot pally blog that I read avidly and first inspired me to start my own tankadin corner.
• Valor… Paladin… Palordin? a great tankadin blog run by Aureilie, who I wished would post more often.
• Pink Raid Frames, and each Pally there will share it I suppose, but Doxa gets to keep it on his mantle at home.
• Sacred Duty, run by Galyan, who had the dubious honor of making it so I’m not the newest tankadin blog on the ‘nets!
• Paladin Smash! another great new prot pally blog that I enjoy reading.
• Hardcore Casual who has great posts both on and off topic for WoW.

Lastly, the half version of that Facebook meme I managed to avoid for so long. Bah.

1. I’m a deeply skeptical person, to the extent that I don’t believe in just about anything. For example, I don’t believe in jinxes, luck, ghosts, etc. Likewise I’m also an atheist (last time I’ll ever mention that on that blog). Sometimes I feel like I’m missing out on little joys in life, but then there are other times I’m comforted by knowing I have as much control over my fate as chance will give me.
2. My parents have a dog that they got from a rescue program and for some reason the stupid thing hates me. Whenever I go to visit she’ll greet me with growls and barks… which she does to nothing else, not even strangers. In response I’ve started giving her treats when she calms down to, you know, buy her love. As a result, once she’s calmed down from “greeting me,” whenever I turn around she sneaks up and sniffs my legs. I think she assumes I keep food in my pockets.
3. Stupidest thing I ever did: while in college I was late to get to the train station down the street from my house. Rather than miss the train and be late for an exam I rolled under the train while it was stopped on the platform. The conductor saw me and kicked me off. Obviously, I missed my exam anyway.
4. I had a Zune once, which I enjoyed only for the counter-cultural aspect of it. I have an iPod Touch now which I can’t ever put down.
5. My dream job is to be a special agent at the FBI.
6. In college I used to stay up until 3 o’clock in the morning to watch M*A*S*H reruns. I regret nothing.
7. I live 10 minutes outside of Boston and yet I have a very weak to nonexistent Boston accent. This distresses me greatly as you’d imagine. There’s a guy in my guild from Providence, RI and he has the worst Boston accent ever. I don’t know how. I envy him.
8. When my dad was teaching me how to drive I accidentally accelerated and drove his truck into a snowbank (which we found out a few months later nuked the air conditioning). He refuses to this day to let me drive a car he’s in.
9. I sing along to the radio a lot while driving. I put my hand in front of my mouth while doing so because I’m embarrassed that another driver might see me.
10. I eat croutons as a snack.

Phew! Done.