Cataclysm Overview Pt. 1

I had originally started this post the other night, when I hadn't slept for almost 48 hours and was running on lots and lots of energy drinks. Mostly mixtures and concoctions in large 52 oz QuikTrip cups. After my computer restarted, I lost that original beginning and then put it off for another week before finally coming back to this and deciding that maybe today would be a good day to finally type up and finish this blog post.


Cataclysm has been out for almost two months, so I think I have enough of game-time experience to write up a blog about the things I feel about this particular expansion. The only information that I will be lacking on informing you of will be the raiding portion. My guild <Radiant Crusade> has enough folks ready to raid, but our schedules are jumbled and sporadic to where we don't have the people we need on at the correct times. We're working toward a solution and still recruiting. Though I know the few people that read this blog don't actually play, maybe you have friends who play. Give. Them. To. Me. >:O Moving on..


I'm going to use the multiple resources available on the internet to create a list of things to talk about for Cataclysm instead of trying to just spout everything off, off the top of my head, because I am almost positive I would forget something and then someone would yell at me. And then I would cry. (Not really.)

• New Level Cap of 85: Pretty small level gap. Blizzard said it was so more people could experience end-game at a quicker pace, but it just seems to be making more people bored of playing quicker than both previous expansions.
• Profession Skill Cap Increased to 525: Standard 75 point increase. Nothing new. The new skill system where certain crafts will give an increase of 3/5 points is very nice and extremely helpful. I've been power-leveling my alt's professions because of this particular profession change.
• Flying Capabilities in Azeroth: People have been complaining about this one since Burning Crusade was released. Blizzard kept telling the playerbase that they would need to do an entire re-haul of the original continents to make them fly accessible. Ala Cataclysm. Definitely a useful tool, but not entirely necessary due to the increased amount of flight paths added in to the game.
• Updated Eastern Kingdoms/Kalimdor: The "big" change of this expansion. While I enjoy some of the changed zones, others just bother me. For instance, the orcs pushing back the night elves in Ashenvale. Why would the orcs win, apparently the draenei, night elves, and the ancient protectors aren't enough to keep them at the region's boundaries? The flooding of the scars in Eastern Plaguelands. There's no nearby water source to overflow to complete that change, did it just rain for 40 days? At least the Thousand Needles flooding makes sense geologically.
• New Towns: With the destruction of the old, the new must begin. Though there are a LOT of new towns, while only a few of the original towns were destroyed.
• 3500+ New Quests: They HAD to add in more quests, because they got rid of all of the old, cool quests that made leveling fun. I've been looking through my inventories/banks and comparing them to the item databases on WoWHead just to see which items I'm carrying are now considered "unattainable." And I will never get rid of them, not even in the face of a pretty Cataclysm raid epic.
• Seven New Dungeons: I will make a later blog post going over the intricacies of these dungeons, because I feel like I owe you guys something more for being so freaking lazy.
• Blackrock Caverns: Located inside of Blackrock Mountain, this instance is one of the first instances all new Cataclysm players will encounter (both before and after the next patch's removal of the "discover dungeon entrance" requirement). It's very straightforward, none of the bosses are too hard. Finkle Einhorn returns from his debut in the stomach of the Beast in UBRS. He's the dungeon questline giver for this instance and will keep you company to the very end. You also come across the Beast's long lost love, Beauty. Get it?
• Throne of the Tides: If you don't quest in Vashj'ir, you won't find this dungeon's entrance. Luckily, as slightly mentioned above, they are removing the necessity to discover the entrances to dungeons before you can queue for them in the Dungeon Finder. This instance is probably the main reason for this change. The dungeon isn't linear, requiring much backtracking to the teleport, using an elevator, taking both paths at a junction. It also has some very annoying trash pulls. You assist Neptulon, the Elemental Lord of Water, here.
• The Stonecore: Located inside the very tower you are teleported into when you first enter Deepholm. This instance is probably one of the more difficult of the lot of seven, due to one of the boss' mechanics. If you've run this instance, you know exactly which boss I'm talking about. Ozruk.
• Vortex Pinnacle: This instance is floating in the air above Uldum's south-eastern coast. You traverse this particular instance by running along platforms and then leaping into vortexes that fling you from place to place. There are also mobs that act like Boo's from Mario, where if you stare at them, they go into hiding. Very fun, very simple.
• Lost City of Tol'Vir: Lost in the sense that it no longer belongs to the Ramkahen, the main faction of the Uldum area, and instead is under control by the Deathwing-aligned Neferset tol'vir. This instance is wrought with horrible pulls, odd boss mechanics, and a significant difficultly level.
• Halls of Origination: The "longest instance ever." You meet up with our good friend Brann Bronzebeard inside this one. You do a bit of exploring and carrying on. I'd recommend making sure you're playing with the sound on at least one time through here, just so you can hear what Brann has to say. Also, much like Lost City, this instance has horrible pulls and odd boss mechanics.
• Grim Batol: The finale. The lore behind this instance is enough to make me have a loregasm like the little loregeek that I am. Alas, none of that lore matters anymore. Twilight's Hammer controls Grim Batol now, for it's evil experiments. Also, troggs. Utilizing drakes to strafe through the majority of the dungeon to wreak havoc on later pulls is awesome. The first two bosses are easy, mostly just "Move away from this" fights. The last boss requires coordination and people that understand how to use their slows.
• "Four" New Raids: Like the dungeons section, I will make more blog posts on these. Like I also said earlier, I have little to no experience with these, so I lack the knowledge to inform you of anything other than the bosses.
• Baradin Hold: The new Vault of Archavon. Linked to Tol Barad, which is the new Wintergrasp, it's open to whichever faction currently owns Tol Barad island. There are three pulls before the boss. And I will explain Argaloth the way I comically explained it to my wife the other day. "Boss is in the middle. Tank with Group 1 on left. Tank with Group 2 on right. Taunt, taunt, taunt, taunt, taunt. FIRE! Run around like chickens' with your heads cut off. Back to spots. Taunt, taunt, taunt, taunt, taunt. FIRE! Run around like chickens' with your heads cut off. Back to spots. Taunt, taunt, taunt, taunt, dead." Free loot.
• Bastion of Twilight: You bring the fight directly to Cho'gall's sanctuary. The Upper Bastion, where you begin, holds the bosses Halfus Wyrmbreaker and the "twins" Valiona and Theralion. (On an aside, Theralion had a very fabulous voice during the Beta, but they took it away from him and gave him a generic voice. Sad days for all.) The Lower Bastion holds the Ascendant Council, a four boss encounter, and the nasty Cho'gall himself. If you're running on Heroic, after defeating Cho'gall, you gain access to the once mighty consort of Deathwing, Lady Sinestra, in her very own lair..
• Blackwing Descent: The portal for Blackwing Descent is where you fought Nefarian in Blackwing Lair, which seems only fitting, since you're going to be fighting him yet again. Heading in, you have a choice. Take on the fiery lava wyrm, Magmaw, or go after the quad-threat, Omnotron Defense System. After those are taken care, you leave the Broken Hall to gain entrance to the Vault of the Shadowflame. Down here we have Maloriak, the mad scientist dragonman who has a horrible success rate with experiments, Atramedes, the blind elementium dragon with an awesome fight mechanic (aka "the sound meter"), and Chimaeron, a nasty looking hydra. Once those three are dead, you impede upon Nefarian himself, who has a surprise. Not only did Deathwing bring his son back, but good old Onyxia as well. And you have to contend with both at the same time.
• Throne of the Four Winds: You head straight into the Elemental Plane of Air to bring the business end of your weapons against Al'Akir, the Elemental Lord of Air and his djinni. There are two fights here. One is against three of Al'Akir's djinni warlocks called the Conclave of Wind. These three bosses have to be killed within one minute of each other, as they will revive themselves within a minute of their death. After the Conclave is destroyed, you move on to Al'Akir himself. Al'Akir was actually the very last boss of the Heroic Tier 1 content to be downed, so it must be a testament to how difficult this fight is on Heroic.

And because we're beginning to get a little TOO lengthy here, I'm going to go ahead and cut this blog off. I will continue and finish out the rest of the Cataclysm information with my next blog. Which, since I already started and completed this one, I'm going to go ahead and quickly speed through the next one. Though it'll be tomorrow, after I get home from work.

I'll also have two more blogs up within the next few weeks, one containing information on the Lunar Festival that is currently going on in-game and the other over Love is in the Air, which begins right as the Lunar Festival ends. Here's hoping I get the Love Rocket this year.

Feast of Winter Veil

I figured I'd get this thrown out before the next holiday hits and I'm again behind. I'm okay with getting behind, but I know that there are some people that actually read these blogs and I don't want to leave them hanging simply because I'm slacking off at my job. Though no one actually "follows" the blog, people from my Facebook read it and enjoy the randomosity I throw into these little blogs I write up. Anyways..

Feast of Winter Veil!
When this holiday's achievements were first introduced, much QQing took place. It was the first achievement of many where players had to participate in both PvP and PvE content of the game to complete the Meta achievement for the entire holiday. Time to go through what needs to be done for this holiday for completion.

• He Knows If You've Been Naughty: From the 25th of December on for about a week or two, I'm not entirely sure, I usually get this one done on the 25th.. Grab a present from underneath the tree in Ironforge/Orgrimmar. That easy. Presents are available per level brackets, so the amount of presents available is different per player.

• On Metzen!: Pick up the quest from Ironforge/Orgrimmar to go save Metzen the Reindeer. The notes given to you during the quest say Tanaris or Searing Gorge. I think he's at both locations, but I've always just gone to Searing Gorge due to it being closer to Ironforge, as an Alliance. Sprinkle the dust on Metzen, he vanishes, return to Ironforge/Orgrimmar. That simple. Those of lower levels, there are adds all around his cage, so you might have to fight a bit to get to him. Usually higher levels will have destroyed everything around the area, so you -should- be safe.

• With a Little Helper from My Friends: PvP achievement! And one of the most annoying ones ever created. There are machines located in certain capital city, although I'm not positive if they are located in every capital city. These machines transform you into a gnome in a red or green costume. After that? Go into battlegrounds or world PvP or anything else to collect Honor Kills, and get 50. Without losing the form. Which breaks on death or shapeshifting. Quite fun.

• Scrooge: Here's a snowball! Chuck it at Muradin Bronzebeard in Ironforge as Alliance or Baine Bloodhoof in Thunderbluff as Horde. Snowballs can be collected from the AH, Alterac Mountains, Winterspring, I'm pretty sure any location where there is snow, you can collect snowballs from piles on the ground. People actually expected the faction leaders to be backwards, so more of a PvP-related achievement, due to the one before.

• Fa-la-la-la-Ogri'la: Head to Shattrath and pick up the questline from the ogre in the Lower City to head to Blade's Edge Mountains. Kill some gronns. Kill some more gronns. Kill an ogre, steal his book. Use the book to kill another gronn. Go to Ogri'la. Collect some shards, mix up some drinks, bomb some stuff up. Finished? Kay. Grab the bombing quest again as a Daily quest, bomb down the cannonball stacks again, make sure you use your Preserved Holly before you turn it in or before you accept the quest. Since the dismount has been removed by knockback during flight, this daily has become extremely easy and uncomplicated. Also, make sure to track the achievement under Outlands called Blade's Edge Bomber, get two achievements at once. =D /win

• 'Tis the Season: Collect the red/green clothing and winter boots from a tailor and a leatherworker with the patterns. Then, go defeat specific bosses with 100% chance to drop if they're wearing the hats, instead of farming random humanoid mobs hoping for the drop. Wear the hat with the cloths and boots, eat fruit cake. Anywhere, anytime. Achievement: Done.

• Simply Abominable: Just like with the On Metzen! achievement. Pick up the quest in Ironforge/Orgrimmar about the missing courier. Head up to Alterac Mountains, near the Growless Cave, you'll find a couple of trees with a snowman between them. That's your guy. Talk to him, he sends you after the Abominable Greench. He does a subzone wide yell emote when he spawns, he's just a large green yeti. Hard to miss, easy to watch die. Take him down, loot the stolen goods, return to where you started. Turning in the quest nets you the achievement.

• Let It Snow: You need to collect Handfuls of Snowflakes from /kiss'ing commoners underneath the mistoletoe in inns. (This is also a way to collect Holly if you don't have any preserved.) You have to use the Handfuls of Snowflakes on specific race/class combinations of both factions. Orc Death Knight, Human Warrior, Tauren Shaman, Night Elf Druid, Undead Rogue, Troll Hunter, Gnome Mage, Dwarf Paladin, Blood Elf Warlock, Draenei Priest.

• Bros. Before Ho-Ho-Ho's: Alliance technically has this one easier than the Horde. Alliance has to hit up five "Brother"s in Stormwind, one in Goldshire, one in Theramore, and one in Northern Stranglethorn Vale with Mistletoe. Horde has less Brothers, but they have to hit one on the ship flying over Icecrown, so they have a level restriction, or need a warlock.

• The Winter Veil Gourmet: Get your cooking skill high enough to cook a Gingerbread Cookie, Egg Nog, and Hot Apple Cider. Think you need 325 for the Cider, everything else is much lower.

• A Frosty Shake: I believe after completing the Greench questline, you'll recieve a mail 24 hours later holding a Winterveil Disguise Kit which turns you into a snowman. Go to Dalaran, have a snowball and this kit, use it and dance with someone else also using it.

• Crashin' & Thrashin': The present of '08 was a Chrashin' Thrashin' Racer. Up until they added a blue cart to the toy vendor in Dalaran, this achievement was unfinishable. Now it can be completed by anyway that never got the original cart. Destroy 25 other carts with your own. This is NOT part of the Meta!

• BB King: The present of '09 was a Red Rider Air Rifle with 100 charges. It has a cast time and aggro'd whatever you shot if it was an enemy. BB King's requirement? Shoot Baine Bloodhoof, Sylvanas Windrunner, Garrosh Hellscream, and Lor'themar Theron. Combine with For the Alliance for added awesome. Switch leaders and Alliance with Horde and you'll get the Horde achievement. This gun is now available to be purchased from the toy vendor in Dalaran. This is NOT part of the Meta!

And now the part that everyone cares about.. My own collection of achievement gatherers!

Warrior: Merrymaker of '08. I race-changed last year after the holiday and they removed my Red Rider Air Rifle from my bags. So until they recently added the gun to the toy vendor in Dalaran, I had no way to complete BB King. But I'm good now.

Paladin: Merrymaker of '09. BB King of '10. Completed 5 of the achievements in '08, finished off the rest in '09.

Druid: Merrymaker of '10. The 50 HKs was the hardest part, since my druid is balance and lack of moonkin form is a tough survival choice. Completed five achievements in '08, three achievements in '09, and knocked out the rest in '10. No BB King.

Death Knight: Merrymaker of '10. Completed four achievements in '08, six achievements in '09, and the 50 HKs and the Fa-la-la-la-Ogri'la during the '10 event. No BB King, but I only need Garrosh, and no Chrashin' & Thrashin'.

Mage: Not a Merrymaker. Completed five achievements in '08, one in '09. Did not participate this year. With Cataclysm hitting a week before, I was too focused on leveling my warrior and paladin to 85 and working on gear then worrying about this holiday meta on some of my other alts. I'll get it next year though, for sure.

Rogue: Not a Merrymaker. Not surprised. Completed three achievements in '08, one achievement in '09, and one achievement in '10. If I actually put the time into this guy to level him to, at least, 70, he'll be a Merrymaker next year when it rolls around. Unless Blizz changes it to some 85 stuff, then he's in the can again.

The Feast of Winter Veil is a great holiday. It represents the happiness of Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa and other religious holidays around the Winter time of year. About giving and receiving, helping those that can't help themselves, delicious Winter goodies, and spending time with those you love most. While the achievements are rather debatable on certain aspects of what this holiday really stands for, they fit for a game made up of a wide variety of people and keep the monotony to a minimum.

Lunar Festival starts within a week or so, but I still need to get out a blog on Cataclysm itself. If my podcast was up and running, I'd just make a blog post sending people over there to listen to it, but we're not ready yet. Which makes for a sad Paragon.

P.S. I kinda like the listing format for the achievements and talking about them. Instead of random comments on the achievements themselves with little to no information about them. I think I'll stick to this format from here on out. You learn things as you go along!