Monday, March 28, 2016

Noblegarden '16

Blizzard has still not added anything new to the rotation for Noblegarden again this year, so we're still sticking to the tried-and-true methods for how this Holiday even works. Noblegarden is the in-game representation of Easter, only it lasts for an entire week, running from March 28th through April 4th.

Side note: Looking for some new customized Holiday artwork if any artists are interested.

Just like before, the main objective of this Holiday is the collection of the Brightly Colored Egg placed around the starting areas. For the Alliance, that means Azure Watch, Dolanaar, Goldshire, and Kharanos. For the Horde, that means Bloodhoof Village, Brill, Falconwing Square, and Razor Hill. Most of the towns have a small area where you can effectively camp out and have access to 4-5 eggs in a very small location without much adjustment to reach them all.

Since the spawn points are going to be the same for the Brightly Colored Egg as they were from years past, I will be spending my time in two locations: Goldshire behind the inn in the garden and/or in Dolanaar making "rounds." As suggested in previous incarnations of this guide, if you have terrible targeting skills, stick to the camping method, as it doesn't involve much moving, so you can keep your mouse in the proper locations. If you're good on the run, use the "rounds" method to maximize your upkeep. Also, pick your method based on the population of the area as well, as you're going to be competing against anyone and everyone for these spawns.

As always, this Holiday has a small assortment of quests that can be taken advantage of with little effort.


And there you have it, you're done with all of the quests. NOW COLLECT THAT CHOCOLATE, AND DON'T EAT ALL OF IT. Find your respective Noblegarden vendor of choice and prepare to spend a lot of Noblegarden Chocolate on random cosmetic things.

Remember! Most of the items available from the vendor can, and more than likely will, show up inside of the Brightly Colored Egg while you are farming up the necessary amounts of Noblegarden Chocolate to collect all of the items available. So while, yes, you need over a thousand Noblegarden Chocolate to purchase everything, you aren't going to be purchasing everything by the end of your gathering, I can almost 100% guarantee that.

With all of that egg-hunting and chocolate scarfing, you're hungry for more to do I'm sure! Complete the slew of achievements for this Holiday to grant yourself the title of 'the Noble' with the completion of the meta achievement: Noble Gardener.
  • I Found One! : So you noticed a Brightly Colored Egg on the ground, eh? Picked it up, did ya? Good, we're done here.
  • Noble Garden/Noble Garden : Partake in the fun! Place your very own Noblegarden Egg in Stormwind City, if you're Alliance, or Silvermoon City, if you're Horde. Don't forget to pick it back up once you're placed it, you might get something fancy back. Or just more Noblegarden Chocolate. Probably just more Noblegarden Chocolate.
  • Chocolate Lover : The sight of all that Noblegarden Chocolate finally got the better of you, did it? You didn't have to eat a whole 25 of them, though. Well, have an achievement for stuffing your face full.
  • Chocoholic : Okay, now things are getting out of hand. You didn't stop at 25, but you went all the way to 100 Noblegarden Chocolate? You might have some issues, kid, but... Here's an achievement.
  • Hard Boiled : This one requires the company of a friend or maybe just a random passerby that just happens to have a Blossoming Branch. Either way, you need to head over to Un'Goro Crater and step into the Golakka Hot Springs while turned into a bunny and wait to lay an egg. You could also set your Hearthstone to Marshal's Stand, get turned into a bunny in one of the towns, then hearth and run there. If you get into combat though, the disguise fails and you have to start over. Bring a friend, it'll be faster.
  • Desert Rose : Slip into your Spring Robes and get ready to take a trip around Azeroth! When you use the Spring Robes, you plant a flower. Your goal here is to head over to a few deserts and plant some flowers. On Eastern Kingdoms, you're making a stop at the Badlands. Head over to Kalimdor and hit up Desolace, Thousand Needles, Tanaris, and Silithus, which are all on the southern portion of the continent. Don't ruse those Kalimdor deserts, your Spring Robes come with a 1 minute cooldown on flower-planting.
  • Shake Your Bunny-Maker : Use the Spring Flowers you got from the vendor, or from the Brightly Colored Egg, and find yourself some level 18+ honeys. You need to use the Spring Flowers on a female of every race (sans Pandaren) that is level 18+ to gain credit for the achievement. Sadly, the Spring Flowers has a 5 minute cooldown, so don't try and go too fast if you're just going to bum yourself out.
  • Spring Fling/Spring Fling : Use your Spring Rabbit pet to help it find "love", but only in different area codes.
    • Alliance: Help your little bunny out in Goldshire in Elwynn Forest, Kharanos in Dun Morogh, Dolanaar in Teldrassil, and Azure Watch on Azuremyst Isle.
    • Horde: Help your little bunny out in Razor Hill in Durotar, Bloodhoof Village in Mulgore, Brill in Tirisfal Glades, and Falconwing Square in Eversong Woods.
  • Blushing Bride : Don your Sunday Best and find yourself a partner Dressed for the Occasion and pucker up. The person wearing the dress does not get the achievement, but if you're worried about that, just trade items and do it all over again!
    • These last two achievements are not required for the meta, so don't fret too much if you haven't gotten them from eggs near the end of the holiday. Just pick them up from the vendor and get your Blushing Bride achievement.
  • Sunday's Finest : Crack open those Brightly Colored Egg until you've got yourself a hot, sticky mess of White Tuxedo Shirt and Black Tuxedo Pants. To complete this, you actually have to get them out of the eggs, you can't purchase or trade to get credit.
  • Dressed for the Occasion : Don't stop with the suit, go for the Elegant Dress, too. Just like the suit, you actually have to get it from the Brightly Colored Egg, you can't purchase or trade to get credit.

There are only two pets for this Holiday, but only one gets to roll around in the dirt.

When you're done gorging yourself on Noblegarden Chocolate, maybe we can have a sit down to talk about your weight problems.. And the follow-up for the Holiday.

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Post-Love Is In The Air '16

And with that comes the end of the 2016 Love is in the Air Holiday event. And yet another year for me to renew my membership to the:
Yes.. Again.. No luck on the Big Love Rocket.

Paragon the Warrior: Love Fool of '09.
Railene the Paladin: Love Fool of '10.
Xardion the Death Knight: Love Fool of '11.
Sollexi the Rogue: Love Fool of '12. Achieved It Might Just Save Your Life.
Laviana the Mage: Love Fool of '11. Achieved It Might Just Save Your Life.
Arcia the Druid: Love Fool of '11. Achieved It Might Just Save Your Life.

Ferenan the Monk: Unofficial Love Fool of '09 due to account-wide achievements. Achieved Be Mine!Shafted!Sweet ToothThe Rocket's Pink GlareLovely Luck Is On Your SideTough LovePerma-Peddle, and It Might Just Save Your Life. 100% possibility of completion in '17, unless new content is added in Legion.

Yesira the Blood Knight: Unofficial Love Fool of '09 due to account-wide achievements. Achieved Shafted!The Rocket's Pink GlareTough Love, and It Might Just Save Your Life. 100% possibility of completion in '17, unless new content is added in Legion.

Shaman: Unofficial Love Fool of '09 due to account-wide achievements. Current level restricting completion of all achievements, 100% possibility of completion in '17, unless new content is added in Legion.

Hunter: Unofficial Love Fool of '09 due to account-wide achievements. Current level restricting completion of all achievements, 100% possibility of completion in '17, unless new content is added in Legion.

Warrior: Unofficial Love Fool of '09 due to account-wide achievements. Current level restricting completion of all achievements, 25% possibility of completion in '17, unless new content is added in Legion.

Warlock: Unofficial Love Fool of '09 due to account-wide achievements. Current level restricting completion of all achievements, 100% possibility of completion in '17, unless new content is added in Legion.

Warrior II: Unofficial Love Fool of '09 due to account-wide achievements. Current level restricting completion of all achievements, 0% possibility of completion in '17.

Paladin: Unofficial Love Fool of '09 due to account-wide achievements. Current level restricting completion of all achievements, 0% possibility of completion in '17.

Horde Warrior: Unofficial Love Fool of '09 due to account-wide achievements. Current level restricting completion of all achievements, 25% possibility of completion in '17, unless new content is added in Legion.

Paladin II: Unofficial Love Fool of '09 due to account-wide achievements. Current level restricting completion of all achievements, 25% possibility of completion in '17, unless new content is added in Legion.

Mage: Unofficial Love Fool of '09 due to account-wide achievements. Current level restricting completion of all achievements, 0% possibility of completion in '17.

Warrior III: Unofficial Love Fool of '09 due to account-wide achievements. Current level restricting completion of all achievements, 0% possibility of completion in '17.

Druid: Unofficial Love Fool of '09 due to account-wide achievements. Current level restricting completion of all achievements, 0% possibility of completion in '17.

Hunter II: Unofficial Love Fool of '09 due to account-wide achievements. Current level restricting completion of all achievements, 0% possibility of completion in '17.

I mentioned last year that I wouldn't do They Really Love Me! unless they redesigned the achievement. Amusingly enough, they did, and I still didn't do it. Maybe next year?