Why Rossi is Wrong about Warriors.

As one of the top warriors in the world, this article shows how little the author really knows about warriors. A few problems with what he writes. (Article here http://wow.joystiq.com/bloggers/matthew-rossi/)

1.) Yes, execute is a high percentage of our damage. But for neither fury or arms is it realistically 25%, unless that warrior is just bad. On landsoul's 3# parse, on the fight with the STRONGEST execute phase (Elegon) the damage from execute was only 22.9% - that with infinite rage (Berserker stance and avatar) AND all other CDs, PLUS the boss taking over 100% extra damage in execute phase, and a comparatively lesser amount earlier in the fight. On both his other top parses, as well as my own, execute was more realistically 12-17%.

2.) In execute phase, all rage is being spent on execute ONLY, and as few other GCDs are used on rage free abilities as possible. This means that, while above 20% health, a GCD will be used on things such as heroic throw, overpower, slam, etc, during sub 20%, EVERYTHING is focused on getting as many executes out (especially during CS) and ignoring other abilities such as OP, rage allowing. Thus, on a normal fight if I were to focus on only, say. slam, and ignore things like OP/throw of COURSE the percentage damage of that one ability would be higher.

Theory crafting requires an understanding of how a class works. If you aren't going into execute phase with close to full rage, a CS ready, all cooldowns up, potting, and depending on the fight with bloodlust, you're doing it wrong. Considering all the extra things a warrior puts into execute phase, is it any wonder it is so strong?

Oh, and another note. Unless your warrior is just bad, he should still be pulling incredible numbers, especially on elegon, garalon, wind lord, stoneguard, and gar'jal.

If Rossi really things warriors underperform the rest of the fight, maybe he should do some more research. I assure you, this is not the case.

Need V Greed: When is it a Ninja!@!

Note, this is a post I made on MMO-Champion about when it is right to hit "need" or "greed" in Looking For Groups such as LFR or LFD. My stance is as follows. (Note: Because we are 3/8 heroic, I normally only do LFR on alts if I need a specific piece, a friend needs a piece, or for the valor)

Link to the original article can be found here. http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/1065833-Is-this-right-to-do-in-LFR?p=15106597&posted=1#post15106597


I find everyone saying "No its wrong" to be rather humorous. Wrong according to what? Your sense of fair play? Ok, maybe, but if its going off a personal opinion, then you can't hold others accountable to your personal standard.

Wrong according to the rules? Nope. You can need on anything you are able to roll need on and be perfectly safe. A ninja is technically one who breaks pre-arranged loot rules outside of a blizzard-enforced environment (basically outside of any LFG).

Wrong according to the community? Maybe. Sure, there are basic "rules" some people go by, such as MS>OS but those are more for self benefit and the golden rule. Those aren't even always accepted by all players.

So whose rule of "right and wrong" do you go by? Do you invoke some religious backing, "Do unto others" or something of the sort?

What is the premise for saying anyone else is "right" or "wrong" "good" or "bad"?

Example, if a tank is an asshole or just plain bad (whether due to skill, or lack, or because he's being lazy or just dicking around) some may say I'm justified on rolling on a tank item I need for OS. Blizzard rules allow me to do so. If I win it, am I a "bad" person? If I was running that dungeon just to build pieces for my tank spec, because I can't tank yet, and I was q'ing just for that piece, do I have more "right" then the tank who was just running for valor and happened to need it as well?

Under what circumstances is a decision right or wrong? Am I sometimes a "nicer" person, giving a tank a piece I won fair and square because he asked me too? Maybe.

Then again, consider the problems in the system. Very few people hit pass in LFD. Most hit greed or DE. If I need something for OS, I'll roll need. If the tank/heals/DPS do as well, and its their MS, I'll probably give it to them unless I'm there just to gather that piece. You see, this way I remove the chance of it being DE'd or hoping I get lucky over people who just want the crystal or the vendor price. Is that wrong? Even if I'm considering others by passing it off if two people "need" it but its their MS, I'm still keeping it over someone who'd vendor. Most players would say that is acceptable, and "right" however.

It all comes down to your personal view. No one can say you are right or wrong, as long as you are within the rules. They may kick or insult, kicking is within their right to do so.

Now more on topic, why should bad/lazy/afk players "win" loot over those who "earn" it by better performance? I'd do the same thing as the OP. Blizzards system doesn't reward good players, or those trying to improve, so I will try to do so. Some may say I am wrong, some may swear, but this is within the rules.

Note: This is specific to random people in LFD/LFR not guild/friends where progression/friendship come first.

4.3 Prep-Chaos around Chaos orbs?

4.3 is coming soon. With the arena season ending November 29th, the patch could hit any Tuesday now. So what should you be prepared for? Well, the new Darkmoon faire. I am not sure if there will be any good way to make money off this, I'm guessing only if the new pets/mounts are BoE instead of BoP. But keep an eye (Or two) out for indirect ways of making cash- materials needed much like stone and the old decks were used to gain reputation.

Next- Chaos orbs, and sinister squashling are now BoE, unless something changes all of a sudden from the PTR. The squashling is interesting. I'm not sure how many people have multiples of this companion. I know some people who destroyed extras. To be honest, if you don't need the cash right off, I'd hold onto at least 1-2 of these for a few months, and then try for higher prices. Chaos orbs being unbound was expected. The main things I'm interested in here are 1.) Will the roll rules change? If I roll need, does it become BoP, or can everyone only roll greed? To be honest, I'd prefer the former. Have everyone who needs the item to personally craft roll need, but make it BoP then. If people want it to sell on the AH or for their guild bank, have them roll greed, and whoever wins it receives it as BoE. Of course, this still has problems, and since orbs may become rather cheap after 4.3 it may not be a big enough deal to worry about. The 2nd thing I'm interested in here is what else are orbs going to be used for? Perhaps epic gem xmutes? Remember, 5 orbs can be used to make dreamcloth on the 7 day cooldown, and frozen orbs+wrath gems were used to make icey prisim. These both point to the possibility that chaos orbs may be used as a reagent, or possible optional reagent to transmute epic gems. After all, Blizzard has stated they wish to make epic gems harder to acquire in this tier.

Finally, I'm preparing for the post-patch frenzy. All enchants, from +15 chest to the +50 to bracers and others will sell much better, as players come back to the game, gear new toons, and replace old gear. As well, I'm stocking up on maelstrom crystals. With the shatter, these may soon actually increase in price, depending on how many of each material can be gained from shattering these. I have around 40 stacks of Essence, 100+ stacks of dust, and 100+ heavenly shards, so I'm fairly prepared for the dabbling I do.

Don't forget to stock up for new PvP sets, but don't craft yet. The patterns will be upgraded, but not the crafted pieces already made. As well, look into flipping volatiles- lots of Vfire will be used for sets, water/air for enchants, earth for leg armor and belt buckles.

Finally, gems. Need I say more? They'll sell- like mad. Prepare ahead!

Flipping Items without Flipping Yourself

This post is just a short one with something important to consider before one starts flipping items-whether it be flipping an epic, flipping a rarer item (Mounts, trading card game items, etc) or essentially flipping by buying materials and selling a produced item.

First, a definition of flipping. Simply put, flipping is buying an item cheap and selling higher. Some people buy massive amounts of items and flip them for a small profit. Some buy a few items that sell more slowly and flip for higher profit. The later is what I prefer to do.

The problem came about for me recently with this: What was my backup strategy? If the item didn't sell, even after doing my homework etc as to value, supply, and so forth, what would I do? There are a lot of options, I could disenchant it, or learn the item if its a mount. But then I make no profit. I could give it away, or use it as a raid prize. Ehh, maybe better, but I still get no profit. Or I could keep trying, or tuck it away for a time, and hope to sell it in the future. Still, not as nice an idea.

The point here is NOT to show you the best way to deal with an item you can't move. There are simply too many variables for too many items to do that. The point is to make you think-to prepare. What is your exit strategy if things don't go as planned? Now that I got burned (Accidentally learned "Reins of Poseidus" after I bought it for 45k, and was trying to flip for 70k) I'll always have a plan, or be willing to take the risk. But at the same time, now that I know that about myself, I'm more willing to take some risks.

Be prepared- Not scared

White Ribbon Campaign-Unite, One Voice

"With one voice, as one community, we are speaking out and working to end 
violence against women."


http://whiteribbon.ca/ Main link.

This became personal recently. There is no excuse for this type of behavior by anyone. By spreading the word, and helping out ourselves, we can limit, and hopefully eradicate this evil behavior.

Thoughts, prayers, and well wishes for all those devastated by this evil. We love you.

I came back to my blog because this trumps any thing else related to gaming, or gold making. This needed to be said, even when this blog has been on hiatus. Unite in support, with one voice.

The Journey from Rags to Riches

     Pardon the Cliche, but in my case this is literally true. When I first hit level 85 on my first account, a few weeks after starting WoW back in January of '11, I struggled to pay for anything. I saved up for days to buy my artisan flying, and I was so happy to get that phat lewt known as the Darkmoon Card: Hurricane, and Crossfire Carbine. Each purchase broke my bank. But I always seemed to get more money, and I thought I was doing well when I had 10k after a few weeks of playing after each purchase. Hoo boy.


     Of course, the first thing I tried was farming. I was a miner, and so I would farm elementium ore and pyrite in Twilight Highlands and Uldum. This ore would either be smelted and thrown on the AH, or prospected, often only a few stacks at a time, by a friend, and I would work with the gems I had getting 1-2 meta gem transmutes from a friend at a time, and so on. Needless to say, because farming wasn't very profitable, and I didn't have the patience or time to spent countless hours mining, I didn't make much.

     Next I did what I thought was rather smart, and leveled a alchemist/herbalist hunter, leveling alchemy through the herbs I gathered. I then provided a friend's guild with the various flasks they needed for their raid team, they liked to keep 40 of each in the Gbank. So I'd farm herbs, make flasks (being the proper specialization) and cash on delivery them over, with a discount off AH price. This was slightly more profitable, and I enjoyed farming herbs a bit more then mining, whether using elixar of water walking to farm Azshara veil in Tol Barad, whiptail in Uldum, or heartblossom in Deepholm.

     Still, the eyes of man are never satisfied. I started perusing gold blogs, and listening to a few podcasts. This only whetted my appetite. The money to really be made was in the Auction house, not farming. As well, it was in having a number of items up, and not depending on only one item to provide all my income. So I got some help. Wes, of Cappedbycata.com was an amazing help. I knew what items did, and how much they were worth, but I had no clue what I should be making, crafting, stockpiling, buying, and selling. He helped me out, especially by showing me theunderminejournal.com. I started simple, shuffling heavenly shards by making stormforgerd shoulders and having a friend disenchant them, and sometimes making enchant weapons-hurricane. I also sold my first crafted 359 piece on the AH. Before, I was lucky to get 200g an orb if I sold my orbs in trade. Now, I was making 4k profit per item! Great success! Belt buckles too, simply amazing. If you don't have a blacksmith, I'd advise checking your server. For me, I sell roughly 50 a week, for around 200g profit. They cost around 110g to craft, and I sell these from 300-400g/ea. A nice thing too is that I can reset this market on the weekends, or a friend does, buying out everyone when they are low (sub 225g) and reposting back at 400g. These are one of my main pipelines, a steady profit stream.

     Having learned the basics, nothing could stop me! I looked at niche markets, such as deepstone oil (200% profit margin, and almost no competition.) Mysterious Fortune Cards (check out Cold's guide if interested, link on the side) and lavascale catfish. As a raider, I knew what would be in demand after 4.2 hit, and so I bought a number of stacks for 80-100g each, later selling for 325g per stack. PvP sets are another great market I'm glad I got into, each piece costing roughly 150g and selling for between 250-600 gold, depending on if anyone's been leveling blacksmithing lately.

     So, from farmer, to wana-be, to actually knowing what I'm doing was a journey that I'm glad I took. Learning how to make gold was not hard at all, I just had to learn what to look for. If you are in the same boat I was, look around! There are numerous podcasts, twitter accounts, blogs, and people willing to help. Gold making isn't hard, its all about knowing what to look for.

     I wrote this as a bit of a chronicle of my journey, something to look back to, and as a great big thank you to those who helped me get started. I just broke 300k after a month of knowing what I am doing, and I have no plans to stop. Remember, gold making is a different type of progression compared to raiding, but it can be just as fun, and fulfilling.

     Wes, thanks so much. Don't know what else to say, but you showed me how to get started, and that helped an amazing amount. Cold, your tweets help, and your blog is always fun to read. The Gold Queen, I always enjoy chatting on twitter, reading your blog, as well as your guides.

     Here is to my further progression, not only into heroic mode raiding in T12, but also to knowledge of my market, my gold making, and fun! Cheers Mates!

Learn2Gem

     Enhancing equipment, oh the joys and troubles this caused me when I first started playing. The problems I faced were numerous, I didn't know what my secondary stat priorities were, I didn't know what gems to look for, and I didn't know which socket bonuses to meet. Eventually, with the help of Elitist Jerks, and the askmrrobot website, I figured these things out, and I now keep a few of the gems I always need for new gear in my bags.


     Knowing which gems to use is imperative for me as a raider, when I am trying to min-max. (Wiping with the boss at 20k health has happened once, and we've even had some .5% wipes.) There are two ways to gem correctly, however one is better, and probably cheaper, but requires more knowledge. The easiest option is to just gem your primary stat. I should mention that this is for healers and DPS only, tanks vary by class, gear, and what you are raiding. If gemming straight red gems, you'll be using either brilliant, delicate, or bold inferno rubies. Make sure that your meta gem is active, however. You might have to use a combo gem or two, to activate it. This method is more costly, as on most servers red gems are the most expensive. You lose out on socket bonuses, but in some cases this is better then losing your primary stat, depending on the bonus, and comes with the ease of always knowing what to throw in a socket.

     The second option requires you to know stat weights. For me, as a fury warrior, my stat priority goes like this, 26 expertise->8% hit-> crit->hit (up to 26%)->mastery->haste. The stat weight of Strength:Critical Strike is .66 roughly, or 3 points of critical strike is worth about 2 points of strength. This means if the socket bonus is +10 strength, with a yellow socket, I will use an orange gem, in my case inscribed ember topaz, which is +20 strength and +20 critical strike. Thus, the bonus from that socket is +30 strength and +20 critical strike, which is slightly better then the straight +40 strength of a bold inferno ruby. Hit is worth slightly less then half a point of strength, however because I need more hit when I go arms, etched demonseye is a quarter the price, and I am OCD about meeting +strength bonuses, I will use this purple gem in blue sockets. As well, I'd like 26% hit soon, for my white hits to always connect, granting more constant rage, and evening out my rotation. With changes, these stat priorities and weight change as well, buffing white hits for fury warriors made hit worth more after 4.1, for instance.

     Knowing which gems to use for your class will help you play better. If you are a jewelcrafter, it should also help, as you can learn which gems will be in the most demand by raiders. I'll always be using bold inferno, etched demonseye, inscribed ember topaz, and reverberating shadowspirit diamond. When my Jewelcrafter hits level 75, the first patterns I will buy will be all three +40 agility/strength/intellect infernos, and then the correct demoneyes and ember topaz cuts for various classes, followed by other gems needed. Knowledge is power, which can be utilized to make money.

     Now, to explain something people consistently demonstrate they don't understand: Reforge for those stats, don't gem! I cringe when I see someone with a hit gem. You never should do that. You can reforge out of a lesser stat, such as haste in my case, to hit the soft expertise cap. By doing this I turn a stat worth less into a stat worth more, and I can gem my primary stat, strength. If I gem hit I lose that strength. You can't reforge into your primary stat! You are giving up that stat for a lesser one. It would be better to be at 7.97% hit as a hunter then to be 8% hit and lose out on that agility. REFORGE! Websites such as askmrrobot are AMAZING at helping you optimize, so as not to be over hit cap, and to utilize your reforging to give the best boost.

     Learning to gem will help you not only do better, but will show you know your class better as well. You can also profit off this knowledge of your class, or other classes as a jewelcrafter. Learn2gem, and profit off that knowledge!