Bounty Hunters

Last night during my drug induced haze, I was on antihistimines, antibiotics, and a prescribed sleeping pill, I had a dream of WoW which is rare since it has never happened before that I recall. So last night I dreamed I killed a horde player, and soon 3 bounty hunters were after me. I thought abou tit and decided to expand the idea since it is not a bad idea.
So imagine if you will someone is griefing a player much, much lower then their level. Lets say a 70 is killing players 30+ levels below them. Each time he kills said character, there is a small percent chance, lets say 2%, that bounty hunters, 2-4 of various classes and same level as the murderer, is sent out after the murderer when he is not expecting it. Again, lets say 2-4 hours after he committed the PK. The 70 is back in Outlands, questing when suddenly 3 humanoids of the same race as the one he killed, start attacking him mercilessly screaming things like "Soandso sent us to avenge his death!!!" or "We were hired by the family of soandso and your head is worth gold to us!" These would not just be plain ol mobs but work together well kind of like a small arena team. I think it would add a bit for players to get consquences of their actions and perhaps, just perhaps, leave those little lowbies alone on pvp servers. It is hard enough leveling without a 70 camping out in a 20's zone.

New BG ideas

Here are a few ideas for new Battle Grounds, which could be implemented for WOTLK. None of these ideas are unique per say, but might be fun to try to mix up PVP a bit.

1. A BG similar to Eye of the Storm where you hold areas until you capture them (minus flag runs), yet it takes place on floating islands. Each person entering the BG is given a trinket to summon an epic mount and there are 5 areas which can be taken over, but none can be reached unless flown to, and the grave yards are based on starting areas and none of the opposing faction can enter that area so no res killing.
2. A flag capturing area similar to Arathi Basin, with 5 areas, yet each area takes place on a tall tower over a huge lake. Each tower is connected to two others via bridges, and if not by bridge, players can reach other towers by taking the long route of falling to the water and swimming over and climbing up.
3. Again an EOTS type area minus flag running, yet the entire game takes place in a giant castle, each team trying to conquer a certain valuable area of the castle such as the armory, library, courtyard, stables, etc. The castle can be a giant maze with interconnected passages and secret doors. The idea is from some of the old games like Quake 2 and Unreal Tournament maps.
4. Finally, another idea borrowed from Unreal Tournament where there is an attack and defend area. The attackers assault a defended area to reach a goal (all deaths taking longer to resurrect so there is caution on each side), and try to break through a defensive area to capture a target. They are given a time limit for this, perhaps 10 minutes. Once captured, the sides switch, and the attackers defend and vice versa. If the original attackers took less then 10 minutes to capture the target, lets say 8 minutes, the new team attacking will only have that time to capture the target. Obviously this is a new way to do BGs altogether, but once again it can breathe a bit of life into an area which has gotten a bit stale lately.

Do rogues HAVE to be the bad guys?

It seems that rogues have the unenviable stereotype of being the bad guys even when do not wish to be. I cringe a little bit when someone assumes that all rogues do is run around and gank people when they are most vulnerable. I would be lying to say that I have not crept to the rear of someone and slipped a dagger into their back when they were eating and drinking after a fight, because I have, though this is more the exception than the rule. The main problem is that by being a rogue, many other players assume that I prefer to harass players instead of enjoying the main content of the game. I would much rather spend my time raiding, doing a dungeon or even helping out a guild mate who is trying to level instead of traveling to Thousand Needles and picking on a low level horde or three for a few hours.
I still remember leveling up my rogue in Ashenvale, and for a solid two hours I could not complete a single quest because this one rogue would follow me and pick me off every chance he had, to the point where I logged off in disgust and played an alt for an hour then went back. When I ressed, I made it no more then 6 seconds before I was killed again by the same rogue who made it a point to laugh at me, jump on my corpse, and do something so distasteful that I will not refer to it here, yet I will say that to this day I cannot drink tea without wincing a little. Perhaps it was this moment where I decided I would not play a stereotypical rogue and would never be known as a “griefer.”
To this day I will not kill players who are more then ten levels below me for the sole purpose that they would not stand a chance, and even if I find someone who is the same level as me, yet they are at only at 10% health, I will not kill them simply because I find it distasteful to take advantage of the situation and gain a point or two in honor, yet I just did one of the most dishonorable things in the game. Since Blizzard will never take away honor for players who grief, I ask the players themselves to resist the blood thirst they feel when they see someone lagging and auto-running into a tree for the last minute, or catching two players who are dueling in the middle of Nagrand and bring each other to a sliver of health. Just take a deep breath and take the high road. Instead of killing, try something else that can instill just as much fear into another player. When you catch someone mining, sap them then appear in front of them and tell them “No!” then shoo them away and stealth again. You have just claimed that area as your own yet shed no blood and that player will think twice before trekking across your property in search for ore. If you like to gank, then gank away because I will never tell you that you are wrong to play the way you want, I just hope you can take a moment to think outside the box and consider another option or two before inserting your blade into the back of the neck another player. I like to think there is something to that old motto of “Honor among thieves.”

Give Daggers some love!

One thing I noticed that I deem unfair to all those OP rogues out there, is the lack of daggers as a specialty for weaponsmiths. Swords, hammers, even axes are available to specialize in, yet not daggers, fist weapons, nor polearms. I understand that specialization is good to a degree, where it then begins to get tedious and nit-picky, yet I think if you give us 6 main forms of melee weapons, it is unfair to give us a chance to specialize in weaponsmithing for only 3 of these. I will throw this against the wall and see if it sticks. Imagine a fist weapon which has a chance to give the next attack from it the ability to cause bleeding damage to the target equal to the attack over 8 seconds, or a dagger to have a chance to cause the next attack to attack the target as if they had no armor at all, (give a neat attack for rogues to warriors) or a polearm which has a chance to cause the target to lose 10% of their max health for ten seconds and then get it back. You have to admit these are abilities that can make things a lot more fun in PVP. Well, for the owners of these weapons at least.

WHAT were they thinking?

I was questing in Hellfire today with a guidie with out 61 and 60 rogue and druid, when this 70 warrior named Demondawg decides he will not leave us alone with his little 61 rogue buddy. So we decide hell, lets get our mains. so I brought my main Domani and my friend brought his main, Dorage. Well we destroy him 3 times, and he brings a hunter buddy, 2 on 3 and we win again a couple of times. THEN he brings not one, not two but three 70 hunters AND a 70 rogue. So, we call in one, my friend Bendovr comes to help. So remember the math, 3 of us versus 6. We were right next to their graveyard at Falcon Watch so they kept ressing one after another. Well we spent 40 minutes there, I racked 37 kills, and not one of us died once...NOT ONCE! They kept ressing one at a time, and would run away from helping their friends, it was a riot...but then the best part happened. Dorage was flying away to go rest and drink and noticed Demondawg following him, so told me to follow him and keep back out of sight. He was like a wounded bird leading the adder to a trap. He lands on the VERY top of the tallest mountain south of Falcon Watch at like 20% health. Demondawg takes the bait, jumps down to finish him off, out of the heavens I come and BAM, dead dawg on the top of a mountain, which you see here..

So I thought it funny he would be stupid enough to come, but then the good part happened........One by one his friends landed, Docholiday, Foulball, and Wilma and 2 others I cannot find the names of, all landed and got killed on the SAME mountain in the SAME place we just slaughtered their friend. NO WAY to get their bodies.....My god they were so stupid. We tried to get a screen shot of them but they all spirit-ressurected before we could snap it. But here are a couple more pics to show just where they dropped one by one to get beaten to a pulp. Truly, it was beautiful.

God I love this game....

I think the future holds a new faction.

Last week I thought of WOTLK coming out, and I thought...What then? Are we doomed to see expansion every year or so with another 10 or 5 levels, a new land and....that is it? Do not get me wrong, games like EverQuest have been doing it for years and years and are making money and lord knows WoW has 10 times the people it does, but perhaps it is time to shake it up. Let WOTLK come out, let players get to 80, but THEN I think we hsould have a choice to go to a new faction. Here is how I see it...

Many WoW lore geeks know Sargeras had two champions, Kil’jaeden the Deceiver and Archimonde the Defiler, but how about introducing a third? maybe......Bob the Gaseous. Yes, the demon Bob. And Bob was unhappy and though Sargeras was a wuss so broke away and has been hand picking the strongest heros across many worlds to make an army of his own to challenge Sargeras. So, when we hit level 80 we can decide to stay with Alliance or Horde, and join the....Dark Shadow.....Or maybe the Burninators.....yes, Trogdor would be part of it.....I mean he has to right? Anyways, if you join this third rank you can change your character into a different race, one of 4 or 5 demon forms, each with it's own racial abilities and look. Then you lose all alegance to that faction, lose all flight paths you have recieved in those towns, but keep the neutral ones. You will be attacked on sight going to the cities you once called home....Hey, those who seek power cannot have it too easy right? So this new faction gets its own city and own quests and from 80+ there will be three factions......God I can imagine the rush of a night elf priest healing an orc warrior as he takes down a lock of the new faction....And of course victorious, the orc turns on the elf.......Do not blame him, after all, he is just an orc.

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*EDIT* I orriginaly had this idea over a week ago but had been so busy studying for a certification test in school that I never took the time to write this idea, and as SOON as I blogged this I got an email from a friend of mine which pointed me to THIS post by Matthew Rossi who basicly had the exact same idea I had, yet beat me posting the idea by 9 hours or so. Apparently a third faction is not a new idea but seems odd he and I both posted so close. Touche Matthew, you beat me this time! If you beat me to my post about deep fried kittens as the new hunter pet food, then I will see you in court!!

Ideas For New Hero Classes

Besides the Death Knights, no other hero classes have been mentioned by Blizzard. Have they not come up with any? Well for the sake of this conversation lets say they have not, so I can feed my ego and come up with ideas and pretend they have never considdered them. So, on with the show....

1 Necromancers: Now, before you say "Hey! We have these! They are called Warlocks!" I have to correct you. They are not Warlocks at all. Warlocks harness the powers of shadow and fire and use demons to do their biddings, while Necromancers use Death and Pain and use the undead as their servants. Ok, so there are no gloves that have +34 spell damage for death spells, so let us say that Necromancers use Shadow and Ice. Kel'Thuzad is a necromancer and uses ice, so why cannot other necromancers?

2 Blademasters: These are a nice combination of warrior and rogue. In Warcraft lore they are an elite fighting force of the horde and can go on rampages that make Godzilla envious. I think of their use much like a warrior, but they can only use two handed weapons, and lose their ability to wear platemail, and are forced to wear something lighter, like leather, but they gain a fierce speed increase to compensate.

3. Monk: Look, we need monks, plain and simple. We need a melee class that wears cloth, and can do some funky stuff. I am talking "Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique" cool. I am talking Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon cool. I want dancing on top of trees! I want running on water cool....No, not some sissy shaman using a spell, I want just their AWESOMENESS to make water walking possible. I want chakras, and bald heads and......GAH! There is such potential here to tap into!!! I mean look at this picture, this is just 100% kick ass monk.

New items to customize racial abilities

A thought occurs to me the other day about a new set of items that could be o0implemented into WoW, without too much difficulty which could breathe a bit more strategy to the game, that of race specific items. This idea was spawned from the thought of how similar characters of the same class, yet different races are. Take for example a gnome warrior and a tauren warrior. Both can use the same weapon and armor despite the gnome being 1/4th the size of a tauren and both can use all the abilities exclusive to warriors. The only difference is the racial abilities they can use. For this discussion let us focus on just war stomp and escape artist. Imagine an item, a ring or perhaps a trinket, that is used exclusively by a particular race. The tauren could equip said item, and perhaps the war stomps cool down is reduced by 30 seconds, or has a 12 yard range instead of 8. The gnome could equip a similar item and could perhaps be immune to all snaring effects for 3 seconds after it was used, or it can remove all slowing effects such as crippling poison or slow.
This would change the way people pvp dramatically. In an arena battle, people would no longer say "Ok, we have a warrior, a rogue and a priest" and would instead say "Ok, we have a gnome warrior, human rogue and a dwarf priest." This could easily give people to further customize their character the way they want. Inscription is going to give many people a way to fine tune the abilities of their class, my idea is to give people a way to fine tune their race! Perhaps Blizzard does not even need to make these items a trinket or any slot currently available, but they could create a new slot for each character. Perhaps make them a "tattoo" slot on our character tab which could be applied in the same way gems are socketed into some items. I for one think this is an idea with no negatives and can only improve the customization, and therefore the quality of the game.

WoW Haiku

It is time to spread my wings and show my sensitive side, and therefore I share my WoW haikus.

Rogue:
You stealth and then stab.
All clothies die by your blades.
I hate all of you.

Priest:
A prayer heals all wounds.
They do not touch little boys.
With a word they shield.

Warrior:
You crush all with strength.
Platemail is your very best friend.
You are a meat shield.

Shamans:
Frost shock is king.
Fear all the mighty totems.
Windfury for the win.

Hunter:
Have bow and arrows.
Let the pet do all the work.
Feign death, live again.

Mage:
Lords of fire and ice.
I feel like mutton tonight.
Dresses are manly.

Druids:
Guards of the forest.
Bears and cats and even trees.
They are all hippies.

Warlock:
Great wings of shadow.
You harness death and decay.
I want a felguard.

Paladin:
Wear lots of armor.
Uh oh, a fight is coming.
Bubble, hearth, and log.

Postives and Negatives of "Welfare" Epics

Recently my friend brought up a point about how unfair these so-called "welfare" epics are for people who have been PVPing a long time, and how people just getting into PVP, or brand new 70s are essentially being handed epic PVP items without putting in the time and how every time a new arena season starts, the older arena items get easier and easier to get while the newest items get harder due to the recent personal ratings needed to achieve some of the items. I thought about this a bit and came up with a positive and negative argument to this topic.

Why making it easier to get PVP items is a good thing:

1. No need to play the catch-up game: Many people who are new to level 70 could easily feel they would never, ever catch up to hardcore PVPers. I started late in the game and for two solid months I was demolished in BGs and arenas alike. I very nearly gave up the entire PVP experience until a couple good friends forced me to go with them, and only then did I start warming up to the experience as PVP gear trickled in. I wish I could cash in honor and metals for good PVP gear and not have to play catch up from when I first stepped into the arena. For those new to level 70 they can easily slip into PVP without having to spend months and months just to earn gear to pose a threat.
2. You can start to PVP with an alt relatively quickly: I think of how long it took me to get my first 70 into PVP and the thought of doing the same for my alt? No thanks. Almost every person I know designates one character to PVP due to the sheer amount of time it would take to raise an alt to that level as well.
3. High end PVPers will never truly be caught up to: PVPers who think new characters will catch up to them gear wise are just wrong. My friend brought up the floor/ceiling analogy. Every time the floor is raised gear wise, the ceiling rises in an equal proportion. Therefore, people who continue to PVP will always have their gear at a significant advantage over those just starting. For example, at the moment its fairly easy to get Season 1 gear via running BGs, yet those hard core PVPers have season 3. As soon as a new season starts, perhaps season 2 will be available by honor points, and hard core PVPers will have season 4 gear. As long as they do not stop playing for a period of months, their gear will always be better then the casual/ new PVPer.

Why making it easier to get PVP items is a bad thing:

1. "I just purchased the latest, best item which took 3 months and this newb's item is almost as good as mine": It is a valid concern, but I look at it the same way how computers and electronics effect all of us. Everything is evolving, things are becoming more powerful and cheaper and there is no way to stop it. Many of us have spent huge amounts of money on top of the line computers, only to have it become obsolete within a matter of months to something more powerful and cheaper. Get over it.
2. "I have earned everything I own and never got a break, why should they?": Another valid point, but the grim reality must be known. People who get into PVP easier means more people enjoy PVP, which means more people playing WoW. Blizzard wants as many subscribers to WoW as possible and the way they are making it easier to start into BGs and arenas means more people will want to play and keep their subscriptions which means more money for Blizzard. There is a word to describe this. It is called "Capitalism" and it is how businesses are able to make and distribute games like WoW.

WoW could use a few new weapons.

Perhaps we have all gotten a bit stale and it seems we hav been able to make 100 versions of a two handed sword, yet we seem to have been a little lax about coming out with a few new weapons, so I have come up with a short list of things I think could be easily added to the game.

1. Whips and Chains: It worked for Simon Belmont, why not us? besides, it would be a graphic similar to chain lightning but to one target at a time.
2. Boomerangs: We have Linken's Boomerang, why not more so they are as common as throwing knives.
3. Slingshot: For some reason I think this would be a great ranged weapon for rogues and warriors when they are starting out. No ammo needed much like Blind for rogues since the 2.3 patch.
4. Flail: Handle + Chain + Spiked ball = Awesome. The Witch King of Angmar likes it. Are you saying your better then the right hand man of Sauron?

Breaking the News Softly

Over the past week I had an epiphany, and to my dismay it was not one that was positive. I was on my druid, and I watched a druid tank an instance, and it suddenly hit me like a sock full of hot nickels, I suck at being a druid. I figured that if i took the time to level a character to 70, I would be at least competent, and perhaps even good at that class. Boy was I wrong. This fellow tanked, kept agro against 4 adds even when the POM Pyro mage ripped it from him, and even changed forms to innervate the healer at times, and did it seamlessly. I have trouble keeping agro off 2 enemies even when pounding Lacerate and Growl. So after my realization, I wondered why no one ever told me this! be honest, I am a big boy, just come up to me and say, "Look bud....You suck. Give it up and go roll another character and try not to suck at that one too." Ok I have too many friends who are way too classy to say that, but it begs the question, how DO you tell someone that they need to work on their skill level?
This is a very touchy issue. I am not suggesting you comment to the person that they need to stop sucking, but I so not really know how to approach them in making a suggestion. We have all been with a player who just does not get "it", and you have seen similar classes play circles around them, but how does do you suggest they try a different tactic, or perhaps suggest they seek advice from another one of their class who you deem more skilled? You can easily lose a friend or two if you handle this improperly. An honest suggestion could easily escalate into "Hey, if you do not like the way I play, go to hell." when all you wanted to do was help. You meant no hurt at all and only tried to help yet they take it as a personal attack. I wish I could give advice, but truth be told I have no idea how to go about this subject and have always bitten my tongue. But if you do ever need to vent your frustrations to someone, look for my character Avanti and tell me I suck. I know I do!

WoW Movie Idea

Since World of Warcraft is having a movie made about it, I was a tad dissapointed to learn it would be completely CGI and have no real actors. So I came up with a cast to cover the 9 main classes in WoW in kind of a dream casting call.

1. Mage: James Callis. Best known for playing Gaius Baltar in BattleStar Galactica. This guy has a cool look, can easily play the intellectual role and make the viewer feel stupid, has a great accent, and has played a character who is just a tad insane, like every good mage is.
2. Priest: Christina Aguilera. Why? because everytime I see her I thank god.
3. Warrior: Vin Diesel. Face it, Riddick is cool and he has the look of a bad ass. Just look at The Pacifier. Actually.....Don't look at it.
4. Warlock: Christopher Walkin. DUH. Dude took down an F-16 with a pistol.
5. Rogue: Steve Buscemi. He is creepy, yet awesome. And since he already looks undead, think of how much you could save on make-up.
6. Druid: Hayden Panettiere. Can you think of anyone else you would rather see dressed up in leaves and flowers then her?
7. Shaman: Keith David. Best known for his awesome voice and kicking the crap out of Roddy piper in "They Live" I just want to hear him get in a fight and scream "Frost Shock!!"
8. Paladin: Sean Bean. Guy was killed off in the LOTR trilogy befor ethe first movie even ended and he was a bad ass. Plus we know he can pull off wearing plate.
9. Hunter: Orlando Bloom. She knew how to use a bow and arrow in the LOTR movies and was an elf there too. Plus she is kinda cute.....Wait, what do you mean she's not a she?

Bonus: Death Knight: Chuck Norris. Did you ask why? Then you do not know Chuck Norris. Remember, Chuck Norris coutned to infinity. twice.

Too much WoW.

10 ways you know you play too much World of Warcraft.

#10. You see a little person (aka a midget) walking down the street and cannot decide if they qualify as a dwarf or a gnome.

#9. You drive past roadkill and get the urge to skin it.

#8. You call your friends on a saturday night and claim you are LFG.

#7. You visualize IRS agents as undead rogues. First they kill you, then they feed on your corpse.

#6. You refer to vending machines as mages.

#5. After a long day at work, you tell your coworkers you can't wait to hearth.

#4. You reffer to your job as your daily.

#3. instead of laughing at a friend's joke, you actually say "LoL"

#2. You celebrate your birthday by yelling "DING!" at everyone.

#1. You have downed Gruul more times then you have kissed a girl.

Grim Batol

Often I have wandered away from the beaten paths in Azertoth and found areas that seemed abandoned by other travelers. As a new player to Wow, I simply thought I had yet to discover their importance and would unravel their mysteries eventually. As time passed I forgot many of them, much like the french fry you drop between the seats of your car. You tell yourself you will get it when you get home, but after buying the gallon of milk and remembering you have to Tivo a show for your girlfriend, you go on with your life and forget about it until months later when you drop your wallet and glancing over you see a shriveled yellow finger pointing at you accusingly as if asking, "Why did you forget about me?" So in answer to all those accusing fingers I have rediscovered over time, I decided to write this blog in hopes of giving those abandoned, adventureless areas a little attention, and maybe breathe a little life back into those lonely areas that held such wonder this new wanderer so long ago.
The first visit in this blog will be to the grand city that never was, Grim Batol. As a young mage, I was killing gnolls in the Wetlands when I saw something that struck awe into my heart. It was the first dragonkin I ever saw. Now, even though I was young I was not stupid, and any creature that had a skull in it's portrait meant I was to stay away. Behind it, standing magestic, was a fortress built into a mountain. I tried to run around a bit, avoiding the dragonkin as I tried to find a path to make my way up, but it was to no avail. I vowed to come back to it and to unlock it's secrets as I went back to kill gnolls. Fast forward a few months and I was level 60, having raided Molten Core, Black Wing Lair, and eagerly awaiting to crush the instance Naxxaramas, which was scheduled to open up any time. I was flying on a gryphon when I looked down and suddenly saw Grim Batol, the vow I had made months before, popping into my head with as much vigor as a fat man with a chocolate bar who finally unscrewed the peanut butter jar. I ran to it, and zigzagged past the elite dragonkin and passed the final gate and ran up to the gates of Grim Batol and then.......Nothing. The door was closed and no matter how many times I pounded on it, yelled "Open Sesame!" and even curling into a fetal position and crying, it would not open. Blizzard has yet to announce anything on this area, and many speculated that it would be open when the Burning Crusade was released, and some even ventured to guess that when Wrath of the Lich King was released, the doors of this fortress would open as well, but that looks less and less likely each day. If these grand old gates do open, it will perhaps be opened in a patch of it's own, much like Zul'Gurub was. So until this date I will hold onto my vow to discover the secrets inside, and I add a new vow. I will not let this mysterious fortress slip from my memory again, since those mysteries are what fueled my love for this game to begin with.