I'm a little late on this, but I think in general since I've tried to keep a fairly upbeat vibe this week, it was a good time. Also gives me a chance to toss some of the WoW.com folks toward the Blog Azeroth community, which is a good thing in my book! And apparently I have no other shots of Putricide, so the guide will have to wait until Monday.
The March opener Shared Topic suggested by Zan of Altoholic Anonymous prompted us to write about a positive dungeon experience with the LFD tool. With so many horror stories, it's sometimes hard to remember the average groups that progress without incident, but the truly great are sure to stick around. Plus, I take screenshots of everything. Except Putricide. But to answer this topic, I have not one but two excellent PUG stories, both of them from restosham land. One is pre-80, one is post.
The Oculus
Y'know, I'm one of those crazy folks who actually likes Oculus. Even pre-nerf I didn't mind it. But a few Saturdays ago, I was not in the mood for dragon-related shenanigans. I was looking for something quick and easy to help grind out that last little bit to 80. What I got was Oculus with four people who had never been there before. I considered leaving. I'm not proud of it, but it is what it is. I wasn't awake at the time and was just trying to knock something out before I had to start on the boring stuff people, you know. Actually pay me to write.
I did stay, though. The folks there were slow to admit they hadn't done the instance before, but they did say it, which I appreciate. I had someone from Shattered Halls (seriously!) whisper me a few days back in gratitude for some helpful instructions for HoL/HoS, and I really don't mind doing that. I think most people don't mind doing it, and the rest are just dicks, so who really cares. Moral of this mini-story? Speak up if you haven't done an instance!
The drakes were a bit rough, as expected. They got a crash course in all the drake abilities, and I hopped on my green and allowed it to nom itself to near death. No, I didn't fall off this time. I've definitely never done that. Not ever!
But the point is, we got through the instance, and now four people understand how to do Oculus. Curious thing about it, while I seem to get it every day on heroic, I got it all of once on normal, and while helping a friend's shaman to 80, saw neither hide nor hair of it. It's very possible, then, that new 80s are coming into heroic Oculus having no clue what's going on. Suddenly the tank drops, the rest of the group whines, then whatever hodge-podge is left scrambles to finish because everyone hates the place so much. God forbid you actually get aggro from one of the drakes, your ass gets vote-kicked faster than you can parachute down into the rocky depths below.
The Oculus is a shining example of how the vehicle system failed miserably, but c'mon! It's not those poor PUGers' fault.
Forge of Souls
I dare look upon the Host of Souls, ayep. Though I was a bit scared about doing so. My first PUG experience in Heroic Forge was... not pleasant. The tank kept rushing ahead, then on the ghosties toward the end explained to me patiently 'u no u can decurse rite'. I was like '4 srs?' and he was like 'y rnt u doing it'. I kinda lost it, since said beartank had just consecutively pulled two mobs that rip the group to shreds without me even being in range. I had to Chain Heal my ass off to catch up. And yes, I do know that particular curse inhibits heals on the target. But... it was on the tank. I wasn't going to be terribly broken up about watching him die.
But for this one, I got some really nice folks, pictured in the screenshot above. We blew through the place pretty easily, and chatted quite a bit about this and that. They encouraged me to roll on things, complimented me on my healing, and all-in-all made it a very positive experience. I'm fairly sure this was right after yet another horrible Old Kingdom run, so I definitely needed it. And I will say this: DPS wasn't off the charts, the tank wasn't raid geared. Folks still did things they shouldn't have, including myself.
All of that didn't matter one bit. They were great people and were actually social in a social game. (I know, right?) So kudos to you folks, especially the two from Ghostlands.
Honorable Mention: Apathetic Culling of Stratholme
I had almost forgotten about this one or it would be near the top. Super late one night I got into an 'Already in progress' Culling of Strat. Certainly doesn't bode well, in general. What I popped into was four guys (I want to say from Velen?) from the guild Apathy who were giving each other shit while they waited for another healer. The timer was still viable, so I scooted my hot human butt up there and healed through the waves with only a few words between their quips.
Once it slowed down inside the inn, I stated the obvious: Your guild name is very misleading. I expected a 'lol' or blank stares, because the last time I asked someone about their guild name (V is Forever), I was met by a rousing chorus of 'lol idk'. But these guys snarked right back at me, and I was very pleasantly surprised. We continued discussing the ironic nature of this situation through the gauntlet, got to the Guardian of Time with 5 minutes to spare, and got me a drake I can't even use yet, since all the apathetic dudes already had theirs. Or they just didn't care.
There are a few more positive dungeon stories I could recount, probably just as many as the truly horrid, but those ones stand out to me as having improved my day for running them. In the end, this is a game played with other people. If I wanted to be alone or with a select group of folks, I would fire up the console or sit around a tabletop. You have to take the abysmally bad with the super-awesome, sometimes. Unless you're from Apathy. Then I guess it really doesn't matter, does it?
Sephrenia of Guild Mum posed the Shared Topic for this week: What boss would you be? Being a game design major and a master of time-wasting, I couldn’t pass it up.
I was considering what my boys could be and, short of some form of servitude or coercion, all logical ‘boss promotions’ would have occurred in their backstory. For Rhys, I can imagine a fight when he was first raised as a deathknight, believing himself to still be a soldier for the Quel’thalas Guard. For Sind, likely when he was still an assassin, searching for his sister at any cost. I may write those up later as well, but since this is mainly a holy paladin blog, I think it’s most appropriate to write up my idea for Drist.
A large part of his backstory involves his work as an Inquisitor for the Scarlet Crusade. He followed a human woman there – his fiancé – and was treated as a prized commodity for his ability to use nether crystals as a means of feeling out and manipulating auras and emotions, often reading information in the process.
Dristanel slowly wiped the blood from his mouth, leaving a streak down his chin. His ribs ached, his skin burned, and he shuddered with each inhale. This beating had been more brutal than the last two, his refusal far more adamant. In the end, he had no choice in the matter. They dragged him to the dungeons, barely conscious, and locked the door.
A strong wave of vertigo hit him as he tried to stand. Grasping at the cell bars for help, he remembered why he was there in the first place and his stomach lurched. All around him the smell of blood and death. And in the far corner of the next cell, huddled in silence, a quel’dorei woman.
“He’s up.” One of the guards called toward the stairs and another joined him, fishing out a set of keys. “Bring the other one, too. Careful the bitch don’t try and bite you again.”
She wouldn’t. She was far past the point of resistance. He knew that first hand, now. After she had killed the other, he had been glad to read her. Felt perhaps he could exact some form of justice for a lost life. But he had gone too far. And she… she was something else, now. Broken, among other things.
Keys fit into the lock of his cell and the guard stood before him, weapon in hand. “Here’s what’s going to happen: You’re going to get us the information we need, one way or the other. And if you don’t… well, I’m sure that pretty girl of yours would be a nice consolation prize.”
Dristanel gave a harsh laugh that devolved into a cough. “What, has your Captain not allowed you a go yet?”
A swift shove sent him into the table where the prisoner was now strapped. “Do your job, and maybe I’ll do you the mercy of killin’ you myself.”
A fine tremble ran through him as he looked down at the woman. He couldn’t do this. Not again. If this was their ‘Light’, he wanted no part of it. “Leave me.”
The guard snorted. “Right.”
He turned a blank, emotionless stare toward the man. “Would you like me to do to you what I have done to her?”
The guard stared down the Inquisitor as if trying to decide whether or not he was bluffing. Evidently, he concluded it wasn’t worth the chance. “Come on. Door’s locked anyway, he can’t go anywhere.” He ushered the other guard up the stairs, turning back to give one final admonition. “We’ll be back in an hour. I’d suggest you be done by then.”
The heavy door thudded shut, the sound of a thick bolt securing the exit. Dristanel drew a long, shuddering breath before setting to work on the straps that held the woman.
“What are you doing?” Her scratchy voice was barely a whisper.
“Getting us both killed, most likely.”
This story originally took place in Tyr’s Hand, so this could be a ‘boss encounter’ for a quest or, if they ever added an instance to Tyr’s Hand, something in that. I imagine it would be designed for players levels 50-55 or thereabouts.
In fact I like the idea so much, I’m going to say it would be the final encounter of a quest chain. You’d clear down to a locked door guarded by two Scarlets. Killing them would get you a key to open the door. After that you’d get a quest from Drist:
What… how did you…?
Nevermind, there’s no time for questions. If you’re down here that must mean the guards are dead and – for all intents and purposes – we’re on the same side. This woman is badly injured. She needs help that I cannot provide.
Please. Get us both out of here and I’ll give you whatever I can in exchange.
Accepting the quest would give you the following text:
I need you to retrieve a few things from around the compound. Two sets of the cloaks and hoods worn by the executioners, and, ah… Let’s see. We’ll need horses. Get the key off of the stablemaster and we’ll make a stop before we leave. Mind the hounds.
And do hurry. It won’t be long before they send more guards.
The player would find the items scattered about the compound. Executioner’s cloaks and hoods off of, well… executioners. And the stablemaster’s keys… yeah. You guessed it.
Quickly, put those on. I expect resistance, regardless of disguise. But this will get us into a more protected area.
I certainly hope you’re good at lying.
At this point you’d have to equip the executioner’s garb and walk (yes… walk. It’s not just for RPers) toward the barracks near the stables. Guards would stop you on the way, and you have to click them and quickly respond to their prompt so that they leave you alone. If you don’t, you’re discovered and you enter combat. If this happens, you’d better hope a,) there are no other Scarlets around b.) you don’t allow any runners, as they will summon the Captain to wtfpwn you. If you can get back out of combat, however, you can re-equip the garb. You will, however, need the garb to pass into the barracks, as they’re full of elites.
Dristanel will walk off to an unoccupied corner of the room where you can turn in the quest and accept the new one.
Alright, now for the tricky part. Take these crystals and hide them about the room. I will head toward the stables. When you hear my signal – and not before – incite the guards to attack you. The crystals will weaken them. I leave it to you to handle them beyond that.
Except… it’s not really going to go as planned. The woman you’re rescuing will start to regain some manner of consciousness and try to escape. Fortunately the crystals do work, and any class will be able to quickly AE down the weakened Scarlets.
Once you get out of the building, Dristanel will be waiting with two horses. Hopping on one gives you a (uncomplicated, I promise!) vehicle bar with two buttons: Jump and Secure Passenger. You use ability number two (Secure Passenger) to pick up the escapee, then follow toward the exit. Waves of Scarlets will appear and you’ll need to use Jump to clear them and keep going. Occasionally your passenger, scared and having no idea what’s going on, will try to jump off. You’ll have to use Secure Passenger when you see the signal text for this (something like “You’re not taking me back to that place!”) to rein her in. (har har.)
Once you get to the exit and complete the quest he will give the girl some supplies and gold and tell her to run. She will oblige, naturally, but that doesn’t leave the two of you with many options as the Scarlet Captain (?? Level) comes riding up with quite the entourage.
There’s a ballista on the western wall. Go around the side and find a way to scale the wall without being spotted. Aim the ballista and fire. I… Level this place to the ground, if you wish. But do it quickly. I can only stall them for so long.
There’s a hill at Tyr’s Hand that allows you to climb onto the wall without drawing the attention of any guards. But to make it challenging, you’d probably be spotted when you tried to use the ballista. You’d need to quickly fight off the aggressors, as a timer is ticking down. Once you use the ballista (aim for the Captain first – killing him extends the timer significantly) to kill the Scarlets, head back to the entrance to turn in the quest. You’ll see Dristanel there, kneeled over the body of a human woman.
Everything she did. Everything she put me through. I still wish it hadn’t come to this.
[Dristanel removes a ring from the woman’s finger.]
Take this. Sell it for your trouble. It doesn’t belong with me.
And… here. It’s not much, but it’s all I have. Please, take it. And get yourself as far away from this hell as you can manage.
Congratulations! You completed the quest! You get a crapton of experience, some gold, and the following items:
[Aurelia’s Engagement Ring] – Gray item, vendors for 10g “Finely crafted.”
And a choice between:
[Small Pouch of Nether Crystals] – Trinket, +30 spell power Equip: Chance to proc Nethershroud, +20 SP for 15 seconds Use: Creates a crystal in your inventory, +20 SP for 1 hour (2 hour cooldown) “The crystals pulse with a pale blue light.”
[Apothecary’s Kit] – Trinket, +30 attack power Equip: Chance to proc Alchemist’s Fury, +20 AP for 15 seconds Use: Creates an elixir in your inventory, +20 AP for 1 hour (2 hour cooldown) “The kit contains several small vials.”
[Field Medic’s Kit] – Trinket, +10 intellect Equip: Chance on heal cast to proc Field Medicine, healing yout current target for 600 damage over 15 seconds Use: Creates a potion in your inventory (Restores 600 mana, 1 hour cooldown) “The kit contains several small vials.”
[Sigil of the Scarlet Inquisitor] – Trinket, +10 stamina Equp: Chance on hit to proc Inquisition, +20 damage shield and increased threat for 15 seconds Use: Creates a potion in your inventory (Restores 600 health, 1 hour cooldown) “The sigil is stained with blood.”
Azryu of The Arcanery posed a Shared Topic at Blog Azeroth for this coming week that I thought I would tackle. It’s a bit unorthodox, but I decided to take the questionnaire from Miss Medicina’s blog and alter it just a tad so that it could be answered by my character rather than me.
- What is the name and profession? Dristanel Xukuth, physician and apothecary.
- What is your primary group healing environment? Somehow I’ve been called upon to assist as a field medic, more or less, in groups consisting of nine to twenty-four comrades.
- What is your favorite healing spell and why? I’m not entirely sure how to answer that. Whatever keeps someone from being dead, generally. I have a difficult time exerting any form of bias when it comes to such things.
- What healing spell do you use least and why? Well. I suppose that involves a bit of backstory. On a foray into the Citadel, we came across… Saurfang’s son, I suppose is a tactful way of putting it. I did my best to keep everyone fit for battle, but the Light decided it had other plans. It… intervened with an orc warrior who was none-too-pleased. Perhaps my ‘Light don’t let her die…’ had something to do with that. In any case, she blamed me for being unable to fulfill some form of orcish oath. Things were a bit hectic for a week. Now, of course, she’s back to sitting on my lap, much to my wife’s displeasure. …But in any case. I’m sorry, what was the question again?
- What do you feel is your biggest strength and why? Patience. Or so I’m told. It’s probably very fortuitous no one hears the things going on in my head. But yes, I do tend to tolerate a bit more than most. Six younger siblings lends itself well to that.
- What do you feel is your biggest weakness and why? I tend to… try to rationalize things. Obsess over them. Control them, if you will. Before meeting my wife I can say I had very little faith invested in the Light – and honestly I still have my doubts. It’s… a learning process. Sometimes a difficult one.
- What do you feel, in general, is the best healing assignment for you? Behind a counter selling elixirs or in a side room sewing up cuts. Truly.
- What healer do you enjoy healing with most and why? That’s difficult to judge. I try to pay attention to my work and making sure everyone is still alive. But I suppose Daciana has been the most patient and understanding, being a paladin herself. I think she wishes to leave the Citadel more than even I.
- What healer do you enjoy healing with least and why? Well, Vimm tends to insist I not wear pants, so I would have to go with that. I find not wearing pants to be very impractical in such places.
- What is your worst habit as a healer? Overthinking, most likely. Or is it obsessing. No, it’s most definitely overthinking. But…
- What is your biggest pet peeve while healing? Is death really something one could consider a ‘pet peeve’?
- Do you feel that you are well balanced with other healers? Well-balanced? I’m not sure how to qualify that. The other healers are far better at the heat-of-the-moment repairs, I mainly handle the trauma afterward.
- What tools do you use to evaluate your own performance as a healer? I’m told by… certain people that I should simply be happy if ten or twenty-five people go in and they all come out. But things have been getting tense, and the margin far too close for my liking. I fear the one time I won’t be able to help someone it will mean the difference between the Scourge army and our own.
- What do you think is the biggest misconception people have about your healing? I’m not… made for this kind of work. I was never meant to be a ‘hero’. I’ll be glad when this is over and I can return to being ‘just’ a physician.
- What do you feel is the most difficult thing for new healers to learn? I assume you mean combat healers? Considering I am still learning myself, I suppose I can offer some insight. One thing I am… trying to learn is that the margin for error is not something one has time to consider. Out of combat, I can take time to make certain everything is done to a certain standard. But here… well. I suppose I just have to pray.
- If someone were to try to evaluate your performance as a healer, what sort of patterns would they see? Having no idea what the hell I am doing there in the first place, then going home to drink myself to sleep? ...I’m kidding. Mostly.
- Haste or Crit and why? I… what? Oh. Enhancements. The latter is often unreliable, and I would prefer to get aid to someone quicker.
- What healer do you feel you understand least? Jezuine. She keeps pulling out a staff and yelling ‘Abracadaver!’ before every fight. And occasionally she can… protect everyone in what appears to be bubbles? But then she complains about it.
- What do you use to aid you in healing? I have a standard kit of supplies. Potions, elixirs, bandages. And my wife isn’t aware of it, but for the combat healing, I have a trinket I… borrowed from her.
- Do you strive primarily for balance in your healing, or do you place importance higher in some things than others, and why? Oh what I wouldn’t give for some semblance of balance and normalcy in the field…
For my out-of-character answers to this survey, click here!
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