This is a list taken directly from http://be.imba.hu/ showing what the level 80s of the guild are ready for. Use this as a guide to what you should be running for gear improvement. If you are unable to perform at these levels, don't worry. Just practice on lower level runs until you feel comfortable and always ask advice of more experienced players. List updated as of 2/28/09:
Invisigoth - 10/25 Man Raid DPS
Lashstar - 10/25 Man Raid Healer
Lashtail - 10/25 Man Raid DPS
Muertedehoof - 10/25 Man Raid Tank
Sinscribe - 10/25 Man Raid Healer
Aenicus - 10 Man Raid DPS
Becca - 10 Man Raid Tank
Cottonrocket - 10 Man Raid Tank
Cubex - 10 Man Raid DPS
Finduilas - 10 Man Raid Tank
Jinda - 10 Man Raid DPS
Momakonda - 10 Man Raid DPS
Yukaya - 10 Man Raid DPS
Graynight - Heroic Instance/10 Man Raid Tank
Paladius - Heroic Instance/10 Man Raid DPS
Zerkofark - Heroic Instance/10 Man Raid DPS
Azeraa - Heroic Instance DPS
Boheeka - Heroic Instance DPS
Cellindia - Heroic Instance DPS
Oxxykotton - Heroic Instance DPS
Crepitus - Reg/Heroic Instance DPS
Fyska - Reg/Heroic Instance Tank
Deadrush - Reg Instance DPS
Endorfin - Reg Instance DPS
Skreken - Reg Instance DPS
Zephroes - Reg Instance Tank
We have 19 separate accounts with 26 level 80 characters.
Class count: 5 Death Knights, 5 Hunters, 4 Paladins, 3 Warriors, 2 Priests, 2 Druids, 2 Rogues, 2 Mages, 1 Warlock, 0 Shamans
Congratulations to Cellindia, Endorfin and Fyska for hitting 80.
Soon to be 80: Banality (DPS), Capataz (Soon to be healer), Doola (DPS) and Mahaliel (Soon to be healer).
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Need Help From 2 Other Stealth
Anybody willing to run UBRS (Upper Blackrock Spire) with me? 3 people are needed to activate a certain part and, if we were all stealth, we can skip the vast majority of it. I need the Ace that drops off of the last guy for a card deck that's still very good even in Lich King. I would definitely be willing to tip for your assistance.
Useful Add-ons
Here is a list of useful programs and add-ons that I personally use. As always, if you want to suggest one, leave a comment and I will add it to the list.
Ventrilo - Allows you to connect voice to voice with those in your guild or party. The guild has it's own ventrilo channel (this can be found on the guild information tab).
Cartographer - Reveals the entire map to you, regardless of whether you have explored the area or not. It also includes a coordinate function to show where you are. Many modules can be added and I would suggest all of them.
Questhelper - Database of all quest objectives. Uses an arrow to show you where you need to go to complete quest. Works in conjunction with Cartographer.
Recount - Displays information of what each person in your group is doing (i.e. damage done, healing, CC breakers, deaths, etc.). Also an exceptional tool for helping DPS define better rotations when working on the practice dummies.
Atlas Loot - Database of all gear. Shows where to obtain gear from instances, how much pvp gear costs, what the mats are for craftables, etc.
Deadly Boss Mods - An add-on that can do just about everything. See their website for details (www.deadlybossmods.com).
Item Rack - Organize sets of gear (pvp vs. pve, tank vs. dps) so you can switch between them with one click of the button. Will be even more useful with the coming of dual specs.
Pawn - Allows you to input values of certain stats and then weighs any gear piece you look at with those stats. See the forum website for ideas on values (www.pawnmod.trenchrats.com/).
Power Auras - Allows you to specify events that will trigger an audio or visual cue (i.e. when a boss' spell reflection goes up so I'm reminded to stop casting).
Fubar - A panel that certain add-ons can plug into.
Slidebar - Allows you to rotate the minimap icons to more convenient spots.
Ventrilo - Allows you to connect voice to voice with those in your guild or party. The guild has it's own ventrilo channel (this can be found on the guild information tab).
Cartographer - Reveals the entire map to you, regardless of whether you have explored the area or not. It also includes a coordinate function to show where you are. Many modules can be added and I would suggest all of them.
Questhelper - Database of all quest objectives. Uses an arrow to show you where you need to go to complete quest. Works in conjunction with Cartographer.
Recount - Displays information of what each person in your group is doing (i.e. damage done, healing, CC breakers, deaths, etc.). Also an exceptional tool for helping DPS define better rotations when working on the practice dummies.
Atlas Loot - Database of all gear. Shows where to obtain gear from instances, how much pvp gear costs, what the mats are for craftables, etc.
Deadly Boss Mods - An add-on that can do just about everything. See their website for details (www.deadlybossmods.com).
Item Rack - Organize sets of gear (pvp vs. pve, tank vs. dps) so you can switch between them with one click of the button. Will be even more useful with the coming of dual specs.
Pawn - Allows you to input values of certain stats and then weighs any gear piece you look at with those stats. See the forum website for ideas on values (www.pawnmod.trenchrats.com/).
Power Auras - Allows you to specify events that will trigger an audio or visual cue (i.e. when a boss' spell reflection goes up so I'm reminded to stop casting).
Fubar - A panel that certain add-ons can plug into.
Slidebar - Allows you to rotate the minimap icons to more convenient spots.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
DK dps
Hello everyone,
Mahaliel here. For starters I would like to touch on something that i have spent a great deal of time researching and testing. Everyone knows what type of gear to get for a DK but hardly anyone seems to know how to use moves in a rotation to maximize dps. This is not a bad thing but something that everyone who is a DK should know about. For example what kind of spec are you using? This will affect your rotation as well as the different moves you will be employing. For today's example we will be using my favorite type of DK dps. Unholy dps is AOE based. It is improved by hit rating crit rating and AP. The talent points you will want to invest in are a hybrid spec.
For our lesson today we will be using the spec i have chosen which is not perfect but it works well with my gear. I put points into the improved Death and Decay. I also put points into vicious strikes. Epidemic is a must. Virulence is good. Outbreak is very important for AoE. I usually max out necrosis to be able to get further down on the unholy chain. Blood caked blade is a good one to max out. Don't forget to max out impurity.. This is the mainstay of a DK who does unholy AoE dps. Even though it is not necessary maxing out magic suppression is better than the other options for a DK and it allows for better raiding in certain circumstances. Desecration is an amazing move not only for its slowing effect but also because any melee in your raid will increase their dps by 5% and the enemies will take 5% more damage. Bone shield also gives you a bonus damage effect and because you are not tanking you will most likely not lose the charges which means a more consistent high damage. Crypt fever is a good thing to put points in as well as it gives you another disease that you put on your enemy which means more damage on AoE moves. Wandering plague is a great way to increase damage during AoE attacks. and Ebon plaguebringer is great too. Rage of rivendare is important because it allows for you to increase your chance of not being dodged or parried. The last thing you want to put points in for Unholy is unholy blight. It is a good way to increase your AoE damage output.
Now I also put points into Glacial rot but that is the only thing i take from the frost spec. The rest of the points i put into blood spec. I max out subversion, butchery, bladed armor, two handed weapon specialization, and to finish it off with dark conviction.
Now that we have covered my talent spec we will cover the move rotation. This will change slightly depending on how many mobs you are attacking.
With 1-2 mobs you use less AoE. you start off with DnD, icy touch, plaguestrike, pestilence. This will use all of your runes. by the time your blood rune comes up use bloodstrike. Only use it once. save your second blood rune. Use Icy touch and plaguestrike once more. Now use pestilence. This means all of your runes except frost and unholy should be used. Now pop obliterate and the mob should be down. During this whole time you should have kept unholy blight up as much as possible.
With 3+ mobs we use a different approach. start off using DnD. Icy touch+ plaguestrike+ pestilence. Don't forget to use unholy blight. When blood rune becomes ready use blood boil. Now use icy touch and plaguestrike with pestilence again. Unholy blight should need to be renewed by this time. Now use blood boil one last time and use obliterate to finish them off.
Boss fights- here we have something that doesn't work so well with bosses. AoE is designed to do maximum crowd damage. However a boss doesn't take as much damage as a bunch of npcs. Here we will have to switch up our moves a bit to accomodate that style of single target fighting.
DnD to start it off. Icy touch and plaguestrike. Here is where it changes up a bit. Use bloodstrike a lot. When your diseases are about to finish up then use obliterate. Then reapply icy touch and plaguestrike. Always keep up unholy blight for the extra dps. Also during this fight you will be gaining a lot of runic power.. As long as you have unholy blight up then you may use death coil liberally.
Your boss fights will differ of course.. but as long as you remember to keep your diseases applied to your targets then you will keep maximum dps possible.
Thanks,
Mahaliel, Muertedehoof
Mahaliel here. For starters I would like to touch on something that i have spent a great deal of time researching and testing. Everyone knows what type of gear to get for a DK but hardly anyone seems to know how to use moves in a rotation to maximize dps. This is not a bad thing but something that everyone who is a DK should know about. For example what kind of spec are you using? This will affect your rotation as well as the different moves you will be employing. For today's example we will be using my favorite type of DK dps. Unholy dps is AOE based. It is improved by hit rating crit rating and AP. The talent points you will want to invest in are a hybrid spec.
For our lesson today we will be using the spec i have chosen which is not perfect but it works well with my gear. I put points into the improved Death and Decay. I also put points into vicious strikes. Epidemic is a must. Virulence is good. Outbreak is very important for AoE. I usually max out necrosis to be able to get further down on the unholy chain. Blood caked blade is a good one to max out. Don't forget to max out impurity.. This is the mainstay of a DK who does unholy AoE dps. Even though it is not necessary maxing out magic suppression is better than the other options for a DK and it allows for better raiding in certain circumstances. Desecration is an amazing move not only for its slowing effect but also because any melee in your raid will increase their dps by 5% and the enemies will take 5% more damage. Bone shield also gives you a bonus damage effect and because you are not tanking you will most likely not lose the charges which means a more consistent high damage. Crypt fever is a good thing to put points in as well as it gives you another disease that you put on your enemy which means more damage on AoE moves. Wandering plague is a great way to increase damage during AoE attacks. and Ebon plaguebringer is great too. Rage of rivendare is important because it allows for you to increase your chance of not being dodged or parried. The last thing you want to put points in for Unholy is unholy blight. It is a good way to increase your AoE damage output.
Now I also put points into Glacial rot but that is the only thing i take from the frost spec. The rest of the points i put into blood spec. I max out subversion, butchery, bladed armor, two handed weapon specialization, and to finish it off with dark conviction.
Now that we have covered my talent spec we will cover the move rotation. This will change slightly depending on how many mobs you are attacking.
With 1-2 mobs you use less AoE. you start off with DnD, icy touch, plaguestrike, pestilence. This will use all of your runes. by the time your blood rune comes up use bloodstrike. Only use it once. save your second blood rune. Use Icy touch and plaguestrike once more. Now use pestilence. This means all of your runes except frost and unholy should be used. Now pop obliterate and the mob should be down. During this whole time you should have kept unholy blight up as much as possible.
With 3+ mobs we use a different approach. start off using DnD. Icy touch+ plaguestrike+ pestilence. Don't forget to use unholy blight. When blood rune becomes ready use blood boil. Now use icy touch and plaguestrike with pestilence again. Unholy blight should need to be renewed by this time. Now use blood boil one last time and use obliterate to finish them off.
Boss fights- here we have something that doesn't work so well with bosses. AoE is designed to do maximum crowd damage. However a boss doesn't take as much damage as a bunch of npcs. Here we will have to switch up our moves a bit to accomodate that style of single target fighting.
DnD to start it off. Icy touch and plaguestrike. Here is where it changes up a bit. Use bloodstrike a lot. When your diseases are about to finish up then use obliterate. Then reapply icy touch and plaguestrike. Always keep up unholy blight for the extra dps. Also during this fight you will be gaining a lot of runic power.. As long as you have unholy blight up then you may use death coil liberally.
Your boss fights will differ of course.. but as long as you remember to keep your diseases applied to your targets then you will keep maximum dps possible.
Thanks,
Mahaliel, Muertedehoof
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Retribution Paladin
Maximize your DPS
Good dps warriors and rogues will dual wield. But as a paladin, the only way to get your dps on top is to get a high dps 2-handed weapon. I prefer using a 2H sword but 2H maces do as good. And since two-handed weapons don't hit as fast as one-handed do, your holy spells will become your best friends.
Soloing or with a group with no healer
Holy spells rotation : Retribution aura / (greater) blessing of kings / Seal of command / Judgment of light / Crusader strike / Divine storm / then repeat from judgment of light.
Grouping with a healer
Holy spells rotation : Retribution aura or Devotion aura for the tank / (greater) blessing of kings / Seal of blood(because it does more damage but you lose HP) / Judgment of light / Crusader strike / Divine storm / then repeat from judgment of light.
Don't forget to use Consecration everytime it's up (be careful not to hit CC'd target e.g. sheeped, sapped, repented)
Talents
http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/classes/paladin/talents.html?tal=000000000000000000000000001150000000000000000000000342322512233312322130231351
This is my talent tree but it's not the perfect model just as long as you have Divine strenght, Blessing of kings, Seal of command, Conviction, Vengeance, Crusader strike and Divine storm maxed out.
It's always a good thing to have repentance too. Your party will be glad to have you with them since this spell can CC demons, dragonkins, giants, humanoids and undead.
Stats
(most important to the top/less important to to bottom)
Good dps warriors and rogues will dual wield. But as a paladin, the only way to get your dps on top is to get a high dps 2-handed weapon. I prefer using a 2H sword but 2H maces do as good. And since two-handed weapons don't hit as fast as one-handed do, your holy spells will become your best friends.
Soloing or with a group with no healer
Holy spells rotation : Retribution aura / (greater) blessing of kings / Seal of command / Judgment of light / Crusader strike / Divine storm / then repeat from judgment of light.
Grouping with a healer
Holy spells rotation : Retribution aura or Devotion aura for the tank / (greater) blessing of kings / Seal of blood(because it does more damage but you lose HP) / Judgment of light / Crusader strike / Divine storm / then repeat from judgment of light.
Don't forget to use Consecration everytime it's up (be careful not to hit CC'd target e.g. sheeped, sapped, repented)
Talents
http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/classes/paladin/talents.html?tal=000000000000000000000000001150000000000000000000000342322512233312322130231351
This is my talent tree but it's not the perfect model just as long as you have Divine strenght, Blessing of kings, Seal of command, Conviction, Vengeance, Crusader strike and Divine storm maxed out.
It's always a good thing to have repentance too. Your party will be glad to have you with them since this spell can CC demons, dragonkins, giants, humanoids and undead.
Stats
(most important to the top/less important to to bottom)
+strenght
+attack power
+crit chance
+stamina
+hit rating
+agility
+intellect +expertise +spell power
If you think I forgot something, please feel free to tell me and I'll add it.
So that was a large overview of being a good ret pally there sure is more stuff to know but those are more the things you'll notice by getting the hang of it and of course by your play style.
Have a good time Dps'ing :D
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
What Are You Ready For?
This is a list taken directly from http://be.imba.hu/ showing what the level 80s of the guild are ready for. Use this as a guide to what you should be running for gear improvement. If you are unable to perform at these levels, don't worry. Just practice on lower level runs until you feel comfortable and always ask advice of more experienced players. List updated as of 2/24/09:
Lashstar - 10/25 Man Raid Healer
Muertedehoof - 10/25 Man Raid Tank
Sinscribe - 10/25 Man Raid Healer
Aenicus - 10 Man Raid DPS
Becca - 10 Man Raid Tank
Cottonrocket - 10 Man Raid Tank
Cubex - 10 Man Raid DPS
Finduilas - 10 Man Raid Tank
Invisigoth - 10 Man Raid DPS
Jinda - 10 Man Raid DPS
Lashtail - 10 Man Raid DPS
Momakonda - 10 Man Raid DPS
Yukaya - 10 Man Raid DPS
Paladius - Heroic Instance/10 Man Raid DPS
Zerkofark - Heroic Instance/10 Man Raid DPS
Azeraa - Heroic Instance DPS
Boheeka - Heroic Instance DPS
Graynight - Heroic Instance Tank
Oxxykotton - Heroic Instance DPS
Crepitus - Reg/Heroic Instance DPS
Deadrush - Reg Instance DPS
Skreken - Reg Instance DPS
Zephroes - Reg Instance Tank
Class count: 5 Death Knights, 4 Hunters, 4 Paladins, 3 Warriors, 2 Priests, 2 Rogues, 1 Druid, 1 Mage, 1 Warlock, 0 Shamans
Welcome Invisigoth to the guild and congratulations to Graynight this week.
Soon to be 80: Banality (DPS), Cellindia (DPS), Doola (DPS), Endorfin (DPS) and Fyska (Tank).
Lashstar - 10/25 Man Raid Healer
Muertedehoof - 10/25 Man Raid Tank
Sinscribe - 10/25 Man Raid Healer
Aenicus - 10 Man Raid DPS
Becca - 10 Man Raid Tank
Cottonrocket - 10 Man Raid Tank
Cubex - 10 Man Raid DPS
Finduilas - 10 Man Raid Tank
Invisigoth - 10 Man Raid DPS
Jinda - 10 Man Raid DPS
Lashtail - 10 Man Raid DPS
Momakonda - 10 Man Raid DPS
Yukaya - 10 Man Raid DPS
Paladius - Heroic Instance/10 Man Raid DPS
Zerkofark - Heroic Instance/10 Man Raid DPS
Azeraa - Heroic Instance DPS
Boheeka - Heroic Instance DPS
Graynight - Heroic Instance Tank
Oxxykotton - Heroic Instance DPS
Crepitus - Reg/Heroic Instance DPS
Deadrush - Reg Instance DPS
Skreken - Reg Instance DPS
Zephroes - Reg Instance Tank
Class count: 5 Death Knights, 4 Hunters, 4 Paladins, 3 Warriors, 2 Priests, 2 Rogues, 1 Druid, 1 Mage, 1 Warlock, 0 Shamans
Welcome Invisigoth to the guild and congratulations to Graynight this week.
Soon to be 80: Banality (DPS), Cellindia (DPS), Doola (DPS), Endorfin (DPS) and Fyska (Tank).
General Rogue Thoughts
Hey guys,
I thought I would write a little something about rogues in general. As you may know, Deadrush was my very first WOW character and even though I've been playing my priest and DK a lot more lately, there will always be a soft spot in my heart for my rogue. Rogues get tossed aside a lot of times because people do not understand them fully. Hopefully, this might clear some things up as well as help some of our newer rogues.
Rogues in PVE
You will never find a group (heroic or otherwise) that is dying to have a rogue in their group. With the advent of the DK, the buffing of ret pallies and the general improvement of all the other classes, rogues have kind of been left in the dust in some ways. A rogue with the same level gear as a DK or pally stands no chance at doing the same kind of damage. Realizing this is half the battle. Instead, think outside the box more with the crowd control (CC) and interrupt moves you have. Sure you might not be tops of the damage meter but you can mitigate some of the damage your group will take which can be just as important. Lesser knowledgable groups might scoff at the numbers you put up but those with experience (especially with rogue experience) will appreciate what you do and how you make the group successful. Some of the tools at your disposal.
Sap - How nice is it for a tank to only worry about having to deal with 2 or 3 mobs instead of 3 or 4. There's a good chance there's another CC dealer in your group as well (mage/sheep, paladin/repent, etc.) which means your group could go through a whole instance without fighting more than 1 or 2 mobs at a time.
Cheap Shot (CS)/Kidney Shot (KS) - Just because the fight has started doesn't mean you are out of CC options. When the tank pulls, hit the skull-marked target with a CS, build up a few points and then a KS. By this time, your group will probably have killed the mob (or close to it) and you are on to the next one. Throw in a vanish and you can restart your rotation and double your stunlock fun.
Kick - Tanks hate casters, no ifs, ands or buts. So use this interrupt to your group's advantage and save your tank some health.
Blind - Though it's not used a whole lot in PVE, it can still be a life saver. There will be times when your group has a bad pull (2 groups) or you somehow manage to get aggro from a mob. Throw a little dust in a mob's eyes and that's one less guy you have to worry about for a few seconds. By that time your group can handle the rest of the mobs and you've done your part to save your group.
Cloak of Shadows (CoS) - Again, this is a skill used more in PVP but it still has it's uses in PVE as well. Your healer will thank you when he has to heal/dispel one less person from a DoT (damage over time spell).
I am currently running an Assassination build with daggers that I am quite enjoying (http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/classes/rogue/talents.html?tal=00532300535010052010330135100500500300000000000000000005020000000000000000000000000). I'm getting a lot more DPS than I would have thought with very average to below average gear. Before each battle make sure your Hunger for Blood is triple stacked and that you refresh it as needed within the rotation. My current rotation is:
1) Ambush
2) Slice and Dice (SnD)
3) Mutilate to 4+ CP
4) If SnD has less than 12 seconds left, then Envenom and go back to step 3.
5) If SnD has more than 12 seconds left, then Rupture and go back to step 3.
The basic concept is to always have your Slice and Dice and your Hunger For Blood active. I keep Instant Poison on my main hand and Deadly Poison on my off hand.
Rogues in PVP
This is where rogues can really shine. Use all the above-mentioned CC and interrupts to your advantage. Gouge is a nice PVP tool to use against casters as well. CoS is a wonderful tool against warlocks; let em DoT you up and with one click of a button, you've erased all their work. Poisons are even more importatn in PVP so use those to your advantage. When doing arena, make sure to aim for anything squishy. Priests, warlocks, hunters and shammies are always nice to see. Stunlock everyone and keep them busy while your partner executes his plan. You want to ideally pair yourself up with a face melter (warlock or shadow priest) but other combinations are viable too. Stay away from another straight melee dps partner like a warrior. Lash and I found this out the hard way but we still had fun. Subtlety is usually the spec of choice here and the usual rotation would be something like:
1) Cheap Shot
2) Whatever your main CP generating move is (Sinister Strike, Mutilate, etc.) until Cheap Shot is about to expire
3) Kidney Shot
4) Whatever your best DPS rotations is while throwing in any necessary CC (too many options to write depending on spec and situation).
I thought I would write a little something about rogues in general. As you may know, Deadrush was my very first WOW character and even though I've been playing my priest and DK a lot more lately, there will always be a soft spot in my heart for my rogue. Rogues get tossed aside a lot of times because people do not understand them fully. Hopefully, this might clear some things up as well as help some of our newer rogues.
Rogues in PVE
You will never find a group (heroic or otherwise) that is dying to have a rogue in their group. With the advent of the DK, the buffing of ret pallies and the general improvement of all the other classes, rogues have kind of been left in the dust in some ways. A rogue with the same level gear as a DK or pally stands no chance at doing the same kind of damage. Realizing this is half the battle. Instead, think outside the box more with the crowd control (CC) and interrupt moves you have. Sure you might not be tops of the damage meter but you can mitigate some of the damage your group will take which can be just as important. Lesser knowledgable groups might scoff at the numbers you put up but those with experience (especially with rogue experience) will appreciate what you do and how you make the group successful. Some of the tools at your disposal.
Sap - How nice is it for a tank to only worry about having to deal with 2 or 3 mobs instead of 3 or 4. There's a good chance there's another CC dealer in your group as well (mage/sheep, paladin/repent, etc.) which means your group could go through a whole instance without fighting more than 1 or 2 mobs at a time.
Cheap Shot (CS)/Kidney Shot (KS) - Just because the fight has started doesn't mean you are out of CC options. When the tank pulls, hit the skull-marked target with a CS, build up a few points and then a KS. By this time, your group will probably have killed the mob (or close to it) and you are on to the next one. Throw in a vanish and you can restart your rotation and double your stunlock fun.
Kick - Tanks hate casters, no ifs, ands or buts. So use this interrupt to your group's advantage and save your tank some health.
Blind - Though it's not used a whole lot in PVE, it can still be a life saver. There will be times when your group has a bad pull (2 groups) or you somehow manage to get aggro from a mob. Throw a little dust in a mob's eyes and that's one less guy you have to worry about for a few seconds. By that time your group can handle the rest of the mobs and you've done your part to save your group.
Cloak of Shadows (CoS) - Again, this is a skill used more in PVP but it still has it's uses in PVE as well. Your healer will thank you when he has to heal/dispel one less person from a DoT (damage over time spell).
I am currently running an Assassination build with daggers that I am quite enjoying (http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/classes/rogue/talents.html?tal=00532300535010052010330135100500500300000000000000000005020000000000000000000000000). I'm getting a lot more DPS than I would have thought with very average to below average gear. Before each battle make sure your Hunger for Blood is triple stacked and that you refresh it as needed within the rotation. My current rotation is:
1) Ambush
2) Slice and Dice (SnD)
3) Mutilate to 4+ CP
4) If SnD has less than 12 seconds left, then Envenom and go back to step 3.
5) If SnD has more than 12 seconds left, then Rupture and go back to step 3.
The basic concept is to always have your Slice and Dice and your Hunger For Blood active. I keep Instant Poison on my main hand and Deadly Poison on my off hand.
Rogues in PVP
This is where rogues can really shine. Use all the above-mentioned CC and interrupts to your advantage. Gouge is a nice PVP tool to use against casters as well. CoS is a wonderful tool against warlocks; let em DoT you up and with one click of a button, you've erased all their work. Poisons are even more importatn in PVP so use those to your advantage. When doing arena, make sure to aim for anything squishy. Priests, warlocks, hunters and shammies are always nice to see. Stunlock everyone and keep them busy while your partner executes his plan. You want to ideally pair yourself up with a face melter (warlock or shadow priest) but other combinations are viable too. Stay away from another straight melee dps partner like a warrior. Lash and I found this out the hard way but we still had fun. Subtlety is usually the spec of choice here and the usual rotation would be something like:
1) Cheap Shot
2) Whatever your main CP generating move is (Sinister Strike, Mutilate, etc.) until Cheap Shot is about to expire
3) Kidney Shot
4) Whatever your best DPS rotations is while throwing in any necessary CC (too many options to write depending on spec and situation).
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Helpful Websites
Here are some really helpful sites that I use. If you have any you'd like to suggest, just leave a comment and I'll add them to the list. Enjoy!
http://www.shadowpanther.net/ - Great site for everything rogue. Has gear rankings, pvp strategies, specs, etc. A must for any rogues.
http://www.dwarfpriest.com/ - Very nice priest site that I've used for quite a while. Hasn't been updated in a while (hoping they come back to it), but still very useful.
http://be.imba.hu/ - Assesses a guild, group or character's gear and tells what gear they need to improve, enchants/gems could be better and advises whether they are ready for heroics or raids.
http://www.wowmatrix.com/ - My favorite of the add-on downloaders.
http://www.pawnmod.trenchrats.com/ - My favorite new add-on. Gives an overall number for gear based on values that you input.
http://www.elitistjerks.com/ - Nice overall forum site for all classes and topics.
http://www.thottbot.com/ - Everyone has their favorite general information source and this one happens to be mine. Wowhead & Wowwiki are also good.
http://www.shadowpanther.net/ - Great site for everything rogue. Has gear rankings, pvp strategies, specs, etc. A must for any rogues.
http://www.dwarfpriest.com/ - Very nice priest site that I've used for quite a while. Hasn't been updated in a while (hoping they come back to it), but still very useful.
http://be.imba.hu/ - Assesses a guild, group or character's gear and tells what gear they need to improve, enchants/gems could be better and advises whether they are ready for heroics or raids.
http://www.wowmatrix.com/ - My favorite of the add-on downloaders.
http://www.pawnmod.trenchrats.com/ - My favorite new add-on. Gives an overall number for gear based on values that you input.
http://www.elitistjerks.com/ - Nice overall forum site for all classes and topics.
http://www.thottbot.com/ - Everyone has their favorite general information source and this one happens to be mine. Wowhead & Wowwiki are also good.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Sinscribe's Rules to Healing
Hi guys. I thought it might be a nice idea to put down some advice I have learned along the way when it comes to healing groups, specifically instances. Let's face it, healing is the hardest job in a group. Tanks and dps all have attack rotations that can become second nature to them. Most have even combined them into 1 button castsequence macros. But healers have to be ready for any situation at any time. While there is a lot of responsibility that comes with healing, if you can master the craft, you will always be in high demand. If your group is successful, you will also get the majority of the credit (whether you deserve it or not). On the flip side, if your group fails, you will get the majority of the blame (whether you deserve it or not). While this guide will be directed toward priests, I'm sure other healing classes can apply the same general ideas. Anyway, hope this helps.
1) Obey the 5-second rule.
It took me a long time of healing and a decent amount of reading up on it before I heard of/understood the 5-second rule. As healers, mana regeneration is one of our most important responsibilities. When mousing over your stats you will see 2 numbers for mp5 (mana per 5 seconds), while casting and outside of casting. To achieve the "outside of casting" mp5 number, you have to refrain from casting for 5 seconds. So what does that mean for us as healers? It means you want to do your healing in bunches. This way you can spend larger blocks of time not casting and therefore more time "in the 5 second rule". If done well, it allows you to need less intellect and you can be free to gem for spell power, mp5, etc.
2) Prayer of Mending (PoM) and Renew are your best friends
At no point in an instance run should your tank ever be without these 2 wonderful spells. BEFORE every fight, apply both to your tank and you can begin your 5 second countdown. Please, please, please believe me...these are your best 2 spells and they can be used profusely as they are both very mana efficient.
3) Don't go nuts with your area of effect (AoE) heals
These heals are necessary evils. There will be fights when it is absolutely necessary to use an AoE heal (my favorite is Prayer of Healing), but use it sparingly. Only use these if 3 or more of your party members need healing. All AoE heals are extremely mana intensive and bad for mana conservation. This leads me to my next rule.
4) Stay away from mana intensive spells.
These spells include Circle of Healing, Flash Heal and Power Word: Shield. I have never used CoH, I have only used Flash Heal when it costs no mana (special Priest ability) and usually reserve shielding myself or another clothie who managed to grab aggro. Just trust me on this one.
5) You and the tank are the most important "alive" people.
There are going to be times when you have to make a choice of who lives and who dies. The tank and healer are the most important people to have and never skimp on their health to try and save a dps. Some people might get angry at this...they are stupid and do not understand the game. 9 times out of 10 the reason they are dead because they did not pay attention to marks or were not watching their aggro in some other way. Never listen to these people.
6) It's the little things that can add up
Here's an example: a tank needs to have a Greater Heal (GH) and a PoM placed on him. Does it matter which order you apply? You bet. If you GH first, then the global cooldown can occur while you are casting and by the end of the cast you will be ready for your PoM. Is it a small thing? Of course, but the more of these kinds of things you do, the easier you make it on yourself.
Here is how I have set up my interface:
1 - Prayer of Mending, 2 - Renew, 3 - Greater Heal (macro your trinkets and Inner Focus to this), 4 - PW: Shield, 5 - Prayer of Healing, 6 - Flash Heal, 7 - Fade, 8 - Guardian Spirit, 9 - Mana Potions
Always know where your Fear Ward, Shackle Undead, Psychic Scream and Dispel/Abolish Magic are for those special ocasions when needed. I am currently running a deep holy spec which seems to be working well (http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/classes/priest/talents.html?tal=050320113040000000000000000023505000230215253005030051000000000000000000000000000). This is pretty much all you need to be successful. Hope this helps. Keep at it and play around with what style you feel comfortable.
1) Obey the 5-second rule.
It took me a long time of healing and a decent amount of reading up on it before I heard of/understood the 5-second rule. As healers, mana regeneration is one of our most important responsibilities. When mousing over your stats you will see 2 numbers for mp5 (mana per 5 seconds), while casting and outside of casting. To achieve the "outside of casting" mp5 number, you have to refrain from casting for 5 seconds. So what does that mean for us as healers? It means you want to do your healing in bunches. This way you can spend larger blocks of time not casting and therefore more time "in the 5 second rule". If done well, it allows you to need less intellect and you can be free to gem for spell power, mp5, etc.
2) Prayer of Mending (PoM) and Renew are your best friends
At no point in an instance run should your tank ever be without these 2 wonderful spells. BEFORE every fight, apply both to your tank and you can begin your 5 second countdown. Please, please, please believe me...these are your best 2 spells and they can be used profusely as they are both very mana efficient.
3) Don't go nuts with your area of effect (AoE) heals
These heals are necessary evils. There will be fights when it is absolutely necessary to use an AoE heal (my favorite is Prayer of Healing), but use it sparingly. Only use these if 3 or more of your party members need healing. All AoE heals are extremely mana intensive and bad for mana conservation. This leads me to my next rule.
4) Stay away from mana intensive spells.
These spells include Circle of Healing, Flash Heal and Power Word: Shield. I have never used CoH, I have only used Flash Heal when it costs no mana (special Priest ability) and usually reserve shielding myself or another clothie who managed to grab aggro. Just trust me on this one.
5) You and the tank are the most important "alive" people.
There are going to be times when you have to make a choice of who lives and who dies. The tank and healer are the most important people to have and never skimp on their health to try and save a dps. Some people might get angry at this...they are stupid and do not understand the game. 9 times out of 10 the reason they are dead because they did not pay attention to marks or were not watching their aggro in some other way. Never listen to these people.
6) It's the little things that can add up
Here's an example: a tank needs to have a Greater Heal (GH) and a PoM placed on him. Does it matter which order you apply? You bet. If you GH first, then the global cooldown can occur while you are casting and by the end of the cast you will be ready for your PoM. Is it a small thing? Of course, but the more of these kinds of things you do, the easier you make it on yourself.
Here is how I have set up my interface:
1 - Prayer of Mending, 2 - Renew, 3 - Greater Heal (macro your trinkets and Inner Focus to this), 4 - PW: Shield, 5 - Prayer of Healing, 6 - Flash Heal, 7 - Fade, 8 - Guardian Spirit, 9 - Mana Potions
Always know where your Fear Ward, Shackle Undead, Psychic Scream and Dispel/Abolish Magic are for those special ocasions when needed. I am currently running a deep holy spec which seems to be working well (http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/classes/priest/talents.html?tal=050320113040000000000000000023505000230215253005030051000000000000000000000000000). This is pretty much all you need to be successful. Hope this helps. Keep at it and play around with what style you feel comfortable.
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Welcome to The Tauren Stampede's website. Here you can add helpful hints for your class, request help, set instance runs and many other things.
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