Petoholics Anonymous

Lame update title because I can’t think of anything funny

// February 2nd, 2010 // 3 Comments » // Hunters and Pets, Non-hunters, Random Stuff

My updates have been a little…lacking, so here’s a summary of all the things that have been happening.

On Saturday, we had our memorial for Vinny. Over 25 people showed up at the Shrine of the Fallen Warrior in the Barrens and we spent a couple hours recounting stories about him and giving a “KungalooooOOOOooooOOOooosh” salute. It was very nice.

My shammy Zulrea is level 78 as we speak, as well as Kazi’s warlock Basia. A destruction warlock and an elemental shaman are a scary combination. We keep lamenting about how we can only get 2 spells off each before a mob dies. >.> On that note, having Lava Burst always crit is awesome. Also, she dropped skinning and took up inscription…partially because I wanted a scribe and partially because Basia is a tailor/enchanter. So Kazi gets all my weapon/armor vellums.

Saraku is finally exalted with Netherwing (with much help provided by Kazi searching for eggs). So now he can transform back to his original drake form in character. Still working on Crusader dailies with him but not with much enthusiasm. He also has his complete T9 tanking set. I started getting his T9 healing set together but then I found out that I like healing on Zulrea better anyways.

Niqo has 4 pieces of T9, the Orca-Hunter’s Harpoon, the Felglacier Bolter, the Pauldrons of the Devourer,  the Crusader’s Dragonscale Bracers (a Christmas gift from Kazi), and the Recovered Scarlet Onslaught Cape. In short…she looks like just about every other hunter who’s done a ton of randoms. I’m quite satisfied about my 3.7-4k dps with a BM spec in heroics, with it spiking on the bosses when I pop my cooldowns and trinkets. Also, the redesigned Misdirect + Volley is sooooo nice. It really helped tanks in H-HoR before they nerfed the damage. Oh, and she got her “the Patient” title which is quite suitable for her RP-wise.

I rolled a fury warrior called Tuyok who now is level 25 and has 4 pieces of heirloom gear equipped. In character, he is Mysthowl’s and Niqora’s adoptive teenage son and his full first name is Issorartuyok. Try saying that five times fast. It’s the Inuit word for “leader dog”. He’s pretty much the character that I play solo when I’m not doing something with the people of BR.

Kazi and I have been talking about what characters we’re going to roll when Cataclysm comes out. I’m going to roll a worgen druid to be paired with his worgen hunter (with a wolf pet of course!) and a goblin hunter with his goblin priest/mage. We decided to reserve our names and because my 10 character slots on Wyrmrest Accord where already taken…I needed to clear up two spots. The first one to go was Fawnel, my tauren druid who wasn’t getting played anyway. My hope is that the worgen will have some sort of wolf-like cat form which will help me enjoy playing a druid more. Choosing the second character to delete was tough but I finally settled on Brighit, my draenei hunter. I play her even less than Fawnel and once I do start playing a little bit on Alliance side with the expansion, my focus is going to be solely on my druid. So it was hard to let her go but at least I’ll be making a goblin hunter, right? Right? >.> I’m currently debating between a raptor or a bear for her. I do love raptors and they have similar personalities to goblins. On the other hand, a giant bear with tons of explosives strapped to it does make a rather intimidating and funny image. Have I mentioned that the goblin is going to be half out of her mind?

Bloodriver as a guild is working on making our way through Ulduar and we’ve dipped our toes in TotC and Onyxia. We’ve come up to Freya on our last Ulduar run and we haven’t tried to get Ony down again since 3.3.0 came out. So I think that next time we go in there, we’ll be able to take her down. We also have a sister guild on Alliance side called Obsidian Phoenix that is slowly filling up with people who have Ally characters. That’s where our worgens will find their home.

And last but not least…I got a Logitech G11 keyboard. The blue LED lights are so very pretty and shiny. Plus the macro keys have given me a noticeable improvement in Niqo’s dps. I’d be completely pleased with it if the keys didn’t seem to randomly stop working when I switch characters (I blame the program, not the keyboard itself).

Patch 3.3.2 is all loaded up and I’m eager to get home for work and see what new things await for me. I heard there’s been a buff for elemental shamans.

Now hopefully my next update will come before Cataclysm is released. >.>

Lok’vadnod for Niqora Wildstride

// January 15th, 2010 // 6 Comments » // Hunters and Pets, Random Stuff

No, Pookii, I have not been kidnapped.

So…the truth is that the reason I have not been posting here for a while is because I’ve been spending just about every spare moment during the last two months with the most incredible man on the planet (and I know he will blush violently when he reads those words). You all know him as Kazimierz. I won’t go into lots of mushy details because I don’t want everyone reading this to die from a sweetness overload. >.>

However, I would like to share one of the things he gave to me for my birthday, a poem he wrote about my very favorite character, Niqora. He’s so wonderfully eloquent. I hope you all enjoy it (although I can’t imagine everyone squeeing over it like I did).

Harken, spirits, and heed my calling
That I may speak with sageful truth
Of the tranquil towering hunter
Of the mighty Wildstride

Born to warring plains and peoples
‘Twixt hateful hooves and twisting thorns
Dwelled her kind in cruel-edged battle
Dwelled the staid Shu’halo

In bitter strife did Wildstride strengthen
Sharp of wit and bright of soul
With her aim she warded elders
With the land she made her bond

Battered from the battles many
Bleeding stood the Shu’halo
Defiant through their doomed resistance
Defiant through their people’s night

Roamed Wildstride the barren badlands
Seeking shelter for her tribe
Ever stalking safer havens
Ever charting unknown lands

And as the Horde made hasty landfall
Wildstride wandered wide and long
To the woodland deep and looming
To the depths of Feralas

There, beneath the boughs of emerald
Found Wildstride a wolf of worth
Her hide of sable hue and luster
Her eyes of brilliant topaz gleam

Patient as the peaks above her
Stalked the woods did Wildstride
With skillful eyes she tracked the wolfling
With silent stillness she bode her time

And as the wolf loped lightly near her
Near the trap the tauren set
Readied her the rhyme of ancients
Readied her to sinter souls

Whispering her heart-wish swiftly
Before the snared and snarling wolf
Niqora formed her fastest friendship
Niqora to the beast was bound

Through slogging moor and icy mountain
Wandered Wildstride again
Always seeking, ever finding
Always Blacky by her side

Across the Plagueland’s fallow fields
And through the burning Blackrock mount
There was no shoreline shunned to travel
There was no stranger she’d not aid

With canny aim and cunning prowess
They ranged to regions strange and far
None may know their deeds for number
None could call their quests in vain

And as the Horde in heated battle
Sounded summons to the fray
Ready with her wolf she answered
Ready Wildstride marched to war

Amidst the spilling soldier’s lifeblood
Skirmished swiftly Wildstride
Gentle as she mapped and scouted
Gentle as she slew her foes

Never born to blood or thunder
Still Niqora knew their ways
Without fear she served her Chieftain
Without rage she earned her due

On her war-wolf swiftly riding
With her heart-bound at her side
Feared she made her name amongst them
Feared is Wildstride by our foes

And when honor’s hold was loosened
To savage southern dusts she strode
Seeking once more sights of wonder
Seeking secrets long unheard

In the bleached and bone-strewn desert
Stirred a strange forgotten foe
Driven by the voice of madness
Driven by the Old God’s gaze

Countless came the might of mortals
To face the fearsome threat again
Many stood and fought with fury
Many died to breach the gates

Yet Wildstride would not be among them
And though the thought was naught but desperate
Went she with the band of heroes
Went she to the Old God’s lair

None know aught of all they found there
Or of the wrathful ruin wrought
By the forty fearless mortals
By those who dared defy a god

Thought the toll was cruel and costly
Stood she with those who survived
Bow your heads and give her honor
Bow to Niqora, Old God’s Bane

Not content with quiet respite
Again she dared walk distant lands
Wandered with her wolf and weapons
Wandered to a broken world

Onward through the Outland wastelands
Wildstride wandered, Blacky near
‘Cross the crumbling crust of Hellfire
‘Cross the lakes of Zangarmarsh

Through Terokkar’s tainted woodlands
Across the nascent Netherstorm
Niqora ranged with green eyes watching
Niqora to the Mag’har came

On the gale-swept ground she battled
In service to our long-sought kin
Ogre’s blood she spilled in rivers
Ogre’s fear Nagrand now knows

With honor over those in waiting
Wildstride went to serve again
To the place we formed our folly
To the blackened Shadowmoon

Through the damned of Draenor’s darkness
Niqora watched and warred and won
Stood she at the black-built temple
Stood she at the Warden’s side

Amongst the needles born of nether
Those of shackled scales she found
Abandoned by black-hearted breeders
Abandoned once, but now no more

Disdaining doomed assault and slaughter
With beguiling guise she crept
Among the slavers, sly and slinking
Among their victims, breaking bonds

And with her cunning, canny luring
A sentry’s knell Niqora knew
Free was sable-scaled Saraku
Free again to aid his kind

Made them masquerade together
Foiling fel-orcs from within
Standing steady near the slavers
Standing, soon to pounce and strike

At last, the long deception dwindled
Before Betrayer’s blinded eyes
Away they fled on flows of nether
Away, in friendship forged of flame

And through her deeds so wide and wondrous
Her chieftain’s heart had with hers held
Together with her mighty Mysthowl
Together in bliss they would dwell

Yet peace was sparse and soon abated
As the Lich-King’s languor fled
Again with gun and gentle grimness
Again went Wildstride to the fray

To Northrend went Niqora freely
Not for only honor’s sake
Fought she for the fates of many
Fought the fallen, for their souls

At Angrathar she marched with honor
With the vanguard’s vengeful charge
Watched her Saurfang’s final challenge
Watched her Putress betray us all

And when the Warchief, ever watchful
With Sylvanus purged the halls
Niqora with the Kor’kron sallied
Niqora close beside them fought

Always seeking strange new visions
Through northern wilds Niqora strode
Finding friends to aid in battle
Finding sights of beauty deep

And when her clan with calm-set faces
Marched to slay the Lich-King’s pawn
With them Wildstride was stalking
With her, they felled dark Kel’thuzad

Bathed in honor bright and shining
She was granted duty great
Ambassador, of all our peoples
Ambassador to the Crusade’s call

Rose Wildstride through all aspiring
Skilled with lance and shield and bow
Until the Crusade called her sister
Until a Champion she was named

Now new terror haunts the northlands
Sibling spawn of dread C’thun
Dauntless, Wildstride advances
Dauntless delves to Ulduar

Hunts she now the ancient evil
Leading those who call her friend
Seeking through the Titan’s prison
Seeking dreadful Yogg-Saron

All who call her captain honor
Brave and valiant Wildstride
Always with her black-furred packmate
Always patient, always strong

Harken, spirits, and heed my calling
That I may swear with solemn vows
Of the truth of all I’ve spoken
Of the tale of Wildstride

More proof that we’re crazy

// September 29th, 2009 // 19 Comments » // Hunters and Pets

Let me set the scene for you. It’s getting to be late at night (almost midnight) and five of us have just finished a heroic ToC. There’s me on Niqora, Goldmoon on her DK alt, Kazi the shaman, Velinix the crazy suicidal pally, and Mootwo the other shaman whose main is in Bloodriver. We could have gone to bed. We should have gone to bed. But then the question pops.

“Who wants to do Nexus? Gold can tank.”

Gold has some tanking gear but has never tanked in her life. We don’t even know if she’ll be def capped when she puts it on.

“You up for it Gold?”
“Sure, I’ll try it.”

Vel switches to his rogue which just hit 80 about 2 weeks ago. Kazi says he’ll heal because he’s already got his gear on, despite the fact that he prefers enhancement. Gold grabs her tanking gear and finds that she’s just short of the def cap. Meh, good enough for us.

Off to Nexus we go.

As we make our way to the Alliance commander boss, Kazi gives Gold the quickest rundown I’ve ever heard of how to DK tank. To sum it up: “Pull in the caster, drop DnD, and spam your diseases. Oh, and make sure you’re in frost presense.” Gold isn’t even sporting a tanking spec, she’s unholy DPS.

Despite all of this, she’s doing pretty good. She only has 20k health though so sometimes she goes down fast right after the pull. At that point, I hit my macro to switch Growl on and pop Intimidation while frantically saying into vent, “Just heal Blacky, just keep her up.” Between the 2 shammies, they managed to keep her up as I switch targets like a madman to keep all the aggro onto her. (By the end of the instance, I’ve pet-tanked 3 or 4 groups of trash. My new motto is now “Blacky saves people.” )

I do pull an oops when I press my shot macro after everything’s dead, which of course auto-targets the nearest mob and pulls them right in. Luckily it’s not a big oops as Gold picks them up right away and no one dies. We’re all allowed one mistake per instance, right? >.>

I soon find out I have nothing to worry about in regards to mistakes. Both the Alliance commander and the mage bosses go down without a problem. But then…as we head to Anomalis, certain brains lose their effectiveness. (Or as they put it, they’ve lost “thinky points”.)

First Vel leaps to his death off one of the platforms because Moo dared him to (and Vel is always leaping off high places “for fun”). We have to wait for him to run back. Then he stealths towards a group of dragonkin, only for them to see him. Splat goes the little rogue and look, here they come at us. Hai Mr. Dragon! Gold goes down fast and I kick Blacky-tank into gear, preventing a wipe.

We get to Anomalis and kill him real quick. On our way down the platforms, Vel is totally not paying attention and manages to run right off one of the platforms…again. All we hear over vent is “Oh s***!” and suddenly Vel’s dead again. We all laugh at him and kill some trash while we wait for him to come back.

We’re almost out of that particular area…we approach the last set of mobs in there. Suddenly Kazi completely forgets who he’s playing, walks right up to the mobs, and calmly drops his totems. Splat goes the shammy healer. “What the…I have no idea why I just did that.” Cue hysterical laughter on vent. The mobs die anyways so we work on scrapping up what’s left of Kazi, who then decides that he’s a little tired to be healing and Moo takes over.

We get through the gauntlet with only one wipe, despite the fact that Vel stealths again towards a mob, forgetting that he is not actually stealthed. Finally we reach the ice giant dude.

Somehow Gold dies on the first set of ice spikes. I switch to Blacky-tank as quickly as I can but somewhere in there, Vel and one of the shammies go down. The remaining shammy tried to heal Blacky but it’s not enough and she goes down. Then he dies as I’m casting Heart of the Phoenix. Blacky’s back up at full health and we manage to get him down to almost all the way before she dies again. I’m out of tricks but I’ll be damned if I’m going to just FD. So instead I start meleeing him. And I killed him. By hitting him with my staff. I had about 200 health left but I did it, damnit! Of course I can’t rez so everyone still has to run back. xD

I swear this next part is from a comedy skit or something. We take the little cave shortcut and are all standing at the edge, ready to jump. Kazi, in his tired state, thinks that he sees Gold jump down so he jumps down too…right into a pat. Vel and I jump down to help but Kazi dies too fast. Then Gold and Moo jump down just as I FD and Vel vanishes. Vel gets out of stealth to help but Gold and Moo die anyways. Vel can’t vanish anymore and joins the others in floor tanking. Guess who’s still alive but can’t rez anyone again? At this point I’m wiping away the tears, I’m laughing so hard.

Luckily we get to Keri and kill her without mishap.

With all those mistakes, sleepiness, and  general goofiness on our part…we agreed that that heroic was the funnest one we’ve had in a long time. I know my own stomach was sore from spending most of the time laughing.

Only in Bloodriver. I love those guys.

((Thanks to Tzia for telling me “You know Niqo, you should blog all these stories.”))

I have him!

// September 12th, 2009 // 17 Comments » // Hunters and Pets

For weeks I spent almost every weekday morning flying around Storm Peaks. I picked that time because that’s when there’s the least amount of people online. However, it looked like every hunter and their mother were also looking for Skoll. Then…I got lucky.

I started muttering “Ohmygodohmygodohmygod” over and over again as I landed close to him. For a minute Niqo dashed back and forth, looking for the best place to start the tame. I was so nervous that I forgot to lay down a freezing trap before starting the tame. And then suddenly…he was mine, in all his blue lightning goodness. I named him Selamiut, despite the fact that I already named Loque that. It just seemed appropriate somehow.

Selamiut [SEE-lah-me-oot] is an Inuktitut word (used by the Inuit) meaning “The Sky Dwellers,” and refers to the manifestation of departed souls, experienced amid the stunning beauty of the Aurora Borealis.

It’s a good day to be a hunter.

Skoll

// July 7th, 2009 // No Comments » // Hunters and Pets

…will be mine come patch 3.2!!! I swear it!