Falling Behind.

As you can tell, with the frequency of my posts, I am not playing much still.

     But hey, I just finished my Project+ class, meaning that I am taking a little time off of school, which is going to be nice and relaxing before I hop back in and go for my BA.  I may do some Overwatch and Heroes of the Storm as well.

    I have tinkered around on the Broken Isles and so far I am not hating or loving the experience.  I know everyone is in love with this, as it has brought the better mechanics from Tanaan Jungle, and the Timeless Isle together.  It has some good changing world quests tied to it, and the story is progressing nicely through it.  The dungeon it introduced was interesting and had me raising my eyebrows at the end.  By all accounts I should be in love with this...

    However, I do not like the fact that after you build one of the buildings, (My realm had the Mage tower up first) it is only so long before that building falls and you have to start from scratch again.  I would rather have a progressive zone like in Firelands, Suramar, or the Isle of Thunder where you slowly accomplish something and the zone changes to reflect your accomplishments.  I hate the feeling of watching something being built, then going back a couple days later and it's rubble again.  I understand that this is to give us something ongoing, but I feel it kind of shortchanges the area in the long run.  When we are here in two or three months, is anyone going to care enough to work on the buildings, leaving them as permanent rubble eventually.

    I also have not figured out the purpose of a few things.  I get crystals and can create demon portals.  Great!  How does this benefit me?  I can see killing the slog of demons that come out for items, gold nethershards, etc.  Why do I care about this, more than going to one area or another to mow down the mobs there? I am sure the answer is a high rate of nethershards being dropped, but it seems like more headache than it's worth to me.  Maybe I have gotten lazy in my old age, but sitting there smacking mobs as they spawn and hoping they don't overwhelm me is not interesting to me.

     I do like the invasion events.  So far I have been able to do High Mountain and Aszuna.  The feeling of doing four different spots then having a quest/scenerio to top everything off feels good.  My only wonder is with how often they happen, how long will it take to do all of them.  It might be a bit seeing that Blizzard removed doing all four from the Pathfinder II achievement for Legion Flying.

     The mix of world quests on the broken shore have been nice.  I enjoy the fact I end up in all sorts of areas, including in the water, and that it makes me explore the whole area.  I have never wanted Murlocs as a playable class until I saw the fel Murloc with the big bat wings.  That was completely awesome.

     I don't like the fact that both of my weapons classes seem semi-impossible right now.  I checked wowhead.com and it seems very few if any folks are managing to finish these fights.  I do think they should take some work, but the difficulty is kind of crazy right now.  That might be the point though, as you have a weapon appearance gated behind those quests.  If it was easy it wouldn't be as significant.

    How is everyone else feeling though?  Are we enjoying the new content?  What are y'all loving, and what not so much?

    How off base am I on some of this.

Happy playing,
Lag.

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How Many Specs Does Your Class Need in World of Warcraft?

To be honest, I want to discuss this, but it wasn't my idea.

     On the latest Blizzardwatch podcast they discussed whether classes needed more specs, less specs, or were just right.  The episode (#99 that came out Dec. 22nd 2016 respectively) had a large discussion.  To summarize Anne Stickney and Alex Ziebart both felt there were classes that could use less specs.  They pointed out rogues in particular in which Assassination and Subtlety had very little difference in idea and weapons.  Matt Rossi felt that with some classes that was correct, but with others (and he cited his favorite which is Warriors) saying that they could use a couple more specs as they lost Gladiators stance which was a DPS sword and shield spec, and single minded Fury which was duel wielding with two one handed weapons.

      Honestly, you should dig in and listen to this podcast for this discussion.  It is why I want to bring it up here.

      There are three classes I have played for any amount of time this expansion.  Rogue, Paladin, and Demon Hunter.  I have toyed with others a bit, but I have to start with the ones I know.

       Paladin is near perfect.  They don't need another spec, they don't need to lose another spec.  All three specs feel good and different.  Ret doesn't feel as good as I would like it too, but damage wise it is fantastic right now and tanking feels smooth.  I don't heal on my Pally, but what I have seen of that spec was fine.

      Demon Hunter is good as well.  While I would like them to figure out a ranged spec for the class, (I think the game is a little Melee heavy when you look at the classes right now) The two it has are solid and feel different.  Tanking felt alright the couple of times I have done it and DPS is nice as well.

     Rogue I will have to agree with the hosts.  They could go to two specs and not lose much.  Roll Subtlety and Assassination in together and call it good.  I don't see a need for further specs, but unless they can make it feel different pare it down a little.

     And the next opinions are subjective as I have not played the classes extensively and I will admit upfront to possibly being dead wrong.

     Monk- Keep it as is.  Three distinct specs.  Three different roles.

      Shaman- As is, two roles, two very different types of DPS.
   
     Mage- This I can see being pared down to two specs.  I like the suggestion that you do fire and frost and mix the arcane spells into them.  Arcane has always felt weird to me in the first place.

      Warlock- I think this one needs someone smarter than me.  I think all three specs are distinct, but as mentioned in the podcast, Demonology has been overhauled into something else.  I don't know how your reface it without stepping into the demon hunter feel of things which is why the demon form aspects were removed.  The idea of being a master of demons is still cool, but I don't see why we can't have two classes taking on those aspects if they are different.  (Make your demon featured warlock fly and shoot fireballs)

      Priest-  I am going to disagree with the podcast here.  I like all three of the specs.  The idea of two different types of healing, one re-active and one pro-active interests me.  If anything I would split Discipline into two different specs and have a DPS spec for priests that wasn't shadow/void based and one healing spec that was all about shielding and preparations.  I think having Disc straddle both kind of keeps it from being it's own animal.

     Druid-is good- Four specs for four different jobs.

     Hunter- This one I think is better now that survival is melee spec.  From what I've played around with all three specs feel different enough to be justified.  No complaints.

     Warrior- I am going to agree with Rossi on one point.  I would like a sword an board DPS spec. It would make more sense to me with the warrior, but I could see the Paladin having one as well. I do like the idea of the fighter who uses his shield as a weapon as much as his sword.  I think a single minded fury spec would end up being to similar to the fury spec we have now.  Harder to justify.

     Death Knight- I would love to make the argument for a fourth spec here.  My favorite tanking was duel wielding as a frost DK in Wrath of the Lich King.  I would love to see it come back as I though at the time it had felt darn near perfect.  I can't honestly make the argument though.  Blood is a good tanking spec, and works.  The two DPS specs feel different enough that I can't say we need another choice there either, or that we might need to merge them.  Keep them as they are.

     How do you feel?  Does your class need more specs and variety, or do you feel lost with your choices and would you like it pared down to something else.  Is the three spec idea outdated, and would things work better if classes weren't limited by a number that might serve some better than others?  Demon Hunters started with two specs, how would you feel if the next class had four?  Or maybe just one?

    Where do you weigh in on this discussion?

Lag

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Getting into the Blizzard Spirit.

Merry Winter Veil you wonderful people.

     So let us start out with the thing that makes me the most excited.  This is blog post number 200 for me.  That means since my first post on 5/07/2013 I have managed to keep writing and going on this blog fairly consistently.  I won't say that I have never done something that was more fluff than substance, but I am proud of myself.  Looking at my first post, I started writing just before patch 5.2 dropped so I have been here giving my voice to the community about this game I still love since the middle of Mists of Pandaria.  I don't feel too bad congratulating myself here.  Most people don't keep writing consistently on something like this, and even though at times it has been hard, I am still here.

     The news is a little slower at the moment.  Blizzard is seeing Christmas time like the rest of us, so I wouldn't expect to hear much until January.  They did mention that they are aiming to release the Nighthold Raid on January 17th.  This means if they want to get patch 7.15 out before than it will have to fall on January 3rd, (Happy Birthday to me!) or on January 10th.  Beyond that World of Warcraft still had raiding, PVP, world quest etc... you could be doing right now.  Or you could be leveling another alt!  The leveling experience is great this time around, as long as you are willing to let characters sit and feel like they aren't progressing.  I still don't like how alt unfriendly this expansion feels.

     Winter veil is in full bloom in game right now.  Go fight your Grinch and prepare to log on Christmas morning to open up your presents in Ironforge or Ogrimmar.  We are sure to get some new toy this year and another ugly sweater. Of course with Christmas being this weekend I have to ask...

     How are you spending your Christmas break?  Assuming you have one.

     I am out of school the week after Christmas so I am looking forward to logging on some week based hours.  Hopefully I can get my family together and run a few dungeons or Mythics.  I don't see myself raiding, but if one of the groups I chat with etc... need a dps I might hop in.  Next week is going to be a big de-stresser for me.  Not that I'm very stressed right now.  School is going well, my new job is fabulous, and my family life is good.  The only thing I lack most days is time to sleep.

     I might throw a few more hours into Diablo III as well. Maybe fiddle around with Heroes of the Storm which I have never done more than poked at here and there.  I am still unwilling to throw money down on Overwatch at this point, as I don't have much time to even play Wow generally, but with everyone I work with playing it, I might give in eventually so I can torture them outside of work. Who knows?

     I have goals coming in for next year as well.  I am only vaguely aware of what some of them might be at this point, but I am getting a plan together on how I plan to progress at work and a bit at home.  I am still working on one book, editing one, and I need to get off my butt and market the other.  By June I will have something full book sized up on Amazon/Kindle.

     I also will be working on getting healthier.  My work has a full sized Gym I can use at any time.  I need to take advantage of that.  I am debating with my work schedule shift, doing a workout before I go to school two or three days a week if nothing else.

    But how are you all spending your Christmas/Winterveil/Holidays.  Does anyone have any big fun plans, or are you stuck just slogging away like normal?

    Either way, Happy Holidays you beautiful people.  Remember no matter who you are the world would be a lesser place without you.

Lag.

    If you would like to support Ben Marble and his bob-sledding goblins, please consider purchasing one of his short stories at Amazon.com

Reinventing is Hard.

Making changes can have a cost.

     So it was a couple of blogs ago that I changed his to theornerywowplayer.blogspot.com as I felt that without me raid leading, it was misleading for me to keep posting as the ornery raid leader.  I didn't want people to click on this expecting raid updates, tips etc... I also wanted to embrace the fact I am wandering a new path in game as I am in life.  I am finding it relaxing to not have to plan and worry about getting the raid team together, doing the prep, etc...

    I still run with my family or other people here and there on the weekends.  Otherwise I am playing at my own pace, working on a few alts and trying to figure out where I fit in now.  I am actively working on my horde rogue as I had the heads up a few of the people I will be working with at my new job are on that side of the isle.  As with everything else, not planning full time raiding etc... just want the option to pop into a dungeon or something with them.  Not mention a couple people I'm working with now...

    However with this change I ran into an issue that I didn't anticipate.  This has never been an earth shattering big blog.  I have no illusions that I am in the same league as the folks at Blizzardwatch, theinstance, Tradechat, or any of the other big names.  I'm just someone spouting off a few words opinions and hoping everything is coherent when people read it.  I'm away my opinion is not always right, and sometimes is misinformed.  I try to be polite, look at issues from different angles and keep myself open minded.

    My views and rating on this blog have dropped though.  Changing the name of the website deleted every single google+ rating I had earned previous to the name change.  My views were normally about thirty on a low day, and I had hit two hundred once or twice.  Normally at least one day a week I would see a nice spike.  Once again, I know that these numbers are small.  I'm not expecting my presence to even compare to most others.

    Now a thirty view day is good.  I don't think I've broken one hundred yet since I changed.  While I don't write this to garner a lot of attention, the attention I did get made me smile.  So maybe I am a little narcissistic at the end of the day?  Who would have thought?

    So now there is nothing to do but keep trucking on.  Hopefully in reinventing all this I will find a new passion in the game and share that with all of you.  I am enjoying not being tied to the computer, or having to log in at any given time. Still plan on running things here and there with family and guild as I can, but I am not locking myself down.  It has been nice to declare a movie night with the family and not have to worry about it effecting the raid team.

     I have finally got my horde rogue to level 110 as well.  That gives me three max level characters, and one on the other side of the fence to poke at things with.  My rogue is a BE female, because you know, they have the best stealth animation in the game in my opinion.  So far running assassination, but will try the other specs shortly.

     How is everyone else adjusting at this time?  How do you recover from setbacks in game or out of game?  How should I re-invent myself?  Is there a new direction I should take anything, or should I just keep trucking on and slowly rebuild?

Lag/Ben Marble

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