Puggers can't be choosers.

Well I haven't really been playing much Beta recently. This is due to the EU Beta server being up and down more often than the knickers of a workaholic prostitute. Speaking of which, I don't want to hear any chimes of empathy from my American readers: The kinds of problems you've had on Beta recently have been with us from day one. Or at least from the point I arrived.

In other news, CD seems to have settled into a pattern of one Hyjal farm run a week. Last night we cleared the first three bosses in record time and actually managed a go at Azgalor. That might have even become a kill if a pesky Druid had paid attention to where to run when he got the Impending Doom!

Apart from that, I've slowly been stockpiling mats for if/when I move over to Blacksmithing. Whilst doing that this morning, I got a whisper from a random druid. It consisted entirely of "Spec?". I figured if he/she/it was going to ask me questions without engaging me in a conversation or at least being interesting/polite, then I would do likewise, and I replied "A/S/L?". The exchange ended at that point.

Which brings me to something that grinds my gears. I'm disinclined to PuG at the best of times, but if someone whispers me "spec?" or words to that effect without trying to engage me in conversation, then they're gonna get crap back. If some know-nothing DPSer wants to know my unbuffed HP like it means anything, then I'm gonna demand their Attack Power and crit chance before saying "Is that all? No thanks". I am, however, Archduke of the Assholes.

As probably only tanks read this, I'm doubtless pissing in the wind, but here's my thoughts on what it would be nice to hear from prospective Puggers:

Wrong: "Spec?"
Right: "Are you able to (Tank/Heal/DPS)?"

Let the person you're contacting know what you want. If they can't help you, they may know someone (or have an alt) who can.

Wrong: "What's ur HP?"
Right: "Have you tanked (insert target Instance here) before?

The first question distills the Tank's knowledge, gear and ability down to one easily-fudged number. The second gives you an idea of wether or not he can do the job you require of him.

Wrong: "Looking for two more, need Tank and Healer"
Right: "Three DPS Looking for Group"

I mean, c'mon people, be honest! ;)

Beta: It's Mine Time!

Well with the current bugged/broken Judgements making Paladin levelling and tanking about as much fun as trying to tighten a screw with a maggot, I decided to get Ulu's professions in order.

When I first copied Ulu to the test realm, his mining was only at 273, and I needed 375 to begin mining in Northrend.

First stop was the Burning Steppes, where I spent an hour doing circuits and mining all the Thorium and Dark Iron veins I could see to get him close to 300. On the plus side, the zones were practically deserted, so I was free to level at my leisure.

At 299 mining, I got on a bird to the Blasted Lands, figuring I could find the last couple of nodes I needed on the way to the Dark Portal. I was right, and dinged 300 there. For my trouble, Ulu was rewarded with Toughness rank 4.

After that, it was time for the easy part. I did circuits of Hellfire Penninsula and Nagrand on Ulu's epic flier, mining all the Fel Iron and Adamantite nodes I could find. Outland was a little busier than Azeroth with all the levelling Death Knights, but none of them were mining, so Ulu had carte blanche again. It took me maybe an hour and a half from that point to get up to 375 mining and Toughness rank 5, but it was worth it.

I'm quite chuffed with the Toughness buffs. It's nice to have a reason to keep a gathering profession late into the life cycle. The 20 Stamina buff is actually 26 when combined with Ulu's talents and I'm looking forward to getting the level 6 Toughness at 450 Mining...

I went to bed after finishing the grind, but I took a run around this morning and mined my first few Cobalt nodes.

In related news, I've just copied my bank character over to the Beta realm with my stored collection of Ores, stones, gems and Primals. I think tonight I'm going to drop Engineering and powerlevel Blacksmithing.

Beta: Further down the Rabbit Hole...

So this weekend, I knuckled down and got some more Beta going on...

First of all, let me say that Blizzard have truly fucked things up with the latest build. Whatever the plan was to tone down Retribution has resulted in none of our three Judgement spells working. This means that along with not doing damage based on the seal used, Judgement of Wisdom doesn't restore mana, Judgement of Light doesn't restore health and the talented abilities Judgements of the Wise and Judgements of the Just don't work. In fact the only indication I can get that Judgement is being used is Heart of the Crusader proccing.

That said, I gritted my teeth and finished levelling Ulu to 71 as Retribution. At that point, I went back to Stormwind, respecced to Protection and picked up the new Divine Plea spell.

I then went to the Nexus with two of my friends (a Resto Druid and an Enhancement Shaman) for an attempt at the instance. All three of us were in a mixture of T5/T6 and badge gear, so we figured we had a decent shot at a beginner instance.

Wrong.

We managed to kill one boss in there, Grand Magus Talestra who is completely insane, somewhere in between Shade of Aran and the last boss in Arcatraz. We made some attempts at Anomalus as well, but we really needed another DPSer for him. We gave up after the instance server crashed.

Lessons learned:

* The Nexus looks really cool.
* Threat generation's a nightmare with the bugged Judgements.
* Resto Druids are Tiny Gods at group healing now.
* Not even the instance servers in Beta are free from lag and instability.

Apart from that, I've done a bunch of quests over there and I'm starting to get a feel for Prot-based soloing. Divine Plea really helps cut downtime, and when they get Judgements working again, there should be no problem with staying as Protection.

I'm currently considering copying my Bank character over to test so I can level Blacksmithing with the ores I've collected. By the time I've got Ulu into his mid-70s, I'd like to be able to start work on the Tempered Saronite set.

Nailing shut the Engineering coffin...

New Beta build which is currently downloading at home. I haven't had much of chance to Beta recently due to a combination of gathering mining materials, showing up for raids and the occasional social engagement.

They've apparently announced some of the initial Engineering stuff here, and, it's looking more and more likely that I'll be switching to Blacksmithing on Ulu. The only two interesting items are set of blue-quality tanking Goggles which will probably be replaced early in Ulu's raiding career at 80 and a trinket with +81 Stamina which I predict to have a similar shelflife.

But when to switch? That is the question:

I could switch now, use the Crystalforge Faceguard as my sole tanking helm. I'd gain about 0.5% uncrushability, some Block Value and 40-ish spelldamage, but lose 2% Avoidance and 200 hp.

I could hold on and hope that the Hexlord drops the Battleworn Tuskguard. The difference in the two is negligable, although the goggles look cooler.

Or I could hold on even longer and make the switch a week or so before Northrend hits the live servers.

Meanwhile On Live...

So Beta predictably crashed about an hour after I logged in last night. With a sigh, I closed down the client, fired up WoW normal and went back to working on my mining.

Just after I hit 375, I went off to Shattered Halls normal to help a guildie through a run there.

After that, I ran through Dum Morogh, Loch Modan, The Wetlands and the Arathi Highlands on a mammoth mining spree. I'm still considering levelling Blacksmithing for WotLK, and I'm determined to grind enough mats to do so ahead of time, rather than my normal "grind a bit, give up and spend a fortune on the AH".

Switching to Blacksmithing now wouldn't be terrible, since I'll still have my T5 helm to tide me over in place of the Goggles. I'd lose some Avoidance and stamina, but I'd gain spelldamage and block value. That said, I'll make the final call if and when the loot gods are kind enough to drop a Battleworn Tuskguard in my lap.

I'm actually considering copying my newly 375 mining Ulu over to Beta so I can start mining those Cobalt Nodes that have been looking enticingly at me. If I actually do level Blacksmithing, then I'm definately shifting him across.

Anyway, it seems that CD's raiding is finally starting to pick up again. Sign-ups have been strong for the upcoming Mount Hyjal runs. Of course with them being MH runs, Ulu's needed.

Gah, why couldn't my Beta Key have arrived a fortnight ago?!