Achievements, Rotation, UFC 94

Shared Topic: Your Thoughts on Achievements
courtsey of Blog Azeroth
When achievements were first announced, My first thought was "What a waste of time".

I put this out there not because I still feel that way, but because it helps to know where I am coming from. I am not one of the people going out and collecting 50 mounts (looking at you Orissa). I'm not going to complete all of the Holiday events ( or any of them, although "the Hallowed" is a pretty cool title)

I like the titles that show you have done something.

The Dungeon master achievements are a great example of this and are some of the only ones i have actively pursed. First came the regular edition, complete all instances on normal difficulty. Check. Next was Dungeon Hero. Check. Now pretty easily I can see that i have at least done all the 5 mans in this expansion. Working on the Naxx achievements as we speak.

I dislike the achievements that want you to go do something pointless.

Basiclly I use achievements as more of a measuring stick with how far i have gotten in the game rather then use them as a neat side game to complete.

Tanking and DPS Rotation

The other day I am invited into a heroic Azjol run. It started off on a bit of a bad foot due to the fact that his way of inviting me was to ask "hp/def?". I am back and forth on how annoying this is.
When I first hit 80 and was just at the def cap, sitting in LFG for 2 regular instances and a single heroic the question didnt bother me at all.
Now when I am sitting in LFG for 25 man naxx and 25 man OS with MT/OT in my comment, also qued for a single heroic, The question annoys the shit out of me. Would I really be looking to tank two 25 man raids If I didnt have acceptable HP and defense for a heroic? I digress...

I responded to his "Hp/def?" question with a "what is your AP and crit?" After a bit of back and forth I decide to join his group as it was the last Heroic I needed for Duengon Hero. As it turns out the group had an excellent healer and was looking to have a quick run. Hence the interogation as to my tanking ability. Since this group is so l33t I throw out a "If I out dps you as the tank you are getting the boot" (after they pass lead for marking purposes). What can I say, I can be an ass sometimes.

The run is going rather smoothly, and even though I am doing more dps than the other DK "DPS" I don't make an issue of it. I do point it out at the end of the run in a friendly manner. (we had bonded by the end of the quick wipeless pug).

We get into a friendly conversation where I lay out the three major problems DK's will face trying to dps (or generate threat in my case)

1. Rotation
2. Spec
3. Gear

This Deathtard had a cookie cutter DPS spec. Gear was alright, but it comes in time and can always improve. Niether of these things were what was holding his dps back.

When asked about his rotation; " I just kind of hit whatever is available or comes off cooldown"

Thats not good. (what a long segue into my personal rotation=)

The rotation I have come to know and love is the single disease frost rotation found somewhere in the bowels of EJ Forums
In order for this rotation to work you need to start with one of your blood runes already turned into a death rune, this is easily acomplished useing bloodtap and just to make sure to try and finish pulls with a death rune.
Icey Touch -> Obliterate -> Obliterate -> Bloodstrike
That is the basic rotation I try to use all the time. Of course rotations are bound to get messed up but this one is really easy to get back to and puts out great dps as frost spec. Howling blast and pestilence are substitued for aoe pulls.
I noticed a 200 dps increase when i stopped mashing buttons and started trying to stick to my rotation. Make sure your rotation is Tight, like a tiger.

UFC 94

I cannot wait for this Saturdays UFC. Two of my favorite fighters are squaring off, BJ Penn and GSP. These two guys are basiclly living legends in the sport. Last time they fought GSP edged out a split decision in a 3 round brawl. Looking at their faces after the fight though, you would never have guessed that GSP was the winner, his face was battered and BJ Penn didn't even appear to be breathing hard.

I gotta go with my gut here and pick Penn. For some reason I got a man crush on this guy and I think he is pretty pissed off he lost the decision last time. Penn by gogoplata in the 4th!

Real Life Ramblings

So I got engaged to my longtime girlfriend and turned 25 in the same week. Talk about making a guy feel old. Almost 30! HaHa. Feeling old Is interesting because it's really just a matter of perspective. I work with people who would laugh at me saying I feel old. I play wow with some people who probably think I am Ancient. I got a tell from a "wow friend" the other day saying he had just turned 17 and was excited. I had been raiding with this guy since MC days! Having a Fiance or paying bills I am sure are the furthest things from his mind.

Life's a garden, dig it?