Weeks 2 & 3: Slowly But Surely

So...there was no Bucket List update last week. I didn't get much alting time and I didn't feel like working on Loremaster. I was lazy, frankly, but it's my list so I can procrastinate if I want!

This week I'm enjoying having a big list to choose activities from and it's definitely making my in-game time more fun. Don't feel like end-game content for another night? Level one of my lowbies a bit. Don't have the energy to quest? Work on a profession. When all else fails, my flower-picking Death Knight gets sent to uproot those herbs and hack bits of ore out of rocks, mailing countless stacks of materials through the ether and into the hands of my professioning alts who store it in rapidly-overflowing banks for later on.

Before the list those alts were there, in the back of my mind, but didn't seem worth the effort despite the fact that I'd like a stable of level 85 characters covering all professions before Mists hits. Now I have the will to work on them and it's making me happier out of game too - days without a clear purpose really drag my mood downwards.

What I've achieved in the last two weeks:

• Aralosseien now has 7385 a/p
• Shiden hit level 50!
• Wildlight went from level 22 to 26, and got Engineering up from 100 to 135

Getting Shiden, my draenei shaman to 50 is long overdue. She's still wearing a few pieces of leather +int gear so I have my fingers crossed that some questing will replace those as the AH is bereft of level 50-60 +int mail.

Wildlight hit 26 so quickly I barely saw it happening. The OH did boost me through Blackfathom Deeps after a disastrous attempt via LFD but I think that 4 heirlooms and the perks of a level 25 guild are going to zoom me through content at a furious rate. I did toy with the idea of taking them off to see more of the zones but if I'm going to go for Loremaster on Ara I'm happy to save the lore surprises for her.

More importantly, Wildlight made her first pair of goggles - a snazzy pink pair!

I think I might have sparked a goggles addiction.

A gift from Navimie!

Not so long ago, Navimie of The Daily Frostwolf had her second blogoversary! I read the post before my coffee one morning and left her a comment to say congratulations. What I'd missed was her offer to create a little something for everyone who left a comment! Imagine my surprise when she tweeted me to say there was an email waiting, patiently, in my inbox (and that she was going to bed, silly time differences). I'd like to share it with you, as others have theirs :) here is the brilliant poem she wrote me!

Thank you Navi, for such a wonderful gift. <3

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ahoy to Aralosseien

I met Ara in November

When we both IntPiPoMo'd

I went to look every day

To see what shots she showed

And now I often come to see

What new achieves she has to boast

So I was delighted when she left a note

On my Blog's Birthday post.

  

Ara made a Warrior,

Whose hair was pink as floss

Her name was Sugarstorm the gnome,

And she was made because

Ara's made a Bucket List,

A Cynwise inspired feat

The list just really blows my mind,

I really hope she does complete!

 

Ara loves achievements,

Which I totally can relate

She's listed what she's working on -

Boy she's got heaps on her plate!

She just put up a guide for

Lunar Festival this year

When she finally Honor One's Elders,

I'll give a little cheer!

Ara's main's a druid,

Which makes me like her so

She also plays a paladin

So healing she must know!

She made me laugh because she griped

About the Worgen female form

If they do that to Pandarians

I'm sure there'll be a raging storm!

  So thank you Ara, for wishing me

A happy Blog birthday.

I look forward to another year

Of reading stuff you say.

I hope you like this little poem

I wrote it just for you

And I wish you all the best of luck

For your achievements this year too!

From Navimie :)

Lunar Festival Guide 2012

Another year, another chance to finish those big achievements you didn't manage last year. Lunar Festival 2011 was pre-blog (so pre-motivation for me) but it's been taunting me ever since. Damn my laziness.

Lunar Festival is a celebration of our (virtual) ancestors, held by the druids in Moonglade. This year it will be running from 22nd January - 11th February. You can collect Coins of Ancestry by visiting the 84 Elders scattered throughout the lands of Azeroth, then use these to buy festive outfits, engineering schematics, tailoring patterns and two new companion pets (thanks to commenters Shoryl and Esdala for the correction!) - Lunar Lantern for Alliance and Festival Lantern for Horde. The coins don't disappear when the festival ends so check your banks for stragglers that you might have held onto from last year, and keep any spares for next year if you don't get everything you want!

If you're looking to complete this meta, it would be a lot easier at level 80 or above as there are 9 Elders within the Cataclysm 80-85 zones and some of the dungeon Elders are hidden away in Northrend dungeons. Those with friends and guildmates happy to summon/help them will be able to complete these at a lower level though!

Currency earned: Coins of Ancestry
Maximum possible this year: 84
Number required to complete meta: 5

Achievements needed for the meta:

• 50 Coins of Ancestry
• Frenzied Firecracker
• The Rocket's Red Glare
• Lunar Festival Finery
• Elune's Blessing
• Elders of the Alliance
• Elders of the Horde
• Elders of Eastern Kingdoms
• Elders of Kalimdor
• Elders of Northrend
• Elders of Cataclysm
• Elders of the Dungeons

Total achievement points up for grabs: 160

So, let's get onto the good bit - snagging a title, 160 a/p, some snappy clothes and a new pet!

50 Coins of Ancestry

The only way to get the coins is to honour those ancestors! You'll get this whilst visiting Elders for the other achievements.

Frenzied Firecracker

Set off 10 Festival Firecrackers in 30 seconds or less! You can buy these for 3 silver each from Lunar Festival Vendors. Bind them to a hotkey, find a place for your server that's low/no lag and face your camera downwards. Firing each one sets off the GCD, which is why it's best to go to a low lag area. An easy way to make sure you're doing it right is to track the achievement in your Objectives list - find it in the achievements interface under World Events, click the box marked 'Track' and boom. Literally.

The Rocket's Red Glare

Very similar to Frenzied Firecracker, set off 10 Red Rocket Clusters in 25 seconds or less. You can buy these for 1 silver each from Lunar Festival Vendors. Bind them to a hotkey but this time, you'll have to be in the festival area of a major city to find the cluster launchers for firing them. You can track this in the same way as the Firecrackers, so just stand next to a launcher and play with pyrotechnics until you get it.

Lunar Festival Finery

Buy yourself a lovely Festive Dress or Pant Suit to wear for 5 Coins of Ancestry. Job done (and looking snappy, I must say)!

Elune's Blessing

Pick up the quest Elune's Blessing from Valadar Starsong in Nighthaven, Moonglade. You must summon Omen, defeat him and receive Elune's Blessing to complete this quest.

Summoning Omen is simple. Throw some cluster rockets into the launchers near the Stormrage Barrow Dens at the southeast edge of Lake Elune'Ara. A giant, two-headed dog appears!

There were many reports of level 85s soloing him last year but if you're going as a group, taking a 'tank' and healing capable class along is probably helpful. He cleaves and does a regular Starfall AoE but shouldn't present any more of a challenge than holiday bosses like Frost Lord Ahune do.
If you don't fancy soloing Omen, it's quiet in Moonglade when you have time at 4am or you just can't get a group, don't panic! Actually engaging him in combat is unnecessary, if you catch him upto 5 minutes after defeat. This is because Elune's Blessing is received by walking into the pool of moonlight falling on his corpse, so if he's there and already defeated, just hop under the moonlight and go hand the quest in.

Elders

I'm going to split all the Elders into blocks based on location - Eastern Kingdoms, Kalimdor, Northrend, and new Cataclysm locations. Dungeon Elders are in the list for the continent they're on - so you don't miss an Elder in a zone and have to go back for it - as are Elders of the Alliance/Horde.

Some of the dungeon Elders can be hard to find. If you're struggling to find them, you're more than welcome to tweet or email me and I will help as much as I can. You can also try their Wowhead comments for help - as the holiday progresses people are likely to put their tips and tricks up for others!

Eastern Kingdoms

Morndeep	Blackrock Mountain, Blackrock Depths, Ring of Law
Stonefort	Blackrock Mountain, Blackrock Spire, near Hordemar City
Bellowrage	Blasted Lands, Dark Portal
Rumblerock	Burning Steppes, Dreadmaul Rock
Dawnstrider	Burning Steppes, Flame Crest
Goldwell	Dun Morogh, Kharanos
Windrun	Eastern Plaguelands, Crown Guard Tower
Snowcrown	Eastern Plaguelands, Light’s Hope Chapel
Farwhisper	Eastern Plaguelands, Stratholme, enter through main gate, in Festival Lane
Stormbrow	Elwynn Forest, Goldshire, behind Blacksmith shop
Highpeak	Hinterlands, Creeping Ruins, north of Altar of Zul
Bronzebeard	Ironforge, Mystic Ward
Silvervein	Loch Modan, Thelsamar
Starglade	Northern Stranglethorn, Zul’Gurub entrance
Ironband	Searing Gorge, far SW corner, outside Blackchar Cave
Obsidian	Silverpine Forest, The Sepulcher
Hammershout	Stormwind, outside the front gates
Starsong	Swamp of Sorrows, Sunken Temple, inside entrance to the left
Graveborn	Tirisfal Glades, Brill
Darkcore	Undercity/Ruins of Lordaeron, old throne room
Winterhoof	Vale of Stranglethorn, Booty Bay, on top of the bank/AH
Meadowrun	Western Plaguelands, off road into EPL, inside Weeping Cave
Moonstrike	Western Plaguelands, Scholomance buildings
Skychaser	Westfall, Sentinel Hill, top of tower

Kalimdor

Riversong	Ashenvale, Astranaar
Skygleam	Azshara, Ravencrest Monument
Starweave	Darkshore, Lor’danel
Bladeswift	Darnassus, Cenarion Enclave
Splitrock	Desolace, Maraudon, Zaetar’s Grave area
Runetotem	Durotar, Razor Hill
Nightwind	Felwood, pillars east of Bloodvenom Post
Mistwalker	Feralas, Dire Maul, in arena area
Grimtotem	Feralas, Lariss Pavillion, north of Camp Mojache
Bloodhoof	Mulgore, Bloodhoof Village
Windtotem	Northern Barrens, Ratchet
Moonwarden	Northern Barrens, The Crossroads
Darkhorn	Orgrimmar, near zeppelin docks
Bladesing	Silithus, Cenarion Hold
Primestone	Silithus, The Crystal Vale
High Mountain	Southern Barrens, Vendetta Point
Dreamseer	Tanaris, Gadgetzan
Wildmane	Tanaris, inside Zul’Farrak by Gahz’rilla pool
Ragetotem	Tanaris, Valley of the Watchers
Bladeleaf	Teldrassil, Dolanaar
Morningdew	Thousand Needles, F & P Speedbarge
Skyseer	Thousand Needles, Freewind Post
Wheathoof	Thunder Bluff, Elder Rise
Thunderhorn	Un’Goro Crater, middle of the Slithering Scar
Stonespire	Winterspring, Everlook
Brightspear	Winterspring, Lake Kel’theril

Northrend

Pamuya	Borean Tundra, cliff north of Warsong Hold
Arp	Borean Tundra, D.E.H.T.A
Igasho	Borean Tundra, The Nexus, in Singing Grove before Ormorok
Northal	Borean Tundra, Transitus Shield, Coldarra
Sardis	Borean Tundra, Valiance Keep
Skywarden	Dragonblight, Agmar’s Hammer
Nurgen	Dragonblight, Azjol-Nerub, down long drop after Hadronox
Thoim	Dragonblight, Moa’ki Harbor
Morthie	Dragonblight, Star’s Rest
Whurain	Grizzly Hills, Camp Oneqwah
Kilias	Grizzly Hills, Drak’Tharon Keep, near King Dred
Lunaro	Grizzly Hills, Ruins of Tethys
Beldak	Grizzly Hills, Westfall Brigade Encampment
Jarten	Howling Fjord, Utgarde Keep, near Njorn Stair
Chogan’gada	Howling Fjord, Utgarde Pinnacle, under stairs after Skadi
Sandrene	Sholazar Basin, Lakeside Landing
Wanikaya	Sholazar Basin, Rainspeaker Rapids
Stonebeard	Storm Peaks, Bouldercrag’s Refuge, base of hills north of Snowdrift Plains
Muraco	Storm Peaks, Camp Tunka’lo
Fargal	Storm Peaks, Frosthold
Yurauk	Storm Peaks, Halls of Stone, in Crystalline Quarry before Krystallus
Graymane	Storm Peaks, K3
Bluewolf	Wintergrasp, in the Keep
Ohanzee	Zul’Drak, Gundrak, by Drakkari Colossus at Tomb of the Ancients
Tauros	Zul’Drak, Zim’Torga

Cataclysm

Deepforge	Deepholm, Stonehearth
Stonebrand	Deepholm, The Temple of Earth
Evershade	Mount Hyjal, Nordrassil, by the Stormwind portal
Windsong	Mount Hyjal, Sanctuary of Malorne
Darkfeather	Twilight Highlands, between Thundermar and the river
Firebeard	Twilight Highlands, Dunwald Ruins
Sekhemi	Uldum, The Ruins of Ammon, in front of west statue
Menkhaf	Uldum, Khartut's Tomb, to the east of the statue
Moonlance	Vashj’ir, Biel'Aran Ridge

I'll be taking pictures and making notes as I run through it for myself and will share anything useful I find on my travels. Are you going for it this year as well? Let me know how you're getting on in the comments!

Thanks to Anne Stickney over at WoW Insider for linking this guide! I hope new readers found something useful in there - feel free to leave any feedback/comments below!

Week 1: The Very Light Sabre

Armed with good intentions, unbending resolve and invaluable support from you, my lovely readers, we come to the first Bucket List update. Thank you for all the comments and encouragement you left on the original post!

I'll try to keep these posts short and sweet:

• Sugarstorm the gnome warrior rocked my world and got to level 7
• I levelled inscription from 147 to 171
• My rogue became my new bank alt
• I picked up Arcurion Legguards for my paladin offspec
• Neferne the human warlock became Nefarna the worgen warlock and got to level 9

Oh, Sugarstorm, with your pink pigtails and your Very Light Sabre. You've captured my heart. Who knew that the way to enjoy a warrior alt was to roll a non-serious one?

Doing a little bit of inscription was a nice change of pace - it's been a while since I was working on a profession at that level. Instead of buying the materials on the AH I took my flower-picking death knight to Stranglethorn Vale, which is a great zone for herbs that mill into Golden (common) or Burnt (rarer) Pigments.

I left the warlock race decision to my other half by telling him he had no choice but to roll an alt with me and that it was worgen or dwarf. Turns out he hadn't done the worgen starting zone yet, so worgen it was. I enjoyed it a lot more as a pair than I did running through it solo, perhaps because it alleviated the feeling of being stuck there alone. It was satisfying to see his reactions as things fell apart and were flooded during the earthquakes too!

While I'm here though (because this is my blog and I can grump if I want to), something that still bugs me is the way they designed female worgen bodies. If you ignore the head, hands and feet, it looks like a normal human body to me. Is that really the best Blizzard could come up with? In my opinion it's lazy design. They are capable of better - there's a pair of fingers crossed here that female Pandaren don't end up the same way.

Cataclysm Bucket List

Cynwise wrote a great post on CFN yesterday - a bucket list of things he wants to do during the rest of the Cataclysm expansion. I'm a bit resistant to January-inspired resolutions as if New Year grants you some mystical power to hold true to your course, but this was less grandiose, more practical and just generally motivating to read. So. There are things I've been wanting to do since I started playing WoW and other goals that are a little younger. Just for fun, here's my Cataclysm/2012 bucket list! (It's been copied to a permanent page for posterity and kept up-to-date there!)

General:

• Level one of each character to 85
• Druid - 85
• Paladin - 85
• Death Knight - 80
• Shaman - 49
• Mage - 25 and 13
• Priest - 22
• Rogue -7
• Hunter - 6
• Warlock - 6
• Warrior - need to roll one
• Level each profession up to 525
• Alchemy - 525
• Tailoring - 525
• Jewelcrafting - 525
• Mining - 525
• Herbalism - 525
• Blacksmithing - 520
• Skinning - 333
• Leatherworking - 241
• Enchanting - 220
• Inscription - 147
• Engineering - 100
• Make one character an actual bank alt with a guild bank to use
• Try healing on all four healing classes (and in both healing priest specs!)

I've wanted one of each character since I opened the character creation screen for the first time. Sure, there are some that don't appeal as much. I'm a ranged girl at heart because melee confuses and scares me (how on earth do you know what's going on in the middle of all that kerfuffle?!) and lots of ranged DPS classes have a healing tree too. There's also a reason I've played enough melee to reach this conclusion - paladins need a ranged dps spec!

Having one of each profession at 525 is partly a completionest tendency shining through and partly my compulsion to needlessly update gear that will be replaced in 3 levels. Plus, engineering sounds like fun. Half of the difficulty will be deciding which professions suit which classes the best for those that aren't already maxed. I might swap some around and start afresh.


Specific character goals (click images to see in giganto size!):

Aralosseien (druid)

• Reach 8k achievement points (7365 right now)
• Complete Loremaster

Luíseach (paladin)

• Finish putting together a 378+ Ret gear set
• Design + collect a mogging outfit for holy spec
• Max Blacksmithing

Morríghan (death knight)

• Level to 85
• Put together a 378+ set of DPS gear

Shiden (shaman)

• Level to 85
• Max leatherworking
• Max skinning
• Put together 378+ sets of Elemental & Resto gear
• Heal each Cataclysm heroic at least once

Lóthwen (mage)

• Level to 85
• Max Inscription
• Design + collect a mogging set
• Get to Honored with guild to finish Classy Night Elves achievement 

Wildlight (priest)

• Level to 85
• Max Enchanting
• Max Engineering
• Design + collect a mogging set
• Heal each Cataclysm heroic at least once

 

Swiftfeather (hunter)

• Level to 85

Sinuosity (rogue)

• Level to 85

Neferne (warlock)

• Reroll (probably rename) as worgen/dwarf
• Level to 85
• Get to Honored with guild to contribute to Classy Worgen/Classy Dwarf achievement

To be rolled!

• Warrior - female gnome - spec Fury, become dual-wielding bundle of death

It looks like a really, really big list. It is! 2012 is a year where I'd like to work more on non-gaming hobbies too, but I'm hopeful that I can get a lot of these goals ticked off before Mists throws me back into the rush of a new expansion.

How about you? What will you try and achieve in-game?