(WoW) Mists of Pandaria, Week 2
Almost to our second weekend in Mists of Pandaria. It's an interesting (good or bad?) time. People have different definitions of "casual versus hardcore," but our guild has never been bleeding-edge. No, there are people who've already cleared the first raid on normal and are chomping at the bit to hit it on heroic next week. Some people have gamed the system to increase reputation levels up to revered/exalted already and farmed materials to make epics. Some people hit level 90 on day one. And while some of us push pretty hard, none of us are quite at that level of involvement.
"Slow down," as the pandaran NPCs often say.
But... we do have five members (even if only 3-4 show up frequently for raiding) at level 90 and working on reputation and dungeons. While I haven't done any heroics, at least one person has. I've only seen a couple scenarios, but some have run several. I am keeping up with my couple favored reputations and their dailies, though, to the extend that I'm piling up more lesser charms of good fortune father than I can turn them in. I've skilled up my alchemist to the point where I can reliably make one living steel bar a day out of the tons of ghost iron I find - that means I can craft a plate epic about once a week with my own materials. I may be able to cap valor points this week, which I think will leave me a little short of getting any VP items still, but it's progress. Many of the valor items require revered reputation anyway, something I should hit tomorrow with Klaxxi, but remains a little ways off with anyone else.
Saturday, we should hopefully do our last (for a while) big clear of Firelands. Given the normal situation, I don't expect to make any serious attempts on Ragnaros, though a couple shots are possible if we move quickly enough. If we do... well, I don't expect victory, though having some people geared up and max level could make a big difference. It'd be awesome to finish it out, but I sort of expect another week or two of effort on Rags before things fall into place, and I wouldn't be disappointed with that.
I've seen relatively few bugs, but some annoying ones - usually difficulty in targeting or activating things. I wonder how much of that may be phasing related. There've also been some tweaks to the reputation system and justice points, though some gear is still in a very odd place in some cases. The same situation as has happened as least since back in Wrath (and probably earlier) where PVP gear was found to be better even in PVE and easier (read as "quicker for the dedicated") to acquire, so some item levels were adjusted. The reputation requirements on gear mean many people are finding equal or better drops before they can reach the rep required to use purchased items. A couple of the factions are gated through another faction - which makes it psychologically more grindy whether the numbers actually support that perception or not. All very odd little details, but the expansion in general has worked pretty smoothly from my perspective and it's been enjoyable thus far.
"Slow down," as the pandaran NPCs often say.
But... we do have five members (even if only 3-4 show up frequently for raiding) at level 90 and working on reputation and dungeons. While I haven't done any heroics, at least one person has. I've only seen a couple scenarios, but some have run several. I am keeping up with my couple favored reputations and their dailies, though, to the extend that I'm piling up more lesser charms of good fortune father than I can turn them in. I've skilled up my alchemist to the point where I can reliably make one living steel bar a day out of the tons of ghost iron I find - that means I can craft a plate epic about once a week with my own materials. I may be able to cap valor points this week, which I think will leave me a little short of getting any VP items still, but it's progress. Many of the valor items require revered reputation anyway, something I should hit tomorrow with Klaxxi, but remains a little ways off with anyone else.
Saturday, we should hopefully do our last (for a while) big clear of Firelands. Given the normal situation, I don't expect to make any serious attempts on Ragnaros, though a couple shots are possible if we move quickly enough. If we do... well, I don't expect victory, though having some people geared up and max level could make a big difference. It'd be awesome to finish it out, but I sort of expect another week or two of effort on Rags before things fall into place, and I wouldn't be disappointed with that.
I've seen relatively few bugs, but some annoying ones - usually difficulty in targeting or activating things. I wonder how much of that may be phasing related. There've also been some tweaks to the reputation system and justice points, though some gear is still in a very odd place in some cases. The same situation as has happened as least since back in Wrath (and probably earlier) where PVP gear was found to be better even in PVE and easier (read as "quicker for the dedicated") to acquire, so some item levels were adjusted. The reputation requirements on gear mean many people are finding equal or better drops before they can reach the rep required to use purchased items. A couple of the factions are gated through another faction - which makes it psychologically more grindy whether the numbers actually support that perception or not. All very odd little details, but the expansion in general has worked pretty smoothly from my perspective and it's been enjoyable thus far.
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