Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Huntard FTL

BY THE WAY...I found this while searching for things to take my mind off of general frustrations:

Huntards

In essence, a huntard is a Hunter who does not know how to play his class well. While slang to describe badly-played classes is common, hunters have this stigma above all others.


Various reasons seem to exist to explain this. The class has an intuitive battle strategy, easily dumps aggro (more than likely onto the healer when in a group) and allows flexibility with weapons while also fighting long range. Huntards are especially disliked in low-level PuGs, where mismanaged growl-enabled pets can cause annoying and expensive wipes (versus the pet-using, squishier, and presumably more careful Warlock). Hunters also excel at solo PvE, compared to more group-oriented players like healers or tanks, and don't necessarily have grouping experience even at higher levels.


Huntards are also infamous for rolling Need on items and equipment not considered true upgrades, if not outright ill-suited to their class, usually under the excuse of being used as "Statsticks". One example of this is a hunter rolling need a 1-handed melee dps weapon and claiming, "It will help me get out of tight places." In addition, huntards are prone to frequent melee combat, something normally only done in emergencies. This not only puts their safety at risk and diminishes their damage output, but can lead to unnecessary competition in group loot rolls with other classes like rogues and shamans. They are notorious for being self-centered and egomaniacal, never taking the blame for a wipe. They have tricked themselves into believing that they are the core of the group, but unfortunately often control its failure.


Interestingly, many huntard traits have also become associated with Death Knights, leading to such terms as Death Knoobs and Dunce Knights.


Yep. I have my very own Death Knoob/Dunce Knight...and haven't we all met our fair share of huntards? Very awesome article. THANK YOU WOWWIKI!!!

I Promised Myself I Wouldn't...

Promised myself I wouldn't turn this blog into a QQfest, but...Bears and Trees get frustrated sometimes. We need to vent just like the rest of the world.

What do I need to vent about? Guild stuff, raiding...you know...that junk.

Sometimes I wonder why I agreed to the Co-Guild Leader job. Now, first let me say that I adore almost all of my guild members. ADORE them! There's really only two right now that I'm sad with. And no, not angry. Frustrated. Very, very frustrated.

I'm guessing people don't really care or understand what goes into my job. As much as I adore my husband and almighty Guild Master, he gets the glory of calling this guild his while I end stare at this list of duties:

-Stimulate Guild Conversations
-Get to know guild members individually
-Try to schedule raids when most people are able and willing to come
-Try to figure out how to get the shy folks involved
-Try to figure out how to get members geared quickly
-Try to make sure everyone enjoys our guild
-Try to keep the website updated
-Approve Guild Applications
-Enforce Code of Conduct
-Maul my officers for not enforcing the Code of Conduct when I need a break
-Try to make sure we raid "enough" but not too much
-Try to keep the guild drama free
-Be available to help guild members with whatever they need help with
-Be available and able to answer questions
-Try to find decent guides that will help people gear up, learn fights, etc.
-Try to keep up guild morale
-Try not to maul random guild members when I'm having "a day"
-Continue to try to learn about each individual class and spec so that I can assist members who aren't druids with class/gear/spec questions
-Try to promote Guild togetherness and team-work
-Other random duties as assigned by Balz The Guild Master

I'm sure the list could be cut down a bit, but there are more individual duties I have to try to do that I can't even remember off the top of my head. It's tiring. Oh, and somewhere while I'm thinking of ways to accomplish all of this, I have to try and figure out how I'm supposed to enjoy the game.

What I'm trying to say is...I'm doing the best I can.

Give me a break sometimes.

Don't whisper-spam me with nonsense. I don't have the time or patience for unnecessary drama.

If I schedule a raid you don't want to go to, then just decline the invitation. Don't rant about it in guild chat and proclaim yourself to be "better" than the guild so you're going to run off and do something "better" than what we've got planned. Know why you shouldn't do that? Because...

When you do that...I have to try and respond to our other members who are now concerned with the things you just said in guild chat, while I'm being mauled by some random heroic boss...while I'm explaining, I lose agro and some poor, innocent warlock loses his life. Yeah. The poor innocent warlock dies all because you started drama in guild chat.

Poor warlock. *In quiet contemplation, Dest mourns the death of Warlock.*

Know why else you shouldn't do it? Des+Enrage=DOOM. 'Nuff said...

There's a reason we're still smashing our faces against early progression content, and that's because we, as a guild, want and need to become better together. If you're not on board, I don't need you to go off in guild chat about it. Just decline the invitation and be quiet about it. Seriously.

Now that I've ranted about things...let me just applaud all of my fellow guild leaders and officers out there. Keep fighting the good fight, friends!

Thanks for letting me vent. I feel better. Guess I just needed another good cry.

Lubs,
Brewmaster Des

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Drunken Bear

I'm sure by now, you're well aware that Brewfest is going on. Get involved! It's the one holiday where Blizz encourages Humans, Gnomes, Elves and Draenei of all ages to get SHMASHED! (I didn't include dwarves because the assumption is that they're always drunk anyway...YAY ALLIANCE!)

Make sure you go out and experience EVERYTHING this holiday has to offer.

Things to do during Brewfest:
- Complete your Brewfest Achievement and become "Brewmaster ______"

- Get your toon smashed.

- Get your toon smashed and go for a fly.
* We all know that getting your toon drunk and trying to ride your ground mount is a wild ride. Make sure you try out the flying though. Definitely fun.

- Get your toon so smashed, they spew green goo.
* Make sure you're standing with a group of friends and be sure to spin in place while spewing the goo. After all, You don't want anyone's shoes to feel left out.

- Run at least one heroic or raid while completely smashed. Make sure to bring extra "booze" along. You don't want to sober up in the middle of Onyxia's deep breath, trust me.

- Get smashed, and tell someone you are "saved" to such and such an instance, even if they don't ask. Do this in guild chat. Trust me, the conversations that will be generated from this are worthy of screen-shotting and putting in your scrapbook. People will love to hear that you are "shaved...hic!"

- Make sure to whisper random people and congratulate them on their holiday achievements if you're in the vicinity and see it. On second thought, just whisper random people during this holiday. It is, after all, a drinking holiday. This sort of thing is to be expected.

- Find a resto druid and /hug them. There's no real reason for this, we just really like hugs. =) Come to think of it, Bears like hugs too, so go for it.

Most of all, have a little fun. After all, it's nice to take a break from the daily grind and enjoy two weeks of binge drinking and random acts of hilarity. This is, by far, one of my favorite holiday events because it promotes a happy, jovial feeling overall. Yes, we still got camped by some horde outside of Blackrock Depths while trying to get to the Brewfest Boss...but for the most part, people are busy having fun. Enjoy yourself =)

I'll be waiting for my /hugs, and I better get LOADS of them. I'll stay in bear or tree form as much as possible so I'm easy to find. =) Thanks for reading! Enjoy your holiday!

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Des's Raid Dos and Don'ts v 1.0

I know, I know. It's been a long time since my last post (like exactly a month...sheesh...I'm a bad druid =( sorry guys). It's been pure chaos at work and by the time I get home, the last thing I think of is posting. I'm a bad druid. Chain me to a wall and spank me, please? (wink wink- lol)

Alright, well, I suppose a good update is in order.

First, let me start with a list of things NOT to do in a raid with Des.


1. Do not, under any circumstances, bring a train set to the raid. If you do have one in your inventory, keep it there.

*The reasons*
- It's irritating.
- It's distracting.
- It's irritating.
- It's annoying.
- It's irritating.
- It's childish.
- Did I mention it's irritating? I did? Good. Because it is.

*Des?*

Obviously, if we're all in a jovial mood and you drop a train set for haha's at some point in the raid, that's cool. I don't mind. But to drop the damn thing EVERY time it's off cooldown, even during fights (even boss fights)...well now you're treading into a danger zone. Des has her own enrage timer and has been known to one-shot obnoxious train-set officianados who obnoxiously choose to play with this toy in the midst of a raid. Use them at your own risk.

2. Do not, under ANY circumstances, play with your juggling torches while we are battling a boss.

*The reasons*
- It is obnoxious.
- It "spams" people's chat windows, and sometimes much needed boss-fight communications are MISSED because of it.
- You should be doing your JOB in the raid, not messing around. We didn't bring you for entertainment and we don't need the dead weight. Do your job or get the hell out of my raid.

*Des?*

Let me first ask you, the reader, have you ever thought it to be a good idea to do such a thing? Yeah, I didn't think so. Unfortunately, someone in my raid DID think this was acceptable. On PATCHWERK no less. *sighs and shakes her head* Listen, if you want to stand on the highest peak in Northrend and toss your juggling torches until you giggle yourself into a fit, go for it. But on a boss with an enrage timer...don't. Again, I refer to Des's enrage timer. If you've already gotten yourself into the danger zone with the train set, you're only going to hasten your inevitable demise. We don't bring you because we like your cologne. We bring you into the raid because we need the dps slot filled. If you're going to be tossing your torches during a boss fight, Des will deem you absolutely useless not to mention completely moronic, and you know what? Screw the enrage timer. You're doomed. If the raid WIPES because of your idiotic and childish behavior, not only are you going to be doomed, but Des will rez you and kill you over and over again.

3. Don't play with juggling torches in between fights when your raid leader is trying to explain a fight in raid chat for folks who haven't been there before.

*The reasons*
- It is obnoxious.
- It "spams" people's chat windows, and sometimes much needed boss-fight communications are MISSED because of it.

*Des?*

Listen, not everyone has been to all of these raids and not everyone cares to hop on vent. If we're all huddled in a corner getting ready to take on a boss and you're standing their like a twit-face, spamming everyone's chat windows with your stupid juggling torches....bad things are going to happen to you. Des is approaching enraged status. Stuff the torches up your nose (haha what? you thought I was going to say ass huh?) and stop preventing people from learning what they need to do. Again, if the group wipes because of your idiotic behavior...Doom, Rez, Doom Again, Rez, Doom again...I think you get the picture.

4. When Des asks you politely to stop doing something, stop doing it the first time you're asked. The next time Des asks, it won't be so nice.

*The Reasons*
- If I need to list a reason for WHY you need to stop being annoying when Des asks you to stop being annoying...then you shouldn't even be ALLOWED to have an account. You're obviously too immature.

*Des?*

I always try to ask nicely the first time. If I have to ask a second time, chances are it's going to be unpleasant. If I have to ask a third time for you to stop whatever offending action you're obsessed with doing that's obviously quite irritating, chances are REALLY good that it will be REALLY unpleasant...or you'll have hit Des's enrage timer and your doom has arrived. Either way, I don't care if you pay your $30 a month (I'll explain in a little bit here, bear with me), if you're ruining the raid experience for even ONE other person, then you need to stop. If you want to act like a 4 year old and play with toys, find a group that also likes to play with toys while engaging bosses. Des and her beloved raid members, do NOT. We ALSO pay our monthly fee and are entitled to an idiot-free raid experience. Now, wiping is fine. If we're learning content or struggling a bit with a boss. No problems there. But to do irritating things over and over, even after being asked to stop...that ruins it for us. Go play with the other toddlers and GTFO of my raid please.

5. Do not EVER, NEVER EVER, pretend that you are the raid leader and "call" the raid for the evening when you aren't, in fact, the raid leader.

*Des's Reasons*
- It's rude.
- It upsets the raid members.
- It's obnoxious.

If you want to leave our raid, go. Say so in raid chat or vent and go. We'll replace you. It's up to our raid leaders or the group as a WHOLE to determine when we've had "enough fun" for the evening.

6. For the love of everything holy, DO NOT WHINE that the raid isn't "fun" for you because you aren't being allowed to act like a nit-wit!!!

*Um, Des?*

I think we've covered a lot of ground here. Don't drive the raid group insane with torches and train sets. Check. If you're asked to stop, just stop. Check. Don't interrupt vital raid communication with idiotic nonsense. Checkaroo! Don't pretend you're the raid leader and upset the raid by saying we're "calling it". Yup. But this last one...*growls menacingly*

Let me explain...

Des is a patient and loving bear...tree...druid thing. Des adores her guildies. She loves them dearly. Des also has a husband who wants to provide these most cherished guild members the ability to see raid content in a relaxed and stress-free environment, as friends. Now, maybe some folks are geared past Naxxramas-10. We wanted to take a few new folks in to let them experience it. And this is where the story begins...

Once upon a time, on Durotan-US....yeah...I'm not even going to get into the "We invited...and summoned...we fought..." Raids are raids.

But, what I WILL tell you is that after the first quarter we did, our warlock needed to leave. So, we talked to our guild to see if anyone was interested in filling the slot. My mom was supposed to come, but apparently this WKnight whispered her and begged for her slot. She willingly gave it up to him. Don't ask me, because I don't know why. So, WKnight gets invited and summoned. Great fun.

Take a quick look, again, at the list of Des's Raid Gripes above. Wknight committed all of the above offenses. IN ONE QUARTER OF NAXX!!!

Yeah, I promised this wasn't going to be a slanderfest, but for the love of Grob...how are you seriously going to come into a raid and do all of that? He was invited just before we took on Maexxna and we prepared to enter The Construct Quarter.

First of all, the train set issue was instant. He was asked to please not do it again as soon as he dropped it the first time. I wasn't even the one who asked him. So...

You can't really call me a mean druid yet. When it came to the torches...I have a screen shot of it...him juggling torches on Patchwerk. YUP! included in this post for you to stare at in disbelief, just like I did when my officer emailed it to me. *shakes head in disbelief* We were 11 seconds away from the 10 Man Achievement [Make Quick Werk Of Him], so HAD he been DPSing, we might have actually been successful...but I digress.

The whining started when, after alt-tabbing to look at this screen shot, I whispered him and advised that if he was not there to dps, then he would be dismissed from the raid and we would bring someone who actually wanted to raid. Then, our raid chat began to look like this...

[Raid] Wknight: this raid ain't fun. y'all r too tense
[Raid]
Wknight: yall r 2 srs this raid sucks
[Raid] Des: Um, leave then.
[Raid]
Wknight: why cant u guys have fun and relax?
[Raid]
Wknight: srsly
[Raid] Wknight: too tense in here
[Raid] Otherraider: Dude, just leave if you don't want to be here.
Wknight whispers: u all r too tense. this raid isn't any fun!
To [
Wknight ]: leave. We've been having fun so far, up until your antics.
Wknight whispers: whats with your high and mighty attitude? ur too tense des. tryin to have fun
To [
Wknight ]: Like I said, we were having fun. Just stop with the nonsense. We're not too serious, but we ARE trying to enjoy our raid...and you're killing it.
[Raid]
Wknight: Sry guys, we're gonna call it for tonight. im gettin tired so we'll finish 2morrow
[Raid] BalzTheEnforcer: Yeah, no. We're not calling it. If you're so tired, hearth.

He hearths.

WKnight has left the raid. Phew...

But here is where the story starts to transform into something more tragic and annoying. I didn't believe it could get more annoying, but it did. Yeah, I know...

Apparently, Wknight whispers my husband and complains that the raid wasn't fun, and he pays his $30 a month, so he deserves to have fun and play how HE wants to play. My husband explained that, yes, to some degree he does deserve to do what he wants in game, but that in a raid situation, it isn't all about ONE member of that raid. There are 9 other people who also...wait...$30 a month??? Wtf? Anyway, there are 9 OTHER people who also deserve to enjoy themselves, and that his antics were ruining it for everyone else. This we know to be true, because we had both been receiving complaints from other raid members about him, the things he was doing, the things he was saying, etc.

Wknight continued to maintain that HE was wronged by us ruining his experience. After quite a lengthy conversation, This message appears in guild chat...

Wknight has been removed from the guild by BalzTheEnforcer.

To this DAY, Balzy won't tell me what went down in their conversation, but I can only imagine what was said, since I was having a similar argument with the kid for the duration of the raid. I will say that if this Wknight was removed from the guild, he must have REALLY gone too far. Balz is infinitely patient. He just ...doesn't...get upset over things, especially in game.

Now, there are plenty of other reasons he had been removed from the guild. Talking disrespectfully to the Guild Master was the final breaking point that got him booted.

After the same conversation regarding HIS needs being paramount to all others, I ended up placing him promptly on my ignore list.

Folks, listen...We don't pay to play this game to deal with middle-school drama. We log in to relax and get our minds off of things. Maybe maul a few bosses...get some sweet new gear...There are lots of reasons people play. Putting up with childish nonsense, idiotic behavior and needless drama is NOT one of the reasons I log in.

In all seriousness, I'm about the last person to go off and tear people apart over drama. But, given the large number of people that he had upset over the course of just a few weeks, and other members saying they were considering leaving to get away from him...

I mean, I don't like upsetting people and I surely don't want to think that I've hurt anyone's feelings. But there comes a time where it's better to hurt them a little bit by refusing to build a bridge they've burned (yes, you should HEAR the rumors I'm being told about that he has allegedly started)...It's just sometimes better to refuse to build that bridge. Because you know, if you rebuild that bridge and something else happens...well...ENRAGETIMERDOOM!!!!

BTW- I doubt Ara will read this, but if he does...You are absolutely welcome to bring a train set to our next raid if you desire, sir, but you're doing so at your own risk. Remember...Des...Enrage Timer...DOOM!

lol eye heart my guildies =D

Screenshot or it didn't happen!