Farewell to the Broken Shores

Today we bid farewell to Legion and welcome in Battle for Azeroth.  What an exciting time!  New things to see, new places to explore, and new items to collect in our Transmog Tab!  It was fun and, perhaps, one of the most exciting expansions I have played.  I sincerely look forward to the next expansion!

Here are a few of the sights that we will not see for some time as we explore Zandalar and Kul Tiras!

Pathfinder [Hunter]

"Hey, Bob!  I found some ducks!"

They are the scouts that find the enemies hidden camp.  They are the unseen spies that identify our next targets.  They are the ones that hunt for the food that powers the war machine that is the Horde.  Hunters provide many roles for the Horde--ranging from the simple to the dangerous.  The Pathfinders are ready to delve deep into the dark woods and shattered grounds for the glory of the Horde.

Today we go a bit "old school" with a simple transmogrification using pieces that you may have gotten a long time ago--only the cloak and the pants are from the current expansion.  The result is a simple outfit that fits the look of an adventuring hunter in the lands of Azeroth.  Sometimes the enormous belts, huge protruding shoulders, and crazy helms becomes a bit much and wearing cleaner lines and simple color schemes can be soothing on the eyes.

Spaulders of the Ogre-Nabber (Quest: Ogre Abduction - Feralas)

Grimtotem Earthbinder's Vest (Quest: Direhorn Raiders - Dustwallow Marsh )

Rockhandler's Gloves (Quest: A Timeworn Coffer - Sholazar Basin)

Earthbound Girdle (Drop from Satchel of Helpful Goods)

Flesh-Raking Leggings (Heroic Demonic Inquisition - Tomb of Sargeras)

Warsong Boots - Warmill - 50 Iron Horde Scraps)

Cloak of the Burning Vanguard (Garothi Worldbreaker - Antorus, the Burning Throne)

No bracers or helm is needed for this transmog.

Light's Embrace [Priest]

"The Light will prevail with heroes like you."

The Light can be used for many things; to protect the weak, to heal the sick, and to drive the demons away from Azeroth.  Wielding the healing power of the Light; these priests are on the front line of all battles; heroically healing those injured and providing reassurance to those who need it most—the most powerful force in the universe is right beside them.

The shoulders for this transmog were so unique and interesting that I wanted to make a transmogrification around them.  Sadly, I couldn't match the green mist with anything else, but in the end, I think that is fine.  Many of these items come from the Random Number Generator in World of Warcraft and, as such, might take some time to put together.  The end result, however, is quite nice and fits any Priest quite well.

Ferocious Gladiator's Satin Hood (PvP Gear - Legion)

Chaos-Scarred Mantle (Chronomatic Anomaly - Mythic Nighthold)

Robes of Demonic Purpose (Inquisitor Metro or Sotanthor -Legion Invasion Portal)

Orgrimmar Gloves (50 Iron Horde Scraps - War Mill in the Frostwall Garrison)

Cord of Blossoming Petals (Eonar - Normal Antorus, the Burning Throne)

Cloak of the Master at Arms (Relinquished Cloak token - Thaumaturge Vashreen)

No bracers. pants, or footwear are needed for this transmog.

The Trial of Style is Here…Again!

For those who missed out on the Trial of Style last year there is good news; this week starts the second season!  This micro-holiday is a great way to test your creative abilities (especially on a time limit), work towards getting new items for your transmogrification collection, and to have fun doing something you don’t get to do in-game all the time.

The Trial of Style pits you and five other people in a fashion contest.  You are able to queue for the instance at the transmogrifier in any major city.  Shortly after entering the instance a theme will be announced, and you have two and a half minutes to work on your transmog!  Once complete, or when the timer runs out, you take your turns modeling the outfit and voting on your favorite.  The Trial takes about five minutes and is easy to complete.

You earn tokens for competing and the higher up you rank in the fashion show means you get more tokens you get.  These tokens are used to purchase Ensembles for everyday wear and, this year, you can even purchase props which can be used in the Trial of Style instance to help show off your creation.  You may need to queue up several times to get the Ensemble set that you want—but its easy and doesn’t take long at all.

The new Ensembles you can purchase this year are:

Ensemble: Mindwrack Raiment (cloth)

Ensemble: Tundraspite Armor (leather)

Ensemble: Crimson Sentinel Garb (mail)

Ensemble: Goldspine Plate (plate)

The props, while just for fun, will really make your screenshots really stand out — and maybe even help you win.  These items can be purchased in the instance by a friendly vendor.  The props you can purchase are:Trial of Style Flames, Trial of Style Spotlight, and Trial of Style Dance Floor.  These items should be a lot of fun—but sadly only work in the Trial of Style instance.

If you didn't get the sets from last year don't worry: you can still purchase the first season's  Ensembles.  Each set is sixty tokens; so you need to do the instance several times and you can only purchase Ensembles that match your armor type.

You have the rest of this week to take part in the Trial of Style...after that it ends for yet another year.

Tribal [Shaman]

"While we walk a different path from from other Shaman; we still answer the Element's call"

Dealing with the bones of the fallen, with sacred drums and rattles, and wielding carefully crafted totems; these spiritual leaders of the tribal groups of Azeroth take their job seriously.  Protecting not only the lands of their people but the connection with the elements as well; these witch doctors and tribal shamans hear the call of Azeroth to protect not only the sacred land, but their people as well.  Woe to those who defile the ground, who slaughter the innocent, who tread on taboo lands—the wrath of the Shaman is here.

A first look at transmogrification for the Highmountain Tauren.  I have to admit that I have been focused on leveling as a Shaman and, as such, have a lot of ideas for this class.  The helm has always been my favorite but it usually works best with the rest of the set--so I wanted to find something that the helm could go with.  The majority of these items comes from Wrath of the Lich King (my favorite expansion) so you may have some of these items already in your Appearances Tab.  The end result is a good look for somebody that wants a little less civilization in their transmogrification.

Snowstorm Helm (Valitheria Dreamwalker - 25H Icecrown Citadel)

Brittle Flamereaver's Pauldrons (Drop - Isle of Thunder)

Cuirass of Cruel Intent (Icehowl -25H Trial of the Crusader)

Leggings of the Lurking Threat (Anub'arak - 25H Trial of the Crusader)

Ulduar Gauntlets (Drop - Wrath of the Lich King Dungeons)

Wild Gladiator's Waistguard of Victory (Warlords Season 2 PvP - 2 Mark of Honor)

Grimtotem Cloak (Quest:More than Coincidence - Dustwallow Marsh )

No bracers are needed for this transmog.

The Leveling Experience: Not As Bad As You Might Think

As a person who has leveled twelve max-level characters, and is currently working on two more, I want to discuss the leveling process in World of Warcraft.  With the new patch there were changes to the leveling process that took many people by surprise and, if you happen to have read any of the forums, made plenty of people upset.

Yes, I am talking about the zone scaling.

The new leveling experience is not as bad as everybody seems to think—don't listen to the naysayers in the General Discussion on the Blizzard Forums.  There are many bonuses to zone scaling.  I have found that the ability to play though an entire zone a nice change.  I like the story, I enjoy playing though an entire zone to finish up that story.  Also, being able to choose what zone you want to play in (let alone if you want to go to Outlands or Northrend, enjoy Cataclysm or Pandaria) is a welcome change that I enjoy immensely--I absolutely despise Outlands.  I also enjoy the challenge of battling creatures near or at my own level as now I have to play the game instead of putting my mind on auto-mode and killing everything with one blow.  There are other benefits from leveling including acquiring transmogrification items that you may have missed along the way, learning a new class or specialization, and even enjoying the scenery (The Cataclysm changed a lot of things…have you leveled since then?).

People say that the leveling experience is much slower.  While yes, it is, it isn’t for the worse.  We used to be able to blast through the zones; overpowering all obstacles and going through the mind-numbing “experience” just to get from level one to max level as quickly as possible—that's not the type of game I want to play.  But when you look at Classic and the Burning Crusade leveling experience of days gone by even the new leveling much easier and takes much less time.

I look at the leveling experience as re-reading a favorite book.  It takes up my time, yes, but I also get enjoyment from it.  That being said, there are ways to help with the new leveling experience.

Tips to Staying Sane While Leveling 

Wear Heirlooms:  the bonuses to experience gains helps make the leveling process go a bit quicker…much more so than having no heirloom bonuses.  Additionally, you can put high level enchantments on those heirloom pieces (they will scale with the level) for that extra bit of “ommph.”

Be Well Rested:  The game rewards you in the leveling process for taking a break.  Rested experience is amazing and very helpful when working on leveling not just quickly but efficiently as well.  Just make sure to rest in taverns or other places that notify you that you are, indeed, resting.

Turn Up the Volume:  Enjoy the music—either in game or your favorite playlist—as it makes the game go quicker.  I sometimes multi-task and listen to a podcast or two while leveling but more often than not I am enjoying the music in the game.

Realize This Isn't A Race:  Well, not anymore—I have seen plenty of the max level characters and many new Allied Races with their Heritage Armor.  Just enjoy the trip and keep in mind that you will not be first to get your Highmountain Tauren to max level with that shiny new armor—it's already been done.  Take your time, relax, and above all, have fun.

Priestess of the Flame [Priest]

"The flames of the temples must be well tended"

Tending the flames of the temples around Azeroth is quite a task and one that many do not take lightly.  Accorded a special place in the circle of Priests; these individuals are ready for battle no matter where it may take them.

While this set focuses mainly on PvP items gathered from this expansion, there are a couple of additions from previous expansions that help round it out.  Red and gold is obviously the main color scheme and may be different from other Priest’s choices...but this outfit you will help you stand out from the crowd.  Interestingly enough; this set looks good on both male and female models which is not always the case with cloth gear.

Ferocious Gladiator's Satin Hood (PvP Season 6 in Legion)

Primal Aspirant's Satin Mantle (PvP Season 1 in Warlords - Three Marks of Honor)

Dominant Gladiator's Satin Robe (PvP Season 6 in Legion)

Muddied Crimson Gloves (Tanak (Frenzyheart Quartermaster - Sholazar Basin)

Grom'tor's Bloodied Bandage (Quest Reward - Shadowmoon Valley)

Purifier's Drape (Trilliax - The Nighthold)

No pants, footwear, or bracers are needed for this transmog.

Death's Totem [Shaman]

"There are good spirits and bad spirits in the other world...I deal with both"

The space between the spirit realm and the waking world is thin and requires constant vigilance to ensure that some spirits do not come back.  These guardians who preside over some of the Horde death practices help ensure that no vengeful spirits ever make their way back to wreak havoc on the living as well as provide communication with those departed.

This set utilizes two amazing parts of the Legion Gladiator gear for Shaman...the best I feel being the belt.  The main theme, of course, is skulls with the gloves helping to tie in the belt used in this transmogrification.  Who doesn't like skulls on their armor?    Keeping the general color scheme helped to create an armor set that not only looks nice but is sure to get a few heads turning for a second look while battling it out in Azeroth.

Wild Gladiator's Helm (PvP Season 2 in Warlords - Three Marks of Honor)

Brittle Flamereaver Pauldrons (Drop from Isle of Thunder)

Fierce Gladiator's Ringmail Armor (PvP Season 5 in Legion)

Taloned Brain-Scrapers (Malificus - Broken Shore)

Fierce Gladiator's Ringmail Clasp (PvP Season 5 in Legion)

Fierce Gladiator's Totemic Cloak (PvP Season 5 in Legion)

No pants, footwear, or bracers are needed for this transmog.

Battle for Azeroth Pre-Purchase is Here!

The Battle for Azeroth Pre-purchase has finally arrived and with it a whole bunch of goodies for us to enjoy now.  The next expansion wont be out until "on or before September 21, 2018" but we can still enjoy some goodies now.

Pre-purchasing the expansion will get you access to the four of the six Allied Races IF you meet the requirements.  For the Horde we have access to the Highmountain Tauren and the Nightborne Elves and for the Alliance you have access to the Lightforged Draenei and the Void Elves.  The other two Allied Races will be available after the launch of the expansion.

If you purchase the Deluxe edition you will also have access to several items including a mount for both Horde and Alliance, a pet, and several other goodies associated with the other Blizzard Games.  Perhaps the coolest, though, is the Horde mount...a Gilded Ravasaur!

And the new pet is pretty cute too...

As of right now, the rush to even purchase the pre-expansion is unbelievable with wait times being estimated in hours--or in my case, days!  Everybody wants the access to the newest expansion.

* as a note, the time fluctuates constantly, as of ten mins later I only have to wait eight hours...because the expansion doesn't actually come out until September you have plenty of time to level up your new toons--I recommend waiting until later on in the week to make your purchase.

Frozen Wrath [Death Knight]

"Death is like ice; cold and uncaring"

Trained on the ancient glacier of which the dead wander aimlessly; these Death Knights are the epitome of the Frost of which they wield.  With the chilling touch of the grave these Knights take the battle to all foes both living and dead.  Death knows no bounds and these frozen Knights are truly unstoppable as the death they wield.

A mix and match of different armor from different expansions always leads to something interesting and fun.  The shoulders are my favorite and finding a transmogrification that helps lend to the ferocity of Death Knights.  Adding more items that were blue tinged or with skulls on them helped complete the final outfit seen here.  Wielding the Blades of the Fallen Prince, especially with the icy weapon skin, totally completes this look.  So go out there and freeze your enemies blood…in style.

Peacebreaker's Heavy Helm (Quest: Nazgrim's Command - The Jade Forest)

Wrathful Gladiator's Dreadplate Shoulders (PvP - Season 8)

Dreadwake Bonecage (Eonar - Mythic Antorus, the Burning Throne)

Hemet's Armored Legguards (Quest: Stalker Mastery - Valley of the Four Winds)

Narsong Handwraps (Quest: Why So Serious - Krasarang Wilds)

Runescriven Demon Collar (Hagara the Stormbinder - Dragon Soul)

Stompers of Brazen Terror (Kilrogg Deadeye - Normal Hellfire Citadel)

Shroud of the Drowned Adherent (Mistress Sassz'ine - Tomb of Sargeras)

Like with most Tauren transmogrifications; no bracers are needed.

Defender [Warrior]

"Halt!  Who goes there?  Just kidding."

They are the guards and the watchers; dedicated to keeping their homes and families safe.  They are the keepers and defenders; willing to risk their own lives for others.  They spend long hours under the hot sun in faraway places and frequent the many taverns while not on duty.  They are the ones that respond the quickest the threats in the heart and borders of Horde territory.  They are the defenders of the Horde and they are here slay the Alliance which would threaten the Horde--at all costs.

The belt helps to bulk up the body of an already bulky Tauren which make the character appear massive...perfect for a warrior.  The helm was very hard to chose for this transmogrification...that is why I went with no helm.  This set started with the chest, legs, and belt and moved on from there--eventually adding in the spiky features of the PvP gear.  The items for this transmogrification should be easy to get if you haven't gotten them already--with the exception of the belt which can only be dropped by Aggramar on mythic difficulty.

Ferocious Gladiator's Plate Shoulders (PvP - Legion)

Blackrock Chestpiece (Level 2 War Mill in your Garrison)

Blackrock Legplates (Level 2 War Mill in your Garrison)

Ferocious Gladiator's Plate Gauntlets (PvP - Legion)

Grond-Father Girdle (Aggramar - Antorus, the Burning Throne (M))

Ferocious Gladiator's Plate Warboots (PvP - Legion)

Nightmare Shroud (World Drop - Broken Isles)

Like with most Tauren transmogrifications; no bracers are needed.

Patch 7.3.5 is Here!

Patch 7.3.5, the last patch of this expansion, is upon us.  Sadly, for us it doesn't look like the Highmountain Tauren will be playable until Battle for Azeroth is available (but we didn't really get our hopes up, did we?).  However, while there are no new Tauren to play there are several good things about Patch 7.3.5 that we can take advantage of now.

Antorus, the Burning Throne.  Now open for Raid Finder is the final wing of the last raid in this expansion.  While those with guilds have already finished up the Burning Throne; those without raiding guilds or, perhaps, without a lot of time for raiding, will have access to the final wing.  This is a great opportunity for the rest of us to finish the storyline of The Burning Throne and move on in the final story of Legion.

Level Scaling.  Now it is easier to level your characters in the world of Azeroth.  The same level scaling that we saw in Legion is now available throughout the world.  This, arguably, makes it much easier to level up a character that you haven't gotten around to yet.  The fact that you can enjoy the storyline in a certain zone or skip areas altogether is wonderful and exciting.  The level scaling worked wonderfully for the Broken Isles and it is nice to see it happening everywhere else where the leveling experience was definitely outdated.

Along with the leveling experience the upgraded Hero's Board will be a god-send, especially for new players.  The board will help you decide which zone to start in and give you a quest to get there.  The boards are not just in the capital cities, however, and can be found in the towns throughout the world. 

Ulduar Timewalking.  The most favorite raid of World of Warcraft is available as a Timewalking experience.  This changes some things, however.  All existing 10 and 24-player achievements have been moved to the Legacy tab and new achievements have been added.  However, the new Glory of the Ulduar Raider achievement now award both the Rusted Proto-drake and Ironbound Proto-drake mounts!

Silithus Storyline.  If you completed Antorus, The Burning Throne, you will get a quest to start the storyline that finishes up Legion and prepares us for Battle for Azeroth.  You should get this quest when logging on if you already completed the raid or when finally completing the raid.  The story will take us al the way to the middle of nowhere in Kalimdor—Silithus!

A New Battleground.  I love battlegrounds, especially new ones.  This new one takes us back to Silithus to the Seething Shore where we battle it out over Azerite, a new resource.  This battleground looks like a lot of fun and I am very excited to try it out.  Another exciting thing about the Seething Shore is the story behind it...we know why we are gathering resources, why we are killing the Alliance guys, and we know the battleground actually has place in the story of Battle for Azeroth.

Class Changes.  Along with all of this new stuff also comes some Class Changes.  Be sure to check out the link below for a full list of the changes coming to your class.  Some are great...some not so great.

Backpack Upgrade.  For the first time since the beginning of World of Warcraft we will have more Backpack space.  Granted, its only four slots and only available for accounts protected by an Authenticator and Blizzard SMS Protect (what if you don't have access to SMS?)—its still a nice deal and an improvement for many of us.  While four bag slots doesn't seem like a lot, that is four extra slots to put junk in...yay!

The final patch brings changes, both good and bad—but mostly for the good.  More importantly, however, this patch heralds the end of an exciting expansion.  While I eagerly await the next expansion I also look forward to enjoying the rest of this one and relishing in the adventure, the beauty, and collecting all the things.  To quote our good friend Khadgar..."there is much to be done."

The Sleeper [Druid]

"Hibernation does wonders the body and mind--but sometimes you wake up on the wrong side of the barrow..."

The Legion has disturbed their slumber and all shall pay the price.  These defenders of nature have awoken in time to help punish the enemies of Azeroth; armed with bladed weapons, natural healing, brute primal strength, and a strong desire to get back to sleep; the defenders of Azeroth have another ally watching their backs.  "Never wake a sleeping bear" is an apt saying, but you should fear waking a sleeping druid even more.

I love the Winterfin Patch of Honor...it makes any transmogrification a little more ferocious.  Add in bear claws and sharp armor bits and you have yourself a winner!  This set mostly came from the fact that I had some of the Gladiator transmog but not all of it and I still wanted to wear it and be fashionable in the streets of Dalaran.  Finding a good belt was a little difficult...leather belts are kinda boring sometimes.  However, in the end, this transmogrification looks dangerous and cuddly at the same time--perfect for when you are out of animal form (are druids ever out of animal form?).

Winterfin Patch of Honor (30 Winterfin Clams - Borean Tundra)

Ferocious Gladiator's Dragonhide Spaulders (PvP - Legion)

The Butcher's Apron (Hannval the Butcher - Stormheim)

Dominant Gladiator's Dragonhide Legguards (PvP - Legion)

Ferocious Gladiator's Dragonhide Gloves (PvP - Legion)

Warhide Belt (Legion Crafted - Leatherworking)

Stormborn Treads (Quest - Regal Remains in Stormhiem)

Like with most Tauren transmogrifications; no bracers are needed.

Fel-Touched [Hunter]

"Fel burns more than flesh; it has a way of torturing the soul as well...be wary of it."

Fighting the Legion does have its benefits...as well as its drawbacks.  Hunting the unending hordes of the Legion seems to leave a bit of Fel with all it touches—even those brave heroes of Azeroth who have taken the fight to the Burning Legion.  Some, however, have accepted this change and embraced the Fel, much like the demon hunters have, and used the power of the corrupted energies to give them the extra edge to punish the demons for coming to the lands of Azeroth.

This set started with the gloves and the chest and developed from there.  The gloves are, by far, my favorite part of this set and the chest piece brilliantly ties them in to almost anything you can put together.  Yes, the main color scheme for this expansion is green (and I think many of us are getting tired of this color), but I fell that many elements of this transmogrification will translate into the next expansion armors as well.

Castellan's Blinders (Moroes - Return to Karazhan)

Feludius Mantle (Ascendant Council - Normal The Bastion of Twilight)

Enthralling Chain Armor (Greater Invasion -Sotanathor or Mistress Alluradel)

Fel-Linked Crushers (Greater Invasion - Sotanathor, Pit Lord Vilemus, or Inquisitor Metro)

Links of the Disintegrator (Durumu the Forgotten - Heroic Throne of Thunder)

Cloak of Stifling Brimstone (Goroth - Tomb of Sargeras)

While wearing pants and shoes are recommended for this transmogrification they are not visible and do not need to be changed.  Like with most Tauren transmogrifications; no bracers are needed.