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.