Words of Replicant Jesus

Yeah I am all over this, been refreshing all morning sicne the news broke out at MMO-Champion and I am excited.  Although I am sure that actual Closed Beta may be a ways off, I am hopeful that i will get in and get a chance to test the new content… it would really revitalize my game playing since now I just log-in for raids and maybe to do soemthing with the woman, usually on her paladin alt.

Protection paladin alt, I might add.

I also registered the Beta Key from Blizzcon so hopefully that gives me even more chances to experience what I think will be a fantastic expansion.  Even if I do end up looking like a Power Ranger from the tier set in Naxxaramas…

Plus Death Knights look pretty interesting.

Other then that things have been rock solid, Diablo III is coming, Wrath of the Lich King is chugging along, and I am absolutely a fan of the newest edition of Dungeons and Dragons; currently running a play by post game at Myth Weavers… so far so good.

Grats to everyone that was there, man I love this guild!  Plus I healed.

Well after perusing some forums and checking out MMO-Champion and World of Raids it seems the major news of the day is this quote by Tom Chilton (Kalgan):

PC Gamer: What else is changing?

Tom Chilton (Kalgan) : We’re also going to be doing away with spell-damage only type gear. We’ll be moving to a system that, as part of your talents, will let players convert healing into spell-damage and vice-versa as part of their talents. That way they can use the exact same gear, but their talents just adapt what it does.”

Now what that statement means is up to debate though if you take it literally it sounds like Blizzard is going to do away with spell damage specific or healing specific system and more of homogenized system that allows a player through talents to enhance their spell damage or healing.

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I started back in school which is an adventure in and of itself, going to finish my Computer Science degree and then get into software development; i.e. game software in the long run. It is a refreshing change and I am digging it so far and I can’t wait to get to the meat of my actual degree related coursework but thus far it is interesting.

But enough about my paltry and dull life, I am really excited about 4^th Edition Dungeons and Dragons, my set arrives tomorrow and I can’t wait to look through the books and percolate a campaign that is already gestating in my fevered mind after perusing PDF files and glancing over the first introductory adventure. I whole heartedly expect that I will run something and probably in a campaign setting of my own design though the new Forgotten Realms could be interesting… I have always had a predilection for creating my own settings.

I have plans to return to Blizzcon, and this time I won’t be going by myself which is always a plus. Hopefully by then Wrath of the Lich King Beta will be in full swing and I can take a crack at the Death Knight, which I will admit has my interest piqued, but I know that Vanifae will be level 80 and tanking the content in Northrend for sure… there is no doubt in my mind on that. The artwork for the new loot in the expansion looks really sharp and well done.

Supposedly this is some kind of DS game that teaches you English… whatever it is… this promo is awesome.

I think I am going to like Warhammer Online if for nothing else the character and flavor of the game should be entertaining, although I am not sure which side I would choose.  Many of my good online friends are split between both sides of Destruction and Order.  On the side of Destruction I like the look of the Chaos Chosen; the style of the Black Orcs, and of course the attitude of the Blackguard.  If the Blackguard can be a female Dark Elf… then Vanifae may yet live again as a Blackguard!

I have never been much for dwarves though my first paladin in World of Warcraft was a dwarf since everyone else was a human.  Warhammer dwarves have much character though and I like the stunties, but th Empire Knight of the Blazing Sun and the Swordmaster have my most attention.  Most likely I would choose Swordmaster though because I would like to continue Vanifae’s illustrious career.

Not that it is over any time soon… Wrath of the Lich King comes.

Well we are left with one boss in the Battle for Mount Hyjal; I didn’t get to main tank any bosses last night but I had tanked all the bosses besides Kazrogal anyway so I wasn’t all that put out.  I know not huge news but for me it is great and I am glad that I may actually get close to beating all the raid content in Burning Crusade… overall I have nothing to add for other tankadins, just stay the course.

Well first off, I am not even sure this will be a regular feature but it sounds cool and since it sounds cool I might as well try to make it a regular feature even if I fail at doing so.  But maybe it can be at least a weekly feature… maybe.

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Just some errant thoughts I had when I started perusing the Conqueror feats and I get the feeling that this class plays like a mixture of an Enhancement Shaman/Retribution Paladin; to use a WoW analogue for easy frame of reference. The class is heavily slanted towards melee DPS and although I need to examine the feat trees more; but from a cursory glance the Carnage feat tree is two weapon focused with a smattering of movement enhancing abilities, and obviously feats that increase your hit chance with your offhand. The Brute Feat tree focuses on two hand weapons, my personal favorites, increased damage reduction, and overall damage output from two hand weapons.

I have no doubt that both trees can do substantial damage in a PvE situation but I find it curious that at the bottom of the trees in the highest tiers there are feats that increase hate versus enemies, I guess as an off-tank or backup tank role. I couldn’t see myself picking these up unless I had to especially if I am trying to fulfill a pure DPS damage dealer role, a hybrid build most likely.

But looking at other feats like Improved Furious Inspiration, Heroic Call, Legendary Heroic Call, and War Lord one can see that the Conqueror is a definite asset to any raid or group as a melee buffer and damage dealer. Of course I still don’t know a lot of particulars of Age of Conan raids, do abilities affect the whole raid or are they limited to your party; that decision will determine the role and often location of the Conqueror in a given raid. If her abilities affect the raid as a whole, then the issue comes in, do they stack; because if they do then raid buffing could get out of hand quite quickly. I am going to make the assumption at this time that they won’t stack and that the most powerful buff effect will supersede the others but I will need more info on that.

This is all conjecture at this point, but I think the Conqueror is going to be a fun and tactical class to play in PvE and PvP and will definitely be wanted in any group for the buffs they bring to damage dealers and passive healing.

Goonheim - Age of Conan Conqueror Feat Calculator