Lord Marrowgar
Lady Deathwhisper
Gunship Battle
Deathbringer Saurfang
Monday, December 21, 2009
Icecrown Citadel is Serious Business
All in all, I am enjoying the new patch much more than I did the previous one. Icecrown Citadel is a lot more fun to raid than Ulduar, in my opinion. I also kind of love things that have to do with the Scourge, and I believe that's why i still like Naxxramas.
Lord Marrowgar has an awesome looking model, being something Blizzard didn't copy and paste for once. His mechanics on the other hand, are rather simple. He uses an ability called Bone Spike Graveyard that traps people, and other players have to free them before they die from the damage the spikes do. He hits the tanks rather hard, and his chorus ability was taken from Leotheras the Blind in SSC. Bone Storm is just that; he does a Bladestorm like ability and spins around the room, all the while shooting trails of deadly blue fire out towards the casters during the entire encounter.
Lady Deathwhisper isn't all that difficult, but she takes quite a bit of communication. She summons adds which have to be tanked and burned, some by melee, others by casters. Every now and then, she will cast her own form of Death and Decay that players must watch out for, and she has a mana shield that has to be burned down first to actually kill her. After surviving phase 1, players have to watch out for ghosts that chase them periodically in phase 2 (Think those spirits in Sunken Temple.), which is really just a 'pop-heroism-and-burn' phase.
The Gunship Battle, which is the third encounter of the first part of ICC, is perhaps one of the more fun fights that I've encountered in a raid. Being able to put on rocket packs and jump from your airship to the enemy's ship, and back again is what makes the encounter. Also, there is Rocket Bare. We are Alliance, so we start out on the Skybreaker and are intercepted by Ogrim's Hammer, the Horde's airship. A few melee and any offtanks man the cannons on your ship's port side, while the casters in your raid play defense and battle against the enemies boarding. The rest of the melee and a tank hop ships and kill the rocketeers and 'Below Zero' mage that freezes your ships's cannons.
Deathbringer Saurfang gave us some problems. He works by gaining Blood Power, and using that to execute rather deadly abilities and heal himself. He will put a permanent mark on some people and they will begin to take massive amounts of damage, to the point of having to be raid healed. If they die, he heals himself a ton, about 5% I believe. We found it much easier to allow the first marked people to actually die, and heal those up later in the fight when he's close to dying. Melee pretty much get to sit and DPS, much like Patchwerk. Ranged on the other hand have to make sure they are spread at least 12 yards apart, so when he casts Blood Nova, the only one affected will be the one he casts it on, and not anyone standing too close. (Think Kel'thuzad for ranged.) He summons blood beasts that must kited by our hunters and killed by our elemental shamans and balance druids, using their knockback and trap abilities respectively. If the beasts get hit by a melee swing, Saurfang gets 1 Blood Power for every hit.
This was the first time I've been able to be among some of the first on my server to clear raid content when it is still new, and I'm glad to have experienced it. In a week or two, Blizzard will release the next part of Icecrown Citadel, and I think I like how they are doing this. We won't be seeing the Lich King until about April, and that works well so players don't get burnt out on this expansion too fast. After all, the Lich King is what the game is all about at the moment, and he deserves a good build up.
Lord Marrowgar has an awesome looking model, being something Blizzard didn't copy and paste for once. His mechanics on the other hand, are rather simple. He uses an ability called Bone Spike Graveyard that traps people, and other players have to free them before they die from the damage the spikes do. He hits the tanks rather hard, and his chorus ability was taken from Leotheras the Blind in SSC. Bone Storm is just that; he does a Bladestorm like ability and spins around the room, all the while shooting trails of deadly blue fire out towards the casters during the entire encounter.
Lady Deathwhisper isn't all that difficult, but she takes quite a bit of communication. She summons adds which have to be tanked and burned, some by melee, others by casters. Every now and then, she will cast her own form of Death and Decay that players must watch out for, and she has a mana shield that has to be burned down first to actually kill her. After surviving phase 1, players have to watch out for ghosts that chase them periodically in phase 2 (Think those spirits in Sunken Temple.), which is really just a 'pop-heroism-and-burn' phase.
The Gunship Battle, which is the third encounter of the first part of ICC, is perhaps one of the more fun fights that I've encountered in a raid. Being able to put on rocket packs and jump from your airship to the enemy's ship, and back again is what makes the encounter. Also, there is Rocket Bare. We are Alliance, so we start out on the Skybreaker and are intercepted by Ogrim's Hammer, the Horde's airship. A few melee and any offtanks man the cannons on your ship's port side, while the casters in your raid play defense and battle against the enemies boarding. The rest of the melee and a tank hop ships and kill the rocketeers and 'Below Zero' mage that freezes your ships's cannons.
Deathbringer Saurfang gave us some problems. He works by gaining Blood Power, and using that to execute rather deadly abilities and heal himself. He will put a permanent mark on some people and they will begin to take massive amounts of damage, to the point of having to be raid healed. If they die, he heals himself a ton, about 5% I believe. We found it much easier to allow the first marked people to actually die, and heal those up later in the fight when he's close to dying. Melee pretty much get to sit and DPS, much like Patchwerk. Ranged on the other hand have to make sure they are spread at least 12 yards apart, so when he casts Blood Nova, the only one affected will be the one he casts it on, and not anyone standing too close. (Think Kel'thuzad for ranged.) He summons blood beasts that must kited by our hunters and killed by our elemental shamans and balance druids, using their knockback and trap abilities respectively. If the beasts get hit by a melee swing, Saurfang gets 1 Blood Power for every hit.
This was the first time I've been able to be among some of the first on my server to clear raid content when it is still new, and I'm glad to have experienced it. In a week or two, Blizzard will release the next part of Icecrown Citadel, and I think I like how they are doing this. We won't be seeing the Lich King until about April, and that works well so players don't get burnt out on this expansion too fast. After all, the Lich King is what the game is all about at the moment, and he deserves a good build up.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Thoughts on Gear Before Tuesday
Well I finally got my four-piece Tier 9, only a few days until Patch 3.3 is expected to release. Its a great set for Fury, I think. With the two-piece activated, Berserker Stance grants an additional 2% critical strike chance, and Battle Stance grants an additional 6% armor penetration. four-piece increases the critical strike chance of your Slam and Heroic Strike abilities by 5%. Both Slam and Heroic Strike are two bread and butter abilities of Fury, and I use both often. Arms benefits as well, especially since I've been seeing a few builds utilizing Heroic Strike, instead of completely ignoring it. Slam, of course, is the filler when Mortal Strike, Rend, and everything else is on cooldown.
Anyway, I also managed to get Victor's Call, which finally enabled me to get the Epic Achievement (hah), as well as my T9.5 pants. I think I'll actually gem those with Armor Penetration and use those in my Arms spec. The Legguards of Ascension that my warrior currently uses is much better for Fury, and I'm already over the Expertise cap by 7 points.
I had a glance at the T10 and the set bonuses it provided. I'd have to look at and think about them a bit more before I can really put my thoughts down on stone. At a glance, I'd say the two-piece looks rather weak with only a 3% chance to increase attack power. The four-piece is strange to me, in the fact that it alters your spells instead of straight buffing them. Arms would get a chance to have instant Slams, but then I'm not entirely sure if the effect is activated for both spells in either Battle or Berserker stance. In any case, I think it would add a bit of technicality to the Fury and Arms rotations, and in doing so, make them more interesting and fun to play.
You can check out the T10 set bonuses here and here, and you can look at my warrior and her gear here.
Anyway, I also managed to get Victor's Call, which finally enabled me to get the Epic Achievement (hah), as well as my T9.5 pants. I think I'll actually gem those with Armor Penetration and use those in my Arms spec. The Legguards of Ascension that my warrior currently uses is much better for Fury, and I'm already over the Expertise cap by 7 points.
I had a glance at the T10 and the set bonuses it provided. I'd have to look at and think about them a bit more before I can really put my thoughts down on stone. At a glance, I'd say the two-piece looks rather weak with only a 3% chance to increase attack power. The four-piece is strange to me, in the fact that it alters your spells instead of straight buffing them. Arms would get a chance to have instant Slams, but then I'm not entirely sure if the effect is activated for both spells in either Battle or Berserker stance. In any case, I think it would add a bit of technicality to the Fury and Arms rotations, and in doing so, make them more interesting and fun to play.
You can check out the T10 set bonuses here and here, and you can look at my warrior and her gear here.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
At least I Got an Axe
The Justicebringer.
I managed to get this weapon just before the Emberstorm and Whirlwind Battlegroups tanked for the third time today. They were down for a full 10+ hours due to a power outage and then scheduled maintenance after that.
Our guild was just passing out loot for Anub'arak 25 when our server went down, and now we're all sitting on vent waiting for a hopeful fix soon.
In any case, I'm really stoked that I got a new main hand. I've had my eyes on The Justicebringer for a while now, and I think it goes great with my Sharpened Obsidian Edged Blade. I had been hurting for a new weapon, being that I was using the Edge of Ruin and raiding 25 mans as Fury. As a Warrior, your weapon is probably the most important item. It can make all the difference in DPS. Fury Warriors are especially crippled by mediocre weapons, as they need two to function properly. Ret Paladins, Arms Warriors and some Death Knights only need one weapon to do the same amount of damage (if not more), so having two good weapons as a Fury Warrior is critical to keep up on the charts. Yes, it would be slightly easier to gear an Arms Warrior, but the more technical rotation balances that fact out, in my opinion. I also enjoy the playstyle of Fury more than Arms, and I plan to stick by it no matter what.
When Moon Guard comes back up, I plan on grabbing a new chestpiece and fixing up my new gear, then testing it out to see just how much more damage and DPS I do. I'll also change my Arms PvP spec back to Poleaxe Specialization and mess around with that some.
Until then, it's more PTR for me.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Whirlwind and Emberstorm Battlegroups are..Still Boulderfisted
Blizz has figured it out, but there is still no ETA on when the servers will be back up.
My pirate farming was serious biz.
My pirate farming was serious biz.
Whirlwind and Emberstorm Battlegroups are Boulderfisted
Blizzard has officially announced it with no word yet on the cause. You can take this time to go check out the PTR and experiment on a shiny and decked out warrior. We still have at least a month to mess around and figure out if we still want to be Prot, or try out that Fury PvP spec that you don't think will work well, but always wanted to play with just for the hell of it.
Stormwind and Ironforge Revisited
While Moon Guard sits offline for unknown reasons, I decided to take a look around the various other WoW blogs, and came across a particular WoW Insider WoW Moviewatch video that made me gasp.
That's right, it's what Stormwind and Ironforge looked like pre-release. In the video, you can see all sorts of things that have been changed, removed and added, including a room that looks very similar to Old Ironforge. Did Blizzard change up the room when they decided against what is shown in the alpha? It certaintly looks that way. Many of us know that instead of taking things out, Blizzard seems to just hide it away behind walls.
In any case, I found it quite amazing that Ironforge used to have two levels, and it makes me wish it still did. I love Ironforge. Almost all of my characters live there IC, and I love RPing there. It has empty houses and a warm tone to it that just seems cozy. My warrior is also a blacksmith, and it's so much quicker to run to the Great Forge from the AH or Bank, then to run to the Dwarven District in Stormwind.
So take a moment and look at what could have been. Who knows, with Cataclysm things may change again.
That's right, it's what Stormwind and Ironforge looked like pre-release. In the video, you can see all sorts of things that have been changed, removed and added, including a room that looks very similar to Old Ironforge. Did Blizzard change up the room when they decided against what is shown in the alpha? It certaintly looks that way. Many of us know that instead of taking things out, Blizzard seems to just hide it away behind walls.
In any case, I found it quite amazing that Ironforge used to have two levels, and it makes me wish it still did. I love Ironforge. Almost all of my characters live there IC, and I love RPing there. It has empty houses and a warm tone to it that just seems cozy. My warrior is also a blacksmith, and it's so much quicker to run to the Great Forge from the AH or Bank, then to run to the Dwarven District in Stormwind.
So take a moment and look at what could have been. Who knows, with Cataclysm things may change again.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Shadowmourne
The legendary weapon was datamined just a few minutes ago, and is up on MMO-Champion!
3 red sockets, a strength socket bonus, 114 crit rating and armor pen...Really, it speaks for itself.
Now excuse me, I need to change my undies.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Updated Patch Notes: Patch 3.3 PTR - Warriors
- Blood Frenzy: This debuff is no longer considered a Bleed effect that can be removed separately from the actual Bleed effect which caused it.
- Bloodrage: Tooltip now adjusts to show effect of Anger Management on this ability.
- Glyph of Cleaving: Now updates the tooltip of Cleave to show that more targets are struck by the ability.
- Glyph of Hamstring: Now updates the tooltip of Hamstring to indicate it has a chance to immobilize.
- Glyph of Vigilance: Now updates the tooltip on Vigilance to show that more threat is transferred.
- Mocking Blow: Tooltip clarified to indicate taunt immune targets will not take damage from this ability.
- Rampage: Rampage now behaves correctly as an Enrage effect when interacting with the Enraged Regeneration ability.
- Recklessness
: Heroic Throw and Shattering Throw will now benefit from this ability and consume charges of this ability. In addition, Recklessness now behaves correctly as an Enrage effect when interacting with the Enraged Regeneration ability. - Sudden Death: Corrected inaccurate information in combat log tooltip.
- Sweeping Strikes: Corrected inaccurate information in combat log tooltip.
- Vigilance: The threat transfer granted by this ability will now reactivate when Tricks of the Trade or Misdirection cast by the Vigilance target expires.
- Warbringer: Tooltip typo corrected.
The question was:
Why no heroic strike fix?
Not to beat a dead horse, but why on earth hasn't there been a fix implemented for constant heroic strike spam yet?
This is a serious quality of life issue that is a bit silly to still have in the game....
We have become pretty dissatisfied with the on-next swing mechanic. Come Cataclysm, we'd love to get rid of all of them. Obviously that will necessitate some pretty significant changes in how warriors generate threat or do damage (unlike Maul or Rune Strike, Heroic Strike gets a lot of use outside of tanking), which makes it too risky a change for 3.3. We think some of the other ideas like toggling the ability are also risky in the sense that they might require a lot of iteration to feel right, or worse, might mess up threat generation or damage dealt.As of right now, I really hope that Heroic Strike does not turn into another 2-5 minute cooldown. It is, after all, a primary part of Fury DPS, and and some Arms Warriors have thrown it into their rotations too. Yes, he did say this it was not an announcement, and yes, Cataclysm is some time off. It is way too early to tell what the state of Warrior DPS will be at the end of Wrath, much less the beginning of the next expansion.
The original design of HS as a tanking tool wasn't that you replace every white swing with a Heroic Strike. You did it when you wanted to burn off rage. These days tanks (and increasingly dps warriors too) are rarely rage starved beyond perhaps the first few seconds of the fight. That turns Heroic Strike into a button you always push.
A couple of other ideas we have considered, as someone above referenced, were making Heroic Strike do more threat the more rage you have but also spend more rage. Another is that you somehow go into "high rage mode" at which point everything costs double but hits harder. This would work for dps warriors too. Those are just ideas at this point, not announcements. Please don't tell us in a few weeks that you were promised these changes for 3.3. :(
(* From the official World of Warcraft forums, here.)
Shadow's Edge and Shadowmourne
The proc on Shadowmoune is interesting to say the least. As it is, Retribution Paladins will be clamoring for this, seeing as how the proc scales with their damage against the same types of targets.
But, this blog isn't about Ret Pallies.
Let's break down the proc. 1 Soul Fragment grants the wielder 40 strength, which stacks up to 10 times. That's 400 strength, on top of another 1900 - 2100 shadow damage split between all enemies within 8 yards. Don't forget that. If each enemy took this amount of damage, that would be rather ridiculous. The legendary-ness has to stop somewhere.
This is definitely a weapon exclusive to what's going on with Icecrown Citadel, and Arthas, for sure. The shadow damage may not be great against every type of mob, but we aren't dealing with every type of mob, we're dealing with undead.
The 400 strength gain is nothing to shake a stick at. Shadow's Edge already has 185 strength on it, plus two red sockets with a socket bonus of +6 strength. I would imagine Shadowmourne would have even more. That's a lot of strength. Fury Warriors might want to greatly consider trying for this axe for that reason. (It is Unique, however, Shadowmourne and Shadow's Edge may be able to be coupled together.) Remember, rank 5 of Improved Berserker Stance increases strength by 20%. This isn't to say Arms Warriors shouldn't look at this weapon. Both specs would enjoy the upgrade. Poleaxe Spec would come back into play for those who went Sword Spec to try out the Obsidian Edged Blade, and I still consider that the best of the three specializations. Even if you decide that seeking the legendary Frostmourne is too much trouble, Shadow's Edge is still something to think about getting come Patch 3.3.
I can say that I will definitely be trying to obtain this weapon on my Fury Warrior, which will be extremely hard in a guild with other plate DPS who want the same thing. I see no reason as to why multiple people can't have this weapon, but I'm sure many people will disagree with me on this. After all, a legendary is legendary for a reason. however, the fact that you need 25 other people to complete certain parts of the questline to forge the item tells me that since teamwork is involved in making it for any one person, teamwork could also help several people want the axe. I see nothing wrong in boasting that "my guild has gotten Shadowmourne for a few of it's DPS plate raiders". The point of a raiding guild is to gear up it's members to further the progression of the guild anyway. I can't see how only allowing the top plate DPS in the guild to obtain the weapon would help very much. If anything, it only puts the others who may not be doing as great further behind.
Here is a list of the quests required for Shadowmourne and/or Shadow's Edge, quoted from MMO Champion*.
In any case, this seems to be a good, old-fashioned legendary item and quest. I missed out on Thunderfury and the Hand of Ragnaros, so I've got my mind set on Shadowmourne.
(* From MMO-Champion, here.)
But, this blog isn't about Ret Pallies.
Let's break down the proc. 1 Soul Fragment grants the wielder 40 strength, which stacks up to 10 times. That's 400 strength, on top of another 1900 - 2100 shadow damage split between all enemies within 8 yards. Don't forget that. If each enemy took this amount of damage, that would be rather ridiculous. The legendary-ness has to stop somewhere.
This is definitely a weapon exclusive to what's going on with Icecrown Citadel, and Arthas, for sure. The shadow damage may not be great against every type of mob, but we aren't dealing with every type of mob, we're dealing with undead.
The 400 strength gain is nothing to shake a stick at. Shadow's Edge already has 185 strength on it, plus two red sockets with a socket bonus of +6 strength. I would imagine Shadowmourne would have even more. That's a lot of strength. Fury Warriors might want to greatly consider trying for this axe for that reason. (It is Unique, however, Shadowmourne and Shadow's Edge may be able to be coupled together.) Remember, rank 5 of Improved Berserker Stance increases strength by 20%. This isn't to say Arms Warriors shouldn't look at this weapon. Both specs would enjoy the upgrade. Poleaxe Spec would come back into play for those who went Sword Spec to try out the Obsidian Edged Blade, and I still consider that the best of the three specializations. Even if you decide that seeking the legendary Frostmourne is too much trouble, Shadow's Edge is still something to think about getting come Patch 3.3.
I can say that I will definitely be trying to obtain this weapon on my Fury Warrior, which will be extremely hard in a guild with other plate DPS who want the same thing. I see no reason as to why multiple people can't have this weapon, but I'm sure many people will disagree with me on this. After all, a legendary is legendary for a reason. however, the fact that you need 25 other people to complete certain parts of the questline to forge the item tells me that since teamwork is involved in making it for any one person, teamwork could also help several people want the axe. I see nothing wrong in boasting that "my guild has gotten Shadowmourne for a few of it's DPS plate raiders". The point of a raiding guild is to gear up it's members to further the progression of the guild anyway. I can't see how only allowing the top plate DPS in the guild to obtain the weapon would help very much. If anything, it only puts the others who may not be doing as great further behind.
Here is a list of the quests required for Shadowmourne and/or Shadow's Edge, quoted from MMO Champion*.
The Sacred and the CorruptIf you take a look at the links, you'll see just how much is involved in forging Shadowmourne. Killing 1000 mobs in ICC alone is no easy task, and that's only after you've collected many other items that may or may not be guaranteed drops, or large gold sinks.
It is against my judgment that I present you this errand,, as it will likely end in your undoing. Ignore my counsel and embark on the endeavor, and I shall provide you with the knowledge and resources to see it through.
You must return to Frostmourne Cavern and recover Light's Vengeance, Arthas' discarded hammer. Reforged with saronite and etched with the acidic blood of the Lich King's abominations, it will provide the foundation for our work.
Unholy Infusion
Before your weapon can reach its full potential it must be endowed with its signature powers. First among them is unholiness. You must seek out and defeat the one called Professor Putricide, but his death is not your only goal. You must use his resources against him.
Find a way to absorb his mutated slime. Use the foul substance to infuse your weapon with the power of the unholy. Only when this has been done shall I reveal your next task.
Blood Infusion
Your weapon is now prepared to be endowed with the power of blood. You are to face Queen Lana'thel in battle and bathe the axe in her Blood Mirror power. When it has been fully infused, you must slay her unmercifully.
May her screams pierce the ears of the Lich King as he awaits his fate.
Frost Infusion
Shadow's Edge is prepared to receive its final infusion of power. Sindragosa, the enemy's own mount, must fall. But before she is brought down, you must sustain three of her frozen breath attacks without tasting death.
Without his dragon, nothing shall stand between you and the Lich King.
The Splintered Throne
The Lich King's throne once served as his prison. Kil'jaeden himself crafted the vessel of icy crystals from the twisting nether. Its sole purpose was to hold Ner'zhul's vengeful spirit. When Arthas struck the crystal with Frostmourne, he released Ner'zhul's soul, allowing it to merge with with his own. Splinters from that impact are now scattered throughout the citadel.
I shall require those shards, held only by the Lich King's most powerful servants, to seal the power contained in your blade.
A Feast of Souls
Shadow's Edge is among the greatest weapons acould hope to obtain. Is your lust for power sated, ?
I thought not. A final warning then... You now embark on the most treacherous leg of your quest. Bridle your aspirations, for if your aims are impure then your life, your very soul, is forfeit.
The weapon you hold is but an empty husk, a mere shadow of what it may become. Only the devouring of a thousand souls will unlock its true potential.
In any case, this seems to be a good, old-fashioned legendary item and quest. I missed out on Thunderfury and the Hand of Ragnaros, so I've got my mind set on Shadowmourne.
(* From MMO-Champion, here.)
Shadow's Edge and Shadowmourne Preview
The stats for Shadow's Edge have been datamined in the latest PTR build (10853), and are over on MMO Champion if you want to take a look.
Shadow's Edge is the axe you need to upgrade if you're seeking to create the legendary Shadowmourne.
Shadowmourne's stats itself have not yet been identified (so far as I've been able to find anyway), but it's particular equip proc has:
Before I get to talking about these items, let's take a look at what Blizzard* has revealed about Shadowmourne.
(*Blizzard has this on their official site, here.)
Shadow's Edge is the axe you need to upgrade if you're seeking to create the legendary Shadowmourne.
Shadowmourne's stats itself have not yet been identified (so far as I've been able to find anyway), but it's particular equip proc has:
Item - Shadowmourne Legendary
Instant castYour weapon swings have a chance to drain a Soul Fragment granting you 40 strength. When you have acquired 10 Soul Fragments you will unleash Chaos Bane, dealing 1900 to 2100 shadow damage split between all enemies within 8 yards.
Before I get to talking about these items, let's take a look at what Blizzard* has revealed about Shadowmourne.
"Before beginning his reign as the Lich King, Prince Arthas Menethil was first a servant, ruled by a sword he believed was the key to saving his people - the runeblade Frostmourne. Finding and claiming the blade among the frozen wastes of Northrend was an odyssey unto itself, and the search cost the prince his mentor, his relationship with his subjects, and his humanity. It cost the living of Azeroth far more.With a tight grip on the blade that he traded his life for, Arthas ravaged the kingdom of Lordaeron and broke free from the control of the Burning Legion. By the time the former prince ascended as the leader of the Scourge, Frostmourne was already glutted with the souls of the numberless dead who dared to oppose him.
Now, Arthas has become so inseparable from his weapon that the sword's likeness has even found its way into the architecture of his fortress, Icecrown Citadel. Its hilt is never far from his hands; its ghostly whispers constantly ring in his ears. Frostmourne, as much as the Lich King, is the ruler of Northrend.
To challenge that rule, mighty heroes will need to follow more closely in Arthas's path than ever before.In a relentless quest to arm the forces of the living against the Scourge, Darion Mograine has formed the Ashen Verdict, a union between the most skilled craftsmen of the Argent Crusade and the Ebon Blade. Though the peerless paladins of the Crusade wield the power of the Light, and their leader clutches Ashbringer, a few of Mograine's dark warriors have begun to question their hopes for victory.
These death knights insist that the Ashbringer and the skills of the Argent Crusaders, though potent, aren't enough to best Frostmourne alone. They swear that Darion Mograine has long been quietly aware of another legendary blade - one that could be the key to defeating the Lich King and cleansing Northrend... But it doesn't exist yet.
For the moment, the weapon is a formless idea, with no more killing power than an angry thought. When it is spoken of, it is spoken of quietly, and the Highlord has a habit of silencing those who discuss it in public.
But the hope of an artifact to rival Frostmourne is strong within the minds of the Ebon Blade. Just its name inspires the furnaces to burn late into the night, the bellows to pump air, and the darker half of the Verdict's smiths to swing their hammers until their fingers fail. While other craftsmen crafters lean over whetstones and gather pitted blades by the hundreds, these few dream of a single weapon to end the war for Northrend.
Shadowmourne... A great two-handed axe fit for a giant, born of sacred and corrupt powers, host of a thousand dead souls and able to be wielded only by the most stalwart armsmasters of Azeroth. Its creation seems nearly impossible; and yet, the rumors do not cease.Some smiths claim that Shadowmourne must be nothing more than an ordinary axe, honed to unparalleled perfection, while others would shape it from a weapon of immense import in the world. Mograine, when he can be convinced to speak of it at all, is said to believe that only the hammer of Arthas himself will provide a worthy model - but such absurd ambition is just the beginning of Shadowmourne's creation.
- To contain the energies that dance across its cold edges, Shadowmourne must be hewn from piles of impure Saronite: the hardened blood of the Old God, Yogg-Saron, treated only by master metal-shapers.
- To fuel its power to kill, it is vital that Shadowmourne be drenched in the souls of the most potent servants of the Scourge as they are slain, one by one, with the unfinished blade.
- To help break through the Lich King's armor, Shadowmourne is to be adorned with fragments of the Frozen Throne, originally crafted by Kil'Jaeden out of ice from the Twisting Nether.
Only with these mighty components, it's said, can Shadowmourne be finished. And, yet, even if the axe could be completed, questions and fears remain. Is forging the souls of the deceased into a weapon treated withblood and the essence of the Twisting Nether truly any different from the crafting of the Scourge's runeblades?
Who is to say that the Lich King wouldn't simply annihilate - or control - the maker for their impudence in mimicking his most treasured possession? If Arthas, one of the most dedicated knights of his age, lost his humanity to the whispers of Frostmourne, might Shadowmourne bring the same doom and misery tothe living as its sister blade?Without knowing the answers to these questions, who would be bold enough to try and wield it?"
Pretty awesome, if I do say so myself.
(*Blizzard has this on their official site, here.)
Chance to Hit Increased by 1%
So says the tooltip of the passive Draenei racial. Having the 1% hit may not seem like much to those new to playing a warrior, but at level cap, you can never have too much hit rating as a Fury Warrior.
This is what my main character is; a level 80 Draenei Fury Warrior named Lycannon. I also have a level 80 Holy Paladin, a level 77 Restoration Druid, and various other lower level characters.
I play on the RP server, Moon Guard and belong to The Stonemasons raiding guild. (Yes, I role play and raid. It's a hard balance!)
I've been playing for a little over two years now, stung out across 3 different servers with Moon Guard being the latest.
I created this blog with the intention on covering things many blogs don't cover about warriors, namely the DPS side of things, as well as a look at various other aspects of the game, such as role playing and PvP.
This is what my main character is; a level 80 Draenei Fury Warrior named Lycannon. I also have a level 80 Holy Paladin, a level 77 Restoration Druid, and various other lower level characters.
I play on the RP server, Moon Guard and belong to The Stonemasons raiding guild. (Yes, I role play and raid. It's a hard balance!)
I've been playing for a little over two years now, stung out across 3 different servers with Moon Guard being the latest.
I created this blog with the intention on covering things many blogs don't cover about warriors, namely the DPS side of things, as well as a look at various other aspects of the game, such as role playing and PvP.
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