Project Lore

Up until recently, most of my questing was done in pairs. My rogue teamed up with my husband's warrior for a while as we leveled together. And when he out-leveled me, I started questing with his DK. Either way, I essentially had a tank as we took on quests and easily progressed through the game. But over the past few weeks as I ventured through Dragonblight and now in Zul'Drak, Locomomo has gone solo. So now I've got no tank. Combine to that the fact that many areas within this zone have a high concentration of mobs that like to attack you in twos and threes, and I was in a heap of trouble. But it's been a good learning experience; I've adapted my play style a bit, and that alone has been a fun challenge. Being a rogue, I've been able to escape the multiple mobs with Vanish, and when that's on cooldown, a combination of Sprint and Evasion paired with some strategic weaving through mobs so I don't draw more fire. When I have multiple mobs I can handle, Adrenaline Rush and Blade Fury work nicely together. But there's still the problem of the sheer amount of damage I've been taking. I'm running low on Frostweave needed to make bandages, and also need to restock on foods - both for the buffs they give and for their healing properties. What's been saving me there is the Medallion of Heroism trinket I picked up as a quest reward from the Battle for the Undercity. I love the critical strike bonus, but more importantly at this point is the healing capacity. I've been hitting that trinket as soon as it goes off cooldown. As I said, it's been a fun challenge and really reminds me of some of the awesome rogue abilities that I wasn't using as much when leveling in pairs, simply because I didn't need to. As for the healing issue - I look at this as a good reason to go for that Stocking Up achievement! So have any of you found a reason to alter your play styles recently? Do you prefer soloing or questing in pairs? More importantly, anyone have some Frostweave to spare? :)

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I still remember my first encounter with the terror of a Fel Reaver. It wasn't long after my first trip through the Dark Portal at a respectable level 58. I was heading along the main road - usually a fairly safe route. Then, I took the fork up toward Thrallmar, and stopped along the way to kill a Helboar annoyance. And made the unfortunate decision to turn my back on my destination. Then, it came. The ground started shaking; first slightly, then more and more jarring. By the time I heard the Fel Reaver's loud, train-like warning sound, it was too late. I couldn't run. All I could do was fail at my feeble attempts to defend myself as the Fel Reaver stomped my tiny figure into oblivion. My fate was the same of that Helboar that happened into my path. I think Blizzard has taken up some kind of sick fascination with terrorizing the comparatively tiny folk that take up residence in Outland and now Northrend. The torment started with the Fel Reaver and continued with the Storm Giant roaming in the Howling Fjord and Thrym the Hope Ender, who patrols the first major corridor you come upon in Zul'Drak. With a name like that, you know what to expect. All of them are giant; all are significantly higher level than the rest of their zone; and all are elite. A combination that makes them basically impossible to fight off when caught alone. Which, if you're not careful, can happen way too often. We've faced similar creatures in Azeroth, too, such as the Devilsaurs that bludgeon unsuspecting questers in Un'Goro Crater. And every time I meet a new behemoth, I make a vow. The tyrants must pay - I will have my revenge. It already has begun. The Devilsaurs that once frightened my pre-Outland rogue are now no more menacing than a Helboar. Upon my return to Un'Goro recently for the Noblegarden requirements, the dino learned my wrath. Now, a quest line in Zul'Drak has furthered my vengeance. After your assistance with freeing the captured Storm Giant Gymer, he allows you to ride his back for some fun from the perspective of a giant. The best part - slaying Thrym, the prowling, undead menace stitched together from the corpses of other storm giants.

Die, Thrym, die!! Revenge is not a pretty thing. But it sure is satisfying. Anyone else enjoy going back to terrorize the elite giants that once had you cowering in fear? What are some of your own tales of getting beat-down by behemoths, then returning a later day for pay back?

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What, no meal with this flight?

Before Wrath hit, I admitted that I was awaiting its release far more than its predecessor, The Burning Crusade. Blizzard Entertainment planned to do things with The Burning Crusade that I just did not agree with. And if you ever state a fact along those lines in General Chat, you'll know that one of the first responses you will receive is “Quit if you don't like it.” The thing is, I actually did.

I was only gone a few months, but I tried to show my disdain for some of their choices by slightly lowering their income. I highly doubt they noticed. Shortly after my return, solid details of Wrath started pouring onto the Internet, but I only needed one detail, that the Lich King would be in the expansion. Once the storyline was revealed to include and extend Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne's theme, I was as good as signed up. The other stuff was just icing.

The quest designers really, I mean REALLY wanted players to understand what is going on in Northrend. One would have to be incredibly feeble-minded (or adverse to questing) not to see that Arthas, aka The Lich King, has his talons in everything and sees all.

While putzing around Zul'Drak I picked up the Unliving Choker from a random mob. During my routine vendoring of my junk, I realized that it was actually a quest item that begins the Betrayal quest line. The chance at spying on the Scourge, by disguising myself as one, was enough of a motivator to send me off on my way. The Achievement hungry will be happy to know that it is one part of a two quest chain Achievement for Zul'Drak.

/me spams Vanish

The chain is much longer than that of the Storm Giant's, but to be honest, the gameplay isn't as cool. The chain lacks the destructive qualities of Gymer, but makes up for it in story, which Gymer severely lacked. If only the designers could have merged the strengths of both. Zul'Drak has already hit me with two chains that I have loved enough to highlight here. Safe to say that it is a pretty solid zone, and from what I am told, Icecrown only gets better. Can't wait.

Towards the middle of the chain it becomes abundantly clear why the chain is called what it is. The twist – if you can really call it that – reminded me of something a great man once said “Ah, curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!”

I miss that show.

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When Patch v3.0.8 goes live, players everywhere will be graced with another ridiculous mount-race combination. The brave souls on the Player Test Realms can already witness the sight of a Raptor, one of the most vicious dinosaurs on our earth, crying as a hefty Tauren hops on his back. And yet, the sight pals in comparison to what I, and countless other gnomes, have pulled off in the last few weeks. Riding a giant.

A Gnome on a Kodo is hilarious in its own right, but imagine a Gnome guiding a giant through Zul'Drak. Actually, there is no need to imagine, just look at the screenshot. Not only is this Solidsamm's first ride on a leviathan (sorry Thrakki), but it is his first taste of the new phasing technology designed for Wrath. And what a taste.

It took me awhile to notice that as soon as I mounted the revenge-minded Storm Giant, most of the other players in the zone disappeared. After that fact crossed my synapses, a lightbulb went off telling me that I never saw the giants roaming the area while I was grinding. I emphasized most for a reason though. The fun begins when you mount Gymer and see the collection of other Gymer's roaming the land. You can even PvP with them - although a match would likely last forever, and not grant any honor – as evidenced by my Gymer punting the other one across the zone!

Although the quest is essentially another vehicle-oriented quest, it allows one to feel indestructible while you rampage the Scourge. An awesome feeling indeed. If you missed it while racing to level 80 or have yet to reach Zul'Drak, make sure you head over to Gymer in Thrym's End to begin his chain. The short chain allows you to quickly get to the point of topic.  You won't regret the time spent.

Sorry for always being a critic, but as cool as the chain is, it could have been a little better. There really isn't much lore behind Gymer, making the gameplay mechanics (and possibly the loot) the only reason to take up his reigns. Blizzard seems to have gone to great lengths to implement the Storm Giant, too bad the back story is left relatively bear.  How could a character of this magnitude, and sheer size, not have great stories about him?

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