In which I ask your advice…
I went to Ulduar!! I know for some of you that’s no big deal, Ulduar is old news. For me, Ulduar is new as I’ve never stepped foot inside the dungeon until last night. Summer school being what it is, my WoW time is pretty darn minimal right now, but I happened to be online at raid time last night. We’ve been short on people this week thanks to the holiday, but they decided to brave Ulduar anyway and I got an invitation. I’m a casual, so if there had been enough raiders online, I’d not have been able to go.
I had no idea what I was doing, Loveth was giving me play by play instructions, but I actually had fun! We only managed to do Flame Leviathan and…er… Razorscale? Fun was had, but I can’t help thinking that I had fun because I’m not a raider anymore. I had some flasks, didn’t need to bring food thanks to an awesome fish feast, but I didn’t have enough mana pots. All in all, it seems my DPS has taken a substantial slide since my t7 days. It could be the case because I’m actually still wearing t7.5. I’ve no t8 at all and not enough badges to get it when 3.2 comes out, even after the badge change. I’ve two emblems right now, thanks to the two bosses we killed last night, but I got some great achievements!
Going to Ulduar made me realize how very much I miss raiding. It also made me realize how little time I actually have for it right now. Part of the problem is that I’m stuck in the casual loop. That’s what I call it, it’s not something I ever really understood completely before, mostly because I’ve always been a raider. Since we started Kara and Gruul, way back, I’ve always been a raider. Now, I’m seeing things from a slightly different perspective. I don’t have enough DKP to get gear unless no one else wants it, I don’t have enough badges to get the gear I need because I haven’t been raiding, and I don’t do enough DPS to be viable because I’m lacking in upgrades to t8. So, even if I wanted to start raiding again, it’s a bit futile in the gear department, as upgrades will be few and far between — though I would be able to get the badge stuff.
Part of me argues with that point, it’s not about the gear, after all. The rest of me tells that part to shut up, it’s not about the epics, but raiding is competitive and being able to do competitive DPS is important for a shadow priest. I was being seriously shown up by an awesome holy priest, who was there as DPS last night. When I expressed my concern about it to Loveth he said, “She has some awesome gear, she’s been coming to Ulduar since day 1.” Can’t argue with that.
Then, of course, even if gear wasn’t an issue, how long are people really going to be doing Ulduar after the Coliseum opens at the next patch? Is it going to be onto something new? Or, will it be more like SSC & The Eye, mutual raiding experiences. I just don’t have enough current raiding experience to know. What I do know is that I’m not well enough geared to worry about it one way or another because if I’m doing subpar DPS in Ulduar, the Coliseum isn’t going to be any better as it’s t9.
I suppose I feel a bit like I’ve fallen into a circle I can’t find my way out of. I could go raider and start raiding, but with my DPS the way it is right now, it’s almost a matter of embarrassment, especially with other shadow priests in the raid.
So having heard my concern, I wonder if you might offer me a bit of advice about how to proceed? I would be most grateful.
…(¨`·.·´¨)
…..`·.¸.·Maeleigh
I really wish I could offer you some advice, but I haven’t come close to raiding yet with my hunter. Being so new myself, I just find it interesting and somewhat saddening to know that gear will always be in high demand. I’ve been reading a lot about raiding in the past few weeks (expanding my WoW knowledge) and I’ve noticed this issue coming up a lot. Sadly, it seems to me like there is no other option except to continue on the path collecting gear as you go along until you get up to Tier 9. Hasn’t it been that way since the beginning for everyone? It may just be my misguided thoughts, but that’s how I see it right now.
Hoggwarts´s last blog ..My New Alt
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Mae Reply:
July 13th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
Thank you, Hoggwarts. I really appreciate you taking the time to weigh in, even if you recognize you may not have an answer, it’s nice to hear the opinions of others. Stop by any time!
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About said “Awesome Holy Priest”: A lot of my offspec gear is my holy gear. Half of it is also from Naxx25. btw. The set bonuses are entirely worth it. The 4 set isnt as awesome, unless you count in the fact that this means you’ll no longer have to have a single point of haste on your gear until you upgrade out of it.
About gear in general: Try to come in on weekends for Ulduar 10. Beg Loveth and Elly if you have to, but it seems all the gear is now going to offspec or being DE’d. Also come to 25 mans, seeing as the same rule applies for the majority of the early instance.
About your awesome DPS: there’s only 1 full time shadow priest. Because healing scales backwards, we replace healers with DPS, which makes dual spec awesome. I think me and Elly have the best offspec gear, so we make viable dps slots and are the first to replace healer slots in farmed content. Keep in mind, you’re a full teir in gear level behind on our shadow priest — you’re doing comparable dps, and on one fight I was there for, better.
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Mae Reply:
July 13th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
After everything that happened, I just want to say… ilu and think you’re amazing. <3
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Advice? HA!! I wish I could give you advice but I’m so far down the casual hole it’d take an entire rescue squad to get me out! I definitely know where you’re coming from however.
You say it was almost “a matter of embarrassment” when raiding against other Shadows, but when I was raiding with Summit over on BWR, there may have been some embarrassment but that was quickly overshadowed by an unending sense of frustration. It seemed no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t pull that DPS up. Frustration soon turned into ‘why bother’.
I do miss raiding. I really, really do. The team atmosphere, the joking around and good times are what I miss. Raiding with Summit really has no equal. The pressure, competitiveness and schedule? Not so much.
My recommendation to you? Focus on your RL duties. School, home & writing. Raid when you can and have a BLAST! Remember, that gear and those stats are just a jumble of binary numbers. Nothing more. Bottom line, raiding in WoW is all about having FUN! Enjoy the opportunity, the scenery and the good times.
That is all!
Your friend always,
Aur
Aurendar´s last blog ..Confessions of a WoWNerd
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Mae Reply:
July 13th, 2009 at 11:03 pm
Aurendar, you are awesome. Thank you for the honest advice. After everything that’s gone on with me over the last week or so, I really appreciate your advice more. It’s not a question anymore, of whether or not I’ll return to raiding, but it renews my dedication to my priorities.
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