Ahead of the Curve

Gathering up last night, I jokely said everyone only had 5 deaths that evening....  and on our 5th pull of the evening, the 26th in total, he went down, with me already floor-hugging....

Heroic Innovation

And with that kill, tomorrow will be a very strange raid for Innovation. Since I joined at the start of Cataclysm, Innovation didn't really had a bench. I cannot remember any raid where more then two raiders had to be left behind, even one being left out was rare.

I am not talking about the time Innovation went 10-manning Firelands, that was a dark time. The bench was huge there, at least 8 people. I was lucky back than. I was ranged, and during that dark winter, Innovation only had three ranged left. And than our guildleader decided, 25 or bust.

Not that our raids actually had 25 people all the time. But we always went in when 21 people where there. And we had our fun back, and tomorrow, Innovation has a Mythic Raid planned... only 20 allowed.

Our last raids where full, or almost full, so 28+ raiders. Which means tomorrow people have to be benched, something that Innovation has not much experience on. I am not envious of the officer-corp. They have to decide who to sit out, and why. The statement made was rotational. So everyone will have their 2 raids a week I guess.

And that 2 weeks before the next phase of this Tier, Blackrock. I actually do not think we will be going into Highmaul much after we can enter Blackrock. So it is only a short benching experience. But Innovation will reach Mythic again. Of that I have no doubt.

Was Mar'gok really the end-boss???

For the Horde

Some recap-thoughts about last two weeks.

- I raided normal Highmaul on the Horde

- I went in with the minimum Ilevel required (630)

- I didn't expect high numbers

- Retribution Paladins are OP it seems

- Innovation clears the first 6 bosses in one evening on HC

- I still have a 655-mission weapon

- I have a mythic Shards of Nothing from a mission

- A week after I spend 150 dkp on the heroic one...

- Lurche is the only one without a garrison sofar

- That will probably be fixed this weekend

- I retired my Mac

- Except the air station

- So I can't throw it away

- I got a new videocard

- the old one was old

- I also got a new monitor

- I now have 5 inches more

- Streaming raids on twitch will be restarted soon

- I read the news on bloods

- I am eating more frostweed than ever for all the catalysts

- I am no longer doing 'minor' alts' garrisons on raid-days

- I only have so much time

- I should maybe tear down the barn for an inn

- I should maybe do mines and depths

- all for followers

- I have Thisalee

- Imperator is irritating

- Friday is for the Horde

- It is Friday

The raiding has started.

Sunday night, Innovation went into Highmaul the first time, the Heroic version that is. Without much problem we got Kargath down. The raidleaders opted to skip Butcher, and we went to Brackenspore, which was a little more difficult.

More difficult, as in people that had to be steered in one direction. Of the 27 characters present, I think half of them was new, not only the players, but also what they are playing. Some longstanding members also decided to stop raiding durng the christmas break, but with about 8 pulls, and two bosses down, nothing to worry about.

The Birds stealing the show after Brackenspore

Before the raid, I made sure I was ready. 60 potions, 40 greater flask, three WoD-crafted pieces ( two of which where 670, one 655), and everything reasonable gemmed/enchanted. After all the making and upgrading, my Argent Dawn reagent-list looks like this:

19 Savage Bloods (used for upgrading gear)
856 Burnished Leathers
1207 Raw Beast Hide (used in LW CD's)
84 Temporal Crystals (used by enchants in general)
1260 Draenic Dusts (used by enchanting CD's)
802 Primal Spirits (a potential 15 more Savage Bloods)
36 Sorcerous Air (used in Greater Mastery Taladite, Weapon Enchant,Ring enchant))
162 Sorcerous Earth (used by Neck enchant)
151 Sorcerous Water (used by Cloak enchant)
93 Sorcerous Fire (used for Greater Intellect Flask)
3999 Blackrock Ore (used for Alchemy,BS,JC,Engineering CD's)
4681 True Iron Ore (used for BS,JC,Engineering CD's/Mastery Taladite)
50 Hexweave Cloth
426 Gorgrond Flytraps (used by LW and Tailoring CD's)
553 Frostweed (used by Alchemy CD's)
184 Talador Orchid (used for Intellect Potion/Flask)
301 Starflowers (used for Intellect Flask/Mastery Taladite)
180 Fireweed
141 Nagrand Arrowblooms
529 Alchemical Catalysts (used for Greater Intellect Flask)
81 Taladite Crystals (used in Greater Mastery Taladite)
371 Truesteel Ingots
67 Gearspring Parts
59 War Paints

What really jumps out is the amount of raw materials I have, normally for gathering professions. 8500+ ores, about a 1000 herbs, even after all the stuff I made. I still have a lot of Burnished leather, but getting those did require a bit more effort (Hello Clefthoof trapping). I have no idea what to do with the massive amount of ores at the moment, just stop mining is the only thing I can think of.

Some of the reagents are lower, but I did make a 670-Tailoring Cloak, 670-Necklace and a 655-trinket. Also a Blingtron was constructed, several engineering.blacksmithing pets, a LW-mount, and of course the before mentioned alchemy stuff.

I am wondering why I still have skinning on Mardah though, I should probably change it, but it feels wrong, and I am not sure Blizzard will come up with something useful for it. For that matter, Herbing and Mining as a profession are equally screwed....  why have it, if all the stuff you need can be done by your garrison-buildings....the three seem rather useless now.

Oh, yeah, I know I can make another 670-piece of gear, but I am waiting with that a little bit, just to see what will drop from bonus rolls. I expect one of my rolls will get me a cloak or necklace, so I can than replace the self-made one, with a leather working-thingie... raid starts at 1900, let us roll the dice again.

Mardah's real controller is spotted