What I Am Up To: December Edition.

I have a baby that I only level with a friend. Since Delgada is 100 and well on her way to being geared for raiding, we hop on our babies and level the slow way, stopping for treasure, hunting down rares, picking herbs and ore, and dying to things we should know just cannot be killed.

We just finished Gorgrond. To maximize the treasures we could pick up, he chose the arena and I chose the lumber mill so that we could grab each others items. What I didn't expect is that our quests would be so dramatically different because of the choice! The good thing is, where my quests were in my log, he had a bonus objective, and vice-versa, so we didn't lose while the other gained. One of the weird parts was that at the end of my lumber mill chain, I had to kill Iyu, a huge genosaur. Leading up to that, I was in a cave doing a kill ten things quest and pick up four of those. When I was done the cave was swarmed with those annoying flower podlings. I died once to them, asked my friend why he wasn't helping, and he said, helping with what? He couldn't see anything! Well, I did my magey stealth thing and ran out of the cave to face Iyu, who he also could not see. So, he popped out of bear form and threw heals on me while I finished my quest.  I don't remember not being able to see his quest objectives. This was very odd!

You probably met my baby, Bittsee, here once before.

Reapersky and Bittsee?

We found one of those shaman stones in the level 100 area of Frostfire Ridge (we begged a guildy to help us kill rares out there!) that turns you into an ogre as part of it's buff. So silly!  Anyhow, Reapersky refuses to level without a goblin aboard, so Bittsee obliges. Sometimes I feel like I am really just along for the ride, because he demolishes everything while I am still trying to cast Arcane Blast. I contribute as best I can by being the "Oh, look, there's a toy over to the north east!" navigator. Handy Notes is really a great thing. The map does get a little busy in Gorgrond, though, if you turn on the spawn points for either the stones or the tanglewood. Sad thing is, the items don't disappear when you loot them on those items, so I end up going back to points I already cleared. Still, I guess it is better than having nothing at all!

Just a little old transmog showing.

I really like the new armor styles in this expansion so far. Both Delgada and Bittsee are wearing everything (except that weird towel looking shoulder rag) that is an upgrade without covering it up with transmog. I haven't got far enough on Shawndra or Anselma (my boosted human paladin) to tell if they will be as forunate, and Carlatta is waiting impatiently to cross over when a friend gets his expansion for Christmas. Oh, and there is Halinka, who has yet to break her transmog set at level 96. Here, look at the two priests, one in un-mogged ready for heroics and beyond gear, and one still leveling through Talador.

Her buckle is missing, and Fishing Pole!

Just gloves, offhand, and dagger.

Oh, and I suppose I should post a picture of Anselma even though I haven't been playing her as much, because Halinka needs to hit 100 next. I have loved Anselma for a long time, but she was on a server where no one was playing. She still is, but thanks to a perfect server merge, she is now on the same server as Halinka, so she is also in Hearts of Darkness! This means I will have questing buddies and help if needed, and people to talk to.

I'll put out the fire, but I don't have to like it!

I'm saving her boost gear for transmog, because it is so pretty, and it isn't a bikini transmog. Don't get me wrong, I love bikini mogs, but nothing says you mean business like a fully armored look. I mean to tank on Anselma, eventually, so she might as well look the part!

Boosted characters are a funny thing. I chose Anselma because she was in mid Lich King content, so she would get the profession boost. Walking through the portal, it was like she was an amnesia patient, being slowly reminded of the spells she had already learned and used before, spoon fed to her a couple at a time. I really hated it. There should be a point where a boost can just pick up where they left off from, especially for those that were at least 60. Instead of making it a one size fits all experience, maybe a two tiered approach would be better. If you boost from zero, spoon feed , but if you boost from 60 or higher, start from a level 60 set of skills and build from there.

This is a lot for one post! I have a lot more to say, but the thought aren't organized yet, so I leave you with Mr February 2015 from the Azeroth Beefcakes Calendar. 

I welcome photo-shopped versions featuring beaches and suitable beach attire!