Epic Diapers #62: “That Potion Makes You Buff”

My level 91 lock in his tailoring emporium, putting in orders and crafting ilevel 640 equipment.

Download the segment here, or:

Stream it below!

 

If you’re an altoholic like me, or you plan on leveling several toons to 100, I’ve got a few tips for you that can make your overall leveling process faster, and  a way to manufacture more materials and gear for all of your toons.

If you have several toons at level 90 gathering dust, may I suggest leveling each one of them until they establish their garrison. Typically, this takes only an hour or so to do, but once that garrison is built, resources start accumulating at about 500 every 3 ½ days. Now, you can simply log in every 3 days to collect your resources, and when you’re ready to take that toon to 100, you’ll be swimming in resources which will enable you to send more followers on missions, construct buildings faster, and even buy that 20% experience buff potion from your garrison innkeeper to save hours of leveling.

If you have an extra hour or two to spend with each alt that has established their garrison, may I recommend that you select a crafting profession and complete that initial questline in frostfire ridge to get the level 1 blueprint. Now, you can build your tailoring emporium, forge, or whatever you need mats for. My level 91 warlock has already created enough hexweave cloth for a level 640 chest, and I plan on creating the legs and helm to wear to make his eventual leveling process even faster. My lock also has 4 followers, all at level 100. Often the player experience quests come up, and I’ve gained almost a full level on my lock by just completing those missions with the experience potion buff active.

Special pre-Alpha Beta Gamma Zeta Eta Theta pre-pre-Omega access

I found additional buildings to choose for your Garrison in my special pre-alpha-beta-eta-theta-beta access to WoD.

Although we’re still months away from the new expansion dropping, we have gotten a sneak peak on many of the new features coming our way. Recently, Blizzard gave us a little more information on the new Garrison feature, where we’ll be able to build our own little buildings in various zones.

I have exciting news though, Blizzard has given me special pre-Alpha Beta Gamma Zeta Eta Theta pre-pre-Omega access to the expansion, specifically to test out this new Garrison feature.

Listen to the audio mini-cast below to discover what happened:

[audio https://archive.org/download/EpicDiapers53/EpicDiapers_53.mp3]

 

You can follow me @epicdiapers. I also co-host TortureCast with Willie Dills and Kids Are Hard with my wife, so be sure to check those out.

And, for you science geeks out there, I’ll be a special guest on This Week in Science with Dr. Kiki Sanford on June 12, so look for that soon!

Sihx

Episode 44: Warlords of Efficiency

“You’re gonna make me go do WHAT?!”

Click below for the audio segment:

Many of you out there still have the post-Blizzcon Blues, and unfortunately, I am living with the regret of not going myself, but when you have a family and both spouses work, well, it just doesn’t work out sometimes.

The new expansion to WoW, “Warlords of Draenor”, was announced of course, and I’m quite excited about some of the efficiency and flexibility they are adding to the game, especially for those of us who don’t have much time.

I’m particularly excited about Garrisons, which will give you access to followers, as your garrison grows over 3 tiers. These followers will be able to go on missions to get you epic gear and materials, along with your expanded farm creating more materials.

You get a free 90, and you get a free 90, and everyone who buys the expansion gets a free 90! I’d hold off on leveling your lowest alt and wait for the expansion to boost said alt, or even a new level 1 to 90. I wish they’d add a 12th character slot, since my best boost would only be from level 81. Blizzard also hinted that they may offer additional level 90 boosts for purchase. The reason that they should do this is because some players there will just purchase additional expansions for more than one account, then transfer boosted 90s over to their main account. Might as well make it more efficient.

More bag space! Blizzard will be increasing stack sizes of many mats to 100, and putting tabards, quest items, heirlooms, toys and tabards into a collection, saving dozens of bag slots. You’ll also be able to craft from items in your bank! So, you can dump many mats in your bank and craft from them anywhere in the world.

Remember, you can also hear my segments on The Instance, Rawrcast, The AIE Podcast and Convert to Raid.

Sihx

Episode 42: Check out These Chests!

Let “Handy Notes” reveal all of the glorious chests on the Timeless Isle

Click below for the audio segment:

Hey there, it’s Sihx back with more tips for twerking for you lootz on the Timeless Isle in patch 5.4. So, by now you’ve probably exhausted yourself with trying to find every single chest on the island. No, not that kind of chest, but the moss-covered and sturdy varieties that are sprinkled about the island.

Well, I have an addon for you that will make sure you locate every single one of these loot pinatas. Just head on over to curse.com and download two addons. First, search for Handy Notes, which is the base addon to populate your mini-map with whatever locations are imported in. Second, search for one such database of locations, and this is called HandyNotes Timeless Isle Chests. With both of these addons installed and enabled, your mini map and in game map will have the locations of every chest and will differentiate them between one-time, weekly and special chests. Furthermore, each time you open a chest, that location will be removed from your map, so you can whittle it down to the last agonizing few chests that, well, let’s be honest, you may never reach. You’ll be surprised how many chests are still in areas that you walked or rode by countless times, but this will certainly speed up the rate of chest discovery faster than a teenage boy at…(CENCSORED).

Remember, you can also hear my segments on The Instance, Rawrcast, The AIE Podcast and Convert to Raid.

Sihx

Episode 41: Patch 5.4 is Here!

Thar be treasure down in them thar green, woody area…

Click below for the audio segment:

Patch 5.4 has been out for 3 days now, and I can’t believe they made –REMOVED– the new Warchief! Aside from YouTube spoilers, I’ve had only a couple of hours to run around the Timeless Isle, but so far I like the non-questy, exploration feel to it.

The few bread crumb quests that you can pick up are worth it. They’re easy, fast, and give you quite a few timeless coins, the main currency to purchase gear, consumables, and vanity items on the Isle. If you’re an altoholic like me, this Isle is a dream for gearing up your alts. Quite often, you will discover a treasure chest just sitting around, sparkling and stuff. Many times, a token for a piece of ilevel 496 gear will be in there, and here’s the kicker, it’s account-bound. You may also loot these armor tokens randomly off mobs, and of course, there will be a higher percentage drop from rares, which parties are often farming right now. So, if you find, for example, a “Timeless Cloth Helm” armor token, you can send it to your clothie alt, and then convert it into whatever spec-appropriate gear you want for that slot. However, if you just want to gear up your main, you may want to hold onto those armor tokens until you find or purchase a Burden of Eternity. With these puppies, you can upgrade your armor token to ilevel 535. You can loot this once per character from the Blazing Chest near the Ordon Sanctuary. After that, you need to either purchase it for 50,000 timeless coins or get real lucky with a drop.

I’ll be back next week with more tips and tricks from the Timeless Isle and patch 5.4

Remember, you can also hear my segments on The Instance, Rawrcast, The AIE Podcast and Convert to Raid.

Sihx

Episode 40: Gearing Your Level 90 Alt(s)

If you’re like me, you have a server(s) full of alts, many near or at level cap.

Click below for the audio segment:

Now that the expansion doldrums have hit, and that I’ve taken the summer off from raiding, I’ve had a little time to level a second toon to 90. So much has changed since I geared up my main, that I really wanted to make the gear acquisition as quick and efficient as possible, so I’ve created a list that also may help you gear up your fresh shiny level 90 toon.

The first benchmark is item level 435, which is required for heroic dungeons, the second is 460, which is the requirement for Mogu’shan Vault LFR. So, once that level 90 achievement flashes across your screen, purchase Pandaria flying from the trainer in your faction’s shrine in the VAle of Eternal Blossoms. Next, hop over to Mogu’shan Vaults and do the 2 scenario quests from Loremaster Cho to open up the Barrens weekly quest where you can earn a 489 piece once a week. Also, help the Panda up the mountain in Kun Lai Summit for a pair of 502 boots. Fly over to the Thunder Isle and open up those solo scenarios and quests, try to get a key to Lei-Shen’s Treasure Trove to drop off an elite, and run that treasure room once a week for tokens. Use those tokens for extra rolls on a Sha of Anger or Galleon kill. If you are still not at 460 after purchasing whatever cheap 458 PVP and other PVE gear that you can from the auction house, run random heroic dungeons and random scenarios ‘til your eyes bleed profusely, while still keeping up with the weekly chores I previously mentioned. You should be LFR’ing your way to purples in no time! Also, if you can wait until patch 5.4, all Pandaria faction gear will no longer require rep to purchase, and it will only require justice points, not valor. So, cap out your JP at 4,000 and get some sweet purple pixels when 5.4 drops.

Remember, you can also hear my segments on The Instance, Rawrcast, The AIE Podcast and Convert to Raid.

Sihx

12/3 Hotfixes: Valor Points Increased….barely!!!!

The increase from 25 to 40 valor points per raid boss is a mere drop in the bucket of the weekly cap

I’ve been actively raiding with my team (Noogie Nights, represent!) and we’re currently 4/6 in MV 10 normal. However, in my inebriated state last week, I realized that we were only receiving 25 valor points PER RAID BOSS! I honestly thought this was a joke that escaped me. Well, the value did escape me like my two year old’s wet diaper. Quite honestly I was floored that a RAID BOSS gave as much valor as 5 dailies. And, I’m sure we’re all sick of dailies at this point. 🙂

Just yesterday, Blizzard implemented some 5.1 hotfixes and now they’ve increased the valor points rewarded per raid boss to a whopping 40. I feel a Dr. Evil “reallllly” coming on while I stroke my hairless cat. 40 points. 40. Let that sink in. 40.

So, I’m someone with limited playing time, and now that I’m back to raiding 6 hours per week, I can’t afford to do my dailies, LFR, dungeons and scenarios like I was before jumping back into raiding. All of those activities were to prepare for raiding. It certainly looks like I’ll never hit the VP weekly cap now, not that I ever did in the first place. Assuming we’re knocking out 6 bosses in a couple of weeks, that would still put me at only 240 VP. I ain’t got the time to supplement the remaining 760, outside of a few dailies.

I suppose though, that the devil’s advocate would purport that I have the chance to obtain 489 epics through raiding INSTEAD of gaining valor points for the purpose of obtaining gear, and there is some validity to the point, but I don’t believe it as far as some at Blizzard that have stated it’s essentially double-dipping. This was the argument for eliminating championing factions with tabards in heroic dungeons. In fact, I hit the loot jackpot last week, receiving 3 plate dps items (I’m a frost DK), and 1 set of tanking boots in 4 bosses. Yes, I got a drop a boss, so I’ll stop bitching for a while about my lack of gear, but that’s beside the point to the philosophical argument I present to you today :).

What are your thoughts on the meager increase in valor points, and the general challenges of capping valor AND reputation every week?

Oh, and by the way, I had taken a few months off to take care of family matters, but I’m ramping up my recording schedule, including the AIE Raid Wrapup.

Sihx
@epicdiapers

Best PVE Gear for Toons that Don’t Raid

You can still have chocolate cake if you don't raid!

Audio

So, you’re level 85 and can’t raid, or you want to gear up an alt. you may not get the best gear in the game, but you can do pretty well without ever killing a boss in the Firelands, Here’s a quick guide on the best PVE gear you can get without raiding.

First, grab your 365 cloak from the Elemental Bonds quests, open to all level 85s. Next, head for the Molten Front. Upon completing all of the quests, most classes can get 365 gear for their neck, hands, wrist, waist, feet, rings, trinkets and relics, and blacksmithing patterns for weapons.

For level 378 gear, do your daily random heroics, as valor points can get you your neck, wrist, ring, relics, and your tier 12 chest, hands and legs. Don’t forget your weekly Occu’thar kill in Baradin hold for a chance at a 378 PVE piece or PVP 384 piece to drop.

Try and join a PUG to kill Firelands trash, and you can not only grind up rep with the Avegners of Hyjal to get a 378 cloak and belt, but you may also get lucky with a neck, wrist, waist, ring, or weapon drop.

If you’re rich, hit up the auction house for BoE 378s. Ask guildies if they have any 378 hand or boot patterns they’d be willing to craft for you…but make sure you pay them well.

In a nutshell, you can get item level 365 or 378 PVE gear for every slot except for your head and shoulders. If you have less than 359 gear here, just spend honor points for 371 PVP gear, which will be better in most cases.

You can find a more detailed spreadsheet of your options here.

And remember, it’s hard to balance the pew pew with the poo poo.

-Sihx

@epicdiapers

Segment #5 on “The Instance” – Don’t Drop Your Tank!

Guess i gotta drop this dungeon...again

Audio

I had a little rant for my fifth segment of “Epic Diapers” on “The Instance.” With my limited schedule, I plan my 6 hours of raiding each week (2 nights, 3 hrs each), and opportunistically play whenever I can. Some of this time is filled with quick leveling of alts, but if I think I have an hour or so, I’ll join the dungeon queue with my main. The problem is, I often am interrupted unexpectedly when trying to squeeze in this playing time. It might be my daugther, son, or my wife that need me at that very moment, or perhaps the house caught on fire. It’s surprising how little personal time you can count on having when raising a family.

I like to tank, but with these constant interruptions, I personally feel it’s rude to drop frequently if you are a tank. The other 4 members are relying on you, and if you can’t give the community a reliable commitment, just DPS. DPS can be replaced immediately in a random PUG, but when a tank drops, it can take 5-10 minutes sometimes. Of course, it’s your right to tank if you want, even if you have to drop 4/5 randoms you run. It’s your $15 a month. I just believe proper dungeoning etiquette can go a long way.

Stay epic, my friends!

-Sihx

Follow @epicdiapers

Midsummer Fire Festival – An Alt’s Dream

Well, we’re about halfway through the WoW holiday, Midsummer Fire Festival, and it’s proven to be a very good holiday to level up and possibly equip your alts. Let’s take a peek on what you can do to add some quick XP, gold, and epic items to your alts armory.

Festival Dailies

First of all, log into all of your alts every day during the holiday and take advantage of some quick xp. You can start in any capital city, just find where the holiday NPCs are hanging around a big campfire. After the first introductory quests, there are two repeatable dailies, “Torch Tossing” and “Torch Catching.” These are fairly easy quests, unless you are a keyboard turner. Google techniques if you are having difficulties. Immediately upon completion of these quests, the daily quests will open up: “More Torch Tossing,” and “More Torch Catching.” They are the same quests except they require more braziers hit and more consecutive torches caught. These two quests can be completed every day for the duration of the holiday. My 78 mage is getting around 25k for each quest, while my 69 druid around 13k per.

There are more dailies that you can unlock, but they require some quest chains that require signficant time. Many people are reporting good gold and xp returns for desecration and honoring of fires. I personally do not have time to drag my alts all around Azeroth, Outland and Northrend, and by the xp/hr reports I’m seeing, I believe it’s more efficient to just run random dungeons and/or use James’ leveling guides. However, if you need exploration xp, are bored, want the holiday achievement, or just want something new to do, by all means, go hit up all the fires.

Lord Ahune

Level 78 alts can use the random dungeon finder to slay Lord Ahune. My 78 mage is loving this daily exercise. Not only is it a bit of nice xp, but I get two frost emblems and a satchel of chilled goods that has the chance of dropping the holiday pet and a nice 2H caster staff. The chest also can drop several varieties of cloak. I already have both caster cloaks. All items are ilevel 232, and once that wretched staff drops for me, that’s two nice pieces that I can immediately equip upon dinging 80! The queue for dps has yet to exceed 5 minutes for me.

Hitting these daily quests takes minutes and will reap nice rewards! Don’t forget to be wearing your xp-boosting heirloom gear, and if you will be out questing and killing mobs, don’t forget to dance on the ribbon pole to obtain that nifty 10% xp bonus! There are valuable buffs that you can obtain as well.