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Posted By Venick to Venick and Taeveril's Blog at 6/30/2007 05:25:00 AM

I have not been playing World of Warcraft the past four days and as of recently, found out our 3v3 Warlock "Trashlock", left the team to join his friends' 3v3 team as he promised. I figured with such a well-geared and dare I say, skilled, Warlock on our team, he would leave sooner or later. I pretty confident he did not want to leave for a better shot at reaching high rankings with us but he had to keep his promise. Thats how arena teams work.

Ming brought up a good point when he said arena teams aren't about friendship. If you want to go far, you can't baby everyone. You have look for the best and just invite friends. You have to be disciplined, have a thrist to prove yourself, to strive to make it to the top. A team captain must make decisions that are not based on popularity or what everyone likes, but whats best, what will send your team furtherest.

Perhaps I don't practice what I preach since I didn't get Gladiator rank in Season 1. Before the arenas where even open, I heard that all you needed to do is play 10 games every week and thats all you need. I was confident, maybe too confident, that Taeveril and I would win 10 games almost every week; however, once the system came out, I realized that it is still somewhat of a grind. I realized its not so easy. We only played enough games to make it to 2,000+. Our 3v3 made it only to 1900 and we started to play less and less. And our 5v5 was rushed together only to make it to 1790.

This Season we had planned to go far with our 2v2 and 3v3. Unforunately, we're being set back. With the loss of Trashlock for 3v3, we're going to have to find an alternative, perferbly a Warlock. And for our 2v2, Taeveril is working 60 hours 7 days a week. Although I'm happy with our rating thus far, the question is...


What to do now?


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Posted By Venick to Venick and Taeveril's Blog at 6/29/2007 05:05:00 PM

Following in the footsteps ofThottbot, WowHead, Rogue-Equip and Wow-Equip a new database sight has emerged. WoW Digger seems to want to do everything. Instead of simply allowing you to catalog your gear currently on your character it wants to save everything! Skills, Recipes, Gear, etc. A download and registration is required to use the character profile features which I have yet to test out. However this looks like a very promising site. Give it a look and leave a comment.

~CS

I've been watching set bonuses since the first ones appeared. Ive been hopeful myself for the return of the 120 Energy build. It has in the form of Merciless Gladiator. Now If I could just get better in the Arena.... thats right don't look. After one week in the Arena my rating in 2v2 has bounced as low as 1300 and back up to around 1420 or so. Granted this was my first week at 70 and both myself and the Warlock's first week in arena. But enough excuses... much much more work needs to be placed in that aspect to improve ourselves and it will come. I guess we wont be besting those teams decked out in full season 1 and season 2 gear already.

As I struggle to acclimate myself to the Arena match play I have noticed an increasing trend in set bonuses. From what I can tell I think I am going to like it... but I will hold judgment for a bit longer. What I have noticed is that with the increased number of sets a player can obtain the amount of armor needed to achieve the different set bonuses has been lowered. While at first glance this just seems a push into the casual direction I think its a bit more thought out then that.

The sets seem to have bonuses that compliment each other or stack with each other. The easiest to notice is the new Arena set. Merciless Gladiator's 2 piece bonus is the same as Gladiator's 2 piece bonus. +35 Resilience. I think you will see a lot of people stacking 2 set pieces not because they cant get all four season 2 but because the bonus of 70 resilience is more enticing then having the 4 piece bonus of either set.

One of the other sets that caught my eye for Rogues is Netherblade and Slayer sets. Netherblade 2pc increases the duration of your Slice and Dice ability and Slayer 2pc increases the haste of your slice and dice ability. Both of these effects compliment each other well. Like a well matched Bikini sometimes the effect is better then the original... (its summer here in Florida thats the best frame of reference for me at the moment)

Now I maybe off my rocker but I sincerely hope that this trend is a well thought out plan by Blizzard to encourage the mix and match of sets to produce powerful set bonus combinations, not the product of a Ritalin induced writing frenzy.

"When you and your teammates have worked hard all season long to get into the conference finals, I don't care if your girl friend is about to give you a new born child (see Lebron James and Bruce Bowen) or threatens to write your name in the death note, you gotta put your team before everything else." - Ming

The is beyond a doubt the most, you guessed it, delusional statement that I've heard Ming or anyone else say. I'm sure he will agree he went too far sooner or later but I'm metaphorically speaking "at a loss of words". I think what Ming is trying to point out is how important and serious World of Warcraft is but I would also think Ming is that one of a million person that would go this far.

This is who has announced himself as a rogue hero and is trying to save the rogue community. Let me guess, God told him there needs to be a leader to the rogue class and he must pick up the dagger? His last statement confirmed my belief that he truly is delusional. But while some of you despise hearing anything about Ming, you have to admit hes an undeniable source of traffic. Its unfortunate to say the least but think of him as the counterpart of the "World of Roguecraft" series.

Sure he has some interesting and shocking (namely this one) articles, but he is no rogue hero in my book. For newcomers to the rogue class, they find out about him and like a calf knows its mother, they bond. This first impression on what seems to be endless helpful information on a new rogue player to World of Warcraft, in their eyes, makes him a hero. If I wasn't so skeptical, I would say its somehow brainwashing. In the end, I have never really thought Ming to be crazy only unique in his personality. This has changed my view.

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Posted By Venick to Venick and Taeveril's Blog at 6/24/2007 01:23:00 PM

First Week of Season 2
Taeveril and I attempted what we felt was the best strategy against this combination: Split DPS. Time will tell of course, especially when the arenas get situated between high and low ratings, if it will still pull its weight but so far it has proved itself working. We beat several Duelist ranked Warrior and Paladins from last season, among others.

Whats great about this tactic is the ability to avoid damage, deliever damage, crowd control Paladin, and still force the shield early. You know whenever you get a combo like this that your not going to be able to kill the Warrior and most people just rush down healers anyway, but by splitting our dps, we can still maintain pressure on their Paladin, probably even make them shield rather quickly without the risk of his partner beating on us or the risk of Sap, Blind, and Polymorph on the Paladin breaking off.




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Posted By Venick to Venick and Taeveril's Blog at 6/23/2007 01:41:00 PM

The story progresses, Mings past is revealed.

Great movie! Thanks to huggybear for giving me the heads up.

With the delay of our "V&T: Limitless" video, I've decided to take what clips that were suppose to go into that and trade them into making my newest (I like to call it my first) pvp video. You can find it here: http://www.warcraftmovies.com/movieview.php?id=41942

I feel this trade off will allow us to redesign our joint video back to its original 2v2 arena content form. I expect at least two more weeks before it comes out. As much as it pains me to get it out so late it has to be delayed. The trailer came out over a month ago and we planned on having it out much much sooner. Either way, its for the best so that we can spend more time developing the content. But please if you have any questions, suggestions, or comments about my video, go ahead and post it here.

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Posted By Venick to Venick and Taeveril's Blog at 6/16/2007 12:33:00 AM

Vs Warrior/Paladin

Forcing The Divine - The Beginning

Option 1 - CC Paladin / Kill Warrior: Paladin casts Blessing of Sacrifice on the Warrior. Mage Spellsteals Blessing of Sacrifice and Rogue Saps Paladin. Mage and rogue attacks Warrior. Then comes Possibility A) Sap ends on the Paladin without the need to trinket, Paladin begins to heal, and Mage polymorphs him - forcing him to Divine Shield and hopefully healing too late. [Good] Possibility B) Paladin trinkets when Warrior is in trouble and Mage polymorphs him - forcing him to Divine Shield to save the Warrior. [Normal] Possibility C) Paladin trinkets immediately out of Sap forcing us to Polymorph him. At this point, we either kill the Warrior before he Divine Shields or he Divine Shields out of Polymorph. [Bad]

Option 2 - Split DPS: Paladin casts Blessing of Sacrifice on Warrior. We use this to our advantage (since he can't give warrior Blessing of Freedom) and Mage attacks the Warrior. The Rogue keeps the Paladin busy and delivers enough damage to force him to Divine Shield (most likely using trinket to remove Hammer of Justice). If Paladin gives Warrior Blessing of Freedom, Mage must spellsteal it. If the Warrior attempts to kill the rogue, the Mage must keep at least Rank 1 Frostbolt on the Warrior so that he may not reach the rogue. If the Warrior does, the rogue reverts to defensive and returns to stealth. Mage then attempts to kill and Counterspell the Paladin in the meantime, once the Warrior changes targets again, the rogue continues to damage the Paladin to force shield. Preferbly the Rogue got Divine Shield off before the Warrior went for him.

Option 3 - Dual DPS Paladin: Wait until Warriors charges/intercepts Mage and Rogue opens stunlock on the Paladin. Possibility A) Mage Frost Novas Warrior and Polymorphs him. Warrior trinkets out of Polymorph. Mage should be immediately recasting Polymorph in case of such; however, do not finish the cast if he doesn't trinket it. [Normal] Possibility B) Warrior trinkets Frost Nova. Polymorph him and switch to the Paladin. [Good] Mage uses Water Elemental and as much burst damage as possible to force Divine Shield early. If Warrior escapes Polymorph during the stunlock, the Rogue Blinds Warrior.

Time To Change - Offense To Defense To Offense

Option 1 - CC Paladin / Kill Warrior: If the Warrior gets killed at the beginning, this game has been won. However, if the Paladin heals the Warrior just in time, Mage and Rogue split off and play line of sight to bandage until Divine Shield ends. Once its over, this is the time where the Mage Polymorphs the Warrior. Warrior trinkets out of the Polymorph forcing me to Blind him and at the same time keep the Paladin stunned so he can not dispel. Hopefully line of sight will help the process.

Option 2 - Split DPS: Most likely from this strategy the Warrior and Paladin will both be at half health. Mage should continue is onslaught and the Rogue should switch onto the Warrior only if he has full health and/or the Paladin is healing himself first. Possibility A) Paladin is healing himself first and we kill the Warrior, this game has been won. Possibility B) Paladin heals the Warrior first. Mage should then scatter off and find a place to bandage. Rogue should, if not at full health, also start to bandage. If the rogue is at full health he should slow or stun the Warrior and return to stealth. From here your back to step one.

Option 3 - Dual DPS Paladin: Once Divine Shield is up, both players should go defensive, use line of sight, and bandage. Once its over, this is the time where the Mage Polymorphs the Warrior. Whether the Warrior trinkets out of the Polymorph or not is irrelevant. Once hes out, I use my Blind and at the same time keep the Paladin stunned so he can not dispel. Hopefully line of sight will help the process.

Game Over

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Posted By Venick to Venick and Taeveril's Blog at 6/21/2007 02:59:00 AM

In what will hopefully just be the first of many RogueSpot T-shirts. This July we will be selling the first round of shirts. It will be a small test order to see what kind of demand and if the demand is there we will look to expand! Heres a preview of the Got [Thistle Tea]? Shirt!


The users of the Cloak and Dagger and other RogueSpot forum readers this is probably old news. Just throwing it out there cause I know i am excited :-p

Very cool movie staring three gnomes and an evil Ming. Highly entertaining. RogueSpot gives it * * * * * stars.

I will definitly be looking forward to more episodes of the time gnomes. Thanks Redemption / Iblis for posting that one in the CnD.