War Within alpha Transmogrification previews, continued — first raid tier models

Here’s what we can look forward to from the first War Within raid tier.

Season 1 Mage: At first, cursory, glance, the combination of being a pants set and the array of color schemes reminded me quite a bit of the Antorus set. Looking closer, the style resemblance isn’t as strong. This will be a nice set to add to my collection.

Season 1 Druid: Just… not feeling this. Dubious that I’d like it any better seeing it on a Tauren woman instead of a Night Elf man. It looks a lot more, well, Shaman-ish than Druid-ish.

Season 1 Shaman: I like this! It gives me the vibe of an updated version of the T4 Cyclone Regalia, which is one of my favorite sets partly because of the nostalgia of it being my first raid tier, and partly because it’s a really nice-looking set. It’s looking like Kamalia will take priority over Kerisa for War Within Season 1.

Nerubian Raid weapons: If you’re into the spider aesthetic, if you liked Maldraxxus, then these might be your cup of tea, but for me? Nope, nope nope.

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Things my Shaman Wears, part 14 (outfits 131 – 140)

A collection of Transmogrification Kits actually worn in-game by my Tauren & Highmountain Tauren Shamans. Outfits are listed from most recent to least recent. Items that are no longer obtainable are marked with an asterisk (*).

135) Cobalt Guardian

Cobalt Guardian’s Helm, Cobalt Guardian’s Pauldron, Azure Wings of Awakening, Cobalt Guardian’s Hauberk, Cobalt Guardian’s Grips, Cobalt Guardian’s Belt, Cobalt Guardian’s Leggings, Cobalt Guardian’s Cover, Cobalt Defender’s Shredder, Steadfast Cobalt Bulwark
This version of the set is obtained from the Cobalt Assembly, which was, at least for me, the most obnoxious grind experience of Dragonflight.

134) Obsidian Dracthyr

Obsidian Dracthyr Battlegear Helm, Obsidian Dracthyr Battlegear Monnion, Obsidian Wings of Awakening, Obsidian Dracthyr Battlegear Hauberk, Obsidian Dracthyr Battlegear Grips, Obsidian Dracthyr Battlegear Belt, Obsidian Dracthyr Battlegear Leggings, Obsidian Dracthyr Battlegear Cover, Obsidian Guard’s Claw, Obsidian Guard’s Barrier
This version of the set is obtained from Wrathion/Sabellian reputation, which isn’t hard to do as long as there are lots of other people at the Obsidian Citadel working on it, too.

133) Sandshaped Dracthyr

Sandshaped Dracthyr Battlegear Helm, Sandshaped Dracthyr Battlegear Monnion, Bronze Wings of Awakening, Sandshaped Dracthyr Battlegear Hauberk, Sandshaped Dracthyr Battlegear Grips, Sandshaped Dracthyr Battlegear Belt, Sandshaped Dracthyr Battlegear Leggings, Sandshaped Dracthyr Battlegear Cover, Valdrakken Drakonid’s Claw, Valdrakken Guard’s Barrier
This version of the set just showed up, complete, in my Wardrobe collection one day. I’m not sure what the qualifications are for earning it. Maybe just getting to level 70 as a Mail-wearer? Or perhaps completing the Thaldrazsus leveling main storyline?

132) Crimson Dracthyr

Crimson Dracthyr Battlegear Helm, Crimson Dracthyr Battlegear Monnion, Ruby Wings of Awakening, Crimson Dracthyr Battlegear Hauberk, Crimson Dracthyr Battlegear Grips, Crimson Dracthyr Battlegear Belt, Crimson Dracthyr Battlegear Leggings, Crimson Dracthyr Battlegear Treads, Valdrakken Guard’s Claw, Drake Rider’s Stecktarge
By the time a new Evoker has completed their Forbidden Reach starting zone, they will have collected this version of the set.

131) Emerald Winglord

Emerald Winglord’s Coif, Gleaming Mantle of Unrelenting Justice, Emerald Wings of Awakening, Emerald Winglord’s Hauberk, Emerald Winglord’s Grips, Gleaming Belt of Unrelenting Justice, Emerald Winglord’s Greaves, Emerald Winglord’s Boots, Hidepiercing Claw Extensions, Drakonid’s Jade Bulwark
Getting the five colors of the Dracthyr Battlegear, with their matching fist weapons and shields, was Kamalia’s main Mog collection goal for Dragonflight. This version of the Dracthyr Battlegear is the Evoker starting gear set. It doesn’t have shoulders or a belt available as part of the set. The items from the green and gold version of the Warden set do fill in nicely, though.

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Contemplating Hero Talent trees for My Four Mains

We’re starting to get some War Within hype with the release of preliminary Hero Talent tree designs… except that it seems like most of the ones that we’ve seen so far have gotten trashed on by Wowhead’s Class specialists — and, presumably, by commentators at other MMO news sites that I don’t read — to the extent that Taliesin & Evitel wonder in this week’s Weekly Reset if War Within is already DOA.

Since I most emphatically don’t play at either the organized raiding or Mythic plus dungeoneering levels of competency, for me, choosing Hero Talents will be a lot like how I’ve chosen the regular Class and Specialization tree talents. I’ll ignore the guides and analyses and pick what I like thematically, what I am reasonably certain that I’ll actually remember to use if it’s an Active ability, and what I think might combo okay for my low-skill-threshold solo playstyle.

For my Mages, choosing Hero Talents, at least at the tree level, will almost certainly end up being a sort of round-robin. Kaelinda is always Fire at the beginning of an expansion and usually dabbles in Arcane toward the end of the expansion — though in Dragonflight, she’s currently Frost thanks to the influence of Vyranoth. Kaelyla is always Frost at the beginning of an expansion and usually dabbles in Arcane toward the end of the expansion — she’s Arcane at present. So Kaelinda will most likely do Fire with the Fire/Arcane Hero tree, Frost with the FrostFire Hero tree, and Arcane with the Arcane/Frost Hero tree; and Kaelyla will most likely do Frost with the Arcane/Frost Hero tree, Fire with the FrostFire Hero tree, and Arcane with the Fire/Arcane Hero tree. Only the FrostFire Hero tree has been previewed so far; the Wowhead analyses of it (Fire, Frost) were even mildly positive.

For Kerisa, I’ll be looking at either the Balance/Resto Keeper of the Grove tree (trashed by Wowhead) or the Balance/Guardian Elune’s Chosen tree which was just revealed and hasn’t been reviewed yet. Although I love my treants and always take the Talent to get them, I might have to try both Hero trees and decide which one I like better from hooves/talons-on-the-ground experience.

None of the Hero Talent trees for Shaman have been revealed yet. I’m leaning toward choosing the Elemental/Resto Hero tree with Kamalia for the thematic reason that I’ve historically played her as one or the other of those specs — even if it’s judged by the greater community to be terrible.

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Playing Class Favorites at the Trading Post

Coming this fall to the Trading Post: Class-specific armor and weapon sets!

The catch, though, is that the armor sets are 450 Tender each, and the weapon sets are 500 Tender each, and one can only gain 1000 Tender each month. So, one armor set and one weapon set with 50 to bank for the next month, two armor sets with 100 to bank for the next month, or two weapon sets with nothing left over to bank for the next month.

Let’s take a look at the offerings. What do I want to get NAO, what do I want to hope comes around again next fall, and what’s a no-thanks?

Overall, stylistically a lot of the armor sets have resonances with previous favorite armor sets, and a lot of the weapon sets have resonances with Artifact weapon designs.

September
Paladin: armor set coloration is definitely chosen to coordinate with the Classic Judgment set, while the weapon set coloration is very Draenei (or the Burning Crusade recolor of the Judgment set); I’d go for both if my Paladin were a higher priority character in my roster, but since I want to save Tender for other stuff in later months, they will have to be a pass for now.
Priest: armor set is a definite NOPE since I don’t lean Shadow/Void aesthetic at all, from the weapon set the mace and book are nice but the staff is a nope; armor set is a hard pass, weapon set is a maybe later.
Rogue: armor set is a maybe later, cuz those shoulders would definitely look cool on my Pirate Ninja Tauren Outlaw; weapon set is a nope cuz my Rogues go for sleek instead of spikes on their blades.

October
Death Knight: nope, nope; the shoulders on the armor set are maybe okay but the rest is still outside how far I’m willing to go even when I do lean into the DK aesthetic for a DK Mog.
Demon Hunter: nope, nope; just not my aesthetic at all
Druid: armor set is a maybe later; weapon set is a YES PLEASE. Well, actually, I think the dagger looks kinda silly with the vines and leaves wrapped around it, but the two staves look awesome.

November
Warlock: nope, nope; just not my thing even when I do lean into the Warlock aesthetic for a Warlock Mog.
Monk: armor set is a maybe later; weapon set is a YES PLEASE. So pretty that I must have even though my Monk is a lower priority character on my roster right now. I love that the Brewmaster staff has both a teapot and a keg!
Warrior: like the Paladin armor set, the Warrior armor set is a maybe later; from the weapon set, I like the shield and the 1H sword but the 2H sword is not my jam, and it is also a maybe later.

December
Evoker: actually, I rather like both of these sets, but since I am not grooving with my Evoker — I do like to get each new class to the max level for the expansion in which it is introduced during that expansion, but that will probably not happen for my Evoker until the end-of-expansion lull — I would rather spend my Tenders on the other sets available this month.
Hunter: like the Evoker, these are both decent sets but I have to tag them as maybe later due to them sharing the month with two of my Big Three classes.
Mage: YES, YES; I think I might even have to wear the hat of this set to get the full three floating orbs look (a la Kael’thas), I’m not actually all that keen on the sword from the weapon set but the staff and off-hand are great.
Shaman: YES, YES; I can totally see Kamalia wearing that armor, and I really just want the shield from the weapon set because it has a great Shu’halo sort of look.

So, I’ll need to have 500 Tender to spend in October and 500 Tender to spend in November and somehow still have 1900 Tender available to spend by the end of December. Oh, and let’s not forget about the Medivh-inspired Guardian items that will be coming to the Trading Post in the autumn months, as well! That whole set will cost 975 Tender. I’ve been spending most of my Tender each month and putting an item on Freeze to purchase the next month — and there’s at least one purchase that I wouldn’t have made if these class sets had been officially announced earlier. I am going to have to be more picky with my spending for the rest of the year.

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May is here!

It’s nice this month that Children’s Week is early enough in the month that doing Holiday activities will actually be a significant contributor to collecting my Trading Post currency for the month, rather than being things I do after I’ve finished it off just for the fun of it.

I’ve already picked up the Wanderer’s Snowy Trappings and the pretty High Priestess’s Ceremonial Drape. The Lost Crown of the Arcane was an immediate must-have, too, seeing as how it is a recolor of one of my all-time favorite Mail Tier helms, the Crown of Flame from Firelands. I have the Magenta Cloud Serpent frozen from last month. I could get it this month if I choose not to get the Trial of Valor cloth set recolor or the Stormheim Vrykul leather set recolor. Knowing that stuff I’ve passed on will eventually come around again makes me feel less fretful about that decision.

As far as Children’s Week goes — I think I’ve done both the Classic and Cataclysm versions for both factions (because I seem to remember noticing the differences the first time I did the new versions); I’ve done the Burning Crusade quests for both factions; I’ve done both of the Wrath of the Lich King neutral options; but I was feeling burned out on Holidays during Battle for Azeroth and haven’t done the newest Children’s Week quests yet. So to do Children’s Week activities for the Trading Post, I guess I’ll start with the Zandalari and Kul Tiran orphans; to get the most out of that, I should go do them with characters who need XP, maybe my Druid and Human Mage. Then I think Kaelinda ought to go take Salandria to see her future self, and I haven’t quite decided which orphan to choose to round out the four for the Trading Post activity. My six characters who are doing the Wrath Dalaran fishing dailies in hopes of getting a Battered Jungle Hat have all chosen orphans to accompany them, to make the Trading Post activity for turning in dailies while accompanied by an orphan very easy to complete.

Here are my plans for Patch 10.1 tomorrow: BTH has an obligation on Tuesday nights, so while he’s out, I’ll log onto his account with his alt who is in my me-myself-and-I guild and invite my Void Elf Mage and my Dracthyr (who is Alliance to keep my Characters page more neatly organized :P) into the guild. I managed to finish up the lore questline in the Forbidden Reach (which I always want to call the Forgotten Reach, a name which is equally appropriate) in the past couple of weeks. I’ll probably do the first quests to go into Zaralek Cavern and fly around picking up all the new Dragonriding glyphs — and then I’ll set it aside for awhile. I’m still working on Dragonscale Expedition and Valdrakken Accord Renown and haven’t unlocked all of their 10.0 story content, and I think I’d like to complete that before I do the Zaralek Cavern lore questline.

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Did Kurog Grimtotem use THE DOOMSTONE to free Raszageth from Froststone Vault?

My biggest burning unanswered lore question of Dragonflight: Was the Doomstone what Kurog Grimtotem used to rile up the elementals and free Raszageth from her prison, and if not, why not?
The Doomstone first appears as the MacGuffin of the Twilight Cultist plotline in Cataclysm Thousand Needles. During Legion, it is taken to the Maelstrom for safekeeping by the Farseers during the Broken Shore chapter of the Shaman Order Hall questline. During that questline, enemy agents use it to incite various elementals to dangerous levels of activity.
Having the Doomstone be involved with the rise of the Primalists and perhaps even the key to opening Froststone Vault to release Raszageth seems like a great story fit for that dangling thread.

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in which we do not want to have to be the ones to decide between the black dragon brothers

BTH and I finally finished up The Waking Shores last night, dinging 64 in the process.
Every time we have to fight elementals, BTH teases me about how as a Shaman, Kamalia should be upset about having to put down these elementals instead of trying to save them by solving the problem that is making them be all riled up.
When we went through the quests involving the return of Sabellian, BTH groaned aloud, “Don’t make ME choose who gets to be the new Aspect!”
Kamalia doesn’t want to choose, either. Although she knows Wrathion better, Sabellian and his followers do have some good points — and it was Sabellian’s actions that allowed the Ruby Oathstone to be restored.
I am starting to get itchy to bring Kaelyla out to the Dragon Isles. At the same time, I don’t want to rush her ahead of Kamalia, because I want to save the delights of first discovery of all the things in the Dragon Isles for Kamalia and playing with BTH.
When they eventually get there, Kaelinda will choose Wrathion, because of greater familarity, and Kaelyla will choose Sabellian, because she feels a wisp of kinship between his experiences in Outland and her experiences with the Void.
Meanwhile, Kaurinka is still considering going back to Uldum & the Vale of Eternal Blossoms after she finishes the Night Fae Campaign to work on getting the second upgraded appearance of the Shroud of Resolve and the Black Dragonscale Backpack (but do I really want to grind that? really and truly?).

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Things my Shaman Wears, part 13 (outfits 121 – 130)

A collection of Transmogrification Kits actually worn in-game by my Tauren & Highmountain Tauren Shamans. Outfits are listed from most recent to least recent. Items that are no longer obtainable are marked with an asterisk (*).

130) Dreamfusion


Dreamfused Skull set with Anthemic Links, Primitive Club, and Nettlehusk Barrier
“Summer” coloration of the Mail Emerald Bounty set from the Patch 10.2 Emerald Dream zone.

129) Farseer’s Fury




Jewel of the Firelord, Pauldrons of the Fire Lord, Mantle of Fury, Hauberk of the Raging Elements, Arrowflick Gauntlets, Firearrow Belt, Wilderness Legguards, Obsidian Dracthyr Battlegear Cover, Fury of the Stonemother, The Highkeeper’s Ward (Balance of Power, tint 1)
The Dragonflight Emerald Dream zone and Amirdrassil raid feel very much like a thematic inversion of the Cataclysm Molten Front zone and Firelands raid.
After having helped Smolderon gain the throne of the elemental plane of fire during the Legion Shaman Order Hall Campaign, Kamalia is rather disturbed by his fate in Amirdrassil and feels like she ought to get back to the Malestrom, and back to the Firelands, to help settle the question of his succession in the most agreeable possible way for Azeroth.

128) Full Metal Jacket

Infernal Headcage, Ornate Pauldrons, Icemail Jerkin, Gleaming Mail Tabard, Imbued Infantry Gauntlets, Imbued Infantry Belt, Tristam Legguards*, Imbued Infantry Boots, Gnoll Fiend Flail, Warbringer’s Shield
The tabard, an October 2023 Trading Post item, just seemed like it ought to be worn with Classic Mail gear… and the sort of spiky weapons that could punch through it. Compared to a regular cloth tabard, or even the few examples of tabards that might plausibly be leather, it is quite heavy to move around in.

127) Blue Cinderwolf

Runes of the Cinderwolf (LFR) with Wanderer’s Azure Scarf, Shard of the Virtuous, and Stonewatcher’s Buckler
After Kamalia had acquired a full set of Dreambound gear because it was all upgrades for her, I remembered that I could use the Revival Catalyst to convert it into Aberrus LFR tier.

126) Heritage of the Plains




Heritage of the Shu’halo with Ancestral Chieftain’s Totem/Ancestral Bloodhoof Totem, Thunder Bluff Doublet, Replica Kilt of The Five Thunders, Ceremonial Ohn’ir Dagger + Sternhorn’s Shield/Ancestor’s Might
Upon meeting with Mayla in Valdrakken, Kamalia donned her Shu’halo best and went to help Baine in the Ohn’ahran Plains.
It had been no small thing for her to overcome her own initial wariness of the Dragon Isles Centaur, for her to fight down her instincts to either attack or flee and to try to approach them as she would any other newly-encountered people. She had found Scout Tomul to be trustworthy, and she had gradually come to respect and appreciate the Maruuk Centaur. She was oddly relieved when Baine at last came to the start of similar conclusions.

125) Renowned Expeditioner’s Mail


Renowned Expeditioner’s Mail Armor with Emerald Winglord’s Coif, Renowned Expeditioner’s Armored Shawl, Expedition Dissection Knife, and Hoursteel Barrier
Kamalia reached Renown 14 with the Dragonscale Expedition, thus unlocking this handsome coloration of the Dragon Isles quest armor set.

124) Fabulously Flashy


Onyx Glare-Reducers, Wanderer’s Midnight Cloak, Fabulously Flashy Finery, Rockhide Links, Bloodmail Legguards*/Black Tuxedo Pants, Dragon Dinner Fork, Light’s Shield, Eternal Black Diamond Ring, Stylish Black Parasol
I bought this shirt from the March 2023 Trading Post, so I wanted to do something with it for that month’s Trading Post theme of “Looking Good”.
Kamalia’s best 1H weapon right now is the Ceremonial Ohn’ir Dagger. Hence, the Dragon Dinner Fork with Light’s Shield as a sort of Dragon Dinner Platter?

123) A Romantic Ohn’ahran Picnic





Crown of Boundless Courage, White Traditional Hanbok, Rosy Corsage, Mindsear Shanker, Aegis of the Vindicator
This was too charming of an idea to not do.

122) Ohn’ahran Falconer


Shikaar Scout’s Visor, Ohn’ahran Falconer’s Shoulderguards, Cloak of the Everliving Keeper, Ohn’ahran Falconer’s Chainmail, Ohn’ahran Falconer’s Grips, Ohn’ahran Falconer’s Belt, Ohn’ahran Falconer’s Greaves, Ohn’ahran Plainswalker Greaves, Ceremonial Ohn’ir Dagger, Stout Shield
Kamalia completed the WQ version of this Dragonflight armor set. None of the colors of the Shikaar hat quite match, so I eventually just picked one. Looking at this fellow’s hat, though, I guess I should have picked one of the other colors. Oh well.

121) Primal Cyclonic

Cyclonic Battlegear with Stormbender Maul and Squallbreaker Shield
Mail set from the Primal Storms Dragonflight pre-launch event.

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What I’m trying with my Patch 10.0 Talents and UI, for now

After a couple of hours (cumulative) of fiddling around with my UI and Talents, here’s what I’ve settled on for now. This might last for all of Dragonflight, or it might last only until next week. Click on the scaled images to see the full-size images.

Elemental Shaman

Balance Druid

Whenever Kaurinka manages to move on from Ardenweald, she’ll rearrange her talents to grab the Talent version of Convoke the Spirits. As long as she’s still there, however, the original Covenant version will be superior.

Fire Mage

Frost Mage

Arcane Mage

I’m happy to see Radiant Spark in the Mage Talent trees, but I would rather have had Mirrors of Torment in there, too, instead of Shifting Power.

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out with the last ten years’ Talent rows, in with the new-old Talent trees

As much for my own reference when choosing new Talents in the new trees as anything else, here are the talent layouts I’ve been running with my Mains in Shadowlands — but really more or less since… when was it? Cataclysm? Mists of Pandaria?… the time when the three-talent rows were first introduced.

Elemental Shaman

Restoration Shaman

Balance Druid

Fire Mage

Frost Mage

Arcane Mage

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