Artifact acquisition accomplished! (and analysis)

Shaman, Restoration 31 August 2016

Demon Hunter, Havoc 9 September 2016

Shaman, Elemental 23 September 2016

Shaman, Enhancement 23 September 2016

Mage, Fire 8 October 2016

Mage, Arcane 15 October 2016

Mage, Frost 22 October 2016

Priest, Discipline 28 October 2016

Rogue, Outlaw 29 October 2016

Warlock, Destruction 12 November 2016

Monk, Brewmaster 23 November 2016

Death Knight, Frost 26 November 2016

Hunter, Survival 26 November 2016

Warrior, Arms 30 November 2016

Paladin, Protection 1 December 2016

Druid, Balance 2 December 2016

Hunter, Marksmanship 10 December 2016

It didn’t seem quite right to claim Thas’dorah as a Tauren; that bow rightfully belongs to the children of the Sunwell. So I used the Orb of the Sin’dorei before I picked it up. I guess my camera angle was bad right at the moment when I clicked on Thas’dorah, because this is the best screenshot I got of the triumphal moment.

Hunter, Beast Mastery 10 December 2016

Demon Hunter, Vengeance 10 December 2016

Monk, Windwalker 23 December 2016

Monk, Mistweaver 23 December 2016

Death Knight, Blood 29 December 2016

Death Knight, Unholy 29 December 2016

Rogue, Subtlety 30 December 2016

Rogue, Assassination 30 December 2016

Warlock, Affliction 6 January 2017

Warlock, Demonology 6 January 2017

Druid, Guardian 11 January 2017

Druid, Feral 11 January 2017

Druid, Restoration 11 January 2017

I didn’t get a very good screenshot of picking up G’Hanir because the camera swung around to be under the surface of the nearby pond… but I was feeling to lazy to do the whole scenario over again just to get a better screenshot of the triumphal moment.

Priest, Holy 14 January 2017

Priest, Shadow 14 January 2017

Warrior, Fury 15 January 2017

Warrior, Protection 15 January 2017

Paladin, Holy 16 January 2017

Paladin, Retribution 16 January 2017

~*~*~

The Artifact questlines that packed the most emotional punch (for me) were the Ashbringer, the Doomhammer, and Fu Zan.

Three Artifacts are found on Niskara: Holy Priest, Marksmanship Hunter, and Blood Death Knight. I wasn’t able to determine the “canonical” order in which these events occur.

Three Artifacts are found at Tyr’s Fall in Tirisfal Glades. To the best of my understanding the canonical order of events is as follows: Arms Warrior, Shadow Priest, Holy Paladin.

Three Artifacts are found in the Tomb of Old Kings on Shield’s Rest island in Stormheim. To the best of my understanding the canonical order of events is as follows: Protection Warrior, Protection Paladin, Beastmaster Hunter.

Three Artifacts are found in the Karazhan Catacombs. Because all three questlines end with killing the same boss, I’m not sure which order they would canonically go in, but if I had to hazard a guess, I’d say Balance Druid, Unholy Death Knight, Affliction Warlock.

Two Artifacts are recovered from Felsoul Hold in Suramar. I’m not sure which event happened first, the Havoc Demon Hunter or the Demonology Warlock.

Two Artifacts are recovered from Icecrown Citadel. I’m not sure which event happened first, the Frost Death Knight or the Fire Mage.

Two Artifacts are retrieved from the Nexus. I’m not sure which event happened first, the Arcane Mage or the Discipline Priest.

Two Artifacts are retrieved from the Broken Shore. To the best of my understanding the canonical order of events is as follows: Retribution Paladin, Vengeance Demon Hunter.

Two Artifacts are found in the Helmouth Shallows of Stormheim. These two events, Survival Hunter and Fury Warrior, seem to be quite independent of each other and might have occurred in either order.

The locations for the Frost Mage (a Legion place that wasn’t Niskara), Destruction Warlock, and Beast Master Hunter were unique, but the other questlines for those classes went to shared locations.

The Druid Artifact quests go to one shared location (for Balance) and to three places that no other class goes: Grizzly Hills, the Shattered Locus, and Nordrassil.

Only Shamans go to Vashj’ir, the Temple of the White Tiger, or Deepholm.

Only Monks go to the Temple of the Jade Serpent, the Vortex Pinnacle, or the Terrace of Endless Spring.

Only Rogues go to the Temple of a Thousand Lights, Legion Citadel (it’s not on Niskara), and Stormwind.

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Fists of the Heavens; Sheilun, Staff of the Mists

I went through my level 101 charaters and sorted them by how close they were to level 102 and being able to get the rest of their Artifact weapons. My Monk was the most advanced, at 88%. Doing the Falling Star questline was all she needed to ding 102.

Because I have the Pearl of Pandaria graphic novel in my collection, I loved the references to it as Li Li Stormstout accompanied me for the Windwalker Artifact quests. If I didn’t have it, those bits probably wouldn’t have made quite as much sense — but I don’t think I would have disliked them.

The Elemental Shaman questline kinda-sorta made sense of how the Fist of Ra-den came to be a Shaman Artifact instead of a Monk Artifact.. but the Windwalker Monk questline didn’t really make any sense of how the Fist of the Heavens came to be a Monk Artifact instead of a Shaman Artifact. Having done both questlines, I still think that they’re backwards — the Fists of Ra-den should be the Windwalker Monk Artifact, and the Fist of the Heavens should be the Elemental Shaman Artifact.

It was a fun questline, though, and so was the Mistweaver Artifact questline.

Though I haven’t actively healed with a Monk since I ran LFR with the Pet Battling Monk during Mists and had to completely re-set up my Mistweaver action bars and Clique-binds, I didn’t have any trouble with keeping my party of Shado Pan buddies alive. I’d told them all to go full-out DPS and not worry about their own health, so I was a bit worried that we might wipe and I’d have to tell one or two of them to fight defensively, but nah, it was a piece of cake.

For the time being, though, I’m going to keep leveling as and putting my Artifact Power points into Brewmaster.

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Fu Zan, the Wanderer’s Companion

I had fun with the Monkey King’s rhyming and riddles in the questline to get Fu Zan. One of these days, I really need to do the Alliance side of the Patch 5.1 questline, and see how Anduin got along with the Monkey King.

I’m not sure how much I like the appearance of this weapon, though. Even though all that bouncing and swinging and joggling may be reasonably realistically animated, from a physics standpoint, it’s too much — it’s enough to be distracting. I like the simpler staff-with-kettle design from the low-level Monk class quests better. Probably my favorite appearance for Fu Zan is the Hidden one — so until I can get that, I might Transmogrify it into one of the low-level staves.

Seeing the locations in Pandaria that come under Legion attack during the opening scenes of the Monk class campaign really hit me in the feels. Somehow it felt like after all we (the Horde & the Alliance) had put the Pandaren through with the Sha and all, having the Legion show up there just adds insult to injury.

Getting to go back to the Wandering Isle for the Monk Order Hall is a treat, though. I’m glad that that wonderful zone is getting to be seen by more than just low-level Pandaren. I explored all over and found that the only place I couldn’t get to was the Wood of Staves. There’s a barrier at the gateway to that area that newbie Pandaren have to pass a trial to get through; that barrier was up and seemed to be supplemented by a fel-tinged layer… I wonder if I’ll have to deal with that at a later stage of the Monk campaign? Or is that barrier down for a Pandaren Monk character who started as a Pandaren at level 1 on the Wandering Isle?

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spec juggling, alt juggling, name juggling

Mr Rossi has been reporting from the Legion alpha that all specs are available to a character and can be switched between for a relatively small placeholder/TBA cost; the real barrier to spec-switching is the Artifact weapon. I wouldn’t be surprised if getting the Artifact weapons for one’s other specs won’t be available until level 110, but as long as I can eventually get the Artifact weapons for all specs on the same charcter, I think I can live with that.

Along with not needing a secondary character to play the third specs of Warrior, Paladin, and Hunter anymore — and not being interested in all three specs of DK and Priest — I’ve realized that after I get my secondary Monk and Druid to Draenor and into their Garrisons, I don’t want any more Garrisons. I’m starting to get a bit burnt out on Garrison management. Having secondary characters of Warrior, Paladin, and Priest around was making me feel like I ought to be leveling them and bringing them up to Draenor, too.

So, goodbye, minor alts. I have deleted my secondary Tauren Warrior, Paladin, and Priest, all of whom were under level 40. I’ve kept around my secondary DK, Shaman, Monk, and Druid. The DK, Monk, and Shaman are already level 90+ (and the Druid is 60+), the DK was a special leveling project and has special looks, and I’ve gotten so comfortable being the third spec of Shaman, Monk, and Druid with these secondary characters that it would just feel wierd and wrong to try playing those specs with my primaries.

My secondary Warrior was named Kaobeka, a deliberate anagram of Akabeko. (Although I respect Akabeko’s reasons for quitting WoW, after two years, I still miss her.) My secondary Monk has been named Koralyra because I like the way it sounds. About the time that I began to think about deleting my secondary Warrior, I decided that when I did, I would re-name my secondary Monk to Kaobeka. In part, this is because I think a Monk is a better homage to Akabeko and her stories than a Warrior anyway. And in part, this is because I decided that I want to use the name Koralyra for my Demon Hunter. So Kaobeka the Warrior is gone, Koralyra the Monk is now Kaobeka, and Koralyra the Blood Elf Demon Hunter will return when Legion launches.

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cricket collection

Along with leveling a character of each class to the current level cap, one of my long-time WoW goals has been to raid-heal with each of the healing classes. Mists LFR has been an absolutely Golden Age for me in that regard. I have a healer of each class who has completed at least Terrace of Endless Spring from T14, all of Throne of Thunder, and Siege of Orgrimmar through the Sha of Pride.

As proof that I have indeed completed my Mists expansion goal of healing in LFR with each of the healing classes — and before Patch 6.0 wreaks havoc on my action bars and addons, too! — I now present a couture collection featuring that most charming of Siege of Orgrimmar healer loot drops, the Purehearted Cricket Cage.

Waterfall Cricket

Greenweave Mantle, Waterfall Robe, Councillor’s Sash, Replica Virtuous Gloves, Rejuvenating Scepter, Purehearted Cricket Cage
This Kun-Lai Summit quest reward robe matches the tailored Windwool set, which has a tunic chestpiece instead of a robe.

Hoodoo Cricket

Self-Reflecting Mask, Runetotem’s Mantle of Conquest, Jinxed Hoodoo Skin & Kilt, Hurricane Belt, Cenarion Gloves, Miniature Winter Veil Tree, Purehearted Cricket Cage
This outfit is based on Zazzy’s grand-prize-winning final round entry for JD Kenada’s Amazing Transmog Survivor competition. Kerisa already had the shoulders, chestpiece, and kilt of Zazzy’s kit — though as a Druid, she of course could not use the same belt.

Fire-Charm Cricket

Fire-Charm Mantle, Jinxed Hoodoo Skin & Kilt, Serene Yellow Belt, Grips of Slicing Electricity, Ethereum Phase Blade, Purehearted Cricket Cage, Veridian Cloak
A variation on Zazzy’s grand-prize-winning final round entry for JD Kenada’s Amazing Transmog Survivor competition. As a Monk, Koralyra could get the chestpiece, belt, and kilt easily — but she’d have had to farm for the lookalike T9 Druid shoulders, as Zazzy had. Fortunately, the glow of the T15-LFR Monk shoulders matches the Jinxed Hoodoo items just as nicely as the crystals on the T9-Horde Druid shoulders do!

Suncrown Cricket

Bog Pauldrons, Suncrown Hauberk, Myrmidon’s Girdle, Cenarion Reservist’s Legguards*/Green Iron Leggings, Green Iron Gauntlets, Tsunami Boots, Light’s Justice, Purehearted Cricket Cage, Xing-Ho, Breath of Yu’lon
So, yeah, I decided to get the Legendary Cloak for Kamalia’s DPS spec. Hopefully, it’ll make at least the first few levels of 90 to 100 a little easier, considering that I don’t (and won’t) have a Garrosh Heirloom weapon.

Jade Cricket

Jade set with Acid-Etched Pauldrons, Qon’s Flaming Scimitar, and Purehearted Cricket Cage
I put up with the Jade set being platekini because I love its unique coloration so much. I’d be much happier if it looked on my female character the way it looks on male characters, though!

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Devotees of the August Celestials, revisited

Last autumn, Laeleiweyn of World of Lae hosted a series of Alt Appreciation weeks to “celebrate all the classes!” For Monk Week, I designed a set of Transmogrification outfits intended to display a Monk’s devotion to the Way of a particular August Celestial. Because my first Monk’s inventory was already overflowing, I set the Pet-Battling Monk the goal of collecting the necessary items to actually create all of those Transmogrification kits in-game.

Xuen’s Strength


Red Crane Crown (LFR), Mantle of the White Tiger, Polar Vest, Brown Belt of Humbling Gravity, Righteous Leggings, Ghostwalker Gloves, Replica Darkmantle Boots, Inscribed Tiger Staff
Of course I had to use the Mantle of the White Tiger in a set for Xuen. Then the Polar Vest was the only really good choice for the chestpiece — nothing else looks quite right with those shoulders. From there, the outfit could very easily have become all blue. I chose these pants and gloves to keep the overall appearance lighter and more evocative of Xuen’s coloration.

Chi-Ji’s Hope


Moonkin Headdress, Barbaric Shoulders, Plainshawk Vest, Red Belt of Gentle Persuasion, Cabalist Leggings, Fingers of the Loneliest Monk, Mosshide Boots/Griftah’s Authentic Troll Shoes, Inscribed Crane Staff
Cranes are celebrated for the elegance of their long legs, whether standing or in flight. This outfit celebrates the elegance of a Monk’s legs during a Spinning Crane Kick by leaving them beautifully bare. If you don’t have invisiboots, the tall black Prospector’s Boots are the next best option.

Yu’lon’s Wisdom


Serpentskin Helm, Contender’s Leather Shoulders, Jinxed Hoodoo Skin, Green Belt of Hushed Wisdom, Ferine Leggings, Jangdor’s Handcrafted Gloves, Swampwalker Boots, Liuyang’s Lovely Longstaff
These brilliantly-colored leather leggings are a common sight on low-level Rogues, Druids, and Monks because they drop from a dungeon and have great stats. Making a decent Transmogrification kit with them, however, requires much higher character levels. The matching boots can be worn at low levels, but are a rare drop. There are no matching gloves. The reddish tones in these crafted shoulders harmonize perfectly with the reddish tones of the leather straps on the pants.
The Inscribed Serpent Staff would also be a good weapon to use with this set.

Niuzao’s Fortitude


Netherstorm Eyepatch, Riplash Pauldrons, Wicked Leather Armor & Gauntlets, Supreme Sash, Bandit Pants, Coal Miner Boots, Beakless Polearm
I wanted to use only Pandarian staves and each of the four Monk class quest reward belts in this Transmogrification project, but the Niuzao outfit didn’t cooperate very well. None of the staves from Pandaria seemed quite right for the Black Ox, whereas Abracadaver from ICC was perfect. I ended up using the Beakless Polearm instead, though, because I didn’t feel like farming ICC and this polearm not only looks awesomely badass, it also matches the one carried by my favorite Shado-Pan companion, Chao the Voice. Once I’d chosen a weapon, none of the Monk class quest belts looked as good with the overall design of the kit as this old-world green belt.
This would be a great Biker kit to use with a choppa!

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racing to 90

For the past several weeks, I’ve felt like Kaprikka, Koralyra, and Kinevra have been racing each other to get to 90, and that any one of them could potentially get there first.

Though I’ve drawn them all sprinting, Kaprikka is really the only one who’s sprinting, as she started the furthest behind. The other two have really just been jogging.

Koralyra tends to move in fits and starts; unless there’s a holiday going on, when I feel like doing the Pet Battle circuit, she gets XP, and when I don’t, she doesn’t. She’s currently about three-quarters of the way from 87 to 88.

Kinevra began the expansion at 85, of course, and has been slowly and steadily plugging away at various past-expansion daily hubs. She’s gotten a trickle of XP from running Firelands with the Old Ladies, too. This week, she finally reached level 87 and made a trip to Pandaria to get her Grummlepack. Because she was fully well-rested, that expedition got her about three-quarters of the way to 88.

Kaprikka dinged 80 on April 3rd and got to 85 about a week ago, on the 19th:

She then made a quick trip to Pandaria. After getting to the point where the portal from Paw’don Glade to Stormwind was open, she rode up to Dawn’s Blossom to buy some gear to let her queue for Pandaria dungeons. She’s been diligently fishing in the Dalaran fountain while waiting out her LFD queues. Friday night this week turned out to be a fine night for fishing indeed!

Now she’ll be able to use Bipsi’s Bobbing Berg just as soon as she can buy it! Yesterday, she went back to Pandaria and dinged 87 helping Ken-Ken save Zhu’s Watch. She then went up to Kun-Lai to get her Grummlepack; unlike Kinevra, she was already out of well-rested and only got forty-some-odd percent of the way to 88. Next, she rode down to the Incursion — I was pretty creeped out by suddenly having Lorekeeper Vaeldrin using Mind Vision on my character, versus a Horde character’s encounter with Chezin Dawnchaser at the side of the road — and by the time she reached the Sentinel Basecamp, she’d also dinged 88. Now that she’s pulled into the lead, Kaprikka will most likely be the winner.

Having played through the Dawnchaser storyline first, and multiple times, Sentinel Lyalia’s opinions of the Sunwalkers pain me. Not trusting the Horde is a Sentinel’s business, but the Sunwalkers — and especially the Dawnchasers! — sure don’t seem to me like they’re “the most militant branch of the tauren armies within the horde”! Not when Kor Bloodtusk vehemently complains about their pacifism! Either Lyalia is dreadfully misinformed, or I am — is there something that Sunwalkers, specifically, do somewhere in Kalimdor that I don’t know about yet because I haven’t played through most of those zones as Alliance?

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