The Wait is Done, and it is Glorious

Just a quick heads up, for those that it matters too.  I finally got my computer fixed all up last night, and got to jump on wow for a nice 3 hours last night, about 2 hours more than I was planning, but so it goes (especially when netherweave was so cheap last night and I have some tailoring to grind on the mage now that I dropped mining).  This doesn't matter to much for the blog other than I should be able to start uploading pictures from raids and whatnot, so hopefully that makes things here at least more bright and pretty...or something anyway.

Cataclysm Item Revamp

I know this is a bit premature, but as I understand it now, I am pretty excited for the gear changes coming up for the Cataclysm expansion.  For the most part, itemization is going to be simplified across the board; all classes, all specs, all gear slots.  It reminds me a bit more of how Diablo 2 did gear, where your core stats are key, mastery is similar to D2's +skill stat, and there is no spellpower nor armor penetration.  (Edit: the minute I wrote this sentence, I looked back at old D2 weapons and armor, and apparently I remembered it somewhat wrong.  There was attack rating and mana regen bonuses, but still, it seemed to more simple at the time, so I am sticking with my original feelings on this.)

As a mage I am excited to pay attention to intellect again, it just feels right.  In the same breath I am crazy excited to be able to ignore spirit again, as well, spirit is just a poor excuse for more crit right now, and that's about it.  Likewise, I think the mastery system will be a nice way to give us our bonuses to damage, crit, haste, etc that we always strive for without needing to place them as three or five point talents in each tree that give the illusion of having more choices than there really are.  'Oh you mean I can either get 6% more frost damage or...not have it?  Well, in that case then, I spose I will have the more damage, thanks?' 

Now my main point for these changes; I am guessing there will be a 4.0 patch that comes out just prior to Cataclysm itself, similar to the 3.0 patch were inscription was added prior to Wrath, that will change the item stats on what we are already wearing.  This won't be an issue for the mage only stuff you have equipped, like your tier items and whatnot, but that does mean that any item you have that is technically a priest item, even if it was better than the more dps slanted item you had prior, may no longer be that little bit better after the change.  All that I am getting at with this is that it might be in your best interest to throw that dps item in the bank, just to see how it compares after the new patch.  You do have some time though, so don't worry too much about it yet, but probably after summer time you might want to be more cautious with dumping some things.

Mageling Pointers

Upon finding Khi's call for some Elders' insight, I thought it would be a good chance to get something with sustenance on my fledgling blog. In the next few hundred or thousand words I will take a look at all of the things (in my humble opinion) mages should keep in mind whilst learning the ropes to being the spell-slinging master they are destined to be:

False Alarm

I have bad news. I finally got my new mb and processor installed, yet it seems that wasn't the cause of all of my misery, half of my ram sticks were fried as well, and so, those are now also being sent to me from Jersey, if I recall correctly, so perhaps this time next week I can finally take part in ICC with my guildies. I spose, if nothing else, this means I can jump in after they went through the growing pains of the fights, and all will be well in the world, but that is probably asking a bit much...

Rolled up a new project

Ok, so after much scheming and contemplating I finally came up with a name for my blog, and ergo can finally write it. This blog will be featuring my experiences with World of Warcraft and less so whatever other video game takes up my time. Also, I will spew some words about Dungeons and Dragons, World of Darkness, or whatever table top RPG my group is currently playing. We generally get together once or twice a month to geek out for a few hours, killing stuff and taking their things.

As may or may not be obvious from the blog title, I have a huge love affair for casters of all sorts, so it comes as no surprise that my main in WoW is a belf mage, and my character for our current 4E DnD game is a half-elf Sorcerer. However, there is a time and place for large pointy things as well, and so I have death knight alt in WoW (then again, who doesn't) that I am leveling up a bit more quickly now with the random dungeon feature, and it gives me a chance to actually tank things proper, as opposed to the mage-tanking I normally get to do.

That's about it for now, sadly, my computer is dead at the moment, but I should have my new motherboard and processor (Core i7-920, squeeeeee!) when I get home so I should be all hooked up to the WoW tap by weekend's end.

Then again, Demon's Souls has me in a pretty intense bear hug right now anyway, so I am not totally without some sort of arcane explosions and the XP said explosions are usually accompanied with.