Due to the cooking-centric experience-yielding daily quests of Thanksgiving, and due to the kind nature of some folks on the wow_ladies LJ community to share their turkey meat with me (I couldn't kill the critters myself, of course) I have achieved level 19! I never thought that holiday quests would become a primary means of leveling.
The cooking quests were pretty fun, but I noticed that once you got all the items in the Pilgrim ensemble, you couldn't continue to turn in the dailies because it found a duplicate item. Of course, I just worked around this by destroying one of the pilgrim items and choosing it again for each turn in (and I'm sure many others did the same), but it seemed a funny bit of design to get overlooked. I wonder if the Thanksgiving holiday activities were a rush job?
Meanwhile, I'm hunkering down until the Christmas dailies come, in hopes that they will push me a bit higher and open up new questing opportunities.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Workin Hard for the Money
So they give druids travel form at 16 now, which is brilliant! It was certainly helpful to me, because the push to 17 involved a lot of exploration, and the extra speed was perfect for outrunning angry mobs who were much higher level than me.
17 to 18 was rough. The non-combat quests I could pick up were few, and most of them were red. That was great in that they gave me huge amounts of xp, but worrisome in that I may be depleting my stockpile of available quests before I even get to them.
I won't lie, I bought my way through most of 17. I did the Tranquillien quests for spinal dust and rotting hearts, and then the wool turn-in for every single faction cloth quartermaster. My nest egg was absorbed in a hurry, and I spent lots of time mining, fishing, and working the auction house like a pro. It was especially expensive because the first cloth turn-in is wool, which in spite of being the second lowest level cloth type, tends to be the rarest and most expensive on the auction house. When the time comes to do the silk cloth turn-ins, it should be far easier on the gold bag.
All the same, I'm at 18 and nervous about my ability to keep this up. I may have to go into hibernation at some point, until the next round of experience-giving holiday event quests. I'd like to stretch it as far as I can before resolving to go heal instances. We'll see!
17 to 18 was rough. The non-combat quests I could pick up were few, and most of them were red. That was great in that they gave me huge amounts of xp, but worrisome in that I may be depleting my stockpile of available quests before I even get to them.
I won't lie, I bought my way through most of 17. I did the Tranquillien quests for spinal dust and rotting hearts, and then the wool turn-in for every single faction cloth quartermaster. My nest egg was absorbed in a hurry, and I spent lots of time mining, fishing, and working the auction house like a pro. It was especially expensive because the first cloth turn-in is wool, which in spite of being the second lowest level cloth type, tends to be the rarest and most expensive on the auction house. When the time comes to do the silk cloth turn-ins, it should be far easier on the gold bag.
All the same, I'm at 18 and nervous about my ability to keep this up. I may have to go into hibernation at some point, until the next round of experience-giving holiday event quests. I'd like to stretch it as far as I can before resolving to go heal instances. We'll see!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Holidailies
On my main character, I was never really diligent about dailies. Even back when I was working to get my Netherdrake, I was quite casual about completing them. I'd meet people who would panic because server reset was approaching and they hadn't finished their worldwide round of dailies yet, and the attitude seemed a little extreme to me.
However, for Tenzin and the lucky timing of Hallow's End, I've been more diligent about daily quests than ever before. Every day I logged in to do the headless horseman quest (putting out fires is quite the pacifist activity, and other characters would always dispatch the Shade of the Horseman).
Those halloween dailies got me from 12 to 15, a huge and very important jump for me, as I'd completely run out of non-combat quests. It looks like in the future I'm going to be much more active in any world holiday events that give XP (I've got my eyes set on the elder coin thing)
However, for Tenzin and the lucky timing of Hallow's End, I've been more diligent about daily quests than ever before. Every day I logged in to do the headless horseman quest (putting out fires is quite the pacifist activity, and other characters would always dispatch the Shade of the Horseman).
Those halloween dailies got me from 12 to 15, a huge and very important jump for me, as I'd completely run out of non-combat quests. It looks like in the future I'm going to be much more active in any world holiday events that give XP (I've got my eyes set on the elder coin thing)
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Hooray for Hallow's End!
I'm not gonna lie, I was really worried when I hit 12 and couldn't find any new gathering or delivering quests opened up.
Fortunately, Hallow's End came along! Hooray for holiday events with quests that give experience! A bit of trick-or-treating and putting out fires from the Headless Horseman, and whoosh! 13, here I am.
Fortunately, Hallow's End came along! Hooray for holiday events with quests that give experience! A bit of trick-or-treating and putting out fires from the Headless Horseman, and whoosh! 13, here I am.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
10 At Last!
Phew, the journey from level 9 to level 10 was a long one. I got most of it through exploring, and by forcing my way into collection quests that I was still too low a level for, but I made it! And, interestingly enough, now I'm already over halfway through 10 due to the new quests that opened up to me!
I sense this will be a trend - struggling to gain xp when I reach the "limit" levels, and then launching ahead when new stuff is opened up.
Whereas normally you pick a starting hub (silverpine forest, ghostlands, the barrens) and blaze through it, skipping quests along the way, I am making multiple circuits. I feel like the most meticulous of scavengers, checking back through the hubs at each level to see if any messenger or gathering quests have opened up to me. However, I do not find it tedious, which is surprising! It's more slow paced and relaxing. I'm in no hurry, afterall.
Meanwhile, I realized that I can't get bear form, because it involves fighting something. DOH! It's okay, though, now that I have target dummies :)
I sense this will be a trend - struggling to gain xp when I reach the "limit" levels, and then launching ahead when new stuff is opened up.
Whereas normally you pick a starting hub (silverpine forest, ghostlands, the barrens) and blaze through it, skipping quests along the way, I am making multiple circuits. I feel like the most meticulous of scavengers, checking back through the hubs at each level to see if any messenger or gathering quests have opened up to me. However, I do not find it tedious, which is surprising! It's more slow paced and relaxing. I'm in no hurry, afterall.
Meanwhile, I realized that I can't get bear form, because it involves fighting something. DOH! It's okay, though, now that I have target dummies :)
Thursday, October 1, 2009
A New Career
In the beginning, I got both mining and herbalism as professions, as the collecting professions can make a quick buck on the auction house. However, I managed to build up a nest egg pretty quickly, and I can tell that in the future I'm going to need a few more tricks up my sleeve to get by.
Thus, I've abandoned herbalism and picked up engineering. I'm particularly interested in target dummies, as my war stomp sometimes doesn't quite get me the time I need when there's a mob near a gatherable. Plus eventually you get stun bombs, and that telescope will be nice for scoping out an area before forging in (I found myself longing for my shaman's far sight on several gathering occasions).
Plus, I've found in the past that having a gathering profession to fuel another crafting profession makes both tasks far more enjoyable than having both of one kind. It makes it fun to go out and gather, which is a lot of what I'll be doing, so I'd best make it enjoyable!
Thus, I've abandoned herbalism and picked up engineering. I'm particularly interested in target dummies, as my war stomp sometimes doesn't quite get me the time I need when there's a mob near a gatherable. Plus eventually you get stun bombs, and that telescope will be nice for scoping out an area before forging in (I found myself longing for my shaman's far sight on several gathering occasions).
Plus, I've found in the past that having a gathering profession to fuel another crafting profession makes both tasks far more enjoyable than having both of one kind. It makes it fun to go out and gather, which is a lot of what I'll be doing, so I'd best make it enjoyable!
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Scavenging
The amount of pure gathering quests are few and far between, but they are a life-saver in terms of XP. Unfortunately, the gatherables are usually surrounded by mobs.
My usual strategy is run in, war stomp to stun the enemies, grab my gatherable, and run out. Then I skirt the area looking for another easy pick, and waiting for war stomp to recharge. Occasionally the gather "cast" is fast enough that I can run in and get it with one or two mobs attacking me.
The best times happen when I arrive at the gathering area to find a bunch of corpses. Someone else is in the area, clearing the mobs away, and I have free space to stroll around and gather my goods. Stumbling upon this situation is an absolute delight!
Other times, a high-level character is in the area for whatever reason - mining or herbing low-level things. My strategy for when this happens is to wait for him to pull the mobs he runs through, then dash in and grab my gatherables before the mobs give up the chase and come back. It's a tricky situation!
Oh, sparkly pick-ups. You got me to level 8! What lies beyond?
My usual strategy is run in, war stomp to stun the enemies, grab my gatherable, and run out. Then I skirt the area looking for another easy pick, and waiting for war stomp to recharge. Occasionally the gather "cast" is fast enough that I can run in and get it with one or two mobs attacking me.
The best times happen when I arrive at the gathering area to find a bunch of corpses. Someone else is in the area, clearing the mobs away, and I have free space to stroll around and gather my goods. Stumbling upon this situation is an absolute delight!
Other times, a high-level character is in the area for whatever reason - mining or herbing low-level things. My strategy for when this happens is to wait for him to pull the mobs he runs through, then dash in and grab my gatherables before the mobs give up the chase and come back. It's a tricky situation!
Oh, sparkly pick-ups. You got me to level 8! What lies beyond?
Monday, September 21, 2009
Vendor Clothes?!
It would seem so far that Eversong Woods is the friendliest place for me in terms of finding gathering and delivery quests. I'd say I'm going to have to scrutinize each place for these kinds of quests, as it's looking like I'll probably make several rounds through the starting zones as I slowly level up.
Meanwhile, I'm doing alright on the money front, but not well enough that I can start buying stuff off the Auction House. This must be the first time in my WoW career where I actually bought armor from a vendor. I was delighted to see that at least my new "set" of gear matches, although it makes me look something like Xena the Warrior Cow.
Meanwhile, I'm doing alright on the money front, but not well enough that I can start buying stuff off the Auction House. This must be the first time in my WoW career where I actually bought armor from a vendor. I was delighted to see that at least my new "set" of gear matches, although it makes me look something like Xena the Warrior Cow.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
More Clarifications
Several people have asked me whether or not I will count it if I'm grouped with people who are killing things while I heal them.
So far, I am unsure. Will and I are going to do a test on another character, and see if a party member killing something will add that mob to your "monsters killed" stat on WoW Armory.
Also, I just sort of have to roll along and see if that will make things too easy or not. I'm crafting the terms of the experiment as I go, which may be cheating a little. Fortunately, this is not science :D
So far, I am unsure. Will and I are going to do a test on another character, and see if a party member killing something will add that mob to your "monsters killed" stat on WoW Armory.
Also, I just sort of have to roll along and see if that will make things too easy or not. I'm crafting the terms of the experiment as I go, which may be cheating a little. Fortunately, this is not science :D
Counting your Coppers
As I suspected, getting money is a huge issue when you can't kill anything! After exploring and doing delivery quests enough to get myself to level 5, I had to sell everything on me to pay for herbalism. I chose it first since it didn't need any other supplies.
A few rounds of herbs sold to the vendors and I had enough copper for fishing and mining - though not enough for a mining pick.
Fishing proved an ample source of vendor trash, but only in the beginning! In the early skill points of fishing, all you catch is debris and tangled lines and sickly fish. Gray and useless, but good-selling items for vendors. When I got high enough level that I started catching usable fish, my income all but disappeared (a usable fish sells to a vendor for only 1 copper, while a gray "sickly fish" sells for 18!)
Fortunately, this got me enough copper to buy my mining pick, so I'm all set for a source of income now. My next plan is to travel about the starting areas, exploring for XP and mining and herbing along the way. I need a bit of a starting capital for auction house fees, and then I should be able to start auctioning my wares and making some monies.
The money situation was interesting, as this is pretty much the first time I've had to do some serious budgeting in WoW (more than just "saving up for my mount"). It was an interesting struggle to overcome. Another way to keep my budget is to not train any offensive spells. Training adds up quick!
I feel that in the future I'm going to be fishing out of a lot of floating debris for stuff to sell.
A few rounds of herbs sold to the vendors and I had enough copper for fishing and mining - though not enough for a mining pick.
Fishing proved an ample source of vendor trash, but only in the beginning! In the early skill points of fishing, all you catch is debris and tangled lines and sickly fish. Gray and useless, but good-selling items for vendors. When I got high enough level that I started catching usable fish, my income all but disappeared (a usable fish sells to a vendor for only 1 copper, while a gray "sickly fish" sells for 18!)
Fortunately, this got me enough copper to buy my mining pick, so I'm all set for a source of income now. My next plan is to travel about the starting areas, exploring for XP and mining and herbing along the way. I need a bit of a starting capital for auction house fees, and then I should be able to start auctioning my wares and making some monies.
The money situation was interesting, as this is pretty much the first time I've had to do some serious budgeting in WoW (more than just "saving up for my mount"). It was an interesting struggle to overcome. Another way to keep my budget is to not train any offensive spells. Training adds up quick!
I feel that in the future I'm going to be fishing out of a lot of floating debris for stuff to sell.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Clarifications
Normally the first few levels in WoW breeze past, but they're going to be tricky for me. I know there are collection quests around, I'm just not high enough to get them yet. My goal is to get to level 5, so that I can pick up a profession and start making money.
I have a feeling money is going to be really tricky to start, since I can't get vendor trash off of mobs.
Meanwhile, I have been forced to clarify my definition of "don't hurt anything." I imagine I'll take up fishing and gathering herbs (I'm a pacifist, not a PETA member), and I'm not above using my war stomp to stun enemies as I run away from them.
However, does hitting a peon with a blackjack to wake him up count as hurting him?
After some thought, my answer is no. I will only count things that actually do damage to a mob. Yes, the decision is a bit driven by desperation, but there you go. Those are the things I set out to learn!
I have a feeling money is going to be really tricky to start, since I can't get vendor trash off of mobs.
Meanwhile, I have been forced to clarify my definition of "don't hurt anything." I imagine I'll take up fishing and gathering herbs (I'm a pacifist, not a PETA member), and I'm not above using my war stomp to stun enemies as I run away from them.
However, does hitting a peon with a blackjack to wake him up count as hurting him?
After some thought, my answer is no. I will only count things that actually do damage to a mob. Yes, the decision is a bit driven by desperation, but there you go. Those are the things I set out to learn!
The Experiment
Greetings, internet! Welcome to my experiment in WoW Pacifism.
The experiment is simple: can I create a character on World of Warcraft and successfully progress without doing damage to anything?
We shall see with Tenzin, my new Tauren Druid (named after Tenzin Gyatso, the current Dalai Lama). I can do gathering and relay quests, and other quests that do not involve killing mobs. I can heal people, and myself, and I can explore. I can even join battlegrounds as long as I don't harm the opponent. I'll even go so far as to not carry weapons, though I'll carry offhands and non-traditional weapons (like fish).
I rolled Tenzin on Thorium Brotherhood, figuring an RP server would be more sympathetic to my experimental playstyle.
I'll post here about thoughts and progress, and see what the game because if I don't kill anyone.
The experiment is simple: can I create a character on World of Warcraft and successfully progress without doing damage to anything?
We shall see with Tenzin, my new Tauren Druid (named after Tenzin Gyatso, the current Dalai Lama). I can do gathering and relay quests, and other quests that do not involve killing mobs. I can heal people, and myself, and I can explore. I can even join battlegrounds as long as I don't harm the opponent. I'll even go so far as to not carry weapons, though I'll carry offhands and non-traditional weapons (like fish).
I rolled Tenzin on Thorium Brotherhood, figuring an RP server would be more sympathetic to my experimental playstyle.
I'll post here about thoughts and progress, and see what the game because if I don't kill anyone.
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