Breakfast Topic: Hand of Ragnaros is a druid weapon
by David Nelson 
Dec 28th 2006 at 8:00AM
I have seen reports of druids winning the Hand of Ragnaros before. I seem to recall one raidleader handing off the Eye of Sulfuras to his druid girlfriend, but I could be wrong. Hey, it isn't like I committed the brilliant forum thread to memory. Well, now we have another report of a druid snagging the HoR, this time it's Napier, a druid from the Greymane server. As you can imagine, this thread is dominated by folks either calling Napier the most selfish player in the history of MMORPGs or defending his right to spend his DKP as he sees fit. And yes, Napier has a long-winded response to the haters, which contains his rationale for spending his DKP on the mace. All in all, a typical forum thread, but there are aspects to it which raise some interesting questions...
Shouldn't any DKP system have some kind of priority list or mechanism which prevents warriors from bidding on a caster staff or a druid from, I don't know, snagging a legendary mace which serves him no purpose whatsoever? I have never been in a guild that employed a straight DKP system which didn't make allowances for class needs. There is no way, for example, a hunter could bid on leather, simply because he could wear it.
Is a druid with the HoR the absolute worst example of misguided DKP use? Or have you seen worse? Does your guild restrict rolling on certain items to particular classes? Or is it a free-for-all? And at this point, so close to the expansion release, does it matter who gets what? I mean, we will be upgrading everything very, very soon.
Filed under: Items, Guilds, Breakfast Topics, Features, Raiding, Druid, Instances
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Fela Dec 28th 2006 8:11AM
I dont get it.
His guild stated that they dont care and its ok for him to have it, so why people care so much?
Also restricting loot from players "just because someone can use it better" is like getting an error while trying to loot something in a single player game, stating "Go away, this loot is not for you".
Restrictions should be based on DKP alone. Restricting certain items from players will only hurt them and in the end everyone in that guild as well.
"This item is better for class X" is just a clean way to say "I want it and I'm selfish enough for you not to be able to get it as well".
Dahlaine Dec 28th 2006 8:19AM
Hunters...with...Thunderfury...*cringe*
DÖT Dec 28th 2006 8:23AM
why is it not useful to a druid? i have seen druid trainers standing around with 2hand maces, 1hand maces, staves...maybe the stats aren't "the best" for a druid. who cares. his guild uses a DKP system so apparently he had the right to roll for it...he has the right as a player who pays $15 a month to roll for it...he has just as much right as anyone else on ever server to roll for it. maybe he plans on using it; maybe he plans on selling it to a vendor; maybe he plans on being a jerk and saying, "Ooo look at me I have HoR"...either way it's his now so it doesn't matter.
Shalkis Dec 28th 2006 9:03AM
Druids with 2-hand maces in general is fine. But some classes and even specific builds get much more benefit out from a specific item than others. This is one such case. The problem with Sulfuras and druids is that druids cannot benefit from weapon procs or the weapon's DPS while in animal forms. They do benefit from on-equip effects and stats, though. Therefore most smart feral druids get other weapons with good stats and preferably even some druid-specific bonuses.
In the end, the question is whether you trust your guild enough to pass on items that offer marginal benefits so that you can get your dream item uncontested later. Even with a vanilla DKP system (no restrictions on bidding) you can get some benefit by not wasting DKP on suboptimal items.
Maliboo Dec 28th 2006 9:06AM
I would agree that a druid is not the best intended class for the HoR. But in all honesty if their guild has surpassed MC to a point where all the warriors/paladins are receiving weapons from AQ40/BWL like our guild, there might not be anyone that wants to spend the time/money to craft the item. Our guild has been downing Rag for almost a year, currently working on AQ40 & Naxx, but we have never seen the Eye drop. Being a Warrior I originally wanted the HoR, but with the expansion upon us here soon I do not see the need to spend the money crafting an item that would be out of use in no time at all. Now when I roll my Draeni Shammy in the XPack I'll be looking for the HoR.
aaron Dec 30th 2006 4:56PM
hunters with thunderfury.... more like paladins with thunderfury.
Hellbena Dec 28th 2006 9:18AM
Being a player from Greymane myself, I can tell you people that an alliance druid getting the Hand of Ragnaros is believable. A lot of the alliance guilds do MC now as practice, getting outside people that are paying gold equipment, getting Nexus Crystals and to get Tier 2 pants from Rags. So if a druid says (s)he wants HoR and the guild gives the okay, I see no reason to not let the druid have it. Better to see the Sulfuron Ingots get used than to let them rot or sell the on the AH.
Nightshifter Dec 28th 2006 9:47AM
The only reason I would bid for the HoR would be the FR and only if I wanted to/guild would let me tank mc/ony ect. The stats aren't great and the procs are worthless for druids.
Siedre Dec 28th 2006 10:28AM
As a druid myself, I can tell you that lots of druids contemplate the idea of holding this mace. 90% of these druids never consider bidding on it (not seriously anyway), but that's only because they aren't Moonkin. I could definitely see a Moonkin getting benefits from this weapon. Not only would it be fun as hell to run around with one, but mix together this weapon with the 360% armor buff, and you would have very surprised enemies on your hands when you smack them with unbelievable melee attacks because they think you're a pushover. Look at what Blizz is doing to Moonkin, adding mana regen if they hit something with a weapon. Why not let a Moonkin hit something hard, instead of a boring 190 from his staff of dominance?
Now, our guild knows that Shamans typically see this weapon first. And we've got a few already. Warriors, sure. If a Moonkin wanted this, there'd be a lot of discussion. But then again, all of our Druids have very little dkp because we're constantly buying at least 2 sets of gear already. This will never be an issue for us until all our Shamans have HoR.
Dyyne Dec 28th 2006 10:32AM
I've been seeing ALOT of rogues lately with Thunderfury in battlegrounds...*shiver*
Ghastly Dec 28th 2006 11:35AM
Epeus a Druid of Clan PiGs on Windrunner(H) has had the HoR for some time now. Like of others have said above, why not.
Jenet Dec 28th 2006 10:50AM
We gave the HoR to a dps warrior when we finally got one. He shelved it about a week after and went dual wield. I think he even was using 2 blue swords, and was getting better dps.
*sigh* Might as well go to a druid.
Roguerhunter Dec 28th 2006 11:45AM
All I have to say KIDS stop your crying and take a time out! If they worked for it and he WON GRATZ. If he earned the rights from his guild by saving DKP or raiding a lot GRATZ. Dont down people for accomplishments they have achieved over others. Why is a teacher going to allow a kid to go home early if hes tardy everyday or slackink in a subject. Those who progress further of the class and turns in all that he needs to do will be just rewarded. If you can carry it pick it up! I just want to say GRATZZZZZZZZZ!!!!
Ehrgeiz Dec 28th 2006 12:04PM
If its a DKP thing then what can you do he wants it he gets it. At this point in the game I would not have spent my DKP on it because of the amazing druid gear coming out very soon.
Deam Dec 28th 2006 12:04PM
Yeah well this went to a guildie of mine just based on his stature in the guild even though many had more dkp to spend on it... then he stopped playing like 2 weeks later and changed his main even.
/shrug
Krianna Dec 28th 2006 12:29PM
.... Didn't this same bloody topic get posted a few weeks ago?
Basic responses:
"Noooooo! Must...make... guild... socialist...for... the... good of all!"
"LoLz, they bought it, qq more."
"Well, what were the guilds rules? Hello?" *echoes*
Personally, I find this to be a lot like the guy who got pissy at my BF's mom for having a sports car when she drives like, well, a sweet little middle aged woman with two grown children. You think it's a waste? So glad that you get to make the world work as you wish....
It's a game. If the druid got a bunch of folks in an agreement where the druid got a weapon they wanted, cool.
How many of y'all who are going for "the good of the guild" have a fit when the gov'nt says it's for the good of the country?
Freehugz Dec 28th 2006 12:42PM
Druid's look pretty damn sexy with HoR
Masema Dec 28th 2006 12:50PM
We had a HoR drop in a former guild and a Druid won it. He had the most DKP of anyone that could use it. The next person in line was a Shaman who wanted it badly but was rather sketchy and there was fear that he would take it and leave the guild, so the Druid won it for that reason, at least I think, it was never confirmed...or denied.
Grorgx Jan 5th 2007 4:17PM
once my guild starts raiding I have already said (as guild master) that we WILL NEVER use the DKP system. It causes instances like this to happen and also makes the getting of the item a little more personal than simply seeing who needs the item and having them role on it. All this drama on the forums and in the game would never have happened if they weren't using the DKP system and had instead rolled need on the HoR.
Wartoad Dec 28th 2006 2:47PM
DKP is an imperfect solution to an imperfect situation. Points R points.