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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsForum post of the day: Table plz
by Amanda Dean 
Jul 9th 2008 at 2:30AM
In my humble opinion the refreshment table is pretty neat idea. A Mage spend two Arcane Powders and starts casting the ritual, then two others join in. Viola! A buffet of yummy, health-and-mana-regenerating, Manna Biscuit goodness appears before your raid. The table sticks around for five minutes or however long it takes to deplete its fifty stacks of food. This is probably one of Blizzard's best additions.
In it's own way, the Ritual of Refreshment is also kind of a curse for Mages. True- the reagents cost a total seventeen silver at the vendor, that's not hard to swallow. Keylogger of Stormscale is annoyed by requests for tables. She pointed out that anyone with a friendly level of reputation with the Shattered Sun Offensive can purchase Naaru Rations, no badgering required. Other posters agreed that it's not the process of casting that's at issue, but the sense of entitlement from other folks about a table.
Yorec of Azuremyst argued that the mage table is equivalent to buffing. As a Paladin, he often has to rebuff when people are unhappy with his first cast. Group buffs from Mages, Paladins, and Priests require reagents purchased from vendors. Gold isn't a problem for most players anymore.
Conjured Manna Biscuits and Naaru Rations give back 7500 heath and 7200 mana over time. Warriors and Rogues have it easier because they need only pick up any edible food from a vendor. These are more expensive alternatives, but should be in every non-Mage's inventory in case of an emergency.
Tables are necessary in raids but a nicety in battlegrounds. I have to admit that I find "table plz" in the battlegrounds mildly irritating. I'm always happy to grab some grub when there's a table down, but I don't think it's fair to place demands in PvP. My philosophy is to come prepared and be happy if I get a little something extra. Thanks mages.
Do you expect to cast or benefit from Ritual of Refreshment in the battlegrounds?
Filed under: Mage, Analysis / Opinion, Buffs, Forums, Battlegrounds, Forum Post of the Day
Reader Comments (Page 5 of 10)
Cacheelma Jul 9th 2008 4:41AM
If you say people should come to the BG with food and drink prepared, I say they should also come with BUFFs AND a healthstone as well.
How about that? Fair enough for you, mages?
myheaditches Jul 9th 2008 11:09AM
Where is this magical vendor from which I can buy my health stones and buffs from?
Calaana Jul 9th 2008 4:42AM
Two step solution:
1) Give anyone with a single target buff a party wide version - similar to arc int and arc brilliance. People will buff out the ass with it.
2) Have the "no mana" cost prep buff change to no regeant as well.
Sy Jul 9th 2008 5:00AM
Having read through all of the posts here i have already seen responses that would make me automatically not put down a table.
Demanding, expecting, thinking it's your right. If i'm in a raid with my guild, sure a table will help all of the casters, but as someone said "tables are there so mages have a use in pvp" it's bullshit like that that makes mages think why the hell should we help you?
Funnily enough having played a lot of BG's recently, a mages table will do little to help turn the tide of battle. If you're not fast enough to capture the towers in AV to take on Stormpike you've lost, if you sit around eating to restore health and manner you've lost, but with slightly more health.
The problems for mages at the moment stem from the dps argument, now personally im not fussed if a warlock is out DPSing me, especially when raiding, if mines close and i know im contributing thats fine with me, but its the bullshit attitudes of people in bg's demanding tables. Conjuring food is our ability, we get to use it because we rolled that class.
If you ask nicely, i will put down a table, if i expect buffs from you, i will buff you with Arcane Intelligence, but a table is not the same as a simple spell buff and im pretty sure as already said, a lot of bg players expect to find a table waiting to replenish their food for them.
Maybe its the summer holidays, or maybe it'll always be the same, but since most bg players are too retarded to contribute effectively to win as a team then i dont see a point for tables to begin with.
Mages aren't QQing over tables, everyone else is because they cant make them themselves, but then again if they could they wouldn't anyway, since they're too stingy to spend any money on food for themselves? 17s for reagents? good god he's had a heart attack someone call a priest!
zappo Jul 9th 2008 10:29AM
Had different experiences myself. Mages are nearly the only class I've seen decidedly turn the tide of a battleground. I recall in AV where the horde were on Balinda with either no healer, or a really bad one and some little gnome dude comes in and AOEs us all down. We all respawn at a bad point and lost the BG because of it. At generally any choke point - the bridge especially, if we try to make a push and packed in too close some gnome will come in and own us. Other battlegrounds tend not to have really good choke points like AV, but I'd say mages do quite well there.
I've also seen a rogue just totally destroy countless people (thankfully she was on our side) just through sheer awesomeness, but mages I'd say are one of the most powerful battleground components.
Drisc Jul 9th 2008 5:07AM
i know its annoying being bugged all the time =, but it doesn't happen only with tables but also with buffs. SO i have started a new policy on my pala i dont buff anyone if i don't see a table and a soulwell in front of me. Am i being a tight ass? probably but well what can u do, hell if mages can complain about the couple of regents they have to use so can i. And as for the people that send u tells demanding something, there is no need to be mature about i just tell em that i was busy fookin there mum and forgot or something along the lines of that.
Roxton Jul 9th 2008 5:31AM
Put it this way - you should already have yor own food and water. However, there's no real way for us to gain Blessing of Kings without you. See?
Darm Jul 9th 2008 5:22AM
I remember one time on my low level mage I wa questing in Westfall and another player came up to me and said "water now" seems to me all people think mages are are vendors of free stuff
fuser197 Jul 9th 2008 3:53PM
I hope you replied with a refreshing side of rudeness.
Sy Jul 9th 2008 5:37AM
Arcane Intellect* Mana* im sure theres a few other typos, shouldn't really be typing posts this early lol.
To go further into what i was saying about the DPS vs warlocks point, since mages are out DPS'd easily by some of the other classes having the ability to conjure our own food is one of the few things left unique to us, hence people that demand tables are pretty much using us to take away our unique class abilities. Plenty of people rolled mages to be more than underappreciated food vendors.
Kothmia Jul 9th 2008 5:40AM
having had a mage for a really long time... I remember going to raids as soon as invites went out, so I could sit down and make "cindy buns" for everyone. These days, it's a tossup if I'll drop a table in AV or not. Basically, it depends on 2 things... if *I* need food/water, and if people aren't asshats about it.
TABLE! TABLE NOW!! yeah, sorry, no table for you. If you wanna be a demanding jerk, knock yourself out. It's my button and I'll cast if I want to. If you're a demanding jerk, I don't care if it DIDN'T have a reagent cost. I still wouldn't cast it.
Sky_Paladin Jul 9th 2008 5:48AM
I take it as a given that my allies are useless, incompetent, and don't care/know how to play, and are using the default interface with no add-ons. They are almost universally incapable of following simple instructions or responding sensibly to any scenario.
Since I can't rely on anybody else, I bring my own food and water to a battle. If I get a buff, table, soulwell or anything other than insults, it's a lucky bonus.
Because I am a responsible player, I have downloaded Pallypower and will buff everybody who happens to be standing around me whenever I respawn.
I will also heal my allies because even if they are bumbling idiots, they are my bumbling idiots, and if I keep them alive there is more chance that my bumbling idiots will kill the enemy bumbling idiots before the enemy kills me.
In short, other people's selfishness or stupidity doesn't excuse me being selfish or stupid. If I see a mage table, great, but if I don't I am not going to throw a hissy fit. I didn't expect to see one anyway.
Tyael Jul 9th 2008 8:35AM
Well put, imo.
lewisd35 Jul 9th 2008 6:00AM
For PVE instances I see the table as one of my responsibilities and have no problem providing even in a PUG. However, good manners go a long way with me. If someone *demands* the table without even a please, then it's conjured.
BG gets conjured food/water at the start for anyone that asks.
e Jul 9th 2008 5:58AM
Meh, It's like when people ask for heals In battle grounds, which is the most annoying request EVER !!!!1!!one!!1
And the funniest part is that either you heal all over but you have to prioritize and they don't get it or you are oom and they still ask you to heal...
That's why I never request for tables, A smart mage that wants to win the battle ground and work in a team will make the table.
Anroth Jul 10th 2008 12:01PM
If in a BG, you are entitled not to spend the reagents on a table.
If in a party or raid, there shouldn't be the need to ask.
Either you contribute at your full potential to that party/raid or you go solo.
Simple as that.
Procris Jul 9th 2008 7:11AM
When i was a Holy paladin i was incredibly annoyed when there was something like 8 or so mages in AV and not one would put down a table. Sure you could say, go buy your own food. But when i'm healing the people around me in a BG, i'd like them to at least help me out a little bit by providing water/food that'll allow me to continue. I can't count how many times i'll be oom or low on health and thats when the food/water comes in so handy.
Ironically they still badger other people in AV for buffs or the like. I'm an incredably polite person so i'll say in bg chat. "Please can we have a mage table" and if one goes down, i'll say thanks. Most the time i'll get ignored.
I have to say, its annoyed me sometimes to the point where i won't buff. If mages won't use 17 silver to make my job as a healer easier. I won't use my money to cast greater blessings on them. Childish? Maybe but if they aren't going to be team players, why bother with them.
Warlocks ALWAYS put down a soul well. You don't ever have to ask a warlock to do that. Then again, i'm sure Soul well doesn't cost 17 silver per well.
Valon Jul 9th 2008 7:17AM
I'm guessing the subject is if it's a PUG battleground ? If i was in a premade with a mage that would cast table I would have been slighty upset to be honest, - but not shocked, since mages are the slowest buffers in the world. :D wonder how many times I've had to write "AI please" in my raid chat.
Flashbomba Jul 9th 2008 7:19AM
PvE: always buff and make table. No discussion.
PvP:
How can you write:
"For those mages out there. Stop being so damn stingy and drop a table to HELP your other team mate. For those of you who AREN'T mages.............if you dont get a table, dont buff/heal/protect the mage :) thats what i do."
In the same sentence you write "help your teammates" and "screw over mages only".
I think the biggest problem is that you don't see people complaining about e.g. druids for not buffing motw etc *to the same extend*. And using rogue's poisons as example is like comparing bananas and potatos. You don't see anyone whining or even flaming rogues if they happen to CHOOSE not to use poison in a bg. But apparently mages don't have a choice like the other classes cause then they won't get healed etc. I hope you don't expect threats like that to actually work?
It's just so tiresome to get flaming whisps (yes people even bother to whisp you a lot of words that im sure their mothers don't want to hear them say hehe), yells, says, etc EVERY single time you join a bg. You only need to enter the game and wait max 5 sec before you're flooded with these DEMANDS for a table. Ofc there are also a lot of people who asks politely and ofc I have no problem helping them out. But when people start out with namecalling you etc then I simply loose all motivation to help the sucker.
I regularly experience when putting up a table in AB, EotS or WSG that people even yell out the infamous "table plz now!!!!!!!!!!!!" a few times AFTER I've made the damn table and it's been up for some time. People are so busy demanding what they want that they don't even open their eyes and look around for the table before yelling at me.
By now I only put up a table if either I need it myself or if it's one of those rare BGs where people only ask politely and without spamming me. But it only takes one retard to remind me why not to make a table and unfortunately that hurts the honest people out there. Think about that next time you flame a mage for not putting up a table instantly in a BG.
I'd love to help out my fellow players - i really do. But when people try to hassle me around then i just go into defensive mode and i think that's a pretty natural reaction for most of us.
Bottomline: Try to be nice to mages instead and the chances are much bigger for them wanting to help you out.
Valon Jul 9th 2008 7:20AM
Would not*