The Classifieds: Against all odds
by Fox Van Allen 
Jun 23rd 2010 at 4:00PM
It's not easy playing World of Warcraft on a server where one faction has a massive advantage over the other. Take the Zul'Jin (US) server for example -- Horde outnumbers Alliance by about 3:1. The Alliance winning Wintergrasp on a server as unbalanced as Zul'Jin is a rare occurence -- there just aren't enough Alliance players showing up to give their faction a shot of winning.
Recently, however, the Alliance has seen a resurgence of their PvP fortunes -- they're starting to win Wintergrasp against all odds. Why? A huge chunk of the credit goes to one person: Hellsbargin <Guild Display Error>. As it is explained to us:
More news, uberness, and yes, even more terrible, terrible Phil Collins. All after the break.In the last week, Alliance has pretty much had Wintergrasp on lock down. Hellsbargin will sit in Dalaran drawing attention to the fact WG is about to start through normal means, like trade chat and yelling. But he's also gone the extra mile to draw attention. He's spent well over 6k gold in fireworks, flares, and clusters to make a highly visible display outside of Alliance quarters. He shapes an arrow pointing through the doorway with lights set up inside like a landing strip leading to the WG portal. I thought it was amazing how much effort he's put in to just getting people interested in doing the event, and how much a little enthusiasm can do to provide a win and keep it going.
Random acts of uberness
Ninjas? Trolls? Jokes about the Xbox 360? Nothing to write home about, all. We'd much rather read about our readers' brushes with moments of true uberness. Did your tank stick around long after an instance was finished to help you finish a quest? Did stranger from a PUG take time out from his playing to walk you through the mechanics of your class? When the last two people alive finished off Malygos' all by their lonesome to get your group of ten credit for the weekly, were you there; saw what they did? Saw it with your own two eyes? Send your shout-outs to theclassifieds@wow.com. Keep things brief (150 words or less, please), and be sure to list everyone's character names and home realms or battlegroup. (It's the least you can do.)
Saelor (Kul Tiras [US-A]) I had just achieved the level cap and really wanted to start running heroic randoms, so I queued up. (Being a tank, the queue times are insane -- I had to wait like a whole 30 seconds that time.) "Great, a UP heroic, this should be interesting." I buffed every one and explained in party chat I was a fresh under geared 80 and probably wont hold aggro. Saelor, a DPS DK from Kul Tiras promptly said, "no problem, we got it." The rest of the group followed with, "don't worry, you'll do fine." We get to the end and the boss drops a sweet one-handed tank sword. I rolled need and so did Saelor. He won the sword. I sighed to myself and went to get some of the items for the quest that dwarf gives you at the beginning. After a few minutes a trade window pops up and there is that sword, taunting me. I click accept and I receive a party message from Saelor saying, "you need this more than I do." And poof, he was gone. I would like to take this time to thank Saelor -- that has got to be one of the kindest acts that I have run across in game.-- Driply <PWNstars> (Thorium Brotherhood [US-A])
Secrtmistres (Kael'thas [US-H]) During a pugged raid of Serpentshrine Cavern, one of the members accidently died on the way to Lady Vashj and he couldn't find his way to the instance entrance. Damn that underwater pipe! Secrtmistres, a friendly and sympathic priest followed me through the instance in a failed attempt to find the lost player's body. Eventually, the lost player found his way and we continued the raid to wipe on Vashj. Afterwards, Secrtmistres insisted in the name of "friendship" that she repay me for the fish feasts I had supplied. She gave me four feasts for the two I had used and wouldn't let me give the two extra back. It is rare to see such generousity in a pugged raid and when I do, it's an awesome feeling! Three cheers for Secrtmistres!
-- Chawakanda <The Zug Initiative> (Kael'thas [US-H])
Pariaah <Silly Latin Name> (Terokkar [US-H]) About a week ago, I was asking in trade chat about what a good GearScore was for doing random heroics. I was a fresh 80, and I had been told by a friend that I should gear up in lower-skill Heroics before I do the random dungeon finder again. Of course, Trade was able to offer limited advice; however, one person stood out as highly helpful. Pariaah engaged me in a conversation about random heroics and how gear didn't really matter for them. I eventually found myself in a random Heroic group with her and 2 or 3 others from my server, and Oculus popped. While we didn't get the mount, I got something far more valuable: a chance to finally get over my fear of heroic dungeons!Pariaah was so helpful that she even was willing to help me see that a higher-than-a-certain-level GearScore wasn't needed for random Heroics! She did a gear check on another player who randomly came in (after a couple others left) and told me: "See? You don't need a certain GearScore to do these! Look at [this player]!" I quickly looked at the player's GS number and was amazed that hers was lower than mine!
Pariaah also gave me some benchmarks: she wanted me to do five random heroics (for the gear) and two battlegrounds (so I could learn how to heal well as a raid healer) each day. While the numbers astonished me (at least, for the dungeons), and I haven't been able to do a whole five dungeons as of yet (more like 2 or 3, but that's because of my dailies and personal life taking up the length of a couple), I'm still glad I asked trade. Pariaah was such a great help for me. I hope she is reading this, and I want to thank her for helping me so much.
-- Lamasu <Ascendant Gloria> (Terokkar [US-H])
-- Lamasu <Ascendant Gloria> (Terokkar [US-H])
News: Around the WoW community
Slaughtering the innocent for a good cause Last August, WoW.com covered the WoWathon, a 12-day, live-streamed World of Warcraft marathon to benefit Child's Play. Child's Play, started by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins of the popular online comic Penny Arcade, is a charitable organization whose goal is to bring video games and other toys to children's hospitals worldwide.
This year, the folks behind the original WoWathon are organizing their second annual event. Beginning on July 15, two brave Southern California volunteers will brave uncomfortable desk chairs, suboptimal levels of air conditioning, and gank-happy griefers to start two characters on a PvP server (yet to be announced) and level them to 80 over the course of several days, raising money for charity along the way. Last year's event saw nearly $8,300 donated directly to Child's Play, and they hope to raise even more this year.
if you want to learn more about the event, you can visit their website at www.wowathon.com or follow them on Twitter. All donations made on their website through the ChipIn button go directly to Child's Play.
Ironman Challenge update Do you remember two weeks ago, when Lisa introduced the Ironman Challenge? To successfully complete it, you work your way through each and every instance wearing only the gear that you find in those instances. Last week, we checked in with reader Largo (The Sha'tar [EU-A]), who is blogging about his own personal attempt at the challenge.
Though he's not very deep into the challenge -- he just finished Stockades, as of his last post -- he's already learning some valuable lessons about World of Warcraft. Lesson one: Stockades is an awful place to go looking for gear drops. Lesson two was this gem:
Employment: Guild recruitingI swear, this challenge sometimes doesn't seem like so much a challenge of only finding gear in the dungeons, as it seems to be about finding a functioning group in the dungeons. Skill over gear? Heck yeah!
Is your guild searching through the day and into the night to complete your team? Is the boomkin you desperately need not anywhere that you can find them? The Classifieds can help. Send your guild's recruiting information to theclassifieds@wow.com and we'll try to feature as many as we can!
ICC-10 Casual <Knights Of The Blade> (Sentinal [US-H]) was founded in 2007 as a friendly casual guild. <Knights of the Blade> is officially opening their doors to recruitment for the first time since the release of WotLK. They are seeking friendly DPS for their 10-main raid group, which is a respectful ICC 6/12. There is plenty of room for improvement for those who feel they may have been left behind in the raiding scene. Their main progression raids run Thursday and Monday starting at 5:00 p.m. server time (8:00 p.m. EST). Precaution: Those who take themselves too seriously need not apply.
ICC-10/25 Casual <Raider of the Lost Bacon> (Elune [US-H]) is currently seeking new raid members. They describe themselves as a fun, casual raiding guild looking to fill out their ranks and start working on 25-man content. They run one ICC-10 two nights a week, and have a day set aside for the weekly raid on mains and alts. They also try to kick back a few times a month on some old school raids. Raid times start around 20:00 server and go until around 22:00-22:30. <Raider of the Lost Bacon> emphasizes having fun and teamwork over hard core raiding attitudes. As an added benefit our guild leader has the voice of an airline pilot!
ICC-10 Casual <Legacy of the Forgotten> (Lothar [US-A]) is a semi-casual Alliance raiding guild currently looking for people to fill out their ICC-10 normal (6/12) raiding group. They are open to all classes and specs, especially tanks and healers, and are willing to teach if you're willing to learn. They try to keep things fun and understand that real life takes precedence over the game. <Legacy of the Forgotten> raid twice a week, Friday and Sunday nights. Players should contact Bolgar, Deramierre, Amelan, or Grid if they're interested.
The Classifieds brings you weekly updates on player and community news, help finding the right guild, who's making waves in the WoW community and more. Email your news and Random Acts of Uberness to TheClassifieds@wow.com.Filed under: The Classifieds
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Frank Jun 23rd 2010 4:10PM
came hoping to see su-su-sudio.
.
.
.
/disappointed : (
Fox Van Allen Jun 23rd 2010 4:15PM
DAMNIT PHIL COLLINS THAT'S NOT EVEN A WORD
(cutaia) Jun 23rd 2010 4:20PM
Claiming Sudio isn't a word now? Fox Van Allen seeks to cause comment drama wherever he goes. :P
Duts Jun 23rd 2010 4:48PM
Horatio Caine says that often when you leave comments, you either get down-ranked or you get...
/sunglasses
... No Reply At All.
ARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!! WON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN!
Paulio Jun 23rd 2010 6:20PM
LOL'd at "No reply at all." Good one. :) ('course, it's really a Genesis tune...)
juda Jun 23rd 2010 4:12PM
how is dps rolling on tank gear an act of kindness?
Slick Jun 23rd 2010 4:19PM
Because unlike most people would, he did the right thing and gave it to the tank. There are those of us who hit need because we can and would use the item instead of seeing it get DEed. If the person filling the role it was meant for roles need and loses, we hand it over.
Shelly Jun 23rd 2010 5:19PM
The rolling interface does not distinguish between current spec, off spec or even prefered spec. That dps could have been a undergeared tank running as dps to not strain a group or offend the leet healers (who leave group when the tank has less than 50k health) sensabilities. It is in any ranking classes (or healing class' right) to gear their not currently using spec. It is only a courtesy to pass for the person performing the role at that time, not a requirement.
Rhabella Jun 23rd 2010 5:45PM
@Shelly,
HOLD UP THERE!
If you enter a random and say right off the bat you are hoping to acquire a certain or all tanking gear that drops but you are DPS, then it is absolutely your right to roll on it. The tank has the opportunity to drop group, or kick you if he is that kind of raging a hole of a tank, but to say you have the right to do so may be acceptable within the rolling parameters set forth by Blizzard’s dated system, but you are nothing more than an ass hat if you roll on the gear the tank rightfully earned by tanking the encounter.
It should be noted that in the world of quick clicking DE rollers, I would much prefer a DPS to roll on a piece and then hand it over to the tank if he can than for him to run the risk of not getting a piece the tank has no interest in, and the way the referenced player behaved is more than acceptable and borderline uber, but anyone who enters a random and doesn’t tell the group they intend to take the gear that is clearly designed for someone else performing a different and present role in the group is nothing more than a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Communication is key, and not communicating is repugnant.
DarkSoul Jun 24th 2010 12:25AM
Irrelevant note: That's a crappy DK tanking weapon anyway.
Blood and Unholy use a two hander, and DW frost uses slow dps weapons, of which RSoC is neither.
Baba Jun 23rd 2010 4:17PM
Child's play is a great idea, saved the page for the event :)
Having my own WoW marathon starting on the 29th, but that's just in celebration of exams ending and me returning to WoW :D
juda Jun 23rd 2010 4:28PM
Just DPS being pricks, IMO. If the Tank doesn't hit Need then feel free to Need. Just because you're in the group, doesn't entitle you to Need everything your 2nd and 3rd spec might find useful. Wish they could track all the offspec needing vultures.
Umehte Jun 23rd 2010 4:43PM
I agree... my wife lost two rolls last night for the tank cloak off of Ahune, once to an "off spec" who clicked need before we could even say "sure you can roll on that", and the other to a complete asshat healer who ninja'd the cloak because she wasn't "tanking good enough"... Even with all of the new implementation of the holiday boss the ninja cannot be stopped.
Alanid Jun 23rd 2010 5:16PM
Although gear is only partial compared to skill how does it make sense to take away the tank item from the tank if in your opinion said tank isn't tanking well enough? ...tank.
Angus Jun 23rd 2010 6:04PM
Alanid: It doesn't make sense, it just plain diesn't, and that's what makes it sad.
Bill Jun 23rd 2010 4:33PM
I like the "random acts of uberness" section. There are so many folks in WoW who would rather yell at someone than be nice and it's a good reminder that there are actually folks out there who are willing to help someone out.
Scunosi Jun 23rd 2010 5:39PM
Not trying to brag, but I like seeing people in "heroic" gear getting upgrades. Especially if they're the same spec as one of my toons. ^^ So when I saw a new moonkin in Hup that could use some gear, I was more than happy to need on the cloth belt (aka the upgrade that he couldn't roll on /fist) and trade it to him. :D It's always better to see items used than just thrown away imo.
Holly Jun 23rd 2010 4:47PM
I love Phil Collins. This made me happy.
BritishBulldog Jun 23rd 2010 4:47PM
I would love having a 3:1 ratio! The last time I checked, my server (Dentarg Eu), had a 16:1 ratio of active level 80s. However, the few remaining guilds (When I say few, I mean few... they cannot do 25 mans anymore and it's a stretch to do 10 man instances) have started to work together to win wg whenever they can!
Alithoe Jun 23rd 2010 4:51PM
There's a guy on my server (Argent Dawn) Hordeside who does something very similar to Hellsbargin. I think the imbalance for A:H is about 2 or 3:1 for AD, and whenever the subject of Wintergrasp comes up we get the usual round of "We always lose it".
Merrik goes out of his way to run a 80 man vent, spamming trade, general, everything to get people into WG. We've actually won defense a second time in a row during peak hours on a Tuesday with his help!