WoW Insider http://wow.joystiq.com WoW Insider http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/wow.joystiq.com/media/feedlogobig.gif WoW Insider http://wow.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2015 AOL, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. View our terms of service here: http://legal.aol.com/terms-of-service/full-terms/ Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ <![CDATA[Breakfast Topic: What's your favorite 5-man instance of all time?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/12/11/breakfast-topic-whats-your-favorite-5-man-instance-of-all-time/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/12/11/breakfast-topic-whats-your-favorite-5-man-instance-of-all-time/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/12/11/breakfast-topic-whats-your-favorite-5-man-instance-of-all-time/#comments Shadowfang Keep This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages.

The first instance I ever ran was Shadowfang Keep with my brother and his friends. I was led by the nose through it and it's a good thing, because I couldn't fight to save my life -- I just wanted to look at everything! To this day, it remains the benchmark for me by which all other instances are judged. When it received its update in Cata, part of me was really disappointed. I had always looked forward to running it on fresh alts, and I never wanted it to change. For the most part, I'm OK with the changes, and it still remains my favorite instance. And now I don't have to make alts to run it.

So what has been your very favorite instance to run? Not raid, mind you -- that's a whole other Breakfast Topic. Just a regular 5-man instance. Do you prefer the old classics, or has something from Cataclysm stolen your heart? None of the Wrath or Cata instances really did it for me, but I really got a kick out of the Caverns of Time instances from The Burning Crusade.

What grabs you when you get to an instance? Is it the setting? The music? The end of a quest line? Or are you primarily concerned with what kind of loot you're going to get out of the deal?

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Breakfast Topic: What's your favorite 5-man instance of all time? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sun, 11 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> 5-manfacebookfeedfive-mangame-discussiongamer-discussioninstancesworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicswow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topics (Amelia Ramstead) Sun, 11 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Breakfast Topic: Have you ever rage quit?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/12/01/breakfast-topic-have-you-ever-rage-quit/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/12/01/breakfast-topic-have-you-ever-rage-quit/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/12/01/breakfast-topic-have-you-ever-rage-quit/#comments Ragequit This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages.

I've been sorely tempted. You know the days I'm talking about. Nothing is going right. Your own faction is mining the nodes right out from under you. You just got ganked by a rogue for the fifth time, and now the jerk is corpse camping you. You queued up for an instance and managed to wind up with the leetest tank on the server and three of his guildies who proceed to talk smack about your DPS until the timer runs out and they are able to boot you. You wind up back where you started, and that stupid rogue ganks you one more time for good measure.

Screaming every curse word in the book, you yank your headphones off and throw them across your room, sign off, and storm away from the computer, vowing to never play this stupid game again. Of course, in the end, we always come creeping back, don't we? Oh sure, there are a few who don't, but I strongly suspect they aren't reading these words right now.

So what's your story? What was the last situation that made you quit WoW in a fit of pique? How long did you stay away? Why did you finally come back? Did you think for sure you were gone for good that time? How many times has this happened to you?

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Breakfast Topic: Have you ever rage quit? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 01 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> facebookfeedgame-discussiongamer-discussionrage-quitworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicswow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topics (Amelia Ramstead) Thu, 01 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Breakfast Topic: Which storyline do you want more of?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/11/28/breakfast-topic-which-storyline-do-you-want-more-of/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/11/28/breakfast-topic-which-storyline-do-you-want-more-of/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/11/28/breakfast-topic-which-storyline-do-you-want-more-of/#comments What's the end of the story? This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages.

WoW has so many ongoing storylines that it's hard to keep track of them all. Occasionally, they blend and merge, and sometimes they simply drift off without any sort of resolution. Sometimes we can get all caught up in the story and then abruptly it's gone. Sometimes storylines are resolved in books and unless you make a point of reading the novels or the comics you have no way of knowing what eventually happened, unless you can find some random NPC who will drop hints.

I've never managed to pull off Loremaster, so I've missed the ends of lots of storylines. I do always perk up a bit when I hear bits about the Old Gods. This particular storyline is fascinating to me, and it always just seems to show up in hints and winks, with occasionally an Old God turning up as a big boss. I know I would like to see more happening with these guys, like the sneaky little voice that show up sometimes with archaeology.

What about you? Are there any stories that petered out that you want to hear the end of? Do you like catching the beginning of the story and filling in the blanks in the Caverns of Time? Do you hope other old stories get revived?

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Breakfast Topic: Which storyline do you want more of? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> facebookfeedgame-discussiongamer-discussionstorylineworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicswow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topics (Amelia Ramstead) Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Breakfast Topic: Which race has the best lore?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/11/19/breakfast-topic-which-race-has-the-best-lore/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/11/19/breakfast-topic-which-race-has-the-best-lore/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/11/19/breakfast-topic-which-race-has-the-best-lore/#comments Tyrande Whisperwind This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages.

Every race has its own unique storyline, many of which have been played out in books, comics, and endless fanfics. Who have you enjoyed reading and acting out the most?

I'm torn. I love the orc lore -- it's so richly detailed, especially in so many of the books, that when I play an orc or head into orc territory, I really feel like I get them. I know most of the NPCs by name, and I know their backstories and their motivations. Landing on Nagrand for the first time in The Burning Crusade with an orc character was a game-changing experience.

The night elves probably have the most complete lore -- quite a feat when you consider how long their race goes back. Night elf lore imbues the game with an aura of mystery and grace that I have yet to find anywhere else. It's hard to play a night elf and not feel inclined to roleplay, at least a little bit. Playing through the quests involving Malfurion Stormrage always provides a sense of urgency, like the world actually depends on what you are doing.

Now it's your turn. Whose lore gets you really involved? Have you acted out stories involving the lore? Do you read up to get the background on your characters?

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Breakfast Topic: Which race has the best lore? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sat, 19 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> facebookfeedgame-discussiongamer-discussionloreracesworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicswow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topics (Amelia Ramstead) Sat, 19 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Breakfast Topic: What starting zone bores you?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/10/29/breakfast-topic-what-starting-zone-bores-you/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/10/29/breakfast-topic-what-starting-zone-bores-you/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/10/29/breakfast-topic-what-starting-zone-bores-you/#comments Early Gnome quest line This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages.

When Cataclysm dropped, most of the starting zones got a major revamp. I made a point of at least trying most of them, just to see the changes. Prior to Cata, my least favorite starting zone was the Human zone, followed by the Dwarf/Gnome zone. It just felt like there wasn't much involved, and the quests were, well, kind of generic. Suffice to say, my Human and Dwarf/Gnome characters never really got off the ground.

I came back after Cata dropped to see what had changed. While the Gnome and Dwarf area had seen major changes, I still didn't enjoy it that much. The Human area still wasn't doing it for me either. I think I need to accept that I'm just never going to have a high-level Human character! Horde-side, I always found the Troll and Orc starting zones boring. The stories just didn't grip me, and I found myself not caring about the characters.

What about you? Any starting zone bore you to tears? Have quests you thought were completely ridiculous? Leave you with a burning hatred for all members of that particular race and everything they stand for? Are there any that you used to like and feel like Cata completely screwed them up?

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Breakfast Topic: What starting zone bores you? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sat, 29 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> facebookfeedgame-discussiongamer-discussionworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicswow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topics (Amelia Ramstead) Sat, 29 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Breakfast Topic: Do you read the WoW novels?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/10/25/breakfast-topic-do-you-read-the-wow-novels/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/10/25/breakfast-topic-do-you-read-the-wow-novels/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/10/25/breakfast-topic-do-you-read-the-wow-novels/#comments Library This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages.

For the most part, I've always sneered at novels that were spin-offs of popular movies or games. I considered myself a bit of a literary purist and felt that the writing in these books was mediocre, at best. When I met my husband, he had a full collection of every book ever written that tied into a Blizzard game and more than a few books based on card games as well. I accepted it as one of his quirks, and we did just fine.

As luck would have it, one day I found myself desperate for reading material, with nothing at hand but Rise of the Horde by Christie Golden. I rolled my eyes, picked up the book, started reading ... and couldn't put the darn thing down. I was astonished. This writing wasn't bad ... in fact, I thought it was pretty good! The story was interesting. I enjoyed reading the back history of characters I had been encountering for years.

I asked my husband for a recommendation on what I should try next, and now I'm a thorough WoW novel devotee. Christie Golden remains my favorite author. I think she gets into the character's emotional states better than anyone else, and I love her strong female characters.

What about you? Have you given them a try? Any particular authors or stories you prefer?

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Breakfast Topic: Do you read the WoW novels? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> facebookfeedgame-discussiongamer-discussionworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicswow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topics (Amelia Ramstead) Tue, 25 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Breakfast Topic: How do you feel about using guns in WoW?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/10/10/breakfast-topic-how-do-you-feel-about-using-guns-in-wow/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/10/10/breakfast-topic-how-do-you-feel-about-using-guns-in-wow/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/10/10/breakfast-topic-how-do-you-feel-about-using-guns-in-wow/#comments Shooting a gun This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages.

A while back, I wrote a Breakfast Topic on technology that got folks up in arms. It seemed that while most people were fine with the majority of steampunkish Gnomish and Goblin technology (and some absolutely loved it), the one piece of equipment that ground more gears and got the cranky juices flowing was the gun. The people who didn't like it found it intrusive and at odds with the world around them.

I'm personally of the "Are the stats better? I'll take it!" variety, so gun or bow, I don't think about it that much. I don't care for the noise of the gun, but that's my only gripe. At the same time, I don't do much roleplaying, so I don't have to worry about whether a gun would be appropriate for my character's storyline. Plus, my characters that are able to use guns are alts, so I'm not terribly committed to them.

What about you? Are you vehemently anti-gun? Or are you cool with it, as long as the stats are an improvement? If the stats were exactly the same, which would you go with -- a gun or a crossbow? Aha -- see, you do have a preference! Tell us what drives it!

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Breakfast Topic: How do you feel about using guns in WoW? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> facebookfeedgame-discussiongamer-discussiongungunsrifleworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicswow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topics (Amelia Ramstead) Mon, 10 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Breakfast Topic: Do you blog about WoW?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/09/16/breakfast-topic-do-you-blog-about-wow/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/09/16/breakfast-topic-do-you-blog-about-wow/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/09/16/breakfast-topic-do-you-blog-about-wow/#comments Theorycrafting This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages.

Have you ever noticed that a search for tips about WoW brings up about a million blogs on the subject? Blogs can be found on nearly every aspect of WoW -- you can find lore blogs, class blogs, race blogs, profession blogs ... You name it, there's a blog on it.

I personally maintained a blog for raiding mages for a while, but I had to let it go when my raiding group went on hiatus and I simply couldn't fit any of the other raiding groups into my schedule. I'd like to get back to it. It was a lot of fun, and I also noticed that since I was trying to pay really close attention to mechanics so that I could pass the information on to other mages, it made me a better raider. My husband currently writes a blog about being a dad who games. I know that there are a bunch of those out there too, but it's fun for him to discuss situations that come up in his daily life with other people who understand completely.

What about you? Do you blog about WoW or gaming in general? What's your specific topic of expertise? Do you feel like you have a lot to contribute on the subject? Have you thought about starting a blog but just haven't found your niche yet? Do have any specific blogs about WoW that you really like?

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Breakfast Topic: Do you blog about WoW? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> blogbloggingblogsfacebookfeedgame-discussiongamer-discussiongaming-blogsworld-of-warcraft-blogsworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicswow-blogswow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topics (Amelia Ramstead) Fri, 16 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Breakfast Topic: What starting zone do you love?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/08/31/breakfast-topic-what-starting-zone-do-you-love/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/08/31/breakfast-topic-what-starting-zone-do-you-love/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/08/31/breakfast-topic-what-starting-zone-do-you-love/#comments This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages.

Lure me in with a beautiful location and great storyline, and I'm yours. I've been sucked in by the Blood Elf and Draenei starting zones and was loathe to leave. I also loved my time in the Goblin and Worgen starting zones, although being plopped out into the world with no real skills was a tad frustrating. I've also enjoyed starting Night Elves and Tauren. Despite this, my favorite zone is the Undead zone. That's right, Tirisfal Glades. Although it doesn't meet my "beautiful" requirement, the story more than makes up for it. And actually, on second thought, it is beautiful, in its own special way.

There's just something about Tirisfal Glades that feels so ... good. Maybe it's the slightly gothic feel. Maybe it's the tragedy that permeates the zone, the loss that is evidenced everywhere. And Sylvanas is one of my favorite characters, so having the opportunity to play next to her feels like an honor. I liked the undead starting zone from the beginning, but the changes in Cataclysm really added to the atmosphere. Being evil is so fun.

What about you? What starting zone really gets your juices flowing? Do you find yourself constantly making the same race over and over again just so you can watch the cinematics or do the same quest? What is it about that zone that makes it so very awesome for you?

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Breakfast Topic: What starting zone do you love? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> facebookfeedgame-discussiongamer-discussiontirisfal-gladesworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicswow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topics (Amelia Ramstead) Wed, 31 Aug 2011 08:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Breakfast Topic: How do you choose your spec builds?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/08/06/breakfast-topic-how-do-you-choose-your-spec-builds/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/08/06/breakfast-topic-how-do-you-choose-your-spec-builds/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/08/06/breakfast-topic-how-do-you-choose-your-spec-builds/#comments
This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages.

I confess that when it comes to my specs, I am incredible lazy. I'm not dual-specced. I don't have a PVP spec. I'm just a standard PVE frost mage. I didn't even change to arcane when arcane was the only way to be a "proper" mage. I'm not into theorycrafting, and I would rather let someone else do all the work. I poke around the internet for awhile, find a spec I like, and copy it. I then stick with that spec until major changes are made and I have no choice but to fix the spec.

Some of my good friends are the total opposite. They loiter on theorycrafting websites, crunch the numbers, and constantly tweak the numbers until their spec seems ideal. A few days later, they are ready to tweak some more.

Where do you fall on this spectrum? Are you a theorycrafter who loves the numbers game and could spend hours trying to devise the perfect spec? Would you prefer to sit back and yank someone else's perfect design? Or are you somewhere in the middle? Do you study the builds and then come up with something of your own, roughly based on the work you've seen?

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Breakfast Topic: How do you choose your spec builds? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sat, 06 Aug 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> BreakfastTopicsfacebookfeedgame-discussiongamer-discussionworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicsWorldofWarcraftwow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topics (Amelia Ramstead) Sat, 06 Aug 2011 08:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Breakfast Topic: How do you blend marriage and playing WoW?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/08/02/breakfast-topic-how-do-you-blend-marriage-and-playing-wow/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/08/02/breakfast-topic-how-do-you-blend-marriage-and-playing-wow/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/08/02/breakfast-topic-how-do-you-blend-marriage-and-playing-wow/#comments This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages.

My husband and I have both been playing WoW for several years. He was playing before me, then I got hooked. We take turns surpassing each other in levels and achievements. We like to roll starter toons together and try to choose complementary classes. We both belong to the same guild. Although the WoW portion of our relationship tends to be pretty harmonious, we have each been known to occasionally roll anonymous characters on a different server to get a little bit of quiet time.

WoW is something we both love, although we each tend to focus on different aspects of the game, and it's always good for a conversation topic when we don't feel like talking about what the heck we're going to do about the kids or griping about our jobs. We communicate our in-game plans, and when one of us wants to raid, we schedule it so that the other one is available to deal with any kid-related crises that come up.

Does your spouse or partner play the game? How do you guys make it work? Do you take turns, or do you spend every online moment together as a team? Are you competitive and try to constantly outdo each other, or are you as lovey online as you are in real life?

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Breakfast Topic: How do you blend marriage and playing WoW? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 02 Aug 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> facebookfeedgame-discussiongamer-discussionworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicswow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topics (Amelia Ramstead) Tue, 02 Aug 2011 08:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Breakfast Topic: What addons can you not live without?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/07/19/breakfast-topic-what-addons-can-you-not-live-without/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/07/19/breakfast-topic-what-addons-can-you-not-live-without/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/07/19/breakfast-topic-what-addons-can-you-not-live-without/#comments This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages.

My husband is the king of addons. If someone, somewhere, devised a method of making his WoW experience just a smidge easier, he has probably downloaded it and tried it out. I, on the other hand, have this strange sense that addons are "cheating" in some way, and I don't use them unless I can't get through the game (or at least raid) without them! I'm not sure where I picked up that particular attitude, but one other significant difference between me and my husband is that he loves gadgets, and I'm not such a fan. Isn't that kind of what an addon is? A gadget to make things in the game more convenient?

That being said, I can't live without Deadly Boss Mods. All the warning noises and flashing words and warnings to Run away! make me look like I know what I'm doing, even when I don't. Of course, the raid leader requires us to have it, but I wouldn't want to try raiding it without it. Otherwise, I'd probably just hang out standing in the fire. For the record, my husband's favorite addon is Titan Panel. He likes that pretty much every bit of information about his characters is one mouse click away, but I feel like it's information overload.

What about you? What addon can you not live (or at least raid) without?

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Breakfast Topic: What addons can you not live without? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 19 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> facebookfeedgame-discussiongamer-discussionworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicswow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topics (Amelia Ramstead) Tue, 19 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Breakfast Topic: Do you collect pets and mounts?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/07/18/breakfast-topic-do-you-collect-pets-and-mounts/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/07/18/breakfast-topic-do-you-collect-pets-and-mounts/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/07/18/breakfast-topic-do-you-collect-pets-and-mounts/#comments This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages.

Just last night, I got Plenty of Pets. I know, I know ... I'm a bit behind the curve. My husband, on the other hand, has pages and pages of pets. And pages. And he's a hunter. He even has the pets you have to purchase. He doesn't have the Winged Guardian yet, and it's driving him nuts. Payday is on Friday, though. I suspect it will be added to his menagerie at that point.

Our guild is composed of people who love their pets, too. When we are standing around waiting for the next boss or instructions from our illustrious leader, it starts to look a bit like a traveling zoo. Pugs are running around dragging their hind ends on the floor, Onyxian Whelplings are taking deep breaths, Pandaren are bowing, and Lil' KTs are Frostbolting random critters. It's chaos, but hilarious!

Are you a pet collector, or could you not care less? Which pet is your favorite? Any particular reason? Do you just really like the way they look, or do your pets and mounts have a specific action that you love? I must secretly be a 12-year-old boy, because every time I see a "pug wipe," I start giggling uncontrollably. I know. I can't help it.

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Breakfast Topic: Do you collect pets and mounts? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> facebookfeedgame-discussiongamer-discussionworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicswow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topics (Amelia Ramstead) Mon, 18 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Breakfast Topic: What's your favorite guild achievement?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/07/13/breakfast-topic-whats-your-favorite-guild-achievement/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/07/13/breakfast-topic-whats-your-favorite-guild-achievement/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/07/13/breakfast-topic-whats-your-favorite-guild-achievement/#comments This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages.

That's a Lot of Bait. It had been teasing us for weeks. I had the achievement tracker enabled for it, slowly watching the number creep upwards. The guild had spent one memorable evening (about three hours!) in Borean Tundra, half the group assigned to kill creatures and drop into the lake, thus creating blood pools, and the other half fishing out of them, racking up the numbers. We joked and chatted on Vent and in general had a wonderful time working together.

After that, people worked on their own to raise the numbers. Finally, sitting at about 9,500, the guild leader called together another raid group to get our butts back out to Borean and get the rest of the fish. With about 15 of us working together, we blasted out the remaining 500 fish in about 20 minutes.

We all know that fishing is notorious for being a mindnumbing profession (although archaeology may have knocked it into second place), but I loved the nights spent fishing with my guild -- great people who are funny and kind, working together to knock out that achievement and earn the recipe. It really felt like a team effort, and I was proud to have been a part of it.

Is there an achievement that really brought your guild together as a team?

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Breakfast Topic: What's your favorite guild achievement? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 13 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> facebookfeedgame-discussiongamer-discussionworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicswow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topics (Amelia Ramstead) Wed, 13 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Breakfast Topic: How would you spend one day as your character?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/07/03/breakfast-topic-how-would-you-spend-one-day-as-your-character/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/07/03/breakfast-topic-how-would-you-spend-one-day-as-your-character/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/07/03/breakfast-topic-how-would-you-spend-one-day-as-your-character/#comments This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages.

What if you could trade skill sets with your favorite toon for a day? I would port myself to my job, instead of sitting in mind-numbing traffic for 40 minutes. When I got to work, I would pop Mirror Image so I could have four people doing my work for me (because, you know, I'm glyphed for it!) while my water elemental and I sat outside and enjoyed the sunshine. If anyone came looking for me, I'd go Invisible and Blink myself the heck out of Dodge.

Lunch would be no sweat -- I'd just whip up some cakes and be good to go. I'd take advantage of the moment and turn my boss into a sheep (or a penguin). And when the two o'clock doldrums hit, I'd do the Time Warp and make the rest of the day go by until the time came to port myself back home again. Once home, I'd set the water elemental to watch the children (making sure that it's set to passive, of course) and conjure up some more cakes for dinner. I have to confess though, I would be getting the better end of the deal, as I think my poor little mage would be less than thrilled to be dropped into Twilight Highlands with nothing more than a quirky sense of humor and a penchant for the written word.

If you could trade places with your character for a day, what would you do?

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Breakfast Topic: How would you spend one day as your character? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sun, 03 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Breakfasttopicsfacebookfeedgame-discussiongamer-discussionworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicsWorldofWarcraftwow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topics (Amelia Ramstead) Sun, 03 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Breakfast Topic: Why did you start playing WoW?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/07/02/breakfast-topic-why-did-you-start-playing-wow/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/07/02/breakfast-topic-why-did-you-start-playing-wow/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/07/02/breakfast-topic-why-did-you-start-playing-wow/#comments This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages.

When I met my husband, he was a bit of a WoW junkie. I admit, I turned up my nose at it. I accepted it as one of his "quirks" and just shook my head and curled up with a book during his late-night game sessions. One night, we went over to visit my brother, and I watched as he and his guild were attempting, once again, the 40-man raid of Onyxia's Lair (yes, this was quite some time ago). I watched, listened to the conversation over his speakers, and marveled at the teamwork involved. Dare I admit ... this looked like fun?

Arriving home, I insisted that I wanted to try. Amused, my husband dug up a trial copy and loaded it on the dilapidated laptop. I rolled up a night elf druid and was hooked.

The night elf druid is long gone (draenei mage, thank you very much), and I play on a different server now, but I'm still hooked. The storylines still enthrall me, the graphics still invite me, and I still enjoy the camaraderie and teamwork.

What brought you into the game? Did you just happen to see a copy in the electronics section and think it looked nifty, or was there one moment that will always stand out as your That game looks friggin' AWESOME!! moment?

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Breakfast Topic: Why did you start playing WoW? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sat, 02 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> facebookfeedgame-discussiongamer-discussionworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicswow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topics (Amelia Ramstead) Sat, 02 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Breakfast Topic: Azerothian technology]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/06/16/breakfast-topic-azerothian-technology/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/06/16/breakfast-topic-azerothian-technology/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/06/16/breakfast-topic-azerothian-technology/#comments This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages.

It began in the Burning Crusade with the helicopters. They quickly became the must-have item for every fashionable Azerothian and Outlander. In Wrath, we saw the Mechanohog come about and the murmurings began. In Cataclysm, engineers continue to be able to make more modern looking weapons and the goblins ride around on their mechanical trikes. The goblin starting area has been described, both affectionately and derisively, as Grand Theft Auto: Isle of Kezan. At what point does modern technology in World of Warcraft go too far? How far can gnomish technology really go? Is the game becoming too "steampunky?" Is that even a word?

Do you feel that introducing items from modern-day Earth into Azeroth interferes with the immersion of the game? Is it impossible to properly roleplay when someone just roared past you on what appears to be a Harley-Davidson with a sidecar attached to it? Or do you just shrug it off as gnomish eccentricity? Are the items properly introduced with a logical argument for why they exist, or are they there for the sole purpose of giving engineers something to do (and a way to make money hand over fist)? Do you personally own one of the mechanical vehicles, and, if you are a roleplayer, how do you work it into your storyline?
Have you ever wanted to write for WoW Insider? Your chance may be right around the corner. Watch for our next call for submissions, and be sure to sign up for Seed, the Aol guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider. The next byline you see here may be yours!

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Breakfast Topic: Azerothian technology originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 16 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> BreakfastTopicsfacebookfeedgame-discussiongamer-discussionworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicsWorldofWarcraftwow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topics (Amelia Ramstead) Thu, 16 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Breakfast Topic: Is WoW inherently sexist?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/05/17/breakfast-topic-is-wow-inherently-sexist/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/05/17/breakfast-topic-is-wow-inherently-sexist/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/05/17/breakfast-topic-is-wow-inherently-sexist/#comments This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages.

We've all heard the arguments. We've seen the plate mail that looks rough and rugged on the human male and then turns into a barely there bikini on the night elf female. We've taken our turns putting bunny ears on all the ladies during Noblegarden. We know the warlock succubus pet and her sexy "come hither" stare. Guys claim to roll female characters simply for the joy of watching them from the backside, while the few who play dwarven women complain about the "bounce mechanics" and think about how uncomfortable that would be in real life. And we just won't even talk about some of the players.

So what's the deal? Is WoW sexist? Is the gaming community itself sexist? Is Blizzard simply conforming to the video game/comic book stereotype of rough-and-tumble men with huge pecs and ab muscles and the super-sexy women who look so top-heavy that they might fall over any minute? (And what the heck is that chain mail bikini actually supposed to be protecting, anyway?) Are you okay with it, or do you feel like something needs to change? Do you think it ever will?

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Breakfast Topic: Is WoW inherently sexist? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 17 May 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> facebookfeedgame-discussiongamer-discussionworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicswow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topics (Amelia Ramstead) Tue, 17 May 2011 08:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Breakfast Topic: What's the best thing about your guild?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/05/15/breakfast-topic-whats-the-best-thing-about-your-guild/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/05/15/breakfast-topic-whats-the-best-thing-about-your-guild/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/05/15/breakfast-topic-whats-the-best-thing-about-your-guild/#comments This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages.

About eight months ago, I found myself in need of a new guild. It was nothing against the old guild; it just wasn't meeting my needs at the time. No one was ever in chat, and I was lonely. I'd grown bored with pugging heroics and wanted to see some endgame content before Cataclysm dropped.

So the husband and I set out to find The Perfect Guild. We had a short list of things we needed. We aren't hardcore, but we still wanted to raid. We wanted a guild where we could level new characters and get help when needed. We wanted enough members that guild chat was usually busy. We wanted friendly people who would welcome us in with open arms. We also needed the guild to be on our current server, because we couldn't afford a transfer. We poked around on the forums for awhile, and suddenly my husband jumped out of his chair. "Come here!" he said. "I think I've got one!" I read through the recruitment ad ... and it was perfect. Everything we wanted and more. We quickly applied and were indeed welcomed with open arms. Two weeks later, I joined a weekly raid and set foot in ICC for the first time.

How did you find your current guild? Why did you join them? Are you still happy with them?

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Breakfast Topic: What's the best thing about your guild? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sun, 15 May 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> facebookfeedgame-discussiongamer-discussionworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicswow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topics (Amelia Ramstead) Sun, 15 May 2011 08:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Breakfast Topic: Do your kids play WoW with you?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/04/23/breakfast-topic-do-your-kids-play-wow-with-you/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/04/23/breakfast-topic-do-your-kids-play-wow-with-you/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/04/23/breakfast-topic-do-your-kids-play-wow-with-you/#comments This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages.

My 10-year-old son is quickly becoming a World of Warcraft junkie (can't imagine where he gets that from ...). He has two characters, a gnome mage and a tauren warrior. He hasn't managed to level either of them past 13, but that doesn't bother him in the least. He runs from capital to capital, fishing, riding the zeppelin or Deeprun Tram, hooking up with whichever relative is "lucky" enough to be on at that moment and even occasionally completing a quest. My brother, brave fellow that he is, actually took my son for a run through Ragefire Chasm. I still haven't heard the end of that. I confess to sometimes using his WoW obsession for nefarious purposes -- it makes a great reward for chores or homework well done!

If you have kids, do you let them play WoW? What types of characters do they play? Do you find it necessary to take any precautions? What limits do you set? Whether you do or you don't, what is your reasoning behind it? Are you concerned that they might fall in with a "rough crowd?" Do you love the idea of teaming up with your kiddo to take on Erudax? Are your kids in your guild? Chime in, all you WoW parents out there!

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Breakfast Topic: Do your kids play WoW with you? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sat, 23 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> childchildrenfacebookfeedfamilyfamily-friendlygame-discussiongamer-discussionkidsparentingparentsworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicswow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topics (Amelia Ramstead) Sat, 23 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Breakfast Topic: What's the best WoW-themed gift you've given or received?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/04/18/breakfast-topic-whats-the-best-wow-themed-gift-youve-given-or/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/04/18/breakfast-topic-whats-the-best-wow-themed-gift-youve-given-or/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/04/18/breakfast-topic-whats-the-best-wow-themed-gift-youve-given-or/#comments This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages.

Several of us in my family play World of Warcraft. On birthdays and holidays, it's never a surprise. What could possibly be in that lightweight, rectangular-shaped package? Why, it's a time card! Huzzah! It's become somewhat of a joke at this point, as we trade time cards back and forth. I'm not sure who's ahead at this point.

Occasionally we step it up a bit, and somebody gets a hoodie or a T-shirt (and thank goodness I haven't received any underwear yet). We've bequeathed Celestial Steeds and Lil' K.T.s to each other. One year, I got pretty creative (for me) and made a "treasure chest" for my brother. I included a time card (big surprise), beef jerky, Mana Potion energy drink and some cash. He tells me that he still has the chest and now uses it as a bank to store spare change in.

Do you pass around WoW-themed presents in your family? Have you received any particularly memorable ones over the years? Have you given any that left you feeling strangely satisfied with yourself? Where do you find the best gifts? Do you scour the online stores and Blizzard's website, or do you have a creative streak and make them yourself?

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Breakfast Topic: What's the best WoW-themed gift you've given or received? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> facebookfeedgame-discussiongamer-discussiongiftpresentworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicswow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topics (Amelia Ramstead) Mon, 18 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Breakfast Topic: What real-life skills has WoW helped you develop?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/04/15/breakfast-topic-what-real-life-skills-has-wow-helped-you-develo/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/04/15/breakfast-topic-what-real-life-skills-has-wow-helped-you-develo/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/04/15/breakfast-topic-what-real-life-skills-has-wow-helped-you-develo/#comments This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages.

I've never been a hunt-and-peck typist, but these days, my fingers can fly across the keyboard. It has certainly served me well in my employment. I can successfully type out full paragraphs with one hand on the keyboard and the other on the mouse. You can't see it, but I'm doing it right now. Are you impressed yet?

Okay, probably not. I'm willing to bet that any of you can do it, too. But what other skills have you acquired through playing WoW? If you run your own guild, you may have become an effective leader and a whiz at organization and planning. Raid leaders may have to become experts at dealing with conflicting personalities and steering their cohorts toward the common goal. Dealing with guild drama might have you thinking should have a degree in social work by now. Playing the auction house might have inspired you to go into the stock market (and if you have earned a fortune doing this, please share your tips with the group!) Or maybe you've just learned to suck up your disappointments and handle them without having to resort to QQ and name-calling.

Have you acquired an impressive skill through WoW that you might not have developed otherwise?

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Breakfast Topic: What real-life skills has WoW helped you develop? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 15 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> facebookfeedgame-discussiongamer-discussionworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicsWorldofWarcraftwow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topics (Amelia Ramstead) Fri, 15 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Breakfast Topic: Care to share any recent embarrassing moments?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/03/21/breakfast-topic-care-to-share-any-recent-embarrassing-moments/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/03/21/breakfast-topic-care-to-share-any-recent-embarrassing-moments/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/03/21/breakfast-topic-care-to-share-any-recent-embarrassing-moments/#comments This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages.

It was my first run through regular Grim Batol. I was in a guild group made up of the movers and shakers, including the guild leader. I was still a fairly new member of the guild and had never actually run anything with the leader in tow, so I was feeling on my guard. This was the first time in GB for several of us, so things were getting spelled out as we went. The bombing run went adequately, and so did General Umbriss. I'd managed to dodge the worst of it so far, and my DPS was holding up all right, so I was beginning to puff out my chest and not feel like a total failure.

We crept around the corner and the tank began pulling the trash leading up to Forgemaster Throngus. I peeked my head around the corner to see what was going on ... and my water elemental promptly pulled Throngus and everything else in the entryway. We all fought valiantly but suffered the inevitable wipe.

Fortunately, everyone was in good spirits about it and laughed. It's become a bit of a guild joke, and I now get told when I should stay put, but I was completely mortified and wanted to slink out the back door with my draenei tail between my legs.

What moment has made you want to log off in shame and never return?

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Breakfast Topic: Care to share any recent embarrassing moments? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> embarrassingembarrassmentfacebookfeedfacepalmgame-discussiongamer-discussionshameworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicswow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topics (Amelia Ramstead) Mon, 21 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Breakfast Topic: How was your first Cataclysm heroic group?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/02/11/breakfast-topic-how-was-your-first-cataclysm-heroic-group/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/02/11/breakfast-topic-how-was-your-first-cataclysm-heroic-group/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/02/11/breakfast-topic-how-was-your-first-cataclysm-heroic-group/#comments This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the Aol guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages.

My grinding had finally paid off: i329, and I was ready. With a trembling hand, I moused over "Random Cataclysm Heroic." I clicked. I had heard the rumors and the tales of woe. Guildies had warned us all of the terrors that lie in the heroic PUG.

I gulped and settled in for my long DPS queue. In the middle of killing some Cultists in Twilight Highlands, the dungeon popped. My heart rate doubled. I zoned in to Blackrock Caverns. I knew right away that we were in trouble. The DPS consisted of two mages and a hunter. We wiped on the first pull. Slowly, we made it to Rom'ogg. We cleared the first part of the room, and the tank pulled Rom'ogg. And the healer pulled the rest of the trash. We wiped. We came back to try it again ... and the other mage's Mirror Image pulled the rest of the trash. The tank dropped group. The next tank joined us, announced, "I hate coming in on a wipe," and then called me a Very, Very Bad Name (not to be confused with your Average Garden Variety Bad Name). I determined that I paid my $15 a month to have fun -- and split.

What was your first Cataclysm heroic experience? Was it a complete disaster, or did you miraculously pull an awesome group?

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Breakfast Topic: How was your first Cataclysm heroic group? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> dungeon-finderfacebookfeedgame-discussiongamer-discussionheroicheroicspugpuggingworld-of-warcraft-discussionworld-of-warcraft-topicswow-discussionwow-hot-topicswow-issueswow-topics (Amelia Ramstead) Fri, 11 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EST WoW Insider