Farewell, Cataclysm

So long, Talent Trees!

As of Tuesday, August 28, 2012, Cataclysm was officially over.  There's still some time before the world event involving Theramore on August 18, and the launch of Mists of Pandaria on September 25, but the "pre-expansion" patch 5.0.4 has already drastically changed how we play the game.  Farewell, Talent Trees!  Hello, Talent Calculator!  Shamans have lost their totems (sort of), paladins have lost auras, and hunters can now shoot things at point-blank range, and everyone either loves it, hates it, or is still staring at their screens asking what happened.

The end of Cataclysm and the arrival of Mists brought about changes for me outside of my class, too.  I've moved my raiding/role-playing main to a new server and joined with an entirely new guild, a decision that still stings a bit as I loved my old guild dearly.  It was time for me to move on and broaden my horizons, and to get ready for my first ever expansion experience in World of Warcraft.

And that's what brings me to this new blog.  In the last year and a half, I've learned a lot.  I've gone from one 85 to five, each from a different class, and I know at least enough about each of them not to get myself killed (too much).  I'm actually comfortable enough to answer basic questions concerning game play and class/spec, and even explaining strategy in PuGs.  I'm by no means an expert, and if you come to this blog expecting to be told in explicit detail how to be the best player in WoW, you'll be disappointed.  This blog isn't about that, it's about my adventures as a casual raider and role-player in WoW.

Some of the posts here will be silly, and will likely involve letters to/from/about my toons.  Some will be serious and will talk about how my feminism (yes, I am a feminist) intersects with and occasionally butts heads with my gaming experience.  Others will be cheering about my accomplishments in raiding, and the headaches associated with gearing a toon to be raid ready.  And finally, there will be some lore nerdery from time to time.

It is what it says on the tin:  "I am a casual raider and role-player in WoW.  I write about it."  The end.