Pre-Raid Gear Lists Updated for 4.2

Patch 4.2: Rage of the Firelands is due to drop this week. I've updated my Restoration Pre-Raid Gear List and Moonkin Pre-Raid Gear List in preparation, as there are quite a few new items that will be available outside of raids. I've included a list of the items at the bottom of this post.

Full patch notes for 4.2 can be found on Battle.net.

Big thanks must go to Jasyla of Cannot Be Tamed for her post on gear in 4.2 - this made my updating job so much easier this time! Go and check out her post to see the new raid loot available in the Firelands.

Valor and Justice Points
Our existing Valor Points will be converted to Justice Points and as such the items that were purchasable with Valor Points will now be purchased using Justice Points instead. Normal versions of the pre-4.2 raids will only reward Justice Points. (Source: MMO-Champion).

Firelands Dailies
The new daily quest hub will be opening in Mount Hyjal. The way I understand it, the new quests will unlock in phases, similar to the way each set of dailies was unlocked for the Argent Tournament. Each daily quest rewards a number of [Mark of the World Tree], and these are turned in to unlock the next set of dailies and the rewards of each of three vendor NPCs (Source: MMO-Champion).

New Pre-Raid Leather Intellect Gear
Neck
Firemind Pendant - Valor Points

Wrists
Smolderskull Bindings - Valor Points

Hands
Heavenly Gloves of the Moon - Leatherworking

Waist
Fireplume Girdle - Firelands Dailies

Feet
Ethereal Footfalls - Leatherworking

Fingers
Soothing Brimstone Circle - Valor Points
Spirit Fragment Band - Firelands Dailies

Off-hand
Globe of Moonlight - Firelands Dailies

Relic
Singed Plume of Aviana - Valor Points
Soulflame Vial - Valor Points
Relic of Elune's Light - Firelands Dailies

15 Days of Screenshots: Favourite Quote

This post is part of a series for Saz's Through Your Interface screenshot challenge. 

Day 6: Favorite Line of Poetry/Lyric

Most of us have a favorite poet or song. Give us an image that you think represents your favorite line, or what line inspires you most. 

We live only to discover beauty.  All else is a form of waiting.

Khalil Gibran

I don't really have a favourite song or poet per se, more a wide variety of things that inspire me at random times. I came across this quote recently and thought it summed up quite well one of the things that I most love to do - find beautiful things in everyday life.  We play a beautiful game but we also live in a beautiful world - one which we should make sure to get out and see it from time to time.

Full-size image of the Maw of the Void, Darkshore is hosted at scrntag.com.

Midsummer Fire XP Festival

Breaking News (to me, anyway): Honoring and Desecrating Fires Awards Experience!

You may remember a little while ago I was disappointed to discover that visiting Elders no longer awarded xp. Well, I was pleased to discover tonight that visiting the Midsummer Festival Fires of both factions still award xp, gold and reputation. Enemy fires award more of each!

WowHead's Guide is now up-to-date with the new locations, so break out your alts if you can bear the thought of riding around all over the world.  It's a lot easier if you can fly!

The festival runs until July 4.

15 Days of Screenshots: Titles

This post is part of a series for Saz's Through Your Interface screenshot challenge. 

Day 5: Title of Choice

Show us an image of you pimping your favorite title and give us a reason why you dig it so much.

Titles have evolved so much over the years. While I'm glad that they have made them easier to obtain, there aren't many that are still truly unique anymore, unless you're willing to take part in weeks of grinding.

The titles that I've really admired are ones that I haven't had the opportunity to get - Hand of A'dal, Starcaller, Loremaster, Guardian of Cenarius... but my favourite for my Shadow Priest was always "of the Nightfall". For my Druids, I quite like "Elder", but Leesah has always secretly coveted "Guardian of Cenarius".

I didn't get a chance this week to be too creative with a screenie so instead I'm cheating by posting some random shots instead. Enjoy!

A light in the darkness

My buddy Malmortis, who has taken to following me around since Zul'Drak. 

Don't try the curry at Amberpine Lodge.

15 Days of Screenshots: Greatest Accomplishment

This post is part of a series for Saz's Through Your Interface screenshot challenge. 

Day 4: Greatest Accomplishment

I've never been at the fore-front of progression raiding so I don't have any of the fancy drakes or even much special gear, so my accomplishments are probably pretty low-key compared to some. I'll share a few with you anyway.

Completing Karazhan
Hells Reapers started out as a levelling guild in mid-Burning Crusade times. It grew to a decent size and once a few of us got to level 70 we started to run heroics together. The transition into raids took a while and a load of work, but with the hard work of a few key people plus the core raiders we completed Karazhan in June 2008. I was the GM at the time and I was so proud of everyone!

This shot is the roof of the Opera, one of my favourite encounters in Kara. What will the show be tonight? Wizard of Oz? Perhaps Romulo and Julianne.. or the dreaded Big Bad Wolf during which most of the raid were sure to perish!

Slaying Malygos
Later, in a different guild and a short while after Wrath had been released, we had started to run Naxxramas. One Saturday morning a group of 10 of us decided to have a crack at Malygos, since one of us had got the key during the week. Five or six hours of wiping later and after about a total of 16 people taking part as people were subbed in and out, we got him down. What made it even better was that we hadn't even realised that getting Maly down would earn us the Champion of the Frozen Wastes title, before many others on the server had it. We wore that title with pride for many weeks, or at least until everyone else had it.

Kingslayers
Much later, and on the other side of the world, a small 10-man raiding guild killed the Lich King in the dying weeks of the expansion. Yes, we had 25% buff and someone with us who had done it before, but I was so proud of my Kingslayer title after that night. I miss my guildies... I wish they would come back from Rift :-/

15 Days of Screenshots: Representing Me

This post is part of a series for Saz's Through Your Interface screenshot challenge. Make sure to go check out the other bloggers taking part!

Day 3: Representing You

Show us an image that represents who you are, either in Azeroth/Outland or in real life.

Now and always, Druids will always hold a special place in my heart.

That is all <3

15 Days of Screenshots: Player Housing

This post is part of a series for Saz's Through Your Interface screenshot challenge. Make sure to go check out the other bloggers taking part!

Day 2: Player Housing

If you were to claim a place to call your own, where would it be and why?

I'm going to answer this one from a personal point of view rather than my characters - I'm sure they would each choose somewhere in their home city or perhaps the Druids would prefer the tranquillity of Moonglade.

My favourite city and one in which I would choose to live would have to be Stormwind. I've always loved walled cities and castles and Stormwind has that cobbled narrow street feel. Since the Park is no longer available to live in, I'd have to go for lodgings in the Mage Quarter.

For a country retreat, the abandoned mansion at Dandred's Fold to the north of the Alterac Mountains has a picture-perfect spot beside Lordamere Lake. Since the Cataclysm, the area is no longer infested with Syndicate agents. There's even a warm fire eternally burning inside, ready for the next occupant!

Lastly, for a seaside holiday, who could go past Shadowprey Village in Desolace? Relax on the beach or go paddling during the day and party with the Trolls all night!

Full-size versions of these images in this post are hosted by scrntag.com.

15 Days of Screenshots: Favourite Hangout

Welcome to Saz's 15 Days of Screenshots Challenge!  I thought, since I'm not contributing much Druid-wise, I'd have a crack at this. Besides, you all know how much I love a screenie! 

Day 1: Favourite Hangout

It's funny how these things come about, isn't it? While levelling, you just log out wherever you are - an inn if you are near one or just out in the wilds. I was a BC baby so when I got to level 70 it wasn't long before I found myself idling and logging out in the Aldor bank in Shattrath. I did it subconsciously on all my toons.

During early Wrath-time, I was still playing with my EU guild and we all hung out in and around the South Bank in Dalaran, usually on one particular seat.

Once Mr Ang and I got home from travelling and started to play Horde, Leesah hung out in or outside Dalaran's Horde inn.

Come the Cataclysm, the move back to Kalimdor and Eastern Kingdoms left us with many more choices of where to hang out. For Leesah, it was fairly easy to choose where to base herself - Origrimmar's Valley of Wisdom feels enough like home for the Tauren, while still being close to all the facilities. Her guild doesn't hang out together in game, but I wonder, where do other guilds hang out?

Aoifen is still levelling and I'm really not sure where her hangout will be. Should she hang around in Stormwind with a good deal of the population, or head to more familiar surroundings in Darnassus? Time will tell.