Phase 5 Is Here!

Hey dudes - Silvite here back again with another post!

As I'm sure you're all well aware of by this point, Phase 5 of Classic has just launched, bringing with it a plethora of new things to do. There are new raids, quest lines, and items galore. So, to celebrate this massive content update, I thought it'd be fun to talk about some of the things I'm most excited for in Phase 5.

Before getting into the post, though, I'd just like to make an important announcement. This will probably be my last post for a long time. When I started making posts and videos for WoW Classic back in 2018, I had lot more free time and excitement. Recently, however, it's becoming harder and harder to find time to write, research, edit, and generally produce content while also being productive as a father, husband, and teacher. The global pandemic and my school's summer vacation did free me up a bit in recent months, but this additional spare time couldn't last forever. Looking toward the future, I'm thinking of learning some new work and life skills to better provide for my family while still enjoying the game that I love in my free time.

So yeah...this will probably be it for a while. But as always, if you enjoy this post and want to be notified when I come back to creating content like this in the future, then add yourself to my mailing list below.

Anyway though, with that announcement out of the way, let's get to the real content. Here are some of the things that I'm most excited for in Phase 5 of Classic!

Relics (Finally!)

Since first making my paladin, I've been eagerly awaiting the day I would finally fill the relic slot. After all, my priest has had that same ranged slot filled since day 1, so it felt a bit off for my paladin and shaman to constantly have an empty space there.

Relics, which were added to the loot tables of existing dungeon bosses and some of the new raid bosses in AQ, alter specific spells and abilities of paladins, druids, and shamans. There are only 5 total for each class and it's pretty easy to hunt down the one you want as far as I can tell, but since my characters are pretty well geared at this point, I'm not SUPER excited to run the old dungeons to pick them up. Still, I do want them something fierce, so I'll bite the bullet there.

Seeing the Ahn'Qiraj Opening Event (not just the war effort)

The biggest event in WoW history - the opening of the gates of Ahn'Qiraj! Though I participated in the war effort a tiny bit way back in 2006, I never did get to see the actual opening of the gates. So, this time, I'm really hoping that I'll be able to witness the massive behemoths storming out of the gates in southern Silithus - at least for a few seconds before getting ported out of the zone.

Honestly, I'm not all that hyped about the war effort or the scepter questline, since both will be completed by players far more hardcore than me. I'm much more pumped for those guys to bang that gong and give us all a grande show.

Raiding AQ40

I'm sure this is the biggy for everyone that's ground Molten Core and Blackwing Lair to dust - the new (old) 40 man raid, The Temple of Ahn'Qiraj! Finally, all that nature resistance gear that I didn't farm will be put to use as we squash some bugs and old god minions!

As you may or may not remember, I played on a private server a few years back. And while I can't really count my raiding experience there as my own, since I was mostly carried through MC and BWL the few times I participated, I quit it before AQ was released. This means that, technically, AQ40 is the first fully new content that I'll experience in Classic. And even though I know it'll be a wipefest, it'll be a blast to figure everything out with my guild and to finally get out of Blackrock Mountain for a change.

Oh, plus we're finally getting that sweet mana oil to raid with, so yeah...that'll be pretty awesome too!

Dungeon Set Upgrade Quest

Finally, the one thing that I'm excited for above ALL others in phase 5 is this - completing the dungeon set upgrade quest on my paladin.

As you're all probably aware, we've been able to collect the dungeon sets since the beginning of Classic. Each class has one: the Vestments of the Devout for priests, Dreadmist Raiment for warlocks, Lightforge Armor for paladins, and so on. Well, back in the day Blizzard realized that not every player was able to raid to collect better gear, so a quest chain was created which allowed players to complete objectives out in the world and in dungeons to upgrade their set pieces - often called the Tier 0.5 sets.

Well, back in the day I worked pretty hard to collect these pieces and complete the chain on my priest, but I was only able to finish it in Wrath of the Lich King. That's why I definitely wanted to do it as current content this time around. With my priest being my main raiding toon, however, I thought that I should strive to achieve this goal on a nonraiding character instead. So, after capping my paladin, I collected the full Lightforge set, picked up as much ZG gear as I could, and prepared myself for this grind.

It's going to be a long and expensive road - especially since I don't really have any gold on my Alliance characters - but I'm excited to have some epic questing to do when I'm not raiding that will actually help to boost my character's strength as a tank. It'll be a fun project for sure, and I can't wait to rock that full set of Soulforge in front of the Ironforge bank!

Final Thoughts

So yeah, Phase 5 is here and that's pretty awesome. From what I understand, this is probably going to be the longest phase in Classic that we've had to date, but we've got quite a lot to do. In general, I'm really excited to get started, but I'd like to know what you think too. Are you excited for the dungeon set upgrade quest chain, or are you more pumped up for the scepter quest? Do you plan on running AQ20 into the ground, or skipping it altogether like me? Let me know by leaving a comment down below.

But anyway, that's it for today.  If you liked this post, add yourself to my mailing list below so that you get notified when I create more content in the future. Though I'm going to step away from regular content creation, I'm sure that I'll pop in from time to time with something, so I definitely don't want you to miss out. Follow me over on Twitter to keep up with what I'm doing in game as well, and check out my videos over on YouTube as well, as there's still a lot of great stuff over there too. In any case, thanks for reading, have an awesome day, enjoy Phase 5, and as always...

Take it easy guys!

Top 5 - Best Types of Players in Classic

Hey dudes - Silvite Soltis here, back again with another Top 5 post!

Recently, I shared my thoughts on what the worst types of players in Classic are. As expected, it ruffled some feathers and got some discussions going in my YouTube comments and over on Reddit. Well today, I want to shift back to a more positive mindset with a Top 5 of just the opposite. So, let's dust off those old Good Guy Greg memes, because today we're going to discuss what I feel are the Top 5 Best Types of Players in Classic.

#5 - Tanks who know how to mark AND pull efficiently

Tanks!

Starting off our list here is the only entry that is solely based on player performance. In general, tanks are a godsend to most dungeon groups, but as I'm sure we all know, not every tank is the best at setting up marks or pulling efficiently. Sometimes they dawdle waiting for everyone's mana, or simply don't mark any kill targets for the group to follow. They may pull too many mobs at once and expect the entire group to simply AoE everything without giving any notice to the actual group composition.

So, when your group has a tank that can mark and pull mobs on the fly, you know you're in for a good time! When healers sit to drink immediately after one pack dies, the next group is already marked and ready to be slain. You glide through the dungeon like a hot knife through butter. And for dungeoneering, there's no better feeling than that.

#4 - Players who share mining nodes

Iron Deposit

As you may recall from my most recent Top 5, I included Node Ninjas and Nazis - those players that either snipe a node from directly underneath you, or harass you for getting to it first. Well, here at number 4 we have just the opposite - the players who share the nodes they get to with others.

Now, I know this isn't all that common at endgame - especially with Arcane Crystals being so damn valuable, but when someone else gets to an Iron node first, but still lets you have a tap at it for a skill up (or just to spread the wealth), it feels really damn nice. And by the same token, guys who round robin roll for nodes in dungeons or raids are pretty great as well.

#3 - Guys who park their warlock(s) in various world buff locations before raid.

Summoning Portal

Picture this. It's raid night, but you've been stuck working overtime for the past 3 days. You haven't gotten any world buffs and you feel bad about not being able to get even a single one. You log on 30 minutes before raid to get your invite when suddenly you see this in guild chat:

"Type 1 for a summons to ZG island!"

Yes, at number 3 we have one of the godsends of my guild - the guys who park their warlock in world buff locations before raid. These guys are just awesome! Though I personally don't enjoy the current meta of "get as many world buffs as you can before every raid or else you suck," I definitely appreciate the effort that these guys go through to make sure that the whole raid team can get that extra edge on the big day each week.

(Quick shoutout to my guildies, Sarcophagus, Abalam, and Thaelrax. You guys rock! ^_^)

#2 - DPS who is ready to tank/heal

Sometimes, you gotta drop Shadowform

You're spamming LFG for 20 minutes. The group is getting restless.

"LF1M ZF. Need tank!"

Suddenly, you get a whisper!

"Yo, I'm fury, but I can throw on a shield and tank it if you want."

Your group is saved!

Yes at number 2, we have one of the greatest players you'll ever encounter in WoW Classic - the DPS player who is ready to bite the bullet and tank or heal for a group even though they never intended to in the first place. These guys are awesome and I'm sure we all really appreciate it when they step up.

But it goes even beyond that, because from time to time in our dungeons and raids, we have tanks or healers die. When that happens, players like these again step up to the front lines and try to fill the void left by the rotting corpse of their party member. By offtanking or healing for the group when things start to go awry, they prevent wipes and keep the run on the rails. Truly, they're the heroes we need, but don't deserve.



So, there are four of the most wonderful types of players in Classic. Before we get to my number 1, however, I wanted to just list a few honorable mentions...

Honorable Mentions

HM #1 - Players who pass on upgrades for the good of the team

When you could get an upgrade, but pass it to someone that could use it more so that your team can make better progress, you're a really nice guy. Just don't do it TOO much! ;)

HM #2 - Guild leaders who listen to their members' concerns

Awesome when you have it, terrible when you don't, but really SHOULD be in every guild.

HM #3 - Posture/Hydration Check Guys

I appreciate you! :)

#1 - High level players who help with lowbie quests/dungeons just to be nice

Picture the scenario:

"I have come to help you, noob!"

You're almost done questing in a zone and all that remains are three quest in an elite area. You can't solo the quests, but you can't find anyone else that needs to do them either. The reward for one of them is really great, so you don't want to abandon them either. Desperately, you post once more in LookingForGroup chat to see if anyone that needs it has logged on. Then you get the best response you could ask for - a high level character passing through the area offers to help.

You smash through the quests, destroying all mobs in your path. He checks occasionally to see what you still need to finish and within about ten minutes you've finally completed the zone you've been working on for so long. Grateful, you offer this stranger what little gold you can - as a reward for helping you. He declines, saying that he just likes helping people out and hopes to see you at endgame. Then he mounts up and rides off into the sunset.

Yes finally, at number 1 we have my absolute favorite type of player in all of World of Warcraft: Classic - the high level players who help with lowbie quests and dungeons just to be nice. I'm sure we've all experienced this at one point or another in our leveling journey - whether as the noob or as the veteran. These are the guys who will stop to help you kill mobs as they run around collecting herbs, join your dungeon group because they're bored, or even run all the way to you from halfway across the world to help beat up some tough demon because someone helped them with it back in the day.

Recently in Classic, boosting has really become the meta for leveling. And as you may remember from my last Top 5, I really detest this type of pay-to-win play. That said, when a high level player takes time out of their gold farming or dungeoneering to help out lowbies - especially strangers - in their quests or dungeons just because they want to be nice, that's awesome. And so, while all of the types of players mentioned in this list are golden, I think these helpers are the best type of player in Classic.

Final Thoughts

So, there you have it - my personal thoughts on the best types of players in WoW Classic. As I've mentioned before, there's a lot of ways to play the game, and so long as you enjoy your playstyle and don't cause grief to others, there's no "best" way to do it. This list was purely my opinion. But I'd like to know what you think - do you agree with my top 5? Are there other types of players you think I should've included? What do YOU think are the best types of Players in Classic? Let me know by leaving a comment down below!

But anyway, that's it for today. If you liked this list or found it interesting, then add yourself to my mailing list below so that you get notified when I make new content like this in the future. Follow me over on Twitter for updates as well, and consider checking out my YouTube channel where I upload video versions of all content like this after publishing. Finally, if you'd like to see any particular Classic or TBC content going forward in the future, then post a suggestion in the comments below as well, as I love exploring ideas suggested by readers like you. In any case, thanks for reading, have an awesome day, and as always...

Take it easy!

Top 5 - Worst Types of Players in Classic

Hey dudes - Silvite Soltis here and today, I'm back with another Top 5 post! Man, it's been a while, huh?

Do you know what really grinds my gears? When people play Classic in certain, toxic ways that sour the experience for the rest of us. They're out in the world, they're in your dungeons and raid groups, and they're tainting Classic's glory with their awful actions. So, even though I typically enjoy making positive Top 5 posts and videos (such as my Top 5 Tier Sets video here), I thought that this time, it might be fun to vent a bit with a bit of a Worst 5 instead - to let out some of the frustration that I've been feeling in Classic recently.

I hope you enjoy. If you do, let me know by adding yourself to my mailing list and leaving a comment down below telling me which types of players you think are the worst in Classic. I'd love to hear your opinions too! But without further ado, let's get right into it!


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#5 - Guys Who Don't Group for Kill Quests 

Groups make the game more fun for EVERYONE!

We've all been there. You're doing a quest, but someone else is there killing all the mobs. You try to invite them to a group, but no matter how many times you try they simply refuse to accept your invitation. Yes, here at number 5 we have the guys who don't group up for kill quests...

Look, I get it; grinding mobs grants decent experience. It's a staple of any MMORPG to be honest! But if all of the quest mobs in an area are being fought over by individuals that refuse to group up, it takes everyone more time to finish the quest! Just bite the bullet and group up for the love of God!

Oh, and if you're the kind of person who refuses to group up when killing a named quest mob (such as the Defias Messenger), you're evil. And there's a special place in hell for you...

#4 - DPS Who Only Care About Parses

Sums it up pretty well...

Raid Leader: "So...who pulled aggro on Onyxia right from the start?"

Rogue: ...............


This is a huge peeve of mine - dps players who only care about doing big numbers to look good on Warcraft Logs. You know these guys - they ignore mechanics, pull aggro constantly, and are the first to post in your discord channel about their 95% parse on a fight that you nearly (or repeatedly) wiped on.

To be clear, I'm not knocking players who work their butts off to dps well. Far from it! I'm all for people doing their best to beat the big bad boss at hand. But when parsing well is the only thing that matters to you, it's a problem. And while this type of player has always existed in MMORPGs, it seems more prevalent now more than ever, which is really unfortunate in my opinion.

#3 - Node Ninjas and Nazis

Screw these guys...

Have you ever fought your way to a mining node, only to have someone run up and swipe if from right underneath your feet as you finish off the enemy? Or have you ever picked a Black Lotus, then been harassed by some random guy for a week after the fact about how you "stole" the herb in his farming route?

Well, as you probably guessed, these Node Ninjas and Nazis are next up in my list of crappy WoW Classic players. The Node Ninja, as I call them, sneak up and grab valuable herbs, veins, and treasure chests that are just a bit too close to enemies that need to be defeated first - typically Rich Thorium Veins and Black Lotus. And while these are most definitely terrible people, they pale in comparison to the other guys.

Recently, a guildmate of mine was farming mobs in some cave where Rich Thorium Veins spawn, hoping to get lucky with a few nodes along the way. When he managed to get a single node, another player began harassing him - saying that he was "invading his turf" or something like that. For the next two weeks, this guy whispered a bunch of people in our guild and threatened to get members of our guild banned if we didn't tell him the character's main. Naturally, we all reported him for harassment.

The really sad part about this is, it's not an isolated incident. There are TONS of people out in the open world who seem to genuinely believe that just because they're farming in a certain area that ALL of the nodes that spawn are theirs. And they will happily waste hours of their time shouting at you for being in their "spot" rather than dare to think of the game as a multiplayer experience. So yeah, these Node Nazis are definitely a bunch of lifeless jerks, in my opinion.

#2 - Botters and Hackers

Type "/who Stratholme 60" and you'll see...

BEEP...BOOP.... 

RUNSCRIPT STRAT LIVE ORB RUN...

BEEP. BEEP. . .

ENGAGE TARGET...

CAST BLIZZARD RANK 1...

CAST FROST NOVA...

CAST BLIZZARD RANK 6...

BEEP BOOP....

LOOT ENEMY TARGETS...

You know I had to mention these guys. At number 2, we have the botters and hackers that completely had, until very recently, wreaked utter havoc on the economy of most WoW Classic servers. They're farming mobs in the Hinterlands and Tanaris, they're in Stratholme constantly farming Righteous Orbs, and they are constantly in LFG chat spamming to sell boost runs. Seriously, screw these guys.

Thankfully, Blizzard has recently started taking action against these cheaters, but there's still a lot to be done - especially on servers that aren't locked to new characters yet. So, since I'm sure no one that actually plays the game has anything positive to say about bots, let's keep reporting them as we see them. After all, they're breaching the Terms of Service, and we all want to actually have a stable economy, don't we?

So yeah, bots and hackers are bad. But I'm willing to say that there's one type of player in Classic that's even worse...

Dishonorable Mentions

Before we get to my number 1, however, I'd just like to take a minute to mention a few more players that I just can't stand...

Multi-Boxers

Multiboxing...Ugh...

Though there are some genuine good players who multi-box, they are few and far between. Generally, when I see or group with someone multi-boxing, they are playing their characters less effectively and seem to think that they are entitled to more loot because they're "contributing more".

Ninja Looters

A classic for Classic. Ninja looters are awful, but luckily they seem to be less common these days than they were back when no one knew what they were doing.

Diamond-Flask Warriors (who roll on healer gear)

Just...what the hell are you guys even doing?

#1 - Boosters - Both Buyers and Sellers

Mara 1 Pull - Why not just do the dungeon?

And finally, to wrap up my list, I have just one thing to say:

I. Hate. Boosters.

Whether it's buying or selling, I can't stand seeing LookingForGroup chat filled to the brim with crap like this:

"WTS ZG BOOST. 19 PACKS, 50K EXP PER HOUR. 20G PER RUN."
"WTS MARA 1 PULL. 10G PER SPOT."
"WTB STOCKS BOOST. PAYING 3G PER RUN."


Though boosting is something that has existed since the beginning of World of Warcraft back in 2004, it has become THE way to level nowadays. Gone are the days of leveling an alt through questing, finding dungeon groups for SM, and grinding mobs in the Hinterlands. Now, we all buy boosts and basically play the game half AFK like it's BFA or something...

Look, I get why it's appealing - server economies are in shambles with hyper-inflated items and people have tons more gold than ever before. Not everyone has the time, or desire, to level up the old fashioned way. But because boosting has become so prevalent throughout all of Classic, it's getting harder and harder to find dungeon groups to do content the old fashioned way. What's worse, since many of the players selling boosts are gold farmers or their botting programs, players buying the boosts from them are only contributing to that problem! And, if you're one of the people that right-click report every boosting advertisement you see because you think it's a bot, there's a good chance that some people who actually learned the techniques will get swept up in future banwaves as well. It just sucks...

Unfortunately, though, boosting is 100% legitimate, as there's no rule against that behavior. So, unlike botting and hacking, Blizzard won't do anything about it. It's sad to me to see the massive shift in player mindset and behavior, as I would like nothing more than for everyone to play the game as it was meant to be played - fighting together to defeat baddies and grow stronger as a result. But since the meta has shifted so much, I guess I'll have to wait until TBC Classic to fully enjoy leveling again...

Or I can just go shoot things on my hunter, since leveling solo is smooth and I don't need to worry about finding groups ever. I guess that works too.

Final Thoughts

So yeah, there you have it: my Top 5 Worst Types of Players in Classic. Obviously, there are tons of ways in which the game can be enjoyed, and everyone has their own style. But to me, these are most definitely the wrong way. However, I'd like to know what you think. Did I forget anything? What types of players do you absolutely hate? What actions really grind your gears? Let me know by leaving a comment down below!

Anyway, that's it for me today. If you liked this post or found it interesting, then add yourself to my mailing list below! Follow me over on Twitter for updates as well, and consider checking out my videos over on YouTube for video versions of all of my content as well. Finally, leave a comment down below letting me know what Top 5 you think I should do next, as I'd love to explore your suggestions! In any case, thanks for reading, have an awesome day, and as always...

Take it easy!

Memories of TBC - Episode 4: Through the Dark Portal

Hey dudes - Silvite Soltis here and today I'm back with the next installment of Memories of TBC: my reflective series of my Burning Crusade adventures.

Last time, I told the story of how I met Thrillseeker - one of my longest in-game friends to date. And though that was one of my fondest WoW memories from 2007, it did take place on Azeroth, and not really in Burning Crusade content. Well today, we're finally ready to step through the Dark Portal and enter the fantastical realm of Outland. I hope you enjoy! If you do, then add yourself to my mailing list below, and leave a comment letting me know what memories you have from back in the day. I'd love to hear your stories as well!

So, sit back, relax and enjoy as I recount my first true Burning Crusade experience...

Memories of TBC
Episode 4: Through the Dark Portal

It was sometime around the early summer of 2007. As usual, the exact date eludes me, but since I was comfortably seated at my final host family's coffee table in Gifu, Japan, I'm sure it was probably around June. My study abroad was winding down at that point and though I was sad to be leaving the country that I'd come to love so much, I was also excited to get my hands on my own copy of The Burning Crusade when I got home.

TBC Free Trial (Advertisement)

Well, as fate would have it, I didn't need to wait - at least not for a taste. You see, Blizzard implemented a free trial of The Burning Crusade to players who hadn't upgraded their accounts by that point. After hearing this news from Leika, I exploded with excitement. Even though it would only be for ten days (and I wouldn't be able to actually level up), I would finally be able to see what was beyond the dark portal for myself!

So on that hot summer day, I fired up the family laptop, activated the free trial, and logged onto my priest to begin my Outland journey. As usual, Silvite was parked in Ironforge, so I had to wait for the long flight down south to Nethergarde Keep, but that only increased the excitement welling up within me. By the time the gryphon had landed, I was quite literally trembling. I mounted my Stormsaber, which I was still mighty proud of attaining as a human mind you, and I headed south toward where the Dark Portal stood.

The Dark Portal (Blasted Lands)

By this point in TBC, the crater was completely deserted. Everyone who was interested in the expansion had come and passed through months ago, but that allowed me to take in everything that was there - the NPCs standing around outside, the two massive statues that I'd seen on the loading screen so many times over the past two years, and of course the massive green swirly portal that beckoned me toward it. Finally, I decided it was time, and I charged forward.

Hellfire Peninsula

After a full minute or so stuck on the loading screen, I found myself on the Stair of Destiny facing an alien world. And while I'm sure many people's first memories of Outland are of the massive army fighting the pit lord's forces at the base of the portal, mine was the sky. The glowing green lights and many celestial orbs high above the zone absolutely enthralled me - especially when I looked down to see the barren, hellish wasteland that was Hellfire Peninsula. Running forward down the first portion of the steps, I found the first quest giver for the zone.

"Take the flight to Honor Hold!" he told me.

"Well alright. I guess I'm heading to Honor Hold." I thought to myself as I hopped on the gryphon he provided. Over the wasteland Silvite flew and again, I took in all the sights I could. There was a road running along the middle of the zone, as well as swarms of elite demons on the ground below. I looked up at the sky again, amazed by its appearance. Why was this world so different from Azeroth? And why exactly were we here? I didn't have the faintest clue about the lore of Outland, but I was ready to find out.

But, one thing at a time! To start, I had some quests to do. Upon landing in Honor Hold, I set about exploring - finding the inn and setting my hearthstone there, running to the top of the keep, and checking out the towers on the outskirts of town. At this point in my adventure, all of the quests and events start to blur together into a mass of Hellfire Peninsula, so I'm not 100% sure of exactly how each bit went over that few days of the trial. Still, there is one quest that I do remember vividly - the gathering quest Waste Not, Want Not.

Tagar Spinebreaker

The general premise of this quest was, and still is, very simple: go gather some wood and metal in the area just north of Honor Hold. However, as I was still a noob even at level 60, this quest took me far longer than I would like to admit. You see, there were lots of fel orcs spread throughout this area that liked to wander back and forth around the edge of the cliff. The casters and normal orcs weren't too difficult on their own, but more than once I was caught off guard by one of the wolf riders wandering nearby. To make matters worse, there was also a level 61 elite patrol, Tagar Spinebreaker, who snuck up on me more than once when I got too far to the left.

The worst part about doing this quest, however, was actually finding the metal and wood. Having taken nearly a year to level to 60 back in Vanilla, I was no stranger to item collection quests, but on the family laptop I was using at the time, I had a very hard time distinguishing what objects were metals for the quest, or part of the broken-down catapults that I couldn't click on. Combine this with the numerous fel orcs swarming the area and my own incompetence as a player back then, and you can see how this quest gave me so much trouble.

Eventually, after probably a full hour of killing orcs and clicking on scenery, I finished that quest and headed back toward Honor Hold to turn it in. And while the reward options weren't useful to me as a priest, I felt great that my adventure in Outland had finally begun...


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I hope you enjoyed this brief story about my first proper Burning Crusade experience. I had many more adventures during that 10 day expansion trial, but since I stopped questing in Hellfire when my experience capped (1 away from leveling up to 61), I'm not really sure where I finally finished. Still, it was fun for sure, and I was really happy to finally step into that crazy outer-space realm. And now more than ever, I'm super-stoked to do it all again when Classic TBC is out!

But anyway, that's it for today. If you enjoyed this post, let me know by leaving a comment down below! Also, consider adding yourself to my mailing list so you don't miss out on more stories like this in the future. Follow me over on Twitter for updates as well, and consider checking out my YouTube channel if you enjoy video content too! Thanks for reading, have an amazing day, and as always...

Take it easy!

WoW Classic Tips & Tricks - Dungeon Ranged DPS

Night Elf Hunter - Ranged DPS

Hey dudes! Silvite Soltis here, and today I'm back with another Tips & Tricks post.

Do you like to do damage, but hate the idea of being too close to enemies? Does the idea of casting spells or shooting arrows appeal to you? Do you like being able to actually see what's happening around you? Well then, you're probably a ranged dps! 

So, grab your waters, pick up your pet from the stables, and get your spellbook ready because today I've got some tips and tricks for how you can be effective in Classic dungeons as a ranged dps! As always, if you enjoy this guide or find it useful, add yourself to my mailing list below and check back soon for more content like this!

But anyway, let's get right into the tips!

Pre-Dungeon

As with any class or role, there are a number of things you should take care of before you start heading out to any dungeon:

Tip #1 - Get These Addons! 

First and foremost, make sure you have appropriate addons for dungeon content. The four main ones to be sure you have are:

ThreatClassic2 - Keeps track of the threat on enemy targets.
Decursive - Allows quick and easy dispelling of debuffs on your party.
Recount - Tracks damage, healing, dispels, and more.
DeadlyBossMods - Gives timers and warnings for dungeon encounters.

There's a lot more amazing addons you can make use of, but really these four are the biggest ones when it comes to dungeoneering as a ranged dps.

Tip #2 - Bring Water (or a Mage)

Get (or be) a mage!

Next up, be sure to bring enough water, or a mage, for your dungeon run. Other than wiping repeatedly, not being able to drink up to replenish your mana is, in my opinion, the worst feeling in a dungeon, so avoid that situation at all costs.

Tip #3 - Empty Bags

Also, while you're in town picking up water, make sure to empty your bags of non-essentials as well - especially if you're a hunter! In any given dungeon run, you can expect to pick up around 10-25 items, so make sure to have plenty of space!

Tip #4 - Set Goals 

Finally, before the dungeon make sure to set and clarify your party's goals for the dungeon. Usually, it's just to beat the last boss, but occasionally someone will have a special quest or ask to do an optional boss. Tell your groupmates what you want to do there, and find out what they're looking to do as well!

In-Dungeon

Alright, when you get to the dungeon, there's quite a bit more that you should keep in mind, oh caster of spells and shooter of arrows:

Tip #5 - Clarify Marks and Kill Order

Polymorph

As with any role, it's important to take note of which marks mean what, as well as identify the expected kill order of enemies. If you're a mage, you'll likely have a polymorph target. Hunters and warlocks, you may be asked to trap, seduce, or fear an enemy. No matter what crowd control ability is asked of you, be ready to use it, then follow the assigned kill order.

Tip #6 - Zoom Out!

Another useful thing to do as a ranged dps is to zoom your camera out pretty far so that you can see enemies and patrols wandering nearby. If you haven't already, adjust the system settings to increase the maximum camera distance. Moreover, you can also use this command to zoom out even further: 

/console cameraDistanceMaxZoomFactor 4

Tip #7 - Hold DPS!

On any given pack, you're going to want to let the tank get a bit of threat before you start nuking the mobs. For smaller numbers, wait for around 3 seconds before you start attacking the first kill target. For AoE packs, however, hold for just a bit longer - around 5 seconds should do. By holding just that little bit, you can ensure the tank holds all the mobs in one place, thus making the run go all that much smoother in the end.

Tip #8 - Focus Kill Target

When killing enemies, make sure to focus down the current kill target - especially if there are only 2 or 3 mobs in the pack. Since good tanks usually focus on building threat on the next kill target(s), it's important to burn down the current kill target as quickly as possible, then move onto the next one. Unless, of course, it's a large pack of mobs...

Tip #9 - Use AoE

AoE

If a pack that your tank pulls has more than three enemies, make use of your area of effect (AoE) abilities. Blizzard, Rain of Fire, Volley, and more are all extremely useful in destroying large packs of enemies and can make your dungeon run go much faster - especially if your tank is good at AoE threat like a paladin or druid! That said, remember to give a bit of time for your tank to get initial threat before opening up!

Tip #10 - Use Cooldowns!

All too often we as dps try to hold onto our cooldowns for boss encounters. However, since trash takes up a large majority of the time spent in dungeons, and since most trinkets and bursty cooldowns have cooldowns under 5 minutes, you should make use of them constantly throughout the dungeon!

Tip #11 - Drop Threat Often

Even when waiting for the tank to establish threat, it's pretty common to over aggro in dungeons. As such, dps should try to drop threat often if they have such an ability. Whether you're fighting trash packs or bosses, don't wait until you've pulled aggro to use Feign Death, hunters!

Tip #12 - Watch Runners

Another general tip for everyone doing a dungeon is to keep an eye out for runners - enemies who flee when their health gets low. As ranged dps, however, it's especially important to do this, as you're the least likely to accidentally pull other packs. By shooting the runners from afar, you can be the savior of your group! So watch out and burn them down!

Tip #13 - Drink!

Drinky drinky!

When the final mob in a pack dies, the first thing you should do is sit down and drink to full if you have less than 60% mana. Looting can be done any time, but if your tank pulls and you don't have the mana to defeat the pack, you're gonna have a bad time. So, drink fast and drink often.

Tip #14 - Positioning!

Next up is a simple tip, but it bears repeating. Always position yourself well. Hug walls and take note of what mobs are around you. Typically when a butt pull happens, it's because a hunter or mage backed up a bit too far or stood too close to a wandering patrol. So, just be mindful of these enemies when you choose a place to shoot from!

Tip #15 - Decurse! Dispel!

Decursive

In Classic, different classes have different abilities that can be used to help the party. This means that not everyone can remove every debuff that's going out. So, while priests and paladins can dispel magic and disease, only druids and mages can decurse. What's more, healers are generally focused on healing, so even if they can dispel or decurse whatever bad things are going out, they'll definitely appreciate it if you help them out with a quick click on Decursive!

Tip #16 - Watch the Healer

Finally, while you're running a dungeon as a ranged dps, try to keep an eye on the healer. Though the tank should be holding enemies to make sure they don't target everyone else, occasionally threat is lost - especially when adds spawn! So, as a ranged dps help keep an eye on the healer and use your abilities to keep him or her safe from harm should your tank be unable to defend them! Remember, healers are squishy!

Post-Dungeon

Alrighty! When the final boss has fallen, there's only two things left to do:

Tip #17 - Note Good Players

Just like melee dps, ranged dps should make sure to add good tanks and healers to their friends list whenever a dungeon went well, and of course invite them to more dungeons soon. However, ranged should also note any great melee dps warriors, paladins, and druids as well, as they may decide to tank dungeons in the future. Remember to mention that you're adding these players to your friend list and contact them for another dungeon soon!

Tip #18 - Reflect

Finally, the last thing you should do after completing a dungeon and before running the next one is reflect on your performance. While ranged dps in dungeons isn't particularly difficult, thinking about any mistakes you made - such as butt pulls or missing an Eye of Naxxramas, for example - can help you to improve future dungeon runs. Consider asking your groupmates for feedback too - especially if they also play your class in some way. In general, though, ranged has it pretty easy here.

Final Thoughts

So, there you have it - 18 tips and tricks for running dungeons as a ranged dps. Overall, I feel that this particular dungeon role is the easiest to fulfill, but that certainly doesn't mean it's a walk in the park. Still, as long as you know what abilities to use, how to use them, and where to stand at all times, you should have a good time.

Anyway, that's it for today. If you liked this guide, or found it useful, then leave a comment down below, and add yourself to my mailing list so you get updated about more content like this in the future. Follow me over on Twitter for updates as well, and consider checking out my videos over on YouTube too! Finally, if there's any particular Classic or TBC content or guides that you'd like to see in the future, let me know by leaving a comment down below as well, as I love getting ideas like this one from readers like you! In any case, thanks for reading, have an awesome day, and as always...

Take it easy!

WoW Classic Tips & Tricks - Dungeon Melee DPS

Hey dudes - Silvite Soltis here and today I'm happy to be continuing my Tips & Tricks series with another dungeoneering guide. As always, if you like what you see here, then add yourself to my mailing list, or just leave a comment below!

Are you the kind of person that likes to get up close and personal in your conflicts, but doesn't necessarily want to get smacked around? Does the idea of wildly flailing your weapons around appeal to you? Does the idea of having a Windfury Totem make you weirdly excited? Well then, you're probably a melee dps at heart. So, grab your blades and drink up that Winterfall Firewater because today, we're going to discuss my tips and tricks for playing a melee dps in WoW Classic dungeons.

 Let's get right into it...

Pre-Dungeon

As with every class, there are a few things you should prepare before you step into any dungeon:

Tip #1 - Get Appropriate Addons 

First and foremost, you're going to want to have some general addons to make your dungeon runs easier. DPS and threat meters, such as Recount, Details! and ThreatClassic2 are a good place to start, but you'll probably also want to find a swing timer, such as WeaponSwingTimer, and an enemy castbar addon, such as Gnosis, as well. Finally, DeadlyBossMods (DBM) is incredibly useful for all players as it includes useful timers for boss mechanics both in dungeons and raids. In general, these addons will help you a lot.

Tip #2 - Clarify Goals

Clarify goals for the run

If you have anything in particular that you need to do in the dungeon, make it known before starting. Working on a quest? Tell the group! Aiming for a specific drop, let them know. You can avoid a lot of problems and drama later if you let everyone in your group know what you need there. Likewise, ask if anyone else is looking for or to do anything specific in the dungeon while you run it, as it's common courtesy to repay the favor.

In-Dungeon

Alrighty, now you're in the dungeon. What should you do now? Well, for starters...

Tip #3 - Find Out Kill Orders and Marks

Typical marks for dungeon groups

You should make sure you know what marks or kill targets you should be looking for. While the tank is typically the one marking and pulling, and the first kill target is usually marked Skull while the second is X, sometimes dungeons are run differently. So, make sure you know what to expect when you start. Similarly, you should identify whether you have a sap, stun, or offtanking target - depending on your class, of course.

Tip #4 - Attack Current Kill Target

Look guys, tanking isn't easy. It involves carefully attacking several mobs at the same time and making sure none of them start running toward the other party members. As such, as a DPS it's super-important to remember that no matter what the tank is targeting, always attack the current kill target. If, for example, the kill order is Skull-X-Unmarked, you should stay off of X until skull has fallen.

When DPS - melee or ranged - starts attacking the wrong target, you end up taking longer to kill all of the mobs in the pack, meaning more healing needed on the party and thus slower progress overall. What's more, the tank is likely working on building threat on the next kill targets while you all should be killing the current target, so if you aren't careful you can end up messing up his entire threat rotation in a pack.

So, to put it bluntly, as long as you have a clear kill order, kill the current kill target.

Tip #5 - Cleave!

Cleave!

One of the greatest advantages to doing dungeons as a melee class is the combination of two things - the close proximity of the mobs your tank is holding and your ability to cleave. Most, if not all, melee classes have some sort of multi-target ability - Whirlwind, Magma Totem, and Blade Flurry to name a few. And while you should focus down the current kill target, it's definitely a good idea to utilize cleave damage to burn down packs of mobs quickly.

So yeah, cleave is your friend in dungeons. However, do be mindful of any crowd control abilities that are being used. You wouldn't want to wipe the group by popping a sheep early, would you?

Tip #6 - Watch the Runners!

I've mentioned this many times before, but it bears repeating for anyone planning to run dungeons - watch out for runners! When some enemies, typically humanoids, get low on health, they may try to flee. If left unchecked, these runners can pull additional packs of mobs which can lead to a horrible wipe.

As a melee dps, you typically can't risk chasing them all over the place. However, you do have other ways in which you can help take them out. Stuns, slows, and quick execute abilities can help destroy these dangerous enemies before they cause any problems, so make sure to keep your eyes peeled when your foes get low on HP.

Tip #7 - Interrupt Casters! 

Watch for cast bars and glowy hands!

One of the most important tasks that melee DPS have in dungeons is interrupting dangerous spell casts. Whether it's a large AoE spell such as a Flamestrike, or an extremely common heal, your biggest priority as melee should be to make sure that the spell doesn't go off.

So rogues, Kick that enemy. Warriors, smash that Pummel. Shamans, Earth Shock (Rank 1 if you need to save mana, by the way)! Everyone else...just hope that someone else has an interrupt, I guess.

Tip #8 - Don't Butt-Pull

Next up is a very simple tip that everyone in any dungeon should keep in mind - be careful not to accidentally pull additional mobs or packs. All too often when running a dungeon, one of the dpsers will back into or run just a bit to close by a pack of mobs. If this happens when the tank or healer is focused on something else, such as marking the next pack or drinking, it can lead to a disaster. As such, you need to be mindful of where the enemies are - including patrols! Be careful not to fatass it and you should be golden!

Tip #9 - Dispels and Purges

Purge

Occasionally, enemy mobs cast harmful abilities on you and your party, as well as buffs on themselves. And while not every melee class has abilities to counter such buffs and debuffs, paladins and shamans do. So, if you're playing one of those classes and are able to dispel or purge, help the group out by doing so!

Tip #10 - Admit Your Mistakes

Everybody makes mistakes. And while you could pretend that you have no idea why something went wrong, it's usually appreciated a lot more by party members when you own up to mistakes that you make. If a runner got away because you moved to the next kill target too early, take the blame. It shows that you are capable of recognizing and fixing your own issues, which is a very positive characteristic to have - even outside of Azeroth. What's more, you'll be less likely to repeat the mistake going forward if you are able to honestly admit something was your fault when it happens, thus growing into a better player overall.

So yeah, own up to your mistakes if you mess up.

Tip #11 - Get +Hit Gear

Hold onto any hit gear!

When an item with Hit that you can equip drops, Need it. Unless you already have an item for the same slot with +hit that is equivalent or better, it can't hurt to have more options.

Though it may not be necessary to do well in dungeons, +hit is the most valuable stat for every DPS class in the game. As a melee dps, you want your weapons and abilities to hit enemies as often as possible, since any misses that occur are completely lost dps. And even if you manage to reach the hit cap, you'll still want to mix and match pieces as you obtain better gear for various slots through whatever means you use.

As an example, my Enhancement Shaman has 4 additional +hit items in his bank - including 2 Tarnished Rings from the DM North Tribute chest, a helm, and some shoulders from a quest. Though I don't use these at the moment, I hold onto them just in case I get a wrist or trinket upgrade. And in the months since I've capped him, I've never gone back below the hit cap no matter what new gear I obtain, meaning higher dps in all of my dungeons!

Hoard that +hit!

Tip #12 - Use Niche Abilities and Cooldowns

Keep this handy - even if you're fury!

No matter which melee class you're playing, you're bound to have some niche abilities and cooldowns that you can make good use of. So...use them! Rogues, use Distract on a patrol that's about to get out of range to keep it close while your healer drinks! Warriors, slap on a shield, AoE taunt, and pop Shield Wall if the tank goes down. Shamans, purge enemy buffs like I mentioned before. And Paladins, use Divine Intervention on the priest when your group is about to wipe! It might seem like common sense to many of you, but you'd be surprised just how many players forget what tools they have at their disposal (hell, I'm guilty of forgetting DI on my tankadin all the time).

Similarly, don't forget that you've got a plethora of dps cooldowns at your disposal as well. You don't need to save everything for the boss fights, since many of the dungeon trash packs are harder than the bosses themselves. Make use of your trinkets, burst cooldowns, and more to make your dungeon run smoother and more enjoyable for everyone.

Post-Dungeon

Ok! The final boss is slain and your goals have been met! Now what?

Tip #13 - Note Good Tanks and Healers

As always, you should add the tank and healer to your friends list if they were good. These roles are always in high demand, so it's usually beneficial to have a few people you can ask for help on the fly. Of course, mention that you added them to your friends list so they can expect to hear from you in the future as well, and don't wait for months before inviting them to another group, as they'll probably forget all about you by then. After all, even if they only run one dungeon a week, that's 3 different dps to remember every time and you're really just a drop in the bucket at that point.

So yeah, note them down and be ready to invite them to things soon.

Tip #14 - Self-Reflect

Accept and make use of feedback!

Finally, just like I advise in every one of these guides, you should reflect on your dps and dungeon performance when you complete the dungeon. Obviously, you can look at Recount and try to play better, but don't forget that you can also ask the other group members how you did at the end of the run (which is especially useful if they also play your class as a main or an alt). As a melee dps, though, I've found that getting feedback from others is really hit or miss though, so be mindful of that and try to catch your own mistakes.

No matter how you get the feedback, it's just as important to act on it, so make adjustments as soon as you notice an issue or an area for improvement, then try them out in the next run. Experiment with new trinkets, keybinds, and ability ranks, and then reflect again after the next one! There's always room for growth in the DPS world!

Final Thoughts

So there you have it - 14 tips and tricks for dungeoneering as a melee dps in World of Warcraft: Classic. Overall, melee gets a bit of a bad rap for being a bit dumb and standing in bad things like fire, but that just means that you can shine all that much brighter! So long as you're observant, know your class's abilities, and have enough hit to actually land some blows, you should do well in those dungeons!

Anyway, that's it for today. If you liked this guide, or found it useful, then leave a comment down below, and add yourself to my mailing list so you get updated about more content like this in the future. Follow me over on Twitter for updates as well, and consider checking out my videos over on YouTube too! Finally, if there's any particular Classic or TBC content or guides that you'd like to see in the future, let me know by leaving a comment down below as well, as I love getting ideas like this one from readers like you! In any case, thanks for reading, have an awesome day, and as always...

Take it easy!