Classic Achievements: Scarlet Monastery

Inspired by another Shared Topic over at Blogazeroth, where the basic question is: “What if achievements had been around since classic?” The challenge here is to design a meta-achievement and its rewards such as exists today from Naxx onward, and imagine what achievements it would get you.

Caveat Blogger

The meta-achievement here is based around the idea that you would be running the instance at level and in appropriate gear – so while it would be easy to do (or perhaps even solo) at level 80 and with current gear, it’s more fun to imagine this doing it when it was still hard (you know, an achievement).

Meta Achievement: Scarlet Monsterary

“Complete all the meta-achievements listed below”

Reward: Scarlet Charger (A white horse with gold barding and red cloth drapings with the Scarlet Crusade logo in gold)

Cadfael’ed – Complete the Graveyard, Armory, Library and Cathedral wings of Scarlet Monastery.
Dug up too soon – Complete the Graveyard wing of Scarlet Monastery within 30 minutes and without anyone dying.
Rotten and Rare – Kill Aszhir the Sleepless, Ironspine and the Fallen Champion in the Graveyard wing of Scarlet Monastery.
Let loose the dogs of War! – Kill Houndsmaster Loksley without killing any of his dogs.
Target Practice – Defeat Arcanist Doan after each member of your party has been targeted by Polymorph at least once.
The Better Part of Valor – Defeat Herod in the Armory without anyone in the party taking more than 500 damage from Whirlwind.
Tabbed Hard – Loot and equip the Tabard of the Scarlet Crusade.
No one expects the Scarlet Inquisition! – Kill High Inquisitor Fairbanks and High Inquisitor Whitemane in the Cathedral wing of Scarlet Monastery within 1 minute of each other.
Kiss and Tell – Give High Inquisitor Whitemane a /kiss after she puts your party to sleep and then kill her without dying.

There you go, a classic take on the achievement system. I am sure you will find that some other bloggers gave their own take on what achievements would be like for Classic dungeons, such as Ryyus at IGemCrit on Molten Core. Enjoy!

Natarumah as a raid boss

This shared topic on the Twisted Nether unfortunately shot straight passed me as I was still embroiled in my faillure to access and post properly on WordPress. However, I find it endlessly intrigueing and have often wondered myself how I would portray myself if I were a raid boss. Well then, last but not least (I hope) my take on this subject:

Natarumah – Archon of the Void (Level ?? Boss)
Location: Ulduar, Descent into Madness
Type: Summonable caster boss

Quest: Access to summoning Natarumah requires a short quest chain which starts in Ulduar. Once Yogg-Saron is slain, each character will receive a mail within 24 hours of the kill from Vindicator Narzheena, indicating that the players were not alone against Yogg-Saron, but that someone…or something…was looking on. Attached to the mail is a broken Draenei lantern, which was left behind on the scene. (This item starts a quest).

Accepting the quest leads the player to Brammold Deepmine in at Curiosities & Moore. He will analyze the lantern and tell you that it is specifically a lantern designed to darken an area instead of lighten it, and that it has seen much use by the Anchorites of the Void, a mistrusted order of Draenei Shadowpriests. He will repair the lantern for you, allowing you to call the being who owned it…but the catch is it can only be used where the previous owner dropped it last…

A key item is placed in your keyring called the Void Lantern. Use: Allows you to summon the Archon of the Void.
This item is not consumed, it works just like the urn from Nightbane used to, in Karazhan.

Summoning

When the raid reaches the Descent into Madness, the first room allows for the Lantern to be used. Swirling masses of shadows will gather at the center of the room, and the eerie stained glass windows will glow with a purple light. When the mass subsides, Natarumah hovers across the ground and begins her speech.

Natarumah: “So, you seek to interfere with the Master’s business. I know of your dealings in this place. Each of you heard the whispers. Bow before the lords of the eternal dark and be granted epiphany. Do not linger any longer on your petty, moral concerns…”
Natarumah: “Pity. I was afraid you would not be able to see the grand scheme of things. That leaves me no choice but to impress the exalted will of my masters upon you…personally.”

The fight begins with Natarumah having 5 million health (7 million on 25man), as well as 10 million mana (she will start the fight at half mana). She will place Shadow Word: Pain on raid members, all damage taken is converted into mana for her. She will occasionally shield herself (absorbing 25K/75K damage), which needs to be burned through.

On the tank, Natarumah does Shadow melee damage, meaning that some Shadow resistance gear and buffs may be necessary on lesser-geared tanks. She cannot crit with her melee attacks, but in 25man mode, each successful hit will add a stacking debuff to the tank that increases Shadow damage taken by 5% – this means you need tank swaps now and then.

At half health, phase 2 begins.

Natarumah: “Enough! This is not a match of power – this is a match of will and endurance!”

Natarumah will disperse into shadows, becoming immune to damage. Every 30 seconds, she will open a shadow portal in one of the corners. A voidwalker-type add will spawn (like the ones from Netherstorm, with the lanterns on the shoulders) which deals Shadow melee damage. The adds have to be tanked, and they can be tanked by a caster. Each Void Walker killed will reduce her mana by 20%.

When her mana pool is empty she will enter phase 3.

Natarumah: “Such power…such conviction. I applaud your efforts, and will answer them in kind!”

The third phase is like phase 1, but Natarumah will cast Mind Sear on random raid members (including the tank), meaning affected people will have to run away from the raid or they will spread the damage (the target itself will take no damage of course). She will also begin to cast Mind Blast on the tank, which increases in damage until she hits her enrage time (10 minutes).

Death

Natarumah will sink to the floor, her body evaporating in shadowy motes.

Natarumah: “Paradise awaits…in the darkness.”

The dark pool left behind can be clicked to receive your Emblems of Triumph and loot (probably Ilevel 232 or at most 245 trinkets, rings and neck items). Maybe an rp-item of one kind of the other (like a cloak you can click to turn into a shadowy ball, but without game benefits).

Enrage

Should the fight hit 10 minutes, Natarumah will begin channeling a spell, and all raid members will be lift up in the air (levitated) and a horrible crushing sound can be heard as the characters are instantly killed. Their lifeless bodies drop to the ground as Natarumah laughs derisively and despawns.

Fight tips

Positioning would be spread out around Natarumah at all times, making sure that she is tanked in the middle. Adds should be tanked by a caster (such as a warlock or another shadowpriest) or a normal tank in heavy shadow resistance gear. Shadow Word: Pain needs to be dispelled as soon as possible, to prevent her mana bar from filling too quickly. Mana Burn and Drain Mana might actually come in handy to control this phase.

In phase 2, controlling addsl is key. Adds count as demons and thus are affected by Banish, Enslave, Holy Wrath and similar effects normally – but will have no effect on her mana pool.

Phase 3 is an all-out nuke, where stacking tank damage will act as a soft enrage. This fight is very healer-intensive, but not as difficult as most Ulduar hard modes. Anyone affected by Mind Sear needs to clear the raid asap, and keep away until she stops channeling Mind Sear.

Conclusion

I tried to make this fight combine multiple elements to make it interesting for everyone – healers should see lots of spiky damage, as well as light consistent raid damage. DPS can go to town on her shields and adds, while having to use the adds to burn her mana pool bypasses traditional “Park adds and nuke boss tactics”. Tanks both have a tank swap and the need to have the melee move away from them if they get Mind Sear.

I will look at this idea later on, and see if renewed insight and a fresh pair of eyes might add elements or flow to this fight that would be more interesting.

Faction and Race changes, can we have fun with it?

On behalf of the Shared Topic proposed on Blog Azeroth, I have been giving some thought to the concept of Faction and even Race changes (as the latter seems to be in the works as well) and determine whether we can have some fun with these, and perhaps even give us an advantage. Players seem to fall into two categories, generally: those who are enticed by the exciting and fun, and those who like reward and gains. Time to toss up some ideas that may be liked by both categories of players.

Faction Changes

Roleplaying an undead convert

First thing on many roleplayers’ minds, and an interesting wager. If you wish to reroll Horde from the Alliance, why not turn your Human into a Forsaken? Lorewise this would fit perfectly, and it would give you an established background to go with it. Simply log out at the location where you’d want your character’s “death” to occur, and when you wake up immediately head for the Forsaken starting zone. Simply follow the storyline (even though it is most likely you are high level, making this very easy) and immerse yourself in a new (un)life.

Bringing out the inner Goblin

Not necessarily rerolling a Goblin, but most likely you will retain all your items when you switch faction. While this costs real world money, it can be an opportunity to make a large amount of ingame gold by loading up your toon with Alliance- or Horde-only pets and rare items that the Auction House on the other side does not have. I don’t know how many people would do this, but in lieu of a friend to help you at playing the NeutralAuction House, it may be worth a (one) shot.

Human to Worgen

When you mostly PvE, rolling a Human may seem like a bad deal. Their racials, while nice in PvE, are still a little more suited to PvP. When the expansion hits, why not switch your Human into a Worgen? In terms of appearance you will not change a great deal, but you will gain a damage bonus and a bonus to skinning. Simply head for Gilneas and make sure whatever quests and rep that are appropriate to you are done, and your new life starts. With the damage and skinning bonus, this will most likely be the route for a Human Rogue, since they have a greater chance at skinning generally. For Roleplaying, a Warlock will also be an excellent choice.

Night Elf to Troll

With Elune’s blessing I will perform this ritual to get into contact with the most primal source of nature….*poof*…mon. A devolution of Night Elf into their (supposed) Troll ancestry provides some interesting avenues if you happen to be tired of your Night Elf form. It also allows you to fully immerse into the new Druid lore provided.

General Faction change benefits

Let’s face it, sometimes you just chose the wrong faction. You rolled Horde but after your first Alliance character cemented your place on the other side or vice versa…why not bring your high-level toons over as well, to bring you a benefit in tradeskills, money and equipment? It’s no fun having level 80 characters rot on the other side while you have fun with your level 10 toon. Share the love.

With the ability to change your appearance, name, server, race and faction, you can start a new life anywhere you want, anytime. While this is also an avenue for people who have bad rep or who are scammers/thieves to escape, it provides people with enormous freedom. And freedom is good, especially when you have played the same game on the same faction for years.

Even for PvP it will be a godsend. Hard-core PvPers will have the chance to switch sides to improve their odds, or to lessen their waiting times by joining the side with historically less participants. Such things will remain speculative and rare, but it is an option. More appealing is the race change, within a faction, where you’d be able to get rid of a race so changed by patches, that it is no longer viable in your opinion. The Troll mage not cutting it? Reroll Blood Elf. Blood Elf hunter useless? Get an Orc. The possibilities are quite expanded.

Raiding guilds will now also be able to recruit good people not just cross-server, but now also cross-faction! Think about it, if you happen to be scouted by the number 3 raiding guild in Europe as a good player they’d like to have, even being a different faction would not stop you from joining.  More freedom.

Speculation

This is all made with the assumptions you get to keep your pets and mounts (unless faction-specific) when you switch, and that your reputations and achievements are changed to match. If they are not, mount and achievement junkies will be able to expand their list simply by now completing it again on the other side! I doubt this will happen, but it would be easier on Blizz’s software than having to recaclulate and evaluate everything.

Conclusion

The only negative impact I would see on this might be that a person switching factions has to learn new racial abilities…race-specific priest spells were already removed (*mourns the death of Shadowguard once more while guzzling some scotch*) and the difference between classes is nil, which means it’s only one or two abilities; considerably less impact than discovering that you joined a pug full of Ebayers.

Would I reroll?

Not likely. Natarumah’s identity is pretty much set as Draenei, and I feel no reason to change whether for looks or the raiding climate. Nazhtarune would be a hard call – but I like Druids enough I might just roll a Troll Druid from scratch anyway. Of my other alts, the most likely would be my Hunter (Draenei -> Troll) or my Warlock (Human->Worgen [yes she’s a skinner]).

But there’s little reason for it at the moment save for the aestethic…such as a Troll Hunter with a raptor hatchling, Devilsaur pet, riding a Venom Ravasaur mount tossing bombs at passers-by…hmmm.

Anyway.

The ideas are many, but I think few people will actually go this far unless they really, really want to change faction or race. They want to play with friends, raid at a higher level, or discovered they simply made the wrong choice. For them, that is awesome. For all others, probably a last resort.