Look at it from pug pov where people rage quit after the first wipe, if you end up in fail pug it’s preferable not to get saved before you kill something that drop actual loot.
For kicks and giggles, a buddy and I started new toons that we play once a week. He’s playing a shammy and all is well so far, but he’s having a problem he can’t figure out a solution for and I told him I’d ask you fine folks (I’m no help- I’ve never gotten a shammy past level 8 or so).
Is there a way to dismiss totems? We’ll get into a fight, he’ll drop the one that spits fireballs and when the fight’s over, the totem will go shoot another mob we hadn’t aggroed ourselves. It’s not a big deal, really, we make dead mob in pretty short order, but it can get annoying.
We also had a small difference of opinion on handling mobs that run. We’ll get a group of 3 or 4 (on purpose) and he’ll drop a Stoneskin, claiming the added armor will benefit us both. I say he should drop an Earthbind so running mobs don’t go aggro other mobs and possibly overwhelm us. I’m playing a warrior and we’re both in the low 20s if that makes any difference. Thoughts?
Last night I talked some BDL guildies into chain running heroics with my mage (wasn’t too tough to convince them:) ) and picked up 2 t9 pieces, UGing 213-232 and 200-232 and switched out one set-bonus for another. Might try to run a bunch to night and see how my dps is looking. Then this morning I picked up the Frostscythe of Lord Ahune(!) which unfortunately wasn’t a better drop than my current weapon (or it’s backup), but at least now, I can make it snow!
As for my Boomkin, I was leading dps throughout classic dungeons, I was middle through Outland, but now in Northrend, I’m pretty low. I imagine it could be poor gear, but I’ve slowed down so I can join the BDL weekly alt runs, so maybe I can pick up some gear there. It should also be mentioned that I’m using 3 BoA pieces, and they’re cloth. The stats are good, so I don’t think that’s the reason.
CreaseMunky, I think you get Totemic Recall at 30. Until then, just keep recasting totems as you move away from the mobs. Also unless a mob walks right over a totem, the fire totem should be the only one that grabs aggro.
I don’t do Shamans much, but IIRC dismissing is an ability they get at a certain level. I think he can right-click on the portrait of his totem and dismiss, but I’m not certain.
Regarding Earthbind and Stoneskin, absolutely Earthbind. Stoneskin is nice and all, but you’re a Warrior. You’re already beefy enough to handle most enemies. Preventing them from fleeing is a much bigger issue, though. Most lowbies can handle a small chunk of enemies, but there are so many deaths that occur because one ran off and got buddies. That will do far more for your survival than extra armor, I guarantee it.
You can also compromise; he can drop Earthbind in crowded areas where it’s likely an enemy will flee and quickly find another group, and drop Stoneskin in less crowded areas or with tougher enemies that won’t flee.
Yeah, good point. We didn’t even try to skip killing the minibosses–I think we all just assumed that they’d assist (and honestly I’d be surprised if they didn’t).
Does anyone know if the paladin Fire Resist aura extends to the other realm folks in phase 2? I was having a lot of trouble with the strafing in the shadow realm and I think we would have had a much better time of it if I’d tanked the fire version (the other tank, a paladin, used to be one of our main raid tanks and is more skilled than I, but he took a hiatus and my gear is better) but they kept saying no because he had the FR aura and it made more sense for him to tank the fire boss.
Obviously this won’t be a problem in 25 man because there’s sure to be at least one pally in each realm, but we only had one in our 10 man group.
My question is this: why must they do this stuff right in the middle of a holiday? Couldn’t they just wait a week until the holiday is over so they’re not basically stealing a day that people won’t be able to make up until next year?
Oh yes, this. I ran H:CoS on my paladin last night, and all three of us DPS (the other two were a DK and a hunter) outgeared the tank (also a DK) to one degree or another. The DPS DK and I were holding back to give the tank time to generate threat, but the hunter was negating our efforts by opening fire the instant the tank pulled. So we were finding it impossible to get behind and stay behind the mobs because the mobs were constantly flipping back and forth between the tank and the hunter’s pet.
Little from Column A, little from Column B. Here’s my advice to you:
1.) Don’t open with Heroic Throw unless you know you’re not going to need it (and at your gear level, there’s always the potential you’re going to need it–either to pull a caster who didn’t come with the rest of the pack or to give you some extra threat when taunting a runner back to you (Taunt, then Heroic Throw)). Open with Charge.
2.) Once you Charge a pack, the first thing you should do when they’re all in range is Thunder Clap/Shockwave, or SW/TC, depending on your personal preference. I personally like to TC, run through the pack jumping, and then spin mid-jump when I’m almost out and hit SW. But that’s 'cause I’m fancy. 
3.) If you’re tanking a pack, be sure to hit TC and SW every time they’re up. Outside of that and/or on a single target, if you have Improved Revenge, your priority should be Revenge > Shield Slam > Devastate. (Note: Shield Slam, not Shield Bash. SB is an interrupt; SS is a high-threat ability.) However, if Shield Block is active or off cooldown so you can make it active, SS jumps back to the top of the list. (I have it macro’d into my SS so I don’t have to hit two buttons.) If you ever get your T10 two-piece bonus, SS will also go back to the head of the list regardless of SB status.
4.) Spam Heroic Strike on single targets anytime you can spare the Rage (>50 Rage, more or less); same for Cleave on packs of two or more. I personally have it bound to my mousewheel downscroll, and swap out HS and Cleave depending on whether I’m going to be up against trash or a boss.
5.) Tab targets (or manually swap among them) to use one or two abilities on each, then keep moving on. Pay attention to the threat levels on each one, too–you can skip the attacks on a mob where you have a heavy lead in favor of one where a DPS is creeping up on you.
6.) Don’t be afraid to mark targets and assign a kill order. It’s much easier to hold aggro when you and the DPS are all focused on the same target–plus you can keep using AOE threat abilities that will give you an even better lead on the remaining targets. If a DPS pulls off you by using AOE when you’ve told them a specific target to hit, that’s their problem, not yours.
What spec are you using? If it’s not some form of 15/3/53, that could be where part of your problems are coming from (i.e., Deep Wounds and Armored to the Teeth are pretty much 100% required for a Prot Warrior to hold aggro.) Link me your profile and I’ll try to take a look at it when I get home tonight to see if there are any suggestions I can make there.
Ugh, seriously?! Sounds like Maly all over again. I fucking hated Maly.
Caster Resto or caster Boomkin? I’ve had people heal me as the latter. 
There’s a script command you can make a macro for to use until he gets the ability that recalls them (level 30 sounds right for that). It doesn’t refund any mana like the ability will, but on the plus side it doesn’t eat a GCD, either.
I can’t search from it from work, but you can probably find it if you check WoWWiki’s page of useful Shaman macros. Otherwise, I can try to remember to see if I still have it when I get home.
My WAG is no, but it might.
Because sometimes Blizzard is fucking stupid.
Sounds like a Growl problem, not a gear problem.
It can be a bit tricky, but I’m sure you’ll get it. My guild cleared both 10 and 25 on normal last night before ICC. We didn’t know that you could just immediately start on Heroic attempts (assumed there was some kind of attunement), but in hindsight, I don’t think it’s that big of a deal, as we got to see a new fight, got some i271 loot and are familiar with the normal version of the fight. As for strafing during Twilight Cutter in the shadow realm, I wouldn’t even worry about building threat for those few seconds, and just focus on the movement first. If you can, try to keep one of the orbs behind your left or right shoulder, and you should be able to keep strafing accordingly. It does take some practice, but I’m sure you’ll get it.
This is incorrect. Halion does not spawn until you kill the three mini-bosses. He is not even in the instance until that point. You must kill Balthurus and Saviana (sp?), then the General in the back before Halion will appear.
No, the resistance auras and Bloodlust/Heroism do not cross between the realms. You need to have a shaman in each and a paladin in each running the respective resist auras. Tanking in the fire realm is noticeably easier than shadow, and the tank in the shadow realm can take quite a bit more damage than the fire realm. So, not sure exactly what your gear discrepancy is, but I’d imagine that you should stay in the shadow realm. You can get the movement down, it will just take some practice.
Caster Resto. Nahren’s Bear/Tree specced. My gear is good enough that I can heal most heroics without needing to be in tree form, so what the hell, I may as well help speed the instance up.
I guess I had bad information. Oh well.
I don’t actually have a gear discrepancy. My gear is great. I couldn’t figure out why, if I was having problems with the movement thing, they didn’t just have me tank the fire guy–I doubt as a DK with all my cooldowns that it would have been an issue. Especially since we had limited time and couldn’t really afford to take a bunch of learning attempts. Ah, well. Next week, I guess. Or maybe Friday when our alt raid does it.
Err, do we have a Alliance group anywhere? I’d love to join the Cairne peoples, it’s just that I’m unwilling to give up my dorfness!
There isn’t, though several of the posters here play Alliance toons and I think Bosstone and SfG are on the same server; there was a brief attempt to create an Alliance counter-guild to the Burning Dogs, but it never really went anywhere (and anyone who wants to restart that guild let me know here or in game and I’ll pass guild leadership to you).
I think he meant between you and the Paladin–since you have better gear, you should be tanking the boss that does more damage, even if FR Aura weren’t a factor.
Correctamundo. We’re both on Stormrage. That’s liable to change pretty much any time, though; I really loathe this server, and if this guild falls apart, I have no reason to stay if I can find another guild somewhere else.
No loyalty among thieves, I tell you.
If I weren’t loyal, I’d have been the hell out of here weeks ago.
When Cata comes out, you can be a goblin… that’s kinda dorfish.
Quasi has an Alliance guild, damned if I can remember server or name though. It’s somewhere in the never-ending threads.
“slightly demented” on Alexstrasza.
I believe it’s <slightly demented> on Alexstrasza. Don’t know how many members it has, though–he’s set it up as as leveling/helping guild, not a high level type guild, I think.
Eh, more Gnomish.