The Heart of Azeroth Throbs

The Heart of Azeroth Throbs

Dated August 23, 2019

Wench has been to Silith twice. That is where her upgrades come from. That process failed and Wench had to battle with the Gods of Wow to get it fix. Ultimately, Wench won out and gained the upgrade. She is now ready to enter the Heart Forge for a second upgrade. Sadly, Wench is now having the same problem again. The WoW Gods have to fix this so she can move forward without requiring help from the game. It's really irritating.

Now for the Good Part: Below are the progress she has made below:

Heart of Azeroth Neck i433

AP Level 50 plus 39%

Gearscore is i385

Wench has also decided to take a companion. Newhome has three companions available to aid her. Neri Sharpfen is Wench's favorite. Neri is a take no prisoners kind of gal leaving dead bodies in her wake. Neri will be able to grow and improve over time.

Wench Gear Upgrade:

Heart of Azeroth Neck i433

AP 51/3156 Plus 13%

Gearscore 385

Heart of Azeroth Neck i435

AP 51/1049 Plus 71%

Gearscore 385

Note: Wench helped herself by doing an Island Expedition.

August 18 2019

Heart of Azeroth Neck i437

AP 52/4327 Plus 8%

Gearscore 386

August 23 2019

Heart of Azeroth Neck i439

AP 53/4400 Plus 7%

Gearscore 386

An August Recess

An August Recess
(In other words, catching up with things)

PS - Of course I still got the order backwards. To read this post in order start at the bottom post and read up. 

There has been a longish hiatus where I failed to enter posts that had been made. And of course, I'm now trying to sort things out and insert those many posts into the right spots. I will try my best to do better in the future. For now, though, here is the list of post titles in proper order. Using the titles, I will then insert the content of each post.

 Heart of Azeroth Fix (July 30, 2019)

It took two days of trying, but a tech managed to fix the problem I had with the Heart of Azeroth. It is now working. Wench is still getting used to Nazdajor. At least for now most of the action is there. A lot of water areas as well as a number of places that seems very similar. Wow may be retreading a number of things. That includes adding partners that go with Wench like we used to do. They are only available in the new zone, I believe.

Wench now has her Heart of Azeroth and she's added two new pieces to it. Wench says that given another week and she will feel comfortable in the new zone.

Update on Stats

Gear score is i384, AP Level 48 plus 22%. She is still using her trusty i370 polearm.

 Hoping to Re-Connect (July 24, 2019)

This morning I saw an old friend who turned up on the chat channel. The post was recent but the friend was already gone. Her name is Talatiana. She is a member of the Horde and is a member of the Meitha Guild. Wild has attempted to contact her before, but this time Wild might actually get a chance to say hi. I left a message of my own, letting her know that my current character is called Wildswench. Yes, Wild is playing a female character now. If we can connect with her, or someone else in the guild, I'll give an update and hopefully reconnect with what I consider my real warcraft family.

The next day Talatiana had left a note saying that she had received note and was excited to be back in touch.

That is only the first step. Talatiana (Tala for short) has no idea what level Wildswench is at or even if there is anything I have that would be of interest to the guild. I could ask to join and I'm sure I'd be happy to add to there large guild. But at least to begin with I really don't have anything to contribute. The Wildshard that Tala knows fought in dungeons and raids, with Wild always being the Healer. I can't really do any of that anymore. Maybe it won't matter to her, but it matters to me.

Worse, I am stuck in the game and haven't been able to fix it. What would they think if I join them and immediately tell them I'm stuck and need help. They might think I'm using them, and when they fix my problem I drop them. I wouldn't of course.

Poor Wildshard (July 15, 2019)

Everyone knows that Wench is stuck, unable to proceed further into the Heart of Azeroth. Wildshard decided he would come to the rescue. Wild figured that he could follow the initial parts, showing Wench the path up to the point where it intersects with the parts that he had trouble with. Alas, all Wild managed to do was mess up his own process. Not only that, he somehow managed to completely screw up his combat rotations. He thought they had to he reconfigured - instead, he mangled his skillset to the point he will have to go back to the beginning. Sigh.

So now both Wildshard and Wildswench are completely confused.

Wench and Wildshard Begin a New Adventure (June 26, 2019) 

To start with Wildswench pushed her gear score into new heights in the latest upgrades. Her gearscores are now as follows: Overall Gear went from i374 to i377. Wench's i350 two-handed polearm was upgraded to i370, a major improvement. She's still at AP 46 plus 69%.

 Stuck in the Mud (July 14, 2019)

It took longer than expected, but Wench finally gained a new level. She now is at AP 48. Her gear score is i381.

Then the world tilted and Wench lost her way. The rules have changed. What used to be a simple Neck piece has been transformed into the Heart of Azeroth. All power is now embodied into by this element. It is manifested as a neck piece from which all requirements are founded. Wench has one item that is designed to fit into the Heart of Azeroth. It's called Petrified Ebony Scale. Wench has been unable to figure out how to use it. She knows that she has to go to Silithus to complete the transformation. She has been able to complete some parts of the puzzle, but has been unable to complete the process. She is stuck. And she's alone.

The Battle For Darkshore - Wildswench ROCKS!

The Battle For Darkshore - Wildswench ROCKS!

PS - Yes, there is a post already on the board. This is a newer Darkshore run that is WAY more fun and productive. Enjoy.

Wench began her morning at AP Level 45 and a gear score of i371. She'd been part of similar assaults in the past, but her success was below what she was capable of. For one thing, she's had trouble keeping up when large groups split off and she'd lose direction. Wench grumbled under her breath that all of the Wildshard family are prone to this unfortunate trait.

She refused to give up, though. The morning's Darkshore run was at least her fourth of fifth try to improve on her success. On this run Wench killed not just one, but two of the badder of the monsters the raid fought. With her confidence growing, she took some risks and also showed that she was learning the ropes in keeping track where the bulk of the raid was heading during the battles. Just being able to stay in range of the main group helped a lot.

The final push sent the raid off the boat dock and it disappeared into the enemy fortress. Wench paused on the dock, alone. Did she miss out? Drats! No way. Wench leaped into the water, popped into fish form and sped across the water to the waiting enemy fortress. Did she get there in time? YES! Just as she touched the enemy walls, they fell to the Horde.

After several failed tries in earlier Darkshore raids, Wench finally got her reward. Wench is now the proud wearer of a Deathstalker's Belt at level i400. Her i405 chestpiece is the only piece that is better. So how did that affect her overall gear score? Her score jumped over i371 gearcore not to i372, but to i373!! Plus 43%.

More good news. Wench's fishing is bringing in the gold. Her best seller is a fish called a redtail loach. So far she had raised her once 22k gold level all the way to her current 64k gold! Wench has been watching the Auction House for upgrades for her gear, but there is very little available and what is there is WAY to expensive. So, Wench plans to keep fishing until she can afford a truly great gear upgrade. She very much wants a new weapon. Time will tell. Overall, she has had a great morning!  

BOOM! Wench Figures out The Darkshore

BOOM!  Wench Figures out The Darkshore

Wench has been creeping forward with her gear by grabbing every piece of azerite she can get her hands on. She ground her way for AP 42 and felt blessed with a gearscore of i360. A score bolstered with two Island Exhibition trips. She felt much more comfortable on her third trip, spending a lot more time getting work done instead of just trying not to die too many times. She was able to reach the enemy camp on the latest run, and actually had fun fighting the Alliance. Point to remember - Don't go too close to the enemy ship - nasty things happen!

Even so, progress on gear improvements were slow. So Wench decided to take another stab at a Darkshore assault. Wench learned a lot on this second run, and even kept up with the traffic and almost kept pace with the front line players. She eventually got left behind, but she felt much more comfortable. Wench will be looking forward to the next run.

Wench earned some whopper gear: An i400 chest piece, ro replace her i360. Her gearscore jumped.

Wench's gear score soared to i365! She is at AP 42 plus 74%. Another upgrade is expected at AP 43 where she believes there may be an even greater reward.

BUT WAIT!

Wench went back to Nazmir to yet again to upgrade her skills. She is finally getting used to improving her skills by collecting Azerite since picking up actual pieces of improved gear is so hard to get. Gear set at around i370 and higher are nearly impossible to get outside of a dungeon or raid. Here is the current status of each piece of gear:

375 Head

366 Neck

360 Shoulder

385 Back

405 Chest

370 Wrist

375 Hands

375 Waist

370 Legs

390 Feet

375 Finger

350 Finger

365 Trinket

360 Trinket

Weapon: 350 Polearm

Overall Gearscore is i370.

AP 44 plus 11%

Swiftwind Post

Swiftwind Post

This new post in Drustvar is, by Wench's assessment, the worst post she's ever seen - not that she's seen many posts. The post is set on a hillside. The nearby stream is manned by the enemy and the town is on constant assault. Wench had to fight her way to the post. The post does have a flight path, an outdoor in keeper and a mailbox. That is the full extent of the post. Wench's fishing may have to be curtailed given the closeness of the post to the enemy held shoreline.

Warfang Hold

Warfang Hold is another safe spot where Wench can take a break. The usual amenities and a flight path are available. That was just a stopover, however. To the northwest in Dustvar Wench fought a number of battles that led to a massive series of battles at Corlane. Wench was hoping to gain some upgrades . . .  She got a large one, pushing her gearscore of i350 all the way to i353 !  She is now tied with Wildshard, each having i353 gear scores now. Whoo Hoo!

Wildshard is proud of his daughter, and continues to track her progress to the detriment of his own needs. He intends to help her where he can (without letting her know where the help is coming from).

Darkshore

Wench made another run to Darkshore, clearing what few opportunities were available. She mostly earned honor and reputation but lacking a real upgrade.

Each day she checks the auction house for bargains, and on this morning after the Darkshore run she found a potential item for sale. Her main weapon is a polearm at i340 level. There was an ilvl 350 polearm for 10,000 gold. It was time to put up or shut up, and she bought the weapon. Her gearscore edged up from i353 to i354, now surpassing Wildshard. She remained at AP 40, edging up slightly to plus 43%. On the other hand, Wench now has only 40k gold. Happyface has not offered to replace the cost of the new gear.

Small But Welcomed Steps

Wench edged another step with an upgraded shoulder enhancement, dropping an lvl i345 to pick up an i360. Her overall gear score rose  to i355. Her AP spiked as well, now at AP 40 plus 72%. On a practical note, Wench is now capable of defeating most "Normal" Elites in single combat.

Island Expedition Part Two

Wench's second foray produced even less - two dubloons. The only piece of gear she got was an i310 - and it was cloth. Sigh. This run seemed to Wench as a "you're on your own" kind of run. The other two players took off in different directions. Wench pulled her weight, killing dozens, but she soon realized that she should be farming azerite instead of battling bad guys. When Wench checked the results of the run, though, she was relieved to see that she did get some progress. She gained 150 artifact power. Wench didn't figure out there were chests to get, either. The Alliance also showed up, but only briefly, focusing more on their own gathering than fighting the horde. Wench will continue to learn. The whole thing took less that 20 minutes. Waiting for the run to start took more time than the whole run.

Finally, an Upgrade!

Wench checks the Auction House in Org every time she stops by. She fishes when she can and with sells a few hundred to help with expenses. Yesterday, she earned 2,000 gold. One would think that gear would be heavily traded, but the fact is that buying good gear is tough to find. She caught a break this morning. Her gear score was stuck at i354 with no viable quests to help improve it. Gear at prices at or below 15,000 don't get bought because that level of gear usually comes easily when leveling, Higher priced gear jumps quickly into the 30 plus thousands and higher because there are few items available. This morning Wench was making her rounds, checking and checking on available gear. A ring popped up for sale for 18,000 gold. At that price she would expect the ring to be around i330. She is wearing an i315 ring. Bottom line. The ring was listed was MUCH better than the cost should have been. Someone goofed. Wench bought the ring. Oh, so what did she change the i315 into with that 19k gold? An i350 ring. That one purchase upgraded her overall gear score from i355 to i358!

So, Gear score is now i358. AP 41 plus 41%. That's progress.

PS - Another Expedition, two dubloons, and a mere AP 41 plus 44%. A very paltry take. Sigh.

Island Expedition

Island Expedition

Wildswench left Orgrimmar for Zandalar this morning. This time she was not interested in either the Highlands nor Darkshore. There were a few quests still laying around, but she wasn't interested in them, either.

Instead, she went to the Grand Bazaar where one signs up for an Island Expedition. These expeditions are designed for three players. The goal is to earn azerite while fending off the deadly critters that live there as well as combating an opposing force to defeat.

Since this will be her first time to attempt an expedition, she gets to start with a kind of practice run. She will do the run alone to get a feel for how things work. Once she completes that Wench will be able to sign up for expeditions. On a real expedition, however, Wench will be in a three person group that includes combat with the opposing force - ie, Wench on the Horde side vs Alliance on the other side, ie, PVP. It's the pvp part that concerns Wench, but she it going to give it a go. She thinks.

In case things go very badly, she is laying her current status:

i350 gear, AP 39 plus 89% . . . she is hoping to get at least one piece of upgradeable gear from this run. Wish her luck.

Well. It seems that Wench went right into a Island Expedition without trying it out beforehand. Wench was certainly the anchor of the group, always trying to catch up. The other two players could kill things much faster, but Wench did feel like she held her own when it came to taking a pounding while the others killed things. She died only once, and for a first time that was pretty darn amazing! 

So now she has been blooded.

So, what great treasure did we get? Well . . . Wench earned four dubloons. Dubloons? It took Wench a few minutes just to find them - aha, they are listed under "currency."

The good part of this first run is that Wench was able to keep track of where the other two were if/when she got separated. All in all, this was a pretty easy run. The expeditions are weekly. Wench will attempt a second run just to see if she gets one, or it she truly has to wait a week for the next run. It was fun!!

Oh yea, Wench did made some progress, too, going from 89% to 95%. Okay, that's pretty tiny. But she'll take it. 

PS - Still no joy on getting pics. Grrrr!

Reliving Wildshard

Reliving Wildshard

Wildswench wasn't very happy with the latest headline. Wench found herself back in Kul Tiras, still trying to figure out the Brideport Investigation. She flew to Dustvar hoping for help there, but the fine welcome that Wildshard spent some time at was lacking with Wench. The place was mostly empty, with little more than the flight path.

She made better progress in the far northeast. All of the questing she accomplished followed in Wild's footsteps. Despite some gains, the shadow of Wildshard followed her everywhere. It seemed that Wench could feel Wildshard's presence wherever she went. "Wild was here," the grass soughed, the wind breathed, and the very dirt sought a way to say, "Wild walked this path."

Her gains were small, but she did make progress. Her artifact power is now AP 37, and her gear score is i349. Wench smiled slightly, 95% toward AP 38. She really wants to get to AP 39 and even more importantly, gear score i350.

She'll have to go back to Zandalar soon, where there is better work, but even with that the possibilities have been getting more and more repetitive. The Highlands can only be pawed over once a day.

Wench hated Darkshore the first time she tried it. She's visited there several times now and it's becoming familiar. Like the Highlands, it's now just another land to tame.

Over all, though, there is little new, whether Highlands, Darkshore, or any other land. It all seems to be the same.

Wench did get to AP 38 plus 63%. Her gear score remains at i349.

Getting Cocky

Wench went on a powerful run, finally knocking off a nasty elite that she has been working on for several days. Four quests went down, along with getting a dinosaur for a temporary pet.

She pushed her AP to AP 38 AND . . . AND raised her gear score to i350 !!