...my thoughts on Cataclysm

I've been trying to organize my thoughts on the Cataclysm beta and the constant stream of data and information that is showing up on the blogs and websites that I follow. It all changes so quickly, that I guess I'll just put out what I am feeling right now.

My overall feeling is one of trying to avoid as much of the game play footage, new leveling experience and anything regarding the Goblin and Worgen starting areas. I am allowing myself to follow the class changes for the Shaman and have played with the talent calculator a little bit. The talent trees are changing so much, I'm not making any judgment yet, just watching.

I have also decided that I don't want to be in the beta and will donate my key if I get one. I was in the beta for Wrath and played around with the Death Knights, I have not played one since that time for more than a few levels to use as bank alts or to chat with a friend on another realm. I actually suck as a beta-tester, I'm not really good at filling out the bug reports or trying all the different combinations of things to thoroughly test the game and help make it better.

So, basically, I don't wanna be part of the beta and I don't wanna see too much of the new experience that Deathwing has brought about. I am working on putting a set of heirlooms together for a Tauren Paladin and I plan to level that through the new/modified zones.

...is this the new build?

I played around with the latest Cataclysm beta talent calculator at MMO-Champion and this is what I've come up with a 31/8/2 Elemental build. . A lot of the crap is gone and I've hoping a lot of the goodness is in the passive bonuses.

I was a little disappointed with how easy it was to put together and how little customization could actually be done. Maybe the revamped glyphs will give us some of that, I hope so. Otherwise, most Elemental Shaman will still be running around with a cookie cutter spec of every other lightning slinger out there.

...the state of Warcraft and me

...as I had mentioned before, I joined Bound and have been having a bunch of fun in game again. I am not part of the hardcore raiding team, The Ruthless, or the primary raiders, The Ascendants. Nope, I'm just a lowly Voyeur. But it's cool, I'm not sure I could keep up with those crews anyway - they are dedicated and very good players. I've just been running Heroics and filling in on occasion on non-progression nights in ICC. I have laid eyes on the Lich King and participated in the fight, although I have not been present for a kill - no title for me...yet.

I've been doing all of this on Okole, my Elemental Shaman. I've tried to play the Druid and even started a Warrior, but I just can't stay with either of them. Bumwaller is a maxed out Elixir specced Alchemist though, so I do some crafting with him.

I'm also doing a few more a-cheese-ments before they disappear in Cataclysm. Picked up The Keymaster and the Coin Master over the past week and got Exalted with a few more factions. I've been collecting Emblems of Triumph and Frost and building up my Tier10 Elemental and Tier9 Resto sets. Also nabbing Champion Seals to get a mount for my squire and get some heirlooms together for a possible new toon in Cataclysm. More on Cataclysm later, I've got a bunch of thoughts that I need to organize for that.