Friday, October 8, 2010

Pet of the Week 10/8

Welcome to this weeks pet of the week. I'm sorry I'm a couple days off. I've been busy this week but alas we have a new winner for this week. This weeks winner is the Spirit Leopard!

Most of you know him as Loque'nahak from Sholazar Basin. Spirit Beasts bring a new healing over time spell to hunters. They can provide essential healing for soloing or add some healing to a tank during a raid. This is an exotic pet so only Beast Master hunters can tame him. He is very rare and hard to find so be prepared to spend a lot of time trying to tame him as he will surely elude you.

Check back next week for the new pet of the week.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Survival Leveling Build: Cataclysm

In this article I would like to talk about a leveling build centered around the Survival spec. Since you don't receive talent points after each level you will need to make sure to optimize your points for the best performance while leveling.

Level 10: 1/2 Improved Serpent Sting
Level 11: 2/2 Improved Serpent Sting

To provide some survivability we will grab Hunter vs. Wild

Level 13: 1/3 Hunter vs. Wild
Level 15: 2/3 Hunter vs. Wild
Level 17: 3/3 Hunter vs. Wild

I'm grabbing Entrapment to provide some CC onto mobs when they get too close.

Level 19: 1/2 Entrapment
Level 21: 2/2 Entrapment
Level 23: 1/3 Trap Mastery
Level 25: 2/3 Trap Mastery
Level 27: 3/3 Trap Mastery
Level 29: 1/2 Lock and Load
Level 31: 2/2 Lock and Load
Level 33: 1/3 Thrill of the Hunt
Level 35: 2/3 Thrill of the Hunt
Level 37: 3/3 Thrill of the Hunt
Level 39 : 1/2 T.N.T.
Level 41: 2/2 T.N.T

Next I decided it would be best to grab Mirrored Blades. A lot of mobs when soloing like to cast spells. If you find yourself in a bind with low health you can always pop Deterrence to reflect some damage back at the mob and potentially kill them if they are low enough.

Level 43: 1/2 Mirrored Blades
Level 45: 2/2 Mirrored Blades
Level 47: 1/3 Pathing
Level 49: 1/1 Hunting Party
Level 51: 1/2 Toxicology
Level 53: 2/2 Toxicology
Level 55: 1/1 Wyvern Sting
Level 57: 1/2 Noxious Stings
Level 59: 2/2 Noxious Stings
Level 61: 1/3 Sniper Training
Level 63: 2/3 Sniper Training
Level 65: 3/3 Sniper Training
Level 67: 1/2 Serpent Spread

This will lead you to your 31 point talent which is the ever amazing Black Arrow.

Level 69: 1/1 Black Arrow

Next, I would grab 3/3 One With Nature.

Level 71: 1/3 One With Nature
Level 73: 2/3 One With Nature
Level 75: 3/3 One With Nature

Now I would go ahead and grab Efficiency to lower the cost of Explosive Shot.

Level 77: 1/3 Efficiency
Level 79: 2/3 Efficiency
Level 81: 3/3 Efficiency

Now I would grab the rest of Pathing and then put the remainder into Bestial Discipline.

Level 82: 2/3 Pathing
Level 83: 3/3 Pathing
Level 84: 1/3 Bestial Discipline
Level 85: 2/3 Bestial Discipline

So now your final spec will look like this.

Please remember that this is a spec for leveling and not optimized for the best possible dps. When you reach 85 if you would like to try your hands at raiding or experience end game content you will want to respec into a more suitable spec. You can view a great raiding survival spec as well as more information regarding the spec at the Survival page.

Marksmanship Leveling Build: Cataclysm

In this article I would like to take a look at a leveling build for the Marksmanship tree. In this tree you will receive Aimed Shot. But you don't learn this until level 20.

Starting out your pet is going to be a big part of your leveling and damage so it's best to go ahead and get Go For the Throat and then grab Rapid Killing.

Level 10: 1/2 Go For the Throat
Level 11: 2/2 Go For the Throat
Level 13: 1/2 Rapid Killing

Now, I would go ahead and grab 2/3 Efficiency to move onto tier 2.

Level 15: 1/3 Efficiency
Level 17: 2/3 Efficiency
Level 19: 1/2 Sic 'Em
Level 21: 2/2 Sic 'Em
Level 23: 1/2 Careful Aim
Level 25: 2/2 Careful Aim
Level 27: 3/3 Efficiency

The reason I didn't take Improved Steady Shot is that haste won't affect you all that much at such a low level. Also when soloing you won't have much time to stand around to cast Steady Shot. It would make a good opener on a far away mob but after that you should be using Arcane and Kill Command.

Level 29: 1/3 Piercing Shots
Level 31: 2/3 Piercing Shots
Level 33: 3/3 Piercing Shots
Level 35: 1/2 Concussive Barrage
Level 37: 2/2 Concussive Barrage

I decided to grab Concussive Barrage for a bit of CC into mobs. Since your pet won't be able to handle all the threat from your attacks it's best to provide a bit of CC.

Level 39: 1/1 Trueshot Aura
Level 41: 1/2 Resistance is Futile
Level 43: 2/2 Resistance is Futile

Grabbing Resistance is Futile is a good idea. A lot of humanoids flee when they get below 30% or so.

Level 45: 1/2 Bombardment
Level 47: 2/2 Bombardment
Level 49: 1/1 Readiness
Level 51: 1/2 Rapid Recouporation
Level 53: 2/2 Rapid Recouporation
Level 55: 1/3 Master Marksman
Level 57: 2/3 Master Marksman
Level 59: 3/3 Master Marksman
Level 61: 1/2 Posthaste
Level 63: 2/2 Posthaste

At this point you will need to go back and grab 2 more talents to be able to get Chimera Shot. I suggest grabbing Improved Steady Shot.

Level 65: 1/3 Improved Steady Shot
Level 67: 2/3 Improved Steady Shot
Level 69: 1/1 Chimera Shot

Now, I would grab 3/3 One With Nature for the AP bonus.

Level 71: 1/3 One With Nature
Level 73: 2/3 One With Nature
Level 75: 3/3 One With Nature
Level 77: 1/3 Bestial Discipline
Level 79: 2/3 Bestial Discipline

For some added survivability and stability while leveling you can get Hunter vs. Wild. If you aren't having trouble you can grab Pathing.

Level 81: 1/3 Pathing or Hunter vs. Wild
Level 82: 2/3 Pathing or Hunter vs. Wild
Level 82: 3/3 Pathing or Hunter vs. Wild
Level 84: 1/3 Frenzy
Level 85: 2/3 Frenzy

This should finish off your leveling. Your talent tree will then look like this (Hunter vs. Wild) or this (Pathing).

Please note that this is not the most optimal raiding spec. This is purely for leveling to 85. At this point if you would like to start raiding you will need to respec. You can take a look at the Marksmanship page for some information regarding the best raiding specs.

Beast Master Leveling Build: Cataclysm

In this article I would like to discuss some leveling builds. With the up and coming expansion I expect a lot of people to want to level up new characters to check out old world content. With the major overhaul to the talent trees you won't be getting talent points every level so I might be a little more difficult to decide where to put things.

One of the first things we need to look at is when we will be acquiring certain spells.

Lets take a look at the Beast Master Tree first. Luckily we receive both Kill Command and Aspect of the Hawk at level 10. As some extra crit on Kill Command won't be that useful we will go ahead and take One With Nature.

Level 10: 1/3 One With Nature
Level 11: 2/3 One With Nature
Level 13: 3/3 One With Nature
Level 15: 1/2 Improved Kill Command
Level 17: 2/2 Improved Kill Command

Next is where you can really pick and choose what you would like to do. In a soloing sense in BM, pet's are your main focus really. So keeping them alive is a pretty big deal. With the new change to mend pet, getting improved mend pet could prove to be essential for pet tanking.

Level 19: 1/2 Improved Mend Pet
Level 21: 2/2 Improved Mend Pet
Level 23: 1/2 Spirit Bond
Level 25: 2/2 Spirit Bond
Level 27 1/3 Frenzy or 1/3 Bestial Discipline

At this point your fights really shouldn't last that long so getting Frenzy and Focus Fire won't be that big of a deal just yet as you would probably not really use Focus Fire.

Level 29: 1/1 Frevor
Level 31: 1/3 Cobra Strikes
Level 33: 2/3 Cobra Strikes
Level 35: 3/3 Cobra Strikes

You will now have Kill Shot. It is an amazing shot with no focus cost and should be used whenever your target is below 20% health.

Level 37: Frenzy or Bestial Discipline, whichever you prefer.

You could do one of each. We'll grab them later anyways.

Level 39: 1/2 Killing Streak
Level 41: 2/2 Killing Streak
Level 43, 45, 47: I would finish out either Frenzy or Bestial Discipline and 2/3 the other. Frankly mobs won't be alive long enough to worry about getting Longevity just yet.

Level 49: 1/1 Bestial Wrath
Level 51: 1/1 Ferocious Inspiration
Level 53: Finish Frenzy or Bestial Discipline
Level 55: 1/3 Longevity
Level 57: 2/3 Longevity
Level 59: 1/1 The Beast Within
Level 61: 1/2 Invigoration
Level 63: 2/2 Invigoration
Level 65: 1/2 Kindred Spirits
Level 67: 2/2 Kindred Spirits
Level 69: 1/1 Beast Mastery

So, at level 69 you will be able to tame your exotic pet. You now have the 31 points needed in one tree to open up the other two. Now that fights are starting to get a bit longer you can go ahead and take Focus Fire.

Level 71: 1/1 Focus Fire
Level 73: 1/2 Go For the Throat
Level 75: 2/2 Go For the Throat
Level 77: 1/2 Rapid Killing

With pet scaling the increase in stamina will help you survival as well as give your pet more health and will improve the amount that mend pets heals also.

Level 79: 1/3 Hunter vs. Wild
Level 81: 2/3 Hunter vs. Wild
Level 82: 3/3 Hunter vs. Wild

At this point you have 3 points left to spend. You could put them into efficiency to help with some focus issues. Add some extra burst damage with Improved Serpent Sting. It's really up to you. Just to finish this out I will put them into Efficiency.

Level 83: 1/3 Efficiency
Level 84: 2/3 Efficiency
Level 85: 3/3 Efficiency

So the final build will look like this.

Please note that this is a leveling guide. Once you reach the max level of 85 you will want to respec into a proper raiding spec for maximum dps. You can check out some viable raiding specs on the Beast Mastery page.

Cataclysm Release Date

It is now official. After all of the guessing and wondering, Blizzard has finally announced the release date of Cataclysm.

WORLD OF WARCRAFT®: CATACLYSM IN STORES STARTING DECEMBER 7

IRVINE, Calif. -- October 4, 2010 Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. today announced that World of Warcraft®: Cataclysm, the highly anticipated third expansion for the world's most popular subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game*, will be released starting on December 7, 2010. The expansion will be available on DVD-ROM for Windows® XP/Windows Vista®/Windows® 7 and Macintosh® at a suggested retail price of $39.99 and will also be offered as a digital download from the Blizzard Store. A special Collector’s Edition packed with bonus items will be available exclusively in retail stores for a suggested retail price of $79.99.
"Cataclysm includes the best content we've ever created for World of Warcraft. It’s not just an expansion, but a re-creation of much of the original Azeroth, complete with epic new high-level adventures for current players and a redesigned leveling experience for those just starting out," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "With the help of our beta testers, we're putting on the final polish, and we look forward to welcoming gamers around the world to enjoy it in just a couple of months."
The first two World of Warcraft expansions, The Burning Crusade® and Wrath of the Lich King®, each shattered PC game sales records upon their release.* In Cataclysm, the face of Azeroth will be forever altered by the return of the corrupted Dragon Aspect Deathwing. Players will explore once-familiar areas of the world that have now been reshaped by the devastation and filled with new adventures. In an effort to survive the planet-shattering cataclysm, two new playable races -- worgen and goblins -- will join the struggle between the Alliance and the Horde. As players journey to the new level cap of 85, they'll discover newly revealed locations, acquire new levels of power, and come face to face with Deathwing in a battle to determine the fate of the world.
The beta test for World of Warcraft: Cataclysm is currently underway. Visit the official Battle.net® website at http://www.battle.net to set up a Battle.net account and sign up for a chance to participate. To learn more about World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, visit http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/cataclysm.
 (source)
That is right, the release date for Cataclysm has been set for December 7th, 2010. So go there and be sure to pre order your copy of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm and be the first to experience the new content!