Wednesday, November 10, 2010

The End of WotLK: The Journey

I've been playing WoW for almost 3 years now. I started during the time BC was ending its course; I only got into the game because my boyfriend at the time, and his brother and his GF, all wanted me to play. My EX wasn't playing at the time, but once I started, he joined me. It's interesting to note that my very first toon is not the one I play; in fact, it's the most least played toon I have. The leveling process in BC was utterly slow. And my ex's brother told me how to gear and play wrong, so I ended up taking much longer then I wanted to. I honestly never realized the huge community in this game, and how much information was at the tips of my fingers. But nonetheless, I continued with a huge NOOB sign on my forehead for my entire BC career. I was dragged through a Karazhan 10 one night, but literally that was my end game experience. For less then a month after I hit 70, WotLK came out.
When WotLK came out, everything changed. I started leveling in the right spec, looking for the right gear. But I also started recruit-a-friend with my current boyfriend. This was a huge step in my WotLK career. I started leveling a druid. My druid changed everything. I fell in love. I went balance after level 40 and enjoyed eclipsing my way through BC content and up to level 80. And because I was so enthralled with this, I even began end game content.
Because of my ex's brother, we ended up in a medium sized casual guild, with about 15 or so core people who raided. We only raided a couple times a week and we're progressing fairly decently through Naxxramas. We eventually were able to one-shot Kel'thazad, and try dappling in 25 mans before Ulduar came out.
The turning point for me was in Ulduar, where, after some problems with roles, I switched specs. I was asked to try out Restoration druid, and the rest...well was history.
Since then, I went from casual gamer to hardcore; I had multiple alts, all with the intention of trying out every healing spec in endgame raiding. Every aspect of healing I loved; it was so natural to me, that I couldn't get enough of it. Didn't matter what class I was playing, I felt most natural healing. Even when I needed a break and tried out dpsing, nothing came close to my effectiveness as a healer. And that is how I ended up here today. 
It's amazing how you develop within the game. I was relatively, and still am, unknown; I'm not notoriously known like Rejuvy or Darkleon. But I do have a basic reputation within the game. People within some basic raiding guilds know I'm a good healer who can pull my weight and not mess up. Even Rejuvy knows me as that Boomkin who has ridiculous critting. I've had him tell me to go Boomkin after not speaking to him for almost over a year, because he remembered my dps that one night...I went from being freaked out by even pugging with strangers alone, to being able to raid lead some weeklys. I no longer shrink away from talking on vent; the other night I was actually instructing some movements within a fight. I'm fairly confident, probably as much as I am at work, where I know my stuff.
Today, as I wait for Cataclysm to come out, I really wonder where I am headed. In a new guild, with new people, but with the only stable force by my side (even before we were dating, my boyfriend is the one person whose always been there). I'm pretty satisfied going into Cataclysm, despite the ridiculous amount of changes headed our way. It's a comforting feeling, even as we stare into the face of the unknown.

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