What I find so interesting about this expansion is the fact that even though it has been out for quite a while now, it still feels very “fresh” to me. I still have yet to complete all of the zone quests, something that I very much enjoy to do and am quite focused on doing. Take last week for example, I mainly just engaged in Pet Battles! I didn’t really quest, or do dailies, I didn’t even PvP for Horde sake! Something about this expansion just feels very relaxed and mellowing. Ironically enough, the Pandaren love to say, “slow down” which really encapsulates the game designers approach to MoP. I realize there are some really good debates and discussions going on that have to do with different aspects of the game play, such as daily quests, cross server zoning and the ever longstanding raid/loot contentions. While I have my own thoughts and opinions regarding these different features, I have to say that I feel somewhat removed from these issues. I am just doing my own thing and playing at the pace I enjoy, without really being concerned as to peripheral game play aspects.
Now that is not to say that I am being unsocial or reclusive, just the opposite in fact! As I was visiting the Undercity, in order to collect some of the new critters that one can gain by way of pet battles, I notices a lower level Foresaken who it seemed was also dashing around in order to engage as many fights as possible so as to acquire a better quality (blue) critter for ones pet collection. I did some friendly emotes and was emoted back, which is always fun. So I sent a tell to the player and just struck up a conversation about pet battles and whatnot, which lead to probably around a fifteen minute conversation. Long story short, after having a very enjoyable chit chat, she decided to join the guild!
As a long time pet collector, I would literally spend hours, if not in fact days trying to one particular pet. Now with the addition to Pet Battles, there are a whole new percentage of players that have been bitten by the pet collecting bug, which is really cool to see! Within my guild, there are some hard core collectors that have even surpassed the number of non combat pets! We joke in guild chat about “having to collect them all!” One pet that not only looks wickedly awesome, but who also holds a sentimental value is the Tiny Bog Beast. Without going into too much crass details, lets just say that I would often make use the phrase “Bog Lord” when nature called in guild chat. So naturally, when i learned that there was an adorable tiny bog beast as a non combat pet, well I absolutely must have him!
It was as I was flying around the Wetlands, scouring the area for one of the tiny bog beasts, that an Alliance paladin requested a duel with me. As much as I relish PvP, I rather not duel. For one, the warrior class is not really the best one on one combatant. Besides, it is often the case when an Alliance seeks to duel, he will then flag up during the fight, so as to then allow one of his buddies (often a stealthy class) to come in and utterly batter the unsuspecting Horde to death. With that in mind, I just declined the duel and proceeded to emote a bow.
Interesting enough though, the Alliance player also emoted a bow. I mounted up and started to fly off, when I thought why not, worst happens is I get beat down or classically rick rolled by a stealthy. Turning around, I landed and hit the duel button. Throughout my WoW experience, a warrior who went up against a paladin was as good as dead. The paladin was made for survivability and outlasting an opponent, where as the warrior needed a pocket healer to be effective in a PvP situation. With the current class design incorporated in MoP, I was actually holding my own against my opponent! Not only was this a long duel in terms of actual time passed, but it really was fun! I would never say that I am some preeminent, peerless and ultimate warrior par excellence. Yet, I would assert that the current design of the warrior class, as well as having a good handle and grasp of how to play a warrior having played one for so long, along with my long hours of pvp experience helped in determining the outcome of the duel.
A fun week of playing WoW to be sure. Met a very congenial Horde, who became a guildie, as well as a very reputable and honorable Alliance. Still looking for my blue quality tiny bog beast though!
